Oscar Nominations

My initial reaction to today’s Oscar nominations.

Firstly:
Pan’s Labyrinth receiving 6 nominations:

Achievement in Art Direction
Achievement in Cinematography
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Achievement in Makeup
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Original Screenplay

I loved Pan’s Labyrinth. Easily my favourite film of last year, and, if I had my way, it would walk away with Best Foreign Language Film and Original Screenplay. A real shame it’s not nominated in best film (more on that later….)

United 93 receiving two nominations:

Achievement in Directing (Paul Greengrass)
Achievement in Film Editing

Another of my favourite films from last year. I thought it might have been overlooked, and am really happy that it hasn’t been.

Children of Men gets 3 nominations:

Achievement in Cinematography
Achievement in Film Editing
Adapted Screenplay

The Best Actor in a Leading Role category is interesting:

Leonardo Di Caprio (Blood Diamond)
Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson)
Peter O’ Toole (Venus)
Will Smith (Pursuit of Happyness)
Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)

I would love to see Peter O’ Toole take the award. He’s been nominated 6 times in the past. He has been awarded an Academy Honorary Award in 2003 which he accepted saying that he would still like to “win the lovely bugger outright”.
I can’t help but feel that he’ll be beaten to the statue again this year. Forest Whitaker’s performance as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland is simply incredible.

And then there’s Babel getting 7 nominatons:

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Achievement in Directing
Achievement in Film Editing
Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score)
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Original Screenplay

I’m sorry. Maybe I’m missing something. What is so great about this film?
I found it dull, really dull. It has some of the most contrived plot points I’ve seen in a film.
Granted, the performances are good, as is the direction, but the script sucks, and without a half way decent script…….

Anyway, full list of nominations is available from the Oscars website