We’re barely halfway through 2008, and already, Variety is complaining that we’ve hardly seen any Oscar contenders. Sure, there are likely animated feature nominees in WALL-E, Kung Fu Panda, and Horton Hears a Who, and EW’s Ken Tucker (among others) thinks Iron Man merits a golden man or two. Still, aside from Richard Jenkins’ (pictured) lead performance in the modest indie hit The Visitor, no acting turns have emerged as consensus potential nominees.
Of course, distributors tend to assume Oscar voters have short memories and save their likeliest contenders for the latter half of the year, as everyone knows (including Variety, whose article contains a helpful schedule of the Oscar-baiting movies due out over the next six months). Still, let’s play along and ask: which movies and performances have you seen so far in 2008 that you think might be up for Oscars at the end of the year?
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WALL-E for best picture! (not just best animated film)
Well, of course no one’s seen it yet, but people are talking about Heath Ledger for an Oscar already.
Greg beat me to it, but I’d like to see “Wall-E” have a chance for Best Picture (and not just confined to the Animated Feature category) especially after Ratatouille was robbed of a Best Picture nom last year.
As for performances, how about Russell Brand in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” I mean, why not? He was absolutely hilarious. And “Dracula’s Lament” for Best Original song. (That’s right, I’m handing “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” two Oscar noms)
Greg beat me to it, but I’d like to see “Wall-E” have a chance for Best Picture (and not just confined to the Animated Feature category) especially after Ratatouille was robbed of a Best Picture nom last year.
As for performances, how about Russell Brand in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” I mean, why not? He was absolutely hilarious. And “Dracula’s Lament” for Best Original song. That’s right, I’m handing “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” two Oscar noms (actually, three if Aldous Snow’s “We’ve got to do something” gets a song nod too)
Ugh, double post. Sorry.
Can Definitely, Maybe get the first even Oscar for Best Rom-Com? I LOVED that movie.
I see SPJ and Sex and the City getting nominated for a few awards– Costumes for Pat Field; Screenplay for Michael Patrick King, and maybe even a Best Actress Nod for SPJ. But even those are pretty big maybes.
Yea, I think Wall-E could be a Best Picture nominee. It’s the best animated movie I’ve seen since Toy Story.
Russell Brand for Best Supporting Actor and “Dracula’s Lament” for Best Original Song. (And I’ve been saying since the day Heath Leger died that he’d be getting a posthumous nod for “The Dark Knight.”)
Two nights ago I asked my husband if he remembers if we’ve seen any great movies this year. We could only come up with There Will Be Blood and No Country, but realized they didn’t count because they released in 2007.
Have not seen Wall-E yet, and anticipating that as the first “great” movie of the year. Where are they??
How about Robert Downey Jr for Iron Man? I know some of you are saying its a popcorn flick but Iron Man did get rave reviews and Johnny Depp got a nod for Pirates.
Wall-E for best picture should be a no-brainer. Seeing as it’s very much an artsy film (at least the first part), I think the academy might agree, for once.
Robert Downey Jr. for Iron Man…and I am kind of sad to say that it’s the only thing I remember sor far since the beginning of the year!
And Kung Fu Panda!!! (Haven’t seen Wall-E yet!)
Well, there have been a lot of great docs (Bigger, Stronger, Faster; Young@Heart). I loved Ellen Page in Smart People, but no one will remember that. Jim Sturgess was excellent in 21, but there will easily 5 better performances by year’s end. Naomi Watts and Tim Roth were great in Funny Games, but…yeah, few people will subject themselves to that movie. I also loved all the production aspects of The Bank Job, but that will likely be forgotten as well. And Peter Dinklage brought may more to his role in Prince Caspian than I expected. I would love to see him recognized somehow.
Robert Downey Jr. for Iron Man. He was unbelievable in that film. But yeah, I am sure the true Oscar bait won’t come out for while. But I definately think Robert should get a nomination.
WALL E
WALL E
WALL E
WALL E
Maybe best original screenplay for Jason Segal for “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” maybe i just will always love him for “Freaks and Geeks” but i loved that movie
Wall-e is a best picture quality film, it was amazing, a week later I still can’t stop thinking about it.
Variety is complaining that we’ve hardly seen any Oscar contenders? Huh. Coincidentally, there are actually movies I’m excited about seeing this year, lots of them, unlike last year’s crop. Or perhaps that isn’t coincidental at all. (Seriously this was my top ten list for 2007: 1. Ratatouille. 2. Did Order of the Phoenix come out in 2007? The end.) Considering the lengthy list of questionable Oscar winners over the years (no more questionable than most award shows, though, and considerably less questionable than the Emmys,) I feel that a lack of Oscar contenders is not exactly a huge problem.
In Bruges with Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes is the best movie so far this year. It had a good mix of drama, comedy and action. Great movie and hopefully it will be remembered by the oscars.
When Oscars start going to films released before October, you’ll see more Oscar contenders released before October.
Here are my picks:
WALL E should be a shoe in AT LEAST for Best Animated….but seriously, that movie made me think about our world more than most live action movies I’ve ever seen.
I loved (as in seen it four times) Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man.
And of course Heath Ledger…I cannot wait for The Dark Knight to come out.
I’m cheating a little – the movie will come out later this month. I don’t think you can ever discount Emma Thompson at Oscar time. She looks great in the Brideshead Revisited trailer.
Heath Ledger, Wall-E and Iron Man all deserve nods. In Bruges should get something. It’s been a rough rough year. Someone mentioned Emma Thompson. She is a goddess and does look great.
Robert Downey Jr. for Ironman. Not much to say, just a solid, intense performance.
However, I felt I got my $7 worth even if I couldn’t understand about 2/3 of what Downey was saying (I’m hard of hearing).
Gwyneth Paltrow, for Ironman. This was the first time I saw Paltrow and I see now what the fuss is about. She could turn out to be one of the great ones.
Jeff Bridges, for Ironman. Interesting to see him as a heavy. I think he was outstanding in this part. At first based on his voice I thought he was Albert Brooks, but he looked too darn big. Then I realized it was “the Dude” himself!
Ironman itself is not oscar material by a long shot. Special effects were incredible, but it was too predictable and corny to my taste. On the other hand, it IS a comic book movie
Well, no one saw “Snow Angels”, but Kate Beckinsale gave the best performance of her career (so did Sam Rockwell for that matter).
I think Best Supporting Actress is already very strong with Rachel Weisz in “Definitely, Maybe” (making a potentially extremely dislikable character insanely charming and interesting).
Rachel McAdams in “Married Life”. So good…but no one saw that one either.
Robert Downey Jr. should but considering that his movie is a blockbluster, his nomination may be a hard sell. Heath however may receive posthumous recognition… in the trailers alone he is brillant! He is making me forget Jack Nicholson as the Joker and I thought THAT would be impossible.
I agree with “graeme” that Snow Angels was great… devastating, but great. I think Sam Rockwell deserves recognition and Kate Beckinsale was really terrific… even a screenplay or director nod would give hope to all of those smaller directors who have passion for filmmaking… not just about making money.
def Robert Downey Jr for IRONMAN and Richard Jenkins was wonderful in The Visitor
I’ll probably be lambasted for this, but I thought Natalie Portman was Oscar-worthy fantastic in The Other Boleyn Girl. I loved that movie more than I should have – it reminded me of the kind of great old films that would have been made with Olivia De havilland and Joan Fontaine
Honestly, absolutely nothing has been Oscar worthy yet this year. It’s not November, but surely at least ONE movie could have poked its head out between January and now.
I’m hearing good things about The Bank Job and In Bruges.
If you got a chance to see an early screening, then you know Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (omg!) Best Supporting Actor. Maybe even best picture (I thought Batman Begins deserved the nod back in 05 as well).
But I have to say the best film I’ve seen this year is easily Wall*E.
I also really liked Cloverfield (Best Visual Effects)
Robert Downey Jr. will ger nomination, probably not for Iron Man, but for The Soloist.