Live from Hollywood, Oscar nominations will be coming in momentarily. It will be interesting to see who will get nominated that were previously up for Golden Globes and who will get snubbed. I am glued to C.N.N. and waiting for the announcements from Hollywood.........

Outsporters, Sigourney Weaver has started announcing the nominees.
Major Upsets:
Nicole Kidman Snubbed by the Academy
Tom Cruise Snubbed by the Academy
Cate Blanchett Snubbed by the Academy

Best Actress Nominees:


1. Keshia Castle Hughes WHALE RIDER
2. Diane Keaton SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
3. Samantha Morton IN AMERICA
4. Naomi Watts 21 GRAMS
5. Charlize Theron MONSTER


Best Actor Nominees:


1. Johny Depp PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
2. Ben Kingsley HOUSE OF SAND & FOG
3. Jude Law COLD MOUNTAIN
4. Bill Murray LOST IN TRANSLATION
5. Sean Penn MYSTIC RIVER

Complete list of nominees can be found at:
www.oscar.com

[ January 27, 2004, 06:35 AM: Message edited by: Nascar007 ]

I have loved Tim Robbins for years, so I'm thrilled to see his name on this list; however, SEAN ASTIN WAS ROBBED! Robbed, I say! :mad:

The nominations look pretty good to me. Loved that Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for Best Actress for Whale Rider, although the award will go to Charlize Theron.

I am STUNNED that Nicole didn't get a nomination. WOW! Charlize has the category tied up no matter what.

I'm glad Bill Murray is nominated. I do hope he wins the Oscar. How weird does that sound ... Oscar winner, Bill Murray??

I totally believe Bill Murray should have won an Oscar for Rushmore, it is one of the most amazing and poignant performances I've ever seen. I've watched that move probably 20 times now, and each time I see some new little expression or reaction that is just perfect. (I think Gwyneth Paltrow and Gene Hackman should have won or at least been nominated for Royal Tenenbaums - I'm a huge Wes Anderson fan). At any rate, maybe Murray will get the Oscar this year, and he's also working (along with Cate Blanchett) on another Wes Anderson film that is supposed to be very interesting and will be released in time for the Oscars next year.

The Oscars are the most hyped, overrated, ridiculous affairs we currently suffer. Used to be the nominations were released in February, now they have been moved forward so we can have more hype. I really can't stand any of it. Incestuous, nepototic(is this a word?) banal and worthless. God, now we have to endure more of the hype--I wish it would all just go away and just return us to going to good movies for the sake of good entertainment.

So, uh, shore ... are you going to the Oscar party then? You seemed a little upset. wink

Okay, yeah, the Oscars are overrated, but I have fun. Every year I volunteer for the Oscar Party in downtown Minneapolis. It's for a wonderful cause for all the AIDS projects in and around Minnesota. There are people I never see out who goes to these events. I'm glad the Oscars come once a year to bring many people together for fun and frivolity.

By the way ... I was watching something on E! Didn't they use Oscar the Grouch from Sesame Street interview the stars on the red carpet one year?

[ January 27, 2004, 06:41 AM: Message edited by: Allen ]

They still do, only after 200 facelifts, he's now known as Joan Rivers.

Be honest, you just don't want to sit thru a Sean Penn speech when he goes political.

Bobby, that is true! If Sean Penn wins, we are going to hear a big anti-Bush tirade, of course egged on by Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins.

Allen, the fact that organizations can have a party and charge people to watch a television show is simply proving my point: it's hype and everyone is in on the hype. Do people have fundraising Super Bowl parties? I don't think so, but everyone and their Mother gets in on this ridiculous charade of star gazing.

I know political parties and candidates do have fundraising Super Bowl parties.

So what, shore? It's fun. And I volunteer so I pay nothing.

True that to an extent, though I don't think it would be any sort of injustice for Sean Penn to win. I really didn't mind Meryl Streep's little speechette, it wasn't completely confrontational or self-righteous.

I have some weird crush on Naomi Watts, I'd totally do her if I weren't so coked up and gay.

The only nomination I really care about:

Original Song: "Into the West" from "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," Fran Walsh, Howard Shore and.....Annie Lennox!

I am surprised about the Johny Depp nomination for Best Actor (Pirates of the Caribbean). Depp now lives in France and is always criticizing the U.S. If he were to win (and he won't), he sure would go into a tirade against the U.S. Government in his acceptance speech. Lets see...we have Sean Penn who would probably give a political acceptance speech...and we have Johny Depp who would give a political acceptance speech. That leaves us with Bill Murray, Jude Law, and Ben Kingsely. Looks like the Academy is going to do the process of elimination...LOL>

Sofia Coppola, only the third woman to get a best-
director nomination, and the FIRST American woman to do so. Stick that up your ass, Barbra. Also, she's probably the first child of an Oscar-winning director to get a nomination. I don't have my "Inside Oscar" book handy so I can't check it out.

"Cold Mountain" brutally snubbed. What must it be like at the Miramax offices right now!

Early predix, subject to change till the minute they open the envelopes:

ACTOR: Bill Murray. Sean Penn has never attended when he was nominated before, and Oscar hates to go home alone. Murray went to the Globes and made a nice speech. Clearly, he wants it. Watch for him to be highly visible during the next few weeks.

ACTRESS: Diane Keaton. Although Oscar loves to see glamor girls like Charlize go fat and ugly, he will play it safe and wait to see if this is just a flash-in-the-pan. Remember Hillary Swank? And the story of "Something's Gotta Give" will resonate painfully with all the set-aside older women of Hollywood.

SUPPORTING ACTOR: Tim Robbins. Veteran, he's earned it. Since Penn won't attend, this is the Academy's best chance for a political acceptance speech.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Shohreh Aghdashloo. How can you not love someone named Shohreh Aghdashloo? Also, Renee's too A-list to be winning a mere supporting Oscar at this point in her career.

PICTURE/DIRECTOR: The Academy will do the right thing and salute LOTR: ROTK and Peter Jackson.

Don't rule out Sean Penn just yet. Lets not forget the Academy decided to award exiled child rapist/director Roman Polansky last year. (All of you were shocked! You all thought Martin Scorcese had it in the bag). They were well aware when voting for him, that he would not be there and that Oscar would have to be air-mailed across the Atlantic. If the Academy can overlook Polanky's rap sheet, then surely they can overlook Sean Penn's attendance record. :mad:

I see the song from "Triplets of Belleville" was nominated. Who will perform it on the broadcast??

And to those who post that Penn never shows up when nominated--that is untrue. He attended the Oscars as a nominee for "Dead Man Walking."

~Adam

[ January 27, 2004, 08:43 AM: Message edited by: Adam ]

Glad to hear Cold Mountain got snubbed. Hated it (we walked out after about 45 minutes). Those pathetic, overpaid, star-turning f**ks couldn't manage to keep up a convincing accent for more than 15 seconds at a time.

I spent one of the most depressing nights of my life watching the Oscars on tv three or four years ago with a friend and his girlfriend. I remember wanting to jump out the window about two hours into it. But they were my guests, and they were really into it. We watched The Entire Thing. Nightmare. Never again.

Although I agree that Bill Murray, because of longevity of career, being snubbed before, and being a better political choice than either Sean Penn or Johnny Depp, has a shot, there is no way Diane Keaton is going to win for this piece of fluff. Oscar LOVES beautiful women to make themselves ugly for a part, the only thing that tends to beat such performance is the "disease of the week" type movie. I think Theron has this one locked up. Keaton has already won and been nominated plenty of times, so there is no need to bestow a lifetime award on her (which is how Paul Newman won for the Color of Money).

Also, I predict Sophia Coppola will win for best screenplay because:

1) Jackson has director lined up as a reward for all three "Ring" pictures

2) Coppola is a woman, and directors are a pretty male bunch - they don't like to nominate women and they certainly don't like to give them awards

3) Coppola is too young - this is only her second picture (although "Virgin Suicides" was one of the most stunning directorial debuts ever).

However, the Academy will want to give an award to "Lost in Translation" and will probably want to reward Coppola for making such a fine film, so they will throw the concillation prize of best screenplat at her.

"I have some weird crush on Naomi Watts, I'd totally do her if I weren't so coked up and gay."

That's a great line.

Whatever happened to Hillary Swank? She has been keeping a low-profile since "Boys Don't Cry". LOL.

[ January 27, 2004, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Nascar007 ]

Don't be so sure about this. I think it's going to be between Charlize Theron and Keshia Castle Hughes.

Remember "Whale Rider" was a small film and along with "Monster" has never gotten a bad review. So you have two smaller films nominated. It will be interesteing to see.

I'm not surprised that Tom Cruise didn't get nominated. The pretty boys have too much baggage, and it wasn't his "best" performance like in the past with Jerry Maguire or Born of the Fourth of July.

But I am surprised with Johnny Depp's nomination. I guess this year the academy is recognizing off-beat comedic roles, like Diane Keaton's.

And what's this Girl with a Pearl Earring? Never even heard of it but it seems to have gotten a lot of nominations.

I didn't see In America but heard it's good and glad to see a small film getting some major nominations.

I wouldn't write off Marcia Gay Harden as the best supporting actress winner for her role in Mystic River. I watched the film and didn't realize it was her, she was that good.

I'm also glad Ken Watanabe from Last Samurai got a nod.

It would be cool to see Sophia Coppola crowned as a director, but I agree with everyone that Lord of the Ring's director is going to take it.

And finally, it was a long shot but I'm bummed that Ellen Degeneres didn't get a nomination as best supporting actress. The whole point of a supporting role is to lift up the rest of the movie, and I think that's what Degeneres did in Finding Nemo.

She did do the Core, and let me tell you I was riveted by her performance. I mean when she piloted that tin can out of the center of the earth by just riding a shockwave, I was glued to the screen. It was clearly her best work...

I'm glad that there is a wide selection of nominations from performers and movies that aren't normally touted as the Oscar season picture. Whale Rider has been out for some time, and Keisha was amazing in that movie. I have yet to see Monster, but going ugly doesn't automatically an Oscar make, I mean didn't Mel have half a face for some movie he did?

I agree with Batboy, Ellen should have been nominated in the best supporting actress category. She did a wonderful job of adding heart to that movie.

I don't think Renee is going to win best supporting actress, but then they may give it to her since she was not given it last year for Chicago. I think it should go to Shohren for an amazing performance in House of Sand and Fog.

For actor it is a toss up, I think Bill Murray may have it, but I think Ben Kingsley may take it from him. But Sean Penn was very good, and they didn't give it to him years ago for Dead Man Walking.

Sophia has done a remarkable job directing and she is showing staying power. Virgin Suicides was a great movie, and this was a great follow up. And despite everyone being sad Barbara wasn't nominated for Mirror Has Two Faces, the direction wasn't spectacular on that movie...it could've been done by Nancy Meyers for all it had in it...But back to Sophia, she will get best screenplay, and if she keeps up the great job directing, she will eventually get one too.

Overall I am glad at the diversification of the nominees this year. Not all English, we have Indian, South African, Maori, Japanese, and Texan...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by shore:
[QB] The Oscars are the most hyped, overrated, ridiculous affairs we currently suffer. Used to be the nominations were released in February, now they have been moved forward so we can have more hype.

I agree with overrated and hyped, but the Academy moved the nomination show to January because the show is now in February. Anyway...Sean Astin was more-than-deserving in the supporting category as was the always-incredible William H. Macy. Alec Baldwin????????? please!!!!!!!

Totally agree with TomFords assessment of Cold Mountain. Jude Law's, Renee Z and Nicole K's accents were laughable.

Wow,

I normally think the Oscars are just a bunch of fluff and Hollywood kiss-ass for the true ego-maniacs of the world. But seeing some of the nominees gives me hope like Bill Murray and Johnny Depp in films that normally get agressively ignored by Mr. Oscar. Comedy/sci-fi/fantasy is like some kind of gold-plated repellant!

And I for one am thrilled that such big budget bullshit like Cold Mountain and Last Samari got practically ignored. Outside of the "King", the best movies this year have been the little ones it seems. WITHOUT over-hyped stars like Ms. Kidman...

Finally, this year, it may be fun to watch the show. wink

pittkid
(rooting for Peter Jackson and the "King" to win it!!!!)

The Academy members really do deserve credit this year for coming up with some unusual nominees: "Lost in Translation, "Whale Rider," "City of God," "In America," "Dirty Pretty Things," and "American Splendor."

Isn't it funny how we turn on stars after we hold them up and say they're great? Nicole Kidman did an incredible performance in Moulin Rouge and then followed it up with a image-changing role in "The Hours," where she deservedly won an Oscar. Now she's an over-hyped star? Maybe the media has placed more attention on her, but I don't think she's gotten too big-headed.

The same reactions have been tagged to stars like Gwyneth Paltrow after her "Shakespeare" movie. Everyone expected too much from her and it's like her star flammed out.

It's odd how we sometimes put added expectations on stars after they win an Oscar but forget that the Oscar is recognition of work that already happened. We're rewarding a moment that occurred in the past year. We're not annointing someone for the future!

I've never heard of a fundraising Super Bowl party, but enough about that. I have dish to share:

Hilary Swank is spending her time, but not her money, redoing her NYC apartment. Evidently, she and her decorator like to take furniture from upscale decorator shops in NYC, do a big photo shoot for Architectural Digest and return it all after the shoot. I know this to be true because they used tens of thousands of dollars worth of stuff from my friends shop and returned it all. Now this practice isn't uncommon, but to use it in a photo shoot and then not keep anything is beyond the scope of decorum.

And, now I confess to knowing too much about Oscar for my own good: But generally you never here from the supporting actress winner again, oh well, maybe the next year, but soon enough they fade away: Marisa Tomei(although I love her in Cousin Vinny), that Sorvino girl, and soon enough that ghastly overacting Jennifer Connelly. If we get lucky maybe Renee will disappear too.

The two most egregious political speeches I can rememder at the Oscars were from Richard Gere and Tim Robbins. Gere has never apologized, and has never been invited back as a presenter. Robbins however, allowed himself and Sarandon to be humiliated the next year. I don't remember who was hosting, but the announcement of their presenting was something along the lines of "Here are Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, and they're pissed about something." To which they strode out purposefully looking very serious and started reading the nominees without comment. I think Robbins knows better now.

I think she is taking the route of sister Oscar winner Marissa Tomei and is going to lay low for a little while.

The country of New Zealand should get a special Oscar for Awesomeness. (Also rooting for Peter Jackson & "King")

I'LL be honest: I don't want ANY political BS mentioned at ANY award show--right OR left. Keep the show on topic.

Glued to the set? Dude, you really need to get a life!

I'm glad to see Depp make the list, he's been overlooked way too much. I think he should have gotten something for Chocolat.

And now that it's three straight years, I hope the Academy will throw Renee a bone. She really does deserve a statue.

Guys, she's got that high-profile HBO movie coming (whose name I can't remember). The one with Anjelica Huston. A period piece, which admittedly isn't the best role for her; did anyone like that Necklace movie she did with my boyfriend Adrien Brody?

Anyway, back to the Oscars. Trivia: Bill Murray is only the second SNLer (after Dan Aykroyd) to be nominated. And it's about damn time Murray got recognized. Thanks to Wes Anderson (and Sophia) for showing us how good an actor he's become.

On the other hand, I'm still failing to see what's so great about Mystic River. Sure, it didn't suck, but I was not overly impressed with it. And Tim Robbins's nom is odd - his annoying Bahston accent was the worst part of it.

And a big HA-HA to Harvey Winestain for his failure to buy a Best Pic nom for Cold Mountain. Was I the only one sick of mediocre Miramax movies being up for the big prize year after year? I mean, really. Chocolat? Cider House Rules? English Patient? Puleeze.

I think if Cate Blancett had gotten nominated for Veronica Guerin, it would be between her and Charlize Theron. Cate's a master in everything she does.

Since she didn't, I think it will be between Charlize and Naomi Watts. I hope its Naomi or the whale rider girl. Granted, I havent seen MONSTER, but Charlize's performance looks so hammy in every clip. I kind of feel embarrassed for her. It's like she forgot her performance and was trying too hard to act ugly.


The surprised wasnt that Nicole didn't get nominated, it's that Jennifer Connelly didnt. I thought Jennifer would go in as a favorite. Keshia Castle Hughes was a huge surprise. I hear her performance was very good, but you hardly heard anything about her in entertainment predictions. You know the New Zealanders are going to be REALLY annoying this year.

Cold Mountain was just Miramax hype and nothing else. Im glad the Academy was smart enough to look through it.

The only surefire is that Lord of the Rings will win as best picture. And peter jackson.

[ January 27, 2004, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: savvy ]

jqueer, it was David Letterman who jokingly introduced presenters Robbins and Sarandon by letting the audience know "they look pissed about something." Last year, Sarandon made her entrance making a peace sign & was criticized by some for making even that statement and others for being so quiet. They can't win.

I'm glad that Samantha Morton got some attention for her outstanding, natural, non-showy work in the excellent "In America," but am sorry the two young girls, the Bolger sisters, were overlooked & Peter Saarsgard, in "Shattered Glas" was unacknowledged. His work was far better than the more-hyped actors in the supporting category.

~Adam

Ok, my turn, my turn. First, I agree with CPT-Doom, in that Sophia Coppola will win Screenplay. They love Hollywood royalty so they will throw her this bone. Remember John, Walter and Angelica Huston, (though John only got a lifetime achivement), the Douglases.

The two Supporting Actor catagories are always a toss up. History dictates this is where most of the surprises occure. It also seems to me this is where the popular vote comes in. Whoopie for example. Watanabe or Hounsu will win for supporting actor and Aghdashloo will beat out Zellweger for supporting actoress. And yes it's unfortunate Astin didn't get a nod.

For me it's to early to tell about the Best Actor catagories. Much campaining to be done. I'm sure good ole Harvy Weinstein will spend billions wooing the voters. I was sickened when Shakespeare won Best Pic over Private Ryan. Not to mention Harvey walking up and down the isle waving his arms during the entire telecast. Anyway, if I have to pick, I'd say Law or Kingsley for Actor and Watts or Theron for Actoress.

The Best Director will go to Jackson for basicly all three films. He deserves it. Remember this Academy awards for achivement, and his undertaking was just that, a monumental achivement. Which is why LOTR will also win for Best Picture. This achivement, with actual locations, eight years in production, etc, will not go unoticed.

This years noms. are all over the place. So I look for more than a few suprises. The older, more traditional voters are dying off, being replaced by the young crowd. After saying that, their final picks will still be somewhat conversative. Which, I think is why I lost the best supporting oscar for my work in the original 'Bambi'. But I forgave them and they awarded me with my own chocolate covered oscar a few years later.

BTW- Has anyone heard if they are going to give out any special awards like lifetime achivement or the Thalberg? They have always been the shows highlights for me.

Marisa Tomei has been working on stage in New York quite regularly. In addition, she was nominated for another Oscar two years ago for "In the Bedroom."

I think Johnny Depp would deserve an Oscar for his performance in Pirates of the Caribbean. Yeah, it may not be some serious drama movie, and it may not sound like it deserves an Oscar nomination, but he actually did an awesome job acting. Go rent it if you haven't.


And I'm not even attracted to him... wink

Iron Jawed Angels. It's about, I believe, a couple of decades in the Suffragette movement, particularly the conflict between the older, well established figures and the younger less patient girls who will take their place.

Swank has also, in the four years since her Oscar, appeared in Insomnia, The Affair of the Necklace and The Gift.

And, as mentioned before, Tomei has been nominated for another Oscar since her win. She has also been in several other critically well received movies including Welcome to Sarajevo, Unhook the Stars and Slums of Beverly Hills.

I wouldn't say either of these actresses have disappeared, nor has their work plummetted.

Looking through the acting awards of the last few years, the only person I can see who has not really fullfilled the Oscar potential would be Cuba Gooding Jr. His work's been pretty awful and his choices very bad. On the other hand, Mira Sorvino has been a bit mediocre since the award. Hell, even Anna Paquin has had better roles than those two.

[ January 27, 2004, 08:39 PM: Message edited by: jqueer ]

Father/child winners: John Huston won a directing oscar for Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948?) and, of course, his daughter Angelica won for Prizzi's Honor. Not to mention John's father, Walter, won (I think) three awards. And Vincent Minnelli won as well as his daughter, Liza.

Don't forget Angelina Jolie and Jon Voight(atleast I think he won?"

Page Six says today that Sean Penn's publicist is saying that he'll attend the ceremony this year.
Then again, it's just his publicist. They'll say anything.

I'll believe it when I see it.