The Oscar Noms: Thoughts

So the Oscar noms were announced today. Well they were no real surprises I suppose but here are my thoughts:

Avatar got its Best Film, Director, SFX nod as expected. Thankfully not the Screenplay one because let's be honest here... Avatar's story wasn't exactly original. Good enough to keep the audience interested, yes. Original, no.

It is blatantly going to win the SFX one. It sort of has to. I mean, did you even realise that essentially, unless it was the live action sequences, computer animated! From the scenery to the characters, everything. I was completely engrossed when I went to see this film in IMAX 3D. Well worth the premium prices...

Debatable if it wins Director or Best Film, but a strong contender.

Up In The Air... I went to see this last week? Yeah, last week. I really enjoyed it, funny, heart-warming as well as thought provoking. George Clooney managed to say the name 'Ryan' in perhaps the sexiest way, EVER. I went all gooey ;)

And Anna Kendrick was fabulous in it. Completely deserves the Oscar nod, as does George and Vera Farmiga (who struck me as a prettier Maggie Gyllenhaal). I think I want Anna to win the most, but I'd be happy for either to win.

The ending was a bit weird... which left me a little unsatisfied but it doesn't take away from the rest of the film very much.

Now, Inglourious Basterds. I really, really enjoyed this film when I went to see it. For a start, it is one of the only films out there that is mostly not in English. I'm not sure I really needed all the gratuitous violence (I had to look away at a few points) but the performances of some of the cast were amazing. In particular, Christoph Waltz. He is essentially the visible Baddie. Hitler was there, briefly, in the background, but it was Waltz's character that really gave you the heebie-jeebies whenever he walked on screen.

And if you aren't a fan of how the rest of the film pans out, Christoph Waltz should get the Oscar just for the first scene. A-MAZ-ING. Really sets the tone, and creeps you the hell out!

Without a doubt, though, the best line in the whole film was Brad Pitt managing to put a Southern US accent onto Italian. Hilarious...

Some aside notes. Up! is gonna win Best Animation most probably, and Wallace and Gromit the Best Animated Short.

Also if there was Best Set Production, Harry Potter would/should win hands down every time. Seriously, have you seen the amount of detail that goes into those films??