Category:
Best Motion Picture
Nominees:
Babel (review)
comment: Billed by some as this year's Crash, the film tries but fails to match the outcome of the previous year's winner for Best Motion Picture. This film, as good as it is, was not among the top five films of last year by a long shot.
The Departed (review)
comment: Far fresher on voters, minds, The Departed benefitted greatly from its strategically planned release date. Had it come out with the trail in December, it would never have measured up to those names left off the list by some twist of fate.
Iwo Jima (review)
comment: Absolutely belongs on the list, no question. One just has to wonder about this World Languages thing? Do films in languages other than English go in this category? If so, where's Pan's Labyrinth? Play fair and don't show favoritism for Clint Eastwood.
Stephen Frears for The Queen (review)
comment: From the moment the film starts, you know you are watching one of the best films of the year, no question.
Little Miss Sunshine (review)
comment: Little Miss Sunshine is the, let's prove we care about the independent film industry nominee. It's a wonderful, fresh, tragicomedy. The Academy completely snubs Tony Collette again, she's used to it by now. But, hey, if they hadn't nominated one of the year's longest running films, how could they justify it? Still, compared again, to some of the names left off, it doesn't measure up as being as good as most of the films on the What's Missing list below.
What's missing?
The Painted Veil--When people finally get wind of this film on DVD, they are going to (a) regret they didn't see it on the big screen (b) wonder what happened to the advertising budget, and (c) question why it wasn't nominated for best picture. And why weren't Watts and Norton nominated? Etc.
Children of Men--Perhaps being too dreary with an uncertain ending in a tiny row boat sank this brilliant study of human frailty and atrocity before it got into the ballot box.
Blood Diamond--Hollywood is all about Product (Red) and helping Africa. Clearly not, though when it comes to girl's best friends and coffee.
Little Children--Too arty maybe? The acting was maybe too good? The ending was too unpredictable? Kate Winslet wore overalls? The story was way too wise?
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer--This unacclaimed film was really one of the most magnificent film achievements in decades--even longer than it took to finally get it made.
We are Marshall--Too many football movies in one year? Well, no other movie I saw this year made me cry for nearly two hours.
Dreamgirls--The Chicago effect fails to bring home the bacon on this one.
Notes on a Scandal--I have no clue who thought Babel or Little Miss Sunshine was better than this film.
The Prestige--A brilliant script, some of the greatest actors of our day, brilliant direction, dazzling special effects, and it all got wrecked by Hugh Jackman's inability to change his facial expression from that powerful grimace to anything mor appealing.
Stranger than Fiction--Will Ferrell has a banner year with tantalizing roles that really shows his stuff as an actor, but still gets a slap in the face. Guess he should stick to Anchorman 2 after all.
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