Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Adapted from what?

This year's Academy Award nominations were announced earlier today, and the most bizarre, I have to say, is Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan for Adapted Screenplay. I mean, really, that's two words, and both of them seem wrong.

Otherwise, no huge surprises. I'm rooting for Monster House to win Animated Feature, but I expect Cars to take it. I won't feel too bad about that, since I have friends at Pixar, but Monster House was a better realized story about growing up.

In some ways, I find the Oscar nominations more interesting than the actual winners--at this point, the whole thing turns into a psychology experiment, where people will vote for a film they like in a category they don't really understand (hello, Sound Editing vs. Sound Mixing) just so that it will win something.

Other winners I'd be happy to see: Children of Men for Cinematography, Pan's Labyrinth for Makeup, and Superman Returns for Visual Effects. I haven't seen the two other VFX nominees yet, but how anyone can compete with the Man of Steel?

~CKL

1 comment:

Bryan H. Bell said...

I'll also be rooting for Children of Men to win for Cinematography. I haven't seen all of the other films in that category, but it's hard to imagine more arresting camerawork and lighting than Children of Men had. I'll also be rooting for Little Miss Sunshine for best picture and original screenplay since it was #1 on my top ten for the year. And I hope Ryan Gosling wins for Half Nelson. I'd like to see An Inconvenient Truth win for best documentary, but I wouldn't be unhappy to see Jesus Camp win. I haven't seen Jesus Camp yet, but it gets points with me for essentially shutting down the "Kids On Fire" camp.

How bizarre to see An Inconvenient Truth get a nomination for best song. And how is it that Dreamgirls got 3 nominations for best song and Little Miss Sunshine didn't get one? Weird category this year.

I can't believe I haven't seen any of nominees for best animated feature! I even own Cars on DVD.