Encore Awards: Pt. 4: The Final Nominations...

I'm giving you the last set of nominees for my Awards for 2009. Many shocks are ahead - so don't say I didn't warn you. I give you my picks for Makeup and Editing. The former is my least favourite technical award, though it did bring me laughter when I saw The Young Victoria was nominated over two of my nominees. Editing is always fun, though I'm not like AMPAS in thinking my best pictures must always be recognised here, but I suppose I'm avant garde like that. The tech nods can be found HERE.

      

My Adapted Screenplay nods have two comedies, a dramedy, a gritty drama and a fantasy. It is a pity they couldn't all have gotten the love these so deserved. My Best Actor lineup features only one of Oscars' nominees, which is actually good for me. No, it's not Jeff Bridges either. I wonder what you'll think...since my Supporting Actress ballot matches Oscar 0 for 5. So, to address the elephant in the room - Mo'Nique didn't make it. Still, I would say that of the eleven finalists I would have no qualms about putting their names in a bag and randomly picking five, I'd be satisfied with whoever comes out since it's been an exceptional year in this category. My Picture and Director lineup are not so against type, at least not really. You decide. Screenplay, Acting, Director and Picture are HERE.

       

So here are the tallies

Bright Star (11 nominations)

An Education (9 nominations)

Avatar (8 nominations)

Nine (7 nominations)

The Messenger (5 nominations)

Coraline (5 nominations)

The Hurt Locker (5 nominations)

The Road (5 nominations)

A Single Man (4 nominations)

The Fantastic Mr. Fox (3 nominations)

The Lovely Bones (3 nominations)

Cheri (3 nominations)

Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince (3 nominations)

Star Trek (2 nominations)

Three Blind Mice (2 nominations)

Drag Me To Hell (2 nominations)

Moon (2 nominations)

The Princess & the Frog (2 nominations)

Duplicity (1 nomination)

In the Loop (1 nomination)

Public Enemies (1 nomination)

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (1 nomination)

Inglourious Basterds (1 nomination)

Brothers (1 nomination)

The Young Victoria (1 nomination)

Where the Wild Things Are (1 nomination)

         

Winners will be posted sometime in the following week.

         

I'm sure you have lots to say, and I want to hear you say it. So, shout it out!!! Tell me where I'm crazy, or where you agree with me.

Encore Awards 2009: Pt. 3: Score, Screenplay, Cinematography & Visuals

I'm such a completist, it's annoying sometimes. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - cinematography is my favourite technical aspect of a film. I just adore those pretty shots, so it was quite difficult narrowing to down to five. And I couldn't even include the lovely work shown below, so it was obviously a good year.

So, my ballot for Cinematography is HERE along with my thoughts on Visual Effects and Score. I love the music section, though I never match with what the real awards say. But who cares?
        
My nods for Original Screenplay can be seen HERE...I wonder which of them will be most shocking...
            
What were the shots that made you saliviate this year? Or the original words that made you cheer?

Encore Awards 2009: Pt. 2: Actress, Art Direction, Sound

The weirdest award of them all has to be the Sound Categories. Sound mixing, sound editing? What is the difference? I'm never too sure...I've learned over the years that the editing refers more to those significant aural elements and the mising concerns the wider picture - score, speech etc. I can't be sure, maybe my inclusions are a bit superfluous. But it's probably silly to doubt Avatar here. Ironically, we can't seem to doubt it in Art Direction. You know I'm a believer, but it's strange that animated films (undeservedly) never make it here, yet CGI Avatar does. I'm not complaining though. Here are the nominations.

               

Best Actress is usually a favourite of mine, but not this year. I still like my nominees, but I've not seen Julia, so I can't comment on Tilda. Still, I've always had reservations about her. She's just one of those actors who don't work for me. Oh well, that's that. Take a look at the Best Actress List. I suppose there's a surprise or too, make a case for your favourites below.
            
I've extended the days. Place a guess for a chance to guest post; if you wish.

Encore Awards 2009: Pt. 1

I have to post reviews and grades of a few films before I officially wind off 2009, but I've been promising this post for a while now and I'm actually quite anxious to know what you think. Awards, awards, awards. It's actually a copout when you think of it, since I'm just handing out the nominees this week. I want to rewatch some key films before I decide on the winners, but I digress. I'm unveiling my thoughts on three categories today so tell me what you think. Click on the links to see my nominees.

                     

Original Song turned into a complete joke at the AMPAS as far as I'm concerned, though this year's nominations are at least better than last year's. Two of their picks make my top 5, so I suppose it's all good. 

               

Costume Design is always interesting, though I have not seen Coco Avant Chanel, and I don't plan to.

               

Then, there's Supporting Actor. In a year of boring decisions this has to be the worse main category at the Oscars, but what do I care? I'll honour the snubbed here - there were so many of them. How many do we have in common...? One. I'm surprised.

       

So three categories down. What would your lineup of costumes look like? Did you crazy for the Crazy Heart songs? And who were the valuable supporting men for you? Sound off below.