I have to admit that this really was a pretty predictable year for Oscar nominations. That said, there were a few things that surprised me in the list.
SURPRISES
There was no way I expected "District 9" to find itself among the Best Picture nominees. However, I couldn't be more excited about the recognition given to this sci-fi film from producer Peter Jackson and writer-director Neill Blomkamp. That doesn't mean that the film still won't make my snubs list.
- "The Blind Side" for best picture? Really? Nothing against Sandra Bullock who has been racking up awards lately, but the film as a whole was just so-so.
- Speaking of Best Picture, really surprised at the lack of love for J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek."
- It appears Maggie Gyllenhaal and I have something in common. We each had the exact same number of award nominations leading up to the Oscar announcement this week: zero. But with all the love being thrown Jeff Bridges' way for "Crazy Heart," it's nice to see his costar get some, too.
- Like most people, I also asked the question "What the heck is 'The Secret of Kells'?" Well, it's a little-seen Irish film included in the Best Animated Feature category. But being in the same category with "Up" and "Coraline," I don't see it having much of a chance.
SNUBS
It's rare when someone who wins a Golden Globe doesn't even get a sniff from Oscar. Tell that to Robert Downey Jr. who got no respect from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for "Sherlock Holmes" after taking home a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Comedy or Musical.
- The Oscar hype for Rob Marshall's "Nine'' begun long before the film was ever released. But when the nominations came out, all it mustered was a Best Supporting Actress nod for Penelope Cruz.
- I was in the majority of people who expected to see Clint Eastwood among the nominees for Best Director for "Invictus."
- Maybe not as much a snub as a personal opinion, but I thought there were a couple people who put in performances that were very Oscar-worthy. I'm talking about Tobey Maguire in "Brothers," Sharlto Copley in "District 9," Julianne Moore in "A Single Man" and Sam Rockwell in "Moon."
- I'm most upset about the snubbing of one of my favorite films of the year, "(500) Days of Summer." It was one of the more original movies I've seen in quite some time and Joseph Gordon-Levitt was absolutely incredible as the lovelorn Tom Hansen.
OK, I know you guys watched the "Lost" premiere, right? Was it everything you hoped it would be?
I know for me it answered a lot of questions: Yes, the new Locke is the Man in Black who is also the Smoke Monster. Yes, the bomb reset the timeline. Yes, Richard was a former slave, which basically means he did come over on the Black Rock.
But the interesting thing is how many new questions the premiere brought up. So here are my initial thoughts:
How the hell did the island wind up underwater? Did the bomb sink the thing?
Are we to believe now that there are two separate timelines happening? And will the two ever meet? Especially since the new timeline would seem to be starting back at the show's inception in 2004 and the continuing timeline is three years later.
Line of the night: "I'm sorry you had to see me this way."
Was Sayid reborn as Jacob?
Anyone else notice that when Charlie was reintroduced, Desmond disappeared?
The Locke/MIB says he wants to go home. Where exactly is that?
District 9 is a stunning drama with a Sci-Fi background. Just because it is Sci-Fi does not make a film not worthy. Frankly, many of the films I have seen recently are crap... Avatard, Lovely Bones, etc. Studios using CG and flash to cover up a weak story and piss-poor writing. Lovely Bones is amazing as a book, and utter crud as a film. Save yourself and skip it.