Oscar Nominations

[Janice]

• Best Picture

• The Aviator
  Finding Neverland
  Million Dollar Baby
  Ray
  Sideways
• Best Actor
  Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda
  Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland
  Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
  Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
  Jamie Foxx, Ray
• Best Actress
  Annette Bening, Being Julia
  Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace
  Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
  Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
  Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Best Supporting Actor
  Alan Alda, The Aviator
  Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
  Jamie Foxx, Collateral
  Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
  Clive Owen, Closer
• Best Supporting Actress
  Cate Blanchett, The Aviator
  Laura Linney, Kinsey
  Virginia Madsen, Sideways
  Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda
  Natalie Portman, Closer
• Best Director
  Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
  Taylor Hackford, Ray
  Mike Leigh, Vera Drake
  Alexander Payne, Sideways
  Martin Scorsese, The Aviator

'Aviator' Gets 11 Academy Award Nods



(AP) Leonardo DiCaprio, Adam Scott, Jude law and Cate Blanchett are shown in a scene from "The Aviator."...
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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - The Howard Hughes epic "The Aviator" led Academy Awards contenders with 11 nominations Tuesday, including best picture, plus acting honors for Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Alan Alda and a directing slot for Martin Scorsese.

The boxing saga "Million Dollar Baby" and the J.M. Barrie tale "Finding Neverland" followed with seven nominations each, among them best picture and acting nominations for Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Hilary Swank and Johnny Depp.

Eastwood also got a directing nomination for "Million Dollar Baby."

The other best-picture nominees were the Ray Charles portrait "Ray" and the buddy comedy "Sideways."

Along with Eastwood, Jamie Foxx also scored two nominations, as best actor for the title role in "Ray" and supporting actor as a taxi driver whose cab is hijacked by a hit man in "Collateral."

Foxx's dead-on emulation of Charles has made him the front-runner in the lead-actor category.

Starring as aviation trailblazer and Hollywood rebel Hughes, DiCaprio also was nominated for best actor. He and Foxx will compete against Depp as "Peter Pan" playwright Barrie in "Finding Neverland"; Eastwood as a cantankerous boxing trainer in "Million Dollar Baby"; and Don Cheadle for "Hotel Rwanda," starring as hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, who sheltered refugees from the Rwandan genocide.

The best-actress category presents a rematch of the 1999 showdown, when underdog Swank won the Oscar for "Boys Don't Cry" over Annette Bening, who had been the front-runner for "American Beauty."

This time, Swank was nominated as a bullheaded boxing champ whose life takes a cruel twist in "Million Dollar Baby." Bening was chosen for "Being Julia," in which she plays an aging 1930s stage diva exacting wickedly comic revenge on the men in her life and a young rival.


(AP) Oscar-winning actor Adrian Brody, left, and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President...
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Both actresses won Golden Globes for the roles, Swank for best dramatic actress, Bening for actress in a musical or comedy.

Also nominated for the best-actress Oscar were Catalina Sandino Moreno as a Colombian woman imperiled when she signs on to smuggle heroin in "Maria Full of Grace"; Imelda Staunton as a saintly housekeeper in 1950s Britain who performs illegal abortions on the side in "Vera Drake"; and Kate Winslet as a woman who has had memories of her ex-boyfriend erased in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

Joining Eastwood and Scorsese among directing nominees are Taylor Hackford for "Ray"; Mike Leigh for "Vera Drake"; and Alexander Payne for "Sideways."

Scorsese, arguably the most prominent modern filmmaker who has never won an Oscar, also has never delivered a best-picture winner. Considered a nominal best-picture favorite, "The Aviator" offers him a shot to finally triumph on Oscar night, though Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" is a formidable competitor.

"The Aviator" won the Golden Globe for best-dramatic film, but Eastwood beat out Scorsese for the directing prize at the Globes. Eastwood is a past Oscar winner for best-picture and director with 1992's "Unforgiven."


(AP) In this photo provided by DreamWorks Pictures, Jamie Foxx, right, appears with Tom Cruise in this...
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Along with Foxx in "Collateral," Alda was nominated for supporting actor as a senator tussling with Hughes in "The Aviator" while Freeman was picked as a worldly-wise ex-boxer in "Million Dollar Baby." The other nominees: Thomas Haden Church as a bridegroom out for a final fling in "Sideways"; Clive Owen as a coarse lover in "Closer."

For supporting actress, academy voters picked Blanchett, who plays Katharine Hepburn in "The Aviator"; Laura Linney as the title character's sexually adventurous wife in "Kinsey"; Virginia Madsen as a deceived lover in "Sideways"; Sophie Okonedo as innkeeper Rusesabagina's wife in "Hotel Rwanda"; Natalie Portman as a gutsy stripper in "Closer."

It was the best year ever for black performers, who had five of the 20 acting nominations. The most previously was three, including the 2001 Oscars when Halle Berry and Denzel Washington both won the lead acting prizes.

"Sideways" star Paul Giamatti was overlooked for a nomination, a surprise given that he had been a contender for most previous film honors. Liam Neeson, who had the title role in "Kinsey," also missed out, as did the movie, which had considered a best-picture contender.

Mel Gibson's religious blockbuster "The Passion of the Christ" missed out on main categories, but did pick up nominations for cinematography, makeup and original score.


(AP) This combination of file photos provided by the film studios listed below shows the nominees for...
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Michael Moore's gamble to hold his hit film "Fahrenheit 9/11" out of the documentary category - to boost its best-picture prospects - backfired. The movie was shut out across the board.

Moore won the documentary prize two years ago for "Bowling for Columbine."

Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me," which hilariously chronicles his monthlong feed frenzy on an all-McDonald's diet, was among the documentary nominees.

Also nominated was "Born into Brothels,""The Story of the Weeping Camel,""Tupac: Resurrection," and "Twist of Faith."

With its epic scope and dazzling re-creation of early Hollywood, Scorsese's "The Aviator" could claim the inside track as front-runner for best picture. The film won the Golden Globe for best dramatic picture.


(AP) In this promotional photo provided by Fox Searchlight Pictures, actors from left, Sandra Oh, Thomas...
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Yet unlike last year, when "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" went in as the odds-on favorite and swept all 11 of its categories come Oscar night, the outcome is more uncertain this time.

"The Aviator" could finally bring Scorsese the best-picture and directing wins that have eluded him during his distinguished career. But Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" is a heavyweight opponent that could spoil Scorsese's chances.

The fairy-tale comedy "Shrek 2" and the superhero adventure "The Incredibles" will duke it out for the animated feature film Oscar, along with the undersea romp "Shark Tale."

Nominated for foreign-language film were Sweden's "As It Is in Heaven," France's "The Chorus," Germany's "Downfall," Spain's "The Sea Inside" and South Africa's "Yesterday."

Nominees in most categories are chosen by specific branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, such as directors, actors and writers. The full academy membership of about 5,800 is eligible to vote in all categories for the Oscars themselves. ABC will broadcast the Oscars live Feb. 27 from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre. Chris Rock is the show's host, the first time since 1996 that either Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg or Steve Martin has not been master of ceremonies.

[isiahthomas]

I was just watching the tv show Good Day Live on Fox network. What's that black woman's name that's one of the hosts on the show? I've seen her on somethin else before. She's very attractive. She was talkin about the oscar nominations with a white woman & a white man who are also hosts of the show. If Jamie Foxx doesn't win a oscar for Ray, i won't be surprised cause the oscars are racist. It's a shame they gave Halle Berry a oscar for a movie that she got naked in & she didn't deserve a oscar cause the movie sucked. She's had better performances in Dorothy Dandridge, Losing Isaiah, Queen & she got overlooked for those movies. There's so many black actors that should've won oscars but i'm not surprised they got overlooked. It just goes to show you how racist this country is.

[Superstar]

I'm so glad A Series of Unfortunate Events got 4 noms, even though they are for Best Music, Best Make Up, Best Costumes, Best Art Direction

[dlemond]

Political and flamebait.

[Dr. Jazz]

It sure did chief.

Had Moore left it in the Best Documentary category, it would have definately got nominated. But he took a gamble and lost, & sadly that happens about every year in the Oscar race with actors & actresses who aren't sure which category to put themselves in.

[dlemond]

No politics.

[HuntingtonM15]

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

If Jamie Foxx doesn't win a oscar for Ray, i won't be surprised cause the oscars are racist. It's a shame they gave Halle Berry a oscar for a movie that she got naked in & she didn't deserve a oscar cause the movie sucked.

I wouldn't really call them racist. Foxx is expected to win, but that year, not only did Halle win, but so did Denzel, and an honorary award was given to Sidney Poitier. Though, I agree that Halle didn't deserve the Oscar that year. In my opinion, that performance was far from Oscar worthy.

But anyway...I'm still rooting for Hilary, she definitely deserves it. I'm also really happy that Natalie made it in, despite being screwed out of a SAG nod. Clint was a nice surprise in the Lead Actor category.

[dlemond]

Originally Posted by isiahthomas

I was just watching the tv show Good Day Live on Fox network. What's that black woman's name that's one of the hosts on the show? I've seen her on somethin else before. She's very attractive. She was talkin about the oscar nominations with a white woman & a white man who are also hosts of the show. If Jamie Foxx doesn't win a oscar for Ray, i won't be surprised cause the oscars are racist. It's a shame they gave Halle Berry a oscar for a movie that she got naked in & she didn't deserve a oscar cause the movie sucked. She's had better performances in Dorothy Dandridge, Losing Isaiah, Queen & she got overlooked for those movies. There's so many black actors that should've won oscars but i'm not surprised they got overlooked. It just goes to show you how racist this country is.

Oh go get a clue.

If anything the Oscars suck because they feel they have to appease everybody.

Denzel Washington should not have won for Training Day, Halle Berry should not have won for Monster's Ball, yet they gave it to them for some reason.

I can think of dozens of black performances that deserved at least nominations- and then again I can think of dozens of white ones too.

You say it's racist that she got overlooked for one movie and then she wins for another and that is racist?

You failed to even make the point that maybe the win was to make up for the fact that black actors get overlooked come award time.

[*MIBabe03*]

I still think Passion of the Christ deserved an Oscar nod.

[dlemond]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jazz

What's up dlemond? First you're revealed to be conservative (I always thought you were on the other side for some reason lol) with your Moore bashing and now you're dissin' my boy Denzel. Who do you like? lol

You do have good taste in TV shows though, I'll give you that

Hey, I like Denzel a lot.

I just don't think that was his best performance, or anything close to being an Oscar winner. I think it sucks that the Academy feels they have to make nice and give an award to a black actor when that is not necessarily the best performance of the year.

Remember the Titans, Malcom X, The Hurricane, Philadelphia- these are amongst his best.

[Dr. Jazz]

Originally Posted by dlemond

Hey, I like Denzel a lot.

I just don't think that was his best performance, or anything close to being an Oscar winner. I think it sucks that the Academy feels they have to make nice and give an award to a black actor when that is not necessarily the best performance of the year.

Remember the Titans, Malcom X, The Hurricane, Philadelphia- these are amongst his best.

I was really pulling for Denzel when he was up for Malcolm X, because it was clearly between him & Pacino that year. But Pacino had been waiting longer for an Oscar & of not to my surprise, he won.

Then when Denzel was up for The Hurricane, I thought for sure that was his year, but damn Kevin Spacey robbed him IMO. I never have liked Spacey but when he beat out Denzel that year, that was the final straw lol
By the time he finally won, I was just glad to see Denzel win for anything lol

[HuntingtonM15]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jazz

But Pacino had been waiting longer for an Oscar & of not to my surprise, he won.

Though, Denzel did win for Glory, even though that was a supporting role.

[Brian]

Everyone knows political posts aren't allowed but quoting and responding to them are against the rules as well.

Fahrenheit 9/11 is ok to mention in this thread (as a favorite or something along those lines) but not ok for any further dicussion. Do not make political statements regarding that movie (i.e., saying it is full of lies, etc.) That's political and that's the wrong way to talk about it.

If you want to discuss it with me further, PM me. Any off-topic posts or posts responding to this one will be deleted.

Anyways, I hope Ray wins the Best Picture and Jamie Foxx wins the Oscar for Best Actor. If he doesn't win, then the Oscars are a sham.

[TJL]

It is interesting that the two most talked about movies of the year (Passion and 911) got shut out of the major categories.

It's too bad that Paul Giamatti didn't get nominated for "Sideways." He is such a wonderful actor.

[Ags2000]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jazz

It sure did chief.

Had Moore left it in the Best Documentary category, it would have definately got nominated. But he took a gamble and lost, & sadly that happens about every year in the Oscar race with actors & actresses who aren't sure which category to put themselves in.

Ya know, even though the film got ALOT of press and was talked about alot I don't think it would have gotten the nod even if he HAD kept it in the documentary category. I say this because of a comment that was made a few years back about Richard Gere.

There was talk that Richard Gere would get a nod for his role in Chicago (he didn't) I was watching a show back then and it was saying that he didn't because of some statement he had made several years back at an awards show (don't know if it was the Oscar's or not) and that the academy doesn't like it when people do that. When Michael Moore got his Oscar for "Bowling for Columbine" he made some comments in his acceptance speech that not everybody liked. So I figure what happened to Richard Gere happened to Michael Moore.

D