Quote:
Originally Posted by James
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but the way Selma has been treated this awards season is atrocious. Really deserves acting and directing nods in my opinion.
Gone Girl should have been up for Best Adapted Screenplay, and won.
Some of the choices are just baffling. As much as The Imitation Game may have its merits - Best Director? Not in a million years.
|
I'm afraid it looks like I'm the odd one out here but I didn't find Selma very memorable. The Civil Rights Movement was memorable, MLK Jr. was a memorable man, but Selma just didn't blow me away like other films this year (Whiplash, Birdman, Grand Budapest Hotel etc). I think it really succeeded as a compelling story, I think David Oyelowo did an excellent job as MLK (as well as a fantastic job with his small part in A Most Violent Year), but I didn't feel like there was anything Selma had from a technical perspective that made it stand out. Birdman was a technical masterpiece, Boyhood was an ambitious 12 year act, and Grand Budapest Hotel was a massive fast-paced visual adventure. I don't think I'd argue with Selma replacing Imitation Game in Best Director but still I could never imagine it beating the top 3. Same with Best Actor, David Oyelowo was excellent but I couldn't imagine him beating out Michael Keaton's role in Birdman, but again I think it was at least on par with Cumberbatch in Imitation Game, I wouldn't have argued with a nomination. We have to remember that it takes a lot more than compelling emotional impact to succeed in a lot of these categories. I don't know if I'd go as far as calling its exclusion atrocious, this year has a lot of really tough competition, but I am surprised.
I'm also very surprised that Gone Girl didn't make it in for Best Adapted Screenplay, but I haven't read the book so who knows, maybe it actually botched it a bit.
I'm a little bitter that Nightcrawler only got one nomination (although it is a suitable nomination, Best Original Screenplay). I think Gyllenhaal could have easily competed with Steve Carell and Benedict Cumberbatch in Best Actor. His performance in Nightcrawler is burned into my memory.
I'm astounded that Fury didn't get nominated for Sound Editing or Mixing (or any nominations at all), but I suppose it's a small category and the ones that did get nominations were pretty amazing anyway.
I'm a little surprised that The Hobbit: BOT5A didn't make it in for Visual Effects, but it did have tough competition this year. I find it kind of puzzling that X-Men beat it to the punch, but I'd have to re-watch it.
Overall, I'm actually pretty satisfied with this year's nominations. I still need to watch Wild, American Sniper, The Theory of Everything, Mr. Turner, and maybe Unbroken.