Academy Award Noms: Lee Smith Snubbed

Last year I listed who I thought was going to win, but this year I think I’m going to list who I want to win.

Let me start with something that you’ll find running through all this commentary, Lee Smith edited the most technically impressive film of the year, Inception. You’ll find that he did not even get nominated for it. This is a travesty. I will probably use all caps and exclamation points to extremes, my apologies.

Best Picture:
I know a lot of people are feeling Inception, but I didn’t actually like that movie, and I did love The King’s Speech, so I’m choosing that one. I think The Social Network is the other big contender, and I’d be happy for that to win as well. I don’t think that there’s a bad film on the list, which makes it a much more successful one than last year. I also like the 10 noms — I think I’m the only one.

Best Leading Actor:
I was torn on this, but I actually think that Jesse Eisenberg gave the most impressive performance here. I love Colin Firth, but I wasn’t terribly impressed by his acting in the movie, not nearly as much as I was with Guy Pearce and Geoffrey Rush. Again, though, they all gave great performances and there’s not a one that I’d be sad to walk away with the gold.

Supporting Actor:
I am biased, I will always choose Geoffrey Rush if he is named, and so he is. I want him to win. I’ve heard Christian Bale is really amazing, but as I haven’t seen it I can’t say.

Best Leading Actress:
I confess that I am not really drawn to any of these as a pick. I’m going to go with Natalie Portman, but you could sell me on any of them. Maybe Jennifer Lawrence?

Supporting Actress:
I almost want Helena Bonham Carter to win just because it would prove to her that she is allowed to be in movies where she doesn’t play a totally over the top crazy person. I think that Hailee Steinfeld is also quite deserving, although it’s kind of BS that she was nominated as a supporting actress despite being, you know, the main character of the whole damn movie.

Best animated feature:
Um… Where are Tangled and Despicable Me? Toy Story 3 is going to win, but I quite liked How to Train Your Dragon.

Art Direction:
This is really tough, and I know it tends to go to either the most period or most extravagant choice, but I think Inception was really impressive on the art direction side of things. In terms of craft, I’ve never seen a better executed film.

Cinematography:
Inception. I can’t even imagine the others would compete.

Costume Design:
I am actually fairly indifferent here. I know Ms. Atwood always wins, but I wasn’t that impressed with the costumes in Alice. They were fine, mind you. Same with The King’s Speech. I cannot pick a favorite.

Directing:
The Social Network. I am biased in this case by an article I read about David Fincher written by Aaron Sorkin. I have a writer’s crush on Aaron Sorkin and he loved working with Fincher, so I cannot help but vicariously love as well.

Documentary Feature:
We’re venturing into territory where I’m choosing based as much on hearsay as actual knowledge, but I’m going to choose Exit through the Gift Shop because I like Banksy.

Documentary Short:
No Idea.

Film Editing:
WHAAAAAAAAAT?!?!?!! How is Inception not on this list?!!??!! I didn’t even like the movie and I can say that it is some of the best editing I’ve ever seen. WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT?! They all should lose. *deep breath* I guess The Social Network. Whatever, I don’t care, this is an offense against man and God.

Foreign Language:
Biutiful

Makeup:
Rick Baker

Original Score:
Inception, though I don’t feel strongly about this. Unlike the EDITING!

Original Song:
We Belong Together from Toy Story 3.

Animated Short:
No Idea, I love them though, so I can’t wait to get to see them.

Live Action Short:
No Idea

Sound Editing:
Inception. WHICH SHOULD ALSO HAVE WON EDITING

Sound Mixing:
Inception.

Visual Effects:
Inception

Adapted Screenplay:
The Social Network, no question. It should win twice.

Original Screenplay:
Not Inception. Anything but Inception. Maybe The King’s Speech.

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Academy Award Noms: Lee Smith Snubbed
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2 thoughts on “Academy Award Noms: Lee Smith Snubbed

  1. 1

    BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!

    (I really want the pit orchestra to play that any time Inception wins an award)

    Me – totally on-board with the 10 noms thing, too. It really seems to underline that it’s about honoring the full year’s achievement in films. And although not all 10 are great, they are all at least very good; and there have been years in the past when they didn’t even pull that off with 5.

  2. 2

    I was completely shocked by Lee Smith’s exclusion and like you, I wasn’t wild about the movie. I liked it, sure, but I was surprised by people saying they thought it was somehow profound. I don’t know what the voters were thinking when they snubbed him.

    One thing…. I haven’t seen True Grit yet but Roger Deakins is probably going to win cinematography. He’s a fantastic cinematographer and has been nominated soooo many times before that it’s almost become a joke.

    ’94 Shawshank Redemption (lost to Legends of the Fall)
    ’96 Fargo (lost to The English Patient)
    ’97 Kundun (lost to Titanic)
    ’00 O Brother, Where Art Thou? (lost to Crouching Tiger..)
    ’01 The Man Who Wasn’t There (lost to Lord of the Rings)
    ’07 nominated twice! The Assassination of Jesse James and No Country for Old Men (lost to There Will Be Blood)
    ’08 The Reader (lost to Slumdog Millionaire)

    Deakins is overdue for an Oscar (it’s basically the only award he hasn’t won) and it would be a very popular, but also deserving choice imo.

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