[Byrntrigan]

I've usually done Oscar pick'em games where I work but as I'm currently unemployed, Pun's House is as close as I get right now...

Plus, it'll probably be more fun with you guys then the dorks in IT and Development.

So who would like to play? If there's interest we can do a prize money pot, or the winner gets some DVD's or bragging rights.

If there's interest we can discuss the rules at that time.


Here's the ballot that you can look over while we figure out what categories we do:

Ballots are due Feb. 19 2009 for final curtain call...

oscar.com/media/2009/pdf/oscarprintableballot_81st.pdf

MTA: Who's in thus far (16):

Byrne
Solly
Malkie Stu
Habsy
Beerbaron
Demko
Anglefan
Sop
Jobber Blitz
DenverPunk
Punker
Courtney
BTR
Creepy

Mkid
Angst
FF





People who have been struck-through have submitted their ballots.

------------------------------------------------------------

Actor, Leading
Actor, Supporting
Actress, Leading
Actress, Supporting
Animated Feature
Directing
Original Score (You're Welcome Solly!)
Original Song (You're Welcome Again Solly!)
Best Picture
Visual Effects
Screenplay, Adapted
Screenplay, Original

Tie Breaker: How many minutes over the alloted 180 minutes will the broadcast go over

[BTR]

I'm in.

[The Jewish Cunthead]

In

[Stu]

In.

[Habs]

I'll give this a go.

[Beer Baron]

Let's rock it like a hurricane.

[Byrntrigan]

Here I AM~!

[The Jewish Cunthead]

Jan 22, 2009 22:38:38 GMT -5 Beer Baron said:

Let's rock

[Beer Baron]

Jan 22, 2009 22:48:51 GMT -5 The Jewish Cunthead said:

Jan 22, 2009 22:38:38 GMT -5 Beer Baron said:

Let's rock

hahaha. You son of a bitch.

[Demko]

I usually don't know Oscar-worthy movies from a hole in the ground, but I'll give it a shot.

[National Champion Chris Cole]

I will try but I've never done well in these at all. Hard to predict these when you've seen 10% of the films (or in the case of this year probably much, much less)

[ALL CAPS]

Sure, I'll play too. What categories will we be picking from? I'd assume just the big ones and maybe a few others?

Picture
Director
Actor
Actress
Sup. Actor
Sup. Actress
Orig. Screenplay?
Adap. Screenplay?
Score?
Song?

[BTR]

Don't forget Live Action short film.

[Habs]

I say we go with all the categories, just so that we get one winner and no ties.

[Byrntrigan]

That's what I was gonna talk with all of you about. I just wanted to wait till we ad more then 4 or 5 people, but we do.

We have 2 choices as I've run it in the past, but am open to most anything:

1. Just do the big categories like Angst stated
2. Do all 33 so there's no possibility of a tie.

3. Do #1 with 1 category that I pick that is obscure (like makeup or sound editing)


I don't think we need to do a poll for this, unless people want to. Either way, we can figure out. The ballots would need to be in I'd guess by 2/19/2009 (just so I have a day or so to get them entered into a spreadsheet.

[Angle]

I'm game. Lets do this.

[Stu]

Jan 22, 2009 18:25:04 GMT -5 Byrntrigan said:

Malkie Stu

an appropriate flub

[Byrntrigan]

See Stu, you've taught me more about my Scottish heritage.

[Byrntrigan]

There's also a poll about prizes for this as well here:

natecorbitt.proboards81.com/index.cgi?board=entertainment&action=display&thread=3776

[Andy]

I'll play.

[DevSop]

I'm in.

[Byrntrigan]

In and noted gents.

[Courtney]

I guess I'm in even though I haven't seen any of the best pic nominees.

[Byrntrigan]

You can download Oscar screeners now off of the newsgroups. The Wrestler is barely out even in Chicago.

[BTR]

I've seen all of them and a good portion of the acting ones. Doesn't mean that my tastes are the same as the Academy's, though; if I had to pick five based on what I've seen, it would be Dark Knight, The Wrestler, Rachel Getting Married, Benjamin Button, and Slumdog. (Note: I have not seen Wall-E, Revolutionary Road, Gran Torino, or Made of Honor.)

In case anyone is interested, here's how I would rank some of the noms--these are not predictions, just how much I like them:

5. Frost/Nixon
4. The Reader
3. Milk
2. Slumdog Millionaire
1. The Curious Case of Benamin Button (Gumptastic and all)

First, let me say that I'm not really passionate about any of these films. From the past two years of Oscar nominees, I've liked No Country, There Will Be Blood, Juno, The Departed, and The Queen better than any of these. Everything is solid, though. Frost/Nixon takes a few too many liberties for me to really love. The Reader left me with something to be desired and left too many questions in a bad way. Milk was inspiring and full of great performances but it didn't really show the flaws of its heroes as well as it should have. Slumdog is stunning and does get to you but tapers off; the first third is the best part of the film. Benjamin Button certainly was not as good as promised and I would have liked to see some range out of Pitt, but it has a lot of insightful things to say about life, death, aging, and responsibility. Still, I'm one of those Dark Knight nerds.

Best Actor:
5. Richard Jenkins (The Visitor): Have not seen
4. Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)
3. Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button)
2. Sean Penn (Milk)
1. Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Although I might flip Penn and Rourke once I have a little more distance from The Wrestler; those two are clearly the most nuanced and best of the year.

Best Actress:
5. Melissa Leo (Frozen River): Have not seen
4. Angelina Jolie (Changeling): Have not seen
3. Meryl Streep (Doubt)
2. Kate Winslet (The Reader)
1. Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)

Hathaway owns her movie. Winslet is great, too, but doesn't carry it as much. Streep is brilliant as usual but it doesn't hurt to have three other actors nominated around you.

Supporting Actor

5. Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road): Have not seen
4. Josh Brolin (Milk)
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)
2. Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)
1. Heath Ledger (Dark Knight)

Enough has been said about Ledger. I know Cruise might have got the bigger laughs in Tropic Thunder, but Downey was just amazing and a lot of fun. It was my favorite comedy from last year and his interesting character was a major reason why. Hoffman was his usual fine self in Doubt but he didn't really have to stretch too much. Josh Brolin was good in Milk but not as memorable as the other three.

Best Supporting Actress:

5. Penelope Cruz (Vicki Cristina Barcelona): Have not seen
4. Taraji P. Henson (Benjamin Button)
3. Viola Davis (Doubt)
2. Amy Adams (Doubt)
1. Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

Henson played Benjamin's mother over the years and was quite serviceable if not given much to work with; if we're going to make the Gump comparisons she's not as important as Sally Field was. Viola Davis was great in Doubt as a conflicted mother but she had one big scene and maybe 20 total minutes of screen time. Amy Adams really seemed like an inexperienced and naive nun and held her own with Hoffman and Streep. But Tomei really pulled it off in the Wrestler, a much fuller character than anybody else.

Director:

5. Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)
4. Stephen Daldry (The Reader)
3. David Fincher (Ben Button)
2. Gus Van Zant (Milk)
1. Danny Boyle (Slumdog)

Boyle got a lot out of his location, his unknown actors, and his often-maudlin script, so he did the best job to me. Van Zant really brought the 70s to life more fully than any of the decades than Fincher did in Button. Daldry somehow made Kate Winslet's multiple nude scenes something more than softcore porn (I love me some Kate) and really let the actors work but I think really missed some opportunities with his male characters. Ron Howard is really good at shooting people sitting down and talking.

If I see any of the other flicks, I'll do some editing. Maybe even do a full fledge Oscar preview some where.