Oscars are coming up in just
a matter of days. Who will win? Who doesn't stand a chance?
What's over-rated? Is the Academy ever on the right track?
LMI hosts Lee Tistaert and Jason Kaplan, with special guest
Jeremy discuss such issues and more...
Jason: Let me start by professing my ignorance
in the foreign film and short film department.
Jeremy: Foreign film is quite interesting this year since
it lacks two excellent films that probably would have won the
competition: Y Tu Mama Tambien and Talk to her
Jason: He got directing, though. And you know how much I
didn't like it.
Jeremy: Those two would have been easy favorites but their
own countries didn't nominate them.
Jason: That's a major problem in that category.
Jeremy: Yeah, the directing and writing awards for both
films seem to imply that the Academy wants to recognize both
films.
Jason: I don't know why a country would sabotage their own
chances.
Jeremy: It's quite stupid that only one movie can be
nominated for a country. Both films were sabotaged by
politics.
Jason: Imagine if that applied to American films. It just
doesn't make sense to have a quota system.
Jeremy: Absolutely, it's crazy to think that so many films
can be produced in countries such as India, Mexico Spain, and
China, yet only one film can be recognized.
Jason: Maybe incidents like this will make the Academy
reform that system. They want to include as many countries as
possible, but there's probably a better way to do it.
Jeremy: Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine is the
obvious favorite.
Lee: I don't think there's any way Columbine won't win.
Jason: Yeah, I don't know what else would win.
Jeremy: However, the documentary award is always ripe for
upset.
Jason: Although it's hard to say when we haven't seen the
others.
Jeremy: This is one award where there are barely any
conventional picks.
Lee: Yeah, but the critical and commercial success points
it to the Oscar; what documentary has ever done $20 mil?
Jason: Bowling is incredibly funny, but it still has some
major flaws.
Jeremy: Exactly, there is no hype behind the products so
it's usually impossible to predict a winner.
Jeremy: Right now, Bowling seems like the clear favorite
because of the hype.
Jason: He also accused Dick Clark of baseless points.
Jeremy: You’re right about Bowling's success; it really is
unprecedented.
Jason: I think that's everyone's favorite at this point.
Lee: I usually don't like documentaries, but that totally
had me.
Jeremy: Yeah, the Dick Clark aspect of the movie was a
little too contrived; he seemed to try too hard to gain
sympathy and to show the audience that he was a crusader of
what is right.
Jason: "Calm down there…your point has been made" - to
Moore. Moving on to Make Up, one of the most pointless
categories…
Jeremy: Make up is a joke.
Jason: Frida or Time Machine? What were they thinking?
Lee: I really wonder what's going to win makeup
(sarcastically speaking)...although, I've never seen Frida but
with the awards it won't get, makeup should be pretty obvious.
Jeremy: Anyway, the make up should have more than two
films.
Jason: The aging is pretty good in Frida. Time Machine
should never ever win an Oscar.
Jeremy: I can't believe Time Machine is even considered.
Jason: I'd rather have Attack of the Clones win.
Jeremy: The Hours should have been nominated for makeup.
Lee: Gangs deserves makeup over Time Machine.
Jason: Yeah, a lot of movies do. Sound editing is another
one - not as bad, though.
Lee: The academy just despises Lucas
Jason: Road to Perdition’s key moment is where there is no
sound.
Jeremy: Perdition’s best sound is no sound.
Jason: Yeah, so that doesn't quite make sense. I stand by
my Sign and AOTC nominations. Signs was one of the best movies
in terms of sound I've seen in a long time.
Oscar Chat Continued >>
Visual Effect, Song & Score, Screenplay
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