Posted on 01/10/2006 9:31:10 AM PST by SirLinksalot
Oscar Indicators
James Hirsen, NewsMax.com
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its choice of host for the 78th Annual Academy Awards. It's one of today's foremost wisecrackers, host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" Jon Stewart.
Stewart apparently landed the Oscar gig after Billy Crystal turned it down citing scheduling conflicts.
In a press release announcing the Academy's selection, Stewart lampooned the fact that he was second fiddle, describing it as "another sad attempt to smoke out Billy Crystal."
The comic already has some award show experience under his belt, having served as host for the Grammy Awards in 2001 and 2002.
Evidently, he intends to take a week off from his "Daily Show" duties to work with his writers, who will most likely assist him in preparing the requisite number of Bush-bashing jokes.
Meanwhile the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have announced some nominations of their own. This is significant in that their selections tend to serve as predictors of Best Picture Academy Awards. In fact, no movie has ever won an Oscar for Best Picture without first having been nominated by at least one of these two groups.
If the PGA/WGA forecasting pattern holds true, "Munich," "Memoirs of a Geisha" and "Match Point" are already out of the running.
When the PGA and the WGA ignore films, arrows point toward losses, while conversely, films that are nominated by both groups can take on front-runner status.
In this awards cycle, movies nominated by both groups include "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Crash."
"Capote" also squeaked out a win for Best Picture from the National Society of Film Critics (NSFC) after six ballot rounds. Based on the almost universal raves given by critics to "Brokeback Mountain," one might have expected the film to win the NSFC Best Picture award in a landslide. But the critics group snubbed the movie, with the exception of giving a Best Actor nod to Heath Ledger.
Regarding the actors and directors unions, the controversial film was the nomination leader. It earned four Screen Actors Guild (SAG) nominations and a Directors Guild of America (DGA) nomination for Ang Lee for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film, a precursor for a Best Director Oscar.
Other DGA nominees include George Clooney for "Good Night, and Good Luck," Paul Haggis for "Crash," Bennett Miller for "Capote" and Steven Spielberg for "Munich."
As an interesting side note, the online gambling sites have "Brokeback" as the clear betting favorite.
We'll find out who wins the bets and the statuettes on March 5.
You misunderstood what I was saying. I was saying the Oscar show itself would be flop because these are not mainstream movies. That's all.
By Mainstream you meant 'popular' right? I was just saying that Best Pictures winners are almost always popular.
Damn, you're funny! Love the weenie-mobile! Is that you in the blue shirt with a bag full of condoms? Hahaha!
I agree,one has to SEE a movie or HEAR a song before they can accurately critique it.
I have not criticized Brokeback Mountain because I haven't seen it yet.The subject matter is not really my cup of tea but maybe I'll go see it and then close my eyes during"that"scene.
I saw both Fahrenheit 9-11 AND Passion of the Christ mainly because conservatives reviled the former film and liberals the latter.I have this strange dislike of folks of any political persuasion telling me whats good for me!
Funny how after hundreds of posts on this thread, I DON'T see anyone DISAGREEING with me regarding my predictions at all.....
BareA$$ed Mountain has some special effects for you....LOL
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Judy Garland.
A shame that never happened.
YES!!!
Yeah, it's good. It's just anti-historical propaganda. Demonizing Sen. McCarthy is never out of date.
All Art is propaganda of some sort. Murrow doesn't come off as an angel either.
Well, I liked Broke Back Mountain but I don't see it being Best Picture. It was a good flick but maybe best actor for Heath Ledger and best supporting actress nomination for the woman that played his wife. That would be realistic.
Memoirs of a Geisha- good flick but not good enough. I didn't find any of the individual performances inspiring enough for an award either.
Crash was pretty good. Could see that one winning Best Picture.
I saw it. Good movie. Not good enough for an Oscar for best picture though. ;-)
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