When it was announced yesterday that the Academy Awards were going to extend their Best Picture nominees list from 5 to 10 films, In Contention Senior Editor Kris Tapley and I got into a debate (you’ve got to understand, Kris and I were roommates once, have a really great friendship… but man, when it comes to movieswe argue all the time… I’m always right obviously… but that doesn’t stop him from arguing with me) about if the move was a good or bad one. I think it is a great move… Kris disagrees. Anyway….
Kris made an interesting comment in that debate that I actually got to thinking about today. He asked “You ready for “The Hangover,” Best Picture nominee?”
At first I just tossed his statement aside as being just silly… but hold the phone… COULD “The Hangover” get a best picture nomination with the field being expanded to 10?
The answer is “probably not” considering we’re still very very very early in the movie year (remember, most awards type movies don’t get released until closer to the end of the year and even though its done VERY well both financially and critically… it hasn’t done THAT well critically. The Hangover holds a 78% over at Rotten Tomatoes. But who knows… “The Reader” was rated lower than that and got an nomination.
Regardless if The Hangover gets a nomination, the reality is that with the expanded field there is a much larger possibility that a COMEDY could actually get a nod this year… Hangover or another.
So what do you think? Could a movie like “The Hangover” actually get some Academy love this year or is it simply not good enough?
to bad this 10 nom didnt come a little sooner. I think Superbad deserved one.
hangover should be nominated it is probably my 3rd favorite comedy ever.
1.Borat
2.Superbad
Could it? Yes.
Will it? Most likely no.
Should it? No
I thought it was a pretty good movie like a 3/5 but I dont see the big deal. I have seen movies that are way funnier.
I hate this 10 movie thing. It is the equavilant of what steroids did to baseball. The words ‘best picture nominee’ will completely lose there luster. Right now, I see that on the DVD cover and it gives that movie instant credibility. Now it means it could just be okay. I’m sure they did this as a way of getting Pixar movies nominations, without the actual win ( which I feel in past years they have deserved). The Hangover is actually not that far fetched an idea when you really look at the big picture here. Really think about the top ten films of every year and think about the movie that was in tenth. That movie could have a best picture nominee on the dvd cover.
Think about it. According to top ten reviews (http://movies.toptenreviews.com/list_2008.htm) IRON MAN was #8 last year. Could you imagine Iron Man getting a best picture nomination?
Yeah but only one of the movies in that list’s top five got a nomination last year. in fact two of the nominees aren’t even on the list, Critics tend to throw stuff like that in to round out their top tends, but the odds of something like that emerging from a vote are less likely.
I’m looking forward to Public Enemies but I have a pretty bad feeling about it in terms of awards and box office. I think the studio chose a pretty bad day to release it and I’m afraid it is sort of going to get lost in the summer movie shuffle. If it were coming out in October it would have a mutch better shot at gaining the public zeitgiest.
So far summer movies have been generally disappointing and now people are looking towards Public Enemies now as the next big hit that actually delivers. Plus, it has Johnny Depp! Instant box office gross.
“Instant” Slash?
How much did The Libertine make?
Advertising.
I get the feeling that all we’re going to see are more dramatic films being nominated.
UP will and should get at least nominated, i loved UP but i can see a film coming out this year that could be better.
Best picture so far:
1.Up
2.Star Trek
3.Hangover
4.Watchmen
Hopefully Public Enemies, i can not see this movie in any way,shape, or form as sucking
It’s a very good question. Can I give an answer?
Read this very, very carefully.
Bride Wars has a chance of being a Best Picture nomination, as does the remake of Friday The 13th , and Dragonball Evolution
Those three films won’t be there, of course, not until hell freezes over. But the fact is all three of those films were theatrical releases for at least a week in at least four screens in this year.
Therefore, all three of those films QUALIFIES.
I’m not saying Hangover is a piece of junk like those three films; I’m saying that it is a 2009 theatrical release, it’s played for at least a week.
So while I can’t pull out a crystal ball and say it *will* be nominated, I can say without a doubt that it *could* be.
Any film released theatrically in 2009 *could* be.
Great comedy, but best Movie? The Mike Epps part seem like a WTF part of the movie as well as the Korean Gangster and relationship with Heather Graham didn’t work that well on screen, she needn’t more screen time for us to care more about her character.
It should get nominated just because Epps was in it. For gods sake they have ten spots.
So far I have to vote for UP, I haven’t seen many of the big animated movies, just don’t like them and wanted my money back after Monster and Aliens, but up was just spooky in a good way!
I am thinking Public Enimies might dud American Gangster style….how long is it.
There is no way on earth the hangover will get a best picture nom. I hope comedy does get respect now with ten spots but if they go with comedy it will something a bit more sophisticated then something as lowbrow as that.
I loved it – its hilarious but it isn;t exactly a well made film.
It helps if Hangover is nominated in one of the screenplay categories.
There is not a chance in hell that The Hangover (a movie I think is very funny) is getting a nomination whether or not there are ten nominees. Look, expanding the field might give the exceptional genre pic like The Dark Knight a shot to get in, but rememer that this is the Oscars and not the Teen Choice Awards, they’ve never even thought about nominating a rowdy comedy like that.
I recomend people stop throwing around crazy predictions like this and Star Trek, the movies filling out the extra nominees are almsot certainly going to be the “also-ran” prestige movies of the year that feel like Award bait but don’t actually get a BP nomination. I’d bet if they did it last year the extra nominees would have been Revolutionary Road, Doubt, The Wrestler, The Dark Knight, and maybe Wall-E… not Tropic Thunder.
Wasn’t the writers strike supposed to have its effect on movies this year? Between that and 10 nominations, i think we will see a few movies that wouldn’t normally make it.
Really what upcoming movies really have a chance?
1. The Informant. I don’t know anything about it but talented people are behind it.
2. Shutter Island
3. The Road
4. Amelia
5. Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
6. The Lovely Bones
7. Avatar
Some of those might suck. So all of those wont even make it. What else is there?
Now that Shutter Island is out of the aquation, that’s one movie The Hangover has leapfrogged.
Drag Me To Hell may end up being this year’s Exorcist
Nine may end up being this year’s Chicago
There’s always some britshit movie nominated.
They don’t stick with AFI.
The Reader didn’t make the American Film Institute lists because it was British financed.
8. Julie & Julia
9. The Time Traveler’s Wife
10. Public Enemies
again might suck
movies released so far
1. Up
2. The Hurt Locker
3. Moon
haven’t seen 2 and 3 so idk
what else is there?
For comedies I think Funny People has a better chance at a nomination. I know I haven’t seen it yet, but with Judd Apatow, you get more than just comedy.
For movies in general that wouldn’t usually make the list, I think Star Trek has a better chance. Made more money and has a better rating on Rotten Tomatoes
I think Funny People may be Judd Apatow’s Annie Hall.
I don’t know if Star Trek will get nominated, the Academy has a general bias against science-fiction. We’ll see how it plays out though.
I don’t think Star Trek will get nominated for best picture. It’s probably gonna get nominated for best visual effects thought.
I am not saying I think Star Trek will get nominated, I just think it has a better chance than Hangover.
I’ve said this before: The Hangover may not get nominated. The year is not over yet; we still have so many more movies to come out. I’m not saying it won’t get nominated, but it might not.
I doubt it, but it would be amazing. The film is very funny, but it’s not oscar material. If anything an Apatow or Woody Allen movie would win. It’s a shame comedy is looked down apon by the academy. Comedy is so much harder to do than drama.
I knew this would happen. Once they announced that the amount of nominations would be expanded to 10 everyone is now going to start asking “Can this be nominated for Best Picture” for almost every movie that comes out.
My response, the only films this year that look like they have a lock-in for Best Picture are Public Enemies and Up. Otherwise, it’s too early to tell.
Public Enemies is not out yet, so your speculation that it is going to be a contender is no different than ANY other film being a contender based on guesses.
So how is this a “lock in” when many other anticipated films that have yet to come out are not?
Sure it looks good, but we have seen films that “look good” turn out to suck too.
Hey Slash,
Yeah man, I don’t know how you can call “Public Enemies” a “lock” when we haven’t seen one review of it yet.
I suggest you check out Rotten Tomatoes. The reviews are already in and have stated that it is a contender for Best Picture.
I don’t think 2 critics equal “Lock”.
I’m not saying it WON’T be amazing… I’m just saying it’s far too early to be using terms like “lock”
Perhaps my wording was a bit too “absolute” but I stated that they “look like” they have a lock-in. Public Enemies just really looks like that kind of movie that will be a critical and commercial succes and may be up for Oscars.
Yea anyone see that film Miami Vice that Michael Mann directed. So yea this guy is so hit or miss.
I don’t give a shit who is in it cause a lot of films have grate cast can still have a chance to suck.
I love people’s logic, a director makes one film that fils to impress and suddenly they become “hacks” or “hit and miss”. Michael Mann is easily one of the best, and, in my opinion, most underrated directors working today. Just check out his repetoire:
– Manhunter
– The Last of the Mohicans
– Heat (My Favorite Film of All Time)
– The Insider
– Ali
– Collateral
That more than makes up for Miami Vice.
While I loved ‘Manhunter’ (1986) as well, let’s call it for what it is: a brilliant film, well acted, intense…visually stylish, the real first ‘Hannibal Lector’ (Lektor) movie…
…a box office dud…
Mann is my favorite director, Thief still holds up in my view. I even have the TV film The Jericho Mile on VHS and hope one day someone will see fit to release it on DVD/Blu-Ray.
“Hit or miss” here has little to do with quality. Mann delivers the quality. I loved ‘Vice” too because it was a slight departure from the show but still retained the essense. Sadly, most expected the rock video like mood and the later camp, if not more action. As such, it was, in spite of quality, a disappointment to most.
and I remember The Keep.
some want to forget.
In any case, nobody is dismissing Public Enemies entirely. It’s the next “must see” film of the summer now. Nobody is going to argue otherwise. But it hasn’t been released yet. Also, I see John and Rodney’s point: we don’t know how well the film is going to be. It might even be “good” but it might not be “great”.
A few months ago, Entertainment Tonight hyped up Angels & Demons with the sugarry subliminal reporting they have been known for since the post John Tesh/Maltin review years. Whenever they talked about the DaVinci Code prequel, it would be in the same breath as “Possible Oscar contender” “Oscar hopeful” and the dreaded “hit film” ( with ET, most films they hype are ‘a hit’ two month before the release date! All the time! Without fail!nothing against Ron Howard- but that stuff drives me up the wall!) but does that make it so?
We all know what happened to that film.
There is no such thing as a “lock”. I think film fans back themselves into a corner when they over-anticipate. I would myself expect Scorcese’s next film to be an no-brainer for Oscar bait. Until he won for The Departed a few years ago, that does not make it so!
Hey, I’m a big Michael Mann fan. I’d love to see him get a Best Director (or writer) one day. I, too, hope the best for his new film. But that doesn’t mean anything Oscar wise until Oscar season rolls in. The film may even be outstanding- and it might just wind up getting a mention for costume design for all we know.
If that.
Mr. Beast,
I love Michael Mann as well, great director. But no matter how good one’s resume is, you cannot assume their next picture is a lock. For Ezell to bring up Miami Vice is a good point although I don’t think that movie makes Michael Mann a hit or miss director.
On a related note, Variety did not give Public Enemies the most favorable review although I am not a big fan of their reviews in general.
“Mr. Beast” – Lol, awesome!
I think you may have been confused. I brought up Mann’s repetoire as an indication of how he can’t be considered “hit and miss”, not in relation to his upcoming film Public Enemies.
Mr. Beast,
Good point, but I think your assumption of the lock-in must be somewhat based on your impression of Michael Mann. As John says, two critics doesn’t equal a lock and I would assume your opinion is not based solely on reviews. You also think Michael Mann is easily one of the best, which he is. But I acknowledge you weren’t using his resume to justify your opinion.
Fair enough. But once again, I said “looked like” a lock-in. You’re probably right about Mann’s prior repetoire influencing me though. What can I say, he’s an awesome director.
Could a movie like ‘The Hangover’ get an Academy Award nomination? No. I just watched it tonight, thought it was hilarious but wasn’t the full package, it seemed to tie itself up at the end far too easily and quickly.
A stronger well rounded comedy would be more likely to receive a nomination.
I think that “The Hangover” was one of the funniest films that I have seen in a long time. However, I agree with you that it shouldn’t get a nomination for best picture. To me this film has the exact same model as “The Wedding Crashers” both of which are hilarious , but they both wrap up fairly quickly.
Now with the expansion of 10 films being considered for best picture, i”m afraid the field will get watered down to the point where they may seriously consider this movie.
Not to take anything away from the film but it just needed more to recieve a nomination for best picture