2010 Oscar Noms: Apologies to Michael Stuhlbarg, Bright Star, Fantastic Mr.Fox and Tilda

The noms are in folks (see full list below) and apart from the love that The Blind Side has received (the backlash has officially began around 9 eastern this morning), there are very little surprises — which only means status quo on films and people that officially received the cold shoulder months ago. I’m compelled to underline those that failed to be distinguished for their work today, but before I crack out that a list of worthy mentions that didn’t receive an early morning phone call, I’d like to mention that I’m down with the Foreign Oscar noms – Haneke and Audiard are both in. 

Apology #1: Category: Best Picture
Snub: Fantastic Mr.Fox
Commentary: The Academy might have made amends by ballooning the Best Picture category to ten and finally including a Pixar film this year, but two rights are still making a wrong: Wes managed to meticulously craft a superb film out of a children’s classic novel. A rare feat.  

Apology #2: Category: Directing 
Snub: Coen Bros (A Serious Man)
Commentary: How did the Coen bros. top No Country for Old Men? By directing a film that was so intensely brilliant because of a screenplay and an ensemble of characters that are so rich in design. Having already awarded the Coens for NCFOM, the Academy probably decided to spread the wealth instead. 

Apology #3: Category: Actor in a Leading Role
Snub: Tahar Rahim (A Prophet)
Commentary: I have no clue as to how performances in foreign languages receive nominations in this category (I remember being puzzled has to how Roberto Benigni claimed his Best Actor win for Life is Beautiful), but for me the best perf from an actor in 2009 was, hands down found in Rahim’s take of a man stripped of his rights but not his smarts. He also speaks in three tongues. Another worthy mention is Ben Foster’s part in The Messenger. 

Apology #4: Category: Actress in a Leading Role
Snub: Tilda Swinton (Julia)
Commentary: Not to worry folks, something tells me she’ll return to the winner’s circle for We Need to Talk About Kevin in the distant future. Other actresses that were top of the year were Abbie Cornish in Bright Star and Charlotte Gainsbourg in Antichrist.

Apology #5: Category: Adapted Screenplay
Snub: Jane Campion (Bright Star)
Commentary: Not sure if “inspired by” counts towards a Best Adapted consideration, but the manner in which Campion served of Andrew Motion’s biography on Keats to explore a love story that failed to materialize is poetic, emotionally relevant and comes across as an accurate portrait of time and place. Another snub: Noah Baumbach and Wes Anderson’s work for Mr Fox.

Apology #6: Category: Cinematography
Snub: Roger Deakins (A Serious Man)
Commentary: NASA have the Canadianarm and the Coens have Deakins’ eye. Deakins framing and use of natural light indoors was obviously overshadowed because of the size of the picture. Greig Fraser’s work on Bright Star also merits a mention.  

Apology #7: Category: Costume Design
Snub: Arianne Philips (A Single Man)
Commentary: Ok so Philips didn’t have some huge cast to dress and didn’t have to research 16th to 19th century history books for this film, but the fine threads that Moore and Firth wore added further layers to character description.

Apology #9: Category: MakeUp
Snub: Mandi Crane, Deborah Patino and Sherri Simmons for The Road
Commentary: In order to show despair, starvation, and uncommon wear and tear, the performance needs to be backed by make-up dept. How The Road didn’t receive a mention baffles me – Viggo looked sickly and so did just about every character in the film.

Apology #9: Category: Original Song
Snub: Karen O & the Kids “All is Love”
Commentary: A case for why the Academy needs to revisit the rule books – nothing wrong with having more than two people compose a film score.

and here are all the noms:…

BEST PICTURE:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), A Lightstorm Entertainment Production, James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
The Blind Side (Warner Bros.), An Alcon Entertainment Production, Nominees to be determined
District 9 (TriStar), A Block/Hanson Production, Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), A Finola Dwyer/Wildgaze Films Production, Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), A Voltage Pictures Production, Nominees to be determined
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), A Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures/A Band Apart/Zehnte Babelsberg Production, Lawrence Bender, Producer
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (Lionsgate), A Lee Daniels
Entertainment/Smokewood Entertainment Production, Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
A Serious Man (Focus Features), A Working Title Films Production, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
Up (Disney•Pixar), A Pixar Production, Jonas Rivera, Producer
Up in the Air (Paramount), A Montecito Picture Company Production, Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

DIRECTING:
James Cameron – Avatar (20th Century Fox)
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air (Paramount)
Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)
Lee Daniels – Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (Lionsgate)
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE:
Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight)
George Clooney – Up in the Air (Paramount)
Colin Firth – A Single Man (The Weinstein Company)
Morgan Freeman – Invictus (Warner Bros.)
Jeremy Renner – The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment)

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:
Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side (Warner Bros.)
Helen Mirren – The Last Station (Sony Pictures Classics)
Carey Mulligan – An Education (Sony Pictures Classics)
Gabourey Sidibe – Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (Lionsgate)
Meryl Streep – Julie & Julia (Columbia Pictures)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Matt Damon – Invictus (Warner Bros.)
Woody Harrelson – The Messenger (Oscilloscope)
Christopher Plummer – The Last Station (Sony Pictures Classics)
Stanley Tucci – The Lovely Bones (Paramount)
Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company)

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:
Penelope Cruz – Nine (The Weinstein Company)
Vera Farmiga – Up in the Air (Paramount)
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight)
Anna Kendrick – Up in the Air (Paramount)
Mo’Nique – Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (Lionsgate)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
District 9 (TriStar), Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), Screenplay by Nick Hornby
In the Loop (IFC Films), Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (Lionsgate), Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air (Paramount), Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Written by Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Written by Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger (Oscilloscope), Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
A Serious Man (Focus Features), Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Up (Disney•Pixar), Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
Ajami (Kino International), An Inosan Production, Israel
El Secreto de sus Ojos (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haddock Films Production, Argentina
The Milk of Sorrow, A Wanda Visión/Oberon Cinematogràfica/Vela Production, Peru
Une Prophéte (Sony Pictures Classics), A Why Not/Page 114/Chic Films Production, France
The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics), An X Filme Creative Pool/Wega Film/Les Films du Losange/Lucky Red Production, Germany

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:
Coraline (Focus Features), Henry Selick
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox Searchlight), Wes Anderson
The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), John Musker and Ron Clements
The Secret of the Kells (GDKIDS), Tomm Moore
Up (Disney•Pixar), Pete Docter

ART DIRECTION:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg, Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Sony Pictures Classics), Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro, Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
Nine (The Weinstein Company), Art Direction: John Myhre, Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood, Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Art Direction: Patrice Vermette, Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Mauro Fiore
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Warner Bros.), Bruno Delbonnel
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Barry Ackroyd
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Robert Richardson
The White Ribbon (Sony Pictures Classics), Christian Berger

COSTUME DESIGN:
Bright Star (Apparition), Janet Patterson
Coco Before Chanel (Sony Pictures Classics), Catherine Leterrier
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (Sony Pictures Classics), Monique Prudhomme
Nine (The Weinstein Company), Colleen Atwood
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Sandy Powell

FILM EDITING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
District 9 (TriStar), Julian Clarke
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Sally Menke
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (Lionsgate), Joe Klotz

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Burma VJ (Oscilloscope Laboratories), A Magic Hour Films Production, Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
The Cove (Roadside Attractions), An Oceanic Preservation Society Production, Nominees to be determined
Food, Inc. (Magnolia Pictures), A Robert Kenner Films Production, Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers (First Run Features ), A Kovno Communications Production, Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
Which Way Home, A Mr. Mudd Production, Rebecca Cammisa

MAKEUP:
Il Divo (MPI Media Group through Music Box), Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
The Young Victoria (Apparition), Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

ORIGINAL SCORE:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), James Horner
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Fox Searchlight), Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
Sherlock Holmes (Warner Bros.), Hans Zimmer
Up (Disney•Pixar), Michael Giacchino

ORIGINAL SONG:
“Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans” from The Princess and the Frog (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname” from Paris 36 (Sony Pictures Classics), Music by Reinhardt Wagner, Lyric by Frank Thomas
“Take It All” from Nine (The Weinstein Company), Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
“The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from Crazy Heart (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

SOUND MIXING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro, Distributed by Paramount), Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

SOUND EDITING:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
The Hurt Locker (Summit Entertainment), Paul N.J. Ottosson
Inglourious Basterds (The Weinstein Company), Wylie Stateman
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
Up (Disney•Pixar), Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

VISUAL EFFECTS:
Avatar (20th Century Fox), Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
District 9 (TriStar), Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
Star Trek (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment), Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

DOCUMENTARY SHORT:
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province, A Downtown Community Television Center Production, Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner, A Just Media Production, Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant, A Community Media Production, Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
Music by Prudence, An iThemba Production, Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
Rabbit à la Berlin (Deckert Distribution), An MS Films Production, Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

ANIMATED SHORT FILM:
French Roast, A Pumpkin Factory/Bibo Films Production, Fabrice O. Joubert
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty (Brown Bag Films), A Brown Bag Films Production, Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte), A Kandor Graphics and Green Moon Production, Javier Recio Gracia
Logorama” (Autour de Minuit), An Autour de Minuit Production, Nicolas Schmerkin
A Matter of Loaf and Death (Aardman Animations), An Aardman Animations Production, Nick Park

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM:
The Door (Network Ireland Television), An Octagon Films Production, Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
Instead of Abracadabra (The Swedish Film Institute), A Directörn & Fabrikörn Production, Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
Kavi, A Gregg Helvey Production, Gregg Helvey
Miracle Fish (Premium Films), A Druid Films Production, Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
The New Tenants, A Park Pictures and M & M Production, Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson