Breaking News: This year's Best Picture category to feature 10 Nominees!

I have to say that I am shocked but a little pleased as well. Perhaps this move will allow for movies like Up and Star Trek to become best picture nominees, and this move could also benefit the Studios as well, lessining the competitive edge. However this also means that if a beloved film is snubbed still, it will be clear that it just didnt agree with the Academy's taste. We could see Pixar, Judd Apatow, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, JJ Abrams and Martin Scorsese's work face off against each other come february! All we need now is a great host.

Here is the full press release:

The 82nd Academy Awards, which will be presented on March 7, 2010, will have 10 feature films vying in the Best Picture category, Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis announced today (June 24) at a press conference in Beverly Hills.
“After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year,” said Ganis. “The final outcome, of course, will be the same – one Best Picture winner – but the race to the finish line will feature 10, not just five, great movies from 2009.”
For more than a decade during the Academy’s earlier years, the Best Picture category welcomed more than five films; for nine years there were 10 nominees. The 16th Academy Awards (1943) was the last year to include a field of that size; “ Casablanca ” was named Best Picture. (In 1931/32, there were eight nominees and in 1934 and 1935 there were 12 nominees.)
Currently, the Academy is presenting a bicoastal screening series showcasing the 10 Best Picture nominees of 1939, arguably one of Hollywood ’s greatest film years. Best Picture nominees of that year include such diverse classics as “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Stagecoach,” “The Wizard of Oz” and Best Picture winner “Gone with the Wind.”
“Having 10 Best Picture nominees is going allow Academy voters to recognize and include some of the fantastic movies that often show up in the other Oscar categories, but have been squeezed out of the race for the top prize,” commented Ganis. “I can’t wait to see what that list of ten looks like when the nominees are announced in February.”
The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2. The Oscar® ceremony honoring films for 2009 will again take place at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood , and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.

Sorry for the Inactivity

Summer has so far been overly kind to me. For the first time in months, I woke up this morning not remembering what day it was and what date is was. After that I realized that today would be a good one to take a break, lay by the pool and just relax. So, updates will return to normal activity starting Monday with a review of The Taking of Pelham 123, My First Official Oscar Predictions List Article of the year, and my 5 most anticipated movies for the rest of the summer.
Enjoy the weekend guys and girls.

Tyler j. Pratt, The Oscar Hut

Trailer Park 2009 Presents Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island

I'm just going to say that I already have my ticket purchased because this looks to be one hell of a movie.

State of the Race, Mid Year Review: The Support

So far this year, believe it or not, audiences were treated to as many as three delightful candidates for nominations in the Supporting races for the 2010 Oscar, none of whom are female. However, with films like Whatever Works, Funny People and Nine on the way flaunting the talents of Patricia Clarkson, Leslie Mann and Judi Dench respectively, this could rapidly change. So lets take a look at how the last six months have treated the Best Supporting Races, shall we?

Best Supporting Actor:

Starting rather quickly in the year, the Best Supporting Actor race was treated with not one but two contenders for this year's shortlist. In March's Watchmen, audiences (Well, large groups of fanboys) were dazzled by the talents of former Oscar nominee Jackie Earl Haley, and the superb character actor, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, as Rorschach and the Comedian respectively. Haley, quickly leapfrogging the competition gained raves for his performance, essentially being compared to last year's oscar winning Joker played by Heath Ledger. While there are no assurances that he will be nominated this year, Haley without a doubt left his mark. While less praised, yet just as good, Jeffrey Dean Morgan gave a fantastic performance as the hideous human being the Comedian. He gave the movie a much needed sense of pathos and doubt with his role and while he may not get love anywhwere else, he's getting some from the Hut.

April brought movies like Duplicity and The Soloist, both bearing good supporting acting. Duplicity, the 2nd most fun I've had at a theatre all year, was indebted to the work of Paul Giamatti who was great in a comedic role as a sinister CEO, providing the movie with some great moments. Jamie Foxx, of The Soloist, also gave a great effort for his role as a schizophrenic, homeless, musical prodigy, While many cried out Oscar bait!, I just sat back enjoyed his layered performance. He may catch shit from time to time, but Jamie Foxx is definitely alot more dramatically talented then he recieves credit for. So we finally arrive at this year's top Supporting Actor contender, so far of course, and it's a name you may not expect( unless you didnt catch his picture above): Jason Bateman for State of Play. He's in the movie for only around 7 minutes, but when he arrives, boy does he make an entrance. When I saw Play in theatres, I admired it, the direction was good as was Crowe and Mirren, but to be honest I was drifting off a bit. All of this changed the second Bateman, as Dominic Foy, entered stage left. He was franticly obsessive compulsive and hilarious, injecting the film with a sense of energy and livlieness, causing the audience to erupt with laughter and even applause. And then his taped confession scene came up, immediately shutting the audience up as we silently hung on to every word. I remember his part of the movie but little else, Bateman was just excellent, and you wont here many complain if he earns a nomination, though as the film came out so early, its unfortunately not 100 percent likely.

As I mentioned before, the supporting actress's so far this year are sparse, a few good performances but none with any shot whatsoever of a nomination. But I guarantee this will be changing by August, as we have Patty Clarkson and Leslie Mann coming soon.

Congrats to Adrian and the new Oscar Bait site!

The Oscar Bait Contest site is one that has probably been due since the great Oscar Igloo site was demoted to it's new and current form, the underwhelming Awards Circuit. The AC basically only retained some of the Igloo's greatness with it's forums and previously the Bait an Oscar competition which has been at a standstill for a while now. The predictions are ridiculous, and the blog is actually OK for the most part.
So for all of you readers who left AC shortly after the Igloo died, be sure to check out The Oscar Bait Contest site, while it may just be in the earliest of stages, I have high hopes that the bait an Oscar contest will live on through the efforts of Adrian James, Douglas Reese and other staples of the Bait an Oscar contest.

here's the URL. It is also posted in the links tab.
http://theoscarbaitcontest.weebly.com/index.html

Some brief thoughts on The Hangover

It was an overall good film, nothing Oscar worthy, but the story was genius in it's simplicity, the acting was all great esepecially from Galifanakis who I expect to hit big with this the way Will Ferrell did with Old School. While there may have been a few too many musical cues, The Hangover has definitely cemented itself as one this summer's buzz films, and could end up as the funniest film of the summer. Assuming of course that Judd Apatow and Woody Allen fail to meet expectations with their latest efforts.

State of the Race 2009: Mid Year Review, actor and Actress

In the past 6 months of stateside releases, it's suprising to say that only a few men and women have been truly exceptional in lead roles. The past few years have seen people like Richard Jenkins and Julie Christy reap Osar bids from pre June releases, but this year could change that.

On the Best Actor front the only notable males have been Robert Downey Jr. for The Soloist and, suprisingly, Seth Rogen for his career changing role in Observe and Report. Other notable performers like Russell Crowe and Jesse Eisenberg have fallen by the wayside due to underwhelming box office results, and Joaquin Phoenix who impressed in Two Lovers has apparently retired, diverting attention from the film. OPnly Clive Owen has been able to truly standout, however he will never be awarded for Duplicity.

The ladies meanwhile have seen even slimmer pickens. Amy Adams has given us the most notable female performance of the last six months in a movie that gained no traction.

Ditto for Paltrow in Two Lovers. And Julia Roberts, despite having excellent pressence and chemistry with Clive Owen, will never see an Oscar for Duplicity.

So, my prediction? No Lead Acting bids will come from a pre June 1st release.

Rest In Peace

(1936-2009)

David Carradine will be missed, I myself will never forget his excellent portrayal of Bill in Kill Bill Vol. 2 as his best performance. It's a shame we will never see him grace the silver screen again.

10 Movies That...Made me Cry

To kick off a new summer series, 10 Movies That..., I'm going to start with one that is very easy for me to define. For anyone that has read this blog in the past, you know how hard it is for a movie to make me cry, the only one so far this year that has gotten me close was Pixar's Up, so, after reading Entertainment Weekly's list, I've decided to get in touch with my sensitive side.......

1. Angels In America- Despite the cheat that this is a miniseries, Angels In America was one of the few times in my life that I actually cried during a movie that couldn't be farther, connections wise, from my own life. It was a movie set in New York of the 80's that dealt heavily with homosexuality, aids and the absence of god. Despite this alienation, I first felt the tears begin to form around 5 minutes in when Prior tells Louis about his AIDS. Then I felt it again and again throughout before finally letting loose. Angels remains a favorite of mine.

2. Bang The Drum Slowly- I first saw Bang The Drum Slowly at a time in my life when I went through the filmographies of my favorite directors and actors, this time being DeNiro. Much like Brian's Song, it is a movie that creeps up on you before slamming you into the ground with a heartbreaking climax or end. For me when DeNiro tells Michael Moriarty goodbye at the film's end, it's like a dam breaks and the tears flow freely, I cant even watch it with anyone else.

3. Finding Nemo- Like most of Pixar's movies, Up included, Finding Nemo was a fun joyous ride that combined elements of adventure, humor and surprise to make for a great viewing experience. The first time I saw it, with my first girlfriend about 6 years ago when it had just came out, I was loving it. Then came the ending when Marlon finally reconnects with Nemo. Tears of joy welled up in my eyes, but thankfully went unnoticed as the girl I was with was also tearing up.

4. Good Will Hunting- Definitely not a sad movie, but one that sucker punches you when you least expect it. The scene near the end, when Will and Sean are finishing up their last session was that punch to the gut. Williams repeats: "Will, its not your fault" over and over again until Damon finally breaks and starts to cry, as did I.

5. Million Dollar Baby- Only around three or four times in my life have I ever seen my father cry. Twice at funerals, and during Million Dollar Baby. The last hospital scene, is hands down one which probably can make any grown man tear up. Morgan Freeman's narration, Eastwood's score, and the exchange between Hilary Swank and Clint, when combined is devastating. My father and I cried like babies on cue with Eastwood's last words to Swanks before assisting her in suicide. Still one of the few repeat offenders for me, I cry every time.

6. Rudy- An underdog story about never giving up when the times get tough, and accomplishing what you set out to do in the end. This description can match any number of films, but for me Rudy is the penultimate under dog story. This is another one that makes men decades older than I cry, and I cant say that I'm not right there with them tearing up.

7. Saving Private Ryan- Giovanni Ribisi is the only reason that I have ever cried during this war film. It's graphically bloody and masculine, yet Ribisi is so unsettling in two of his scenes that every few times I see this, I weep. The first scene takes place in a church, and sees the men recalling their lives at home. When Ribisi talks about pretending to be sleeping when his mom just wants to talk to him, he sets up my tear ducts for the later scene in which he dies calling out for his mother. It is heart wrenching and tragic, and had me bawling the first time I saw it.

8. Schindler's List- Theres not much to say. If you've seen the movie you know why it's here, if you haven't then you need to see it. This is a movie that every human being should see once.

9. The Shawshank Redemption- Shawshank is one of my favorite movies of all time. The direction is wonderful, the acting is amazing, and the screenplay shines as one of the best adaptations ever. There are many reasons to cry during Shawshank, from Andy's escape to Red finally finding Andy to any other number of moments. But what brought about my tears was one scene revolving around one of the minor character's Brooks, superbly played by James Whitmore. Whitmore's narration of the series of events leading to Brooks' suicide has caused me to cry more than anything else from any other movie. It's not something I can explain.

10. Terms of Endearment- This one is simple to explain. When Debra Winger says goodbye to her son is the moment that brought tears to my eyes. I had an aunt who died of cancer, and I can only imagine the last private spoken words between her and my cousins. Just the thought of seeing someone say goodbye for the last time is devastating.

State of The Race 2009: Mid-Year Review, Best Picture

It's seems like the last oscars only happened a few weeks ago, and here we are, 6 months of the year have flown by like dust in the wind. We've seen only a few Oscar-bait like contenders stick the landing while many of the year's pre-ordained popcorn flicks have impressed, some not so much (I'm looking at you wolverine). So in terms of themovies that have seen release stateside, here are the best of this half of the year so far.

Best Picture Contenders: Only two movies so far this year have qualified in the Hut's eyes as worthy of Best Picture nominations, the first of which is Pixar's 10th triumph in a row, UP (pictured right). It was a confidently handled poignant action/adventure comedy that succeeds on many different levels. Up brought to the screen great and memorable characters in the form of the cantankorous old coot Carl and a loyal, loveable dog named Doug, not to mention the amazing vocal performances delivered by Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer and UP writer Bob Peterson. The movie also features Pixar's characteristicaly beautiful animation, good direction by Monster's Inc. helmer Pete Docter and a decent screenplay by Bob Peterson who also voiced the aformentioned Doug. What qualifies this as a Best Picture contender in my eyes is the sum of its parts all of which are great, but what clinched it for me was the beautiful, poignant scene chroncicling Carl's relationship with his wife Ellie from childhood up until Ellie's death, which to tell you the truth had me on the verge of tears, a rarity for me. UP is hands down fantastic. In the end, despite Pixar's lack of ever making a movie that was not one of the year's best, UP probably will be denied everything but the Animated Feature award. And that folks is a shame.

The only other Best Picture contender I've seen so far this year is Star Trek, a movie which hands down was the funnest time I've had in a cineplex this year. J.J. Abrams took a tired franchise, rebooted it and added a shiny new look and feel that was a hit on every level. Abrams fun, fresh direction combined with great editing set up the best paced live ation film so far this year, Michael Giacchino's score(as well as his UP score) was phenominal, his opening number gave me chills. And best of all was the acting. Chris Pine, Zach Quinto, Simon Pegg and Bruce Greenwood were all fantastic. Pine bringing a brash arrogance, Quinto a hot headed calmness and Pegg some much needed humor. Leonard Nemoy's appearence brought the film the needed credibility and pathos to connect with the original series. It's technical achievements will no doubt net the film at least 3 to 5 nominations but as far as it's best picture chances go, things are looking slim. If The Dark Knight couldnt do it, Star Trek won't, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better live action movie so far this year.