Oscar Nominations – The Hurt Locker and Avatar Lead with 9 Each
Best Picture
* “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
* “The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined
* “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
* “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
* “The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
* “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
* “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
* “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
* “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers
Actor in a Leading Role
* Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
* George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
* Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
* Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
* Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”
Actor in a Supporting Role
* Matt Damon in “Invictus”
* Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
* Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
* Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
* Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”
Actress in a Leading Role
* Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
* Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
* Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
* Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
* Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”
Actress in a Supporting Role
* Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
* Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
* Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
* Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
* Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Animated Feature Film
* “Coraline” Henry Selick
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
* “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
* “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
* “Up” Pete Docter
Art Direction
* “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
* “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
* “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
* “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray
Cinematography
* “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
* “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
* “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
* “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
* “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger
Costume Design
* “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
* “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
* “Nine” Colleen Atwood
* “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell
Directing
* “Avatar” James Cameron
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
* “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
* “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman
Documentary (Feature)
* “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
* “The Cove” Nominees to be determined
* “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
* “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
* “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa
Documentary (Short Subject)
* “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
* “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
* “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
* “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
* “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra
Film Editing
* “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
* “District 9” Julian Clarke
* “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
* “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz
Foreign Language Film
* “Ajami” Israel
* “El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
* “The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
* “Un Prophète” France
* “The White Ribbon” Germany
Makeup
* “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
* “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
* “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore
Music (Original Score)
* “Avatar” James Horner
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
* “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
* “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
* “Up” Michael Giacchino
Music (Original Song)
* “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
* “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
* “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
Short Film (Animated)
* “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
* “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
* “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
* “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
* “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park
Short Film (Live Action)
* “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
* “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
* “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
* “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
* “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
Sound Editing
* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
* “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
* “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
* “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers
Sound Mixing
* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
* “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
* “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
* “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson
Visual Effects
* “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
* “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
* “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
* “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
* “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
* “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
* “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Writing (Original Screenplay)
* “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
* “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
* “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
* “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
* “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
Ajami
Inosan Production (Kino International)
* Best foreign language film (Israel)
Avatar
Lightstorm Entertainment Production (20th Century Fox)
* Art direction
* Cinematography
* Directing
* Film editing
* Original score
* Best picture
* Sound editing
* Sound mixing
* Visual effects
The Blind Side
Alcon Entertainment Production (Warner Bros.)
* Sandra Bullock – Performance by an actress in a leading role
* Best picture
Bright Star
Jan Chapman/Bright Star Films Production (Apparition)
* Costume design
Burma VJ
Magic Hour Films Production (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
* Documentary feature
Coco before Chanel
Haut et Court Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Costume design
Coraline
LAIKA Production (Focus Features)
* Best animated feature film
The Cove
Oceanic Preservation Society Production (Roadside Attractions)
* Documentary feature
Crazy Heart
Informant Media/Butcher’s Run Films Production (Fox Searchlight)
* Jeff Bridges – Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Maggie Gyllenhaal – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Original song – “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)”
District 9
Block/Hanson Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)
* Film editing
* Best picture2
* Visual effects
* Adapted screenplay
An Education
Finola Dwyer/Wildgaze Films Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Carey Mulligan – Performance by an actress in a leading role
* Best picture
* Adapted screenplay
El Secreto de Sus Ojos
Haddock Films Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Best foreign language film (Argentina)
Fantastic Mr. Fox
American Empirical Production (20th Century Fox)
* Best animated feature film
* Original score
Food, Inc.,
Robert Kenner Films Production (Magnolia Pictures)
* Documentary feature
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Warner Bros. Production (Warner Bros.)
* Cinematography
The Hurt Locker
Voltage Pictures Production (Summit Entertainment)
* Jeremy Renner – Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Cinematography
* Directing
* Film editing
* Original score
* Best picture
* Sound editing
* Sound mixing
* Original screenplay
Il Divo
Indigo Film/Lucky Red/Parco Film/Babe Films Production (MPI Media Group through Music Box)
* Makeup
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Poo Poo Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Art direction
* Costume design
In the Loop
Loop Film/BBC Films and UK Film Council in association with Aramid Entertainment Production (IFC Films)
* Adapted screenplay
Inglourious Basterds
Weinstein Company/Universal Pictures/A Band Apart/Zehnte Babelsberg Production (The Weinstein Company)
* Christoph Waltz – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Cinematography
* Directing
* Film editing
* Best picture
* Sound editing
* Sound mixing
* Original screenplay
Invictus
Liberty Pictures Production (Warner Bros.)
* Morgan Freeman – Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Matt Damon – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Julie & Julia
Columbia Pictures Production (Sony Pictures Releasing)
* Meryl Streep – Performance by an actress in a leading role
The Last Station
Egoli Tossell Film/Zephyr Films Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Christopher Plummer – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Helen Mirren – Performance by an actress in a leading role
The Lovely Bones
Wingnut Films Production (DreamWorks in association with Film4, Distributed by Paramount)
* Stanley Tucci – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
The Messenger
All the King’s Horses Production (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
* Woody Harrelson – Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Original screenplay
The Milk of Sorrow
Wanda Visión/Oberon Cinematogràfica/Vela Production
* Best foreign language film (Peru)
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Kovno Communications Production
* Documentary feature
Nine
Weinstein Brothers/Marc Platt/Lucamar/Relativity Media Production (The Weinstein Company)
* Penélope Cruz – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Art direction
* Costume design
* Original song – “Take It All”
Paris 36
Galatée Films Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Original song – “Loin de Paname”
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
Lee Daniels Entertainment/ Smokewood Entertainment Production (Lionsgate)
* Gabourey Sidibe – Performance by an actress in a leading role
* Mo’Nique – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Directing
* Film editing
* Best picture
* Adapted screenplay
The Princess and the Frog
Walt Disney Pictures Production (Walt Disney)
* Best animated feature film
* Original song – “Almost There”
* Original song – “Down in New Orleans”
The Secret of Kells
Cartoon Saloon/Les Armateurs/Vivi Film Production (GKIDS)
* Best animated feature film
A Serious Man
Working Title Films Production (Focus Features)
* Best picture
* Original screenplay
Sherlock Holmes
Warner Bros. UK Services Production (Warner Bros.)
* Art direction
* Original score
A Single Man
Fade to Black and Depth of Field Production (The Weinstein Company)
* Colin Firth – Performance by an actor in a leading role
Star Trek
Bad Robot Production (Paramount and Spyglass Entertainment)
* Makeup
* Sound editing
* Sound mixing
* Visual effects
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Don Murphy/Tom DeSanto/di Bonaventura Pictures/Ian Bryce Production (DreamWorks and Paramount in association with Hasbro, Distributed by Paramount)
* Sound mixing
Un Prophète
Why Not/Page 114/Chic Films Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Best foreign language film (France)
Up
Pixar Production (Walt Disney)
* Best animated feature film
* Original score
* Best picture
* Sound editing
* Original screenplay
Up in the Air
Montecito Picture Company Production (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)
* George Clooney – Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Vera Farmiga – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Anna Kendrick – Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Directing
* Best picture
* Adapted screenplay
Which Way Home
Mr. Mudd Production
* Documentary feature
The White Ribbon
X Filme Creative Pool/Wega Film/Les Films du Losange/Lucky Red Production (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Cinematography
* Best foreign language film (Germany)
The Young Victoria
GK Films Production (Apparition)
* Art direction
* Costume design
* Makeup
Other posts you might like
702 Comments
3 Trackbacks
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[...] For the complete Academy Award nominations, visit awardsdaily.com: [...]
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[...] The rest here. [...]
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[...] I would at least throw out all the nominees in the nine categories I pay attention to below. You can find alll the others here if you’re into sound editing and stuff done by freedom-hating non-Americans for some reason. [...]
BowieZ says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:38am
Everybody, repeat after me:
THE TRICK IS NOT MINDING
Deniz Cansi says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:42am
# 1
Something i learned last year after The Dark Knight snub. hehe. But here we are again. Come on with Jeremy Renner i Best actor and Star Trek
Tero Heikkinen says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:43am
hehe. It must be very early in LA, Sasha. Did you sleep at all? I hear many nominee-hopefuls stay up all night and party.
Tero Heikkinen says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:43am
Even though they always say: “my friend called me and woke me up”. Like they wouldn’t care, lol.
BBBerlin says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:50am
Thank God it’s 2 p.m. here in Berlin though it would help to be half-dormant, I guess. Can’t wait…
Paddy M says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:50am
Haha Tero! I’d defo stay up all night and party if I was a hopeful – that way, if you got the nom, you’d be able to say you celebrated the happy news with a drink, but without people wondering why the hell you’ve started drinking and it’s not even 6am!
And if you failed to get the nom, hopefully you’d already be too wasted to notice
Loyal says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:52am
I thought it was just me. I have this huge sense of dread like something really bad is about to go down.
I can’t recall ever feeling this way while waiting for announcements.
Carson Dyle says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:52am
Well… I’m not going to be as disappointed as I was last year. Last year’s awards race was cruel… TDK got the guild trifecta, and eight nominations, but still no love in any of the majors, apart from BSA. That just plain sucked.
This year, my favourite film, In the Loop, wasn’t ever going to get a look-in anywhere, so if the trick is not minding, I’ll have it down pat. I’m adequately mentally prepared for such awfulness as a District 9 Best Pic nomination.
Douglas says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:53am
THE REAL TRICK IS TRYING TO MAKE THIS SITE CRASH…AGAIN….
makeitstop says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:54am
Still have bad memories of just about a year ago…
Sasha Stone says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:55am
You’re right, Douglas! Three server upgrades and still! I am determined to find the right server to handle the load (it’s the database connections that are the problem — too many trying to comment, I suspect…) Maybe the live stream will help!
Tero Heikkinen says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:55am
I’ll be back in a few hours, cause this site will crash soon.
Sasha Stone says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:56am
What’s your worst nightmare, Loyal? I find I have a few people/films I’m rooting for (In the Loop, Viggo Mortensen) but that with ten best pic nominees it isn’t as scary that a big one will be left off. Director is a little scary.
Millar says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:56am
It was great, yesterday I went back and looked at last years thread.
ARGHH NO SALLY HAWKINS, ARGGH NO DARK KNIGHT
Sasha Stone says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:57am
Tero, I didn’t sleep. I never do the night before – I just keep checking the clock – 1am, 2am, 3am, 4am……
And I’m wondering how long it will take for the site to crash and how hard it will be to get it back up, lol.
Sasha Stone says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:58am
FYI, live stream on Oscars.org starts in ten minutes!
Alper says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 4:58am
Come on Sandra!!
Alfred says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:00am
Nothing can topple last year’s disappointment. My fav films always get snubbed (ITW, TDK), so I prepared myself that 500 won’t make the cut, that would be a pleasent surprise if it could sneak into the top 10.
Loyal says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:01am
You’re going to laugh at me Sasha.
I still think Avatar has a shot and it begins and possibility ends this morning.
If The Hurt Locker pulls an extra nom or two or if Inglourious Basterds comes out ahead in overall noms, maybe Avatar misses some noms, the race is over for the big blue guy. Hell, it’s probably already over.
This month, this very very long month, would only serve as a battle invented by the media. Having to wait 5 weeks for THL to pick up BP isn’t fun or exciting.
Antoinette says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:02am
I’m supposed to not be caring about this sort of thing anymore but somehow I’m scared to death.
Alfred says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:03am
Okay, last wishes: 500 for BP, Emily Blunt for best actress, Lee Daniels not getting BD nod.
Douglas says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:03am
Godspeed, Sacha, Godspeed…
Otherwise this may be the progress of Awards Daily today after the nominations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtmnmiZpfzU
Jose P. says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:05am
Here’s hoping for Where The Wild Things Are (BP, but that’s just wishful thinking) and Star Trek(BP) getting some love!
Mimi Rogers says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:06am
As Anne Hathaway read out the names of the nominees for the Best Actress in a Leading Role, she thought to herself “Shit, I should be in there for Bride Wars”.
Tero Heikkinen says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:06am
I want The Road getting nominations. Yes, Viggo, too.
Some people have predicted IB leading the noms over Avatar. I wouldn’t mind, we’ll see.
I want surprises and there always are some.
PA says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:07am
wooo….,cant wait
David Wolff says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:07am
I don’t have any favorite this year. I just want to see Sandra Bullock nominated and read the reactions.
Antoinette says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:08am
All I’ve been concerned with the past few months is Jeremy Renner getting a nomination. I’m still worried although the prospects look much better than they did a long time ago. I’ve put all my vibes in one basket. *breathes deeply*
GFH says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:08am
Thank God I don’t have that “lack of sleep” problem. It’s 11:10 AM here.
Anthony says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:08am
Lets see how long it takes for the site to crash lol
qwiggles says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:10am
My latest nomination morning wish is for Wild Things to get a nomination somewhere, anywhere. May all your wishes come true! (After mine does.)
nardomungus says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:11am
i agree tufas. thats probably my biggest fear. they’ll throw a whole lot of love at an education or a film like that. and/or they wont select some of these more “acclaimed but appealing to the greater whole” movies they’ve expanded the category for. I’m afraid I’ve gotten Star Trek stuck in my mind as a nominee that if it’s not i’ll get very angry….but…im not going to mind…whoooosaaaa
Fivus Viener says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:12am
My prediction is no surprises. Everything status quo.
nardomungus says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:12am
@ 24
Right on!!!!!!
Marble_Plum says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:13am
Yes, Where The Wild Things needs some love!
Mimi Rogers says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:14am
How likely do u think Fantastic Mr Fox will get a Best Picture nod?
Alfred says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:14am
…and TDK makes history, getting a BP nom with 1 year delay
)))
Marlon says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:14am
sandra to be snubbed??? even if she is nominated, she won’t win…no one has ever won the same year they were razzie-nominated…
ie) James Coco, Amy Irving, Alec Baldwin…
Ben says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:16am
Where The Wild Things Are for best Picture and surprise best director, screenplay, score and song!
Tero Heikkinen says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:18am
May I have one more request? The White Ribbon for Best Picture and 2-3 other nominations. Please!
Sasha Stone says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:18am
Douglas, that is the funniest thing ever.
moffet98 says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:20am
9:20pm. MANILA in the house!
tmoves says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:22am
Fingers crossed for Viggo, Tilda, The White Ribbon, The Road, Bright Star, The Messenger, Seriously Single Men and in an alternate universe little Ben Whishaw. I know, I know…
Mimi Rogers says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:23am
Aussies set to miss out on Oscars glory
Posted 8 hours 58 minutes ago
In the early hours of Wednesday morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will reveal its Oscar nominees – and for the first time in more than a decade, it is likely not one Australian actor or actress will be on the esteemed list.
Australians have enjoyed an amazing run at the Oscars. If it was not Nicole Kidman scoring a nomination it was Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Toni Collette, Rachel Griffiths, Geoffrey Rush or Russell Crowe.
Heath Ledger was dead for a year, but 12 months ago he came through as winner of the best supporting Oscar for The Dark Knight.
The last barren ceremony for Australian actors was 1998 when Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce were snubbed for nominations for LA Confidential, and Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt claimed the top acting statuettes for their roles in As Good as It Gets.
But patriots, do not despair.
Australian cinematographer Dion Beebe, for the musical Nine, is a great chance for the third nomination of his career.
And the Academy announced last week that Alice Springs writer-director Warwick Thornton’s Samson and Delilah was one of nine films being considered for the five foreign language Oscar nominations.
Australians Eddie White and Ari Gibson also made the short-list in the Academy’s short animated film category for The Cat Piano.
Joining them in a nervous, possibly career-changing wait are fellow Aussie filmmakers Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey, who are on the Oscar nominee short-list for live action short film for their movie, Miracle Fish.
Australia’s best chance of snagging an acting nomination is Abbie Cornish for her role in the Jane Campion-directed period drama, Bright Star.
The Hunter Valley-raised actress has been shut out of the major pre-Oscar award shows – Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and Critics Choice – with not a single nomination, but every couple of days in the US press a pundit or film writer asks why Cornish has been given the cold shoulder.
“A Bright Star that’s Overlooked,” the headline on a Los Angeles Times article read last week.
The story continued with: “If there were any justice, Abbie Cornish would be getting an Oscar nomination for her role as the love of poet John Keats. The slow-burning romance, from director Jane Campion, has been largely overlooked this awards season. Protest by buying the DVD out this week.”
Adding to Cornish’s slim prospects is that the five best actress Oscar nominations appear settled with Sandra Bullock, for The Blind Side, the frontrunner after Golden Globe and SAG wins; Meryl Streep (Julie and Julia), the most likely to unseat her; and the remaining three slots belonging to Helen Mirren (The Last Station), Carey Mulligan, (An Education) and Gabourey Sidibe (Precious).
If there was an upset in the category, English actress Emily Blunt for The Young Victoria may sneak in and push Mirren out.
The best actor nominations also appear set in stone with Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart) the red hot favourite and George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman (Invictus) and Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) the other likely nominees.
Kidman has about as much chance of snaring a supporting actress nomination for her performance in Nine as she does of winning a Grammy next year for her Simon Baker Baby Maker singing duet with husband Keith Urban at the recent G’Day USA Ball in Los Angeles.
West Australian-raised Sam Worthington may be the star of the highest-grossing film of all-time, Avatar, and the science fiction juggernaut could dominate the March 7 Oscar ceremony with 10-plus wins, but the movie’s actors will most likely not get a look-in with nominations.
Director James Cameron and his special effects wizards and other key crew members, including Australian sound mixer David Lee, may be showered with naked gold men trophies, but Avatar is not viewed as an actor’s movie.
Avatar v The Hurt Locker
The director and best picture Oscar races have turned into a fascinating duel between Avatar, with its $US400 million ($447.13 million) budget and almost $US2 billion ($2.24 billion) in takings, versus the tiny budgeted Iraq war drama, The Hurt Locker – a film made on a shoestring budget of about $US10 million ($11.18 million) and with just $US16 million ($17.89 million) tickets sold worldwide.
The Hurt Locker and its director Kathryn Bigelow, ironically Cameron’s ex-wife, took the upper hand in the director and best picture Oscar races on Saturday when Bigelow was honoured for the Directors Guild Award (DGA) ahead of Cameron.
In the last 61 years, only six DGA winners did not repeat with a director’s win on Oscar night. The Academy’s voters also usually pin best director and best picture winners together.
What may help onetime best picture Oscar hopefuls, like Campion’s Bright Star and Australian director John Hillcoat’s The Road, cause an upset and snatch a best picture nomination is the Academy’s decision to expand this year’s best picture nominations from five to 10.
The Academy thought this would allow popcorn films like Star Trek and the latest Harry Potter flick to fill a slot, but it opens the possibility of the critically-praised Bright Star or The Road to creep in.
If they do, there may be enough support for members of Campion or Hillcoat’s crew members to figure in Oscar nominations.
This includes Bright Star’s cinematographer Greig Fraser, editor Alexandre de Franceschi, producer Jan Chapman and production and costume designer Janet Patterson.
The Road also had plenty of Australian contributors with costume designer Margot Wilson and production designer Chris Kennedy, and Nick Cave and Ballarat-born Warren Ellis behind the film’s original music.
The Academy will release its full list of nominees at 3.00am AEDT on Wednesday.
- AAP
Kitch_Man says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:23am
Looking forward to all the James Cameron bickering…’cause ya know, it’s currently pretty damn ‘hip’ to hate on James Cameron.
BowieZ says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:26am
#37
I have The Fantastic Mr. Fox in an office pool! I really think people are passionate enough about it for it to make the cut. But of course, I’ll be wrong
Man… I can’t believe we’re about to see SANDRA-frickin’-BULLOCK’s name and face come up on an Oscar nomination screen. Insanity. I love the woman. But yeah. Never thought I’d see the day; however, that happens EVERY year. An A-list romantic dramedy starlet grows up and becomes an Academy Award nominee.
Parting words: (500) Prayers for Summer.
Andrew F says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:27am
There won’t be any Cameron bickering, I hope. We all know he’s getting nominated, and there’s not a damn thing we can do about it. *le sigh*
Sasha Stone says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:28am
’cause ya know, it’s currently pretty damn ‘hip’ to hate on James Cameron.
Not anymore, I don’t think. It was hip, then it wasn’t hip, then it was – now it’s back to not being hip.
Alfred says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:28am
Avatar 9, IB 8, THL 6
Andrew F says:
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 5:28am
My last minute gut instinct:
No “Serious Man” or “Invictus” for picture.