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Academy Award Nominations 2008


Max Jacoby

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The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford by Roger Deakins

Atonement by Seamus McGarvey

The Diving Bell And The Butterfly by Janusz Kaminski

No Country For Old Men by Roger Deakins again

There Will Be Blood by Robert Elswit

 

And on a sidenote, I am devastated that the amazing Keira Nightley got robbed of a nomination for her very natural performance in 'Atonement'.

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Guest Tim Partridge

My (instinctive) prediction:

 

Deakins or Kaminski will win. Double nominations for the same person in one category tend to cancel themselves out, but I still think it will be 50/50 on this one.

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Lol, Deakins vs Deakins... I knew it!

 

Sadly, I still have not seen three of these films!

 

Regarding the two that I have seen, I actually liked the photography better in No Country than Jesse James.

 

Sucks that Rodrigo did not get nominated for Lust, Caution.

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I think Deakins will finally get the oscar, probably for Jesse James (its hard for me to say this, but I think "No Country" deserves it more), and Robert Elswit will probably get the ASC award (note its the very same nominations).

But then again Atonement seems like the "pretty" film (I haven't seen it, not out where I am right now) which could swipe the award from the truly deserving Mr. Deakins.

 

my two cents.

 

-felipe.

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It's time for Deakins to finally win one after being nominated so many times.

 

Yeah but the Academy at large might not know this. This will go to a full vote of the Academy membership, who are not necessarily experts on cinematography, and who have been suckers in the past for "pretty" period pictures like Atonement with beautiful actors and sets and costumes, etc. Atonement also has a visible "gimmick" with that long steadicam shot, which might sway average people. I have not seen Atonement yet, and it might be the most deserving, but don't expect the Academy membership to choose the best DP on pure merit. :lol: And I don't mean to disrespect the steadicam shot by calling it a "gimmick", but I hope you guys understand my meaning.

 

BTW, are you a voting member, David?

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BTW, are you a voting member, David?

 

Yes, though I screwed up and didn't get to nominate anything - I had the forms lying around and waited until I had seen enough of the movies to make a good judgement, then noticed that I missed the deadline for turning them in by one day. I assume I'll get a final ballot.

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Yes, though I screwed up and didn't get to nominate anything - I had the forms lying around and waited until I had seen enough of the movies to make a good judgement, then noticed that I missed the deadline for turning them in by one day. I assume I'll get a final ballot.

 

Heh. I know, I've really been lagging on seeing these pictures this year for some reason. So.... if you had voted, would it have been Deakins? Which picture?

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If you're talking about the Oscar nominating process, that's controlled by AMPAS, not the ASC. Like I said, I forgot to submit my nominations in time. When I get the ballot for the final awards, I will vote. I'm sure that AMPAS doesn't want members telling people publically what they are voting for -- besides, I haven't made up my mind, not until I actually look at the ballot.

 

For the ASC Awards, I think my five choices were: Jesse James, No Country for Old Men, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Lust, Caution. I think (this is from memory). I'm sure I debated myself on whether to replace one of those five with "Atonement".

 

Since the awards are on Saturday, I won't say which of the ASC Award nominees I actually voted for.

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If you're talking about the Oscar nominating process, that's controlled by AMPAS, not the ASC. Like I said, I forgot to submit my nominations in time. When I get the ballot for the final awards, I will vote. I'm sure that AMPAS doesn't want members telling people publically what they are voting for -- besides, I haven't made up my mind, not until I actually look at the ballot.

 

For the ASC Awards, I think my five choices were: Jesse James, No Country for Old Men, Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Lust, Caution. I think (this is from memory). I'm sure I debated myself on whether to replace one of those five with "Atonement".

 

Since the awards are on Saturday, I won't say which of the ASC Award nominees I actually voted for.

 

Oh, gotcha. Great choices. I've not seen Diving Bell and the Butterfly or Elizabeth.

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I have to admit I've only seen the first fifteen minutes of "Atonement" -- the projection wasn't that good and I got to a scene where a creepy man is chatting up some kids and I decided to come back another day and see if I could get further into the movie. It seemed very "novelistic" for better or worse.

 

I hadn't seen "There Will Be Blood" at the time I had to send in the nominations.

 

Personally, I would have a hard time dropping either Remi's "Elizabeth" or Rodrigo's "Lust, Caution" to accomodate those two other movies... though you could say that "Elizabeth" and "Atonement" share some similarities (net diffusion, period setting, elaborate camera movement, 1.85 frame). However, "Lust, Caution" and "There Will Be Blood" are very opposite tonally, in subject matter, setting, aspect ratio, etc. In some ways, "There Will Be Blood" has more visually in common with Deakin's two nominations.

 

It's interesting to look at the technical trends here:

 

“Jesse James”: Super-35 / 2.40 / Kodak / D.I.

“Atonement” Super-35 / 1.85 / Kodak / D.I.

“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” standard 35mm 1.85 / Kodak & Fuji / no D.I. / ENR-type prints

“No Country for Old Men” Super-35 / 2.40 / Kodak / D.I.

“There Will Be Blood” 35mm anamorphic 2.40 / Kodak / no D.I.

 

Anamorphic movies used to dominate the cinematography Oscar nominations but not so much anymore (though anamorphic photography often wins the award). D.I.'s have become the norm. Kodak is still the most common stock used. Most studio releases are in 2.40 these days, though most as Super-35 now. Special print processing like ENR has almost disappeared other than for Kaminski's movies, and this years "American Gangster".

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Interesting, your comments on "There Will Be Blood." I'm very curious about this movie!

 

I loved the photography on Boogie Nights (just for its enthusiasm, if nothing else), and I have read good things about "There Will Be Blood." Obviously PTA hired Malick's art director, Jack Fisk, and the picture has been compared to Malick's work.

 

But the trailer didn't do much for me, photography wise.

 

Elswit does have some impressive work on his resume.

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atonement's nomination is a complete mystery to me. it looked dull with some scenes being below tv standard- and some of the most horrible looking flares i can remember for a long time. it should also lose for having the most pointless 'look at me', teeth grindedly shite, amateur hour stedicam shot of all time. the only reason i can think of that people rate this film is because its english, so the brits can pat themselves on their backs, and the yanks can go "ooh they really know how to make costume dramas those limeys". it made no sense and even stole the bookend from titanic. utter bollocks.

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