Does Brad Pitt also count as a double nod for producing The Departed?

I hope the Departed and it's actors sweep every category it's in.

Babel isn't getting in. It can't... It won't...

Argh, on the brighter side of things, Little Children got some much needed respect, and Chiwetel Ejiofer got his first two nomintaions. I see many, many more to come in future years.

I'm very confused about Babel. 8 nods. Wow! And it may win nothing. Do you think that might happen? BP and director is no chance. The two womens are out. Screenplay is Departed's or Queen's. So there's left Pitt and original score. But Departed has to win actor award and Leo will lose to Whitaker. So Jack has to win. And Santaolalla is a joke. I'd love to see Babel getting zero.

Babel is going to be a pretty strong guild player, certainly more so than United 93. I don't expect it to get PGA, but WGA and SAG Ensemble look very likely, if not locks, and Iñárritu isn't behind Greengrass for a DGA spot.

I disagree.

I don't know why, but I disagree.

(I don't, really. You make a good point.)

Aside from Gael (who was so awful in this movie I ought to disown it completely), this movie was not only superbly acted but quite touching on many levels: I appreciated the general scope of the film - the notion that simple misunderstanding and miscommunication can have disastrous results - as well as the more specific aspects. I thought the Moroccan story was an interesting look into family politics (comparing Moroccans to Americans, two vastly different cultures) and the struggle of two individuals. Their understated story of finding faith in one another was superb and continued the theme of miscommunication on the micro scale. The Mexico story wasn't as successful (mostly because the acting wasn't as great and the stereotypes might have been played up a bit too much - odd coming from a Mexican director), but nonetheless a touching and topical look at how faith, miscommunication, and love plays between all of us. The Tokyo storyline was superb. I don't even need to touch on how amazing it was - a visual treat to be sure. The acting blew me away. I'd say that those segments were masterful. The odd thing is, the themes in the movie - miscommunication, misunderstandings, and a loss of faith in humanity in general - are explored on both the macro and micro scale quite effectively. The work felt cohesive, as if it were really saying something. The individual stories were mostly remarkable for adding something personal, something more sincere to the overall story (this is why it is better than Crash - it is sincere and believable, not at all unbelievable or contrived - it is a simple look at a half-dozen lives and the problems that plague all of their lives - and all of our lives). It is poignant, too. Very tense, sad, and upsetting all at once. It is pretty fantastic, in my opinion. I could go on, and I could even proof read this, but you probably see where I am going with this. Which is what I want. So, attack away. Finals are done tomorrow and I can't wait to pimp Babel.

Woo.

Wow, everyone's so against Babel and still adamant that it won't, it can't make the Oscars.

Guess I'm the only one who who's happy with the Babel domination. The reason why I see it getting the 5th slot (at this point) is because Babel has been so strong in the awards (it's been everywhere) and there's no better alternative. LMS and United 93 were shot in the foot.

I think we also forget that this film didn't end up doing "terrible" with the critics. It is at 70% at RT, with a passionate group of people who loved the film.

Peace,
Mike.

I'm worried that Babel's reception isn't as strong as most think it is. I don't think it will any Oscars, but I see it being nominated for 4 with a shot at a 5th. The nominations are key; much like Munich, it will be lucky to be recognized.

It should be able to get:
1. Best Picture
2. Best Director
3. Best (original?) Screenplay
4. Best Score

It might get:
5. Best Supporting Actress/Actor (Pitt has been busy this year)

LMS now has to make a stand at PGA, absolute must.

As crazy as it sounds, we shouldn't count out Devil Wears Prada yet. It has performed better at these early awards than LMS has, has strong box office (so PGA is possible). WGA and SAG Ensemble are in play too. Could be My Big Fat Greek Wedding with a bigger star.

Notes on a Scandal also continues to lurk under the radar with a screenplay nom at GG (not an easy category to crack). Even though the average rating at RT isn't impressive, but only one negative review, and it's still early.

I feel there are still going to be ebbs and flows in upcoming weeks.

I would geek out if The Devil Wears Prada got a Best Picture nomination. That would be so weird (yet also kind of awesome).

I guess I missed all the juicy discussion because of stupid work... but here is what I think the Globe nominatons translate to at this point in the race.

Babel nominated for Drama was not suprising at all. I don't know what's the fuss over it. The most surprising thing about Babel is getting in 2 supp. actress nods in a category that condenses both comedy and drama contenders. Without those, it would have 5 noms but with it, it shows that the film has support in ALOT of areas.

What does this mean for Babel?

I'm sorry for those who loved it, but United 93 is just not getting nominated. I can't believe I even considered a nom in the past week (and I'll happily eat crow if it does) but it is just not in the running for BP and I really don't think it ever was.

I've maintained that Babel never left the race. I probably lowered my predictions after my viewing but realized it's still a big player. Babel has been the 6th slot nominee for a few weeks now. It can take either Letters' spot or LMS's spot. LMS does indeed seem vulnerable after Globe nominations and Babel will most definitely have an upper hand over LMS in the guilds so it could actually take LMS's spot (unfortunatly).

Even if Babel doesn't get a BP nom, it's getting a Director nomination (as I've been predicting in the Oscar game before the GG noms were even out). I'm still iffy on the supp. actresses. They could actually split the votes and end up with none but if I had to pick one I don't know which one I would (even though I included Barraza in my Game ballot).

I really think with all the Babel support, Brad Pitt is going to win Best Supporting Actor just like Clooney did last year... for the Golden Globes I mean!

Locks for Best Supp. Actor: Murphy, Pitt, and Nicholson

Locks for Supp. Actress: Hudson, Blanchet

The Queen did solidify it's nod lock with the Director GG nomination as someone earlier said. So, that's good. Helen Mirren got a whopping 3 nominations!! Sheesh. And she's just about a lock for both categories.

In the end, HFP is really just a bunch of guys patting their own backs so I don't think that extreme stuff like Eastwood's 2 nominations are anything to worry about.

Little Children got a bit of momentum which is only good news to Kate Winslet. I think the only actress that could possibly surprise us as the 5th nominee (knocking KAte out) would be Maggie Gyllenhaal. Critics have RAVED about her performance, but SOOO few people have seen it. Actually Annette Benning may also have a VERY slight chance of getting in but neither she not the movie has any real buzz anymore.


Nominations that made me giddy

Emily Blunt for Supporting Actress (WOW)
Mark Wahlberg for Supp. Actor (YAYYYY... I really hope he somehow gets an Oscar nod)
Double noms for Leonardo DiCaprio. This guy is building up a seriously hefty "due" resume for Oscar. Just as Kate Winslet has for years now. How funny
The Fountain for Best Score (HELL YA! So deserving. Can;t believe it actually got noticed!)
Nothing for United 93 (sorry... I thought it was brilliant (A) but I don't want it in the race)

No huge shockers except the nomination of Bobby... we have to remember that this body gave Phantom of the Opera a nomination. I thought it would be Flags of Our Fathers before United 93 got a shot though. There is evidence that HFPA thinks of themselves as more indie players these days I guess.

Still think Little Miss Sunshine is 5th place, but a good showing for Babel.

If Leo wasn't a sure bet for people, he probably should be after this and BFCA.

I think what people are more worried or preoccupied with is which film he's going to get in for and whether it would be enough for him to win... not if he's gonna get nominated (though it could very well happen that he spolits the votes himself).

An actor can't get nominated in the same category more than once, right?

I think that is utterly the stupidest thing rule the Oscars have.

Babel's Best Pic nomination wasn't the surprise; it was its domination of the nominations that surprised me, to a certain extent.

I don't know, but I'm still maintaining that Babel is not getting in.

At this point, my predictions still have Babel as 6th but it could gain alot of memontum against LMS with the guilds. Then again, LMS does have the light/comedy factor on its side.

As for Babel dominating... looking back, it's only the two actress noms that really suprise and thus, put it ahead of everything else.

That and Score, which really doesn't count for much.

This is all true, but as long as the press is spewing the headline "Babel Leads the Pack," it's sort of automatically getting its momentum there.

and they should be.

Yeah, I think that's the key, especially when it leads the nominations outright. Dreamgirls was supposed to grab 8 noms and dominate the headline, but Babel got the boost instead.

I think after all the beating I got from everyone around here, I deserve to say that I said all along Dreamgirls is no lock for BP when everyone else was claiming it...

On a different note, I finally managed to catch "The Departed" after two unsuccessful earlier attempts and it was totally worth the wait. U93 is to me still the Best Film of the year, but Departed came closest. Since U93 seems to be out for the Oscars, I'm jumping with full steam on the Departed-bandwagon.

Babel is still not in, IMO. Cold Mountain scored eight noms and was still snubbed Oscar time It had much more going for it too with quite solid box-office and 90% COTC at RT. Babel will score a couple of acting nods and a screenplay nod, maayyyybe Director, but not Picture.

Eastwood's double nom baffles me a bit, but I expected at least one anyway.

Very glad to see love for The Departed and a lack of Director/Screenplay noms for Dreamgirls!

There's a rather big difference though in the amount of support the films have received overall thus far. Cold Mountain was only big overall with the Globes at this point. Babel has been consistent throughout; really, it's dominance here shouldn't have even been that surprising.

Babel

• Cannes Film Festival (Won: Best Director, Technical Grand Prize (for Editing), Prize of the Ecumenical Jury)
• 8 Satellite noms (Picture, Director, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound, Score)
• 7 BFCA noms (Picture, Writer, Supporting Actress (two), Ensemble, Composer, Soundtrack)
• NBR Top 10 List
• Gotham Awards (Best Ensemble WIN)
• NYFCO Top 10 List
• AFI Top 10 List
• SFFCC Awards (Best Supporting Actress WIN)

Cold Mountain

• 3 Satellite Nominations (Original Score, Best Actor - Jude Law, Best Adapted Screenplay)
• 4 BFCA Nominations (Picture, Composer, Actress, Supporting Actress)
• NYFCO Top 10 List

At this point, Cold Mountain had not hit it up much anywhere else comparable. It missed out on Best Picture, Best Director or Best Writer in areas where Babel managed to secure those nominations, and also received far less support overall (with less nominations). It did not make the NBR or the AFI Top 10 List (Babel made both), and missed out in other areas where Babel has gotten something.

It all comes down to the Guilds (as always), and I also think Inarritu can nab a DGA nom, something Minghella couldn't do.

Peace,
Mike.

Yeah. And so far bABA and me outweigh you 2:1