United 93 has that disadvantage, but one thing it has going for it: Much better critiques, insane actually. A while ago Lecter brought up some comparisons, movies with over 90% RT and 90 metacritic or something that didn't get a nomination... the list wasn't very big, like School of Rock was in there, which wasn't going to get anything for obvious reasons, and a few others. It's more acclaimed than anything from last year, there's a lot who have put the masterpiece tag on it.

And having no stars won't stop Oprah and sick Ebert from going crazy over it.

I think the lack of actor support is probably the thing that hurts United 93 the most, and one of the reasons why I can see it getting a nomination but not a win... although that wouldn't bother me.

Personally... I don't think I've seen Sandra Bullock in a role I have ever enjoyed or thought she did a great job. I thought she was outshined in Crash by Newton, Dillion, Cheadle, and almost everybody else. Maybe it was just her character... I don't know.

Sure, it'll have critical pull, but that doesn't mean a lot when you're within a certain range, as the Contenders! thread shows. Crash was one of the worst reviewed movies left on the chart, while much better reviewed films like The Squid and the Whale (which was top 5 of the year, I believe) wasn't considered for more than screenplay, and that had established actors like Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, and Anna Paquin in it. Sure, United 93 is a different animal because of the nature of it, but it's going to be an uphill climb that would most likely spell a bad season if it isn't forgotten when voting takes place. It can be rewarded for screenplay or editing, but massive failures would probably need to happen for more.

I actually don't see a lot stopping United 93, unless Universal decides to pimp one of it's other properties harder. Like The Good Shepherd, which they will obviously try to do. I dunno...

Oh yeah, and we definitely need to acknowledge Oprah's strange power and influence with the academy, which she truely seems to have. She's a prominent figure in the scheme of things, just as Larry King is for Presidential elections. Being the smart business woman that she is, I think Oprah will be backing a film that has actors who she can get on the couch. Ratings, baby!

United 93 doesn't have anybody, so it's doubtful they'll get Oprah's push.

During the summer, I worked for my dad and we had a TV running all day, and one afternoon Oprah had the guy who wrote Pursuit of Happyness on. Being that Oprah is supportive of Will Smith/African American Films/Sentimental True Life Stories of Fathers Overcoming Odds, I expect her to give a good show on this one in the December frame. It also wouldn't suprise me to have the Dreamgirls cast up there.

I sea lots of potential this year. Great returns from Nicholson and Pesci! Clooney and Steven Soderbergh reteaming! Flags is a power trio dream team with an important historic epic! Winslet and Connelly are two of the best actresses today, and they'll be working together, and I'm sure doing it well! Bobby has one hell of a spectacle that has to be seen! Eddie Murphy in a musical!

I think it's looking pretty promising for an interesting year.



Yes, definitely. Those would be my top 2 picks for her to back.

See... from my perspective...


See, I hate Nicholson and Pesci and as much as I love Clooney, I still have a bad taste in my mouth from Soderbergh's Bubble film.


With a bunch of actors I *loathe*, besides I want to see the OTHER Eastwood film, not this one


Not Connelly, never been a fan


Hate a large amount of the cast


I remember the 1980s

I have year end malaise this year, I think the strongest since the American Beauty year. The only films I'm looking foward to seeing this year have absolutely no chance of ever being nominated

andaroo, I don't know what to say. Why do you seem to have such a hard time enjoying a lot of movies and actors?

Hehehe, too many appearances of the words "hate", "loathe" and "bad" in your last post here, andaroo. How can anyone hate Nicholson and Pesci is simply beyond me and probably beyond the vast majority of film fans out there in the world.

Mav, I'd like to point out that Carrell is actually behind Arkin and Breslin for the list of LMS nominations. Not that I didnt love him in the movie.

I don't know. I think, I'm not a fan of celebrity. I could go to a movie and it could star any random joe and I would enjoy it. Mission:Impossible didn't have to star Tom Cruise. But because I'm not really into "celebrity" (I'm not saying anybody else here is or whatever) I don't really have a connection to them. Nicholson is very hit or miss with me, and the only thing I've liked of his since Batman is About Schmidt, primarily because I thought he reached beyond the aura of "Jack". Pesci I don't like because I don't like gangster movies (Godfather! Goodfellas! Casino! look out!) and he's always annoyed me

Let's take Bobby for instance.

The only person that I unquestionably love in Bobby is Laurence Fishburne, and I wouldn't necessarily go see a movie because of him (heck, I don't even go see all of the Washington and Crowe films in theaters). Although I don't buy into the meat of the auteur theory that makeshift proposed, I tend to be more attracted to specific directors or production teams than I would be to actors.

Now, does Bobby have Oscar chances? I'm not totally sold on the idea of Weinsteins being able to pull off a nomination with their new company, but it is definately within the current realm of possibility. Does a lot of it hinge on Emilio Estevez? Yes.