Sonic Youth wrote:Did "Her" really have such a great showing, though? Besides the expanded Picture category, it was nominated for Screenplay, Art Direction and two music categories from which the members seem capable of separating the quality of the film (or, in the case of Best Song, the possibility that there may be no movie at all) from the music itself. Had Phoenix or Spike Jones managed a nomination, Her would've been one of the big stories of the day.
I'm guessing Scorsese would've been the lone director nominee if we were back to the Best Picture slate of five. Jonah Hill was a nice surprise, but there was absolutely no support in the technical noms, not even for his longtime collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker. That's a classic "lone director" profile. Like it or not, Dallas Buyers Club might very well have made it in the top five.
I didn't think it would get best picture, art direction, or either of the music categories.
I'm also going to point out that the music branch are some of the croniest bunch of AMPAS, so for the duo from the Arcade Frickin Fire to get nominated was pretty awesome.
I agree, re: Wolf of Wall Street. But I think
Captain Phillips would've beaten
Dallas Buyers.
Also, Sabin, re best actress, what are you talking about? I mean, seriously. This year is a huge anomaly. Last year we saw Riva and Wallis. Before that Mara. Before that Jennifer Lawrence, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe, Anne Hathaway, Melissa Leo, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz..... I mean, question their performance quality, but I really don't see how that fits your assertion.
But I also agree with flipp re: Streep.