Unofficial Academy Awards Discussion Board

Whiplash would be my choice for Sound Mixing but I'd be pretty surprised if American Sniper didn't take it and Sound Effects. It's a war film and it's a war film with six nominations including Best Picture -- and it's currently in zeitgeist mode. If nominations came out a bit later, I think it might have done even better. In a way, I think both films are interesting in these categories because while American Sniper and Interstellar look like the kind of films that win, in many ways they only appear that way. American Sniper is just as much a homefront drama as overseas while Interstellar's sound mix is alienating and its use of sound effects is something I'm actually struggling to recall. It's not Gravity by any means but I'm struggling to recall its unique presence in the film beyond standard space fare.

RE: American Sniper baby,
Yeah, it's pretty hilarious. I know that Steven Spielberg walked away from American Sniper because he wanted more money than he could get to do the project, so enter Clint Eastwood and a conversation like this:
CE: "I like the project. Let's start next week."
Producer Guy: "Just so you know. We the budget is slightly more limited than perhaps you'd like."
CE: "It's fine."
Producer Guy: "We're going to have to cut a few corners by shooting a lot of it in California."
CE: "It's fine."
Producer Guy: "And, I hate to say this, we can't afford a real baby. We have this prop. It's just temp. I'm sure if we looked around we could find another -- "
CE: "It's fine."

rolotomasi99 wrote:As for the baby, I thought I was having issues with my eyes when I saw that horrible prop. Buzzfeed did a hilarious post about how jarringly fake the baby is. I love the gif of Cooper moving the baby's arm with his thumb.

I think most of the problems with that scene could have been avoided by shooting it so the face of the baby doll is never seen.

I was conflicted over American Sniper's chances in the sound categories, but then figured the movie was out of luck once the controversy flared. Now, with even Jane Fonda praising Clint Eastwood, I'm not sure.

Interstellar seems like a weak frontrunner in those categories. I think Whiplash will take Sound Mixing, but am not sure if American Sniper can overtake Interstellar in Sound Editing.

I even now wonder if the movie has gotten a boost in Adapted Screenplay and Editing, which I've slotted The Imitation Game and Boyhood for.

Big Magilla wrote:

rolotomasi99 wrote:

Big Magilla wrote:True, but Eastwood didn't choose the project, Bradley Cooper did. He asked Eastwood to direct and he agreed.

Wow. I have had a crush on Bradley Cooper for some time now. I have appreciated watching him grow into a talented actor. I was disappointed to see him in this movie, but I figured he just wanted a chance to work with a legend like Clint Eastwood. I had no idea the project was his and he brought Eastwood on to direct. I know not everyone in Hollywood is liberal, but it always breaks my heart to hear actors I admire like Gary Sinise and Gary Oldman are conservatives. Taking this role does not definitively prove Cooper is conservative, but it certainly makes me nervous.

Despite his backtracking, I think Seth Rogen said it perfectly when he compared AMERICAN SNIPER to the film being shown in the final third of INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. That is certainly what it felt like.

Originally Steven Spielberg was supposed to direct, but walked because he felt he couldn't do justice to the subject with a "limited" $60 million budget.

I could be wrong but one thing I can't imagine Spielberg doing is using a rubber doll in place of a real baby. Eastwood supposedly hired a real baby and a back-up but when the first baby got sick and the second one didn't show up, he felt he couldn't delay the project for the time it took to find another baby. Bad decision!

I was shocked to see what Eastwood was able to accomplish for $60 million. That is the same budget for mega-flop JACK RYAN. I wonder if the budget issue was really why Spielberg quit, or if after getting a better understand of the character the movie was about decided it was just not the right fit for him.

As for the baby, I thought I was having issues with my eyes when I saw that horrible prop. Buzzfeed did a hilarious post about how jarringly fake the baby is. I love the gif of Cooper moving the baby's arm with his thumb.

rolotomasi99 wrote:

CalWilliam wrote:

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I think she delivers a beautiful performance, and it's the kind of part that suceeds in feeling her presence through the whole movie despite of her limited screen time, even when she's not onscreen. She's terrific, specially in that scene with Reese in the kitchen. She's the best for me in that category, though I wouldn't mind seeing Patricia Arquette taking it, and for sure she will.

By the way, I'm new here I'm 22 and I'm from Spain, and it's great to be part of this board.

Welcome! I always am happy to see new voices joining our discussions. Please dive right in and share your thoughts.

I agree with your feelings on Dern's performance. When selecting my own (theoretical) Oscar nominees, I am always conscious not to only nominate the showiest performances. I enjoyed the subtle beauty of Dern's character. I agree that you do feel her presence throughout the movie, and it helps you to understand how losing her could make Witherspoon's character go so astray. It really helped give the movie its emotional anchor.

mlrg wrote:

CalWilliam wrote:

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I think she delivers a beautiful performance, and it's the kind of part that suceeds in feeling her presence through the whole movie despite of her limited screen time, even when she's not onscreen. She's terrific, specially in that scene with Reese in the kitchen. She's the best for me in that category, though I wouldn't mind seeing Patricia Arquette taking it, and for sure she will.

By the way, I'm new here I'm 22 and I'm from Spain, and it's great to be part of this board.

Bienvenido CalWilliam. Hope to read you often. And we are "country neighbours"

FilmFan720 wrote:

CalWilliam wrote:

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I think she delivers a beautiful performance, and it's the kind of part that suceeds in feeling her presence through the whole movie despite of her limited screen time, even when she's not onscreen. She's terrific, specially in that scene with Reese in the kitchen. She's the best for me in that category, though I wouldn't mind seeing Patricia Arquette taking it, and for sure she will.

By the way, I'm new here I'm 22 and I'm from Spain, and it's great to be part of this board.

Welcome! Glad to have you here...now be ready to put some fighting gloves on

Thank you all very much, neighbour and across the ocean fellows! It'll be a pleasure sharing with all of you.

Rolotomasi, regarding showy performances, I truly believe that it's an illness of our days considering as great the showiest the better, specialy by the academy. Subtlety and trying to recreate a true human being on screen should be the goals for every actor. I'm glad they passed on Gyllenhaal this year, in what I think is a truly uncharismatic performance with no nuances at all, with the only purpose of boasting how he could "change" his range. That's the reason I think Dern's or Cotillard's nominations must be praised, and for me, they should win hans down in their respetive categories.

rolotomasi99 wrote:

Big Magilla wrote:True, but Eastwood didn't choose the project, Bradley Cooper did. He asked Eastwood to direct and he agreed.

Wow. I have had a crush on Bradley Cooper for some time now. I have appreciated watching him grow into a talented actor. I was disappointed to see him in this movie, but I figured he just wanted a chance to work with a legend like Clint Eastwood. I had no idea the project was his and he brought Eastwood on to direct. I know not everyone in Hollywood is liberal, but it always breaks my heart to hear actors I admire like Gary Sinise and Gary Oldman are conservatives. Taking this role does not definitively prove Cooper is conservative, but it certainly makes me nervous.

Despite his backtracking, I think Seth Rogen said it perfectly when he compared AMERICAN SNIPER to the film being shown in the final third of INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. That is certainly what it felt like.

Originally Steven Spielberg was supposed to direct, but walked because he felt he couldn't do justice to the subject with a "limited" $60 million budget.

I could be wrong but one thing I can't imagine Spielberg doing is using a rubber doll in place of a real baby. Eastwood supposedly hired a real baby and a back-up but when the first baby got sick and the second one didn't show up, he felt he couldn't delay the project for the time it took to find another baby. Bad decision!

CalWilliam wrote:

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I think she delivers a beautiful performance, and it's the kind of part that suceeds in feeling her presence through the whole movie despite of her limited screen time, even when she's not onscreen. She's terrific, specially in that scene with Reese in the kitchen. She's the best for me in that category, though I wouldn't mind seeing Patricia Arquette taking it, and for sure she will.

By the way, I'm new here I'm 22 and I'm from Spain, and it's great to be part of this board.

Welcome! I always am happy to see new voices joining our discussions. Please dive right in and share your thoughts.

I agree with your feelings on Dern's performance. When selecting my own (theoretical) Oscar nominees, I am always conscious not to only nominate the showiest performances. I enjoyed the subtle beauty of Dern's character. I agree that you do feel her presence throughout the movie, and it helps you to understand how losing her could make Witherspoon's character go so astray. It really helped give the movie its emotional anchor.

Big Magilla wrote:True, but Eastwood didn't choose the project, Bradley Cooper did. He asked Eastwood to direct and he agreed.

Wow. I have had a crush on Bradley Cooper for some time now. I have appreciated watching him grow into a talented actor. I was disappointed to see him in this movie, but I figured he just wanted a chance to work with a legend like Clint Eastwood. I had no idea the project was his and he brought Eastwood on to direct. I know not everyone in Hollywood is liberal, but it always breaks my heart to hear actors I admire like Gary Sinise and Gary Oldman are conservatives. Taking this role does not definitively prove Cooper is conservative, but it certainly makes me nervous.

Despite his backtracking, I think Seth Rogen said it perfectly when he compared AMERICAN SNIPER to the film being shown in the final third of INGLORIOUS BASTERDS. That is certainly what it felt like.

CalWilliam wrote:

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I think she delivers a beautiful performance, and it's the kind of part that suceeds in feeling her presence through the whole movie despite of her limited screen time, even when she's not onscreen. She's terrific, specially in that scene with Reese in the kitchen. She's the best for me in that category, though I wouldn't mind seeing Patricia Arquette taking it, and for sure she will.

By the way, I'm new here I'm 22 and I'm from Spain, and it's great to be part of this board.

Bienvenido CalWilliam. Hope to read you often. And we are "country neighbours"

CalWilliam wrote:

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I think she delivers a beautiful performance, and it's the kind of part that suceeds in feeling her presence through the whole movie despite of her limited screen time, even when she's not onscreen. She's terrific, specially in that scene with Reese in the kitchen. She's the best for me in that category, though I wouldn't mind seeing Patricia Arquette taking it, and for sure she will.

By the way, I'm new here I'm 22 and I'm from Spain, and it's great to be part of this board.

Welcome! Glad to have you here...now be ready to put some fighting gloves on

mlrg wrote:

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I've not seen Wild yet but I've read in several places that she campaigned really hard. It's also a coattail nomination.

I was honestly surprised that Laura Dern got that fifth spot because it definitely didn't seem like the typical supporting performance that gets nominated by the Academy, even swept in alongside a more assured lead nomination like Sally Hawkins last year for Blue Jasmine. Dern appears in small flashbacks throughout the movie, never sticking around long enough to have a really meaty scene. But I thought what she did with her time on screen was effective. She quickly managed to sketch an effervescent character whose loss would be deeply felt by her loved ones. I think the "There's nothing I don't get, believe me" moment which is the closest she gets to an "Oscar scene" and it is quite a powerful one.

Jessica Chastain might make more of an impression in A Most Violent Year, turning in very good, consistent work in that film and Rene Russo had the kind of comeback that is often honored with a welcome-back-to-the-fold nomination, but I don't begrudge an actress like Laura Dern, who I great admire, this recognition. She certainly deserved every award there was for Enlightened.

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I think she delivers a beautiful performance, and it's the kind of part that suceeds in feeling her presence through the whole movie despite of her limited screen time, even when she's not onscreen. She's terrific, specially in that scene with Reese in the kitchen. She's the best for me in that category, though I wouldn't mind seeing Patricia Arquette taking it, and for sure she will.

By the way, I'm new here I'm 22 and I'm from Spain, and it's great to be part of this board.

Reza wrote:I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

I've not seen Wild yet but I've read in several places that she campaigned really hard. It's also a coattail nomination.

I don't get Laura Dern's nod for Wild. It was basically a silent part with minimal lines where she just grins throughout her brief scenes. What made them vote for her?

Okri wrote:That someone could make that comparison is mindbogglingly obtuse. A metric tonne of ignorance in those words.

I guess you were reffering to me, but I guess you still have to live 633 years to get there. It's only 633 years of cultural development to pass your, how shoul I put it, idea of ignorance.

By the way, here is a nice "Who want's to be a millionaire" question for you: go figure out what the 633 years refer to.

If you were not referring to me, I apologise.