It’s The Schleicher Spin’s annual “Box of Kittens” consolation prize to those snubbed by the Academy. A lot of kitties in boxes will be going out this year.
My dear Kirsten, you tried to pull a Natalie Portman, but l’Academie snubbed you. Michael Fassbender, you starred in every film under the sun (hey, it worked for Jessica Chastain – nominated for the least of her roles in The Help) but it didn’t get you a nod.
Also snubbed this year – Tilda Swinton, Charlize Theron, Albert Brooks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling, Patton Oswalt and Michael Shannon.
But cheer up, the kitties are on their way.
Rooney Mara, Gary Oldman and Terrence Malick – congrats – I thought you were going to get snubbed, too, but you snuck in. No kitties for you.
Here are your Nominees for Best Picture, which I predict to be a two-horse race between the year’s most overrated films, The Descendants and The Artist, with Scorsese’s out-of-character Hugo as the dark horse:
- War Horse
- The Descendants
- The Artist
- The Tree of Life (hooray!)
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (what? really?)
- Midnight in Paris
- The Help
- Hugo
- Moneyball
The Schleicher Spin 
I can’t comment on The Artist as I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m with you on The Descendants. It was extremely predictable filmmaking and completely forgettable in the end. Even Clooney was just kind of “eh”.
Jonny – The Descendants was extremely predictable (a flaw also present in spades in The Artist) but I thought Clooney was pretty good. As someone else pointed out elsewhere, though, it ultimately just amounted to Rich White People Problems – I mean we all experience loss/death – but only the 0.0006% have to worry about giant ancestral land deals and connecting with children previously away at boarding school. –DHS
Can you please add my name on the card that you send with the kitties and say “Highest condolences from Terrence.” on it for me too?
It will be interesting to see who wins, but you are probably right, It will be between The Artist and The Descendants.
-T (previously TheScarletSp1der)
You got it, man! A lotta kitties gettin’ sent out this year. Gonna have to poke a lotta holes in them boxes. –DHS
Dave! I think Drive got snubbed for Best Movie too. If Descendants can be on that list, what’s even remotely wrong with Drive?
And man, what happened to Melancholia? No nomination? I smell politics.
I didn’t see Tintin nominated for Best Animated Feature which is a shame; I just watched it y’day and it’s far superior to any animated feature I’ve seen in decades.
I also have this bad feeling that my personal favorites like Tree of Life, and Midnight in Paris will be badly snubbed when the winners are announced.
Prakash – indeed – Drive, Melancholia and Take Shelter were all royally snubbed. –DHS
Ah, you know, this is the first year that I had not seen all the best picture nominees or even a couple. So I went out and saw Hugo. What a gorgeous film. Just beautiful. And a sweet story, but I think the expository sections about film history may keep Scorcese from scoring the Oscar. They helped the friend I was with who knew nothing about film history, but they really slowed the pace and changed the tone, taking me completely out of the story. I agree about Gary Oldman — about time! I haven’t yet seen Tinker Tailor but I plan to. I’m also going to have to check out “A Better Life” at IMDb — never heard of Demian Bichir (best actor nominee). I’d love to see Max von Sydow win, and also Michelle Williams, but the best picture — I’m flummoxed. But I can’t wait to see what Billy Crystal does for his opening number! LOL
Cinda – of the Best Pic nominees I haven’t seen Extremely Who Cares and Incredibly Not My Type of Movie (and I don’t plan on seeing it any time soon) or….Hugo, amazingly enough, even though I love Scorsese. It just looks…I dunno…odd…but good…maybe even really good…but something that I can wait to see. I’m looking forward to Billy Crystal’s return as host. –DHS