Variety on Dark Knight's Oscar possibilities

[HaplessCrewman]

Here's a link to a Variety article on The Dark Knight's Oscar possibilities. The author thinks that because the film has some thematic depth, the Academy may pay attention.

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?la...&id=oscars_bestpicture&articleid=VR1117997400

What do y'all think? Will TDK have a presence at the Oscars?

 

[Timby]

After Wally Pfister's work in melding IMAX and traditional film stock, The Dark Knight is a lock for the Cinematography award, and it will probably nab the Editing award, as well. I'm sure that Heath Ledger will be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, as well.

Beyond that, eh. Between movies like Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, Gran Turino, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, WALL-E and others, I don't really think it's going to get a Best Picture nomination -- nor do I necessarily think it deserves one, much as I enjoyed it.

 

[T'Baio]

I think the fact the Hollywood Foreign Press ignored it decreases its chances. Heath Ledger for sure, beyond that, I don't think it's a lock for anything else. Especially not editing. Of the major categories, I think it's what The Dark Knight did the worst.

 

[HRHTheKING]

Lots of people around the world have A- heard of "The Dark Knight" and B- saw it in large numbers, which hurts its "Best Picture" chances.

 

[Plomeek Broth]

I loved Ledger's performance as the Joker, even more than Nicholson. Do you think he would get nominated even if he wasn't deceased?

 

[JacksonArcher]

I think that article deconstructs The Dark Knight fantastically well, and further pushes why I think it is absolutely worthy to be a Best Picture contender.

 

[Garak]

If Heath Ledger doesn't get nominated I'm eating 4 bottles of pills.

 

[msbae]

What do y'all think? Will TDK have a presence at the Oscars?

It certainly deserves to win a few awards.

 

[Aragorn]

It's not likely, but considering how Ghost and A Few Good Men were both Best Picture nominees and Titanic a Best Picture winner, anything's possible.

 

[Garak]

Oh come on, that pottery make out scene was awesome.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

The only major award would be Best Supporting Actor for Ledger, and that has a lot to do with his death.

But then, Gladiator won Best Picture, and it was just a partial redo of FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE mixed with revenge fantasy.

 

[Trekker4747]

Lots of people around the world have A- heard of "The Dark Knight" and B- saw it in large numbers, which hurts its "Best Picture" chances.

Titanic

 

[Thrall]

Milk is almost Hollywood pornography. A movie staring Sean Penn about a gay dude fighting The Man and daddy issues. God, I bet every latte drinking, Greenwich Village-living, Allen Ginsberg-quoting critic loved this movie even before they saw it. There is no way this film will not win. And that's the problem.

You people do nothing in recent years but nominate agenda driven tripe and indy-esque flicks that no one saw or wanted to see. And then you wonder why no one wants to sit for three hours to see who will win between Brokeback Mountain and The Pianist. If you don't want your awards to pander to just popular movies, then don't fucking televise it and wonder why no one watches. If you're going to televise it, then at least picks some movies ordinary folks have actually seen. You've pandered in the past to gain some legitimacy with ordinary people, don't deny it. Remember "Gladiator" or "Titanic" or "Lord of The Rings"? I don't expect The Dark Knight to win, but at least some token effort to show that you don't hold all of your customers in contempt would be nice.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I loved Ledger's performance as the Joker, even more than Nicholson. Do you think he would get nominated even if he wasn't deceased?

I think so.

I think the Academy likes handing out posthumous awards.

 

[Roger Wilco]

I don't think The Dark Knight will get nominated for Best Picture (and I'm not even sure it should, I wasn't terribly impressed); if I had to put my money on one movie to take it, I'd choose Milk - which is both excellent, and tackles current political issues. Sean Penn might even take another one too. Ledger could have a good chance for Supporting Actor, I'd guess that the Academy would love the drama surrounding that pick.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Milk is almost Hollywood pornography. A movie staring Sean Penn about a gay dude fighting The Man and daddy issues. God, I bet every latte drinking, Greenwich Village-living, Allen Ginsberg-quoting critic loved this movie even before they saw it. There is no way this film will not win. And that's the problem.

I agree with your sentiment, but Milk really is a very compelling movie - which, granted, could be mostly due to the background, but it's well done anyway.

 

[Thrall]

Milk is almost Hollywood pornography. A movie staring Sean Penn about a gay dude fighting The Man and daddy issues. God, I bet every latte drinking, Greenwich Village-living, Allen Ginsberg-quoting critic loved this movie even before they saw it. There is no way this film will not win. And that's the problem.

I agree with your sentiment, but Milk really is a very compelling movie - which, granted, could be mostly due to the background, but it's well done anyway.

I'm sure it is. Sean Penn is always in knockout dramas. I'm not saying it shouldn't be nominated. I'm saying that if they want to be taken seriously as a TV event then they should nominate some popular films people have actually seen, instead of this art house stuff. If they want to be serious award givers, then don't bother televising it because people won't watch. They want it both ways and that ain't gonna work. Also alot of these "Message Films" they nominate tend to annoy people and are often perceived as Hollywood flipping the bird to ordinary people and nominate them just so they can preach. It's really annoying, but on the other hand without it South Park wouldn't have any material to work with.

 

[Siwilliams]

I loved Ledger's performance as the Joker, even more than Nicholson. Do you think he would get nominated even if he wasn't deceased?

Probably, like Anthony Hopkins for Hannibal Lector

 

[sidious618]

I think it should get one for Best Picture but I doubt it will.

 

[Frontier]

Milk is almost Hollywood pornography. A movie staring Sean Penn about a gay dude fighting The Man and daddy issues. God, I bet every latte drinking, Greenwich Village-living, Allen Ginsberg-quoting critic loved this movie even before they saw it. There is no way this film will not win. And that's the problem.

You people do nothing in recent years but nominate agenda driven tripe and indy-esque flicks that no one saw or wanted to see. And then you wonder why no one wants to sit for three hours to see who will win between Brokeback Mountain and The Pianist. If you don't want your awards to pander to just popular movies, then don't fucking televise it and wonder why no one watches. If you're going to televise it, then at least picks some movies ordinary folks have actually seen. You've pandered in the past to gain some legitimacy with ordinary people, don't deny it. Remember "Gladiator" or "Titanic" or "Lord of The Rings"? I don't expect The Dark Knight to win, but at least some token effort to show that you don't hold all of your customers in contempt would be nice.

You know, I distinctly remember a piece on one of the cable news networks a few months ago which stated quite clearly the Academy's intention to, as a direct result of what I've highlighted in your statement, not do that this year. The ratings are declining, and people no longer care. As such, it was said the Academy planned to consider more broadly appealing films which people have actually seen. It's the one reason I'm holding out hope that the Oscars will not be a repeat of the Golden Globe nominations. We'll see if that turns out to be the case.