I think it did deserve it. I loved that film so much, I decided to seek out the DVD copy of the film.
Yay for Hugo! …my favorite film of the year. And I wrote up a review about it here, with this link:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=4008&p=359078&hilit=hugo#p359078
Some people, I’ve been told, leave the theater holding their ears with the 9/11 Loud film (hey, its in the name), and this has cost it with word-of-mouth and the Academy. Warhorse is epic and a nice movie, and it might win cinematography over Hugo Cabret, but it won’t take BestPict. Moneyball is very pertinent to our times, but The Artist and Hugo Cabret are probably a lock for the top. It’s sorta coincidental that those two involve bygone eras of films, silent movies and their predecessor, the silent slapstick live action short movie. The Descendants had a very nice, original locale. Well, it was Hawaii, but for the first time from a locals perspective. It will be very hard for The Artist to excite interest here at this website: b+w, 90% silent, 1930’ish setting. It has to be the most silent film nominated for 80 years. Midnite in Paris is a clever entertaining film, but its message has been done before. Woody Allen certainly picks very nice looking healthy ladies for his movies, which have a pleasant light grade intellectual tone. The Tree of Life is a cinematographic feast (it could win that category), a very artsy film with almost no dialogue. Only absolutely necessary dialogue is used, and there are very long nature sequences, almost like fantasies. These span from Genesis to the late 50’s era Texas family of interest in this movie. I couldn’t help but think about Dave’s trip thru a time warp around Jupiter after he defeats Hal. While that excursion was more abstract and fashioned during a more primitive time in simulation, the protracted nature journey here has less abstraction and a much higher quality of CG, when necessary. And that’s obvious, I’m just letting you know. That leaves The Help. Mark Wahlberg saw this movie and bawled five times, it’s said. It’s pretty good, but not really any surprises for me except that in the South, the black women majorly helped raise the kids, instead of just cleaning and cooking. It’s always been known to be a cultural shock how the blacks were treated, even as they were hired to work in white homes. I wonder how much the expose of Southern life was really due to Southerners.
The animated category. Last year was top heavy with big productions such as Despicable Me, TS3 and How to Train Your Dragon. This year the animated movies didn’t do as well and really weren’t as good… Rango might very well take it cuz of its originality and adult themes. I liked KFP2, there wasn’t a single moment that movie stumbled or seemed irritating (as DW productions often are). Happy Feet2 was just an ok movie. Yes, Arthur Christmas was fun and had some nice originality. Admittedly, I haven’t seen half these noms, I need to work on that!
Documentary. This category is about as far as you can get from animated, but I like it, trouble is I didn’t see any of those nominated. Waiting for Superman, about the ‘No Child Left Behind’ educational theme and Project Nim, about a chimp raised to speak our language, were both ignored.
Just a little correction. Despicable Me wasn’t nominated last year.
The third nod was for The Illusionist.
ah yes, now I remember.
I would quite happily had that film nominated too, although the 3 that got nods that year were exceptionally good and they all deserved them.
But it goes to show how the quality of animation, most notably from Western studios, was really top notch in 2010, and 2011 just seemed to be, well, the hangover the mornimg after.
I haven’t watched TTSS, but I’d rather Gary Oldman be nominated for his performance as Lord Shen from KFP2. 
Uhm… no.
Having watched TTSS, I think that Oldman’s performance is one of his bests. Which isn’t a small feat.
And, anyway, I wouldn’t give acting Oscars to voice acting (or rather I would open a separate category). Maybe to motion capture, in any case.
Gary Oldman has been consistently versatile and entertaining to watch throughout his career and his performance T,T,S,S was very good.
Just remembered another major snub: Elizabeth Olsen
Oh, is she from that Martha Marcy May Marlene? I’ve not seen that so I can’t comment.
Exactly, from that film. A great performance.
Must check that out. Finally going to see The Descendants later
So far my top five of 2011 is:
- Poetry
- Hugo
- The Artist
- Midnight in Paris
- The Descendants
But, of course, this is only based off seeing roughly 15-20 movies from last year. There are still a few others I have yet to see, around 20 on my list, though I’m not sure how many will be top 5 contenders.
Well, I saw the nominations. Yeah, I was a little mad when Arthur Christmas didn’t get nominated. But honestly, I don’t really care. Awards don’t affect the way we think of the actual movie. So I’m kinda thinking about whether or not I’ll even watch the Oscars. (but I am pleasantly surprised that Hugo got so many nominations.)
I completely buy that, just coz the best film never wins and everyone has different opinions
Annies’s are less then a week away.
Previously I suggested that “Couer Volant” by Howard Shore/Zaz should have been nominated for Best Song, but then I realized another song I’ve played multiple times and have bopped my head along to was also snubbed: “So Long” by Zooey Deschanel! I may be biased because I already worship the ground she walks on, but that song is just so catchy and charming, and not in an overly simplistic or juvenile way. I’m sad to see it was ignored for, again, songs I’m not crazy about.
I just don’t see a point in only nominating 2 songs!
Neither do I.
Randy Newman scolded them last year for nominating three instead of five and then they nominate two!
It’s like they’re being evil on purpose.
If they’re going to be petty about it they may as well scrap the category altogether. Of course that won’t go down well, but it’s pointless to have two really. It’s a if only having 3 Best Animated Feature nominees isn’t annoying enough; it was particularly annoying in 2011 where there were at least 5 deserving films.