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The Lists: Top 10 things we learned about the Academy today

What can we glean from the Oscar nominations about this group of people?

By Kristopher TapleyTuesday, Jan 24, 2012 1:13 PM

Jennifer Lawrence and Tom Sherak deliver the news to the world at this morning's nominations announcement.

Credit: AP Photo/Matt Sayles

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It's been a busy morning. The nominees are out. About a thousand different variations of "it's humbling and exciting" are coming through from the various contenders. And all eyes are fixing on February 26. But as we transition into phase two of the 2011-2012 film awards season, it's worth it to pause and consider what we might have learned today.

Each and every year, the eventual slate of Oscar nominations reflects a number of key things about the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Often they solidify already agreed-upon truths, but sometimes other things are illuminated. It's silly, of course, to be overly reductive and chalk the Academy up as a singular entity. It's a wide-ranging group with a bunch of different perspectives bouncing around within its ranks, but nevertheless, when they get together to tap the year's excellence in this and that, it's an eye-opening experience.

So it seemed a prime opportunity to dedicate this week's edition of The Lists to just what we might have taken away from this morning's announcement when it comes to better understanding this group.

Guy and I have sat down this morning and come up with 10 answers to that question. Have a look at what we settled on in our new gallery, and if you have anything you'd like to add, feel free to do so in the comments section below.

Once again, Guy will be back with his thoughts on the nominees later today, along with Gerard's coverage of the crafts categories. Guy, Anne and I will be recording he podcast in a half hour, so that will hit in the early afternoon.

For year-round entertainment news and awards season commentary follow @kristapley on Twitter.

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Kristopher Tapley
Editor-at-Large

Kristopher Tapley has covered the film awards landscape for over a decade. He founded In Contention in 2005. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Times of London and Variety. He begs you not to take any of this too seriously.

Mr.F

I wouldn't be surprised if next year they scrapped the original song category. But hey, they could go out on a high note and give a win to The Muppets. But having heard the song from rio, I'm afraid they'll go for the bombastic latin sounds over the comedic power ballad.
January 24, 2012 at 2:21PM EST Reply to Comment
red_wine

That Rio song is nonsense. I heard it the first thing on youtube after nominations and was like whaaaaaa????

January 24, 2012 at 2:31PM EST Reply to Comment
red_wine

And I also believe that the animators have made a statement by refusing to nominate Spielberg's well liked Tintin - they are not game for Mo-Cap and will not accept it as animation.
January 24, 2012 at 2:38PM EST Reply to Comment
Brett

Not sure if I agree that the academy likes to have its heart warmed.

The Hurt Locker, No Country for Old Men, The Departed, and Million Dollar are not heart warming films--especially no country.

I think it would be more accurate to say they don't go for dark indie films unless there is big prestige behind them, like the Coens or Clint, but even Baby and Country aren't really indie films.

Dark smaller movies that didn't make it: Drive, Shame, We Need to Talk about Kevin, Tinker, etc.

None of the directors of those films have much clout. If Drive or Shame had been directed by the Coens or Scorcese, they would have done much better.
January 24, 2012 at 2:40PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jorge I think for Departed they owed Marty, Million Dollar one in a generally weak year, No Country they owed the Coens...despite those 3 outliers, I think the Academy likes to have their hearts warmed is the most obvious result of today.
  January 24, 2012 at 2:53PM EST
- Jorge Sorry, "won," not "one"
  January 24, 2012 at 2:54PM EST
- Kristopher Tapley Yes, they had a couple of off years, which are nothing in the grand scheme of 83. They are as they always were.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:47PM EST
Kyle

Re: #1
Other than The Tree of Life, you guys nailed it here. Every other film on the best picture roster is some kind of weepy, sentimental schlock. 2012's films seriously cannot come fast enough.
January 24, 2012 at 2:43PM EST Reply to Comment
- Rashad Tree of Life is no different.
  January 24, 2012 at 2:51PM EST
- Matthew Starr No matter how great the films are in 2012, the nominees for best picture at the Academy Awards will still be weepy, sentimental schlock.
  January 24, 2012 at 2:58PM EST
- Kyle Perhaps so, but at least Tree of Life delivers it in a more interesting, less overt package I'd argue.
  
  Matthew, you're surely right, but at least I'll have more films to be angry about not making the cut.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:15PM EST
- Mykill @Kyle - Agreed about next year having an extremely large group of awesome sounding films that will obviously be overlooked yet again
  January 24, 2012 at 3:29PM EST
- JLPatt Interesting. "Moneyball" doesn't fit your "weepy, sentimental schlock" mantra. Neither does "Midnight in Paris." Or "The Tree of Life." Or "The Artist," really. Or "The Descendants."
  
  Oh, but that's right. Anything that's emotional is "sentimental shlock." I get it...
  January 24, 2012 at 7:26PM EST
Rashad

Have you thought about having a slideshow on this page, so you wouldn't have to go to a new one to view the lists?

January 24, 2012 at 2:50PM EST Reply to Comment
- Kristopher Tapley I use the tools available to me.
  January 24, 2012 at 2:52PM EST
- Jonnybon There are definitely too many cases of having to open multiple pages for one article on this site. And lists being in slideshows without the option of an actual straightforward LIST... it's very annoying.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:12PM EST
- Slideshows = high pageview counts. We're lucky every article isn't a slideshow, lol.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:24PM EST
- Jonnybon Yep. It's about what best suits the site's owners, rather than its readers.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:28PM EST
- Conor Ughh if your computer is of normal speed than it shouldn't be a problem at all. Some photo galleries can be annoying but these never strike me as such.
  January 24, 2012 at 4:00PM EST
- Guy Lodge It's about what helps the site's owners maintain the site so you guys can keep reading it.
  January 24, 2012 at 4:02PM EST
- Casey Fiore Is hitting next really that big a problem, Jonnybon?
  January 24, 2012 at 9:59PM EST
Dean

1. Mute performances-three this year add to a long list of others like Rinko Kikuchi, Marlee Matlin etc.

2. Directors that won't shop up at their awards show-Malick and Allen

3. Marilyn Monroe-Michelle Williams and Jessica Chastain both played her
January 24, 2012 at 2:51PM EST Reply to Comment
- shekwanda Marlee Matlin speaks in Children of a Lesser God. So does Jean Dujardin in The Artist.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:48PM EST
- JLPatt Jeeze, he has one quick line. Still mostly a mute performance.
  January 24, 2012 at 7:28PM EST
- Guy Lodge Of course, there's a difference between mute playing and playing a mute.
  January 24, 2012 at 9:11PM EST
Laura Stewart

What we learned this year: Russell Brand did not use his vote wisely.
January 24, 2012 at 2:55PM EST Reply to Comment
- Mykill LOL - TRUTH! :-P
  January 24, 2012 at 2:57PM EST
- Guy Lodge I'd bet Brand has more singular tastes than most.
  January 24, 2012 at 9:12PM EST
Laura Stewart

What we learned this year: Russell Brand did not use his vote wisely.
January 24, 2012 at 2:55PM EST Reply to Comment
Matthew Starr

If they reduce the nominees for best original song by one again next year it will be a REALLY interesting race.
January 24, 2012 at 2:57PM EST Reply to Comment
JJ1

I said this in the other thread, but ...

I think it's hysterical that 'War Horse' got nommed for 6 Oscars including BP, yet missed in Editing when that was one of only 3 guilds (PGA, ACE, MPSE) that actually sprang for it.

You can't make it up.

January 24, 2012 at 3:00PM EST Reply to Comment
alynch

So Pitt is a triple nominee this year, right? I'm always confused by the rules concerning producers nominated for Best Picture.
January 24, 2012 at 3:17PM EST Reply to Comment
- JCS Definite 2: Moneyball acting and producing. Tree of Life has producers TBD - maybe, maybe not.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:32PM EST
Mykill

y'all did a great job summing up some universal truths about the Academy that I know I am guilty of forgetting every year. Last year they seemed to go out on a limb for films such as Black Swan, Blue Valentine, Rabbit Hole, Dogtoogh, Exit Through the Gift Shop, and to some extent Inception - and that had me thinking that we had a much cooler Academy that was willing to think outside the box when they choose their nominees. Alas, this year they reminded that they are in fact a rather conservative group with questionable taste that I am not obligated to agree with (yet I still feel like they have let me down with this group of films...)
January 24, 2012 at 3:23PM EST Reply to Comment
- Laura Stewart Again, blame Russell Brand! That's all the rationale I can come up with at this time lol.
  January 24, 2012 at 3:46PM EST
- Mykill Revoke Russell Brand's membership NOW! LOL - his influence has clearly ruined the Academy...
  January 24, 2012 at 4:29PM EST
- HoustonRufus As a general rule, I blame Russell Brand for everything, so I support this notion.
  January 24, 2012 at 5:46PM EST
Prettok

Nine best picture nominees?!
Billy Crystal better get working on that medley pronto!
January 24, 2012 at 4:19PM EST Reply to Comment
atom

One corollary to your proposition about the British voting bloc: It's helpful to remember that the Academy is basically voting in Los Angeles. If pundits had remembered that, they wouldn't have been taken by surprise by Demian Bichir. This was a performance, and a film, with a special resonance for people living in Southern California.
January 24, 2012 at 5:49PM EST Reply to Comment
- Kristopher Tapley No doubt, as mentioned in the podcast today.
  January 24, 2012 at 6:15PM EST
Brandt

The Academy certainly went with much higher brow nominees this year which I think will lose them a large portion of their young audience. After doing better at being in touch with the public the past two years, these stiff nominees just fall flat. I usually have something in common with the choice but not this year- if the contenders seem stuffy to you, check out my own Top 10 Movie Picks of 2011 at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2012/01/top-10-movie-picks-of-2011.html where you won’t see a single of the Academy’s nominees for Best Picture but you will get some movie artwork I drew up as well as the reviews!
January 24, 2012 at 7:46PM EST Reply to Comment
Liz

I thought for sure you were going to mention something about being first (or almost first) out of the gate with screeners. Demian Bechir this year, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams ("Junebug") in past years. I'm sure there are more exmaples that I just haven't thought of.
January 24, 2012 at 11:01PM EST Reply to Comment
- Liz *examples*
  January 24, 2012 at 11:02PM EST
- Kristopher Tapley Good point.
  January 25, 2012 at 12:23AM EST
- Bill_the_Bear Wasn't "Animal Kingdom"one of the first screeners out last year? I always figured that helped Jackie Weaver get her nomination.
  January 25, 2012 at 9:44AM EST
loveforbuzz

So this whole only nine Best Picture nominees? Really? Couldn't they slide in Bridesmaids. That would have been amazng to see that even nominated. And Swinton being replaced again? Umm, and I bet Noomi Rapace is pissed Rooney Mara gets nominated for a copycat. Where the hell is Michael Shannon? Take shelter for music? It was an intense movie! I do get disappointed by the Academy. At least Kristen Wiig can add Oscar nominee to her resume.
January 25, 2012 at 4:14AM EST Reply to Comment
Joe7827

Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Brad Pitt, and John Goodman are in 2 Best Picture nominees each.

Is anyone in 3 or more? I can't think of anyone.
January 25, 2012 at 8:28AM EST Reply to Comment

2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

UPDATED: FEB 25, 2013

Best Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actress

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Original Screenplay

Best Cinematography

Best Costume Design

Best Film Editing

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

Best Original Score

Best Original Song

Best Production Design

Best Sound Editing

Best Sound Mixing

Best Visual Effects

Best Animated Feature Film

Best Documentary Feature

Best Foreign Language Film

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Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Mr.F I wouldn't be surprised if next year they scrapped the original song category. But hey, they could go out on a high note and give a win to The Muppets. But having heard the song from rio, I'm afraid they'll go for the bombastic latin sounds over the comedic power ballad.

red_wine That Rio song is nonsense. I heard it the first thing on youtube after nominations and was like whaaaaaa????

red_wine And I also believe that the animators have made a statement by refusing to nominate Spielberg's well liked Tintin - they are not game for Mo-Cap and will not accept it as animation.

Jorge I think for Departed they owed Marty, Million Dollar one in a generally weak year, No Country they owed the Coens...despite those 3 outliers, I think the Academy likes to have their hearts warmed is the most obvious result of today.

Jorge Sorry, "won," not "one"

Kristopher Tapley Yes, they had a couple of off years, which are nothing in the grand scheme of 83. They are as they always were.

Kyle Re: #1 Other than The Tree of Life, you guys nailed it here. Every other film on the best picture roster is some kind of weepy, sentimental schlock. 2012's films seriously cannot come fast enough.

Rashad Tree of Life is no different.

Matthew Starr No matter how great the films are in 2012, the nominees for best picture at the Academy Awards will still be weepy, sentimental schlock.

Kyle Perhaps so, but at least Tree of Life delivers it in a more interesting, less overt package I'd argue. Matthew, you're surely right, but at least I'll have more films to be angry about not making the cut.

Mykill @Kyle - Agreed about next year having an extremely large group of awesome sounding films that will obviously be overlooked yet again

JLPatt Interesting. "Moneyball" doesn't fit your "weepy, sentimental schlock" mantra. Neither does "Midnight in Paris." Or "The Tree of Life." Or "The Artist," really. Or "The Descendants."Oh, but that's right. Anything that's emotional is "sentimental shlock." I get it...

Rashad Have you thought about having a slideshow on this page, so you wouldn't have to go to a new one to view the lists?

Kristopher Tapley I use the tools available to me.

Jonnybon There are definitely too many cases of having to open multiple pages for one article on this site. And lists being in slideshows without the option of an actual straightforward LIST... it's very annoying.

Slideshows = high pageview counts. We're lucky every article isn't a slideshow, lol.

Jonnybon Yep. It's about what best suits the site's owners, rather than its readers.

Conor Ughh if your computer is of normal speed than it shouldn't be a problem at all. Some photo galleries can be annoying but these never strike me as such.

Guy Lodge It's about what helps the site's owners maintain the site so you guys can keep reading it.

Casey Fiore Is hitting next really that big a problem, Jonnybon?

Dean 1. Mute performances-three this year add to a long list of others like Rinko Kikuchi, Marlee Matlin etc.2. Directors that won't shop up at their awards show-Malick and Allen3. Marilyn Monroe-Michelle Williams and Jessica Chastain both played her

shekwanda Marlee Matlin speaks in Children of a Lesser God. So does Jean Dujardin in The Artist.

JLPatt Jeeze, he has one quick line. Still mostly a mute performance.

Guy Lodge Of course, there's a difference between mute playing and playing a mute.

Laura Stewart What we learned this year: Russell Brand did not use his vote wisely.

Mykill LOL - TRUTH! :-P

Guy Lodge I'd bet Brand has more singular tastes than most.

Laura Stewart What we learned this year: Russell Brand did not use his vote wisely.

Matthew Starr If they reduce the nominees for best original song by one again next year it will be a REALLY interesting race.

JJ1 I said this in the other thread, but ... I think it's hysterical that 'War Horse' got nommed for 6 Oscars including BP, yet missed in Editing when that was one of only 3 guilds (PGA, ACE, MPSE) that actually sprang for it. You can't make it up.

alynch So Pitt is a triple nominee this year, right? I'm always confused by the rules concerning producers nominated for Best Picture.

JCS Definite 2: Moneyball acting and producing. Tree of Life has producers TBD - maybe, maybe not.

Laura Stewart Again, blame Russell Brand! That's all the rationale I can come up with at this time lol.

Mykill Revoke Russell Brand's membership NOW! LOL - his influence has clearly ruined the Academy...

HoustonRufus As a general rule, I blame Russell Brand for everything, so I support this notion.

Prettok Nine best picture nominees?! Billy Crystal better get working on that medley pronto!

Kristopher Tapley No doubt, as mentioned in the podcast today.

Liz I thought for sure you were going to mention something about being first (or almost first) out of the gate with screeners. Demian Bechir this year, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams ("Junebug") in past years. I'm sure there are more exmaples that I just haven't thought of.

Liz *examples*

Kristopher Tapley Good point.

Bill_the_Bear Wasn't "Animal Kingdom"one of the first screeners out last year? I always figured that helped Jackie Weaver get her nomination.

Joe7827 Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Brad Pitt, and John Goodman are in 2 Best Picture nominees each. Is anyone in 3 or more? I can't think of anyone.

2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

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Mr.F

I wouldn't be surprised if next year they scrapped the original song category. But hey, they could go out on a high note and give a win to The Muppets. But having heard the song from rio, I'm afraid they'll go for the bombastic latin sounds over the comedic power ballad.

red_wine

That Rio song is nonsense. I heard it the first thing on youtube after nominations and was like whaaaaaa????

red_wine

And I also believe that the animators have made a statement by refusing to nominate Spielberg's well liked Tintin - they are not game for Mo-Cap and will not accept it as animation.

Kyle

Re: #1
Other than The Tree of Life, you guys nailed it here. Every other film on the best picture roster is some kind of weepy, sentimental schlock. 2012's films seriously cannot come fast enough.

Kyle Perhaps so, but at least Tree of Life delivers it in a more interesting, less overt package I'd argue.

Matthew, you're surely right, but at least I'll have more films to be angry about not making the cut.

JLPatt Interesting. "Moneyball" doesn't fit your "weepy, sentimental schlock" mantra. Neither does "Midnight in Paris." Or "The Tree of Life." Or "The Artist," really. Or "The Descendants."

Oh, but that's right. Anything that's emotional is "sentimental shlock." I get it...

Rashad

Have you thought about having a slideshow on this page, so you wouldn't have to go to a new one to view the lists?

Dean

1. Mute performances-three this year add to a long list of others like Rinko Kikuchi, Marlee Matlin etc.

2. Directors that won't shop up at their awards show-Malick and Allen

3. Marilyn Monroe-Michelle Williams and Jessica Chastain both played her

Laura Stewart

What we learned this year: Russell Brand did not use his vote wisely.

Laura Stewart

What we learned this year: Russell Brand did not use his vote wisely.

Matthew Starr

If they reduce the nominees for best original song by one again next year it will be a REALLY interesting race.

JJ1

I said this in the other thread, but ...

I think it's hysterical that 'War Horse' got nommed for 6 Oscars including BP, yet missed in Editing when that was one of only 3 guilds (PGA, ACE, MPSE) that actually sprang for it.

You can't make it up.

alynch

So Pitt is a triple nominee this year, right? I'm always confused by the rules concerning producers nominated for Best Picture.

Prettok

Nine best picture nominees?!
Billy Crystal better get working on that medley pronto!

Liz

I thought for sure you were going to mention something about being first (or almost first) out of the gate with screeners. Demian Bechir this year, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams ("Junebug") in past years. I'm sure there are more exmaples that I just haven't thought of.

Liz examples

Joe7827

Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Brad Pitt, and John Goodman are in 2 Best Picture nominees each.

Is anyone in 3 or more? I can't think of anyone.

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