Woah, that was totally unexpected. Where is Heath Ledger? Where is Revolutionary Road, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire and Doubt in the Top 10? They definitely sucked up to Clint this year.

Sucked up? Hey, Clint Eastwood is one of the best directors working right now, so it’s hard to say someone is sucking up to him. As for “Gran Torino’s” success, I am thinking that this is going to be a similar tactic as it was with “Letters From Iwo Jima”. In that year, Eastwood’s more promoted film “Flags of Our Fathers” suffered mediocre reviews while the lesser known “Letters From Iwo Jima” released to raves. Since “Changeling” is fulfilling that role this year, it looks like there is still potential for “Gran Torino” to be this year’s “Iwo Jima”.

As for why “Slumdog Millionaire” is not on the list, it’s because it was the winner. This is the same as the other years of NBR, as the winner is number one and the others are the next ten best. Take last year for example. “No Country for Old Men” won Best Film but wasn’t on the list. That’s because there is no reason to repeat it’s name on the list. So while it’s not on the list, it doesn’t mean they forgot to put it on.

I’m pleasantly surprised with this list. While NBR is not always right picking the winners (none of the actors last year won), they always seem to pick the ones that will eventually become the winners. All of last year’s “losers” made it to their respective shortlists. As for picture, while I’m not sure “Slumdog Millionaire” will win this year, it will surely make it’s shortlist.

And yes, I was surprised that Heath lost too. However, Javier lost last year and look how Oscars turned out for him. NBR is usually pretty picky about their winners, picking favorites rather than the popular winners. However, the voters at the Oscars are a bit less jaded so I’m sure Heath will, if not win, be considered a tight competitor for Supporting Actor.

Opps, miswrote one line

“While NBR is not always right picking the winners (none of the actors last year won), they always seem to pick the ones that will eventually become *nominees*”

@Justin Z: Yes, he is one of the most well respected actors/directors in Hollywood, and it is that precise reason why the NBR isn’t afraid to suck up to him. Changeling over Revolutionary Road, The Reader and Doubt? Talk about an upset. And don’t get me started on Clint Eastwood over Sean Peen, Mickey Rourke and Frank Langella. While I have only the most respect Eastwood, I’m afraid I can’t help but feel a tad bit of shoe licking here.

Heath Ledger is still the one to beat, although perhaps this mean Josh Brolin has an even better chance at make the shortlist for Supporting Actor.

Sorry for leaving out a few words towards the end of my above comment. I was multitasking.

Double D, didn’t I say before that Josh Brolin has a bigger chance than Ledger for Best supporting Actor. Well, the NBR agrees with me. And so will the Golden Globes and so will the Academy.

@Garrett- Very true. Perhaps this may be more boot licking than one would think, but I want to at least be optimistic about this. And again, NBR is hardly ever right in their predictions. Remember that Painted Veil and Bucket List made their list last year while There Will Be Blood was left off? And Clooney over Day-Lewis? Tim Burton over The Coen Brothers? So if it is sucking up, it’s ok. I am sure Eastwood won’t win, but if he’s nominated I won’t be upset (unless the film is bad of course).

And I’m sure Brolin will be a heavy competitor against Ledger this year and that’s fine too. No fair race can have just one actor dominating and Ledger needs someone to be up against him. I still want him to win, but there should be some equally worthy nominees beside him.

I can’t control whether Ledger wins the best supporting actor Oscar for his Joker, but I do know that even in 50 years that will still go down as one of the great acting jobs ever put on film! Greatness always stands the test of time!

Chuck

@entertainmentodayandbeyond: Are you kidding me? You think that Ledger as “The Joker” is one of the greatest performances of the last 50 years? In the last 50 years we’ve seen Brando, Oliver, Pacino, De Niro, Peck, Nicholson, Hanks, Ford, Wanye and other Hollywood Immortals. Do you really think Ledger’s is one of the best? One of the greatest? Really? In the last 50 years we have seen classic masterpieces from “Lawrence of Arabia” to “2001: A Space Odyssey” to “The Godfather” to “Chinatown” to “Raging Bull” to “Schindler”s List”, etc. Do you really think that “The Joker” from “The Dark Knight” outacted some of the industry’s greatest performances of the last 50 years?

NBR usually gives support to underrated performances. Heath Ledger’s performance isn’t exactly underrated.

@Jerzey Jon: I don’t understand why you think that’s such an outrageous claim to make. Even Owen Gleiberman of EW and A. O. Scott of The New York Times claimed that with this performance, Ledger had proven himself to be as great an actor as Marlon Brando. Your opinion may be different, but that doesn’t mean it’s right.

@Garrett: Ledger as good as Brando?

Can I see some proof, do you have a link?

Indeed. I couldn’t find Scott’s quote, but I have Gleiberman’s:

“In this, the last performance he completed before his death, Ledger had a maniacal gusto inspired enough to suggest that he might have lived to be as audacious an actor as Marlon Brando, and maybe as great.”

@Jerzey Jon: The Dark Knight….

And it’s not like anyone’s saying he’s better than anyone you named, just that he’s on the same level. Sheesh.

@entertainmentodayandbeyond: Didn’t you mean that in 50 years from now Ledger’s performance will still be remembered? Rather then within these past 50 years Ledger’s performance stands out amongst other great performances? Either way, I would personally agree with both; or at least think that it will be more remembered and cherished then Josh Brolin in Milk.

Anyway, EW and several other sites constantly put his take on the Joker up there with Lector, Vader, and the most memorable villains in cinema history (don’t ask me to find the articles/sites lol, I’ve seen plenty, but not in the mood to go article hunting). So, therefore, I think it does rank up there with the memorable classics that have come before this; and will stay that way once the hype dies down in a few years.

even when the hype dies down*

too bad about heath…maybe next time.

@Kenley: In the same level? Never!!

@RIPsquishy: Uh… maybe next time? He’s dead, in case you didn’t know. There won’t be a next time, but the NBR is hardly a sure thing when it comes to acting nods.

@Garrett: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus… maybe next time.

@GregM: For some reason, I sincerely, sincerely doubt it. Just a gut feeling… or maybe not. Especially after this year and “The Dark Knight”.

Dear friends,

One misprint to point out in your recount of the nbr awards. The foreign film listed in the top 5 foreign films is not “Roman de Guerre” -Novel of War. but “Roman de Gare,” - Novel of a Train Station. At first I thought it referred to the first and last scenes whihc take place in a gas station, but the translation of “gare” does not seem to fit. The best guess is on imdb where one comment translates it as a trashy novel such as found in train stations. It is a strange bird of a film, a tumutuous and quirky romantic, mystery thriller, well worth seeing for its twists and turns.
Are there any other interpretations of the title?

@Paul Matzner: You are correct. I just checked the NBR website to be sure.

Roman de Gare = Novel of Station