All My Children Discussion Group

Topic: The 25 movies to see before Oscar night!

I have been (not so) patently waiting for this list as Entertainment Weekly started with this last year. These are the 25 movies who have the most Oscar buzz. Some for movie, direction, actor/actress, etc and others maybe a performance or make-up/costuming or cinematography. The first movies on this list are, of course, the biggest contenders for it all or most of IT. Here they are:

The Artist (strongest contender for movie win)
The Descendants (movie, Clooney and possibly supporting actress +)
War Horse (another strong contender from Spielberg)
The Help ((Viola Davis - Octavia Spencer +)
Hugo (Scorsese)
Midnight In Paris (Woody's hit)
Moneyball (Pitt vs. Clooney)
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (Director/Actress)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (Hanks? Bullock? von Sydow?)
The Tree Of Life (long shot)
Beginners (will this bring Christopher Plummer his first win?)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (also a long shot)
The Iron Lady (Meryl vs. friend Viola Davis)
Rango (unique animation)
My Week With Marilyn (Branagh and Williams)
Shame (everybody's talking Fassbender)
Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close vs. Meryl, too?)
The Ides Of March (Clooney or Gosling?)
Kung Fu Panda II (animation)
Bridesmaids (Wigg for screenplay - McCarthy for supporting actress?)
J. Edgar (if Clooney/Gosling/Pitt cancel each other - Leo!!)
We Need To Talk About Kevin (Tilda Swindon is riveting!)
Drive (multiple works for several actors - this for Gosling)
Young Adult (Charlize Theron and/or Diablo Cody for screenplay)
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (premieres on HBO January 12 about the Memphis Three)

That's their list but more (for your consideration):

Nick Nolte in Warrior (too little seen)

Demian Bichir (woof) in A Better Life. He was on WEEDS playing a dapper Mexican politician AND head of a drug cartel. Then read about this movie and saw it. What a difference - so talented, remember his name! I'm thrilled he got a SAG nod. Problem is he's fantastic as is the story but the rest of the cast couldn't shine his shoes at acting.

Just read about Tyrannosaur and it's going in my queue. Olivia Colman's performance is being raved about - calling it affecting, quiet yet jaw-dropping. Don't get the title (yet) but they also say she's of T Rex proportion. I'm there.

Michael Fassbender's not the only one being looked at from Shame. Carrie Mulligan is said to drive the film's plot.

Almodovar's screenplay for The Skin I Live In.

I should add that many of these people and more already have Golden Globe and/or SAG nominations. Other movies opened too late and they missed out but may be able to use that to sneak up on Oscar.

Replies: (list all replies)

Oh nooooo I've seen only a few but will see as many as I can or those I want to. eom/WE

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Posted by: Patem111
Date posted: Mon Jan 9 22:45:16 2012
Message:

I've seen 6 of the movies which is  a record for me.  I think the last 2 years I saw 2 on the list.  I still intend on seeing a few on the list.  A friend and I have plans to see Warhorse this weekend.

And please do not throw rotten tomatoes at me, but I have to say I must be the only person in the universe that absolutely, totally, positively HATED Bridesmaids.  Awful horrible movie.  Hated the story, hated the people in it (except for the Irish cop).  If it were newspaper I wouldn't line my birdcage with it. LOL, sorry for the rant.  I just did not see the humor in it at all.  It could from having been a bridesmaid 11 times and having to have put up with each of those women at one point or another.  Just not funny to me.  I was glad a friend loaned me his DVD and I didn't pay to see it.

Replies: (list all replies)

No tomatoes. I enjoyed Melissa McCarthy very much but didn't feel the movie lived up to the hype. eom/WE

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Posted by: valleygirl
Date posted: Sun Jan 8 23:04:58 2012
Message:
We see a LOT of movies with valleyguy working at the cinema, but I've only seen 6 of these. He saw Drive at a pre-screening, which I didn't see. I'm still waiting for a few of these to show up at the theatre, and there are a couple I've never even heard of! The Help is way up there on my list of must wins but I also hope McCarthy gets supporting actress because Bridesmaids was hilarious and she was fabulous. Like you and CG, I'm also really looking forward to seeing War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. It seems like an awfully long list this year!

Replies: (list all replies)

They had the same amount on the list last year but not near as many that were this interesting. I must weed out the must sees from the I'll-see-them-eventually.eom/WE

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Posted by: Cinnamon Girl
Date posted: Sun Jan 8 18:23:01 2012
Message:
I would like to see War Horse and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I haven't seen any of the others.

Replies: (list all replies)

They're definitely at the top of my list, too. eom/WE

Warhorse = awesome. / Hill

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Posted by: goldie
Date posted: Sun Jan 8 12:32:40 2012
Message:
The only one I have seen is Bridesmaids, I don't think it would win an Oscar but it was hilarious. I don't go to the movies, I check the DVR for old movies.

Replies: (list all replies)

There is a lot of buzz that the screenplay could win (that goes to Wiig) and Melissa McCarthy is thisclose to a sure nomination. eom/WE

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Posted by: SheilaT
Date posted: Sun Jan 8 7:28:57 2012
Message:

Ive only seen eight of the Top 25, but at least five of the ones I haven't seen won't open here for at least a week.

Loved both of Clooney's vehicles (what's not to love about Clooney?).  Will probably see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and The Iron Lady in the next couple of weeks. (saw the original Dragon Tattoo when it came out; will be fun to compare). 

I agree, it's hard to judge who deserves top honors if you haven't seen all, or at least most, of the contenders.  I've got to get busy!!

Replies: (list all replies)

I'd like to see as many as I can but time will run out. 25 is a lot of movies (lol). eom/WE

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Posted by: Miss.Bear
Date posted: Sat Jan 7 22:42:46 2012
Message:
I haven't seen a single one of these. Where is Human Centipede 2? Just kidding, that movie was cut in the U.S and banned in the U.K. It looked pretty bad. I saw the preview.

Replies: (list all replies)

I've seen only four so I have a lot of viewing to do. eom/WE

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Posted by: Holly
Date posted: Sat Jan 7 21:16:15 2012
Message:
Today I watched The Power of Ten for the first time in my life. It's a game show.
The Question was asked, how many women would watch the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards?
I thought for sure that women would choose the Academy Awards. I was wrong.
The majority of women chose the Super Bowl.

Replies: (list all replies)

Well I'm one who chooses both. eom/WE

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