The nominations are out!

Well, here goes the fun.  For a complete list of nominees, go to http://oscar.go.com/nominees.

Here are just some general comments in reviewing the list.

First, I really don't like more than 5 nominees for Best Picture.  At first, I thought maybe I was just getting used to it and that I was really too rooted in the past.  But each year, I can easily identify at least a few nominees who really don't belong in the Best Picture category.  My feeling is that if a film is on the list, then a majority of people wouldn't say "what the what??" if it won.  (Sure, we can all cite anomaly winners where they beat other, more deserving nominees, but it's not like they weren't good movies who shouldn't have been on the list at all.)  It has been chalked up to wanting to generate more profits for more movies because a BP nomination brings in more crowds, and I think that's what is driving this decision.  I'm a romantic.  I like 5 outstanding films and 5 alone.

Second, Bad Grandpa is nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.  I have yet to see the film, so I'll reserve judgement, but if this is just because they made Johnny Knoxville look old, that is a big disappointment and silly.  But again, I'll comment when I see it.  Ironically, when my husband, brother, and kids (all boys) all wanted to go see it, my response was, "You guys go ahead.  I highly doubt this movie is looking at Oscar noms, so it's not like I have to see it."  Someone get me a fork and knife, I'm obviously going to have to eat my words.

Third, and I've saved the most controversial for last.  At the risk of having some of you check out altogether on this blog on day 2, I find it highly offensive that one of the foreign film nominees is from a "country" called Palestine.  There is no UN member state called Palestine, and this decision almost got me to check out of this whole shebang before I even got started.  I guess on the upside, we can agree that the anti-Semitic "Jews control Hollywood" myth might be undermined with this one nomination.  If it's true, then shame on you Jews who control Hollywood… you should know better than that.

So, that's where we are for now.  Check back later today for my first review of the actual films!