Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
LIVIA: Kathryn Bigelow deserves an Oscar for the unfathomable restraint she has had in dealing with ex-husband James Cameron during this awards season.
NASTINCHKA: Kathryn Bigelow is a goddamn American hero, and every time someone calls Nancy Meyers the pinnacle of American women directors, I make it my personal business to place my foot on that person's throat. Win. Please, please win.
James Cameron, Avatar
LIVIA: Because James Cameron gave me three films that I love (True Lies, Aliens, and Terminator 2), I'm going to withhold my tirade about what a pretentious, glad-handing sack of shit he is. Instead, I'm going to present this quote from True Lies without comment. "Oh God, no, no don't kill me. I'm not a spy. I'm nothing. I'm navel lint. I have to lie to women to get laid, and I don't score much. I got a little dick, it's pathetic."
NASTINCHKA: Unlike some other filmmakers in this category, JASON REITMAN, J-Cam has more than earned his right to be an absolute bastard, and in true American fashion, exercises that right to the fullest. But if he had the chance, I'd like to think he'd vote for his ex here.
Lee Daniels, Precious
NASTINCHKA: Precious, for all its tour-de-forcin' ladies, is fluttering in some areas and hamfisted in others, and it doesn't read like a stylistic choice. I'd normally try a rescreen to see what hits me a second time around, but I never, ever want to see this movie again for fear of restarting the nightmares of Mo'Nique hiding in my bathroom.
LIVIA: The Schaadling and I had a conversation about this nom right after we saw Precious. Lee Daniels has a rare talent for coaxing brilliant performances out of his actors. However, in terms of technical skill, he's not really in the same league as these other directors.
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
LIVIA: Some of us still aren't over Juno. Sorry, Jason.
NASTINCHKA: I would set Jason Reitman on fire if I thought I could get away with it.
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
NASTINCHKA: A win for QT here would be more than all right, and more than deserved. Every single frame of this film shows craft and diligent affection. I think this comes down to a value set, in the end -- take QT and his celluloid symphony, Bigelow and her literal, actual grit, or Cameron and his real live gamechanger. And when I put it like that, I wonder what I'm doing pulling for Hurt Locker so hard, but I really, really, really want to see her up on that stage. I'm more invested in this category than I am in Best Picture this year. You can probably thank the ten-nominee field for that.
LIVIA: I'm sure my fellow geeks will excoriate me for this, but Inglourious Basterds is probably Tarantino's best film to date. However, he made the critical mistake of casting Eli "Pancakes" Roth in a pivotal role, and now it's time for me to take my pound of flesh.
HORRORSHOW SNUBS THAT PROVE JASON REITMAN SHOULD BE EATEN BY SCORPIONS
NASTINCHKA: Alex Proyas, Knowing and JJ Abrams, Star Trek. Do not even argue with me.
WINNER: Kathryn Bigelow. Livia: "Thank God they didn't give it to Sofia Coppola, who is a piece of trash."
Posted by Nastinchka at March 6, 2010 09:05 PM