Off the cuff thoughts on the Oscar nominations

I managed 40/45 in the top 8 categories and 82/106 in the 21 categories I predicted (excluding the shorts). Not too shabby considering that out of the entire crop of 2009 films, I only managed to catch The Hurt Locker and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince before knuckling down with my guesses.

Biggest surprises for me were:

• The Blind Side’s entry in the Best Picture race: Though when one looks at the phenomenal record-breaking success the Bullock vehicle has enjoyed this feeling lessens considerably. Coupled with the film’s definitive message for racial integration embedded within a classic triumph-against-all-odds story, it must’ve been catnip for the voters.

• Maggie Gyllenhaal muscling into Supporting Actress: I thought Fox Searchlight’s dubious initial characterisation of Gyllenhaal’s role as a leading one would harm her chances but they managed to pull this out of the hat. This nod seemed to arrive on the tail end of deafening sentiment and plaudits for her respected winner (strikethrough) co-star, Gyllenhaal’s own growing buzz and media profile near the deadline for ballots and the clear category confusion involving her European competition from Inglourious Basterds (the SAG-nominated Kruger and French breakout Mélanie Laurent). Academy veterans Julianne Moore and Samantha Morton were evidently shortchanged by the tepid reception of The Messenger (2 noms) and A Single Man respectively (1 nomination).
• The Secret of Kells in Animated Feature, besting talked-about contenders Ponyo and Cloudy: Just when you think the category is locked up, the animators see fit to throw a spanner in the works. Good on them. But I, like many others, haven’t the slightest clue what the film is. Guy Lodge at In Contention saw the Annie-nominee and gave it a whole-hearted thumbs up (link), so that’s good enough for me.
• The screenplay line ups (sort of): The Messenger was always a bubble contender (my alternate in fact) ever since it began accumulating buzz for Harrelson. Likewise, I predicted the Adapted Screenplay roster 5 for 5 so I can’t say I didn’t see In the Loop coming. Call it In Bruges’s 2009 cousin.
• Harry Potter for Cinematography: While Delbonnel’s work was raved about when the film was first released, the talk quickly subsided and Delbonnel became lost in the shuffle. My feelings aside (I wasn’t blown away by Delbonnel’s relentlessly grim colour palette) the fact that Delbonnel managed what the prior Potter films couldn’t is an achievement in itself.
• Hurt Locker wrenching a Score nomination: This echoes No Country for Old Men’s citation for Sound Mixing two years ago, a similar Best Picture frontrunner in very much the same position The Hurt Locker is in now. That said, it doesn’t make the nod any less arresting.
• Paris 36 getting the tick for “Loin de Paname”: Another “huh” moment for me. I YouTubed the song today and found it quite tasteful. The much-maligned music branch has some sense after all.

The winners of the 82^nd annual Academy Awards will be announced on Sunday March 7 at the Kodak Theatre.