Your Best Picture Winner of 2009 (top 3)

[junior94]

As I did for last year, I return for the (official?) Ants Oscar poll for the films of 2009, almost exactly 1 week before the time I did it in 2008, as you can see by the poll itself

Of course we're all used to Ants polls being limited always to 10 possible options, well this year with the academy it gets a little more interesting in that there will indeed also be 10 Best Picture nominees. I happen to think this will ultimately not be a very good idea, I know I'm not alone with this stance.

Will that still mean certain forum posters will be almost indignant at my lack of inclusion of certain titles? Unequivocally. Such is the life of an Ants poll-maker. However being a well rounded (if I may say) and aged movie fan, I've taken several factors into account and have come up with I think a list as fair as there is one possibly to be. I realize a good many of you likely have not even seen a number of these (indeed, in some cases they haven't even gone wide nationally yet) but, I thought wouldn't hurt to get an early start, the thread will probably have a bit of life to it, so...

For your convenience, some trailers.


Avatar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9ceBgWV8io

The Hurt Locker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GxSDZc8etg

Inglourious Basterds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOMKloOEKcU

Invictus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9Ovkye6lac

The Lovely Bones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUWKi0W5_g

Nine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_5_lzags3I

Precious
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5FYahzVU44

A Serious Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcUTv3LH3ss

Up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkqzFUhGPJg

Up In The Air
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m-Da8Tz4_E


Just as with last year's, you'll see it's multiple choice, please limit your votes to 3 total films, but creating more possible debate and discussion but it'll still provide an overall single winning result. Vote for who you think should win, not necessarily just what you think will win.

Up in the actual poll itself I've listed the director's name following the film title.

[water_into_wine]

Why is the Lovely Bones being included in this?

39% on RT.

[junior94]

Originally Posted by water_into_wine

Why is the Lovely Bones being included in this?

39% on RT.

RT ain't the gospel. There's a shit load of buzz for Lovely Bones getting a Picture nod.

[water_into_wine]

Originally Posted by junior94

RT ain't the gospel. There's a shit load of buzz for Lovely Bones getting a Picture nod.

It looks godawful. I think the buzz was more when it was in production. Honestly one of the least appealing trailers I've seen this year.

[laura22]

Originally Posted by water_into_wine

It looks godawful. I think the buzz was more when it was in production. Honestly one of the least appealing trailers I've seen this year.

the book is awesome

[Bron Yr Aur]

You included Lovely Bones and left off Moon.

WEAK

[thestand]

Originally Posted by Bron Yr Aur

You included Lovely Bones and left off Moon.

WEAK

This, basically.

It'll be interesting to see how the full Ants poll shakes out in a few weeks. Voting should start January 15th.

[water_into_wine]

Originally Posted by laura22

the book is awesome

Haven't read it, but from what I've heard about it I'm sure it is.

It will be like "My Sister's Keeper". A very good book with a completely boring and mediocre movie.

[junior94]

Originally Posted by Bron Yr Aur

You included Lovely Bones and left off Moon.

WEAK

Hey, you wanna talk personal preference, I hated the fact that I was putting Inglourious Basterds on here, I didn't like that nearly as much as so many others have (particularly here where the majority of younger posters have the taste of Tarantino's cock permanently on their breath).

I absolutely loved MOON, I wish it would be nominated. But, again, based on the totality of everything I'm reading and seeing now, I think THE LOVELY BONES is more likely to get a Best Pic nomination (& everything else on the list for that matter) than it.

[dontburnthe_pig]

inglorious basterds is so good.

[lockman21]

Inglorious Bastards was not that great.

[dontburnthe_pig]

Originally Posted by lockman21

Inglorious Bastards was not that great.

what makes you say this? i'm just interested, not going to bash you.

[junior94]

Just as Dark Knight ran away with last year's, I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised that Basterds is getting such a leg up here early in this one

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by dontburnthe_pig

what makes you say this? i'm just interested, not going to bash you.

Well, I'm not much of a Quentin Tarantino fan so that might have something to do with it, but I didn't like how the movie flowed. It was flipping back and forth and back and forth between story lines, and when they all clashed together it never came together like it felt it should. The movie dragged along slowly to a very anti-climactic ending. Not my cup of tea.

[lockman21]

Originally Posted by junior94

Just as Dark Knight ran away with last year's, I suppose I shouldn't be all that surprised that Basterds is getting such a leg up here early in this one

I'm curious how many people voting in this have seen Up In the Air or Avatar.

[laura22]

Originally Posted by water_into_wine

Haven't read it, but from what I've heard about it I'm sure it is.

It will be like "My Sister's Keeper". A very good book with a completely boring and mediocre movie.

that movie was SO disappointing!

"dear john" is an awesome book, and the movie for it is coming out in february i believe... the trailer looks good, though. it's the same author of the notebook and a walk to remember, which were both awesome books and movies, so i'm excited.

[whygohome?]

i actually just saw inglorious basterds and i thought it was awesome. classic tarantino, it blew kill bill away.

i havent seen enough of the movies listed to really make a decision though

[junior94]

For the record I just wanted to reiterate, these poll options were created with the goal of what I believed the 10 most likely films to indeed be nominated by the academy for the Best Picture Oscar.

When I did 2008's, it was the same deal but as Ants polls have 10 options and only 5 films actually get noms, I had some room to play (ex: realistically, I thought Dark Knight had at best maybe a 30% chance to actually get a Picture nom), now this year of course it's different with them adding 5 more to the pool.

[HolyCow]

Up
Basterds
Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker was the best film of the year. No doubt about it.

[MPizzle06]

The one I want to see the most is The Hurt Locker. Looks phenomenal

[collectd]

nice pose

[whygohome?]

Originally Posted by lockman21

Well, I'm not much of a Quentin Tarantino fan so that might have something to do with it, but I didn't like how the movie flowed. It was flipping back and forth and back and forth between story lines, and when they all clashed together it never came together like it felt it should. The movie dragged along slowly to a very anti-climactic ending. Not my cup of tea.

in a quentin tarantino movie?? outrageous!!!

[doesmusicbest]

Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, and The Hurt Locker. I haven't seen Up in the Air or Moon, and if District 9 were on here I would vote that over The Hurt Locker. Once I see Up in the Air and Moon I'm guessing my top 3 will be Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, and Moon. Up in the Air could edge out Basterds or Avatar, but I doubt it.

[JaJunk]

My vote is Basterds without having seen Up in the Air yet.

[junior94]

Originally Posted by doesmusicbest

Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, and The Hurt Locker. I haven't seen Up in the Air or Moon, and if District 9 were on here I would vote that over The Hurt Locker. Once I see Up in the Air and Moon I'm guessing my top 3 will be Avatar, Inglourious Basterds, and Moon. Up in the Air could edge out Basterds or Avatar, but I doubt it.

I know particularly a lot of the younger demographic liked this, it did well with the critics, but right now I think a lot of folks consider it very much in the "long shot" category to land a nom.

Not saying that's appropriate, just...

[doesmusicbest]

Originally Posted by junior94

I know particularly a lot of the younger demographic liked this, it did well with the critics, but right now I think a lot of folks consider it very much in the "long shot" category to land a nom.

Not saying that's appropriate, just...

Oh, I'm sure it won't get a nomination. It deserves one though. Especially since the academy decided to be fuckheads and give out 10 nominations.

Right now my top 10 is looking like this (upon further consideration, my top 3 have changed):

Top 10
1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Star Trek
3. Avatar
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
5. District 9
6. Up
7. The Hurt Locker
8. The Hangover
9. Zombieland
10. (500) Days of Summer

Honorable Mentions:
I Love You, Man
Watchmen
The Informant!
Paranormal Activity
The Men Who Stare At Goats
Where the Wild Things Are

Haven't Seen Yet:
Adventureland
Drag Me To Hell
Away We Go
Moon
Pirate Radio
Brothers
Up In The Air
Invictus
The Lovely Bones
Nine
Precious
The Blind Side

[junior94]

Originally Posted by doesmusicbest

Oh, I'm sure it won't get a nomination. It deserves one though. Especially since the academy decided to be fuckheads and give out 10 nominations.

Right now my top 10 is looking like this (upon further consideration, my top 3 have changed):

Wow, Paranormal Activity is one of your honorable mentions huh? eeek, man I was just overall disappointed by that flick, and I tried to see it quickly too so as not to let too much of the hype get me beforehand.

Entertainment Weekly named "Men Who Stare At Goats" their worst movie of the year (well the main reviewer, anyway)

edit: not saying EW is gospel or anything, not at all, just that it made me laugh after seeing that that far up on your list.
l

[JaJunk]

Paranormal was funny and frightening at parts. Loved it. Overhyped, but that didn't detract in my opinion.

[doesmusicbest]

Originally Posted by junior94

Wow, Paranormal Activity is one of your honorable mentions huh? eeek, man I was just overall disappointed by that flick, and I tried to see it quickly too so as not to let too much of the hype get me beforehand.

Entertainment Weekly named "Men Who Stare At Goats" their worst movie of the year (well the main reviewer, anyway)

edit: not saying EW is gospel or anything, not at all, just that it made me laugh after seeing that that far up on your list.
l

What the guy above me said. Where PA lacked in horror in the beginning, it made up for it with laughs. And the end was phenomenal. My heart was pounding faster than it ever has during the silence after they both went downstairs.

As for Goats, it's my least favorite of my honorable mentions, but I still enjoyed it. I laughed a lot, and I have a hard on for Kevin Spacey, so I was dying in most of the scenes he was in (especially when he was trying to figure out what was in the file cabinet).

I haven't seen a whole lot of movies besides the ones that I listed in my top 10 and honorable mentions, and the ones I did see were between meh and terrible (Transformers 2, Harry Potter, 2012, Angels and Demons, Knowing, etc.).

Edit: Funny People probably deserved an honorable mention from me, despite the hate most people are giving it.

[ExistenceNow]

My top 3:

1. Moon
2. Sunshine Cleaning
3. Away We Go


I understand though that none of those have the slightest chance of winning best picture. Hell, none of those will even get a nom.