Will "Serenity" win any Academy Awards? by SoupCatcher

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Will "Serenity" win any Academy Awards?

POSTED BY: SOUPCATCHER
UPDATED: Wednesday, July 21, 2004 13:04
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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 11:50 AM

So this is inspired in part by the thread about which of our BDHs will go on to super stardom. In terms of acting, I think Summer Glau has already done amazing work in the role of River and I see no reason to think that won't translate over to the silver screen. The costuming, and set design, and technical aspects of the film should be outstanding. So will the film garner any nominations? Or does the release date hurt the chances? (Of course, I'm biased and would probably nominate the film in every category

even Foreign Language).

And I also just wanted to get some Firefly talk going again...

I shaved off my beard for you, devil woman!

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 11:59 AM

SIMONF

I would dearly love to see Joss win an Oscar for Best Screenplay. But given the Academy's traditional disdain for sci-fi films, I fear any nominations would be restricted to best costumes and set design.

Though it would be hard to enough to work out who should get Best Actor or Best Actress. Heck, I'd give them an Oscar for Best Ensemble Cast.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 12:00 PM

KNIBBLET

Science Fiction usually has a good shot at winning technical awards - sound effects, visual effects, costumes, etc. They also have a shot at winning for musical score etc.

Best Director and Producer are likely. Not so much with Best Picture or Screenplay.

If you haven't watched the Academy Awards lately, you might not realize that Science Fiction and Comedy are usually overlooked actor-wise. Look at LotR trilogy. Technical awards galore, but ignored for the players.

"Just keep walkin, preacher man."

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 1:01 PM

JAPPAR2001

nope, i don't think it will win. i would be extatic if it were nominated but like the emmy's it would only be for somthing like special effects. To be honest i doubt serenity will have the best special effects of the years films. won't this be zoic's first stab at special effects in a movie?

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 3:32 PM

ZOID

Browncoats:

Yeah, I rather doubt Serenity will garner Oscar notice. It is sci-fi. "Star Wars Episode III: The (sudden but) Inevitable Betrayal" will undoubtedly win for Special Effects, and the other nominees will have budgets in the multiples of Serenity's $50M. Other movies will get the nods for acting and picture by having big name (read: overpaid egomaniacal) actors and actresses in 'socially meaningful' roles (read: well-scrubbed of common human relevance and politically pointed).

Still, best bets would be on: Original Screenplay (since it may be the only truly original story told in Hollywood in several years) and Cinematography (since our picture taker has already been nominated for an Oscar as the cinematographer in Eastwood's Best Picture-winning, "Unforgiven"). Perhaps for costumes/sets too, as long as Merchant-Ivory haven't got anything coming out in the next year.

I'd love to see at least a Best Picture nomination but we've frankly got a snowball's chance in hell; waaaay too much money is spent on Hollywood extravaganzas to see a small-budget sci-fi action film get even a tip-of-the-hat nomination. And I don't recall any acting nominations for ensemble cast members, ever...

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me." The Ballad of Serenity

Only 275 days, 3 hours, 43 minutes, and 9 seconds left until The BDM!

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 3:45 PM

JCKNIFE

I think Zoid nailed this.

Aside: Star Wars III isn't REALLY called that, is it?

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 3:51 PM

CYBERSNARK

What, The Sudden but Inevitable Betrayal?

That title'd pretty much redeem Lucas in this fan's eyes, at least.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 4:01 PM

JCKNIFE

Well, I was reading around the parenthesis and fearing that it was really called "The Inevitable Betrayal." A quick Google seems to indicate that it has not been titled yet. Whew!

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 5:06 PM

RADHIL

Quote:
waaaay too much money is spent on Hollywood extravaganzas to see a small-budget sci-fi action film get even a tip-of-the-hat nomination.

Unless I'm mistaken (and I don't think I am - I'm usually watching the awards, usually for Mr. Crystal than for the glitz), the Oscars usually don't care much for budget - I've seen small films get just as many BestPic noms, as have the latest war epics and over-weepy dramas. Oscar has it's biases, but they're not nearly as set in stone as, say, the Emmys. And they've definitely showed greater tolerance to more off the wall stuff - witness the Rings sweep, which deserved as it was I still didn't really expect, or Depp's acting nom, which I still can't even really believe.

Radhil Trebors
Persona Under Construction

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 6:19 PM

GHOLA

Quote:
Originally posted by Knibblet:

If you haven't watched the Academy Awards lately, you might not realize that Science Fiction and Comedy are usually overlooked actor-wise. Look at LotR trilogy. Technical awards galore, but ignored for the players.

Well to be fair ROTK did win some big awards like best director and best picture and although all of the actors in the LOTR were great none of them got a whole lot of time to show off their skills it was very much an ensemble cast.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 6:33 PM

PEACE

LOTR:ROTK is an Oscar anomaly. I believe it is the first fantasy or sc-fi film to EVER win an Oscar for Best Picture or Best Director. Spielberg couldn't do it with any of his sci-fi efforts. Neither could Lucas, despite the fact that in 1977 Star Wars was overwhelmingly the "best picture" of the year (does anybody remember what won that year? I don't). As mentioned already, the Academy is intensely prejudiced against sci-fi and fantasy films. Even that aside, LOTR has set the bar way high for any film in these genres. I hope Serenity is going to be a kick-ass movie, but I don't expect it to be that kind of once-in-a-century lightning.

The short answer is no: not because it won't be good, but because the historical odds are heavily against it.

Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 7:01 PM

HKCAVALIER

C'mon, where's that browncoat spirit? Firefly was the best TV show EVER AIRED! Best! No one has done it better.

What if Joss has really written the best script of his life? I think the biggest thing working against sci-fi is that it tends to lack historical relevance. The Academy likes to vote for stuff that has a sense of history or chronicles a particular historical moment perfectly. Well, Serenity has got to be the most historically relevant sci-fi I've ever seen! The two-steps-forward-three-steps-back of the Firefly 'verse could hit people on a very personal level. And epic! Joss himself has said it's gonna be epic. It could be the Gone with the Wind of sci-fi! Doctor Zhivago with lasers! Merchant-Ivory in Space!

And hey, OSCAR BUZZ STARTS HERE. Where else? Can't you at least see 'em winning a hatfull of Golden Globes? Nathan and Summer both have a shot at some "Oscar Moment" scenes.

Anybody know how long the movie's gonna be? I hope it's really, really long.

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2004 9:24 PM

KURUKAMI

I've heard net estimates of two and a half hours. We'll have to wait and see if that's accurate.

"Sir, I would like to gingerly point out that it is difficult for someone to be gently reassuring when they're holding three and a half feet of sharpened steel."

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 12:41 AM

EVILTOBZ

Quote:
Originally posted by jappar2001:
nope, i don't think it will win. i would be extatic if it were nominated but like the emmy's it would only be for somthing like special effects. To be honest i doubt serenity will have the best special effects of the years films. won't this be zoic's first stab at special effects in a movie?

it depends how they look at it. one of the things that stood out to me most when i watched serenity the first time was how amazing the effects were in the bit with the reavers chasing them through the atmosphere of that planet. yes, here and there you can see that the cgi and live action bits don't blend perfectly, but it has a sense of style that i've never seen before. the artistry of the way that the camera work is done just making it look like something real was happening and being filmed might be enough to get it recognised over pure technical merit.

---------------------------------------------
eviltobz - that's lowercase gorram it!

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 12:42 AM

EVILTOBZ

Quote:
Originally posted by Kurukami:
I've heard net estimates of two and a half hours. We'll have to wait and see if that's accurate.

"Sir, I would like to gingerly point out that it is difficult for someone to be gently reassuring when they're holding three and a half feet of sharpened steel."

lets hope for an extended dvd version too, lotr style :)

---------------------------------------------
eviltobz - that's lowercase gorram it!

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 1:45 AM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by HKCavalier:
C'mon, where's that browncoat spirit? Firefly was the best TV show EVER AIRED! Best! No one has done it better.

What if Joss has really written the best script of his life? It could be the Gone with the Wind of sci-fi! Doctor Zhivago with lasers! Merchant-Ivory in Space!

Frankly even if it wasn't a low budget sci-fi film
(which is plenty to block it from Academy notice)
just the fact that it is to be released in April is the kiss of death....
The Academy have very short memories and April is way too early in the year for them to remember anything....

Our hope is to make 'Serenity' the 'My Big Fat Wedding' of all genre films...
I mean if we can get it so it opens in April and the word of mouth grows and grows,
so that by summer it is in MORE theaters...
and by fall it is STILL in theaters....
THEN maybe someone will remember it at Oscar time (Christmas)
and even then it is more likely to get a writing nomination
because ensemble work often gets passed over for acting nominations
and I really don't see the special effects getting noticed
(Joss likes them low key)

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 2:24 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

I think w/ Joss at the helm "Serenity" has a good shot at getting nominated for best director. If the effects are what we anticipate them to be, I think we can expect to see a nomination for special effects too.

As far as the BDHs go, even though I would personally nominate each of them for awards, they do not have the big name draw to get a best actor/actress nod.

I agree that the fact it is Sci Fi will put off the Academy for the most part. Many will not take it seriously, which in my opinion is their loss.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 3:19 AM

LEXIBLOCK

Quote:
Originally posted by Knibblet:
Science Fiction usually has a good shot at winning technical awards - sound effects, visual effects, costumes, etc.

That's because most Hollyweird Science Fiction films have lame acting and scripts, not something you'd want to give an award. With Serenity that would be different :)

Quote:

If you haven't watched the Academy Awards lately, you might not realize that Science Fiction and Comedy are usually overlooked actor-wise. Look at LotR trilogy. Technical awards galore, but ignored for the players.

Well, i'n the category which said there weren't any acting performances in LOTR worth awarding.

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 4:54 AM

JAYNEZTOWN

it would be great to see it do so well, Firefly is a fantastic idea and the characters are great,

however don't be sure it'll pick up an award or something cos' those Oscars can be strange some of those folks do have odd tastes

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 6:04 AM

SPIKEANDJEZEBEL

I wouldn't say SW: Episode 3 is a sure winner for Special Effects, especially since neither Episode 1 or Episode 2 won that award. (Episode 1 was beaten by the Matrix, and I believe Episode 2 was beaten by Lord of the Rings.)

"I like smackin' 'em!" - Jayne Cobb

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 8:43 AM

ZOID

spikeandjezebel wrote:

Quote:
...(Episode 1 was beaten by the Matrix, and I believe Episode 2 was beaten by Lord of the Rings.)

Okay, so I'll revise what I said slightly: Unless somebody shows up with something groundbreaking like 'bullet-time' or 'Gollum', SW3:T(sb)IB will take the effects award.

Better?

And for everyone else: Why the hell do we care if we win an Academy Award? Have you seen those films and performances? Some are well-deserved, but often it appears to be more of a ideological beauty contest ("Dingos ate my baby!" or "You like me! You really like me!") than an award for excellence.

Serenity will be a great movie and a great story, Good Lord willin' and the wheel don't fall off the wagon (read: post production and studio meddling). If we as fans do our job, it'll make beaucoup money and the other two movies in the Universal deal will get made, too. It won't have to win an 'award' to convince me that it's a worthy movie, the proof will be in the pudding...

Respectfully,

zoid
_________________________________________________

"Burn the land and boil the sea, you can't take the sky from me." The Ballad of Serenity

Only 274 days, 10 hours, 25 minutes, and 9 seconds left until The BDM!

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Wednesday, July 21, 2004 1:04 PM

CHOLLETT

umm....
to answer the question about whether or not this is zoic's first stab at SFX in a movie, i have something to say to it. It isn't. Zoic has done FX for a very recent movie. I couldn't help but notice ZOIC listed in the Spider-man 2 credits under FX. I dont know if they did the effects for the first one, but at the very least, they did do the effects for Spider-man 2.

"When your miracle gets here, you just pound this button once." -Alan Tudyk, in a message to Joss with the packaged button, about the Firefly movie

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