Movieline Ranks the 4 Biggest Longshots of the 2010 Oscars
Rocky knocking out Taxi Driver with one atomic upper-cut; a trio of Gangsta Americans collecting statuettes for their fanfare for the common pimp; one billion people asking in unison, "Marisa who?" Every year, we're promised the unexpected at the Academy Awards, but it's only when a dark horse nominee manages a stunning upset that the truly unexpected occurs. Here then, we examine four nominees with microscopic odds whose surprise triumphs could liven up this year's proceedings:
DIRECTING: LEE DANIELS for Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
SURPRISE FACTOR: 10
The only way this is going to happen is if older voters confuse Daniels with Tyler Perry, who they feel is long overdue for a lifetime achievement Oscar.
DESERVEDNESS FACTOR: 3
With a body of work comprised of this and the critically maligned Shadowboxer (plus his self-professed ghost directing turn on Monster's Ball), Daniels has yet to prove he is more than a Presh-in-the-pan.
SPEECH FACTOR: 10
If Mr. Daniels has proven anything during his awards season jockeying, it's that he gives good soundbite. An acceptance speech from him could easily be a telecast highlight, if only for the delivery of lines like, "Precious is so not Obama. Precious is Rosa Parks. Precious is RuPaul. Precious is Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Cirque de Soleil and The Land Before Time!!!!" as Halle Berry-esque tears stream down his face.
OUTRAGE FACTOR: 4
Take the number of women in the world. Minus the number of women in the world who worship at the Church of Oprah. That's how many people will be quietly outraged that Kathryn Bigelow lost to this guy. Plus Armond White.
UPSET SCORE: 27/40
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Comments
Take the number of women in the world. Minus the number of women in the world who worship at the Church of Oprah.
That this is very, ridiculously true makes me laugh, as one of those remaining women. There are women that I know who don't necessarily follow the religion outright, but they do in their hearts and philosophy.
The third act of District 9 felt like a video game, true, but it was such a *better* video game than Avatar. Less "OMG WOULD THE DAMN BOSS STOP GETTING THE F' UP SO I COULD WATCH THE DAMN ENDING CUT SCENES?!?! DEAR GOD."
Oh, man, would I love that upset.
Stanley Tucci - DESERVEDNESS FACTOR: 2?? Really? I thought that was one of the most chilling performances I had ever seen, so brutal and inhuman..
I was not in the majority during District 9 release in the theaters. I could not stand that movie! I will say that District 9 was certainly more original than Avatar, but I could not get into the movie at all. The acting wasn't too good and the writing...all I keep thinking about was that scene where the main character calls his wife on his cell phone. No Bueno.