Juno for Best Picture? That's a bit of a stretch for me.

I really can't understand such a dramatic dropoff for American Gangster after you said how the film would figure well into the oscar race last week. Don't you think the film would at least be a sure thing for Film Editing, after you mentioned how pacing Pietro Scalia's was?

And the more I think about it Juno seems like a best picture nominee, but it only seems like it could get those three nominations. Not enough of a tally to get a nomination in my opinion, but it has happened before.

Yeah, what happened to AG, Kris? Your review was pretty glowing, only half a star away from perfect. And from what I've heard about Juno, it is a strung together series of corney lines and cliches, mediocre aside from Ellen Page's performance. I think you slightly underestimate the power of two of the greatest actors and one of the greatest directors of our time. But hey, that's my opinion, you have yours, you run the site, which one of the best in the biz by the way. Just looking for a little feedback.

Most of it has to do with my perception of the film's response. There's a reason there are only two U.S. reviews out there. People seem to be keeping their personal, negative opinions to themselves.

I still very much enjoyed the film, but it has structural issues that can't be ignored. Russell Crowe's performance is fantastic, but in a role that feels like a wasted opportunity. Washington is good - but he's reached that Clooney stage where every performance is the same as the last - but the Academy responds to that and might with this film.

Basically, I felt like my Best Picture lineup was too...heavy. And something light needed to muscle its way in. Hence "Juno," and I felt AG was the weakest of the field until that addition.

Thanks for the compliments.

I agree there are a lot of heavy films out there--and entertaining always wins out over important at the oscars, unless it's Schindler's List.
Say what you will about Braveheart, Forrest Gump, Dances with Wolves, Shakespeare in Love, Gladiator or Departed those movies are a Hell of a lot of fun to watch (and really fucking well made too), in the sense that movies like Casablanca, Mrs. Miniver, Bridge on the River Kwai and All About Eve are a hell of a lot of fun to watch.

Yes, no problem, I really appreciate the feedback. I was really pulling for AG because I love Ridley, Russell, and Denzel, and as you said, Scott's tech teams are always flawless. One other question though. I was under the impression that the editing was one of the, if not the strongest points of the movie. Yet you say there are some serious structural problems? Could you shed some light on that?

I think you are grossly underestimating Hal Holbrook at this point Kris. The academy flips for great veteran performances, espcially of the comeback variety. As of now, I feel it is the best supporting performance of the year, and I can't see how the Academy could not respond to it.

Who knows though, maybe i am misreading the whole situation.

Considering I'm the first guy on the net who posited Holbrook as a possibility, I'd hardly say I'm "grossly" underestimating him. He's still on the chart, in any case.