The Snubby Awards: 2008 Oscars

It's that time again: The Snubby Awards!  For those of you who don't know, the Snubby Awards take a look at all of the Best Picture nominees from a given year and determine if the best film won or if one was snubbed.  If that's the case, they win the coveted Snubby Award!



This time we'll be taking a look at the 2008 Oscars, which was a solid field with an extremely tight top 2.  The nominees were: Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, and There Will Be Blood, with the winner being No Country for Old Men.  Did No Country for Old Men deserve to win or did another movie get snubbed?  Let's find out! 


#5. Michael Clayton



A legal thriller that follows a corporate fixed (George Clooney) as he weaves his way through a web of lies and bankrupt morality.  Michael Clayton is a solid enough film, but I feel like I've seen this movie before and done better.  Maybe it was a bigger deal for it's time, I don't know, but it doesn't do a lot to stand apart from other movies like this.  Dark Waters is basically the same movie, but done better.  I like this film, I'm just surprised it was nominated.  It doesn't feel like it quite earned it.

 7/10: Good 


#4. Atonement



This film follows a young girl (Saoirse Ronan) who falsely accuses someone of a crime and the rest of the movie deals with the fallout of her action over the course of several decades.  I wasn't sure I was going to like this film.  If a movie has a little kid causing problems for everyone else, than I usually get pretty annoyed, but what saves the film is we aren't supposed to be on Ronan's side.  We know she is wrong and the movie puts us in the victim's shoes, not her's.  The acting is wonderful and it's really easy to become invested in the story of the two lovers (Keira Knightly and James McAvoy) who are torn apart.  The only problem is that there really isn't any atonement by the end of the film.  Sure, the movie tells us there is, but it's a bunch of B.S. if you stop and think about it.  Ronan's character never really makes up for anything that she did.

 8/10: Really Good 


#3. Juno



The story of a quirky teenager who finds herself pregnant, Juno is a very funny film with great characters and performances across the board.  Elliot Page's role as the titular Juno is excellent and holds up.  Juno is an interesting character and it's a lot of fun to follow her on this journey.  The only problem comes from the writing.  Screenwriter Diablo Cody is known for her quirky dialogue.  Sometimes it's fun, but other times it's aggravating and forced.   

 8/10: Really Good 


And now for the Top 2 in no particular order.

No Country for Old Men




This thriller from the Coen Brothers follows a man from West Texas (Josh Brolin) who comes across a drug deal gone wrong and takes a bunch of money from the dead men.  What happens next is an epic and violent chase as a terrifying villain comes after him.  Javier Bardem is fantastic here as the monstrous Anton Chigurh, one of the greatest movie villains of all time.  The cat-and-mouse chase between Brolin and Bardem is amazing as the two are really a match for one another.  It's a beautiful and exciting film that never eases up on the tension.

 10/10: Amazing 


There Will Be Blood





This film follows an oilman (Daniel Day-Lewis), who starts buying up land in a small town to find a large oil deposit, and his rivalry with a local preacher (Paul Dano).  I can not understate how amazing Day-Lewis is.  We all know he is one of the greatest actors of all time, but this might be his best work.  Daniel Plainview is a fascinating and despicable character and his journey is tumultuous to say the least.  Paul Dano is no slouch either and their scenes together are the highlights of a movie that is full of them.  Throw in a wonderful score and a god-tier 3rd act and we have an extremely tight race for Best Picture.

 10/10: Amazing 


And the Snubby Awards goes to... 


                                         


No one!  It was extremely tight, bit ultimately I think No Country for Old Men just slightly edges out There Will Be Blood, but this is easily the tightest race we've had since Spotlight and Mad Max: Fury Road.  No Snubby Award is given out this time because no one was snubbed.




Next time we'll be looking at the 2007 Oscars.  Did The Departed deserve to win or did another movie get snubbed?  Stay tuned!

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