Best Dramatic Presentation
The other day Niall posted his draft Hugo ballot. I’ve been thinking about this too. Rather than posted all of them, I thought I’d list my current thoughts on the two Best Dramatic Presentation categories. Anyone want to persuade me otherwise?
Best Dramatic Presentation (Long)
- Moon
- Fantastic Mr Fox
- Up
- The Road
- Push
Best Dramatic Presentation (Short)
- Dollhouse – Epitaph One
- The Sarah Connor Chronicles – Born to Run
- Partly Cloudy (Pixar short)
- Ashes To Ashes – Episode 2.1
- Being Human – Episode 2.1
Everything Is Nice 
Being Human 2.1 aired in January 2010 and is thus ineligible this year. If I were going to pick an episode from the first season, it’d be episode 3 (why no names, writers?) – the one where Annie meets a fellow ghost and remembers how she died.
Abigail
15 February 2010 at 09:44
Okay, so I’ve got a slot for Being Human – Episode 1.3 or Middleman – ComicCon table reading. Did we come to a view on whether Futurama – Into the Wild Green Yonder was eligible?
Martin
15 February 2010 at 09:51
Push?
Jonathan McCalmont
15 February 2010 at 11:03
I’ve got a soft spot for it, I can see the film inside that could have been. The other film that was in contention for that slot was Aliens Vs Monsters so I get the impression it wasn’t a great year. Any other suggestions for that space?
Martin
15 February 2010 at 11:20
Futurama is eligible but it’s not quite clear whether it should be long form or short form. I’d be inclined to nominate it in the latter as the long form category is going to be quite crammed this year and I don’t have many good short form nominees.
Abigail
15 February 2010 at 11:31
Ponyo’s great, eligible and currently on at the cinema. Definitely one of the best genre films of the year.
Otherwise Thirst, Sherlock Holmes, Where the Wild Things Are, Zombieland, Creation, Surrogates, Inglourious Basterds, Orphan, Antichrist, Triangle, Pontypool, Synecdoche New York, Star Trek and there are probably a few more others lurking in the differences between the US and UK releasing schedules.
Jonathan McCalmont
15 February 2010 at 11:44
Ah yes, Ponyo. I drafted this before it was released.
Synecdoche New York isn’t eligible (2008) or it would be on there. I don’t think there is enough of a genre element of Inglourious Basterds.
I liked Sherlock Holmes and didn’t like Where the Wild Things Are but neither is strong enough. Star Trek is just shit.
Of the rest:
Thirst – no interest.
Zombieland – missed it and DVD not out yet.
Creation – is this genre? Either way, I’ve no interest in it.
Surrogates – this looked shit. What was it like?
Orphan – no interest.
Antichrist – I’ve had enough Lars von Trier to last me a life time.
Triangle – no interest.
Pontypool – ineligble but looks interesting.
Martin
15 February 2010 at 12:37
I think IG is arguably alt history enough but I don’t think that would occur to that many people so it would probably be a wasted vote.
Creation is about science and it has a ghost in it. So possible, interesting if flawed film though.
Surrogates is definitely genre and is a better film than the director intended to make. If you see it as a commentary upon the way in which the net encourages less direct human interaction then it has its moments.
Triangle’s great though. Bermuda Triangle + Groundhog Day + Thriller.
Jonathan McCalmont
15 February 2010 at 13:15
Ponyo’s great, eligible and currently on at the cinema.
Not in Oxford, it isn’t. Grr.
Niall
15 February 2010 at 13:16
Also, I’ve ordered the DVD of Sleep Dealer (US release April 2009), though I don’t imagine enough people will have seen it for it to stand any sort of chance, even if it’s as some reports have suggested.
Niall
15 February 2010 at 13:18
Yeah, the distributors have well and truly shafted Ponyo. No advertising and seemingly a last-minute release.
It’s on at a few London cinemas but mostly during the day.
With a bit of luck it’ll generate enough critical buzz to secure a wider release of the dubbed version Disney put out in the US last Summer.
Jonathan McCalmont
15 February 2010 at 13:33
Jonathan: You’ve convinced me, I’ve added Triangle and Pontypool to my rental queue.
Niall: I’ve just ordered Cold Souls which may fall into a similiar category (although I’ve seen it suggested it is just Kaufman lite and Sleep Dealers looks more interesting).
Martin
15 February 2010 at 13:34
“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” for BDP(LF), anyone?
Hey, if Heroes can force its way in there…
Nick H.
16 February 2010 at 00:07
But TSCC, even at its most serialized, isn’t one story in the way Heroes is.
Torchwood, on the other hand … but I can’t imagine I’d ever persuade Martin to nominate that.
Niall
16 February 2010 at 00:09
The whole idea that Heroes is ‘one story’ is all smoke and mirrors, and individual episodes of it stand alone far better than individual episodes of T:TSCC do.
Likewise, I’ll be looking to see next year if anyone nominates all six seasons of Lost for BDP(LF).
*mutter*grumble*moan*
If going for a single episode of T:TSCC, though, I’d put “Adam Raised a Cain” over “Born to Run”.
Nick H.
16 February 2010 at 00:20
I approve of your Push vote – it was maybe scuppered by being plotted as the first film of an imagined franchise, but unlike the similar Jumper, it had style, interesting performances, and a genuine interest in digging into the corners of its world/playing with its own rules.
That said, I’d swap it for Antichrist if I was nominating.
The last episode of The Sarah Connor Chronicles was possible my favourite ‘short form’ drama last year, unless you count the occasional music video – Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance, maybe?
Thom
16 February 2010 at 02:01
I think I’m speaking for all of us when I say would like to see Niall’s Hugo ballet.
David Moles
16 February 2010 at 10:16
Thom: I’m very taken with the idea of nominating ‘Bad Romance’. One of my reasons for being a voting membership year was to try and broaden the focus of what can be a very narrow, parochial award. Obviously there is no hope of getting Lady Gaga on the ballot but it could be the start of a conversation.
David: I think that is my favourite typo yet. And yes, I would like to see that too. Maybe if KSR and Baxter win he will spontaneously break into dance.
Martin
16 February 2010 at 11:29
I’ve just got round to watching Zombieland and I wasn’t very impressed. It either isn’t silly enough or isn’t serious enough and ends up stranded in a self-conscious no man’s land.
Martin
16 March 2010 at 22:18