We are only one day away from the biggest movie night of the year and as has come tradition around these parts, I wanted to give ya’ll my picks of what should win and what will win at tomorrow night’s ceremony.
Here are my predictions for the 81st Academy Awards and remember to check back tomorrow night where we will be live chatting the Oscars!
BEST PICTURE
2008 and I thought the Academy had really grown, picking films that marked a distinct change in their voting. They were picking films that tried to be something more epic and apart from the nod to ATONEMENT, I thought they did choose the best films of that year.
I can’t say the same this year. However, if the award goes to MILK, as it surely should… they would be rewarding the only perfect film of 2008. And so in the grand scheme of things, they will have got it right.
What will win: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
What should win: MILK
BEST DIRECTION
How did Chris Nolan not get nominated here?
I’ve never that much a fan of Danny Boyle but he really showed his talents here but ya know, it just wasn’t as good as Chris Nolan or Gus Van Sant. I wish I could have been debating tomorrow night which of them would win but the absent of Nolan, means I must plum for Van Sant.
What will win: Danny Boyle for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
What should win: Gus Van Sant for MILK
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Really strong category this year and it’s not as nailed on a certainty who is going to pick up the award like it was in 2008 when Daniel Day-Lewis’ name was on that trophy for many, many months.
Having said that, I think it can only fall down to two people, Rourke and Penn. I thought both performances were outstanding but despite “who’s time it is” and all that, I have no sympathy vote when it comes to these things. Only the absolute best performance of the year should win, regardless of who that was.
Which is why it should be Penn’s award.
What will win: Mickey Rourke for THE WRESTLER
What should win: Sean Penn for MILK
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Again another strong year on the male side of things. You could certainly make a case for all candidates here (maybe not Robert Downey Jr in TROPIC THUNDER as fun as the performance was, it was a gimmick) but only one of these performances will stand the test of time.
And I know a lot of people loved Michael Shannon in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD and he was fantastic but I would pick Philip Seymour Hoffman’s outstanding performance in DOUBT over his turn.
What will win: Heath Ledger for THE DARK KNIGHT
What should win: Heath Ledge for THE DARK KNIGHT
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Bit of a weak year, in God’s honest trust. And when you think the best female performance of the year came from Kate Winslet in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD which didn’t even pick up a nomination, you aren’t left with an awful lot to choose from.
I guess it comes down to two names who have been in this position time and time again. Meryl Streep has been nominated about 1000 times and hasn’t won an Oscar since before I was born in 1983. Kate Winslet has been nominated six times, four times in a leading role and never won. It’s down to those two.
What will win: Kate Winslet for THE READER
What should win: Kate Winslet for the not nominated REVOULTIONARY ROAD.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The weakest acting award category of 2009 and Penelope Cruz, looking more comfortable than I’ve ever seen her in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA craps on everyone else nominated. She was really strong in ELEGY too, what a great year for her.
What will win: Penelope Cruz for VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
What should win: Penelope Cruz for VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
I still haven’t seen KUNG FU PANDA. Isn’t this the annual Pixar award? Shame WALL*E didn’t get a Best Picture nod, it was certainly better than at least two of the films that got nominated.
What will win: WALL*E
What should win: WALL*E
ART DIRECTION
What will win: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
What should win: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
What will win: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
What should win: THE DARK KNIGHT
COSTUME DESIGN
What will win: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
What should win: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
I’ve only seen MAN ON WIRE and that was stunning.
BEST EDITING
Didn’t you see that scene in THE DARK KNIGHT.
What will win: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
What should win: THE DARK KNIGHT
BEST MAKE-UP
Please give HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY an Oscar!
Didn’t you guys see that movie? It was some of the best make-up I have ever seen on screen. Guillermo del Toro created a universe of costumed freaks. Just because it wasn’t going for realistic, doesn’t mean it should be dismissed.
What will win: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
What should win: HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
BEST MUSIC SCORE
What will win: WALL*E
What should win: WALL*E
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
What will win: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
What should win: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
What will win: FROZEN RIVER
What should win: IN BRUGES
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
What will win: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
What should win: DOUBT
8 Comments
Man, head out of ass please. Although I find the film slightly overrated, every single shot of Slumdog Millionaire counts, and the camera is always in the right place at the right time. Boyle knows exactly where to put a camera, and the direction in Slumdog was nothing short of beautiful. Nolan, on the other hand, still smells of a director trying to figure himself and his craft out.
a lot of Milk love. To be honest i think Slumdog deserves most oscars. The curious case of benjamin Button was a safe, boring movie.
It would be fun to see the dark knight at the oscars but best editing?
like Bob said; every shot in Slumdog counts.
I totally agree with In Bruges though!
Yeah, the more I see of THE DARK KNIGHT, the less I’m inclined to heap praise on it or think of it in terms of the highest awards. Nolan’s direction/editing hit certain peaks throughout TDK, but there were lots of lazy moments and some terribly jarring editing between acts 2 and 3.
Out of this weak field, SLUMDOG and MILK are the two best, and I wouldn’t be too upset if either one took the Oscar. SLUMDOG is probably the more radical of the two films, so I guess I’m sorta rooting for it to win, although not very hard.
And Matt, I completely agree that Winslet should have beem nominated for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD … she was excellent in both films this year … but I think her performance in THE READER cries out for more attention from the Academy (the accent, period piece).
Winslet in The Reader is arguably the best performance I’ve seen from anyone this year. Problem is that it’s clearly and undeniably a supporting role.
Really good choices and I agree with a lot of them (especially in bruges for best original screenplay) but I disagree with kate winslet for winning the role she play constantly over and over again its bullshit and marissa tomei should win for the wrestler…well at least she got nominated.
kate winslet definitely should have been nominated for revolutionary road! the reason that she WILL win this year is because she put in two fantastic lead performances, and believe me the academy members took both roles into account. slumdog is amazing! just seen it for the second time and i still think its amazing.
i agree milk is the best film of the year, but i think that the acting and screenplay put it in that level, and both will be awarded. i really hope O Saya wins for best song, not only because of m.i.a but the scene in which it is used is one of the most gripping in the film.
Maybe I am dumb – but where can I find that goddamn chat?
@videoraider: i think it’ll go up tonight?