The post you’ve all been waiting for: my predictions for Oscars 2009! Oh and if you haven’t already run into one of the promotional Oscar photo booths you might want to go looking for it. I got my picture taken with one…and I got to pick up the statue-if you win one in real life you better have a date to cart it around to all of the parties after the show because it is heavy!!
In the words of the late Heath Ledger as the Joker: Here. We. Go.
Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor”
Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn in “Milk”
Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler”
Who should win: Sean Penn. Milk was amazing.
Who will win: Mickey Rourke. I won’t be mad. The more I take the time to reflect on The Wrestler the more I respect Mr. Rourke. However the steroid use for an addict could send him spinning again. What if he wins the Oscar and then ruins his career…again. The Boss will only write a Golden Globe award winning song for you movie so many times…and I wouldn’t want to cross The Boss.
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin in “Milk”
Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder”
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt”
Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight”
Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road”
Who should win: Heath Ledger. The Joker was haunting. I’m still very sad about losing a great actor like Ledger.
Who will win: Heath, especially considering the last time he was nominated it was for a role that was the complete opposite. He was versatile. This category is stacked this year, and I’m not saying Ledger will win solely because he passed, but if the circumstances were different this would not be so cut and dry. Michael Shannon received a surprise nomination (there was an audible sound when they announced it) for a role that almost stole RR. Josh Brolin and Philip Seymour Hoffman also gave amazing performances.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie in “Changeling”
Melissa Leo in “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep in “Doubt”
Kate Winslet in “The Reader”
Who should win: Kate Winslet. Two amazing performances in one year, only one nomination (and two Golden Globe wins). Pure brilliance.
Who will win: I think Kate will take it. Sure Meryl won the crowd over at the SAG awards, but I think the fact that Kate didn’t get the nomination for Revolutionary Road will play into the win. If it were April vs. Meryl scary nun character Streep would take it, but German Nazi member Hanna is a powerful character.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams in “Doubt”
Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”
Viola Davis in “Doubt”
Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler”
Who should win: Viola Davis.
Who will win: Viola Davis. If you saw Doubt you know why.
Best Animated Feature
Wall-E
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Who should win: Wall-E
Who will win: Wall-E. A cartoon with a precious little robot about the importance of saving the environment. Come on? you think a panda or miley will top that. doubt it.
Achievement for Directing
David Fincher “Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Ron Howard “Frost/Nixon”
Gus Van Sant “Milk”
Stephen Daldry “The Reader”
Danny Boyle “Slumdog Millionaire”
Who should win: Gus Van Sant. He made Harvey Milk proud.
Who will win: Probably Danny Boyle because everyone is obsessed with that movie…
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Who should win: Milk. It moved my soul.
Who will win: Slumdog. bc everyone’s obsessed!
Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Who should win: The Reader
Who Will Win: Slumdog. damn you.
Original Screenplay
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Milk
Wall-E
Who should win: Milk. the perfect amount of emotional peaks and valleys
Who will Win: Milk will take it. it was weird that the best screenplay nominees for the globes were all adapted – i was curious to see what would get nominated for this category after that.
For the rest of the nominations I’m just going to highlight the list what should win and what will win. Purple is my pick. Blue is what will win.
Achievement in Art Direction
Changeling
***The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
*** The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
Achievement in Cinematography
Changeling
****The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millonaire
Achievement in Costume Design
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
****The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Achievement in film editing
****The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Achievement in Makeup
****The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Original Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Milk
****Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Original Song
**Down to Earth from Wall-E
*Jai Ho from Slumdog Millionaire
*O Saya from Slumdog Millionaire
sidenote: where the hell is The Wrestler?? and I don’t know the difference between the songs from Slumdog…but one of them will win…
Achievement in Sound Editing
**The Dark Knight
Iron Man
**Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Wanted
Achievement in Sound Mixing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
**The Dark Knight
**Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Wanted
Achievement in Visual Effects
****The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Some last thoughts.
This was a great year for movies. Some movies got more hype than necessary, some didn’t get enough but I think the award shows really helped spike interest. After the Globes and after the nominations the theatres around here were packed full! It’s good to see. I’m surprised at is the Changeling didn’t do better in nominations – I saw it, I liked it-usually a movie backed by Eastwood and starring a strong female does well. Another surprise? Where was Gran Torino? If I think of anymore I’ll let you know! You still have a few more days to cram in as many movies as you can. GO!
