BEST MOTION PICTURE
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”
I hate to sound like just another one of the thousands of fanboys out there on the internet (just kidding, I love it), but where the hell the The Dark Knight? That movie, on top of being the second highest grossing movie of all time, was a better dramatic film than half of these nominations! The only films here that I can really back are Slumdog Millionaire and Milk.
HOPE: Slumdog Millionaire
PREDICTION: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” Directed by David Fincher
“Frost/Nixon” Directed by Ron Howard
“Milk” Directed by Gus Van Sant
“The Reader” Directed by Stephen Daldry
“Slumdog Millionaire” Directed by Danny Boyle
Seem familiar? That’s because this list is identical to the Best Picture nominations, and again, Dark Knight gets completely snubbed. Christopher Nolan is one of, if not the best director working today, and to overlook him here is criminal. Ron Howard? Daldry? What about Aronofsky!
Cutting my rant short, Boyle is pretty much a shoe in, although I wouldn't be too upset if Fincher took it.
HOPE: Danny Boyle
PREDICTION: Danny Boyle
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“Doubt” Written by John Patrick Shanley
“Frost/Nixon” Screenplay by Peter Morgan
“The Reader” Screenplay by David Hare
“Slumdog Millionaire” Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
As much as I love Slumdog Millionaire, I’m hoping that Doubt takes this one home. Just don't give it to Forrest Gump.
HOPE: Doubt
PREDICTION: Slumdog Millionaire
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Frozen River” Written by Courtney Hunt
“Happy-Go-Lucky” Written by Mike Leigh
“In Bruges” Written by Martin McDonagh
“Milk” Written by Dustin Lance Black
“WALL-E” Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
This is probably one of the closest categories. I loved Bruges, Milk and WALL-E, and to be honest I would be psyched to see any one of them win, although if I had to choose it would go to critically acclaimed playwrite Martin McDonagh and his hilariously dark script for In Bruges. My bet is that this one will go to Milk.
HOPE: In Bruges
PREDICTION: Milk
BEST ACTOR
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”
I think I'm probably in the minority when I say that I want Penn to win over Rourke. And despite most punters betting to the contrary, the combined guilt of Proposition 8 and the snubbing of Brokeback Mountain leads me to believe that Penn will take this one home
HOPE: Sean Penn
PREDICTION: Sean Penn
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
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”
I don’t think there's even any point in talking about this one…
HOPE: Heath Ledger
PREDICTION: Heath Ledger
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie in “Changeling”
Melissa Leo in “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep in “Doubt”
Kate Winslet in “The Reader”
I absolutely loved Doubt, and Meryl Streep was amazing. Kate Winslet is definately the favourite, although personally I thought she was much stronger in Revolutionary Road.
HOPE: Meryl Streep
PREDICTION: Kate Winslet
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
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”
I can't really give an unbiased summary here, because I am unashamedly in love with Amy Adams. All the contenders here are fantastic, especially Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson. But for some reason, I think this'll go to Cruz, even though I haven't seen the film. I don't know why...it's just a feeling.
HOPE: Taraji P. Henson
PREDICTION: Penelope Cruz
