Oscar nominations announced

So another year and another bunch of movies that are mostly average vying for a golden statue to prove their status in the film world. This year has been more predictable than others insofar as every single nomination (bar one or two surprise ones) have been mentioned to death in the run up. Its no surprise whatsoever to see Sean Penn be nominated for Milk, Angeline Jolie for Changeling and Kate Winslet be nominated for something. Although its weird she wasn't nominated for Revolutionary Road after winning the best Actress Golden Globe for it, still at least she wasn't nominate twice and thus splitting the vote.

Its not surprising to see Heath Ledger get nominated for The Dark Knight although it is delighful and a tad refreshing but it actually makes me cry that it happened in the same year that Robert Downey Jr is nominated for Tropic Thunder which is totally out of left field but fucking brilliant altogether. I want Heath Ledger to win but I really want Downey Jr to pick up something for being awesome and this would have been the perfect choice. Oh well. Some other time.

Normally each year I try and watch as many of the nominated films as I can and I'm delighted that I don't have to spend every waking moment doing that now as I've seen a fair few already. Some good. Some bad.

Full nominations in the read more and my comments about each one.



BOLD - What I would like to win.
Italics - What I think will win


Best Film:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

None of these are particularly amazing but Slumdog Millionaire is a piece of schmaltzy shit whereas Button is, if nothing else, visually astounding.


Director:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - David Fincher
Frost/Nixon - Ron Howard
Milk - Gus Van Sant
The Reader - Stephen Daldry
Slumdog Millionaire - Danny Boyle

I'd love Danny Boyle to win an oscar. But not for this. Frost/Nixon is good but nothing special whereas as I said before Benjamin Button looks savage.


Actor In A Leading Role:
The Visitor - Richard Jenkins
Frost/Nixon - Frank Langella
Milk - Sean Penn
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -
Brad Pitt
The Wrestler - Mickey Rourke

As Rob has pointed out The Wrestler is amazing and criminally not nominated for Best Film and Director. I can see Mickey Rourke win but Sean Penn has got all the right Oscar boxes ticked. Brad Pitt however shouldn't be here. They should have nominated Cate Blanchett for the same film in his stead.


Actor In A Supporting Role:
Milk - Josh Brolin
Tropic Thunder - Robert Downey Jr.
Doubt - Philip Seymour Hoffman
The Dark Knight - Heath Ledger
Revolutionary Road - Michael Shannon

If its Ledger I'll be happy. If its Downey Jr I'll be surprised but happy. Sorry Josh Brolin this isn't your year.


Actress In A Leading Role:
Rachel Getting Married - Anne Hathaway
Changeling - Angelina Jolie
Frozen River - Melissa Leo
Doubt - Meryl Streep
The Reader - Kate Winslet

I haven't seen The Reader yet but I can't imagine I'll think its anything particularly special. I just love Kate Winslet and think she should win everything.


Actress In A Supporting Role:
Doubt - Amy Adams
Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Penélope Cruz
Doubt - Viola Davis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Taraji P. Henson
The Wrestler - Marisa Tomei

The fact that there's two people nominated for Doubt means that neither of them will win because of the split vote. I really want Marisa Tomei to win. Firstly because I think she's hot as fuck for a woman in her mid 40's and watch The Wrestler if you don't believe me but also because it would be hilarious if she won it again and people thought the wrong name was read out just like the last time she won.
I think they'll go with something a little less sultry though in all honesty.


Adapted Screenplay:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Roth, Robin Swicord
Doubt - John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon - Peter Morgan
The Reader - David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy

No Idea. They're all adapted from prominent enough works. Slumdog Millionaires novel "Q&A" is awful as well and actually made worse on the screen. Why not go for an F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation though as its so different from the book.


Original Screenplay:
Frozen River - Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky - Mike Leigh
In Bruges - Martin McDonagh
Milk - Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E - Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter

In Bruges doesn't really count as the little Indie-Film-that-could. Or does it? I'm going for it anyway but Wall-E I reckon will take it.


Animated Feature
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

Seriously. There's no contest.


At this point its anyones game. The Dark Knight will probably take a bunch of the technical awards. God knows Wanted doesn't deserve anything. And notice the lack of Indiana Jones?


Art Direction
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Cinematography
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Costume Design
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road

Documentary Feature
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

Documentary Short
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306

Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Class
Departures
Austria
Waltz with Bashir

Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Original Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Alexandre Desplat
Defiance - James Newton Howard
Milk - Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire - A.R. Rahman
WALL-E - Thomas Newman

Original Song
WALL-E - "Down to Earth"
Slumdog Millionaire - "Jai Ho"
Slumdog Millionaire - "O Saya"

Sound Editing
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Sound Mixing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

Animated Short
La Maison de Petits Cubes
Lavatory - Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

Live Action Short
Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)