Best Picture
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”-- WANT
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”-- WILL - that's ok if it does win because this film was fantastic. Definitely the type of movie the academy likes, and finally, something the majority of the public enjoys as well. ***Obvious it was going to win. I am content with the choice**
Best Director
David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”-- WANT - I'm bias, he's my favorite director.
Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
Gus Van Sant, “Milk”
Stephen Daldry, “The Reader”
Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire”-- WILL **Another predictable win for the "Slum"
Best Actor
Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor”
Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
Sean Penn, “Milk” ** Was actually very surprised with this win as many thought Rourke would take home Oscar. Nonetheless, I am much happier that Penn took home the man and not Mickey (pun intended.)
Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler”-- WILL & WANT -- I hope his entourage for the evening are his puppies
Best Actress
Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married”
Angelina Jolie, “Changeling”
Melissa Leo, “Frozen River”
Meryl Streep, “Doubt”
Kate Winslet, “The Reader”-- WILL & WANT
Best Supporting Actor: A TIE BETWEEN DOWNEY JR., HOFFMAN, AND LEDGER.
Josh Brolin, “Milk”
Robert Downey Jr., “Tropic Thunder”
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt”
Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”-- WILL & WANT - Well deserved
Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road”
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, “Doubt”
Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”-- WILL
Viola Davis, “Doubt”
Taraji P. Henson, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler” -- WANT
Best Adapted Screenplay
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Doubt”
“Frost/Nixon”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”-- WILL & WANT **The broom kept on sweeping the slums
Best Original Screenplay
“Frozen River”
“Happy-Go-Lucky”-- WILL
“In Bruges”
“Milk”-- WANT. **A fantastic speech by the writer, Dustin Lance Black. It was great seeing authentic passion in a creator.
“WALL-E”
Best Animated Feature Film
“Bolt”
“Kung Fu Panda”
“WALL-E”-- WILL & WANT. Duh
Best Foreign Language Film HAVE NOT SEEN ENOUGH OF THE BELOW TO MAKE A VALID CHOICE
“The Baader Meinhof Complex”
“The Class”
“Depatures”
“Revanche”
“Waltz with Bashir”
Best Documentary Feature
“The Betrayal (Nerkhoon)”
“Encounters at the End of the World”
“The Garden”
“Man on Wire”-- WILL & WANT
“Trouble the Water”
Best Art Direction
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”-- WILL & WANT
“The Dark Knight”
“The Duchess”
“Revolutionary Road”
Best Cinematography TOUGH CALL-- BETWEEN BUTTON & MILLIONAIRE
“Changeling”
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” - WANT
“The Dark Knight”
“The Reader”
“Slumdog Millionaire”- WILL & WANT
Best Costume Design
“Australia”-- WANT - Even though the rest of the film was a disaster
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Duchess” ** What was I thinking? I should have known better, the Academy always chooses the period pieces. Shame on me.
“Milk”
“Revolutionary Road”-- WILL
Best Film Editing
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Frost/Nixon”
“Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire”-- WILL & WANT **Definitely the category I was most pleased about. The film was absolutely flawless, excellent editing.
Best Makeup
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”-- WILL & WANT .. The artists re-created the old 90s Brad Pitt we all loved!
“The Dark Knight”
“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
Best Music (Original Score)
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“Defiance”
“Milk”
“Slumdog Millionaire”-- WANT **Looking back at my "Want" I realize that Wall-E deserved it much more.
“WALL-E”-- WILL- The music created the story
Best Music (Original Song) EITHER ONE OF THE MILLIONAIRE'S WILL DO JUST FINE BY ME
“Slumdog Millionaire”- O Saya
“Slumdog Millionaire”- Jai Ho **Definitely thought O Saya was much better. I believe Jai Ho won solely because of its use in the film. I can't stand the song by itself.
“WALL-E”
Best Sound Editing
“The Dark Knight”
“Iron Man”
“Slumdog Millionaire”-- WILL
“WALL-E”
“Wanted”-- WANT
Best Sound Mixing
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
“The Dark Knight”
“Slumdog Millionaire” -- WILL & WANT
“WALL-E”
“Wanted”
Best Visual Effects
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” - WILL & WANT
“The Dark Knight”
“Iron Man”
Best Documentary Short Subject HAVE NOT SEEN ENOUGH OF THE BELOW TO MAKE A VALID CHOICE
“The Conscience of Nhem En”
“The Final Inch”
“Smile Pinki”
“The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306″
Best Short Film (Animated)
“La Maison de Petits Cubes”
“Lavatory - Lovestory”
“Oktapodi”
“Presto”
“This Way Up”-- WILL & WANT
Best Short Film (Live Action)
“Auf der Strecke (On the Line)”
“Manon on the Asphault”
“New Boy”
“The Pig”-- WILL & WANT
“Spielzeugland (Toyland)”
THE WINNERS
I thought Hugh Jackman as host did a spectacular job. His musical numbers (especially the one opening sequence by poking fun at the icky recession.) His singing was fabulous, his dancing was on que, and he was gorgeous.
In addition, I enjoyed set of the stage. Gorgeous. Very 40's esque. It is a historical fact that in times of war, films that deal with fantasy or war, suceed in the box office, which is quite obvious with the hits of the year (Slumdog, Valkyrie, Button, etc.) Why do you think Winslet was nominated for her performance in the war related film, The Reader, and not the depressing flick Revolutionary Road.. Life is depressing as is, during these hard times, the majority of the population does not want to spend $8 to watch others be miserable. Anyways, last night reminded me of the 40s, the war, the glamour of the films. Excellent choice in set.
THE LOSERS
I am so happy that Heath Ledger received the Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Dark Knight, and even more heartfelt when his parents and his sister accepted the statue in his honor. So...Why was Ledger not included in the tribute to those who passed away in 2008?
Which leads me to my next peeve, one of my favorite sequences is when the Academy recognizes the filmmakers, writers, actors, etc who passed away last year. It is emotional, honorable, and special. Whoever was the cameraperson for this sequence this year needs to be fired. I felt like I was watching the film tribute on a rocking boat. Word of advice Academy: Do not try to get artistic by swaying the camera, zooming out so the television cannot read or properly see the video display, or play with different camera angles during this time. It was distracting, and ignorant.
