Don't you get me started now... don't you get me
Yup. Time for my annual Academy Award write-up! This year I'm in pretty bad shape as I haven't had the loose change to get to the movies much (or the time!) but I'm going to catch up with at least three or four of the films I haven't caught yet. The noms had a few big surprises and a few disappointments as well.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): No surprise there. Strangely, I have no desire to see this film.
Frost/Nixon (2008): I loved this film. The acting was superb, a great script, excellent make-up and costumes. Langella simply was Nixon.
Milk (2008): This is on my short list to see. From everything I've heard, it's well deserving of the nom.
The Reader (2008): I love me some Winslet, so this is on the short list as well. this was the big sneaky surprise nom for Best Picture... but the academy loves a good holocaust movie.
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Well the GG choose it as their best picture, so if you take into account their bad track record for predicting the winner of the Oscars BP in the last few years this one doesn't have a chance! Still haven't seen it, thinking of catching it tonight.
Who is missing: Not a mention of the Dark Knight. Fanboys of the world scream in anger! I personally didn't think it deserved to be up there, but at least I've seen THAT movie. Also, no mention of Revolutionary Road. Sorry Sam Mendes.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkins for The Visitor (2007/I) YES! I lovelovelove this movie, and I was so incredibly excited to see his name on the nominations list. His performance is so incredibly heartbreaking. Totally deserves the win, but he's got super tough competition.
Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon (2008) Fantastic performance. nuanced, tragic, believable. I don't think he'll win though.
Sean Penn for Milk (2008) From everything I've heard, Penn owns this movie.
Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) Yeah yeah yeah Brad Pitt is even beautiful as an old man.
Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler (2008) Mickey won at the GGs. I think he's got a real chance here too, though I have little interest in seeing The Wrestler. (sorry Jacob)
bottom line: I hope Richard Jenkins wins but I think it's going to be a tight race between Sean and Mickey.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married (2008) So I don't even know what this movie is. I know she was nominated for it for the GG but I forgot to research about it, and right now I'm too lazy. So. Anne Hathaway is pretty?
Angelina Jolie for Changeling (2008) Angie always impresses me, but this movie sounded too depressing.
Melissa Leo for Frozen River (2008) wha...?
Meryl Streep for Doubt (2008/I) Damn. Meryl gets nominated for everything. I think I heard on the news last night that this is her 14th nomination from the Academy Awards. Impressive!
Kate Winslet for The Reader (2008) So she got the lead nom for The Reader instead of Revolutionary Road. Interesting. The GGs gave her a supporting nom for her performance in the Reader.
the bottom line: something tells me this will be between Meryl and Kate. I still haven't seen either of the movies, so this is all pure crap. take it as you will.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin for Milk (2008) I like Josh Brolin. He was in Goonies.
Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder (2008) I want to have sex all over Robert Downey Jr. His whole I-used-to-be-strung-out-but-now-I'm-healthy look just plain does it for me. Oh, he's also sexy as a black man. Funny, too!
Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt (2008/I) I am in love with this man's acting chops. He always impresses mebig time.
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (2008) Will win. Absolutely amazing performance.
Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road (2008) I don't even think I've heard of this dude.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams for Doubt (2008/I) Doubt is all over these acting awards. I love Amy Adams. She is so adorable.
Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) Penelope is my favorite for the win. VCB was my second favorite movie of last year.
Viola Davis for Doubt (2008/I) Viola is a kick-ass name!
Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) who? This is out of no where.
Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler (2008) I think Marisa is Cruz's main competition.
Best Achievement in Directing
Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Stephen Daldry for The Reader (2008)
David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon (2008)
Gus Van Sant for Milk (2008)
No big surprise that these are all the BP noms too. I'm going to take a wild guess and go with Fincher. CCBB seems like the academy's kind of movie. Wild card is Gus Van Sant. Daldry has no chance.
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Frozen River (2008): Courtney Hunt What IS this movie?
Happy-Go-Lucky (2008): Mike Leigh Wow! Unexpected, but I've heard such great things about this film.
In Bruges (2008): Martin McDonagh I caught this on DVD the other night and it's one of my favorite comedies of the year.
Milk (2008): Dustin Lance Black no surprise here.
WALL·E (2008): Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter Here's a surprise!!
I'm hoping In Bruges wins only because it will get more people to watch it, and it's such a dark lovely piece. Wall-E certainly deserves the mention though, and Milk makes this category tough competition.
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Eric Roth, Robin Swicord
Doubt (2008/I): John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon (2008): Peter Morgan
The Reader (2008): David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Simon Beaufoy
I'm getting bored of this group of five! But seriously, what an odd sweep.
Okay, the rest of the nominations I don't necessarily care a lot about so, I only have a few comments on them.
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Changeling (2008): Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight (2008): Wally Pfister
The Reader (2008): Roger Deakins, Chris Menges
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Anthony Dod Mantle
Best Achievement in Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Angus Wall, Kirk Baxter
The Dark Knight (2008): Lee Smith
Frost/Nixon (2008): Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
Milk (2008): Elliot Graham
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Chris Dickens
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Changeling (2008): James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight (2008): Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando
The Duchess (2008): Michael Carlin, Rebecca Alleway
Revolutionary Road (2008): Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Australia (2008): Catherine Martin
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Jacqueline West
The Duchess (2008): Michael O'Connor
Milk (2008): Danny Glicker
Revolutionary Road (2008): Albert Wolsky
Best Achievement in Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Greg Cannom
The Dark Knight (2008)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
Woo Hellboy! if this hadn't been nominated for this category I would have pitched a fit.
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Alexandre Desplat
Defiance (2008): James Newton Howard
Milk (2008): Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman
WALL·E (2008): Thomas Newman
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman, Gulzar("Jai Ho")
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): A.R. Rahman, M.I.A("O Saya")
WALL·E (2008): Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman("Down to Earth")
Best Achievement in Sound
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
The Dark Knight (2008): Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
WALL·E (2008)
Wanted (2008) Wanted was a guilty pleasure of mine last year. And my favorite part of it? The sound.
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
The Dark Knight (2008)
Iron Man (2008) Robert Downey jr.'s goatee in this movie should have been nominated for it's own award. But i'll settle for Sound Editing.
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
WALL·E (2008)
Wanted (2008)
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008): Eric Barba, Edson Williams
The Dark Knight (2008): Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Timothy Webber, Paul J. Franklin
Iron Man (2008)
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Bolt (2008)
Kung Fu Panda (2008)
WALL·E (2008) If this doesn't win, all the babies in the world will cry.
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (2008)(Germany)
Entre les murs (2008)(France)
Revanche (2008)(Austria)
Okuribito (2008)(Japan)
Vals Im Bashir (2008)(Israel)
Best Documentary, Features
The Betrayal - Nerakhoon (2008)
Encounters at the End of the World (2007)
The Garden (2008/I)
Man on Wire (2008)
Trouble the Water (2008)
Best Documentary, Short Subjects:
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306
Best Short Film, Animated
Ubornaya istoriya - lyubovnaya istoriya (2007): Konstantin Bronzit
La Maison en Petits Cubes: Kunio Kato
Oktapodi (2007): Julien Bocabeille, François-Xavier Chanioux, Olivier Delabarre, Thierry Marchand, Quentin Marmier, Emud Mokhberi
Presto (2008): Doug Sweetland
This Way Up (2008): Alan Smith, Adam Foulkes
Best Short Film, Live Action
Auf der Strecke (2007)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy (2007)
The Pig
Spielzeugland (2007)
The short breakdown for my tl:dr friends--
YAY:
- Penelope Cruz with the supporting nom.
- Richard Jenkins with the best actor nom.
- In Bruges receives best writing nom
- Robert Downey Jr.'s sexhair
- No other nods to Vicky Christina Barcelona
- The Dark Knight gets snubbed for everything but technical award noms
- Acurious lack of Revolutionary Road noms
- Slumdog Millionare
- Doubt
- Milk
- The Reader
- Revolutionary Road (maybe)