So I am taking the bigger categories and going to write a little bit about what i think should win and who will win. I will most my full oscar pics (for categories we know nothing about) on Sat. the 21st.
Text in Red is who I think will win
Best animated feature film of the year
* “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
* “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton
Is their any other choice for the best animated film? Of the three only one is a work of art. Bolt should not be here and be replaced by "Waltz With Bashir" but that aside, Wall-E is the best picture of the year. It truly was the only incredible film of the year. Most of 2009 was mediocre.
Adapted screenplay
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
* “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
This might be the toughest category as the all have their problems. BB has become the forest gump and we can't fall for that trap a second time. Doubt is a mess and probably better on stage. F/N is based on real things that became a play with made up history in it (though i enjoyed it). The Reader is a good story but really Nazi Porn. It glorifies someone who couldn't see the wrong she did. SM is so conventional that it is a movie of the week on lifetime. It will go to SM just cause the academy is old. I think BB is better written but none of these films are really that great. Can they give it to no one?
Original screenplay
* “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
* “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
* “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
This category is so much better than the previous one. Here we have 5 interesting screenplays (i have only seen 4) that translated into some of the best reviewed and most interesting films of the year. FR was incredible and the most honest film of the year. HGL is the one i have not seen. IB was surprisingly good and well written for a film with a huge action sequence in it. M was touching, honest and forthright about the issues surrounding the people. WE was great. Any of these would be a good choice. I want Frozen River but it will be either Milk or Wall-E.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)
First let me say that all 5 are very good. JB really plays off Penn and they are the center of the film. RDJ takes something that could be racist and actually makes it not while still being funny. One of the best comedy performances I have seen in years. PSH is good but the film has so many problems. HL is just here cause he died. Let's be honest he wouldn't win if were alive. He may have been nominated but still. MS steals the film from the others while providing the emphasis of the film. I want RDJ or JB but we all know the obvious here. Long Live the Dead.
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
* Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
This is the category that i don't care who wins in. Honestly. These are 5 amazing performances and two of them make a bad movie good. I could write more but really i think who ever wins this is the best category of nominees this year. Hands down. So I am going with the most entertaining performance for me but i kind of home t hat Marisa Tomei or Viola Davis have a shot at it.
Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
* Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
These are 5 good performances. Seeing one of my favorite performances of the year here is great. Go RJ! I think Sean Penn shows us though why he might be the best actor out that right now (Russell Crowe get together you two need an Act off). I know the focus is on MR but let's be honest shakey cam and too close to real life makes one question how much acting and real life are merging here. I enjoyed and think MR deserved this and all the work he is going to get but really. SP deserves this so much more.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
* Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
* Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)
Ok here we go. AH proves shes more than a pretty face and is great but the camera work made me sick. not her fault but it is just the beginning for her. AJ is the one I have not seen. the reviews were not that huge and she is here because KW can't be nominated twice in the same Category. ML give the YEAR'S BEST PERFORMANCE. She makes you feel her and gives you all the realistic feelings of a woman in a bad situation. She is thoughtful and sweet, caring and edgy, and there was more than one scene where you cry for her because she is in a tough place and you feel it. MS is a bit overacting here and still hard to see her as a catholic but she is entertaining and delivers as usual.
KW brings the most contreversal performance of the year to the screen. Should we reward her for playing a Nazi who does not realize she committed genocide? Is the film just entertainment and making light of the murder of 6million jews and 4 million of minoties of europe? She is goig to win because she was right in Extras. it is her year and the holocaust wins. How shallow is the academy here? those questions aside the film and her performance did make me ask questions and wonder about lots of things. Of the 5 nominated her and ML are the only ones that i felt some lasting thoughts on.
I want melissa leo but it will be KW.
Achievement in directing
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle
Ok this one is tough. I think DF did the best job of putting together a complex story. RH made a small thing feel bigger. GVS crafted a perfectly executed film. SD made the film work but my issues are above. DB is always a good director and that is the best part of this film. I think GVS should win but it will be this stupid conventional average film with great direction that seems to make a visual porn off the poor of india.
Best motion picture of the year
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production,Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
* “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production,Christian Colson, Producer
Could there ever be a reason to hate the front runner more? BB is long and not everyone's cup of tea.F/N is good glad it is here but that's it. Milk is the best film but i think because it is gay-ish that the old homophobes of the academy will not vote for it (see brokeback mountain). TR is well gald to be here. SM is average and interesting and very god directing for a pedestrian and conventional story. SM will win but I am going to chear for MILK all the way.
The Dark Knight and Wall-E should be here as they are two of the best pictures of the year.
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