The Academy has been in a rut the past 10 years. Ratings have been going down fairly consistently with 2003 having a low 33 million viewers, and 2007 having an all time low of 32 million. But in need of change, the people planning the Oscars this year were batting a hundred.
This year people didn’t care about the films that were nominated. Sure some people tuned in to see Heath Ledger win best supporting actor, but for the most part (at least if you look at box office numbers for the films) people just didn’t care and more importantly they didn’t see any of the movies. People tuned into see not only the makeover for the show but also too see A-list stars.
This is where the Academy hits a homerun. They moved away from the traditional comedian host to a People’s Sexiest Man Alive Hugh Jackman, which was their first good move. Jackman was funny and his song-and-dance routines were what ended up making him a memorable host and while his jokes sometimes fell flat it was easier to forgive him considering he’s a legit actor (no offence Billy Crystal).
The second good move was the presenters. Still awkwardly combined (there’s just no getting around Daniel Craig and Sarah Jessica Parker) this time the presenters were people we actually wanted to see. The most memorable presenters would have to be Ben Stiller, who did a Joaquin Phoenix impersonation, and Steve Martin and Tina Fey, who had some good back and forth dialogue regarding screenplays.
The third, and most appreciated, win was the makeover of the show. Things seemed fresher and the retrospect’s of last years movies, while unnecessary, did happen to not only liven up the Oscars but also make an appeal to the mainstream crowd. The ever-changing backgrounds also left for a fresh show.
But what is the Oscar’s without some problems. The first would be the new format of presenting the acting awards. By bringing out 5 older Academy winners to announce the nominees is a nice thought, it didn’t work for several reasons. The first is that these people should be presenting, not critiquing. Their opinions often times got in the way of the tribute that the announcers should be giving the actors. The worst would be Cuba Gooding Jr. whose words about Robert Downey Jr.’s turn as a black face in Tropic Thunder seemed somewhat laughable. Being talked up by Anthony Hopkins is a cool idea but not everyone of the nominees were as fortunate (Joel Grey? He did Cabaret and then fell off the face of the planet, why is he presenting?). Also presenters made it all about themselves, best displayed by Halle Berry who had the nerve to compare Melissa Leo’s performance in Frozen River to her own Oscar nod. This is a night to recognize the best of 2008... not yourself.
However the biggest issue with the Oscars has remained the same for years. People simply don’t care about the technical awards. Costume design is interesting to be fair, but the average Joe just wants to see the major awards and not even to that degree this year. When ever members of the industry like Jack Black and host Hugh Jackman joke about not seeing the movies, one has to ask: Why do I care if they don’t?
But despite that traditional setback the Oscars this year were the best in some time. Slumdog Millionaire was the big winner of course but Milk politically seemed to have a lot to say with both Sean Penn (who won best Actor for playing gay rights activist Harvey Milk) and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black lashing out against the Prop 8 disputes in California. Winners went according to plan making the show itself somewhat dull for film buffs. The only question left regarding the Oscars though is: Hugh Jackman 09? One can only hope.
Showing posts with label Road to the Oscars 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Road to the Oscars 2008. Show all posts
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
Oscar Nominee Thoughts for Sunday
Every year, Hollywood congregates for one night known as the Oscars. For no reason other than to congratulate one another, awkwardly matched celebrities hand awards to the best of the best in categories like make-up, acting, directing, costume designing and screenwriting. On January 22nd, the Academy released their nominee’s for this year’s Oscars (the show air on February 22nd). In a year where the categories seemed pre-planned and extremely cookie-cutter, Academy voters decided to throw a curve ball.
Sparing the more boring categories (although Man on Wire, the best movie of 2008, did get a Best Documentary nomination) and move on to Best Original Song. The Wrestler by Bruce Springsteen won the Golden Globe for the same category but failed to even score a nomination by the Academy. If viewers remember last year, the same thing happened to Eddie Vedder for his song Guaranteed. This is just the beginning of the oddball nominees.
Supporting actor this year was certainly more “Just an honor to be nominated” considering the momentum Heath Ledger has gained coming into the awards show. Other notable nominees would be Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder and Phillip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt. Both actors were locks going in, but the Academy changed up the last two slots. Michael Shannon got a surprise nomination for his role as an insane man in Revolutionary Road. This is easily the second best performance in this category and in another Ledger-less year, it might have been seen as more of a threat, but the lack of buzz around the performance leaves viewers dumbfounded at how it even scored a nomination. The last slot goes to Josh Brolin for Milk. Brolin likely got the nomination with voters remembering his superb turn as our former president in W., which he got snubbed for. In this category, it seems obvious “The Joker” will be taking home the gold.
Supporting Actress also saw some interesting changes. Penelope Cruz was labeled as a leading actress by the Hollywood Foreign Press, but apparently academy awards voters deemed her a supporting one. Cruz was merely average in the movie similarly to Tarji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Similarly to Michael Shannon, this is someone who hasn’t gotten a lot of notoriety for her performance up until now and Henson isn’t much of a threat. Picking a winner for this category is tough but Amy Adams gives the strongest performance in Doubt. Most critics found her the weak link in the movie’s performances, but she delivers a subtle and effective performance as a nun trying to figure out her place in a Catholic school. The only true contenders though would be Viola Davis as a mother handling the prospects of her sons alleged molestation in Doubt and Marissa Tomei as an aging stripper in The Wrestler. Davis will take home the gold although she’s only in the movie for 12 minutes, but this category could go anyway come the 22nd.
Best Actor comes down to 3 men. Frank Langella’s portrayal of Richard Nixon is surprisingly good and he is the oldest actor in this category; so there is a good chance Hollywood sees him take home the gold for Frost/Nixon. Thoughts? No chance. This category comes down to a ring match between the first gay man elected into major office, Harvey Milk and aging wrestler Randy “the Ram” Robinson. Yes, Sean Penn for Milk and Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler. Both performances are phenomenal. The general consensus is Rourke wins but instinctually voters should go with Sean Penn. His performance is more flamboyant and less subtle than Rourkes. Also in the category are Richard Jenkins in The Visitor, who follows the Shannon and Henson in the path of random nominations this year. Brad Pitt will likely get overlooked considering how much make-up and CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) was used on his character Benjamin Button. The real question comes to how much of the acting is Brad, and how much is Hollywood trickery?
Mellisa Leo comes out of nowhere to get a nomination for Best Actress for Frozen River. Meryl Streep obrained her 15th career nomination for Doubt, a performance she could easily get the gold for. There’s also the brilliant and under looked Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married, certainly a more showy performance than most in this category. Next is Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road…wait, what’s that? No, she gets her nomination for The Reader? Yes in what most assumed would be a double year for Winslet (A Supporting Actress nomination for The Reader and a Lead Actress for Revolutionary Road), she somehow received only one nomination. She was overlooked for her performance in Revolutionary Road (a movie that was overall snubbed by the academy), a role where she delivers some of her most moving and emotionally effective work. Winslet finally, after her 6th nomination, will take home her first statue.
Best Motion Picture of 2008 though was the most disappointing category. The nominees are Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, and The Reader. What about The Wrestler?! What about The Dark Knight!? What about Revolutionary Road?! Nowhere to be seen are The Wrestler and The Dark Knight, not only some of the best work of last year, but also some of the best work of the past 25 years. Both are two of the year’s best movies and it seems strange that The Wrestler got the same number of nomination as this summer’s Wanted. Movies like Benjamin Button and Frost/Nixon are good but Oscar nominee worthy? Slumdog Millionaire will undoubtedly walk away with the gold taking into consideration the movies recent S.A.G (Screen Actors Guild) and Golden Globe wins.
Overall these nominations were bittersweet. Sure they got things wrong but at least they kept us guessing until the end. Viewers may tune into see what the overall outcome will be on February 22nd on ABC.
Sparing the more boring categories (although Man on Wire, the best movie of 2008, did get a Best Documentary nomination) and move on to Best Original Song. The Wrestler by Bruce Springsteen won the Golden Globe for the same category but failed to even score a nomination by the Academy. If viewers remember last year, the same thing happened to Eddie Vedder for his song Guaranteed. This is just the beginning of the oddball nominees.
Supporting actor this year was certainly more “Just an honor to be nominated” considering the momentum Heath Ledger has gained coming into the awards show. Other notable nominees would be Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder and Phillip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt. Both actors were locks going in, but the Academy changed up the last two slots. Michael Shannon got a surprise nomination for his role as an insane man in Revolutionary Road. This is easily the second best performance in this category and in another Ledger-less year, it might have been seen as more of a threat, but the lack of buzz around the performance leaves viewers dumbfounded at how it even scored a nomination. The last slot goes to Josh Brolin for Milk. Brolin likely got the nomination with voters remembering his superb turn as our former president in W., which he got snubbed for. In this category, it seems obvious “The Joker” will be taking home the gold.
Supporting Actress also saw some interesting changes. Penelope Cruz was labeled as a leading actress by the Hollywood Foreign Press, but apparently academy awards voters deemed her a supporting one. Cruz was merely average in the movie similarly to Tarji P. Henson in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Similarly to Michael Shannon, this is someone who hasn’t gotten a lot of notoriety for her performance up until now and Henson isn’t much of a threat. Picking a winner for this category is tough but Amy Adams gives the strongest performance in Doubt. Most critics found her the weak link in the movie’s performances, but she delivers a subtle and effective performance as a nun trying to figure out her place in a Catholic school. The only true contenders though would be Viola Davis as a mother handling the prospects of her sons alleged molestation in Doubt and Marissa Tomei as an aging stripper in The Wrestler. Davis will take home the gold although she’s only in the movie for 12 minutes, but this category could go anyway come the 22nd.
Best Actor comes down to 3 men. Frank Langella’s portrayal of Richard Nixon is surprisingly good and he is the oldest actor in this category; so there is a good chance Hollywood sees him take home the gold for Frost/Nixon. Thoughts? No chance. This category comes down to a ring match between the first gay man elected into major office, Harvey Milk and aging wrestler Randy “the Ram” Robinson. Yes, Sean Penn for Milk and Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler. Both performances are phenomenal. The general consensus is Rourke wins but instinctually voters should go with Sean Penn. His performance is more flamboyant and less subtle than Rourkes. Also in the category are Richard Jenkins in The Visitor, who follows the Shannon and Henson in the path of random nominations this year. Brad Pitt will likely get overlooked considering how much make-up and CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) was used on his character Benjamin Button. The real question comes to how much of the acting is Brad, and how much is Hollywood trickery?
Mellisa Leo comes out of nowhere to get a nomination for Best Actress for Frozen River. Meryl Streep obrained her 15th career nomination for Doubt, a performance she could easily get the gold for. There’s also the brilliant and under looked Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married, certainly a more showy performance than most in this category. Next is Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road…wait, what’s that? No, she gets her nomination for The Reader? Yes in what most assumed would be a double year for Winslet (A Supporting Actress nomination for The Reader and a Lead Actress for Revolutionary Road), she somehow received only one nomination. She was overlooked for her performance in Revolutionary Road (a movie that was overall snubbed by the academy), a role where she delivers some of her most moving and emotionally effective work. Winslet finally, after her 6th nomination, will take home her first statue.
Best Motion Picture of 2008 though was the most disappointing category. The nominees are Milk, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon, and The Reader. What about The Wrestler?! What about The Dark Knight!? What about Revolutionary Road?! Nowhere to be seen are The Wrestler and The Dark Knight, not only some of the best work of last year, but also some of the best work of the past 25 years. Both are two of the year’s best movies and it seems strange that The Wrestler got the same number of nomination as this summer’s Wanted. Movies like Benjamin Button and Frost/Nixon are good but Oscar nominee worthy? Slumdog Millionaire will undoubtedly walk away with the gold taking into consideration the movies recent S.A.G (Screen Actors Guild) and Golden Globe wins.
Overall these nominations were bittersweet. Sure they got things wrong but at least they kept us guessing until the end. Viewers may tune into see what the overall outcome will be on February 22nd on ABC.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
49 Songs Compete for Best Original Song Oscar
Sorry for the lack of reviews but school has been taking up my time. Look for reviews of Seven Pounds, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, Doubt, and Gran Torino in the coming days, as well as updated impressions on Benjamin Button, which I see again tommorow.
This list has some great songs, I bolded the ones I think are particularly worth listening to. The Wrester by Bruce Springsteen is amazing, my vote for best song. Just downloaded it via iTunes today.
* Quantum of Solace - "Another Way to Die"
* Bolt - "Barking at the Moon"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "The Boys Are Back"
* Role Models - "Broken and Bent"
* Australia - "By the Boab Tree"
* The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - "The Call"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Can I Have This Dance"
* Repo! The Genetic Opera - "Chase the Morning"
* Repo! The Genetic Opera - "Chromaggia"
* My Dream - "The Code of Life"
* Save Me - "Code of Silence"
* The Women - "Count on Me"
* The Lodger - "Di Notte"
* Pray the Devil Back to Hell - "Djoyigbe"
* WALL-E - "Down to Earth"
* Forgetting Sarah Marshall - "Dracula’s Lament"
* Fuel - "Drive"
* They Killed Sister Dorothy - "Forever"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "High School Musical"
* Gran Torino - "Gran Torino"
* Bolt - "I Thought I Lost You"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "I Want It All"
* Nights in Rodanthe - "In Rodanthe"
* Dark Streets - "It Ain’t Right"
* Slumdog Millionaire - "Jai Ho"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Just Getting Started"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Just Wanna Be with You"
* Synecdoche, New York - "Little Person"
* Wanted - "The Little Things"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "A Night to Remember"
* Nothing but the Truth - "Nothing but the Truth"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Now or Never"
* Slumdog Millionaire - "O Saya"
* Cadillac Records - "Once in a Lifetime"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Right Here Right Now"
* Tennesee - "Right to Dream"
* Hamlet 2 - "Rock Me Sexy Jesus"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Scream"
* My Blueberry Nights - "The Story"
* Yes Man - "Sweet Ballad"
* Dark Streets - "Too Much Juice"
* Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - "The Traveling Song"
* Trouble the Water - "Trouble the Water"
* Rachel Getting Married - "Up to Our Nex"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Walk Away"
* Pride and Glory - "Waterline"
* The Wrestler - "The Wrestler"
* Yes Man - "Yes Man"
* Repo! The Genetic Opera - "Zydrate Anatomy"
This list has some great songs, I bolded the ones I think are particularly worth listening to. The Wrester by Bruce Springsteen is amazing, my vote for best song. Just downloaded it via iTunes today.
* Quantum of Solace - "Another Way to Die"
* Bolt - "Barking at the Moon"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "The Boys Are Back"
* Role Models - "Broken and Bent"
* Australia - "By the Boab Tree"
* The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - "The Call"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Can I Have This Dance"
* Repo! The Genetic Opera - "Chase the Morning"
* Repo! The Genetic Opera - "Chromaggia"
* My Dream - "The Code of Life"
* Save Me - "Code of Silence"
* The Women - "Count on Me"
* The Lodger - "Di Notte"
* Pray the Devil Back to Hell - "Djoyigbe"
* WALL-E - "Down to Earth"
* Forgetting Sarah Marshall - "Dracula’s Lament"
* Fuel - "Drive"
* They Killed Sister Dorothy - "Forever"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "High School Musical"
* Gran Torino - "Gran Torino"
* Bolt - "I Thought I Lost You"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "I Want It All"
* Nights in Rodanthe - "In Rodanthe"
* Dark Streets - "It Ain’t Right"
* Slumdog Millionaire - "Jai Ho"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Just Getting Started"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Just Wanna Be with You"
* Synecdoche, New York - "Little Person"
* Wanted - "The Little Things"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "A Night to Remember"
* Nothing but the Truth - "Nothing but the Truth"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Now or Never"
* Slumdog Millionaire - "O Saya"
* Cadillac Records - "Once in a Lifetime"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Right Here Right Now"
* Tennesee - "Right to Dream"
* Hamlet 2 - "Rock Me Sexy Jesus"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Scream"
* My Blueberry Nights - "The Story"
* Yes Man - "Sweet Ballad"
* Dark Streets - "Too Much Juice"
* Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa - "The Traveling Song"
* Trouble the Water - "Trouble the Water"
* Rachel Getting Married - "Up to Our Nex"
* High School Musical 3: Senior Year - "Walk Away"
* Pride and Glory - "Waterline"
* The Wrestler - "The Wrestler"
* Yes Man - "Yes Man"
* Repo! The Genetic Opera - "Zydrate Anatomy"
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Golden Globe Nominations
I don't know how I feel about these picks. Best Picture for Drama seem like reasonable picks minus the lack of a certain Batman movie. Best Picture for Comedy/Musical is terrible list. All the movies are average minus In Bruges which is a decent movie. Good Job for Kate Winslet scoring 2 nominations for the Reader and Revolutionary Road. I question the acting nominations for James Franco and Tom Cruise but those are just weak caatagories in general. Oh, and trust me, best Score? The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...its amazing.
BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Frost/Nixon*
The Reader*
Revolutionary Road*
Slumdog Millionaire*
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)*
Angelina Jolie (Changeling)*
Meryl Streep (Doubt)*
Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved You So Long)*
Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road)*
Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)*
Sean Penn (Milk)*
Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Burn After Reading*
Happy-Go-Lucky*
In Bruges*
Mamma Mia!*
Vicky Cristina Barcelona*
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)*
Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky)*
Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading)*
Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!)*
Emma Thompson (Last Chance Harvey)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)*
Colin Farrell (In Bruges)*
James Franco (Pineapple Express)*
Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges)*
Dustin Hoffman (Last Chance Harvey)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bolt*
Kung Fu Panda*
Wall-E*
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)*
Everlasting Moments (Sweden/Denmark)*
Gomorrah (Italy)*
I've Loved You So Long (France)*
Waltz with Bashir (Israel)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Amy Adams (Doubt)*
Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)*
Viola Davis (Doubt)*
Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)*
Kate Winslet (The Reader)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)*
Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)*
Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess)*
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)*
Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)*
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE*
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)*
Stephen Daldry (The Reader)*
David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)*
Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)*
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)*
David Hare (The Reader)*
Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon)*
Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)*
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
Alexandre Desplat (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
Clint Eastwood (Changeling)*
James Newton Howard (Defiance)*
A. R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)*
Has Zimmer (Frost/Nixon)*
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
"Down to Earth" (Wall-E)*
"Gran Torino" (Gran Torino)*
"I thought I Lost You" (Bolt)*
"Once in a Lifetime" (Cadillac Records)*
"The Wrestler" (The Wrestler)*
BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Frost/Nixon*
The Reader*
Revolutionary Road*
Slumdog Millionaire*
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)*
Angelina Jolie (Changeling)*
Meryl Streep (Doubt)*
Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved You So Long)*
Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road)*
Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)*
Sean Penn (Milk)*
Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Burn After Reading*
Happy-Go-Lucky*
In Bruges*
Mamma Mia!*
Vicky Cristina Barcelona*
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)*
Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky)*
Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading)*
Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia!)*
Emma Thompson (Last Chance Harvey)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)*
Colin Farrell (In Bruges)*
James Franco (Pineapple Express)*
Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges)*
Dustin Hoffman (Last Chance Harvey)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bolt*
Kung Fu Panda*
Wall-E*
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)*
Everlasting Moments (Sweden/Denmark)*
Gomorrah (Italy)*
I've Loved You So Long (France)*
Waltz with Bashir (Israel)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Amy Adams (Doubt)*
Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)*
Viola Davis (Doubt)*
Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)*
Kate Winslet (The Reader)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)*
Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)*
Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess)*
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)*
Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)*
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE*
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)*
Stephen Daldry (The Reader)*
David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)*
Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)*
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)*
David Hare (The Reader)*
Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon)*
Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)*
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
Alexandre Desplat (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)*
Clint Eastwood (Changeling)*
James Newton Howard (Defiance)*
A. R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)*
Has Zimmer (Frost/Nixon)*
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
"Down to Earth" (Wall-E)*
"Gran Torino" (Gran Torino)*
"I thought I Lost You" (Bolt)*
"Once in a Lifetime" (Cadillac Records)*
"The Wrestler" (The Wrestler)*
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
14 Animated Features were submitted for Oscars
* Delgo
* Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!
* Dragon Hunters
* Fly Me to the Moon
* Igor
* Kung Fu Panda
* Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
* $9.99
* The Sky Crawlers
* Sword of the Stranger
* The Tale of Despereaux
* WALL-E
* Waltz with Bashir
So obviously I haven't heard of most of these, but things like $9.99 intrigue me. WALL-E SHOULD take the cake but now that they're aiming for a Best Picture Nomination as well, who knows what will happen. Kung Fu Panda deserves a nomination too. I'll add that review online soon for its DVD release.
* Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!
* Dragon Hunters
* Fly Me to the Moon
* Igor
* Kung Fu Panda
* Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
* $9.99
* The Sky Crawlers
* Sword of the Stranger
* The Tale of Despereaux
* WALL-E
* Waltz with Bashir
So obviously I haven't heard of most of these, but things like $9.99 intrigue me. WALL-E SHOULD take the cake but now that they're aiming for a Best Picture Nomination as well, who knows what will happen. Kung Fu Panda deserves a nomination too. I'll add that review online soon for its DVD release.
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