Oscar Predictions

This year I made a more conscious effort to see as many of the Oscar nominated films as possible. Thank goodness I had seen quite a few already before the nominations were released. I know this comes fairly late but I had two more films to see. Below are the nominated films and highlighted in red are my choices to take home the Oscar.

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
I chose Slumdog for it's well rounded storyline, casting, and execution. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button came in second for me, but I hope Slundog Millionaire takes the prize.

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Gus Van Sant, Milk
This was a tough choice but I chose Fincher for the direction of full taleted cast in being able to bring it all together in range of mixed emotions and believability, that story could happen and time when it did.

BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Although much praise has been given to Mickey Rouke and well deserved I must say Sean Penn performance is my choice for Oscar winner. Sean Penn's more conplex character is truly absorbed and clearly he clearly becomes Harvey Milk.

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Although my personal favorite actress is Angelina Jolie I must give credit where credit is due. Kate Winslet is my prediction to win the Oscar this year. I don't recall where I heard this but agree, only a great actress will allow you to feel simpathy for a woman who has an affair with a 15 year old boy and perceivably has no remorse to work in a concentration camp.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
When the buzz was first circling around for Heath Ledger to win an Oscar I was smug and believed that it would only be given in order to pay tribute to his work postumously. I was completely wrong, after seeing his performance in the Dark Night I full heartedly believe his performance was Oscar worthy. I loved Robert Downey in Tropic Thunder but Penn SHould win this time around.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
This was another diffucult choice for me. I would be content with whomever wins, but I believe Taraji Henson had the edge.

BEST 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
I saw this film at Sundance last year and was amazed it didn't do so well at the box office. Although at times the film was a bit grewsome for my taste the screenplay was comical/playful and very entertaining.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy
For the same reasons Slumdog should win Best Film it should also win Best Adapted Screenplay

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
I enjoyed all three films, however Wall-E touched my heart.

BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
This one I am not sure about so I'll give it to the underdog for this category.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess Milk Revolutionary Road
Credit should be given for well execution for the aging of Bejamin Button and wordrobe to match timeframe.

BEST EDITING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
The story had many flashback, action shots, various intrecacies that make this a winner.

BEST MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Make up for various characters in this film was flawless.

BEST 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

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
''Down to Earth,'' WALL-E
''Jai Ho,'' Slumdog Millionaire
''O Saya,'' Slumdog Millionaire

BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

BEST SOUND MIXING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

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