The 81st Academy Awards are in just a few short hours and unlike years past, I'm actually looking forward to them. I've heard that the telecast has been revamped and modernized and while I love the classic schtick of Billy Crystal, I'm excited to see what Hugh Jackman will bring to the table.
I'm also psyched for the pre-show this year. In my world, gossip and judgment are the bee's knees, so bring on the glittering, bulimia-inspiring starlets drenched in diamonds! In years past, the stars have always talked about the jewelry they're wearing and how much it costs. Seeing as the icy grip of recession as taken ahold of the country, doing so this year might be a little gauche to say the least. However, I'm sure one dumbass will roll up and blurt it out. Puffy, I'm looking at you.
Like pretty much everyone else in the country, I've made predictions as to who will be taking home the gold tonight. Check them out and let me know if you agree.
Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire - Lots of buzz, heartwrenching story, dazzling visuals and ethnicity abounds. It's a shoe-in.
Best Director
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire - He's up against some stiff competition, but I think Boyle will end up taking home a very pretty paperweight.
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk
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 -- I loved Langella in Frost-Nixon. His portrayal of Richard Nixon is flawless, but as good as his performance was, it doesn't compare to Rourke's. Why? Because Langella merely played Nixon where as Rourke was Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. Both underdogs, both down on their luck and both desperately trying for one more shot at glory. Hollywood loves it when life imitates art and will reward Rourke for this portrayal handsomely.
Best Actress
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – The Reader -- I know there's been a bit of controversy about this picture lately, but that doesn't discount the fact that Winslet is both a phenomenal actress and really damn likable. Couple that with the fact that she's a five-time nominee and hasn't taken home a statuette yet and the odds look good, but she's up against some serious competition, so I'm not entirely certain about the outcome of this one.
Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin – Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight -- Come on. There's no way Ledger's not going to win this award. Barring the obvious reason, Ledger really was phenomenal as The Joker. He reinfused the character with a sociopathic glee that has only been seen in the graphic novels up until this point. Jack was good, but Heath was great.
Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -- Tough competition again, but I predict Henson FTW.
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Best Original Screenplay
WALL-E - Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter
Happy-Go-Lucky - Mike Leigh
Frozen River - Courtney Hunt
In Bruges - Martin McDonagh
Milk - Dustin Lance Black -- As much as I liked Wall-E and as funny as In Bruges is, Milk is where it's at.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
Frost/Nixon - Peter Morgan
The Reader - David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy
Doubt - John Patrick Shanley-- What's hotter than Catholic guilt? Movies about books about Catholic guilt!
Best Animated Feature
Bolt – Chris Williams and Byron Howard
Kung Fu Panda – Mark Osborne and John Stevenson
WALL-E – Andrew Stanton -- Bolt features Miley Cyrus. Anything featuring that banal succubus is immediately disqualified. My loathing of Miss Cyrus aside, Wall-E was incredible. Gorgeous animation and a great message. Loved it and so will Oscar.
I'm also psyched for the pre-show this year. In my world, gossip and judgment are the bee's knees, so bring on the glittering, bulimia-inspiring starlets drenched in diamonds! In years past, the stars have always talked about the jewelry they're wearing and how much it costs. Seeing as the icy grip of recession as taken ahold of the country, doing so this year might be a little gauche to say the least. However, I'm sure one dumbass will roll up and blurt it out. Puffy, I'm looking at you.
Like pretty much everyone else in the country, I've made predictions as to who will be taking home the gold tonight. Check them out and let me know if you agree.
Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire - Lots of buzz, heartwrenching story, dazzling visuals and ethnicity abounds. It's a shoe-in.
Best Director
Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire - He's up against some stiff competition, but I think Boyle will end up taking home a very pretty paperweight.
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk
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 -- I loved Langella in Frost-Nixon. His portrayal of Richard Nixon is flawless, but as good as his performance was, it doesn't compare to Rourke's. Why? Because Langella merely played Nixon where as Rourke was Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. Both underdogs, both down on their luck and both desperately trying for one more shot at glory. Hollywood loves it when life imitates art and will reward Rourke for this portrayal handsomely.
Best Actress
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – The Reader -- I know there's been a bit of controversy about this picture lately, but that doesn't discount the fact that Winslet is both a phenomenal actress and really damn likable. Couple that with the fact that she's a five-time nominee and hasn't taken home a statuette yet and the odds look good, but she's up against some serious competition, so I'm not entirely certain about the outcome of this one.
Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin – Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight -- Come on. There's no way Ledger's not going to win this award. Barring the obvious reason, Ledger really was phenomenal as The Joker. He reinfused the character with a sociopathic glee that has only been seen in the graphic novels up until this point. Jack was good, but Heath was great.
Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Taraji P. Henson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button -- Tough competition again, but I predict Henson FTW.
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler
Best Original Screenplay
WALL-E - Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter
Happy-Go-Lucky - Mike Leigh
Frozen River - Courtney Hunt
In Bruges - Martin McDonagh
Milk - Dustin Lance Black -- As much as I liked Wall-E and as funny as In Bruges is, Milk is where it's at.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
Frost/Nixon - Peter Morgan
The Reader - David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire - Simon Beaufoy
Doubt - John Patrick Shanley-- What's hotter than Catholic guilt? Movies about books about Catholic guilt!
Best Animated Feature
Bolt – Chris Williams and Byron Howard
Kung Fu Panda – Mark Osborne and John Stevenson
WALL-E – Andrew Stanton -- Bolt features Miley Cyrus. Anything featuring that banal succubus is immediately disqualified. My loathing of Miss Cyrus aside, Wall-E was incredible. Gorgeous animation and a great message. Loved it and so will Oscar.
2 comments on "Oh stupid Oscar, when are you going to learn that there's no such thing as free shrimp?"
I have yet to see Slumdog Millionaire or The Wrestler (both movies I do want to see), but I'm not really excited about the show this year. And sorry to say, I'm over the Heath Ledger hype...it's kinda assumed by this point he's going to win, so there's really no excitement there. I was shocked though that Dark Knight didn't get a nomination for Best Film...granted, I wasn't a fan of Batman Begins, and only enjoyed Dark Knight slightly more, but I can appreciate the merits of the film and felt it should have gotten a nod.
So, I'll just wait until tomorrow (and the rest of the week) to catch the Oscar highlights!
Your predictions were pretty on point! So what is your reaction?
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