Most of the members of “the Academy” are actors, so I thought I’d take a stab at my own 2009 Oscar predictions. Lets see how I do.
BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire ←--------------------
This category should be a no brainer. Everyone loves a story about the under dog and Slumdog was it.
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 ←-----------------
Just as much as everyone loves the story of an under dog, we also like the story of a comeback kid. Robert Downey Jr. anyone? If it weren’t for Mickey Rourke being nominated, this would have gone to Sean Penn.
BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader ←-------------------
This was one of the hardest categories to predict. We have Meryl Streep with 15 nominations and 2 wins and Kate Winslet with 6 nominations and no wins. And at just 33, she’ll most likely surpass Streep with nominations if she doesn’t fall to the Best Actress curse (Julia Roberts, Helen Hunt, Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry, Charlize Theron, Hilary Swank, and Reese Witherspoon). All in all to her advantage was the release of The Reader and Revolutionary Road around the same time which allowed her range to be seen and kept her fresh in everyones minds
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire ←-----------------------
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight ←------------------------
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
This too was a no brainer but for what its worth, he should win.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona ←----------------
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Much like this should be Winslet’s year, this should also be Cruz’s year. She is fresh off her Volver nomination in 2006 and unlike most of the other nominees; she has a huge A-list backing behind her. They want her to officially be a member of the club.
Sidebar: I really like Taraji P. Henson’s performance in BB. She is now on my radar for an Oscar win in the future.
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 ←---------------------
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 ←--------------------------
The first ten minutes alone makes Slumdog the winner in this category.
BEST EDITING
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire ←--------------------------
Much for the same reason this takes Best Cinematography, it will also win this category as well.
BEST MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ←--------------------
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The aging alone makes this an easy pick.
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
Bollywood meets Hollywood. Enough said.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Down to Earth (WALL-E)
Jai Ho (Slumdog Millionaire) ←---------------------
O Saya (Slumdog Millionaire)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ←-------------------
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
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
