2009 Year In Advanced Preview Coming Soon..Heres A Look into 2009

The Morning After...

And on the 7th day...He relaxes

What a year, what a year, what a year....

I cant believe we went from Revolutionary Road and Australia being the frontrunners to Slumdog Millionaire sweeping the awards circuit... It just goes to show ya, its always

 something.......

20/24 Slumdog Millionaire, Penelope Cruz, Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet and Sean Penn wins!!!

1. Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz- Im so happy for her, a truly deserving win

2. Best Original Screenplay: Milk by Dustin Lance Black- What a beautiful speech, truly touching
3. Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire adapted by Simon Beaufoy- An ok speech

4. Best Animated Film: Wall-e-Andy Stanton !, congratulations again to Pixar!

5. Best Animated Short: La Maison en Petits Cubes- Sank you Oscars for not awarding the best these nominees, presto.

6. Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Button is officially not shut out!

7. Best Costume Design: The Duchess- Duh

8. Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Award # 2, so much for 0/13

9. Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire- 2/2 I think we may see a sweep here

I loved the Apatow short for 2008 comedies, it really was genuinely funny, Janusz Kaminski was hillarious as were Franco and Rogen. Cant wait for Funny People this summer.

10. Best Action Short: Toyland ! Yes ! My first ever correct short prediction.

The Musical number was decent, but what on earth happened to Beyonce ? She looked like Jessica Simpson at the Chilli cookoff, her legs are thicker than mine right now.

Alan Arkin flubs P.S.H's name...Cuba gives a hillarious intro to Robert Downey Jr....Kevin Kline gives a beautiful elogy to Heath

11. Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight- Words cannot express how emotional this must feel for Heath's freinds and family. Chris Nolan said it best when he remarked: A hole has been ripped from the future of cinema. R.I.P Heath we miss you

Bill Maer comes on and gives a slightly amusing intro that almost turned ointo an infomercial for Religiolus...

12. Best Documentary: Man On Wire- This one has been a long time coming, I love that Phillipe Petit came up on stage with Marsh and gave a lovely little speech, hes a charming little fucker

13. Best Documentary Short: Smile Pinki- I... whatever...

Decent action montage

14. Best Visual F/X: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Award No. 3!

No Slumdog. No Slumdog. No Slumdog...

15. Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight! Yes! Slumdog Millionaire aint gonna sweep!

No Slumdog. N0 Slumdog. No Slumdog.....

16. Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire....totaly and completely undeserved. Award no. 3...

17. Best Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire- Lets just change the name of the award to Most Editing this year, because The Dark Knight, Milk and Ben Button all had better editing.

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award To Jerry Lewis- Eddie Murphy gives a slightly insincere intro to Jerry before cutting a great montage of Jerry.
It's so great to see an Oscar in the hands of that genius. Jerry gives a lovely speech thanking the Academy and the film industry, he's done so much and for so little, bless that man.

An inventive score montage conducted by Michael Giacchino, i'm sorry to butcher the name, yields an unexpected lovely moment of music and cinema.

18. Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire- My least favorite score of the group wins but at least I got another correct prediction.

I really did not like this song medley they are doing, Its unfortunate that M.I.A. didnt show up and that John Legend is singing Peter Gabriel's beautiful song from Wall-e because he kind of butchered it in my oppinion. Jai Ho is going to win... Bruce's not being here ruined it from the start

19. Best Original Song: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire- All I will say is that Bruce should have been nominated, had he been, we would have seen a much different person on stage

I'm thinking about switching my foreign language predix to Waltz With Bashir or Departures, but I will stay put...for now

I'm changing it to Departures at 11:06

20. Best Foreign Language Film: Departures!!! I CANT BELIEVE THAT PAID OFF!!!! My thanks to Nat Rogers for writing a convincing enough prediction thats been nagging at me all day.

In memorium....by way of Queen Latifah who sings beautifully
Ends with a beautiful tribute to Paul Newman which itself ends with my favorite shot ever of Paul Newman: a tip of the nose from The Sting, I actually started to tear up... everyone who died in 2008 will be missed terribly.

Thank god Sid Ganis is not making a speech tonight, thats the best parting gift I've ever seen. Hopefully with him gone. the Oscars will take a new direction by actually awarding phenominal films like The Dark Knight and Wall-e with Best Picture nods.

Hahaha David Fincher and Gus Van Sant got the most applause of the director nominees.

21. Best Director: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire! I cant believe I'm seeing Danny Boyle, the man who directed Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, with an Oscar.

On a side note, I love that Danny Boyle apologized to a choreographer that he left off the credits, that was a great moment.

Can Kate win tonight ? Sophia, Shirley, Halle, Nicole and Marion present...Kate looks stunning

22. Best Actress: KATE WINSLET!!! I cant believe she finally has that Oscar in her hands- A truly phenominal actress finally wins her first Oscar, hopefully the first of many more.

Kate gave a great speech...Best Actor coming right up
Robert DeNiro, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, Adrien Brody, and Mike Douglas present, what a line up huh? God I hope Mickey wins.. Bob DeNiro delivers a great line

23. Best Actor: Sean Penn for Milk...a great performance no doubt, but I really thought Mickey had this sewn up, Sean gives a fantastic funny speech, and a powerful political message.

Steven Spielberg presents Best Picture, how fitting that the man who helmed the last Best Picture to sweep, Schindler's List presents this award to Slumdog Millionaire, we all know it's gonna happen.

24. Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire- We all knew it was coming, now we can take that much needed break...

20 out of 24 aint bad at all!
Good Night.

Meditations....On my final Oscar Predictions Part 1 & 2

Well, they're finally here. Tonight, millions, well maybe not millions, of americans and foreign audiences will sit down on their couches and watch the Academy Awards which I believe are in their 8oth year. Though there may seem to be hardly any suspense in the categories which list Slumdog as a nominee, I think that we could indeed end up seeing a suprise or two tonight, and I'm not talking about the telecast's format either, which in itself is also creating some palpable excitement from Oscar watchers around the world. So without further adu here are my final Oscar predictions for each and every category. - Tyler j. Pratt "The Oscar Hut"

Live Action Short Film:

Auf der Strecke

Manon on the Asphalt

New Boy

The Pig

Toyland

I unfortunately have not seen any of these short films this year, so I have to go with what title looks most likely to called tonight. My Prediction: Toyland, What Could Win: The Pig

Best Animated Short:

La Maison en Petits...

Lavatory Lovestory

Oktapodi

Presto

This Way Up

Having seen Presto and This Way Up, I feel much more confident in predicting this award. For some reason many people are predicting La Maison en Petits... to the award which begs the question: Did you see Presto ? Hands down, the best animated short I think I've ever seen, Presto is nearly perfect, never hitting a false note. My Prediction: Presto, What Could Win: La Maison en Petits...

Best Documentary Short:

The Conscience of Nhem En

The Final Inch

Smile Pinki

The Witness From the Balcony of Room 306

I really have nothing to say about this category so...My prediction: The Witness From the Balcony of Room 306, What could win: The Final Inch

Best Documentary:

The Betrayal

Encounters at the End of the World

The Garden

Man on Wire

Trouble The Water

I've seen Encounters, Man on Wire and Trouble the water, which leads me to confidently say that the best of these nominees is Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of The World which I loved. But it wont win, it wont even come in second in this vote. My Prediction: Man on Wire, What could win: Trouble the Water, What Should win: Encounters at the End of the World

Best Animated Feature aka: The Pixar Award:

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Wall-e

With a masterpiece in Wall-e this year and Up next year, I think we will be seeing a threepeat not seen since Michael Jordan led my hometown Chicago Bulls to two threepeats during their dynastic decade of the 90's. Wall-e is without a doubt, for me, Pixar's best work yet, and it will win this in a landslide. My Prediction: Wall-e, What Could Win: I'm sticking with Wall-e, What Should Win: Wall-e

Best Foreign Film:

Austria-Revanche

France-The Class

Germany-Der Baader Meinhof Komplex

Israel-Waltz With Bashir

Japan-Departures

This is the first year that I have ever seen all the nominees for this category, and with that said, The class should be the victor here but it faces some extreme competition with the also excellent Waltz With Bashir. There have been rumblings that Japan's Departures could take it but I highly doubt it. My Prediction: The Class, What Could Win: Waltz With Bashir, What Should Win: The Class

Best Makeup

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Hellboy 2

This is a kind of tough category to call. Button features great aging makeup, The Dark Knight created an iconoclastic new version of the Joker, and Hellboy 2 was a makeup artists wet dream. So who wins here ? I'm gonna go with the movie that involves a ton of aging and de-aging. My Prediction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, What Could Win: The Dark Knight, What Should Win: Benjamin Button

Best Visual F/X:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Iron Man

This is another tough one because any one of these could win, and deserves to win. Unfortunately for the super heroes, Button features the most innovative effects since Jurrasic Park scared the shit out of litttle kids everywhere *cough cough*. My Prediction: The Curious of Button, What Could Win: The dark Knight, What Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Sound Editing:

The Dark Knight

Iron Man

Slumdog Millionaire

WALL-E

Wanted

Slumdog Millionaire's inclusion here is a joke, it does not deserve either award but I have a feeling that it could win if there is indeed a sweep, (Which I predicted back when the BAFTA nominees were announced so dibs) but I cannot in good conscience predict a film this undeserving so, My Prediction: The dark Knight, What Could Win: Slumdog "ughh" Millionaire, What Should Win: The Dark Knight or Wall-e

Best Sound Mixing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Slumdog Millionaire

WALL-E

Wanted

Read Sound Editing. My Prediction: The Dark Knight, What Could Win: Slumdog Millionaire, What Should Win: Wall-e

Best Original Song:

"Jai Ho"-Slumdog Millionaire"

"O Saya"-Slumdog Millionaire"

"Down to Earth"-WALL-E

I am disowning this category for its exclusion of The Boss, Slumdog will win. My Prediction: Jai Ho, What Could Win: O Saya, What Should Win: The Wrestler, I am pretending it was nominated

Best Original Score:

Curious Case-Desplat

Defiance-Howard

Milk-Elfman

Slumdog Millionaire-Rahman

WALL-E-Newman

This is another race full of deserving nominees that will ultimately be shut out by Slumdog Millionaire which was a good movie with good direction, nothing more. I hated that soon to be Oscar winning score. My Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire, What Could Win: Wall-e, What Should Win: Any nominee but Slumdog

Best Costume Design:

Australia

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Duchess

Milk

Revolutionary Rd

I can only go by what I thought looked good, I dont know much about costumes. My Prediction: The Duchess, What Could Win: Benjamin Button, What Should Win: Benjamin Button

Best Art Direction

Changeling

Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

The Duchess

Revolutionary Road

All of these films had excellent Art Direction, but none measure up to the excellence in design showcased in Button. My Prediction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, What Could Win: The Duchess, What Should Win: Button

Best Cinematography:

Changeling

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

This year featured good cinematography, but nothing on par with last years excellent examples like There Will Be Blood and The Assassination of Jesse James. However, these nominees are all at least worthy of the prize and I could see any of them winning if it were not for Slumdog's inclusion. My Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire,What Could win: The Dark Knight, What Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight or Changeling

Best Film Editing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Frost/Nixon

Milk

Slumdog Millionaire

Why waste time writing an intro to this, Slumdog wins. My Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire, What Could Win: The Dark Knight, What Should Win: The Dark Knight

Best Original Screenplay

Frozen River by Courtney Hunt

Happy-Go-Lucky by Mike Liegh

In Bruges by Martin McDonagh

Milk by Dustin Lance Black

Wall-e by Andrew Stanton & Others

This category is for me the hardest of the night to predict. While many blogs have chalked this one up to Milk, the frontrunner which won a screenplay award last night at the Spirit Awards, I feel that if there is to be an upset tonight it will come here. Wall- e is the closest competition to Milk, and a very popular film that is basically 100 % scene and action description. In Bruges, my favorite of the group and probably the best written of the screenplays as well has won many precursors but can it overcome the one-two powerouse of Milk and Wall-e? The same question goes for Frozen River, which has no shot, and Happy-Go-lucky, the darjhorse of the group.

My Prediction: Milk by Dustin Lance Black

What Could Win: Wall-e by Andrew Stanton

What Should Win: In Bruges by Martin McDonagh (PLEASE LET THIS HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button- Eric Roth & Robin Swicord

Doubt- John Patrick Shanley

Frost/Nixon- Peter Morgan

The Reader- David Hare

Slumdog Millionaire- Simon Beaufoy

This is the antithesis of the original screenplay race, Slumdog Millionaire is the frontrunner by a mile, and the only film with a shot to unseat it is Ben Button which we all know wont happen.

My Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire

What Could Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

What Should Win: The Reader

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams forDoubt

Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Viola Davis for Doubt

Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler

Many are describing this race a 5 women competition implying that anyone could win. I 100 percent agree, anyone of these gals could end up on stage tonight which makes this a hard to spot race. I think the weakest link is obviously Amy Adams, even though I prefered her to Viola Davis who is going head to head with Penelope Cruz for frontrunner status. Taraji benefits for being in a BP nominee and Marisa Tomei bared her soul (among other things) on screen in the truest supporting performance of the year.

My Prediction: Peneope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Who Could Win: Viola Davis for Doubt

Who Should Win: Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler

Best Supporting Actor:

Josh Brolin for Milk

Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder

Phillip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt

Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road

All I have to say is this: I feel sorry for the man who ends up beating Heath tonight, even though that wont happen, that would not be a good sitch to be in.

My Prediction: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

Who Could Win: N/A

Who Should Win: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

Best Actress:

My Prediction: Kate Winslet for The Reader

Who Could Win: Meryl Streeep for Doubt

Who Should Win: Kate Winslet for The Reader

Best Actor:

My Prediction: Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

Who Could Win: Sean Penn for Milk

Who should Win: Mickey Rourke

I blazed through these because we have a mere 30 minutes until the redcarpet cut off, my rational for these two picks is basically, they deserve it and both were phenominal.

BEST PICTURE/BEST DIRECTOR:

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Why? Because the movie is decent and a deserving winner, and because who are the Academy to upset an awards season sweep not seen since Schindler's List stormed into the Oscars way back in 93'

The Oscar Hut Poll Results...

In the Best Actor race, readers gave Mickey Rourke the win with 55 % of the vote compared to rival sean Penn's 33 %.
For Best actress, Kate Winslet won with 73 % of the vote.
Heath Ledger seems to in route to a posthumous oscar as 71 % percent of our readers believe that there is no chance in Hell that he can lose.
And the Best Supporting Actress race sees Penelope Cruz with 52 percent of the vote followed closely behind by Viola Davis.

how will these Oscar Hut winners fare at the Oscars tommorow night ?

We shall see

Final Oscar Predictions coming....

On Saturday, right after the independent spirit awards.

Speaking of the Indie Spirits, those predix are soon coming as well, expect them by tommorow morning.

One week and counting....

until the biggest movie event of the year!

Here is what we know for sure:

1. Slumdog Millionaire is guaranteed at least 3 Oscars
2. One of Slumdog's three oscars will be for Best Picture
3. Heath Ledger will win Best Supporting Actor
4. Wall-e will win Best Animated Film
5. Mickey Rourke will have to censored in some way at least once during the ceremony.

Here Is What We can be pretty sure about:

1. Either Sean Penn or Mickey Rourke will win Best Actor
2. The same goes for Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep in Best Actress
3.Slumdog Will Win more than 3 oscars

Here Is What is definitely up in the air:

1. Supporting Actress
2. Original Screenplay
3. Foreign Film
4. The Presenters
5. Will the show be good

Here is what we know for sure wont happen:

1. The Oscar telecast ratings will be up from last year

Polls...polls...and more polls

5 new polls have been added to the Hut to better find out what the general consensus is among our readers as far as who will be winning come Oscar night goes. Everyone who visits the site will have until the night of the independent Spirit Awards to cast your votes, so you will have plenty of time to think about your answers.

Enjoy!

Tyler j. Pratt

BAFTA Winners... Part 1

* = Correct Prediction

Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire *

Best British Film: Man on Wire, I predicted In Bruges

Best Director: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire *

Best Actor: Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler *

Best Actress: Kate Winslet for The Reader *

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight *

Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, I Predicted Marisa Tomei

Best Ad. Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire *

Best O. Screenplay: In Bruges *

Meditations...On The BAFTAs: Part Deux

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey, Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Brendan Gleeson – In Bruges
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Brad Pitt – Burn After Reading
-

This is probably the 2nd easiest category to predict after Best Film for 2008. Heath Ledger won this award long before the nominations were announced. However, I would be remiss if I didn't at least say that I feel 2008 had a wealth of great supporting turns. Every nominee in this category did a great job, especially in the case of Brendan Gleeson.

-

Who Will Won: Heath Ledger for his dark, funny, scary and iconoclastic turn as the Joker.

Who Should Win: While Heath certainly did amazing work in The Dark Knight that deserves every single accolade he's received, I cant turn my back on Brendan Gleeson, who was the heart and soul of the wonderful In Bruges.

Who Was Snubbed: Since nobody else has this season, I want to bang the drum for Jason Butler Harner for his work in Changeling which has been stuck in my head since I saw the movie at Cannes. He was wonderful and the lack of attention being paid to his performance is criminal.

-

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams – Doubt
Penélope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Freida Pinto – Slumdog Millionaire
Tilda Swinton – Burn After Reading
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler

-

Unlike the Supporting Actor race, this one is a bit tricky. Viola Davis is curiously absent from the race, while lightweight performances from Pinto and Swinton make it in. I doubt that Swinton wins two in a row, so she's out, and the same goes for Pinto simply because she wasn't that good in Slumdog. I have to believe that Amy Adams wont win, only because she has been overshadowed by Davis all season long, but she could upset in the end. So this leaves me with Cruz and Tomei. For some reason, I have a feeling that Tomei will pull this one off. She was excellent in The Wrestler and has been very consistent during this awards season, and I think that the Brits are really digging The Wrestler. Despite Cruz's early front runner status, there doesn't seem to be much love for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, so I'm inclined to believe that she will lose once again, at least Winslet's not here.

-

Wil Win: Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler, a true supporting role, and a good one at that.

Who Should Win: I loved Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, she was extremely funny and neurotically arrogant, not to mention sexy.

Who Was Snubbed: Viola Davis for the most explosive performance in Doubt. She did more in minutes of screen time than Pinto and Swinton did in two hour films.

-

Best Actor
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Dev Patel – Slumdog Millionaire
Sean Penn – Milk
Brad Pitt – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler

-

I am just going to start by saying that this a two horse race between Sean Penn, the well bred front runner, and Mickey Rourke, the wily veteran underdog.

both men gave fantastic performances, and both could certainly pick up a mask tonight. Frank Langella and Brad Pitt are the "lucky to be nominated" spots as both seem to be just perennial nominees this season. And then there is Dev Patel. While youngsters have won in the past, Jamie Bell won in 2000 for Billy Elliott against all odds, I just cant see Patel going all the way. He honestly is out of his league here, his chances of beating Penn and Rourke are as likely as Slumdog Millionaire not winning Best Film.

-

Who Will Win: I'm going with Rourke, he has an incredible momentum going on right now having just won the London Critics Circle Awards, and his personal story is getting so much press right now.

Who Should Win: Mickey Rourke, he was just too good in The Wrestler. Penn was very good in Milk, but Rourke's performance hit many emotional chords within myself. He made me tear up at least twice in the movie.

Who Was Snubbed: Leonardo DiCaprio, this year's perennial snub also gave the best performance of any actor this year. Years from now, people will kick themselves in the head for not realizing how good he was in Revolutionary Road.

-

Best Actress
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas – I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime)
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – The Reader
Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road

-

This would have been a much easier category to predict had Winslet only recieved one nomination. Because of her dual nods, she runs the risk of vote splitting, but due to the muted reception to Revolutionary Road as a whole I don't think that will be a problem. Jolie seems to be the easiest to dispose of, yes her film was well liked here but I think she is just filler this year in the best actress category. Kristin Scott Thomas could benefit from being both British and performing in a foreign language, french just like last years winner Cottilard, but I don't think this is her year to win. That leaves us with Meryl Streep for Doubt and Kate Winslet for The Reader. Even though Meryl hasn't won a BAFTA since the 80's, Doubt was only just released in the UK which puts some doubt as to her chances. So in short, I think Kate wins because The Reader was well liked by the BAFTAs, she is an international superstar, and the overdue factor may carry over from the Oscars despite her supporting win more than a decade ago for Sense and Sensibility at the BAFTAs.

-

Who Will Win: Kate Winslet takes this one for The Reader, and makes her way to the Oscars.

Who Should Win: I think Kate should win, but for Revolutionary Road, not The Reader

Who Was Snubbed: Anne Hathaway for her fantastic job in Rachel Getting Married.

Meditations on...The BAFTAS

With the BAFTAs airing tommorow night, it seemed more fitting to turn in my final predictions than to star with my ever-delayed Countdown to Oscar series. So, lets dive in, shall we ?

I've decided to place each category in order of relevance to the oscars.

The Orange Rising Star Award (voted for by the public)
Michael Cera
Noel Clarke
Michael Fassbender
Rebecca Hall
Toby Kebbell

Having only heard of Cera, Fassbender and Hall, this prediction should be taken with a grain of salt, even though I'm almost positive one of these three shall win.

Since it's voted upon by the public, I'm inclined to pick Cera, but I think that if Michael Fassbender wins anywhere, it'll be here.

Will/Should Win: Michael Fassbender

Snubbed: Dev Patel, and David Kross.

Carl Foreman award for special achievement by a Brit in their first feature film
Simon Chinn - Man on Wire (producer)
Judy Craymer - Mamma Mia! The Movie (producer}
Garth Jennings - Son of Rambow (writer)
Steve McQueen - Hunger (director/writer)
Roy Boulter and Solon Papadopoulos - Of Time and the City (producers)

Steve McQueen won this the day the nominations were announced.

Will/Should Win: Steve McQueen

Snubbed: Martin McDonagh for In Bruges, even though he already has an oscar for his excellent short, Six Shooter, how did he not get in for his feature length debut ?

Best Sound
Changeling – Walt Martin, Alan Robert Murray, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff
The Dark Knight – Lora Hirschberg, Richard King, Ed Novick, Gary Rizzo
Quantum of Solace – Jimmy Boyle, Eddy Joseph, Chris Munro, Mike Prestwood Smith, Mark Taylor
Slumdog Millionaire – Glenn Freemantle, Resul Pookutty, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp
WALL-E – Ben Burtt, Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Matthew Wood

I have no idea how Changeling made it in, I think it's safe to write that off immediately. The dark Knight, Quantum of Solace and Wall-e would all be deserving winners, and Slumdog, which I think has no buisness in this category. I think this will go to either Wall-e or The Dark Knight, but if pressed, batman picks this up.

Will Win: The Dark Knight

Should Win: The Dark Knight or Wall-e

Snubbed: Defiance. I adored the movie, and I still cant understand why it recieved so little love this year. It's a shame.

Best Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Eric Barba, Craig Barron, – Nathan McGuinness, Edson Williams
The Dark Knight – Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin, Tim Webber
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – Pablo Helman
Iron Man – Shane Patrick Mahan, John Nelson, Ben Snow
Quantum of Solace – Chris Corbould, Kevin Tod Haug

This is easily between Button, The Dark Knight and Iron Man. Of the three, The dark Knight is probably the weakest due to the real effects used during the movie as far as the explosions go. Iron Man had great effects and probably would have won had Button not been nominated. I just cant see how any awards body could ignore the masterful technical prowess displayed in Ben Button

Will/Should Win: The Curious case of Benjamin Button

Snubbed: Nothing comes to mind.

Best Makeup and Hair
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Jean Black, Colleen Callaghan
The Dark Knight – Peter Robb-King
The Duchess – Daniel Phillips, Jan Archibald
Frost/Nixon – Edouard Henriques, Kim Santantonio
Milk – Steven E. Anderson, Michael White

It seems wierd to me that the brits include hair in this category but I think that the only film that stands a chance is The curious case of Benjamin Button. The actors are aged and de-aged marvelously in the movie. And that fact that it spans throughout decades only helps it's chances.

Will/Should Win: The Curious case of Benjamin button

Snubbed: Synecdoche, New York, despite featuring the best and most realistic aging make up I've ever seen, it has been shunned and snubbed by every awards group.

Best Costume Design
Changeling – Deborah Hopper
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Jacqueline West
The Dark Knight – Lindy Hemming
The Duchess – Michael O'Connor
Revolutionary Road – Albert Wolsky

The Duchess, Changeling, and Benjamin Button are the only realistic contenders for this award. All three movies feature great costumes which makes it difficult to predict a winner. Because of this, I have to go with my BAFTA montra: When in doubt, go with a British film". The Duchess wins.

Will Win: The Duchess

Should Win: Changeling

Snubbed: The Other Boleyn Girl had fantastic costumes.

Best Production Design
Changeling – James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight – Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando
Revolutionary Road – Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt
Slumdog Millionaire – Mark Digby, Michelle Day

This is a tough one. Changeling, Revolutionary Road and Butto all feature fantastic period design work. The Dark Knight was contemporary design marvel, and Slumdog Millionaire's Mumbai is brought to life through it production design. I think the weakest films are Slumdog and The Dark Knight so they're out. Revolutionary Road isnt getting anything so its out. Which leaves us with Button and Changeling. I prefere Changeling, but I think Button picks this one up.

Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Should Win: Changeling

Snubbed: The great sets and art direction of Indianna Jones IV, which were the best part of an otherwise unsatisfying film.

Best Music (Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight – James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer
Mamma Mia! – Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus
Slumdog Millionaire – A. R. Rahman
WALL-E – Thomas Newman

Mama Mia!'s inclusion is a joke, but otherwise anyone of these films would be derserving winners. I know that Slumdog Millionaire most likely takes this in a cake walk, but I would like to believe that a work as good as Howard and Zimmer's The Dark Knight score will win at least one major award. Alas, Slumdog wins this one as it has done all season long.

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Should Win: The Dark Knight

Snubbed: I loved the scores for Che, Defiance and especially In Bruges. Carter Burwell's work was sublime and incredibly haunting, Albert Iglesias did great mood molding work in Che, and James Newton Howard's Defiance score was exactly the type of grand, eloquent work that I love when it comes to film scores.

Best Film Not in the English Language
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex) • Germany
Gomorrah (Gomorra) • Italy
I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime) • France
Persepolis • France
Waltz with Bashir (Vals im Bashir) • Israel

Take your pic here. I've seen all the nominees, but because of Persepolis inclusion I feel completely thrown off. I think that because of Persepolis, Waltz With Bashir and the other animated film will suffer a vote split type situation, knocking both of them out of the running.

Baader hasnt recieved the best of reviews and I disliked it so I'm crossing that one off, leaving two excellent films in Gommorah and I've Loved You So Long. I'm think they'll go with Gommorah to one up the Oscars and make them look foolish for the ridiculous snub.

Will/Should Win: Gommorah

Snubbed: The Class, one of the best films of the last three years and the most deserving Palm d'Or winner in a while.

Best Animated Film
Persepolis
WALL-E
Waltz with Bashir (Vals im Bashir)

Theres no reason to comment here.

Will Win/Should Win: Wall-e

Snubbed: Kung Fu Panda, what can I say ? I loved it.

Best Film - British (Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film)
Hunger
In Bruges
Mamma Mia! The Movie
Man on Wire
Slumdog Millionaire

I think that Slumdog has Best Film wrapped up with a bow, and I'm pretty sure that this award usually splits. I doubt that Mama mia! will win any best picture type award, if it couldnt win a globe, this is impossible. I'm not sure about Man on Wire's chances, despite being phenominal how often does a doc win this type of an award ? I just cant see it. This leaves Hunger and In Bruges. Both wonderful. Both Unique. Both auteur driven films. I think that McQueen's win earlier in the night is the films consolation prize, which leaves my personal fav In Bruges for the win.

Will/Should Win: In Bruges

Snubbed: I'm not sure, I guess The Reader is the most obvious snubee as it was directed, produced and written by brits.

Best Cinematography
Changeling – Tom Stern
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight – Wally Pfister
The Reader – Chris Menges, Roger Deakins
Slumdog Millionaire – Anthony Dod Mantle

I hate this category this year as i am at a loss. Last year I felt I had a personal favorite to win which led me to correctly predict There Will be Blood, but this year no film had photography that just completely grabbed me and spoke to me. Hunger comes the closest, but it was snubbed.

I'm going to go with Slumdog Millionaire, but I prefer The Dark Knight and Changeling slightly more.

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Should Win: The Dark Knight

Snubbed: Hunger's cinematography was a true technical achievement, and a testament to Bobbit's skill as a dp and McQueen's talent as a director.

Best Screenplay - Adapted
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Eric Roth
Frost/Nixon – Peter Morgan
The Reader – David Hare
Revolutionary Road – Justin Haythe
Slumdog Millionaire – Simon Beaufoy

Simon Beaufoy, a brit, wins this as easy as one, two, three.

Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire

Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Snubbed: I think The Dark Knight had the most criminally passed over screenplay of 2008. It created a world that captured the minds of people all over the world, and featured some of the best dialogue ever written, especially in the case of The Joker's monologues throughout the film.

Best Screenplay - Original
Burn After Reading – Ethan and Joel Coen
Changeling – J. Michael Straczynski
I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime) – Philippe Claudel
In Bruges – Martin McDonagh
Milk – Dustin Lance Black

The only movie I can see winning here is In Bruges.

Will Win/Should Win: In Bruges, heres hoping that Oscar is next !

Snubbed: Vicky Cristina Barcelona, just like at the oscars, for some reason Woody is being screwed this year despite seeing his best reviews in years.

I'm out for the night, part two comes tommorow morning, I promise.

Apologies...

For the lack of posts lately, but things have been extremely hectic for me in my personal life.
Exams, illness, injury and relationships and The Oscars can be hard to balance on a day to day basis. On the brightside, during my time away I was fortunate enough to re watch all of the best picture nominees and films with acting and screenplay nods.
So... what that means is, with any luck I will be doing a category countdown to the oscars that should begin tonight or tommorow.

Enjoy !

Tyler j. Pratt