I think we all know that the Academy Awards take place this weekend. Everybody who's anybody who cares about what a group of secret professionals think about movies will be watching it. (Awkward sentence, I know, but you get my meaning.) Here's my picks for the big winners:
BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Of them, I liked Frost/Nixon the best. But my vote doesn't count, and Slumdog Millionaire is going to win.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)
Sean Penn (Milk)
Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
I think Mickey Rourke deserves it, and I think in this case, the Academy might agree with me.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Josh Brolin (Milk)
Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)
Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)
There's quite a few here who did a great job, but both the Academy and I are going to give it to the late, great Heath Ledger.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
Angelina Jolie (Changeling)
Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
Meryl Streep (Doubt)
Kate Winslet (The Reader)
I'm pulling for Kate Winslet in this category, though I wouldn't mind seeing the lovely Angelina take a statue home. The Academy might feel they should give one to Meryl Streep, since it's been decades since she took one home; if not, they'll agree with me and give it to Ms. Winslet.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams (Doubt)
Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Viola Davis (Doubt)
Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)
I'd give it to Amy Adams, her work in Doubt was wildly impressive. I'm totally unsure what the Academy will do; maybe they'll give it to Penelope Cruz so she can compete with Javier Bardem. Is she still dating him, or did she star in a movie with someone else and hop on their train?
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL•E
I like Kung Fu Panda; they'll give it to WALL•E.
Let the game begin!
Labels: movies, Oscars