2009 Oscar Nominations, Predictions, and Polls
Best Picture
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/101/06417101.jpg" alt="Slumdog Millionaire" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Slumdog Millionaire
Shocker: No Dark Knight? Really? Wow. That is crazy talk. The Wrestler was a longer shot, as was Doubt. The Reader taking up a slot is silly.
Pulling for: Gotta go with Slumdog Millionaire now.
Prediction: This is Slumdog Millionaire's award to lose, with Benjamin Button the runner-up.
( surveys)
Best Actor
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/6/5/3/8/25288356-25288359-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler" width="104" height="142" align="left" hspace="6"/>Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Sean Penn, Milk
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Shocker: Richard Jenkins was in the conversation, but no Clint Eastwood is definitely an upset.
Pulling for: I've got to pull for Mickey Rourke.
Prediction: Sean Penn should be considered the favorite, as Milk won't be winning Best Picture.
( polls)
Best Actress
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/8/5/6/8/24758658-24758661-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Kate Winslet in The Reader" width="104" height="142" align="left" hspace="6"/>Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Shocker: Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) and Cate Blanchett (Benjamin Button) get shut out. Jolie sneaking in is a slight upset.
Pulling for: I liked Hathaway's performance the best, so I'm pulling for her.
Prediction: Gonna be a close category. Hathaway has buzz, Streep is always formidable, and Winslet has two Golden Globes this year. The only two to count out are Jolie and Leo.
( polls)
Best Supporting Actor
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/9/2/9/6/16256929-16256937-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight" width="104" height="142" align="left" hspace="6"/>Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Josh Brolin, Milk
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
Shocker: Pretty much a chalk category, though the unconventional Downey Jr. choice was acceptable because everyone knows where The Oscar is headed.
Pulling for: Heath Ledger.
Prediction: The safest bet on the board. If anyone gives you anything approaching even odds you should put all your money on it. Heath Ledger in a landslide.
( polls)
Best Supporting Actress
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/3/3/1/6/22146133-22146136-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona" width="104" height="142" align="left" hspace="6"/>Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Amy Adams, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Shocker: Winslet getting a nod for The Reader in the lead category was strange, but the there aren't any rules for Supporting versus Lead.
Pulling for: I loved Viola Davis in Doubt.
Prediction: I'm making Penelope Cruz the favorite.
( polls)
Best Director
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/8/1/5/9/24749518-24749521-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Danny Boyle in Slumdog Millionaire" width="104" height="142" align="left" hspace="6"/>David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gus Van Zant, Milk
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Shocker: Christopher Nolan gets snubbed as The Academy's punishment of The Dark Knight continues.
Pulling for: Danny Boyle is the only one I really even like in this category.
Prediction: Danny Boyle will win it. But Fincher is definitely breathing down his neck.
( polls)
Best Original Screenplay
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/001/06248001.jpg" alt="Frozen River" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Shocker: I thought Woody Allen would get courtesy nod for a very good Vicky Cristina Barcelona script.
Pulling for: Martin McDonagh's In Bruges script was very solid.
Prediction: It's either Milk or Wall-E. I'll take Milk.
( polls)
Best Adapted Screenplay
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/001/05807001.jpg" alt="The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Shocker: This went according to plan, though I would have liked to see Justin Haythe's Revolutionary Road adaptation sneak in.
Pulling for: I'm rooting against The Reader. Which makes me a Slumdog Millionaire fan.
Prediction: Another tough category. I'm going to say Slumdog Millionaire takes it, but I wouldn't bet more than a dollar on it.
( surveys)
Best Animated Feature Films
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/05661301.jpg" alt="Wall-E" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Wall-E
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Shocker: I thought Waltz with Bashir might get in, and Bolt's nomination is a slight surprise.
Pulling for: I'm pulling for Kung Fu Panda, but only in the sense one pulls for David versus Goliath.
Prediction: Wall-E will win this easily.
( surveys)
Best Art Direction
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/06265301.jpg" alt="Changeling" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
The Duchess
The Dark Knight
Shocker: No real shocker here other than The Duchess picking up a nomination besides Costume Design.
Pulling for: I'm pulling for The Dark Knight. Just in general.
Prediction: This goes to Benjamin Button. For sure.
( polls)
Best Cinematography
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/401/05530401.jpg" alt="The Dark Knight" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Changeling
Slumdog Millionaire
Shocker: I thought Defiance might get a sympathy nod here. Revolutionary Road was a slight snub too.
Pulling for: Remember that thing I said about The Dark Knight? I stand by it.
Prediction: I think The Dark Knight actually takes this one. It's a safe category for The Academy to do some face-saving.
( polls)
Best Costume Design
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/801/06265801.jpg" alt="The Duchess" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Milk
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Australia
Revolutionary Road
Shocker: How does Australia make this list instead of Changeling? That's insane.
Pulling for: I'm pulling for The Duchess. It was an underrated film.
Prediction: The Duchess will take it, especially as the only real competition (Changeling) didn't even get a nomination.
( polls)
Best Documentary (feature)
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/501/06250501.jpg" alt="Man on Wire" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
The Garden
Encounters at the End of the World
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Shocker: I.O.U.S.A. not making it is a surprise.
Pulling for: The only one I've seen is Man on Wire so I suppose I'll cheer for it.
Prediction: Man on Wire definitely has the buzz and is the prohibitive favorite.
Achievement in Film Editing
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/201/06265201.jpg" alt="Frost/Nixon" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon
Shocker: None. This category went as expected.
Pulling for: I think I'll pull for Slumdog Millionaire as the editing was quite good throughout.
Prediction: I think they'll give it to Frost/Nixon ... unless the night turns into a complete Slumdog route.
Best Foreign Language Film
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/201/06637201.jpg" alt="The Class" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>The Class
Departures
Waltz with Bashir
The Baader Meinhof Complex
Revanche
Shocker:Gomorrah missed the original cut of nine, which still seems strange.
Pulling for: Pass. I didn't get to screen enough Foreign Language Films to feel confident cheering for anyone.
Prediction: This should be Waltz with Bashir's category to lose.
Achievement in Makeup
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/6/5/9/9/17819956.jpg" alt="Hellboy II: The Golden Army" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Shocker: It would have been nice to see a Tropic Thunder nomination here, especially since Downey Jr. was nominated.
Pulling for: Anything but Hellboy II.
Prediction: I'd say Benjamin Button takes it.
Achievement in Music (Original Score)
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/06288301.jpg" alt="Defiance" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Wall-E
Defiance
Shocker: I thought Changeling, Frost/Nixon, and Gran Torino all had a shot. But all of the choices are worthy.
Pulling for: I listen to the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack at least once a week.
Prediction: I think Slumdog Millionaire takes this category with ease. So long as the voters actually listen to it.
Achievement in Music (Original Song)
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/9/0/2/3/24693209-24693212-thumbnail.jpg" alt="Slumdog Millionaire" width="104" height="142" align="left" hspace="6"/>
A R Rahman featuring Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah & Mahalaxmi Iyer "Jai Ho", Slumdog Millionaire
A R Rahman & M.I.A. "O Saya", Slumdog Millionaire
Peter Gabriel "Down to Earth", Wall-E
Shocker: No High School Musical 3? Did Miley not sing in Bolt?
Pulling for: I'd love for M.I.A. to win. She's aces.
Prediction: I'm a little worried that Slumdog splits its own votes here, leaving Peter Gabriel to win. In fact, that's what I'm predicting.
Achievement in Sound Editing
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/05505301.jpg" alt="Iron Man" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>Wall-E
Iron Man
Wanted
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
Shocker: Wanted getting in over Quantum of Solace is a surprise. I can't really fault any of the choices here though.
Pulling for: I'm pulling for Wanted, if only because I seemingly liked that film much more than most people.
Prediction: It's between Iron Man and Wall-E. I give the slight edge to Wall-E.
Achievement in Sound Mixing
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/701/05816701.jpg" alt="Wanted" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
Wanted
WALL-E
Shocker: No Iron Man? Was Benjamin Button's sound mixing all that impressive?
Pulling for: I'll cheer for Dark Knight here. The haunting drumbeats from that film really worked.
Prediction: I think Dark Knight pulls out a victory over Wall-E.
Achievement in Visual Effects
src="http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/401/05530401.jpg" alt="The Dark Knight" width="100" height="150" align="left" hspace="6"/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Shocker: I thought they'd give Hellboy II another token nomination here. Thankfully they didn't.
Pulling for: The Dark Knight.
Prediction: I think Iron Man gets this one as The Dark Knight has plenty of other categories to compete in.
