I live for film. In some ways, my passion for it surpasses music, it’s just that I’ve been provided better access through the music world. However, it doesn’t stop me from going to the theater for around 100+ films a year and watching upwards of 200+ in my home. I try and watch everything (although I have a good sense of what pure crap is, so I tend to stay far away from that). The day Oscar Nominations are released is always a big one for me and today is no different. You look over the list and are thrilled for some nominations and scratch your head over others. Here’s a breakdown of this year’s nominee’s and my thoughts:Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Thisd should go to Slumdog. Easily. Everything you have heard about Slumdog is spot on, just a wondrous and magical film. The fact that they overlooked The Dark Knight for The Reader is flat out insulting. I enjoyed The Reader and do feel it's one of the year's twenty-five best movies, but definitely not in the top 5. Revolutionary Road deserved a nomination moreso than The Reader, alas more on that later.
Achievement in Directing
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle should have this wrapped up. He deserved it for Millions but will thankfully get it for a very deserving film. Again, where is Chris Nolan for The Dark Knight?
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
Amen on the Richard Jenkins nomination, a masterful performance where he builds tension up and evokes so much with mere movements of his eyes and face. He is the most deserving of this award, alas the nomination is his reward. If you have not seen The Visitor, do youself a favor, it's one of my top 3 for 2008.
This comes down to Rourke and Penn. Penn was great, but I felt Milk to be a tad long in the tooth (I could have trimmed 15-20 minutes easier from this film than Benjamin Button). I'm rooting for Rourke, if you even saw his bit roles in The Rainmaker and Domino, you would know why. He's an immense talent and he gives his all here.
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
All worthy nominations (although I felt Brolin deserved one for his brilliant portrayal in W), but this category is all about Ledger. He deserves it as well. Although, Michael Shannon is a 100 shades of twisted and wicked in Revolutionary Road, easily the best performance in that film.
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Kate Winslet. The Reader
Meryls Streep, Doubt
All deserving with Winslet taking the prize. Again, I felt her performance in Revolutionary Road far surpassed The Reader, but she's great in both nonetheless. Jolie gave her most pensive and involving performance in Clint Eastwood's Changeling, check that out when you can. Also, as good as Anne Hathaway is in Rachel, she's a shadow of herself from Havoc, Barbara Kopple's brilliant 2005 straight to video release. Watch that film and tell me which performance is better (for the guys, she is nude in Havoc).
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
My vote would be for Tomei, she has erased any memory of her role from My Cousin Vinny in the last decade with brilliant soul bearing work. if you didn't see Before The Devil Knows You're Dead last year (my #1 film), you should. She pours herself into the performance and The Wrestler is no different. I am guessing the Oscar will go to Cruz who is equally excellent and deserving. All of the nominees in this category are tops.
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E
Wall-E all the way, however, it *should* have been nominated for best picture.
Original Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Mike Leigh, Happy Go Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, WALL-E
Walle-E again, but if I was voting, it would be In Bruges.
Adapted Screenplay
Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog all the way IMO, although any of them could provide an upset.
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
The Class (France)
Departures (Japan)
Revanche (Austria)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
I saw a few dozen foreign films this year and none are in this list, but buzz on The Class and Bashir reign supreme. Bashir is on my shortlist to see ASAP.
Original Score
Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard, Defiance
Danny Elfman, Milk
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman, WALL-E
Slumdog or WALL-E, my vote would be for the latter.
Original Song
"Down to Earth," Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman; WALL-E
"Jai Ho," A. R. Rahman and Gulzar; Slumdog Millionaire
"O Saya," A. R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam; Slumdog Millionaire
Um, where Springsteen's poetic "The Wrestler". They could nominated three songs from a Disney film last year but couldn't come up with five this year? If it's any consolation, Springsteen has a Oscar and it's time Peter Gabriel gets one.
Achievement in Art Direction
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
A tough category...I'd go for any of them, but I'm thinking Benjamin Button will be the winner.
Achievement in Cinematography
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Another great category, I'd vote for Dark Knight or Slumdog, but all are deserving.
Achievement in Costume Design
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road
It's all about The Duchess (well deserved as well).
Best Documentary Feature
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
Man on Wire is the leader, but I would vote for Herzog's Encounters. Regardless, both are deserving.
Best Documentary Short Subject
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness—From the Balcony of Room 306
Hopefully these will air on the Sundance channel sooner than later.
Achievement in Film Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
I'd really love to give it to Dark Knight, but the way the story of Slumdog is weaved meticulously makes me think that will be the easy winner.
Achievement in Makeup
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
It's gotta go to Button, if you have seen this film you'll know why.
Best Animated Short Film
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory—Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up
Sundance...you showing these anytime soon?
Best Live Action Short Film
Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)
See above answer.
Achievement in Sound Editing
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted
It's be a Wall-E win.
Achievement in Sound Mixing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted
WALL-E again!
Achievement in Visual Effects
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
All deserving but with 13 nominations, Button will take this one.
More later and check back in the coming weeks for my favorite films of 2008.
