Te Quiero Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Penelope Cruz = Great. Rebecca Hall = Great. Javier Bardem = Great. Scarlett Johansson = Great (I don't care if you turn on me). Woody Allen = Great. This Movie = Great.

Really, if you haven't seen it, it's more than worth checking out. It's an excellent film.

Updated Personal Predictions

It's been about two months since the last time I updated my own predictions. To me, it looks like Best Supporting Actor could be the most competitive category this year. There were so many contenders that I really wanted to include (such as Josh Brolin in Milk, Kodi Smit-McPhee in The Road, John Malkovich in Burn After Reading, Liev Schreiber in Defiance, and the list goes on and on...). As of today, it still looks like Benjamin Button is the film to beat but, after all, we've barely seen any of these films so it's all still speculation. With the debut of Frost/Nixon's trailer, Michael Sheen's chances have shot up for a nomination and I thought the trailer was good enough to bring Ron Howard back into the Oscar race. Unfortunately, Vicky Cristina Barcelona was not the smash hit many, including myself, were planning on it being so it's chances have lowered considerably. That being said, I'm still fairly certain of Cruz's nomination, although she is no longer a shoo in for the win like many, once again, myself included, thought she would be. Jonathan Demme's Rachel Getting Married had an outstanding trailer and I've jumped on the bandwagon (is there a bandwagon for this film?) for Demme's film and I'm predicting it in a couple of categories. Last but not least, I still think Richard Jenkins, whose delivered an outstanding performance in The Visitor, will pull a Julie Christie and re-enter the race come NBR time.

Here they are:

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Road

Best Director
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Hillcoat, The Road
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Edward Zwick, Defiance

Best Actor
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Viggo Mortensen, The Road
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actor
Russell Crowe, Body of Lies
Robert Downey Jr., The Soloist
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Rosemary DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading

Best Original Screenplay
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
WALL-E

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Revolutionary Road
The Road

Oscar season is about to start...what are your last predictions before the season begins?

Frost/Nixon: Movie Trailer

Predix Revamp

BEST PICTURE
1. The Road (why not?)
2. Changeling
3. Doubt
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (I really don't think it'll be a hit, but I have no idea what else to put)
5. The Dark Knight (it might just be too big to ignore. Let's hope...)

BEST DIRECTOR
1. David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (I don't think it'll happen, but meh)
2. John Hillcoat - The Road
3. Clint Eastwood - The Exchange
4. Edward Zwick - Defiance
5. Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky (they love him)

BEST ACTOR
1. Viggo Mortensen - The Road
2. Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
3. Benicio del Toro - Guerilla
4. Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road
5. Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST ACTRESS
1. Meryl Streep - Doubt
2. Angelina Jolie - Changeling
3. Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky (this film is my muse, in case you haven't noticed)
4. Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
5. Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (my heart screams Melissa Leo, but my brain says Cate)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2. Liev Schreiber - Defiance
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt (I still think this is Lead, but I'm not positive)
4. Kodi Smit-McPhee - The Road
5. Robert Downey, Jr. - The Soloist (this is a big year for him. A nomination would only be appropriate.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
1. Viola Davis - Doubt
2. Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (it kills me to predict a film I don't even think will do well in so many places, but I can't find any other worthy contenders)
3. Frances McDormand - Burn After Reading
4. Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
5. Samantha Morton - Synecdoche, New York

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
1. WALL-E (I have no idea)
2. Changeling
3. Happy-Go-Lucky
4. Burn After Reading
5. Synecdoche, New York

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
1. Doubt
2. The Road
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. The Dark Knight
5. Defiance

So I pretty much have no idea, but it's still very early. Be gentle.

We All Knew It was Coming, But...

...The Dark Knight is now the second highest grossing movie of all time. However, it was dethroned from the #1 spot this week by Tropic Thunder, as predicted. I say it makes $500 to 510 million total. Titanic is safe.

Appaloosa: Trailer

Looks like a nice addition to the more gritty Westerns we've seen in years past. I can't wait for this.

Up - Pixar teaser trailer

Pixar's newest, opening next year. Should be great.

W. Trailer

Here's the anticipated trailer for Oliver Stone's third film depicting a U.S. president. Can't wait to see Josh Brolin. Tell us what you think.

R.I.P. Isaac Hayes

The Oscar winner for writing the Theme from Shaft and probably best known for voicing the character 'Chef' on South Park died this weekend. He was 65 years old. Thank you for your soulful voice.

R.I.P. Bernie Mac

The comic who starred in the Ocean's films and the upcoming Soul Men with Samuel L. Jackson lost his battle to pneumonia today. He was 50 years old. You will be missed, and thank you for the laughs.

The Road - First Look

The first exclusive picture for the upcoming award favorite The Road, with Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-Mcphee in a post-apocalyptic tale. I can't wait for the trailer. What do you think?

W.: Poster

After a trailer that looked like its sole purpose was to take actors and play dress up with them, I'm surprised to find that I really like the first poster for W. I'm getting a vibe reminiscent of Stone's Nixon; the feeling of the president's shame, etc etc etc. The shadow from the microphone and the makeup being applied were really nice touches, I thought. Any additional thoughts? Ryan Adams of Awards Daily gives his thoughts here.

I still think that this is a film that should have been given twenty or more years to be made, and I will find it highly disrespectful if it turns out to be a two hour Bush bashing session (despite my disapproval of Bush), but I'm still excited to see how this project turns out. IMDB's label as this film as a "Comedy" first really doesn't give me all that much hope...

About "Nine"

I've been watching the film adaptation of "Nine" rather closely for a while now. And how can I not? Look at what it's got going for it:

-Director Rob Marshall, who was expected to be an Oscar winner
-Daniel Day-Lewis, arguably the most respected actor working today, and a two-time Oscar winner
-Sophia Loren, a living legend and Oscar winner
-Marion Cotillard, last year's audience favorite and an Oscar winner
-Judi Dench, an always rewarded actress (and for a good reason), and an Oscar winner
-Nicole Kidman, who can't move her face, but is still an Oscar winner
-Penelope Cruz, a past nominee who, by the time Nine is released, could be an Oscar winner
-Kate Hudson, who should be an Oscar winner

And then...

FERGIE?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I suppose that Rob Marshall should be trusted, seeing as how he was able to compile such an amazing cast, and is just an overall smart director, but she kind of feels like the odd one out, no?

"Doubt" Teaser

Thanks to Everything Oscar for the image and Smarttoper for reminding me to post it.

It's a nice poster. Hopefully this means that a trailer is soon to come.

No Thanks

Thanks to AwardsDaily and Awards Circuit for the update...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has reportedly asked Justin Timberlake to host the Oscars. No doubt bosses were impressed with Timberlake’s wickedly funny and entertaining performance as the Master of Ceremonies for ESPN’s 2008 ESPY Awards. Members of the academy are apparently sure that the Grammy-winning song and dance man has what it takes to boost their sagging ratings for the 2009 show, and bring in younger viewers.

Look, Justin has some good songs, he's hot and he was hilarious on SNL. But this is the ultimate gig for a comedian, so it shouldn't (and probably won't) be given to a non-comedian. Not to mention that it's just cheap and, well...weird. I'm hoping for Jerry Seinfeld, or else a Billy Crystal or Whoopi redux, but I'm doubting each of those. Of course, my ideal choice would be Tracey Ullman, but that'd be impossible.