Predix Revamp

BRIAN

Best Picture
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. Milk
3. Frost/Nixon
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Revolutionary Road

Best Director
1. Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
2. Gus Van Sant - Milk
3. David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
5. Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler

Best Actor
1. Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
2. Sean Penn - Milk
3. Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
4. Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
5. Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road

Best Actress
1. Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
2. Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
3. Meryl Streep - Doubt
4. Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
5. Angelina Jolie - Changeling

Best Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin - Milk
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
4. Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
5. Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barceloan
2. Kate Winslet - The Reader
3. Viola Davis - Doubt
4. Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
5. Amy Adams - Doubt

Best Original Screenplay
1. Rachel Getting Married
2. Milk
3. WALL-E
4. The Wrestler
5. Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Frost/Nixon
4. Revolutionary Road
5. Doubt

DANIEL
Best Picture
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. Milk
3. The Dark Knight
4. Frost/Nixon
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Director
1. Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
2. David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Gus Van Sant, Milk
4. Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
5. Andrew Stanton, WALL-E

Best Actor
1. Sean Penn, Milk
2. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
3. Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
5. Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

Best Actress
1. Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
2. Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
3. Meryl Streep, Doubt
4. Melissa Leo, Frozen River
5. Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin, Milk
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
4. Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
5. James Franco, Milk

Best Supporting Actress
1. Kate Winslet, The Reader
2. Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
3. Viola Davis, Doubt
4. Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
5. Amy Adams, Doubt

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Frost/Nixon
4. The Dark Knight
5. Doubt

Best Original Screenplay
1. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
2. Rachel Getting Married
3. Milk
4. The Visitor
5. Happy-Go-Lucky

DAVID

Best Picture
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Milk
4. Frost/Nixon
5. Revolutionary Road

Best Director
1. David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Gus Van Sant - Milk
3. Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
4. Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
5. Sam Mendes - Revolutionary Road

Best Actor
1. Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
2. Sean Penn - Milk
3. Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
4. Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino

Best Actress
1. Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
2. Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
3. Meryl Streep - Doubt
4. Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
5. Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long

Best Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin - Milk
3. Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
5. Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
2. Viola Davis - Doubt
3. Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Kate Winslet - The Reader
5. Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler

Best Original Screenplay
1. Dustin Lance Black - Milk
2. Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
3. Robert D. Siegel - The Wrestler
4. Andrew Stanton - WALL-E
5. Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
2. Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
4. John Patrick Shanley - Doubt
5. David Hare - The Reader

Updated Oscar predix

For the 1st time this season I'm offering my full prediction list for the upcoming Oscar ceremony (excluding the short film categories Live Action, Documentary and Animated). I've changed the Documentary race after a comment was left, thank you anonymous!

Best Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire*

Best Director
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Sam Mendes - Revolutionary Road
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

Best Actor
Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler*

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road*

Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight*
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona*
Viola Davis - Doubt
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Original Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black - Milk*
Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky
Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
Robert D. Siegel - The Wrestler
Andrew Stanton - WALL-E

Best Adapted Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire*
David Hare - The Reader
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

Best Animated Feature Film
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E*
Waltz With Bashir

Best Foreign Language Film
The Class (France)*
Everlasting Moments (Sweden)
Gomorrah (Italy)
Sangre De Mi Sangre (Spain)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)

Best Documentary Feature Film
Encounters at the End of the World
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts
I.O.U.S.A.
Man on Wire*
Standard Operating Procedure

Best Cinematography
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight*
Defiance
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Art Direction
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Defiance
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Best Costume Design
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
The Duchess*
Revolutionary Road

Best Film Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire*

Best Makeup
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Synecdoche, New York

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Thomas Newman - Revolutionary Road*
Thomas Newman - WALL-E
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire
Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight

Best Original Song
'Down To Earth' (Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman) - WALL-E
'Gran Torino' (Jamie Cullum) - Gran Torino
'I've Thought I've Lost You' (Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele) - Bolt
'Jai Ho' (A.R. Rahman) - Slumdog Millionaire
'The Wrestler' (Bruce Springsteen) - The Wrestler*

Best Sound Mixing
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight*
Iron Man
WALL-E

Best Sound Editing
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Defiance
Iron Man
WALL-E*

Best Visual Effects
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Iron Man*

What do you think?

Are We Underestimating WALL-E?

So I just glanced at the Chicago Film Critics winners. The usual: Mickey Rourke, Anne Hathaway, Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet. It also declared WALL-E as Best Picture. I didn't think twice about it when I first saw, but then it occurred to me: just how many of these critic awards has "WALL-E" picked up? Three or four? That's pretty considerable. So why isn't anyone considering it for the top prize? I realize that it's animated, and that only one animated film has ever been nominated, and that the Animated Film category makes the chances of that ever happening again slim, but look at what it's achieved. I don't really think that it will be nominated; I just think that it's a contender. I know that there are always a few critical darlings that never get off the ground Oscar-wise, but very few films--animated or otherwise--can rack up the awards and critical acclaim that this flim has. Just something to consider.

Oh, and by the way, I thought this was one of the most overrated films of the year, so trust me, I'm not being biased.

SAG Awards Nominations 2008

Best Actor
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Actress
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Ensemble Cast
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Stunt Ensemble Cast
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Wanted

Notes: Langella, Penn and Rourke should be locks for the Oscar nominations. The remaining two spots should either go to Jenkins, Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio or Clint Eastwood unless somebody comes out of nowhere. Great pickup for Melissa Leo for Best Actress who will probably compete with Sally Hawkins and Kristin Scott Thomas for the Oscars. James Franco seems to have lost momentum as Dev Patel picks up a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, so we'll see how that goes. Taraji P. Henson is back in the Best Supporting Actress race. This is shaping to be the category where anything goes, as Marisa Tomei, Rosemarie DeWitt and Debra Winger can still make a strong case in this race or even Elsa Zylberstein (these surprise nominations have happened before). Anyway, what do you think?

Satellite Awards 2008

Here are the winners for the 2008 edition of the Satellite awards:

Best Motion Picture - Drama: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Actor In a Drama: Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Best Actress In a Drama: Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Best Actor In a Comedy or Musical: Ricky Gervais - Ghost Town
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actress: Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married
Best Director: Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Screenplay: Thomas McCarthy - The Visitor
Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
Best Foreign Language Film: Gomorrah (Italy)
Best Documentary Feature Film: Man on Wire & Anita O'Day - The Life of a Jazz Singer (tie)
Best Animated Feature Film: WALL-E
Best Original Score: A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Song: 'Another Way to Die' (Jack White) - Quantum of Solace
Best Cinematography: Mandy Walker - Australia
Best Visual Effects: Chris Godfrey, James E. Price & Diana Giorgiutti - Australia
Best Film Editing: Dan Lebental - Iron Man
Best Sound (Mixing & Editing): Richard King - The Dark Knight
Best Art Direction & Production Design: Catherine Martin, Ian Gracie, Karen Murphy & Beverley Dunn - Australia
Best Costume Design: Michael O'Connor - The Duchess

What do you think?

AFI Awards 2008

Here is the American Film Institute's top Ten films of 2008:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Frozen River
Gran Torino
Iron Man
Milk
WALL-E
Wendy and Lucy
The Wrestler

A little bit of redemption for Milk after the Golden Globe snub... What do you think?

Predix Revamp

BRIAN

Best Picture
1. Milk
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Revolutionary Road
5. The Dark KnightBest Director
1. Gus Van Sant - Milk
2. Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
3. David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
5. Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler

Best Actor
1. Sean Penn - Milk
2. Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
3. Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
4. Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road (watch out for Clint though)

Best Actress
1. Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
2. Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
3. Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
5. Meryl Streep - Doubt

Best Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin - Milk
3. Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder (unbelievable, isn't it?)
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
5. James Franco - Milk

Best Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona (the fact that I can predict her as #1 is proof that there is a God)
2. Viola Davis - Doubt
3. Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
4. Kate Winslet - The Reader
5. Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Original Screenplay
1. Rachel Getting Married
2. Milk
3. WALL-E
4. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
5. Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Revolutionary Road
4. The Reader
5. The Dark Knight

DAVID

Best Picture
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Milk
3. Revolutionary Road
4. Slumdog Millionaire
5. Frost/Nixon
Best Director
1. Gus Van Sant - Milk
2. David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
4. Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
5. Sam Mendes - Revolutionary Road

Best Actor
1. Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
2. Sean Penn - Milk
3. Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
4. Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road

Best Actress
1. Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
2. Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
3. Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
4. Meryl Streep - Doubt
5. Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long

Best Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin - Milk
3. James Franco - Milk
4. Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
5. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt

Best Supporting Actress
1. Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
3. Viola Davis - Doubt
4. Kate Winslet - The Reader
5. Amy Adams - Doubt

Best Original Screenplay
1. Dustin Lance Black - Milk
2. Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
3. Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky
4. Nick Schenk - Gran Torino
5. Andrew Stanton - WALL-E

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
3. Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
4. John Patrick Shanley - Doubt
5. David Hare - The Reader

DANIEL

Best Picture
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Milk
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. Frost/Nixon
5. The Dark KnightBest Director
1. David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
3. Gus Van Sant, Milk
4. Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
5. Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

Best Actor
1. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
2. Sean Penn, Milk
3. Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
4. Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
5. Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

Best Actress
1. Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
2. Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
4. Meryl Streep, Doubt
5. Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin, Milk
3. Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
5. James Franco, Milk

Best Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
2. Viola Davis, Doubt
3. Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
5. Amy Adams, Doubt

Best Original Screenplay
1. Milk
2. Rachel Getting Married
3. Happy-Go-Lucky
4. The Visitor
5. Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Adapted Screenplay
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. Frost/Nixon
4. Revolutionary Road
5. The Dark Knight

Visual Effects Contenders

Here are the 15 films which will compete for the Visual Effects category:

Australia
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Cloverfield
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Hancock
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
The Incredible Hulk
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Quantum of Solace
The Spiderwick Chronicles

Of these 15, which do you think will be the three contenders?

It's Official!

According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) have made an offer to Hugh Jackman to host the Oscars in February. A very interesting choice since comics have taken the stand as of late, but he has won an Emmy for hosting the Tony Awards in 2005 so it will be fun to see the World's Sexiest Man of 2008 trying to make us laugh. What do you think?

I Love You Phillip Morris Trailer

Will Jim Carrey make a run for this film next year? We'll see... What do you think?

2008 Golden Globe Nominations

Finally, we have the nomination list for the GG, and it looks very promising:

Best Motion Picture - Drama
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor In a Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Actress In a Drama
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Vicky Christina Barcelona

Best Actor In a Comedy or Musical
Javier Bardem - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Colin Farrell - In Bruges
James Franco - Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson - In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman - Last Chance Harvey

Best Actress In a Comedy or Musical
Rebecca Hall - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDormand - Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson - Last Chance Harvey

Best Supporting Actor
Tom Cruise - Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes - The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Director
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry - The Reader
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes - Revolutionary Road

Best Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare - The Reader
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

Best Animated Feature Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

Best Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
Everlasting Moments (Sweden/Denmark)
Gomorrah (Italy)
I've Loved You So Long (France)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clint Eastwood - Changeling
James Newton Howard - Defiance
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire
Hans Zimmer - Frost/Nixon

Best Original Song
'Down To Earth' (Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman) - WALL-E
'Gran Torino' (Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens) - Gran Torino
'I Thought I Lost You' (Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele) - Bolt
'Once In a Lifetime' (Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street) - Cadillac Records
'The Wrestler' (Bruce Springsteen) - The Wrestler

Notes: Finally, Revolutionary Road makes its way on the map picking up for Picture, Actor & Actress and Director. Benjamin Button, Doubt and Frost/Nixon lead the way with 5 nominations each so they could be favorites for Best Picture for the Oscars. No surprises in the lead acting categories for Drama. It's amazing to see both Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson going for Best Actor in a Comedy, but none more surprising than James Franco! Not only does he get a nom for one of the funniest comedies of the year, he gets snubbed, along with Josh Brolin in the supporting category for Milk, arguably the best film of the year, for Best Picture and Gus Van Sant for Director, so we'll have to wait for the Guild Awards (Producers, Directors and Screen Actors) to see if this was just what we can always expect from the Globes. Tom Cruise picking up a supporting nom is surprising, but not without merit as the greatest 'cameo' of the year by far. I was wrong by not picking Penelope Cruz in my predictions, and someone suggested I remove one of the actresses from Doubt to make room for her; turns out I was right about that one though, as neither Rosemarie DeWitt or Debra Winger make it for Rachel Getting Married. We also must note the absence of probably the early favorite, Taraji P. Henson, for Benjamin Button, but this wouldn't be the first time an actor goes to the Oscars without being nominated at the Globes. We'll have to wait for the DGA and the PGA to see if The Dark Knight and Christopher Nolan will make the shortlist this year, because the Globes didn't help. A surprising miss is The Class, absent from the Foreign Language category, but I'm sure we'll see it at the Oscars. What do you think?

Final Golden Globe Predix

Now this snuck up on me. Here we go...

DAVID

Best Motion Picture - Drama
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
The Dark Knight
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor In a Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Actress In a Drama
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
Burn After Reading
Choke
Happy-Go-Lucky
Tropic Thunder
Vicky Christina Barcelona

Best Actor In a Comedy/Musical
Javier Bardem - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Josh Brolin - W.
Dustin Hoffman - Last Chance Harvey
Sam Rockwell - Choke
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Synecdoche, New York

Best Actress In a Comedy/Musical
Catherine Deneuve - A Christmas Tale
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Scarlett Johansson - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson - Last Chance Harvey

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey, Jr - Tropic Thunder
James Franco - Milk
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - Doubt
Viola Davis - Doubt
Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Director
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

Best Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
Eric Roth & Robin Swicord - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Danny Elfman - Milk
David Hirschfelder - Australia
Thomas Newman - Revolutionary Road
Thomas Newman - WALL-E

Best Original Song
Synecdoche, New York - 'Little Person' (Jon Brion)
WALL-E - 'Down To Earth' (Peter Gabriel)
The Wrestler - 'The Wrestler' (Bruce Springsteen)

Best Animated Feature Film
$9.99
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

Best Foreign Language Film
The Class
Gomorrah
I've Loved You So Long
Sangre de Mi Sangre
Waltz with Bashir

BRIAN

Best Picture - Drama
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. Milk
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Doubt (HFPA gold)
5. Revolutionary Road

Best Picture - Musical or Comedy
1. Happy-Go-Lucky
2. Vicky Cristina Barcelona
3. Burn After Reading
4. Mamma Mia!
5. Tropic Thunder

Best Actor - Drama
1. Sean Penn - Milk
2. Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
3. Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
5. Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road

Best Actress - Drama
1. Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
2. Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road
4. Meryl Streep - Doubt
5. Angelina Jolie (my heart says Kristin Scott Thomas, though)

Best Actor - Musical or Comedy
1. Dustin Hoffman - Last Chance Harvey
2. Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
3. Sam Rockwell - Choke
4. Steven Coogan - Hamlet 2
5. Harrison Ford - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (who even knows?)

Best Actress- Musical or Comedy
1. Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
2. Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia!
3. Emma Thompson - Last Chance Harvey
4. Rebecca Hall - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
5. Sarah Jessica Parker - Sex and the City

Best Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
2. Josh Brolin - Milk
3. Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
5. Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder

Best Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
2. Viola Davis - Doubt
3. Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Kate Winslet - The Reader
5. Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler

Best Director
1. Gus Van Sant - Milk
2. Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
3. Sam Mendes - Revolutionary Road
4. David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight

Best Screenplay
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. Milk
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Doubt
5. Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Animated Film
1. WALL-E
2. Kung Fu Panda
3. Bolt

Half-assed, I know.

NY Film Critics Awards

Here are the winners for the 2008 New York Film Critics Circle Awards:

Best Film: Milk
Best Director: Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Actor: Sean Penn - Milk
Best Actress: Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin - Milk
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Best Screenplay: Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
Best Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Animated Film: WALL-E
Best Foreign Language Film: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Best Documentary: Man on Wire
Best First Film: Courtney Hunt - Frozen River

Notes: Milk and Happy-Go-Lucky are the big winners. Josh Brolin is making a serious case for Best Supporting Actor. Anthony Dod Mantle could become a contender in the cinematography category with this current momentum. Congratulations to Courtney Hunt once again. Stay tuned for the GG nominations announcement tomorrow. What do you think?

Terminator Salvation Trailer

Here's the new trailer for the continuation of the Terminator franchise, starring Christian Bale as John Connor. Scheduled for a May 2009 release. Look for this to score points in the technical categories. What do you think?

LA Film Critics Awards

Best Picture : WALL-E (Runner-Up : The Dark Knight)
Best Director : Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire (Runner-Up : Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight)
Best Actor : Sean Penn - Milk (Runner-Up : Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler)
Best Actress : Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky (Runner-Up : Melissa Leo - Frozen River)
Best Supporting Actor : Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight (Runner-Up : Eddie Marsan - Happy-Go-Lucky)
Best Supporting Actress : Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona & Elegy (Runner-Up : Viola Davis - Doubt)
Best Screenplay : Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky (Runner-Up : Charlie Kaufman - Synecdoche, New York)
Best Foreign Language Film : Still Life (Runner-Up : The Class)
Best Documentary : Man on Wire (Runner-Up : Waltz With Bashir)
Best Animation : Waltz With Bashir
Best Cinematography : Yu Lik Wai - Still Life (Runner-Up : Anthony Dod Mantle - Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Production Design : Mark Friedberg - Synecdoche, New York (Runner-Up : Nathan Crowley - The Dark Knight)
Best Music/Score : A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire (Runner-Up : Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
New Generation : Steve McQueen - Hunger
Douglas E. Edwards independent/experimental film/video : James Benning - RR & Casting a Glance

Notes : WALL-E winning Best Picture, could this up its chances for a Best Picture nod? Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke seem like the clear frontrunners vying for Best Actor. Happy-Go-Lucky is the clear winner of this ceremony, but it will take much more than this for a boost come Oscar time. Kudos for The Dark Knight, also gaining extra points for its Best Picture contention. What do you think?

Critics' Choice Award Nominations

According to indieWIRE, here's the nominations list for the 14th annual Critics' Choice Awards:

BEST PICTURE
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
The Wrestler

BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Kate Beckinsale - Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
James Franco - Milk
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Vera Farmiga - Nothing But the Truth
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Milk
Rachel Getting Married

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

BEST WRITER
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
WALL-E
Waltz With Bashir

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Dakota Fanning - The Secret Life of Bees
David Kross - The Reader
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
Brandon Walters - Australia

BEST ACTION MOVIE
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Quantum of Solace
Wanted

BEST COMEDY MOVIE
Burn After Reading
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Role Models
Tropic Thunder
Vicky Christina Barcelona

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
John Adams
Coco Chanel
Recount

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Christmas Tale
Gomorrah
I've Loved You So Long
Let the Right One In
Mongol
Waltz With Bashir

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
I.O.U.S.A.
Man on Wire
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Standard Operating Procedure
Young at Heart

BEST SONG
Another Way to Die (Jack White) - Quantum of Solace
Down to Earth (Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman) - WALL-E
I Thought I Lost You (Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele) - Bolt
Jaiho (A.R. Rahman, Gulzar) - Slumdog Millionaire
The Wrestler (Bruce Springsteen) - The Wrestler

BEST COMPOSER
Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clint Eastwood - Changeling
Danny Elfman - Milk
Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire

We finally have a list for some songs which will compete at this year's Oscars. Kate Beckinsale and Vera Farmiga enter the mix for the acting categories for Nothing But the Truth so we'll see how they fare. Melissa Leo and Richard Jenkins stay in the races (deservedly so). Notice once again the complete absence of Revolutionary Road, and not even making it for Best Picture from the critics, its chances might be slipping away, but it's still a long way to the nominations. What do you think?

Dark Knight chances?

As most of you may be aware by now, Warner Bros. have made plans to re-release The Dark Knight in theaters on January 23rd, one day after the announcement of the nominations for this year's race. Of course, the main reason in to reach the $1 billion dollar mark at the domestic and international box-office (it only needs $3.5 million to do so). With the DVD release today, it will be hard to convince people, but you never know. It has also been announced, according to Variety, that the film's score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard had its disqualification revoked so it is admissible for a nomination, so that is very good news for the film trying to get a Best Picture nom. Good luck!

Washington DC Announces

We sure do love Slumdog Millionaire, don't we? Nice to see Ledger win after losing NBR. Hopefully it'll be him from here on out. Not too many surprises beyond that unless you count Rosemarie DeWitt

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight)
Best Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
Best Actress: Meryl Streep (Doubt)
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger

(The Dark Knight)
Best Supporting Actress: Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married)
Best Original Screenplay: Jenny Lumet (Rachel Getting Married)
Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Animated

: WALLE (Disney/Pixar)
Best Documentary: Man on Wire (Magnolia Pictures)
Best Foreign Film: Let the Right One In (Magnolia Pictures and Magnet Releasing)
Best Ensemble: Doubt (Miramax)
Best Breakthrough: Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount Pictures)

I'll add on to this and other films as the season progresses....

National Board of Review Winners

Mere minutes after posting my predictions, here are the winners fresh off the press release:

Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
Best Actress: Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin - Milk
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Best Foreign Language Film: Mongol
Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
Best Ensemble Cast: Doubt
Breakthrough Actor: Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
Breakthrough Actress: Viola Davis - Doubt
Best Directorial Debut: Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
Best Original Screenplay: Nick Schenk - Gran Torino
Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire and Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Spotlight Award: Melissa Leo - Frozen River and Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression: Trumbo

Top 10 films:
Burn After Reading
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Defiance
Frost/Nixon
Gran Torino
Milk
WALL-E
The Wrestler

Top 5 Foreign Language Films:
Edge of Heaven
Let The Right One In
Roman De Guerre
A Secret
Waltz With Bashir

Top 5 Documentary Films:
American Teen
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Dear Zachary
Encounters at the End of the World
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired

Big Winners: Clint Eastwood and Gran Torino will definitely get major buzz after winning for Best Actor and Original Screenplay. This will cause some interesting races in those categories, and Clint might yet again slip in for Best Director. David Fincher beats Gus Van Sant, the early favorite, so the Best Director race will be very interesting this year. Could Josh Brolin make the list instead of James Franco in the supporting category or will we see both? Penelope Cruz regains some much needed buzz to keep going in the race. The Dark Knight makes the top 10 so it will still gun for Best Picture.

Big Loser: Revolutionary Road goes unnoticed here, not even making the top 10, so it will be interesting to see how this affects its chances down the road.

Awards season is officially underway! What do you think?

David's Final Golden Globes Predix

With one week away before the announcement of the nominations and a better idea of the categorization of movies (Drama or Comedy/Musical), here's my final predictions:

Best Motion Picture - Drama
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
The Dark Knight
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor In a Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Actress In a Drama
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical
Burn After Reading
Choke
Happy-Go-Lucky
Tropic Thunder
Vicky Christina Barcelona

Best Actor In a Comedy/Musical
Javier Bardem - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Josh Brolin - W.
Dustin Hoffman - Last Chance Harvey
Sam Rockwell - Choke
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Synecdoche, New York

Best Actress In a Comedy/Musical
Catherine Deneuve - A Christmas Tale
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Scarlett Johansson - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson - Last Chance Harvey

Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey, Jr - Tropic Thunder
James Franco - Milk
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams - Doubt
Viola Davis - Doubt
Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Director
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

Best Screenplay
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
Eric Roth & Robin Swicord - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Danny Elfman - Milk
David Hirschfelder - Australia
Thomas Newman - Revolutionary Road
Thomas Newman - WALL-E

Best Original Song
Synecdoche, New York - 'Little Person' (Jon Brion)
WALL-E - 'Down To Earth' (Peter Gabriel)
The Wrestler - 'The Wrestler' (Bruce Springsteen)

Best Animated Feature Film
$9.99
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

Best Foreign Language Film
The Class
Gomorrah
I've Loved You So Long
Sangre de Mi Sangre
Waltz with Bashir

What do you think?

David's NBR Predix

Following my colleague's initiative, here are my predictions for the National Board of Review:

Best Film: Milk
Best Director: Gus Van Sant - Milk
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler
Best Actress: Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Original Screenplay: Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
Best Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Foreign Language Film: The Class
Best Documentary Feature: Encounters at the End of the World
Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
Best Ensemble: Doubt
Best Breakthrough Actor: Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Breakthrough Actress: Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky

Top Ten Films of 2008 (in alphabetical order):

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

What do you think?

National Board of Review Predictions

Today is the day that the Oscar season will officially (not to discount the Spirits...) begin. With the National Board of Review winners comes that undeniable sense of continual buzz that cannot be ignored. In the coming weeks, more and more critics' awards will be handed out and with each one more and more anticipation for the official nominations and then the winners. I won't say anything else so here are my predictions for this year's National Board of Review (excluding independent, foreign, and documentary...I regret to say that I would not even know where to begin with those except hopefully In Bruges will be one of them). Here we go.

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Gus Van Sant, Milk
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Best Actress: Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Best Supporting Actor: Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading
Best Supporting Actress: Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Original Screenplay: Thomas McCarthy, The Visitor
Best Adapted Screenplay: Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Foreign Language Film: The Class
Best Animated Film: WALL-E
Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
Best Ensemble: Milk
Best Breakthrough Actor (Male): James Franco, Milk
Best Breakthrough Actor (Female): Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Top Ten (in alphabetical order):
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Tropic Thunder
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Visitor
WALL-E

I threw in a couple of oddball picks just to keep it interesting. Last year the winner of the NBR wasn't included in the Top Ten, so I followed that similar trend. What are your predictions for the awards tonight?

Spirit Award Nominations

Here are the nominees for the ceremony coveting independent films and debut filmmakers:

Best Picture
Ballast
Frozen River
Rachel Getting Married
Wendy and Lucy
The Wrestler

Best Director
Ramin Bahrani - Chop Shop
Jonathan Demme - Rachel Getting Married
Lance Hammer - Ballast
Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
Thomas McCarthy - The Visitor

Best First Feature
Afterschool (Antonio Campos)
Medicine for Melancholy (Barry Jenkins)
Sangre de Mi Sangre (Christopher Zalla)
Sleep Dealer (Alex Rivera)
Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman)

John Cassavetes Award (Feature made under $500K)
In Search of a Midnight Kiss (Alex Holdridge)
Prince of Broadway (Sean Baker)
The Signal (David Bruckner, Dan Bush, Jacob Gentry)
Take Out (Sean Baker, Shih-Ching Tsou)
Turn the River (Chris Eigeman)

Best First Screenplay
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Lance Hammer - Ballast
Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
Jonathan Levine - The Wackness
Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married

Best Screenplay
Woody Allen - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck - Sugar
Charlie Kaufman - Synecdoche, New York
Howard A. Rodman - Savage Grace
Christopher Zalla - Sangre de Mi Sangre

Best Female Lead
Summer Bishil - Towelhead
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Tarra Riggs - Ballast
Michelle Williams - Wendy and Lucy

Best Male Lead
Javier Bardem - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Sean Penn - Milk
Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Supporting Female
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Christina Barcelona
Rosemarie DeWitt - Rachel Getting Married
Rosie Perez - The Take
Misty Upham - Frozen River
Debra Winger - Rachel Getting Married

Best Supporting Male
James Franco - Milk
Anthony Mackie - The Hurt Locker
Charlie McDermott - Frozen River
JimMyron Ross - Ballast
Haaz Sleiman - The Visitor

Best Cinematography
Maryse Alberti - The Wrestler
Lol Crowley - Ballast
James Laxton - Medicine for Melancholy
Harris Savides - Milk
Michael Simmonds - Chop Shop

Best Documentary
The Betrayal (Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasaveth)
Encounters at the End of the World (Werner Herzog)
Man on Wire (James Marsh)
The Order of Myths (Margaret Brown)
Up the Yangtze (Yung Chang)

Best Foreign Film
The Class (Laurent Cantet) - France
Gomorrah (Matteo Garrone) - Italy
Hunger (Steve McQueen) - UK/Ireland
Secret of the Grain (Abdellatif Kechiche) - France
Silent Night (Carlos Reygades) - Mexico/France/Netherlands/Germany

Robert Altman Award (Given to one film's director, casting director and ensemble cast)
Synecdoche, New York
Director: Charlie Kaufman
Casting Director: Jeanne McCarthy
Ensemble Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Hope Davis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Dianne Wiest, Michelle Williams

Someone to Watch Award
Barry Jenkins - Medicine for Melancholy
Nina Paley - Sita Sings the Blues
Lynn Shelton - My Effortless Brilliance

Truer Than Fiction Award
Margaret Brown - The Order of Myths
Sacha Gervasi - Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Darius Marder - Loot

Producers Award
Lars Knudsen and Jay Van Hoy - Treeless Mountain and I'll Come Running
Jason Orans - Goodbye Solo and Year of the Fish
Heather Rae - Frozen River and Ibid

A couple of things to notice here. First, Marisa Tomei does not get a nomination for Best Supporting Actress, so that might hurt her chances for an Oscar nom. Points for Debra Winger and Rosemarie DeWitt (although a split between the two might end up hurting them both). Next, it will be interesting to see if either Sean Penn or Mickey Rourke wins to establish perhaps a favorite come Oscar night, and look out for Richard Jenkins. Anne Hathaway seems a lock for Best Actress, but she might need a win to keep momentum going. Milk not nominated for Best Picture and Gus Van Sant as Best Director might raise a few eyebrows as well. It also seems that James Franco will be favored over Josh Brolin in the supporting category, but who knows? We also find a couple of favorites in the Documentary category, with Herzog's Encounters and James Marsh's Man on Wire. In the Foreign Language category, The Class will be a strong contender coming off a Palme d'Or win. What do you think?

Che Trailer

It looks like it will be released in LA and NY in time for Oscar contention but it will be released widely in two parts on January 9th, so look for Benicio Del Toro to make a run for an Oscar nomination... What do you think?

Annie Awards Nominations

Yep, December has arrived and the numerous award ceremonies are already starting posting their nominations (Satellite Awards already covered thanks to Brian!) Here's the nominations list for the ceremony covering the Animated features of 2008. (This ceremony also rewards the best of television and TV specials, but I'll only put the ones concerning Feature films and short subjects)


Best Animated Feature
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
$9.99
Wall-E
Waltz With Bashir

Best Animated Short Subject (in case you're looking for ideas for the Oscar nominations)
Glago's Guest
Hot Dog
Presto
Sebastian's Voodoo
Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death

Animated Effects
Alen Lai - Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who
Li-Ming Lawrence Lee - Kung Fu Panda
Fangwei Lee - Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Kevin Lee - Bolt
Enrique Vila - Wall-E

Character Animation in a Feature Production
James Baxter - Kung Fu Panda
Jeff Gabor - Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who
Philippe Le Brun - Kung Fu Panda
Victor Navone - Wall-E
Dan Wagner - Kung Fu Panda

Character Design in a Feature Production
Valerie Hadida - Igor
Sang Jun Lee - Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who
Nico Marlet - Kung Fu Panda

Directing in an Animated Feature Production
Sam Fell, Rob Stevenhagen - The Tale of Despereaux
Ari Folman - Waltz With Bashir
Tatia Rosenthal - $9.99
John Stevenson & Mark Osborne - Kung Fu Panda
Andrew Stanton - Wall-E

Music in an Animated Feature Production
Kevin Manthei - Batman: Gotham Knight
John Powell - Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who
Max Richter - Waltz With Bashir
William Ross - The Tale of Despereaux
Hans Zimmer & John Powell - Kung Fu Panda

Production Design in an Animated Feature Production
Ralph Eggleston - Wall-E
Paul Felix - Bolt
Tang Heng - Kung Fu Panda
Evgeni Tomov - The Tale of Despereaux
Raymond Ziback - Kung Fu Panda

Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production
Alessandro Carloni - Kung Fu Panda
Ronnie Del Carmen - Wall-E
Joe Mateo - Bolt
Jen Yuh Nelson - Kung Fu Panda
Rob Stevenhagen - The Tale of Despereaux

Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production
Ben Burtt - Wall-E (Wall-E)
Dustin Hoffman - Kung Fu Panda (Shifu)
James Hong - Kung Fu Panda (Mr. Ping)
Ian McShane - Kung Fu Panda (Tai Lung)
Mark Walton - Bolt (Rhino)

Writing in an Animated Feature Production
Jon Aibel & Glenn Berger - Kung Fu Panda
Etan Cohen and Eric Darnell & Tom McGrath - Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Ari Folman - Waltz With Bashir
Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio - Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who

A couple of surprises, notably for Wall-E not nominated in the writing and the music categories. Kung Fu Panda leads the way, but we'll see come January 30th. What do you think?