Recap of the 80th Academy Awards part 2

Well, a few surprises here and there, but overall excellent choices all around, not too many upsets in my view...

1. Transformers empty-handed
I was very surprised when they announced The Golden Compass as the winner for Visual Effects because I expected Transformers to pick up at least this category. Anyways, there's always the second time around...

2. The Bourne Ultimatum rewarded
Out of 3 nominations, it picked up... 3 awards. Probably the best action film of the year, Paul Greengrass is definetely the master of picking his technical crew, and I can't wait for his next flick.

3. Actresses
Marion Cotillard = victory! I was really hoping that she would pick up this award, and I was on the money predicting Tilda... They had to pick a winner for Michael, and I'm happy they picked her, because this was a tough category to predict.

Other than that, I wasn't really surprised with the winners. I'm very happy for Daniel Day-Lewis, Javier Bardem, Ratatouille, Diablo Cody and especially Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova for the song Falling Slowly, because Once was the gem of 2007. What a great song!

A great ceremony, and I can't wait for next year.

A Look at Best Sound Mixing

The nominees are...

3:10 to Yuma
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
Transformers

I'VE SEEN: 3/5: 3:10 to Yuma, No Country for Old Men & Ratatouille
I PREDICTED: 3/5. I had 300 & Hairspray in place of Transformers and Ratatouille

3:10 TO YUMA-Success in this category is a lot like getting a Best Picture nod without a Best Director nod. Since 3:10 to Yuma didn't get a Sound Editing nod, the nomination is really its reward.
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM-If the editing nomination was any indication, the Academy came much closer to rewarding Bourne in major categories than we gave them credit for. I could see this taking the award just to reward the film itself.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN-I've found that the Academy likes to go with safe choices in this category, and you don't get much safer than this. Still, when it's among Bourne and Transformers, it'll have a harder time.

RATATOUILLE-The editing here was more impressive than the mixing...and they rarely give one film both Sound Mixing and Editing. Still, don't count it out.

TRANSFORMERS-Some sites are predicting this...I don't know. We'll see what happens. Though the sound quality did look excellent...

WILL WIN: The Bourne Ultimatum
SHOULD WIN: No Country for Old Men

IN ORDER OF LIKELINESS:
1. The Bourne Ultimatum
2. Transformers
3. No Country for Old Men
4. Ratatouille
5. 3:10 to Yuma

TOMORROW: Best Makeup