Dates for 2009 Set!!

Thanks, as usual, to AwardsDaily for these.

Monday, December 1, 2008: Official Screen Credits forms due
Friday, December 26, 2008: Nominations ballots mailed
Monday, January 12, 2009: Nominations polls close 5 p.m. PT
Thursday, January 22, 2009: Nominations announced 5:30 a.m. PT, Samuel Goldwyn Theater
Wednesday, January 28, 2009: Final ballots mailed
Monday, February 2, 2009: Nominees Luncheon
Saturday, February 7, 2009: Scientific and Technical Achievement Awards presentation
Tuesday, February 17, 2009: Final polls close 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, February 22, 2009: 81st Annual Academy Awards presentation

Yay.

Daniel's Projected Winners for 2008

I'll do a Big 8 eventually (as in...maybe months from now) but for now I will just pick a winner of next year's Big 8 categories. In a year, we'll see how accurate these are.

Best Picture: Frost/Nixon
alt. Milk

Best Director: Gus Van Sant, Milk
alt. David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actor: Viggo Mortensen, The Road
alt. Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon

Best Actress: Meryl Streep, Doubt
alt. Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, Milk
alt. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, Revolutionary Road
alt. Amy Adams, Doubt

Best Original Screenplay: Milk
alt. Hamlet 2

Best Adapted Screenplay: Frost/Nixon
alt. Doubt

I really shouldn't do predictions this early. Not because they are bound to be totally inaccurate, but because I get myself too excited for next year's Oscars.

What films do you think will score big at the 81st? Which will bomb?

My Oscar Recap

Certainly an...interesting night. As last year, we'll do five good things, and five not-so-good things. Here we go...

THE GOOD (not necessarily in order)

1. Marion Cotillard is an Oscar winner. Marion Cotillard gave an absolutely amazing performance in La Vie en Rose and, though my pick and prediction were Ellen Page, I think we all knew Ms. Cotillard would pick up her well-deserved Oscar.

2. The speeches. Almost all of the winners--especially those in acting--seemed very genuine and honored, but not self-indulgent. Really lovely. And Jon Stewart is a class act for letting Marketa Irglova accept her Oscar.

3. I was wrong about Best Supporting Actress. The BAFTA turned out to be the most accurate precursor this year. Tilda Swinton is the strangest person ever, but did indeed give a good performance in Michael Clayton. And now Cate has the oppritunity to give a truly worthy performance (which, for her, won't be difficult).

4. The right locks won. Daniel Day-Lewis gave the best performance of the year; truly a deserved lock; Javier Bardem, though not my pick, was undeniably great, , Falling Slowly is the most gorgeous song ever written for a film and there is no way around the fact that it's impossible not to love No Country for Old Men. Excellent choices, Academy.

5. The troops announcing the Best Documentary Short Subject. A surprisingly well-done segment. Let's hope that soon they can do it from home.

THE BAD

1. The ceremony. About 45 minutes into the telecast, I was ready to sob. I found myself unimpressed with something I focus a great deal of my year around. However, I think that a lot of that can be attributed to the lack of time to write a ceremony. I really think that next year I will be able to enjoy it as much as I always do. Let's hope...

2. The montages. Why not just make the ceremony an hour shorter and avoid the most common complaint? Instead they had these mildly amusing montages of...just about everything. The thing is, these would really only appeal to Oscar enthusiasts, and we've seen the clips a million times before. Sigh.

3. Transformers goes empty-handed. I haven't legally seen this, but why not just throw the dog a bone and give it Best Sound Mixing?

4. My lowest score ever. This is both a plus and a minus...it's good because it meant the evening was full of surprises, but not so good because it's just a bit embarassing to get a 71% (that's if you score it my way: 2 points for the prediction, 1 point for the runner up, divided by 48). The worst part is that many of the winners, namely Cotillard, The Bourne Ultimatum for editing, Taxi to the Darkside for Documentary Feature, Elizabeth for Costume Design and Sweeney Todd for Art Direction, were my first instinct, but I denied them in favor of the frontrunner. How unfortunate.

5. The lowest ratings ever. I knew this would happen, but the Oscars deserve better than 21 million.

Overall, this was a very disappointing night entertainment wise (you can thank the AMPTP for that), but very satisfying in that most all of the winners were deserved, or were at least good choices. And now, the one day of the year where I give a shit about fashion...

BEST DRESSED
Jennifer Garner
WORST DRESSED

Sarah Larson
Well that's that for this year. This was a remarkably strong year for movies, but a weak Oscar year. Very anticlimactic. Well, at least they had a very genuine excuse, and it was all for a good cause.

We've got another year until we do all of this again, so we'll start hurling out some early predix, and just covering some general film news as we usually do. I'm also getting really bored with this template; I think we've had it all year; so that will probably change. 2007 was a great year!

Recap of the 80th Academy Awards

Best Picture : No Country For Old Men
Best Director : Joel & Ethan Coen - No Country For Old Men
Best Actor : Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Best Actress : Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose
Best Supporting Actor : Javier Bardem - No Country For Old Men
Best Supporting Actress : Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton
Best Original Screenplay : Diablo Cody - Juno
Best Adapted Screenplay : Joel & Ethan Coen - No Country For Old Men
Best Film Editing : The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Art Direction : Sweeney Todd
Best Costume Design : Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Best Cinematography : There Will Be Blood
Best Makeup : La Vie En Rose
Best Original Score : Atonement
Best Original Song : Falling Slowly - Once
Best Sound Mixing : The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Sound Editing : The Bourne Ultimatum
Best Visual Effects : The Golden Compass
Best Animated Feature Film : Ratatouille
Best Foreign Language Film : The Counterfeiters - Austria
Best Documentary Feature : Taxi To The Dark Side
Best Documentary Short Subject : Freeheld
Best Live Action Short Film : Le Mozart Des Pickpockets
Best Animated Short Film : Peter & The Wolf

Predicted correctly : 14/21 (I didn't offer predictions for the last 3 categories)

Hmm...

Truly a ceremony like no other. I'll post my official reactions/recap tomorrow, but as for now:

• Marion Cotillard is a very deserving winner. And what a lovely speech. Why the hell didn't I predict her?
• Tilda Swinton was probably the weirdest person in that room, but I'm glad she won...mostly.
• I was on the verge of tears for most of the telecast. I was worried that my love for the Oscars had been tampered, because I found myself unentertained. I felt like my beloved Oscars that I have spent so much time obsessing over had become something I just didn't care about. I'd never felt that way before. And yet, in the last 30 minutes, all of that changed.

Overall, I can't say I enjoyed the telecast that much...or at all, really, but I am pleased with the winners.

94 Minutes From Now...

I will be witnessing the 80th Annual Academy Awards.

Wow.

My Absolutely, Totally, 200%, Completely Final Predix

This is my most important post of the year: the final predix. I am not allowing myself to change ANY of these. At all. Red for who WILL win. Blue for the runner-up. Underline for who SHOULD win. Here we go...

BEST PICTURE
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson – There Will Be Blood
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen – No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy – Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman – Juno
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

BEST ACTOR
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones – In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie – Away from Her
Marion Cotillard – La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney – The Savages
Ellen Page – Juno

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem – No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Chalrie Wilson’s War
Hal Holbrook – Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – I’m Not There
Ruby Dee – American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Atonement
Away from Her
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf’s Up

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM (No Should Win Applicable)
12
Beaufort
The Counterfeiters
Mongol
Katyn

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE (No Should Win Applicable)
No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Darkside
War/Dance

BEST FILM EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST ART DIRECTION
American Gangster
Atonement
The Golden Compass
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Across the Universe
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
La Vie en Rose
Sweeney Todd

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
3:10 to Yuma
Atonement
The Kite Runner
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Raise it Up” – August Rush
“Happy Working Song” – Enchanted
“So Close” – Enchanted
“That’s How You Know” – Enchanted
“Falling Slowly” – Once

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

BEST SOUND EDITING
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers

BEST MAKEUP
La Vie en Rose
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
Transformers

BEST ANIMATED SHORT (No Should Win Applicable)
I Met the Walrus
Madame Tutli-Putli
Meme les Pigeones vont au Paradis
My Love
Peter and the Wolf

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT (No Should Win Applicable)
At Night
The Substitute
Le Mozart des Pickpockets
Tanghi Argenti
The Tonto Woman

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT (No Should Win Applicable)
Freeheld
La Corona
Salim Baba
Sari’s Mother

What Acting Clips Should they Use?

Let's see...

BEST ACTOR
George Clooney - Michael Clayton: Stopping to see the horses, and the car explosion
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood: "With these...people."
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd: "Dreaming that I might come home to a wife and child."
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah: First time meeting Charlize Theron
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises: Not Seen

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age: "I, too, can command the wind, sir!" Campiest line of the year. Who else but Blanchett could make that sound genuine?
Julie Christie - Away from Her: "He never confuses me at all"
Marion Cotillard - La Vie en Rose: Marcel is dead.
Laura Linney - The Savages: Not Seen. I might catch a showing this afternoon.
Ellen Page - Juno: "Have fun at prom with Soupy Sales"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: Not Seen
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men: Strangling the cop with handcuffs.
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War: "Go f**k yourself" (take your pick of which one)
Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild: "I could be your grandfather"
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton: "I am Shiva, the God of Death." Duh.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There: "You want me to think what YOU want me to think."
Ruby Dee - American Gangster: "I will leave you."
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement: "Yes, I did. I saw him."
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone: "There's nothin' easy 'bout bein' a mother."
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton: "Where am I supposed to get 10 million dollars?"

I...can't...wait.

7 Things that Would Make me Happy...

It's HERE!

Like any Oscar enthusiast, I have my personal preferences. However, some are stronger than others. Here are my top 7 hopes and dreams (not in order) for tonight's telecast. Most of these are impossible, but...eh. Here we are:

• Falling Slowly wins Best Original Song
• Cate Blanchett loses Best Supporting Actress to Amy Ryan (I'd be fine with Swinton or Ronan, too. Hell, even Dee. Just not Cate.)
• Paul Thomas Anderson wins Best Director or There Will Be Blood wins Best Picture
• Ellen Page or Marion Cotillard win Best Actress. I'm rooting and (idiotically) predicting Page, but Cotillard is the perfect age and gave a lovely performance, too.
• Tom Wilkinson wins Best Supporting Actor. Probably the most impossible thing on this list, but I can dream, can't I? Meh...well...Bardem is a very good choice, too.
• Daniel Day-Lewis wins Best Actor. We all know this will happen, but really: if it doesn't, I'll be extremely upset.
• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly wins somewhere. Preferably Cinematography or Adapted Screenplay.

Happy Oscars to all!

The Top 5 FYC Ads of the Year

I've been compiling many of my favorite For Your Consideration ads this year and here are my Top Five favorites (and honorable mention):

5.
This was in my Top Five this year because it reminded (or introduced) voters what Marion Cotillard looked like. Why is this important? Because, with the help of the fantastic makeup in this film, it demonstrated how much Cotillard invested in this performance. Makeup is one thing...but that makeup would mean nothing if Cotillard's wonderful and expressive performance was not...wonderful and expressive.

4.
I think it's probably obvious why this made the list. Set up as a photograph taken from the time period, this picture of Casey Affleck is fascinating. I would have loved to see more FYC ads like this come from "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" this year. Imagine how cool a Brad Pitt one would have looked.

3.
If Casey Affleck's ad captured the time period of the film, this one perfectly captured the feeling of the film. "Charlie Wilson's War" was a good movie but nothing particularly worthy of much more than Philip Seymour Hoffman's nomination (and possibly a screenplay nomination too). I really loved the "Charlie Wilson" ads all year but this one was by far my favorite; it's better than the movie itself.

2.
This ad, in a single take, is a summary of everything great about this film. The art direction. The cinematography. The direction. Daniel Day-Lewis. THE ENDING. Milkshakes.

1.
I picked this ad for the best of the year not because it was the most convincing. Or the most beautiful. No, I picked this ad for a couple other reasons. One, it captures the relationship between Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett extremely well. Two, it's a great image. Three, it's absolutely hilarious. But, to be honest, my third reason is the main reason I picked it. It's not the most skilled ad of the year, but it is the most fun. Except for maybe...

Honorable Mention:
I knew I would either give this the number one spot or the honorable mention. I went for the honorable mention. I loved "Walk Hard"'s two or three ads that I saw this year. Serious props to the distributors for campaigning a film that they knew didn't have a chance in hell for a nomination (well...besides maybe Original Song, for which "Let's Duet" was majorly snubbed). Bravo Dewey Cox!

What were your favorite FYC ads this year?

My Plans for Tomorrow...

As we all know, the best day of the year is just 30 minutes away. My plans for tomorrow are:

1. Make my final predix and print out my final ballot.
2. Spend an obscene amount of time posting here and commenting on other sites.
3. Indulge in ridiculous E! coverage
4. I might see The Savages tomorrow...but probably not. The earliest showing is at 2:30, so I'd be back at around 5, which is cutting it a bit close. Still, I feel obligated to see Linney's performance

and, of course

5. Watch the show from beginning to end--including every commercial--and do so wide-eyed and in absolute silence.

It's almost here! What are you planning on doing to celebrate?

Sublime

On Second Thought...

...I am changing my Best Actress prediction to Ellen Page. Why? Mostly because of one man:

So I did some research, and I found something that might be worth noting. Roger Ebert has picked a Best Actress nominated film as the best of the year 10 times: Bonnie & Clyde (1967, Faye Dunaway received the nod), An Unmarried Woman (1978, Jill Clayburgh), Sophie's Choice (1982, Meryl Streep), The Color Purple (1985, Whoopi Goldberg), Leaving Las Vegas (1995, Elisabeth Shue), Fargo (1996, Frances McDormand), Monster's Ball (2001, Halle Berry), Monster (2003, Charlize Theron), Million Dollar baby (2004, Hilary Swank) and now Juno.

Not counting Ellen Page, because, obviously, we don't know how she will do, 5/9 of those women--around 56%--have gone on to win the Oscar. Also take notice that the last 4 times when this happened, the nominated women took home their statuettes.

It may also be noteworthy that Ebert has predicted the Best Actress winner correctly every year since 2002 when Halle Berry upset (kinda) Sissy Spacek. This year, he is predicting Page.

Finally, the only times in Oscar history that both lead acting awards have gone to previous winners are 1973 (Glenda Jackson and Jack Lemmon) and 1994 (Tom Hanks and Jessica Lange). Day-Lewis is a lock, but Christie remains somewhat vulnerable.

I dunno...maybe this doesn't prove anything (I usually hate when people use trivia as logic, but I was really surprised at all of this). I just thought it was really interesting, and I've been imagining Ellen winning for days. I can really see it. I'm going for it, even though it will probably end up being Christie or even Cotillard. My updated predix are:

1. Ellen Page - Juno
2. Julie Christie - Away from Her
3. Marion Cotilalrd - La Vie en Rose
4. Laura Linney - The Savages
5. Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age

As I write this, I realize that I really do regret giving Cotillard my award. However, I allow myself to change my picks up until the ceremony. I think I might take advantage of that.

I Know I'm the Last to Post This...

But here is the link to AMPAS' official YouTube channel. I've been watching these non-stop since Monday (namely Diane Keaton's acceptance speech). They update it constantly. This should be more than enough to keep me amused until Sunday :-)

A Look at Best Actress

The nominees are...

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away From Her
Marion Cotillard - La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney - The Savages
Ellen Page - Juno

I'VE SEEN: 4/5. Very subjected to change, as I may be seeing The Savages this weekend.
I PREDICTED: 4/5. Like most, I predicted Angelina Jolie would get in over Laura Linney.

BLANCHETT-A not-all-that-acclaimed performance in a mediocre film. Besides, she'll win for her average performance in I'm Not There instead.

CHRISTIE-See, logic tells me to go with her, and I think there's a very good chance they will. However, there's something about predicting her that goes against my morals. I always need to make one surprise prediction in one of the last 4 categories to keep me on my toes all night, so I'm kind of steering away from Christie.

COTILLARD-After her "surprise" BAFTA victory, she's being predicted as an 11th hour upset. I'm probably going to go with that. I can really see this happening (and it couldn't be for a better performance).

LINNEY-She's gotten some buzz, and I do think it's interesting, but I believe (and hope) that she'll have a Helen Mirren year and win every precursor leading up to the Oscar. She deserves better than this. However, she looks unbelievable in her clips.

PAGE-I can REALLY see this happening, but I kind of hope it doesn't. Don't get me wrong; Page gave one of the three best performances of the year (with Day-Lewis and Cotillard); but I hope that in maybe 10 years she'll give a knock-out performance that will win her an Oscar. This is a star-making performance, but I would be a bit disappointed to see her win an Oscar--simply because it would make it more difficult to win one later on.

WILL WIN: Marion Cotillard - La Vie en Rose...for now
SHOULD WIN: Marion Cotillard - La Vie en Rose

IN ORDER OF LIKELINESS:
1. Marion Cotillard - La Vie en Rose
2. Julie Christie - Away From Her
3. Ellen Page - Juno
4. Laura Linney - The Savages
5. Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age

TOMORROW: Best Actor

My god, I cannot wait for Sunday.

Presenters Announced

Thanks to AwardsDaily for this press release:

At a press conference held at the Academy’s headquarters today (Thursday), Cates and Ganis announced the presenters scheduled to date, including all four of last year’s winners in the acting categories—Alan Arkin, Jennifer Hudson, Helen Mirren and Forest Whitaker—as well as Amy Adams, Jessica Alba, Cate Blanchett, Josh Brolin, Steve Carell, George Clooney, Penelope Cruz, Miley Cyrus, Patrick Dempsey, Cameron Diaz, Colin Farrell, Harrison Ford, Jennifer Garner, Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway, Katherine Heigl, Jonah Hill, Dwayne Johnson, Nicole Kidman, James McAvoy, Queen Latifah, Seth Rogen, Martin Scorsese, Hilary Swank, John Travolta, Denzel Washington and Renee Zellweger.

Cates and Ganis also announced the performers of the nominated songs. Amy Adams will sing “Happy Working Song” from “Enchanted” (music by Alan Menken and lyric by Stephen Schwartz). Also from “Enchanted” (and written by Menken and Schwartz) will be “That’s How You Know,” sung by Kristin Chenoweth and Marlon Saunders, and “So Close,” to be performed by Jon McLaughlin.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova will perform their nominated song, “Falling Slowly,” from the motion picture “Once,” and Jamia Simone Nash will perform “Raise It Up,” from “August Rush,” with the IMPACT Repertory Theatre of Harlem, headed by Jamal Joseph, who shares the song’s music and lyric credit with Charles Mack and Tevin Thomas.

Also scheduled to return to the Oscar telecast team will be writers Hal Kanter, Buz Kohan, Jon Macks and Bruce Vilanch.

Second-time Oscar show host Jon Stewart will also bring on several writers to work
on the telecast.

Wow, seeing all these stars really sets the fact that there will, in fact, be an Oscar telecast, in stone. Awesome. Two thoughts: one, has John Travolta EVER not been a presenter? And two, I love that Kristen Chenoweth is singing That's How You Know. Such a perfect song for her. I cannot WAIT for the 24th.

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

A Look at Best Sound Editing

Perhaps you remember this from last year. When this series starts, it means that we have 20 days until the Oscars (!!!!!!!!!). This is where I go category-by-category and make predictions; one category per day until the day of the show, where I make my BP prediction and finalize everything else. We start today with Best Sound Editing. The nominees are...

The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers

I'VE SEEN: 3/5: Ratatouille, No Country for Old Men & There Will Be Blood. I know that makes me look like I hate popcorn movies...trust me, I don't. I just didn't see many action movies this year, mostly because I was scared to go after Spider-Man 3. But, after Bourne got some of the best review of the year, I might need to catch up...
I PREDICTED: 3/5. I had 3:10 to Yuma and Hairspray in favor of Bourne and Transformers.

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM-Some people are predicting it...I might. This could easily be where it ends up being rewarded. I just have a bit of a hard time seeing it happen.


NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN-Don't count this out at all. I could really see the Academy going absolutely crazy for No Country and rewarding it in every category it's nominated for.

RATATOUILLE-My tentative prediction. I'm always surprised when animated films don't get nominated in this category (and sound mixing), seeing as how they created all of the sound from scratch. The sound in this sounded even more authentic than in that of a live-action film. Keep an eye on this one.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD-The sound quality here was good, but I am a bit surprised that it got in. Don't depend on it.

TRANSFORMERS-The most popular summer action movie of the year (granted not the highest grossing) will probably be awarded in the Visual Effects category instead.

WILL WIN: Ratatouille
SHOULD WIN: Ratatouille

IN ORDER OF LIKELINESS:
1. Ratatouille
2. No Country for Old Men
3. The Bourne Ultimatum
4. Transformers
5. There Will Be Blood

TOMORROW: Best Sound Mixing

David's Top 10 of 2007

To continue on this rare appearance on my behalf, I'd like to present my personal top 10 of the past year.

10. Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
9. Into The Wild
8. Michael Clayton
7. Ratatouille
6. Eastern Promises
5. The Kite Runner
4. Juno
3. Atonement
2. There Will Be Blood
1. No Country For Old Men

Honorable Mentions: Once, Sweeney Todd, 3:10 To Yuma, Knocked Up, The Diving Bell & The Butterfly

What's your top 10 of 2007?

TOP 5 FINAL PREDIX: Best Picture

BEST PICTURE

1. No Country for Old Men-Very little can stop this from taking it all.

2. There Will Be Blood-Major success at the guilds could give this the statuette, but don't hold your breath.



3. Michael Clayton-It's almost surely gonna get the nod, but a win is near impossible.

4. Juno-It's an enormous hit with audiences and the guilds, but will that be enough? There's a lot of competition, and I'm afraid that this might be what suffers.

5. Into the Wild-It's either this, Diving Bell and the Butterfly or Atonement. We have to remember that EVERY member of AMPAS votes for BP; not just producers; and, even though it was snubbed at the PGA, it was still a smash hit everywhere else. This looks like the one, though Diving Bell is very close behind.