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Best Film – After the success of Slumdog Millionaire at the BAFTAs®, everyone is wondering whether that success will continue with the Academy Awards. A fantastic fable (or is it parable) about one man’s life in Mumbai, Boyle has wowed critics and audiences around the world and is a favourite for the statuette. The main question is whether American film-goers will prefer to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button win. Slumdog is a British gem while Button is a film screaming for Academy recognition. A film about a man born old and gets younger is very worthy for an Oscar® nod. The Reader and Milk are other nominations but seem to rely too heavily on individual performances for it to merit Oscar® wins. Finally Frost/Nixon completes the list which may just cause an upset for its superb portrayal of Frost’s legendary interview with former president Nixon.
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire (but would love to see Frost/Nixon sneak it).
Best Director – The five nominations here are identical to those up for Best Film. Boyle did a fantastic job with Slumdog Millionaire: a heart-wrenching and yet also a heart-warming tale, it was beautifully shot and will thoroughly deserve the award. Milk, by Gus van Sant, tells the story of the first openly gay man elected to public office in America. It is a well made piece and it was inevitable that it was going to receive the nomination but is unlikely to win. The same can also be said about The Reader: there seems to be more attention to Winslet’s performance than Stephen Daldry’s direction. Ron Howard, the only Director who has already picked up an Oscar® (A Beautiful Mind) can not be left out for the powerful Frost/Nixon; and finally David Fincher’s Benjamin Button may make up for its BAFTA® failings so is a serious threat to Danny Boyle.
Prediction: Danny Boyle
Best Actor - The Academy likes an underdog, and the first unknown talent to get a nomination this year is Richard Jenkins for The Visitor. While we haven’t seen the film, we’re sure it’s a worthy performance and Jenkins will certainly receive a lot more attention after Sunday, whether he wins or not. Jenkins is up against some heavyweights such as Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) and Sean Penn (Milk), the former offering his own interpretation of an American president, the latter uncannily taking on the persona of the openly gay San Francisco City Supervisor. The other nominees are Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler). Given Rourke’s recent success at the BAFTAs®, the possibility of him winning is no longer such a big surprise. Pitt’s nomination seems more of an acknowledgment than a real winning chance, but it’s nice to see him finally get recognition in a leading role.
Prediction: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
Best Actress - The unknown in this category is Melissa Leo for Frozen River. Leo plays a mother who becomes involved in a smuggling ring to prevent losing her home. It sounds like the kind of gritty role the Academy likes. Elsewhere Kate Winslet racks up her sixth nomination, and after her BAFTA and Golden Globe® successes she’s in with a real winning chance. However this is Winslet’s only Oscar® nomination, having been looked over for her role in Revolutionary Road, with which she scored at the Globes. No one can deny Meryl Streep’s worthiness for her umpteenth nomination, this time for Doubt; and yet, dare I say it, the role seems like Oscar® bait; in the end it may just be too worthy. Angelina Jolie (Changeling) and Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married) make up the rest of the category. Jolie’s nomination marks a good year for the Jolie-Pitt family, and Hathaway’s is her first in a role for which she has received much critical acclaim.
Prediction: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
Supporting Actor / Actress - The main point of interest in these two awards has to be Heath Ledger’s nomination for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Could he be only the second actor (the first being Peter Finch in 1977) awarded the statuette posthumously? Then there is Robert Downey Jr’s nod for his controversial role as a blacked up actor in Tropic Thunder. A nomination I’m glad to see included is Amy Adams in Doubt, who will pick up more nominations in her career I am sure. The presence of Josh Brolin and Philip Seymour Hoffman (the latter being one of the greatest current actors) is also good to see. Penelope Cruz is up for Vicky Cristina Barcelona and is tipped by some to win it, but I am not sure I am convinced. Viola Davis (Doubt) and Taraji P. Henson (Benjamin Button) could also be surprise winners.
Predictions: Heath Ledger and hopefully Amy Adams (but will probably be Cruz).
Original Screenplay - It’s a good year for Brits, with Martin McDonagh’s nomination for In Bruges following his BAFTA® win. His biggest competition seems to be from Dustin Lance Black for Milk.
Prediction: Hannah says Milk; but Jonathan is confident for In Bruges to follow its BAFTA® success.
Adapted Screenplay - This is a strong category, with all of them potential winners. Slumdog Millionaire, however, will be looking for a clean sweep, staving off competition from Frost/Nixon and Doubt, each showcasing a titanic war of words.
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Foreign Film – Quite simply, this prediction is a chance for me to say how strongly I feel who is going to win. Despite the epic Baader Meinhof Complex from Germany; France’s nomination The Class; Austria’s Revanche; and Japan’s Departures being strong films in their own right, there is only one winner. Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir was a strong contender for either Best Film or at least Best Animated Feature (though WALL-E thoroughly deserves that win). This stunning documentary has to win, enough said.
Animated Film - A slender category this year, but if there’s any justice WALLÎE will walk away with the prize ahead of Bolt and Kung Fu Panda.
The Oscars are on Sunday 22nd February.
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