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#1

Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 1:23pm

Pick your top 5 favorites in each major category for this year's awards season. Don't base your picks on who you think will be nominated, but who you yourself would nominate. Also, please choose a winner in each category.

We will have to see how our picks compare to the actual nominations!


My choices are as follows:

BEST PICTURE
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
The Reader
Frost/ Nixon

WINNER: Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR
Frank Langella, Frost/ Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road

WINNER: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Street, Doubt
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Nicole Kidman, Australia

WINNER: Meryl Streep, Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
David Kross, The Reader
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

WINNER: David Kross, The Reader

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Amy Adams, Doubt
Tilda Swinton, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Kate Winslet, The Reader

WINNER: Kate Winslet, The Reader

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/ Nixon
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Stephen Daldry, The Reader

WINNER: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Peter Morgan, Frost/ Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

WINNER: Peter Morgan, Frost/ Nixon

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Woody Allen, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Jenny Lumet, Rachel Getting Married
Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, WALL-E

WINNER: Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, WALL-E


**edited in the Best Actress category




Updated On: 1/3/09 at 01:23 PM

#2

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 2:39pm

I'll play, winners in bold:

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Slumdog Millionaire

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
Sally Hawkins, HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Meryl Streep, DOUBT*
Kristin Scott Thomas, I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
Kate Winslet, THE READER (Absolutely no question that this is a leading role, no matter what her campaign says)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Emile Hirsch, MILK*
James Franco, MILK
Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
Dev Patel, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Michael Shannon, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA*
Viola Davis, DOUBT
Taraji P. Henson, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Marisa Tomei, THE WRESTLER
Amy Ryans, DOUBT
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

Updated On: 1/3/09 at 02:39 PM

#3

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 2:48pm

Emile Hirsch was wonderful in MILK. I had forgotten that I enjoyed his performance so much. I think it's weird that Franco was getting any buzz at all. I'd say Hirsch and Brolin were the best of the supporting actors.
#4

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 3:17pm

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Doubt
The Wrestler
Frost/Nixon
Milk

BEST ACTOR
Frank Langella, Frost/ Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler*
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road

BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Street, Doubt*
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Angelina Jolie, Changeling

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Emile Hirsch, Milk
David Kross, The Reader
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Amy Adams, Doubt*
Tilda Swinton, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*
Gus Van Sant – Milk
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Darren Aronofsky - The Wrestler

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Milk
The Wrestler
Rachel Getting Married
WALL-E
#5

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 3:43pm

*= Winner
BEST PICTURE
*The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Milk
Frost/Nixon
The Dark Knight

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

BEST ACTOR
Brad Pitt-Benjamin Button
Sean Penn-Milk
*Frank Langella- Frost/Nixon
Richard Jenkins-The Visitor
Clint Eastwood-Gran Torino

BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Streep-Doubt
*Anne Hathaway-Rachel Getting Married
Cate Blanchett- Benjamin Button
Sally Hawkins-Happy Go Lucky
Kate Winslet-Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey Jr.-Tropic Thunder
*Heath Ledger-The Dark Knight
Dev Patel-Slumdog Millionaire
Kevin Bacon-Frost/Nixon
Josh Brolin-Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz-Vicky Christina Barcelona
Amy Adams-Doubt
*Taraji P. Henson-Benjamin Button
Viola Davis-Doubt
Kate Winslet-The Reader

BEST SCREENPLAY (ORIGINAL)
*Milk
Burn After Reading
Wall E
In Bruges
Vicky Christina Barcelona

BEST SCREENPLAY (ADAPTED)
Frost/Nixon
Benjamin Button
Doubt
*Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
Yes, but sometimes people have a third deeper layer thats the same as the first. Like pie. Dr. Horrible
#7

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 4:02pm

Taraji P. Henson was radiant in the first 15 minutes of BENJAMIN BUTTON. But I wouldn't call her work Oscar worthy.

Tilda Swinton, however, shocked me with her oddly warm cameo performance.
#8

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 4:17pm

I wish that Sophie Okonedo was getting some buzz for The Secret Life of Bees. She was wonderful in that otherwise dreary film. I wanted to fit her into my supporting actress line-up, but I just couldn't eliminate one of my choices.
#9

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 9:03pm

*=Winner

BEST PICTURE
*The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wall-E
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR
Dev Patel, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
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
Angelina Jolie, CHANGELING
Kate Winslet, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Emile Hirsch, MILK
Josh Brolin, MILK
*Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, DOUBT
Robert Doney Jr., TROPIC THUNDER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (Tie)
Penelope Cruz, VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA
Viola Davis, DOUBT
*Taraji P. Henson, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Alison Pill, MILK
*Amy Adams, DOUBT
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
#10

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 9:15pm

Do you think Heath Ledger's performance would have been as hyped if he hadn't died?

The most over-rated performance of 2008...
A little known fact is that in the original screenplay, Pan's Labyrinth was Pan's FLAByrinth. Hmmmmmmm...glad they changed it.
#11

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 9:19pm

BEST PICTURE
Happy-Go-Lucky
Milk
WALL-E
A Christmas Tale
My Winnipeg

WINNER: Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST ACTOR
Sean Penn, Milk
Heath Ledger, Dark Knight
Ben Burtt, the voice of WALL-E

WINNER: Heath Ledger, Dark Knight

BEST ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

WINNER: winner by default, Sally Hawkins

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Gary Oldman, Dark Knight
Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky
WINNER: Josh Brolin, Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tilda Swinton, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

WINNER: Tilda Swinton, by default

BEST DIRECTOR
Guy Maddin, My Winnipeg
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Andrew Stanton, WALL-E

WINNER: an unprecedented 3-way tie.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

WINNER: whatever

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, WALL-E
Guy Maddin, My Winnipeg

WINNER: An unprecedented 4-way tie

"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
#12

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 10:11pm

I'll get back to you after I see Revolutionary Road, The Reader, and Gran Torino.

Hopefully Rachel Getting Married, Vicky Christina Barcelona, The Visitor, Happy-Go-Lucky and some of the others that I missed along the way will make it to DVD before the Oscars. re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot
"I seem to have wandered into the BRAIN load-out thread... "
-best12bars

"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290

#13

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/3/09 at 10:44pm

TheActr, VICKY CHIRSTINA BARCELONA comes out on DVD next Tues. Jan.13th, unfortunately RACHEL GETTING MARRIED comes out in March after the Oscars.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#14

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/4/09 at 11:12pm

My picks:

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gran Torino
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Slumdog Millionaire ***********

BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, THE VISITOR
Frank Langella, FROST/NIXON ***** (going for the longshot)
Sean Penn, MILK
Brad Pitt, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Mickey Rourke, THE WRESTLER (don't know if Hollywood will ever embrace him)

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Cate Blanchett****************
Meryl Streep, DOUBT
Kristin Scott Thomas, I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
Kate Winslet, THE READER (Absolutely no question that this is a leading role, no matter what her campaign says)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Emile Hirsch, MILK
James Franco, MILK
Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT*****
Dev Patel, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (deserves it)
Michael Shannon, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA
Viola Davis, DOUBT
Taraji P. Henson, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Marisa Tomei, THE WRESTLER******
Amy Ryans, DOUBT
The only review of a show that matters is your own.
#15

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/5/09 at 12:36pm

Adams was quite good in Doubt, but Davis deserves the award over her, imo...she was stunning.
"Carson has combined his passion for helping children with his love for one of Cincinnati's favorite past times - cornhole - to create a unique and exciting event perfect for a corporate outing, entertaining clients or family fun."

"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS

#16

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/5/09 at 12:55pm

mc1227, I'd call Richard Jenkins a longshot, but Langella? Hardly a longshot to win.
"I seem to have wandered into the BRAIN load-out thread... "
-best12bars

"Sorry I am a Theatre major not a English Major"
-skibumb5290

#17

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/5/09 at 1:57pm

People really think Tilda Swinton was Oscar-worthy in Benjamin Button? I thought she was fine in the role, but I found her part to be rather unmemorable.
#18

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/5/09 at 2:34pm

I agree, Phyllis. While I thought Swinton did a great job in the role, I don't see how she (or anyone) could get an Oscar nod for it. I wouldn't call her role unmemorable, but certainly not worthy of a nomination in any way whatsoever.
Henson, on the other hand, was so warm and tender as Queenie. She also had a sweet chemistry with Pitt.
The one person I fear might get snubbed is Richard Jenkins for what I thought was a brilliant performance in THE VISITOR. I wouldn't mind to see him win either, although Sean Penn is indeed great in MILK.
"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"
#19

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/5/09 at 7:27pm

Another shot at my picks:

BEST PICTURE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
MILK
RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL*E

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
Angelina Jolie, CHANGELING
Kristin Scott Thomas, I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
Meryl Streep, DOUBT
Kate Winslet, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, MILK
Robert Downey Jr, TROPIC THUNDER
Emile Hirsch, MILK
Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT
Dev Patel, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, DOUBT
Penelope Cruz, VICKY CHRISTINA BARCELONA
Viola Davis, DOUBT
Rosemarie DeWitt, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Taraji P. Henson, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Others:
Best Score: DOUBT
Best Song: "Down To Earth," WALL*E
Art Direction: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Costume Design: AUSTRALIA
Cinematography: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Make-Up: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Visual Effects: THE DARK KNIGHT
Best Animated Feature: WALL*E
Foreign Language Film: WALTZES WITH BASHIR
"I saw Pavarotti play Rodolfo on stage and with his girth I thought he was about to eat the whole table at the Cafe Momus." - Dollypop
#20

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/5/09 at 9:21pm

I will defend my feeling about Swinton's performance, although I can completely understand your opinion. It was a very small role- really simply an extended cameo.

However, when I walked out of the theatre after seeing BENJAMIN BUTTON, I was thinking three things: 1- that is the best film I have seen all year (I hadn't seen SLUMDOG yet), 2- Cate Blanchett was stunning, 3- Tilda Swinton was magnetically charming and subtle.

I adored Swinton in MICHAEL CLAYTON and was completely satisfied with her win. It was a cold, chilling performance.

And her performance in BENJAMIN BUTTON was completely the opposite. It was warm and sensual, but that chill was still there. It was the rawest performance in the film- a beautiful shell of a woman clinging to a stranger for fulfillment. Tilda Swinton is a class act.

I adored Henson, but I would never call her performance Oscar-worthy. She was warm and lovable, but that was really the extent of it. Had there been a scene with she and Pitt before she SPOILER--passed away--SPOILER, I really think maybe her performance could have been worthy. But all I got from her was lovable. She was perfect for how the role was written.

However, I think Swinton took her little role and made it shocking and memorable. That vodka and caviar scene was riveting- such a cry for help. Beautiful.
#21

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/6/09 at 1:44am

dramarama2 Couldn't agree more

I predict Wall*e will get a best picture nomination
Meryl Streep
Amy Adams
and
Frank Langella will win.
I'll have them clawing at eachother, like drag queens at a wig sale"
#22

re: Your Oscar Nomination Ballot

Posted: 1/6/09 at 7:05am

I would rather see Kate Winslet get nominated for her work in The Reader over Revolutionary Road. She was stunning and haunting in that part.

I agree that Tilda Swinton was amazing in her role in Benjamin Button, I think her performance was just as memorable if not more so than Henson. I agree that Henson was great, but not Oscar worthy, same with Brad Pitt who I felt gave a good performance but didn't blow me away. Cate Blanchett on the other hand, I felt gave the best performance I have seen of hers.

I hope we get some nice surprises on Jan 22.
"Love the Art in Yourself. Not Yourself in the Art." -- Stanislavski

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