THE 81ST ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Performance by an actor in a leading role
* Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
* Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
* Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
* Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
* Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
* Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
* Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
* Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
* Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
* Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
* Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
* Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
* Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
* Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Best animated feature film of the year
* “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
* “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton

Achievement in art direction
* “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

Achievement in cinematography
* “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle

Achievement in costume design
* “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
* “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
* “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky

Achievement in directing
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle

Best documentary feature
* “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
* “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
* “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
* “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
* “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

Best documentary short subject
* “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
* “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
* “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
* “The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde

Achievement in film editing
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens

Best foreign language film of the year
* “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
* “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
* “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
* “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
* “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel

Achievement in makeup
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
* “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.),Alexandre Desplat
* “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
* “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
* “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
* “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam

Best motion picture of the year
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production,Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
* “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production, Christian Colson, Producer

Best animated short film
* “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
* “Lavatory - Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
* “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films) A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
* “Presto” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
* “This Way Up”, A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes

Best live action short film
* “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
* “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
* “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
* “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
* “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank

Achievement in sound editing
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
* “Wanted” (Universal), Wylie Stateman

Achievement in sound mixing
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
* “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

Achievement in visual effects
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
* “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
* “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

Adapted screenplay
* “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
* “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
* “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
* “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

Original screenplay
* “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
* “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
* “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
* “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
* “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

'OSCAR' COUNTDOWN: BEST DIRECTOR

2008 can be said as a relatively weak year during the awards season. Everywhere you went, same pictures (Slumdog Millionaire; WALL-E; Dark Knight), directors (Chris Nolan, Danny Boyle, David Fincher-pictured), actors, actresses, writers, and technical team can be heard or read during awards' ceremony. Even the countless blogs and film cognoscenti do this too, which obviously shows that critical and popular consensus for films in contention are limited to the pictures that are honored. Those "little" films are thrown away in the sidelines, waiting to be discovered as an "out of left field" choice.

The U.S. critics' choices for best director were divided between Nolan, Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky), and Boyle. High profile pictures Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, and The Wrestler have catapulted Fincher, Ron Howard, Gus Van Sant, and Darren Aronofsky into the mix. Clint Eastwood's Angelina Jolie vehicle Changeling could have been a major contender if the film was a critical and box office hit , while his supposed-to-be last movie as an actor, Gran Torino racked up impressive ticket sales ($70 million in two weeks and counting) and decent reviews; Eastwood's recent projects (Mystic River; Million Dollar Baby; Letters from Iwo Jima) were recognized by the Academy, and Torino is considered a frontrunner. Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road) and Stephen Daldry (The Reader) were overshadowed by their movies' limited popular appeal, while WALL-E's Andrew Stanton may become the first best director to be nominated for an animated feature.

Here are my predictions for Best Director:

David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

'OSCAR' COUNTDOWN: BEST SCREENPLAY

For Best Original Screenplay the nominees are...

Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Woody Allen, Vicky Christina Barcelona
Andrew Stanton, WALL-E
Robert Siegel, The Wrestler

For Best Adapted Screenplay the nominees are...

Eric Roth, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Screen Story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald

John Patrick Shanley, for Doubt, based on his stage play

Peter Morgan, for Frost/Nixon, based on his stage play

David Hare, for The Reader, based on the novel by Bernard Schlink (pictured, above)

Simon Beaufoy, for Slumdog Millionaire, based on the novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup

'OSCAR' COUNTDOWN: BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Last week's announcement of the top nine shortlist yielded a lot of surprises, both good (Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Cannes winning 3 Monkeys; Gotz Spielmann's explicit revenge drama Revanche) and bad (Cannes and multi-award winning Italian mafia film Gomorra was snubbed, as did Sundance Filmfest contenders Captain Abu-Raed and Russia's The Mermaid). As always, the most prickly branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences preferred their usual tastes: family generational dramas set in Latin America (Mexican telenovela-like Tear This Heart Out), Europe and Scandinavia (two time nominee Jan Troell's Everlasting Moments); domestic strife and reconciliation (Japan's Departures); old man and his young friend's reflection on life (Canada's The Necessities of Life); and the coming of age story (Cannes' Palme d'Or winner The Class).

Israel's highly acclaimed animated feature-cum-documentary Waltz with Bashir is considered a front runner, though it was surprising that it made the cut in this category. The movie is in the running for Best Animated Feature.) Sony Pictures Classics, its North American distributor knows how to handle foreign language releases especially during the awards season, and Bashir's highly favorable critical traction in the U.S. assure writer-director Ari Folman and his wife a seat at the Kodak Theater come February 22. Hence, it's in.

Here are my predicted nominees in the category:

The Class, France; Laurent Cantet, director (first picture, above)
Everlasting Moments, Sweden; Jan Troell, director
Revanche, Austria; Gotz Spielmann, director (second picture)
3 Monkeys, Turkey; Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director (The first Turkish film to be nominated in this category.)
Waltz with Bashir, Israel; Ari Folman, director

'OSCAR-WATCH': BEST ACTRESS in a supporting role

This year's Best Sup. Actress category isn't as crowded as last year's. It would be easy to make my predictions:

AMY ADAMS, Doubt. (left, with Meryl Streep)
- Well loved by the press for her graciousness on and off screen, the Academy member gave a fine performance in John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of his acclaimed play. But the critics preferred her co-star Viola Davis.

PENELOPE CRUZ, Vicky Christina Barcelona
- Woody Allen received his 15th WGA nod for his script, and Cruz's performance was immensely praised. If last year's Best Sup. Actor winner (and her current love interest) Javier Bardem presents the Oscar for this category, will he gonna declare her as the winner? Hmmm...

VIOLA DAVIS, Doubt.

MARISA TOMEI, The Wrestler
- Never underestimate the Academy love for this 1992 Best Sup. Actress winner (and 2001 nominee). The love for the movie will carry her over to the Kodak Theater as a nominee.

KATE WINSLET, The Reader
- The film's producers the Weinstein Brothers are busy campaigning for Cruz in this category, because apparently Winslet was displeased with the same release schedule for her other 2008 movie. If she wins for this film (which is likely), will she receive the Best Lead Actress award? (Impossible.)

BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME TO...

Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
Taraji P. Henson, Benjamin Button
Tilda Swinton, Benjamin Button
Elsa Zylberstein, Il y a longtemps que je t'aime

'OSCAR'-WATCH: BEST ACTOR in a supporting role

For Best Actor in a Supporting Role, the nominees are...

JOSH BROLIN, Milk
- Retribution: after being snubbed last year for his career defining role in the Oscar winning No Country for Old Men, Barbra Streisand's stepson gained critical appraisal for his performance in the Harvey Milk biopic. He is my bet for the SAG on Jan. 25.

ROBERT DOWNEY, JR., Tropic Thunder (left, with Jack Black)
- His role as Kirk Lazarus (mentally challenged actor with references to Russell Crowe) may have been controversial, but the execution was praised. Along with the well reviewed summer blockbuster Iron Man, 2008 has proven to be Downey Jr's year.

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN, Doubt.
- No doubt about Doubt, this year's acting showcase and multi-nominated movie without a Best Picture nod.

HEATH LEDGER, The Dark Knight
- The late young actor sealed the deal for his widely acclaimed role as The Joker, but the question is "will he be the second recipient of a posthumous Oscar after 1976's Peter Finch?"

DEV PATEL, Slumdog Millionaire
- This year's other category fraud nominee (along with Kate Winslet), the Indian-British actor actually played a lead character in this overrated movie. I don't see an Oscar win for him though.

And the Oscar snubs...

David Cross, The Reader
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess
James Franco, Milk (He had a banner year in 2008 like Downey Jr., after starring in the late summer hit Pineapple Express.)
John Malkovich, Burn After Reading or Changeling
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road (Much talked about performance in the film aside from Winslet)

'OSCAR'-WATCH: BEST ACTRESS in a leading role

Certainly the year's much awaited race (along with Best Actor), 2008 has produced several career defining and acclaimed performances for actresses in a leading role. Major U.S. critics' groups (New York, L.A., National Society) and the Golden Globes have declared Sally Hawkins as the one to beat (though her hometown counterpart, the BAFTA, snubbed her and the film as a whole). BAFTA contender Kristin Scott-Thomas (left) may have received immense critical approbation for her work in the French drama Il y a longtemps que je t'aime (I've Loved You So Long), but the film was a limited release flop. Cate Blanchett's role in Benjamin Button was surprisingly overlooked by the attention given to Brad Pitt, Taraji Henson, and the film as a whole. And while Changeling's Angelina Jolie was nominated by the Globes and SAG, the film was a critical and box office turn off.

For the Best Actress in a leading role, the nominees are...

ANNE HATHAWAY, Rachel Getting Married
- Young actress in a well reviewed performance is a change of pace role. Oscar might be next.

SALLY HAWKINS, Happy-Go-Lucky
- Her mumbling speech at the Globes was a turn-off, but the performance was widely acclaimed. (And the film's writer director, Mike Leigh is well loved by the Academy.)

KRISTIN SCOTT-THOMAS, Il Y A Longtemps Que Je T'Aime

MERYL STREEP, Doubt.
- This is divine Streep's 15th Oscar nomination. Will she receive her third statuette for the role? Early bird soothsayers say it's another Oscar favorite's year, who happens to be...

KATE WINSLET, Revolutionary Road
- The 32 year old actress and five time nominee (an Academy record) is up for her fourth lead actress nod. Given her impressive film credentials, popularity with some Academy members (including Emma Thompson and Oprah Winfrey), and fine notices for her performance in the otherwise divisive movie (including a Best Actress-Drama Golden Globe last week), common sense says it's in the bag for her. The only problem will be if Winslet wins Best Sup. Actress for The Reader, will she receive the lead actress award?

In a less crowded year, the nominees will be...

REBECCA HALL, Vicky Christina Barcelona
MELISSA LEO, Frozen River (The critics awards she needed went to Hawkins, while the guilds preferred Winslet.)
MERYL STREEP, Mamma Mia! (Really?)
EMMA THOMPSON, Last Chance Harvey (Her interviews and appearances in numerous functions such as the Golden Globes are needed for the love-for-the-50s crowd romantic drama.)
MICHELLE WILLIAMS, Wendy and Lucy (I have high hopes for her affecting performance in this indie film.)

'OSCAR'-WATCH: BEST ACTOR in a leading role

This year's Best Actor in a Leading Role category is one of the most talked out this year (the others being Best Picture and Best Actress). Here are my predicted nominees:

BENICIO DEL TORO, Che (above)
- My dark horse candidate, 2000's Best Sup. Actor winner (and 2002 nominee) has come up with an inspired, uninhibited portrayal of the Mexican renegade Che Guevarra. He may have won Best Actor honors at Cannes last year, but the four-hour film may feel like "too much labor of love" for del Toro (who co-produced it) and director Steven Soderbergh (who directed him to an Oscar for 2000's Traffic). Acting wise, he deserves it.

CLINT EASTWOOD, Gran Torino
- 'Nuff said. "Get off my lawn!" (In short, I deserve this more than you do.)

FRANK LANGELLA, Frost/Nixon
- The film may have been a limited release box office disappointment, but he stepped up to the plate and delivered the same gusto in this adaptation of the acclaimed West End play. (He won a Tony Award for the role.) Plus, he is an Academy member.

SEAN PENN, Milk
- The question is: will he win another Oscar? Ask the critics and they will say he deserves it.

MICKEY ROURKE, The Wrestler
- The revelation of the year that paid off, his self referential speech at the Golden Globes last week sealed the deal to this once-written off actor's career comeback. The question is: will he give the same speech at the Oscars, or does he have to prepare a speech? We will know it on February 22.

AND THE OSCAR SNUBS...

Leonardo di Caprio, Revolutionary Road (mixed critical reception for the film, coupled with the media's and critics' focus on Kate Winslet, his Titanic co-star)

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor (acclaimed performance, too early release date)

Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fine reviews for his performance, but the film was praised for its script, direction, music score, and co-star Taraji P. Henson.)

'OSCAR' COUNTDOWN: THE ACTING CATEGORIES

Come January 22 at 5:00 a.m. (PT) the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards. Sid Ganis, current president of the Motion Picture Academy (also known as the Oscars) will present along with a yet to be announced actor/actress. (Last year's co presented was 1990 Best Actress winner and two time nominee Kathy Bates.)

In keeping with the tradition of 'Oscar' prognosticating (which is practiced by this website for three years), I will post my predictions for this year's nominations. Today, I will focus on the acting categories. The next two days will be devoted to

* DIRECTING AND WRITING CATEGORIES - Tuesday, Jan. 20
* BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM, BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE, BEST ANIMATED FILM - Wednesday
* THE "BIG PICTURE": BEST FILM NOMINEES OF 2008 - Thursday, 2:00 a.m.

Let the soothsaying begin...

BAFTA SENDS "BUTTON" AND "SLUMDOG" LOVE; NO THANKS FOR "HAPPY-GO-LUCKY"

The British Academy released the final list of nominees for this year’s British Academy Film Awards on Thursday morning. Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire and David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button lead the BAFTAs race with 11 nominations each.

The BAFTAs nominations longlist was released last week. Here is the final list of BAFTA nominees:

BEST FILM
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (pictured, right)
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
> Certainly make matters worst for Best Picture hopeful The Dark Knight. I can see a repeat at the Oscars. The Reader for Best Picture? Sigh...

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
Hunger
In Bruges
Mamma Mia! (pictured, left)
Man on Wire
Slumdog Millionaire
> No Happy-Go-Lucky nod even for Best Actress? BAFTA members must be serious minded folks, 'right?

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD FOR SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT BY A BRITISH DIRECTOR, WRITER OR PRODUCER FOR THEIR FIRST FEATURE FILM
Simon Chinn, Producer – Man On Wire
Judy Craymer, Producer - Mamma Mia!
Garth Jennings, Writer - Son of Rambow
Steve McQueen, Writer/Director - Hunger
Solon Papandopoulos, Roy Boulter, Producers - Of Time and the City
> Steve McQueen by a mile.

DIRECTOR
Clint Eastwood, Changeling
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
> Where's Chris Nolan? Gus Van Sant? And what the hell is The Clint doing here?

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Burn After Reading
J. Michael Straczynski, Changeling
Philippe Claudel, I’ve Loved You so Long
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
> No WALL-E? Happy-Go-Lucky? Waltz with Bashir? This is Milk's best chance for an award.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Justin Haythe, Revolutionary Road
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
> Big-time nominees. I can see a repeat at the Oscars. Give it to Simon Beaufoy already!

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
Gomorrah, Italy
I’ve Loved You so Long, France
Persepolis, France
Waltz with Bashir, Israel
> A Christmas Tale and The Class weren't included. Surprised with double love for Bashir, though I bet on Gomorrah to make up for its surprising and devastating Oscar loss.

ANIMATED FILM
Persepolis
Wall-E
Waltz with Bashir
> WALL-E, hands down.

LEADING ACTOR
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
> The Clint is loved by BAFTA as a director, not as an actor. Patel for "Best Leading Actor"? Hmmm...

LEADING ACTRESS
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas, I’ve Loved You so Long
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
> The "Brangelina" fever has reached the British soils. Makes me think that BAFTA needs a big audience for its declining awards show ratings.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading
> Happy for Downey and Gleeson. Pitt is a surprise nominee here.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Freida Pinto, Slumdog Millionaire
Tilda Swinton, Burn After Reading
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
> Pinto for Best Sup. Actress? Minimalist acting or just plain bad? Where is Viola Davis (Doubt) and Taraji Henson (Button)?

MUSIC
Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard, The Dark Knight
Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Mamma Mia!
A. R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman, Wall-E
> Glad that Newman made it for his innovative score for WALL-E, though sad for Hans Zimmer's touching Revolutionary Road score and Eastwood's 30s period jazz score for Changeling.

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Tom Stern, Changeling
Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
Chris Menges, Roger Deakins, The Reader
Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
> Mantle, the BAFTA's yours already. Get it now.

EDITING
Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach, Changeling
Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Lee Smith, The Dark Knight
Mike Hill, Dan Hanley, Frost/Nixon
Jon Gregory, In Bruges
Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire

PRODUCTION DESIGN
James J. Murakami, Gary Fettis, Changeling
Donald Graham Burt, Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Nathan Crowley, Peter Lando, The Dark Knight
Kristi Zea, Debra Schutt, Revolutionary Road
Mark Digby, Michelle Day, Slumdog Millionaire


COSTUME DESIGN
Deborah Hopper, Changeling
Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Lindy Hemming, The Dark Knight
Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
Albert Wolsky, Revolutionary Road

SOUND
Changeling - Walt Martin, Alan Robert Murray, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff
The Dark Knight - Lora Hirschberg, Richard King, Ed Novick, Gary Rizzo
Quantum of Solace - Eddy Joseph, Chris Munro, Mike Prestwood Smith, Mark Taylor
Slumdog Millionaire - Glenn Freemantle, Resul Pookutty, Richard Pryke, Tom Sayers, Ian Tapp
Wall-E - Ben Burtt, Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Matthew Wood

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Barba, Craig Barron, Nathan McGuinness, Edson Williams
The Dark Knight - Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin, Tim Webber
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Pablo Helman
Iron Man - Shane Patrick Mahan, John Nelson, Ben Snow
Quantum of Solace - Chris Corbould, Kevin Tod Haug

MAKE UP & HAIR
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Jean Black, Colleen Callaghan
The Dark Knight - Peter Robb-King
The Duchess - Daniel Phillips, Jan Archibald
Frost/Nixon - Edouard Henriques, Kim Santantonio
Milk - Steven E. Anderson, Michael White

SHORT ANIMATION
Codswallop - Greg McLeod, Myles McLeod
Varmints - Sue Goffe, Marc Craste
Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death - Steve Pegram, Nick Park, Bob Baker

SHORT FILM
Kingsland #1 The Dreamer - Kate Ogborn, Tony Grisoni
Love You More - Adrian Sturges, Sam Taylor-Wood, Patrick Marber
Ralph - Olivier Kaempfer, Alex Winckler
September - Stewart le Maréchal, Esther May Campbell
The Business Trip (Voyage d’affaires) - Celine Quideau, Sean Ellis


THE ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD (audience choice award)
Michael Cera
Noel Clarke
Michael Fassbender
Rebecca Hall
Toby Kebbell

"BASHIR," "THE CLASS" MAKE UP OSCAR BEST FOREIGN FILM SHORTLIST

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has released the list of nine foreign language films that have made it to the next round of voting:

Austria, "Revanche," Gotz Spielmann, director
Canada, "The Necessities of Life," Benoit Pilon, director
France, "The Class," Laurent Cantet, director
Germany, "The Baader Meinhof Complex," Uli Edel, director
Israel, "Waltz with Bashir," Ari Folman, director
Japan, "Departures," Yojiro Takita, director
Mexico, "Tear This Heart Out," Roberto Sneider, director
Sweden, "Everlasting Moments," Jan Troell, director
Turkey, "3 Monkeys," Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director (above, with his cast and crew at the 61st Cannes Filmfest photocall)

The five finalists will be announced on Thursday, January 22 along with the nominees in other categories.


Hmmm... What were they thinking? Italy's award winning crime drama Gomorra (Grand Prize, Cannes; Best Film, European Film Awards; Best Foreign Film nominee, Golden Globes, Independent Spirit Awards) is the most high profile film to be snubbed in the shortlist. Sundance Filmfest entry The Mermaid (from Russia) and U.S.-Jordan co-production Captain Abu Raed failed to make the cut, as did the Spanish family drama The Blind Sunflowers and Cannes Un Certain Regard winner Tulpan (from Kazakhstan).

And what about Ploning, Judy Ann Santos' labor of love and the Philippines' entry to the 81st Oscars? 'Nuff said.

Here are some notes regarding the shortlist:

I was expecting that Gomorra will be excluded from the shortlist, given the controversies surrounding the novel and the film. (Maybe some Academy members were afraid that the Italian mafia in the U.S. might create havoc on Oscar night…) Adroit editing though, even if the pacing was predictable.

The Baader Meinhof Complex has controversies of its own too. Family members of the protagonists in the film were protesting the factual basis of the story. Its director (the critically reviled Uli Edel of Body of Evidence infamy) and producers might be forced to re-shoot some scenes. Expect the film to be excluded from the final five.

Maria Larsson’s Everlasting Memories is from two-time Best Foreign Film contender (and 1971 Best Director nominee Jan Troell (The Emigrants; The New Land), and the old fashioned story (family drama) is something that most Academy members (the elderly) can relate. Hence, it’s in.

Austria’s Revanche is a women’s film with some typical issues (sex, prostitution, destitution) in the plot. Given the limited release box office success of last year’s winner, the Holocaust thriller The Counterfeiters, expect director Gotz Spielmann to continue the country’s winning streak at the Oscars.

Last year’s Palme d’Or winner, Entre Les Murs (a.k.a. Behind the Walls or The Class) is commercially accessible, considering the familiar plot and characters. Think of it as the true-to-life, French version of Dead Poets Society and Dangerous Minds. Reserve two seats for first time nominee Laurent Cantet (Resources Humaines; L’Emploi du Temps).

Last Sunday’s Golden Globe Best Foreign Film winner Waltz With Bashir is a politically correct choice for the Academy’s sentimental actors’ branch. Topicality is a big issue here, and Ari Folman’s seamless and impartial depiction of the subject matter (despite its indulgent narrative devices) are enough to sustain the film’s surprisingly potent critical reception in North America. This is Israel’s seventh Best Foreign Film nominee, though I don’t think it will win. (Even in the Best Animated Feature category, where WALL-E is the predestined champ.)

Other out-of-left field finalists include the Japanese tradition versus reality drama Departures (”the most successful commercial and internationally critical film since Masayuki Suo’s Shall We Dance?” according to Asia Pacific Arts Best of 2008 article), the routine Mexican telenovela-lite Tear Your Heart Out, Canadian documentary filmmaker Benoit Pilon’s upcoming IFC films release The Necessities of Life, and Turkish auteur (and last year’s Cannes Filmfest Best Director winner) Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s family dysfunction study Three Monkeys. This is Ceylan's (pictured above with his cast and crew at Cannes last year) second film (after 2003's Distant) as Oscar entry of Turkey, though critical reception was mixed.

Here are my predictions for the five nominated films:

"The Class," France
"Everlasting Moments," Sweden (Actually, it's a Swedish-Danish co-production.)
"Revanche," Austria
"3 Monkeys," Turkey
"Waltz with Bashir," Israel

Bet on Jan Troell to triumph on Oscar night. (As the saying goes, "the third time's the charm." Ask French director and 2003 Best Foreign Film winner Denys Arcand of The Barbarian Invasions and you'll know why.)

OUR MAN CLINT LEADS U.S. BOX-OFFICE

...which isn't surprising, given the surprisingly potent limited release reception for the actor-director's latest (and last acting gig, as he commented last year) film, Gran Torino ($9 million last December). But with a $29 million opening weekend in wide release? A figure like this can only make the Best Actor Oscar race as murky as it gets. (Or call it a three way game: Sean Penn vs. Mickey Rourke vs. Clint Eastwood)

GOLDEN GLOBES: HIGHS AND LOWS

TOP THREE HIGHS
1. Kate Winslet winning two awards (Ah, retribution!)
2. Mickey Rourke's self-referential and apologetic speech (worthy of a standing ovation)
3. Waltz with Bashir for Best Foreign Film (though a repeat at the Oscars is a long shot)

TOP THREE LOWS
1. Complete shut-out for five-time nominees Benjamin Button, Doubt, and Frost/Nixon (which may likely affect their Oscar chances)
2. The obvious 'Brangelina' blubbering and snub (c/o Best Actress-Drama winner Kate Winslet and Best Musical/Comedy Picture presenter Sacha Baron Cohen, a.k.a. Borat)
3. The show itself (for being predictable and boring, despite the numerous expletives and surprise winners)

THE 66TH GOLDEN GLOBES: A NIGHT OF 'BRITS' (AND EXPLETIVES)

Call it "the British invasion": thespians and filmmakers from England dominated the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards last night.

This year's "little movie that could," Slumdog Millionaire only strengthened its Oscar momentum (which is timely, because Jan. 12 is the last day of submission of nomination ballots for Academy members) as it won four major awards including Best Drama Picture, Director (Danny Boyle), and Screenplay (Simon Beaufoy). The presence of Bollywood royalties Sharukh Khan (who presented the Slumdog clip) and co-star Anil Kapoor added some sort of 'Indian' flavour in the Caucasian-filled room.

BRITS RULE IN THE ACTING CATEGORIES
In a night of veterans gunning for their umpteenth nod (two time nominees Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep; Cecil B. de Mille Award honoree Steven Spielberg, presenter Martin Scorsese), newcomers (two of them are Irish) were singled out in the acting categories. Colin Farrell (In Bruges) and Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) won Best Musical/Comedy Actor and Actress respectively, while seven time nominee Kate Winslet can hardly compose herself upon winning Best Drama Actress (for husband Brit helmer Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road) and Best Supporting Actress (for the Weinstein's The Reader). (She tied the record set by Sigourney Weaver in 1989 for Gorillas in the Mist and Working Girl.) And speaking of Weinsteins, their other 2008 release, Vicky Christina Barcelona was voted Best Musical/Comedy Picture, becoming the third Woody Allen film to win the award (after 1977's Annie Hall and 1986's Hannah and Her Sisters).

'UNCENSORED' TV
Most winners either blubbered (Farrell, Winslet, Hawkins, Boyle, TV Movie Sup. Actor Tom Wilkinson, TV Drama Series Actress Anna Paquin--all Brits), rushed (Winslet, Slumdog writer Beaufoy, TV Comedy Series actress-producer-writer Tina Fey), or said expletives (Best Drama Actor Mickey Rourke - one of the three recipients of standing ovation this year, Farrell, Slumdog producer Christian Colson) during their speech. Which is good as the rather staid and predictable show gave it the much needed momentum to keep things rolling (though not necessarily exciting).

Here are the winners:

BEST DRAMA PICTURE - Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight and Warner Bros. Pictures)
BEST ACTOR, DRAMA - Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler (Fox Searchlight)
BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA - Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road (Paramount Vantage and Film Four)
BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY PICTURE - Vicky Christina Barcelona (The Weinstein Company)
BEST ACTOR, MUSICAL/COMEDY - Colin Farrell, In Bruges (Focus Features)
BEST ACTRESS, MUSICAL/COMEDY - Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky (Miramax Films and Film Four)
BEST SUP. ACTOR - Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (Warner Bros.)
BEST SUP. ACTRESS - Kate Winslet, The Reader (The Weinstein Company)
BEST DIRECTOR - Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST SCREENPLAY - Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE - WALL-E (Buena Vista Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM - Waltz with Bashir, Israel (Sony Pictures Classics)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG - "The Wrestler," from The Wrestler (music and lyric by Bruce Springsteen)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - A. H. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
CECIL B. DE MILLE AWARD - director-producer Steven Spielberg

BEST DRAMA SERIES - Mad Men (AMC)
BEST COMEDY SERIES - 30 Rock (ABC)
BEST DRAMA ACTOR - Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment (HBO)
BEST DRAMA ACTRESS - Anna Paquin, True Blood (HBO)
BEST COMEDY ACTOR - Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
BEST COMEDY ACTRESS - Tina Fey, 30 Rock
BEST MADE FOR TV MOVIE - John Adams (HBO)
BEST MADE FOR TV ACTOR - Paul Giamatti, John Adams
BEST ACTRESS - Laura Linney, John Adams
BEST SUP. ACTOR, TV SERIES, MINISERIES OR MADE FOR TV MOVIE - Tom Wilkinson, John Adams
BEST SUP. ACTRESS - Laura Dern, Recount (HBO)

DIRECTORS' GUILD: NO SURPRISES, JUST PREDICTABLE

...and not even the presence of two-time DGA winner Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) can make things topsy-turvy.

DANNY BOYLE, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
(Fox Searchlight Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Boyle’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Sanjay Kumar
First Assistant Director: Raj Acharya
Second Assistant Director: Avani Batra
Second Second Assistant Director: Sonia Nemawarkar

This is Mr. Boyle’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

DAVID FINCHER, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
(Paramount Pictures & Warner Bros. Pictures)

Mr. Fincher’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Daniel M. Stillman
First Assistant Director: Bob Wagner
Second Assistant Director: Allen Kupetsky
Second Second Assistant Directors: Pete Waterman, Stephen F. Lonano

This is Mr. Fincher’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Commercial Award for Speed Chain (Nike), Gamebreakers (Nikegridiron.com), and Beauty for Sale (Xelibri Phones) in 2003.

RON HOWARD, FROST/NIXON
(Universal Pictures)

Mr. Howard’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Kathleen McGill
First Assistant Director: William M. Connor
Second Assistant Director: Kristen Ploucha
Second Second Assistant Director: Scott R. Meyers

This is Mr. Howard’s fourth DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category for Cocoon in 1985, and won the Award in 2001 for his direction of A Beautiful Mind and in 1995 for Apollo 13.

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, THE DARK KNIGHT
(Warner Bros. Pictures) (posted above)

Mr. Nolan’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Kevin De La Noy, Susan Towner, Jan Foster
First Assistant Director: Nilo Otero
Second Assistant Director: Brandon Lambdin
Additional Second Assistant Director: Jessica Franks
Second Second Assistant Director: Greg Pawlik
Location Manager: James R. McAllister

This is Mr. Nolan’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Memento in 2001.

GUS VAN SANT, MILK
(Focus Features)

Mr. Van Sant’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Barbara A. Hall
First Assistant Director: David Webb
Second Assistant Director: John R. Saunders
Second Second Assistant Director: Ian Calip
Additional Second Assistant Director: Cindy A. Taylor

This is Mr. Van Sant’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for Good Will Hunting in 1997.

BROADCAST CRIX: A NIGHT OF 'SLUMDOG'; STREEP, HATHAWAY TIED

Call it a "walk in the park" for the Slumdog Millionaire team: the Fox Searchlight release (2008's "little film that could" ala Sideways, Juno, and Little Miss Sunshine) dominated this year's Broadcast Film Critics' Association awards, winning Best Picture, Director (for Danny Boyle), Screenplay (Simon Beaufoy, 1997's The Full Monty), Original Score (A.H. Rahman), and Best Young Actor/Actress for Dev Patel.

Dark Knight fans certainly have a lot of good news too, as the late Heath Ledger was adjudged as Best Supporting Actor, while the film was voted as Best Action Movie (a new category this year). Sean Penn added another trophy to his crowded mantel as his lauded performance in the Harvey Milk biopic was rewarded with Best Actor honors, while the cast was voted as Best Ensemble Performance.

The night's shocker turned out to be a tie between The Devil Wears Prada co-stars Meryl Streep (for Doubt) and Anne Hathaway (for Rachel Getting Married). The "greatest living actress in the world" was noticeably absent during the VH1-sponsored ceremony, though her co-star (and Best Sup. Actress nominee) Viola Davis accepted the award for her. Hathaway, though, was the center of the press.

Here is a complete list of winners:

BEST PICTURE - Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR - Danny Boyle, Slumdog
BEST ACTOR - Sean Penn, Milk
BEST ACTRESS - Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married; Meryl Streep, Doubt (tied)
BEST SUP. ACTOR - Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
BEST SUP. ACTRESS - Kate Winslet, The Reader (above; another surprise winner)
BEST SCREENPLAY - Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE - the cast of Milk
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS - Dev Patel, Slumdog
BEST ORIGINAL SONG - "The Wrestler," from the movie The Wrestler (music and lyric by Bruce Springsteen)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - A. H. Rahman, Slumdog
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE - WALL-E
BEST ACTION MOVIE - The Dark Knight
BEST COMEDY MOVIE - Tropic Thunder (!)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM - Waltz With Bashir, Israel-France
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE - Man On Wire
BEST MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE - John Adams (HBO)
JOEL SIEGEL HUMANITARAN AWARD - Richard Gere

WRITERS GUILD AWARDS: THE USUAL SUSPECTS PLUS WOODY, THE COENS

In a crowded yet predictable year in U.S. awards season, this year's Writers Guild of America nominations prove one thing: the guilds are a reliable indicator of an Oscar nomination.

Aside from the usual suspects (Benjamin Button, Slumdog Millionaire,Dark Knight), veterans Woody Allen (for Vicky Christina Barcelona) and the Coen Brothers (surprise nominees for the fall comedy Burn After Reading) are up for Best Original Screenplay. (This is Allen's 15th WGA nod.) Previously unheralded contenders Thomas McCarthy (The Visitor) and Robert Siegel (The Wrestler) were shortlisted along with Allen and the Coens, while Milk scribe Dustin Lance Black complete the line-up. (PGA and Globe nominee Waltz with Bashir is up for the Documentary Screenplay category.)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: A HIGHLY CONTESTED FIELD

This year's adapted writing contenders are the much awaited. Button and Slumdog Millionaire have so far dominated the guilds (PGA, ASC, SAG, Globes), though Dark Knight was surprisingly shut-out at the Golden Globes. Previous original screenplay winners John Patrick Shanley (1987's Moonstruck) and Peter Morgan (2006's The Queen)are up for the actors' showcase Doubt and Frost/Nixon, respectively.

And who were left out of the box? Happy-Go-Lucky's Mike Leigh, WALL-E's Andrew Stanton (though animated pictures are ineligible in the guild), The Reader's David Hare (2002's The Hours), and certainly Revolutionary Road's freshman scribe Justin Haythe. Let's hope that they fare better at the Oscars.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features (pictured above)
Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features *
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company
The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films
The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay by Eric Roth; Screen Story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord; Based on the Short Story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures*

The Dark Knight, Screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan; Story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer; Based on Characters Appearing in Comic Books Published by DC Comics; Batman Created by Bob Kane, Warner Bros. Pictures

Doubt, Screenplay by John Patrick Shanley, Based on his Stage Play, Miramax Films

Frost/Nixon, Screenplay by Peter Morgan, Based on his Stage Play, Universal Pictures

Slumdog Millionaire, Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, Based on the Novel Q and A by Vikas Swarup, Fox Searchlight Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY


Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story, Written by Stefan Forbes and Noland Walker, InterPositive Media

Chicago 10, Written by Brett Morgen, Roadside Attractions

Fuel, Written by Johnny O’Hara, Greenlight Theatrical / Intention Media

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, Screenplay by Alex Gibney, From the Words of Hunter S. Thompson, Magnolia Pictures*

Waltz with Bashir, Written by Ari Folman, Sony Pictures Classics

GOLDEN GLOBES PREDICTIONS

BEST SUP. ACTOR
WILL WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (no contest here)
SHOULD WIN: Heath Ledger
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Josh Brolin, Milk; Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST SUP. ACTRESS
WILL WIN: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona (pictured)
SHOULD WIN: Penelope Cruz
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Taraji Henson, Benjamin Button

BEST SCREENPLAY
WILL WIN: Eric Roth, Benjamin Button
SHOULD WIN: Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Dustin Lance Black, Milk; Kelly Reichardt, Wendy and Lucy

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
WILL WIN: Gomorrah
SHOULD WIN: Waltz with Bashir
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Silent Light (Mexico); A Christmas Tale (France)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
WILL WIN: "The Wrestler," Bruce Springsteen (The Wrestler)
SHOULD WIN: "Down To Earth," Peter Gabriel (WALL-E)
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: "All Dressed In Love," Jennifer Hudson (Sex and the City)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
WILL WIN: A. H. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
SHOULD WIN: Clint Eastwood, Changeling
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Danny Elfman, Milk

BEST DIRECTOR
WILL WIN: David Fincher, Benjamin Button
SHOULD WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire (pictured)
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Gus Van Sant, Milk; Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST ACTOR-MUSICAL OR COMEDY PIC
WILL WIN: Colin Farrell, In Bruges (Bruges has strong support from the HFPA given its three major nods)
SHOULD WIN: Farrell
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: none (nice line-up)

BEST ACTRESS-MUSICAL OR COMEDY PIC
WILL WIN: Sally Hawkins (no contest; she deserves it)
SHOULD WIN: Hawkins
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: none (v.g. line-up)

BEST MUSICAL OR COMEDY PIC
WILL WIN: Mamma Mia! (commercial appeal)
SHOULD WIN: Happy-Go-Lucky (no questions asked)
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: The Etta James biopic Cadillac Records (just kidding!)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
WILL WIN: WALL-E
SHOULD WIN: what else?
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Waltz With Bashir (though it is nominated for Best Foreign Film)

BEST ACTOR-DRAMA
WILL WIN: Sean Penn, Milk
SHOULD WIN: Penn or Mickey Rourke
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Benicio del Toro, Che: The Argentine (Part I) (I've seen it last Christmas and he was convincing as Che Guevara.)

BEST ACTRESS-DRAMA
WILL WIN: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road (if she wins here, Oscar might be next)
SHOULD WIN: Winslet or Kristin Scott-Thomas, Il Y A Longtemps Que Je T'Aime (I've Loved You So Long)
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Melissa Leo, Frozen River; Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy

BEST PICTURE-DRAMA
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire (the Oscar is another thing, and I will not count on it)
SHOULD WIN: Frost/Nixon (I have yet to see Slumdog, Button, and The Reader, so I'll go with my personal choice.)
SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED: Wendy and Lucy

Next week: Oscar predix (three days before the Jan. 27 nominations special)

NATIONAL SOCIETY OF FILM CRITICS' PICKS 'BASHIR' FOR BEST PIC

Waltz with Bashir for Best Picture? Now, that's what you call originality...

BEST PICTURE
1. Waltz with Bashir, directed by Ari Folman (26)
2. Happy-Go-Lucky (20)
3. WALL-E (20)

BEST NON-FICTION FILM
1. Man on Wire, directed by James Marsh (55)
2. Trouble the Water (34)
3. Encounters at the End of the World (26)

BEST DIRECTOR
1. Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky (36)
2. Gus Van Sant, Milk & Paranoid Park (20)
3. Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire (16)

BEST ACTOR
1. Sean Penn, Milk (87)
2. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler (40)
3. Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino (38)

BEST ACTRESS
1. Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky (65)
2. Melissa Leo, Frozen River (33)
3. Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy (31)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
1. Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky (41)
2. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (35)
3. Josh Brolin, Milk (29)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
1. Hanna Schygulla, The Edge of Heaven (29)
2. Viola Davis, Doubt (29, on fewer ballots)
3. Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (24)

BEST SCREENPLAY
1. Happy-Go-Lucky, by Mike Leigh (29)
2. A Christmas Tale (24)
3. Synecdoche, New York (17)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
1. Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle (29)
2. The Flight of the Red Balloon (22)
3. The Dark Knight (18)
4. Still Life

BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM
1. Razzle Dazzle, directed by Ken Jacobs

FILM HERITAGE AWARDS
1. The Criterion Collection for finally making Samuel Fuller’s suppressed White Dog (1982) available to a wide American audience via DVD release.
2. The Exiles, Kent Mackenzie’s realistic 1961 independent film about Native Americans in Los Angeles. (Restored by Ross Lipman of the UCLA Television and Film Archives and distributed by Milestone.)
3. Flicker Alley for releasing DVD collections of rare early U.S. and foreign silent films.
4. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment for its DVD set “Murnau, Borzage and Fox.”

PRODUCERS GUILD NOMINATES "BUTTON," "MILK," "WALL-E"

The Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (pictured)
Kathleen Kennedy & Frank Marshall
Ceán Chaffin

THE DARK KNIGHT
Christopher Nolan
Charles Roven
Emma Thomas

FROST/NIXON
Brian Grazer
Ron Howard
Eric Fellner

MILK
Dan Jinks
Bruce Cohen

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Christian Colson

The Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures

MAN ON WIRE
Simon Chinn

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE
Julie Bilson Ahlberg
Errol Morris

TROUBLE THE WATER
Carl Deal
Tia Lessin

The Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

BOLT
Clark Spencer

KUNG FU PANDA
Melissa Cobb

WALL-E
Jim Morris

REEL REVIEWS TEN BEST FILMS OF 2008

From the 32 films that matter in 12 months (January-December) to the 20 shortlisted pictures, 2008 was populated with critically acclaimed, award winning movies. Here is Reel Reviews 10 Best Films of 2008:

1. MILK, Gus Van Sant (U.S., 2008) (above)
2. WENDY AND LUCY, Kelly Reichardt (U.S., 2008)
3. 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS, Cristian Mongiu (Romania-France, 2007)
4. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY, Mike Leigh (U.K., 2008)
5. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, Tomas Alfredson (Sweden, 2008)
6. THE CHASER, Hong-jin Na (Korea, 2008)
7. WALL-E, Andrew Stanton (U.S., 2008)
8. FLIGHT OF THE RED BALLOON, Hou Hsiao Hsien (France, 2007)
9. SILENT LIGHT, Carlos Reygadas (Mexico-France-Netherlands, 2007)
10. SECRET SUNSHINE, Chang-dong Lee (Korea, 2007)

Milk, which is shaping up as an Oscar contender for Best Picture and Actor, is also honored as the BEST POLITICALLY THEMED FILM and BEST LGBT (LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, OR TRANSSEXUAL) THEMED FILM OF 2008. Renowned French filmmaker Robert Bresson's MOUCHETTE was chosen as BEST CLASSIC FILM of the year, the second time he was honored in this category (the first was for The Diary of a Country Priest in 2007).

Notable in the top 10 are three American (the first time in Reel Reviews' 10 years of existence) and two Korean movies. Disney-Pixar's WALL-E becomes the first animated feature to be included in the list.

Congratulations to the directors, producers, actors, actresses, crew, and everyone involved in making these films.

OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YEAR

BEST DIRECTOR
Cristian Mongiu for 4 Mois, 3 Semaines, 2 Jours (4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days)
Carlos Reygadas (top left) for Luz Silenciosa (Silent Light) (tied)

BEST SCREENPLAY (ORIGINAL OR ADAPTATION)
Kelly Reichardt for Wendy and Lucy (above, right)
Cristian Mongiu for 4 Mois, 3 Semaines, 2 Jours (4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days) (tied)

BEST VISUAL DESIGN
Mark Lee Ping-bin, for his cinematography in Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge (Flight of the Red Balloon)

BEST AURAL DESIGN
Clint Eastwood (above, left), for his music (score) in Changeling