MY PICKS FOR THE OSCAR’S

These guys want to know who's taking them home...

So tomorrow is the big night! The Academy Awards will be live on ABC at 8PM and I’m sure it will quite the show. Hosted by Hugh Jackman this year the award show will showcase the best acting and filmmaking skills of the past year. The Academy will honour actor, director, writer, producer Jerry Lewis with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

My picks for this year’s major awards pretty well revolve around The Wrestler, The Dark Knight, and Slumdog Millionaire. I chose these films primarily because they are the films I enjoyed the most and will probably view several times in the future. That may sound kind of one-sided but I find films are judged on that principle.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

For this category, I am torn between Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler) and Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon). Like I’ve said, I loved The Wrestler but Langella’s acting in Frost/Nixon was also noteworthy. I think I’m conflicted because both characters were believable and the two actors actually took on new personas in the films. I think Langella deserves a chance at winning because I don’t think he’r been given enough attention as an actor. When he became Nixon he transfromed himself so fully that you almost don’t recognize that it is him. On the same note, Rourke is being acclaimed by every critic as returning to the spotlight after his portrayal in The Wrestler.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Well, I would like to see Heath Ledger win for his role as the Joker in The Dark Knight but I feel people might take this nomination comes only due to his death. I find that hugely unfair because as an avid comic book fan, I think Ledger got his role completely correct. If I were basing this nomination on the actor’s skill to act crazy, then Michael Shannon needs to be considered as well. His role in Revolutionary Road required him to act as an institutionalized man. I thought his part is pivtoal becuase he was the mouthpiece the film’s screen writer.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

I have to go with Kate Winslet in The Reader on this one. I found her quite captivating in the film because she has to portray so many characters: a young and old woman, a lover with a secret, and a woman who was present during a great travesty. Plus, she was naked for like the first half of the movie. She had better get something for exposing herself like that. I didn’t see Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married but I have heard good things. I also think it would be nice to see her beat out big actors like Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

For this category, I want to see an actress that hasn’t been in the spotlight to win. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’s Taraji P. Henson and Doubt’s Viola Davis are just such actresses. If I had to choose one right now, I would have to go with Henson since she has more screen time in her film then Davis has in Doubt. Of course, they have to contend with media darling Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler.

BEST PICTURE

I’m going with Slumdog Millionaire on this one because it didn’t get a lot of nominations in the major categories. It is also an excellent and unique film. I think it will make people rethink how they look at the world outside of their own country. It would be awesome to Dark Knight win but I think that would be difficult when it’s up against Benjamin Button, Changling, and The Reader.

BEST DIRECTING

I will also go with Slumdog on this category also. I think it has a good chance because Danny Boyle made a really interesting movie. It is as unique visually as it is in storytelling. It’s a nice symbiosis of east and west.

So those are my choices for the main categories of this year’s Academy Awards. I think that Wall-E will win a lot of awards and the same for Benjamin Button.

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