Friday, February 22, 2008

I call the Oscars

I am going to boldly predict how the Oscar's will turn out. This usually means I will fail miserably and this will be on the Internet forever to my eternal shame and embarassment.

BEST PICTURE

Who will win: No Country for Old Men

Who should win: Juno

Dark Horse: Michael Clayton.

I personally think that No Country was a good movie but the secretive way the Coen's portrayed the last half hour kept it from being great. I think Juno is much more consistent, and therefore, better. But Hollywood loves No Country, and most likely will get the nod. However, Michael Clayton may surprise.

BEST ACTOR:

Who will win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Who should win: Anyone but him.

Dark Horse: George Clooney, Michael Clayton

Day-Lewis is racking up statuette after statuette for his performance. I haven't seen Blood, mainly because his acting in the trailer shied me away. Sure, he might be playing a larger than life character, but it comes off as scenery chewing at its worst. He will probably win, but I don't know if he really deserves it.

BEST ACTRESS:

Who will win: Julie Christie, Away From Her

Who should win: Ellen Page, Juno

Dark Horse: Marion Cotillard. La Vie en Rose

Again, I haven't seen Christie in this movie, but she is supposed to be fantastic. She most likely deserves it. But Ellen Page did a fantastic job too. if only she was nominated in another year. Same for Cotillard.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Who will win: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Who should win: Bardem

Dark Horse: Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild.

As conflicted as I was over No Country, I can not deny that Bardem gives one of the best perfomances I have ever seen in film. He is a force of nature in the film, horribly evil but he makes you root for him, just a little bit. Holbrook might have a chance if they go the "lifetime achievement" route. He does deserve it for his body of work, but not this year.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Who will win: Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Who should win: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

Dark Horse: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There

I believe that Dee should not have gotten a nomination. She played such a minor part in the film, under 5 minutes I believe, and was so broad when she was on the screen that she actually took away from the film. She does have one big "Hey, Academy, look at me" scene, but it doesn't really fit with the rest of the film. But she has done a lot of great work in her career, work she should have been nominated and won, so that, with her age and the fact she won the SAG award, leads me to believe an Oscar is in her future. Which leaves Amy Ryan, winner of many other awards for her role in Gone Baby Gone and Cate Blanchett as wild cards.

DIRECTOR

Who will win: Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Who should win: Jason Reitman, Juno

Dark Horse: Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I believe this year is the Coen Brothers' year. They deserved an Oscar way before this, but this time, it seems that Hollywod caught up with them. I, however, have issues with the film I mentioned above. Which is why I think Reitman should get the nod. Although Schnabel seems to be a popular wild card.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Who will win: Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Who should win: Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Dark Horse: Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood

I have read the screenplay for No Country and I loved it. The ending in it is less vague. So they deserve to win this. However, they might win Director and usually, you don't win that and this. Anderson is a dark horse. I really can't believe any screenplay with the dialogue "I DRANK YOUR MILKSHAKE" in it would even be nominated, but Hollywood seems to like him. If the Coens don't win both director and adapted screenplay, he might take this one.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Who will win: Diablo Cody, Juno

Who should win: Cody

Dark Horse: Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton

Cody's Juno script started out choppy, with too hip by half dialogue, but found its voice soon after. Yes, she seems to be relishing in her role as Hollywood's latest "It" girl, but that doesn't take away from the quality of her debut effort. If she doesn't get this award, they might give it to Gilroy, for writing the Academy favorite Clayton.

What do you think?



4 comments:

  1. It's "I drink your milkshake!" Bill.

    It's such a terrible line, and the fact that Day-Lewis makes it sound menacing makes me want him to win.  If not for that very thing, I'd agree with you.

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  2. The line is actually worse with "drink" instead of "drank".

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  3. Six for eight. Not bad dude!

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  4. Yes, and I'm amazed i picked Cotilliard as the dark horse in Best Actress. That Damn Tilda Swinton!

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