"J. Edgar" Trailer

Today we get our first real look at Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar."  While Eastwood has not had a film in serious competition since "Letters From Iwo Jima," never underestimate him.  That's how so many people lost money the year "The Aviator" was supposed to sweep the Oscars and give Marty his much coveted Oscar.  This film is an Eastwood film, and he's directed two Best Picture winners.  It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, who routinely shows up in the Best Actor category.  It has a screenplay by Dustin Lance Black, who won an Oscar just a couple of years ago for "Milk."  Finally, it's a biopic about a VERY controversial figure!  Yeah, we haven't seen it yet, but it might be best to consider it a contender.

Full List of 2008 Winners

Well the show is over and now it's time to wipe the sidebar clean and move on with predicting next years nominees. Time flies when doing awards predictions, but the sad reality is this thing never stops. At the end of the journey it's as if a book has been written, and one has nothing left to do but to start all over again. I've already wiped the sidebar clean and added a few early predictions from films I've seen, and those predictions will morph and shift over the course of the year. Before completely moving on though, lets look at this years winners one more time:

BEST PICTURE

'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight) A Celador Films Production, Christian Colson, producer

LEAD ACTOR

Sean Penn in 'Milk' (Focus Features)

LEAD ACTRESS

Kate Winslet in 'The Reader' (The Weinstein Company)

DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle for 'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight)

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

'Departures' -- Japan (Regent Releasing) A Departures Film Partners production

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Heath Ledger in 'The Dark Knight' (Warner Bros)

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Penelope Cruz in 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' (The Weinstein Company)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Dustin Lance Black for 'Milk' (Focus Features)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Simon Beaufoy for 'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight)

ANIMATED FEATURE

Andrew Stanton for 'WALL-E' (Walt Disney)

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Kunio Kato for 'La Maison en Petits Cubes' (A Robot Communications Production)

ART DIRECTION

Donald Graham Burt for art direction and Victor J. Zolfo for set decoration on 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' (Paramount and Warner Bros)

COSTUME DESIGN

Michael O’Connor for 'The Duchess' (Paramount Vantage, Pathe and BBC Films)

MAKEUP

Greg Cannom for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' (Paramount and Warner Bros)

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Anthony Dod Mantle for 'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight)

LIVE ACTION SHORT FIRM

Jochen Alexander Freydank for 'Spielzeugland (Toyland)', a Mephisto Film production

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

James Marsh and Simon Chinn for 'Man on Wire' (Magnolia Pictures) A Wall to Wall production

DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Megan Mylan for 'Smile Pinki', a Principle production

VISUAL EFFECTS

Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron for 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' (Paramount and Warner

Bros)

SOUND EDITING

Richard King for 'The Dark Knight' (Warner Bros)

SOUND MIXING

Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty for 'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight)

FILM EDITING

Chris Dickens for 'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight)

ORIGINAL SCORE

A.R. Rahman for 'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight)

ORIGINAL SONG

'Jai Ho' from 'Slumdog Millionaire' (Fox Searchlight), music by A.R. Rahman, lyrics by Gulzar

Oscar Winners Leaked?

According to this site they have been. Here's the list:

• Actor in a leading role: Mickey Rourke
• Actor in a supporting role: Heath Ledger
• Actress in a leading role: Kate Winslet
• Actress in a supporting role: Amy Adams
• Animated Feature Film: Wall-E
• Art Direction: The Dark Knight
• Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
• Costume Design: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Directing: Slumdog Millionaire
• Documentary feature: Man on Wire
• Documentary short: The Conscience of Nhem En
• Film editing: Milk
• Foreign language film: Departures
• Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Music (Score): Defiance
• Music (Song): Down to Earth (Wall-E)
• Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
• Short film (animated): Presto
• Short film (live action): Auf Der Strecke (On The Line)
• Sound editing: Wall-E
• Sound mixing: The Dark Knight
• Visual effects: Iron Man
• Writing (Adapted screenplay): The Reader
• Writing (Original screenplay): In Bruges

Well...it's an interesting list. On one hand it sounds pretty reasonable. On the other hand there are some strange listings on it. Most of the acting categories are going as according to plan...but Amy Adams? Well, okay, I'm not going to rule her out yet. Yeah it's the weakest performance of the three, but she obviously has enough love to get a nomination for a role like that, and the strong support for Penelope Cruz and Viola Davis could certainly split the vote. The thing that sticks out for this is the screenplays. It seems a bit weird that "The Reader" would get Best Adapted Screenplay when "Slumdog Millionaire" is winning everything. But I think the one that stands out is "In Brudges" winning Best Original Screenplay. For starters "Milk" is the sole nomination in this category that has a Best Picture nomination, and that usually results in a win. It could split it's vote with "Wall-E," but it feels like such a long shot.

I also find it odd that "The Dark Knight" and "Wall-E" share sound awards, seeing that the sound awards usually both go to the same film. Not to mention the Academy is VERY protective of the results, and chances are this is more of an educated guess then anything! So my opinion is that I wouldn't use this as a betting guide...that said, these upsets seem at the very least logical, so if this list does prove to be legit then we are looking at at least a few upsets.

Ebert Weighs In On Oscar Nominees

Roger Ebert concluded his annual Oscar predictions this week with a complete run through of the important categories. Very few surprises to be found. He does predict the Academy picking Viola Davis in "Doubt" for Best Supporting Actress as opposed to Penelope Cruz for "Vicky Christina Barcelona," and he boldly picks Sean Penn the winner for Best Actor in "Milk" as opposed to Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler." Otherwise though it's all routine:

Best Picture - "Slumdog Millionaire"
Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger
Best Animated Film - "Wall-E"

The biggest thing he questions is the Best Adapted Screenplay category, where he writes:

Simon Beaufoy for "Slumdog Millionaire." It took enormous research and energy to create this story spanning 20 years and parallel narrative strands, and employ traditional narrative formulas in a film that seemed so wholly original. The other contender may be Eric Roth, for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." But if he wins, there may be the rare possibility of actual booing from the audience. Too many now realize that what Roth adapted was not so much the F. Scott Fitzgerald story, but his own screenplay for "Forrest Gump." Some half a million users saw a funny YouTube "trailer" comparing scene-by-scene parallels in the two films, before Paramount's complaints forced the site to take it down. Cynics say Roth has already won an Oscar for this material.

You can view said trailer on this very site. If the legal whores have taken it down though then a simple Google search should suffice. Just type in "The Curious Case of Forrest Gump."

'Slumdog' & "Milk" Win WGA

The Writers Guild of America has spoken, and they have deemed Dustin Lance Black's "Milk" the winner of Best Original Screenplay and Simon Beaufoy's "Slumdog Millionaire" the winner for Best Adapted Screenplay. The rest of the winners below:

2009 WGA WINNERS:

SCREEN WINNERS

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Milk,” Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features

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

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
“Waltz with Bashir,” Written by Ari Folman, Sony Pictures Classics

TELEVISION WINNERS

DRAMATIC SERIES
“Mad Men,” Written by Lisa Albert, Jane Anderson, Rick Cleveland, Kater Gordon, David Isaacs, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Marti Noxon, Robin Veith, Matthew Weiner; AMC

COMEDY SERIES
“30 Rock,” Written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Donald Glover, Andrew Guest, Matt Hubbard, Jon Pollack, John Riggi, Tami Sagher, Ron Weiner; NBC

NEW SERIES
“In Treatment,” Written by Rodrigo Garcia, Bryan Goluboff, Davey Holmes, William Merritt Johnson, Amy Lippman, Sarah Treem; HBO

EPISODIC DRAMA – any length – one airing time
“Pilot” (Breaking Bad), Written by Vince Gilligan; AMC

EPISODIC COMEDY – any length – one airing time
“Succession” (30 Rock), Written by Andrew Guest & John Riggi; NBC

LONG FORM – ORIGINAL
“Recount,” Written by Danny Strong; HBO

LONG FORM – ADAPTATION
“John Adams,” “Episode 1, Join or Die,” Teleplay by Kirk Ellis, Based on the book by David McCullough; “Episode 2, Independence,” Teleplay by Kirk Ellis, Based on the book by David McCullough; HBO

ANIMATION – any length – one airing time
“Apocalypse Cow” (The Simpsons), Written by Jeff Westbrook; Fox

COMEDY/VARIETY – (INCLUDING TALK) SERIES
“Saturday Night Live,” Head Writers Seth Meyers, Andrew Steele, Paula Pell, Writers Doug Abeles, James Anderson, Alex Baze, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Charlie Grandy, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Paula Pell, Simon Rich, Marika Sawyer, Akiva Schaffer, Robert Smigel, John Solomon, Emily Spivey, Andrew Steele, Kent Sublette, Jorma Taccone, Bryan Tucker, Additional Sketches by Robert Carlock; NBC

COMEDY/VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS
“2008 Film Independent Spirit Awards,” Written by Billy Kimball, Aaron Lee, Jennifer Celotta, Rainn Wilson; IFC/AMC

DAYTIME SERIALS
“As the World Turns,” Written by Jean Passanante, Leah Laiman, Courtney Simon, Lisa Connor, David A. Levinson, Peter Brash, Richard Culliton, Susan Dansby, Cheryl Davis, Leslie Nipkow; CBS

CHILDREN'S EPISODIC & SPECIALS
“Elmo's Christmas Countdown” (Sesame Workshop), Written by Joey Mazzarino; ABC

CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – LONG FORM OR SPECIAL
“Polar Bears” (The Naked Brothers Band), Written by Polly Draper; Nickelodeon

DOCUMENTARY – CURRENT EVENTS
“Bush's War: Part One” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk; PBS

DOCUMENTARY – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“Secrets of the Parthenon” (NOVA), Written by Gary Glassman; PBS

NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“ABC Weekend News,” Written by Joel Siegel, Karen Mooney, David Muir; ABC

NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Yankee Stadium and the New Gilded Age” (Bill Moyers Journal), Writers Bill Moyers & Michael Winship; PBS

RADIO WINNERS

DOCUMENTARY
“Black History Month,” Written by Anthony J. McHugh; CBS

NEWS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED OR BREAKING
“World News This Week,” Written by Marianne J. Pryor; ABC

NEWS – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Tributes,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS

PROMOTIONAL WRITING AND GRAPHIC ART WINNERS

ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION)
“Jericho: Two-Minute Drills,” Written by Eric Jacobson; CBS

TELEVISION GRAPHIC ANIMATION
“Medical Animations” (CBS Evening News), David Rosen; CBS

VIDEOGAME WINNERS

VIDEOGAME WRITING
“Star Wars: The Force Unleashed,” Writers Haden Blackman, Shawn Pitman, John Stafford

and Cameron Suey, LucasArts

The Nominees (Updated: Full List Included)

Here is a partial list of the nominees. The rest will be filled in later on:

Best motion picture of the year

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

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Richard Jenkins (The Visitor)
• Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon)
• Sean Penn (Milk)
• Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
• Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Josh Brolin (Milk)
• Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder)
• Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt)
• Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
• Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

Performance by an actress in a leading role

• Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married)
• Angelina Jolie (Changeling)
• Melissa Leo (Frozen River)
• Meryl Streep (Doubt)
• Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

• Amy Adams (Doubt)
• Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
• Viola Davis (Doubt)
• Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
• Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

Best animated feature film of the year

• Bolt
• Kung Fu Panda
• WALL•E

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

• David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
• Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon)
• Gus Van Sant (Milk)
• Stephen Daldry (The Reader)
• Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

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 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 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
• The Class
• Departures
• Revanche
• Waltz With Bashir

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 andMaya Arulpragasam
  

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

• Eric Roth & Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
• John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)
• Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon)
• David Hare (The Reader)
• Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

Original screenplay

• Courtney Hunt (Frozen River)
• Mike Leigh (Happy-Go-Lucky)
• Martin McDonagh (In Bruges)
• Dustin Lance Black (Milk)
• Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon (WALL•E)

Mark Harris's Oscar Predictions

Mark Harris, author of the excellent Oscar book "Pictures at a Revolution," has given his two cents on the Oscar nominations. He feels "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" are locks. Says "Frost/Nixon" and "Milk" aren't as locked as we might think, and he feels either "The Dark Knight" or "Wall-E" will take that final slot:

Only six more hours to go...

Vancouver Film Critics Awards

More film critics awards. This time it's "Milk" walking away with the top prize:

BEST FILM
Milk

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Sean Penn, Milk

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road/The Reader

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married

BEST DIRECTOR
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Edge of Heaven

BEST CANADIAN FILM
C’est pas moi, je le jure!

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A CANADIAN FILM
Natar Ungalaaq, The Necessities of Life

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A CANADIAN FILM
Marianne Fortier, Maman est chez le coiffeur

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A CANADIAN
FILM
Randy Quaid, Real Time

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A CANADIAN
FILM
Suzanne Clément, C’est pas moi, je le jure!

BEST DIRECTOR OF A CANADIAN FILM
Philippe Falardeau, C’est pas moi, je le jure!

BEST BRITISH COLUMBIA FILM
Fifty Dead Men Walking

ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE BRITISH COLUMBIA FILM INDUSTRY
William Vince

BFCA Winners

As the title says, the BFCA has announced their winners (more love for "Slumdog Millionaire" to be found):

Picture, Director, Score, Screenplay, Young Actor: Slumdog Millionaire
Animated: WALL•E
Documentary: Man on Wire
Foreign Film: Waltz With Bashir
Comedy: Tropic Thunder
TV Movie: John Adams
Action: The Dark Knight
Song: "The Wrestler" Bruce Springsteen
Actor & Acting Ensemble: Sean Penn and the cast of Milk
Actress: (tie) Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married and Meryl Streep for Doubt
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet for The Reader

Golden Globes This Sunday

This Sunday NBC will be airing the Golden Globes to what is likely going to be an empty audience. No, there isn't another strike on the horizon, but never before have a felt such a lack of interest in the Globes before. Granted, the Globes are always the bastard child of the awards shows, but people usually tune in to at least see actors get drunk. This year though is different: People actually care about the movie awards. All of them. I've talked to people at work who haven't cared about Oscar in years, but they are paying attention to every guild nomination, every win, because there are movies that people actually want to see in the running. In this regard, the Globes blew it. Big time. By leaving out such important films as "The Dark Knight," "Milk," and "Wall-E" in favor of lesser fare like "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road" shows just how out-of-touch the Globes truly are.

So out of touch are the Globes, that this is the first year I can think of where everybody wrote off the Globes as having much of an effect on the Oscars just because of the nominations. When discussing Oscars the Globes don't even come up in conversation. Why? Because people aren't taking them seriously this year. So much so, that I wouldn't be too surprised if the ratings for the Globes are actually lower this year then previous year (you know, the year with that pathetic "show" because no one would show up due to the Writers Strike). But watch it I will, and we'll see if it effects anything at this point.

WGA Nominations

And the Writers Guild of America have nominated their screenplays. Again, this is a big deal because the WGA are made of members of the Academy, and so the results come Oscar time could look similar to this list. For now though, the nominations are:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Burn After Reading - Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features
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


A pretty good list I must say (though the absence of "Rachael Getting Married" hurts, and the snub of "Wall-E's" great screenplay is just wrong). It looks like the adapted category is more competitive then the original category, but hey, that's how it goes sometimes. Oh, and "The Dark Knight" scores another one, and takes one more step towards Oscar glory.

"Do you wanna know how I got these scars?"

Online Film Critics Nominations

A bit late posting this one as well, but the Online Film Critics Nominations came in as well:

THE 2008 OFCS nominees (previous years’ nominees after the cut):

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL*E
The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
Andrew Stanton, WALL*E

BEST ACTOR
Benicio Del Toro, Che
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy
Kate Winslet , Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
Synecdoche, New York, Charlie Kaufman
WALL*E, Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon
The Wrestler, Robert D. Siegel

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
The Dark Knight, Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
Let the Right One In, John Ajvide Lindqvist
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Dear Zachary: a letter to a son about his father
Encounters at the End of the World
I.O.U.S.A.
Man On Wire
My Winnipeg

BEST FOREIGN FILM
A Christmas Tale
The Counterfeiters
I’ve Loved You So Long
Let the Right One In
Waltz with Bashir

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who
Kung Fu Panda
WALL*E
Waltz with Bashir

I noticed that "Wall-E" and "The Wrestler" crept in and wrestled out "Frost/Nixon" and "Milk" for nominations in Picture and Director. Is this a sign that those movies aren't as big of locks as some people think? Personally, I think if two films are in danger of being pushed out of favorism, it's "Frost/Nixon" and "Milk." Personally, I feel "The Dark Knight" is safe at this point, and "Wall-E" is gaining enough ground that it might safely (and comfortably) snuggle into the fifth slot. "Milk" though is a movie that opened to a lot of praise in light of the whole Proposition 8 thing, but since then I get this feeling people have cooled down on it (and I'm considering revising my Top Ten list to take "Milk" off and put another movie in it's place). "Frost/Nixon" has a double negative in that people fall into the "love it/hate it" category, but the movie is also getting attacked for being too liberal with the facts.

While this didn't hurt "A Beautiful Mind" too much, just ask films like "JFK," "The Hurricane," "The Passion of the Christ," "Pocahontas," and you start to see where that kind of critism can really hurt you. Now I don't think both of these films are in trouble, as I think it would be a stroke of pure luck if "The Wrestler" got into the top five at this point. But considering all the love for "Wall-E" going around, and I think the little robot that could will bump one of these two films off the list when the Academy announces their nominations. Either way, January 22nd can't come soon enough.

Producers Guild Nominations!

Here are the nominations from the PGN:


Best Picture (technically "Motion Picture Producer of the Year,"but it's basically the same thing)

Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Frost/Nixon
The Dark Knight

Animated:

Wall-E
Bolt
Kung-Fu Panda

Documentary:

Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
Standard Operating Procedure

Breath a sigh of relief geeks: "The Dark Knight" is in! This is far more important then the Golden Globes nominations, as the voters for the PGN tend to be actual members of the Academy, and they have just given a big shout out that they consider a superhero film to be one of the best films of the year. This is huge, and if the Directors Guild Nominations do the same then I think we can safely say "The Dark Knight" is in for the Oscars!

"It's all part of the plane."

'Clever' Ain't So Observant

Though there are plenty of YouTube videos out there that have legitimate film fans and critics talking about the upcoming Oscars, with worthwhile predictions and interesting insights, it's pretty sad that typing in "oscar predictions" leads to this video being first in line...



...which shows that YouTube is still owned by sponsers. Not only does this woman NOT remind me of a film critic, but for making a movie close to January she shows a shocking lack of knowledge about the Oscar race! She lists "Revolutionary Road," "Doubt," and *snicker* "Australia" as major contenders. Obviously if she were a movie fan she would know that (with the small exception of "Doubt) all those movies are pretty much out of the race. No mention of "Milk," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," or "The Reader" are to be found. She doesn't mention "The Dark Knight," and Heath Ledger isn't so much as mentioned (which, considering how that race is going, must be a first at this point). I'm surprised she even mentioned Sally Hawkins in the video.

This is why, fellow Oscar lovers, you make sure you choose your prediction sites/videos carefully. There are informed opinions out there, and you don't have to settle for stuff like this, that seems to be popular just because they have money to advertise. If you want my personal picks for good campaign sites, I have a list of them on the side underneath predictions. I recommend you start clicking and informing yourself.

My Top Ten Best Films of 2008 List

Now it's time for me Top Ten Best Films of 2008 list. These films will be counted down from 10 to 1, and please keep in mind these are MY picks and in no way represent any official movie institution. Feel free to disagree with my choices if you please. With that out of the way, onto the show.

10. W.
Director: Oliver Stone
Starring: Josh Brolin
Rated: PG-13 (For language including some sexual dialogue)

Seeped in controversy from people who wanted nothing more then to move Bush out of the White House and Obama in, Oliver Stone's "W." was protested, ignored, and shunned by many people. It was also surprisingly thoughtful and intelligent, giving us not a hack-job of someone who wanted to ridicule the sitting president, but a thoughtful film from someone who wanted to understand the president. Though the movie ends somewhat on a cliffhanger, "W." is never boring and is always engrossing.

9. Bolt
Director: Chris Williams, Byron Howard
Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus
Rated: PG (For some mild action and peril)

It took a long time, but Disney finally made their best animated movie since "Lilo & Stitch." More importantly, they managed to make it without Pixar. Ironically, the idea that saved them for this film was from Chris Saunders, the same guy who came up with the idea for "Lilo & Stitch." When "Bolt" starts it works as an action film. It starts out fast, explosive, and exciting. When Bolt gets away from the set it turns into a laugh-a-minute comedy. In the final act the movie has become a drama, and it yanks at the heart in ways Disney movies used to. One of the better surprises of the year.

8. Milk
Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Sean Penn
Rated: R (For language, some sexual content and brief violence)

Though "Milk" overlooks many of the events of Harvey Milk's life that made his life (in my opinion) so interesting as a person, Gus Van Sant's very gay film is a fine bio-pic never-the-less. The message of this film is hope and love, which is what Milk encouraged more then anything else in his lifetime. Watching him in this film paints him as a very nice and fun guy, whose heart was in the right place at the wrong time. The fact that he accomplished so little is besides the point: The point is that this man, for all his flaws, gave people hope. And what a joy that is.

7. Young@Heart
Director: Stephen Walker
Rated: PG (For some mild language and thematic elements)

Though they may be old, the elders who make up the singing group Young@Heart sing songs with much energy and joy. It's hard not to fall in love with this touching film of friends, life, and music. A movie that is hard to express the joys of in words, so I guess you'll just have to watch it and feel the joy for yourself.

6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett
Rated: PG-13 (For brief war violence, sexual content, language and smoking)

David Fincher is known more for his slasher films with brains then for emotional dramas, but with "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Finch steps out of his comfort zone to direct one of the most emotional Hollywood films since "Forrest Gump." The story of a man who is born old and gets younger with age sounds like a gimmick, but it's actually a storytelling device that allows the characters to experience the world with a unique perspective. Seeing as how Benjamin can't experience things the same way as other people experience things, this leads to some very intriguing complications and storytelling aspects. Story aside, the film is also a visual wonder to behold, and colleges will be showing this movie in film classes to study the visual effects for years to come.

5. Frost/Nixon
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen
Rated: R (For some language)

Movies based off stage plays can be very hit or miss when they are translated to the big screen. Either the essence is captured on film or the movie shows off it's stage roots a little too much. In the case of "Frost/Nixon" it does feel like the stage it was adapted from, but that ends up working to the films benifit, as the movie is about two men in a one-on-one battle in front of the camera. To see these two intense actors playing off each other is to witness great actors at the top of their craft, helped by Ron Howard, whose direction knows when to move in closer and when to pull away. Subtle but not boring, "Frost/Nixon" is an example that great theater can make great for great film making.

4. Slumdog Millionaire
Director: Dannye Boyle
Rating: (For some violence, disturbing images and language)

If you miss the hit game show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire," then "Slumdog Millionaire" may be the movie for you to see. Taking place in India, the movie revolves around a teenage boy who is one question away from winning twenty million rubies on the hit game show, when he is captured and tortured on suspicions of cheating. Through his story we see his painful childhood, his struggles with his older brother, and the chase for the love of his life, a girl who always seems to be out of reach. And, of course, we discover how his life prepared him with the answers he would need to win the show.

3. Wall•E
Director: Andrew Stanton
Rating: G

You wouldn't think that a movie about a deserted robot on Earth finding true love would be a very convincing movie to begin with, nevermind one of the most touching love stories in years. But keep this in mind: "Wall•E" was birthed from the creative geniuses at Pixar, and if they can make a rat a credible chef, then they can certainly make a convincing love story out of two robotic machines. Although a lot of people choose to dislike the film over it's eco-friendly storyline, the movie is above all else a story about loniness and finding someone special, and it conveys these emotions through pure emotion (of all things). This is even more of a revelation when you realize the two lead characters barely speak a word, and simply rely on good old-fashioned body language most of the time. Like "Ratatouille," "Wall•E" is a great movie for adults. Oh, and bring the kids along, they'll like it too.

2. Rachel Getting Married
Director: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Tunde Adebimpe, Mather Zickel, Anna Deavere Smith, Debra Winger
Rated: R (For language and brief sexuality)

Despite having a title that sounds like a bad romantic comedy that's been dumped in the lonely month of January, "Rachel Getting Married" is actually a sensitive and heartbreaking story about a family who is capible of sharing so much love, but falter because they can't forgive. Despite the fact that Rachel is in the title (and it is indeed her wedding), the movie revolves around Kym, a recovering drug addict who is out of rehab in time for her sisters wedding. Her family welcomes her with open arms, but there is a hesitation in that welcome, as well as a feeling of underlying hostility. Years ago she made a horrible mistake and they can't forgive her for it. Even worse, Kym can't forgive herself, and to watch this movie is to watch a family come to terms with a tragedy in their lives. We get to see people take a turning point that will change the way they live forever, and this movie makes you feel glad you got to know them. I also consider to be Oscar winning director Johnathan Demme's big comeback, returning to mainstream fare after being stuck in documentary land for years.

1. The Dark Knight
Director: Christopher Nolan
Staring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman
Rating: PG-13 (For intense sequences of violence and some menace)

Just when people were getting tired of superhero movies, mindless summer films, and movies with big budgets and no heart, "The Dark Knight" comes along and completely restored our faith in the Hollywood blockbuster. Rarely is a summer film so intense, so complex, and so emotional as this one. While Heath Ledgers death certainly raised the importance of the Joker to a higher level, I was shocked to find a well told tale of Good vs. Evil that I hadn't experienced since "The Lord of the Rings." Here is a movie about real people, in a real world, where everones past and personal morals shape who they are and what they will do. The debate of living in a world with or without rules goes to a new height in this film, as two men of extreme ideals clash off in a battle that effects everyone around them. On some level it's personal, on another it's not personal, it's just business. In the end, "The Dark Knight" is not only the best superhero film ever made, it's the best film of the year. It also raises the bar for not just future superhero films, but also future blockbuster films in general. A new era of Hollywood film making is upon us, and it starts with "The Dark Knight."

A Few Thoughts On Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant is one weird director. It seems like only he would make an Oscar nominated film like "Good Will Hunting," and then use his new found fame to do a remake of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" (shot by shot mind you). Since then he's made lots of films, mostly art house films that audiences just didn't connect to (his turn at directing "Gerry" alianated many people). When I heard of "Milk" earlier this year I felt it would have Oscar written all over it. I was right, though the film wasn't quite the masterpiece I was expecting. What surprised me most was how subdued it felt for a Van Sant film. With the exception of a few choice shots, most of the direction was very straight-forward and predictable. Anyone could have made this film, which is not something I usually get when watching a movie from him. I left it on the Oscar list though, simply for a lack of better films to list.

Well, all that's changed now. More movies have been released. "Milk" seems to be losing it's grip on the "lock" it had for an Oscar. Worst of all, Van Sant has been outdirected by Ron Howard, Mike Leigh, Steven Soderberg, Danny Boyle, etc, etc...you get the point. This basically means his shot at Best Director is looking more slim. So while I'm not going to remove "Milk" from the BP lineup yet, I'm going to remove Van Sant from Best Director. I think his direction is fairly weak, and the actors make most of the movie work anyway.

Calm Down People

There has been much speculation over the fate of "Milk" and "The Dark Knight" when it comes to Oscars now that they've been (mostly) snubbed by the Globes. This fear isn't completely warranted, but I understand where it comes from. Since the Globes are considered the "predecessor" of the Oscars, people are afraid these two good films won't get a Best Picture nomination come January 22nd. There's just something we need to remember folks: The Globes and Oscars aren't exactly always on the same page. The Globes gave the "Green Card" the Best Picture award in 1992, and that wasn't exactly an Oscat darling (it only received a nomination for it's screenplay, which it then went on to lose). In fact, the last time the Globes and Oscars agreed on anything was back in 2003, with "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King." So yeah, they didn't nominate two of the most loved films of the year, but I'm not too worried.

In fact, contrary to what the Globes suggest, not only do I believe these two films will be nominated, I believe these two films are going to be the big competition. These are the only two movies that have loyal supporters who are willing to go to great lengths to prove to other people that they are great films. These other films, while having good reviews and word-of-mouth, simply don't have the passion behind them that these two have. So while this whole business with the Globes is disappointing, I think we'll have the last laugh when, come Oscar night, these two critical darlings go head-to-head for the top prize.

Golden Globe Nominees

So here are the nominees for the Golden Globes:

Best Picture, Drama
Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

Best Picture Comedy/Musical
Burn After Reading
Happy Go Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Director
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, Ben Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road

Actor, Drama
Leo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Actress, Drama
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Joie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas, I’ve Loved you So Long
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Supporting Actor
Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr. Tropic Tunder
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Actor, Comedy
Javier Bardem, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Colin Farrel, In Bruges
James Franco, Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleason, In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman Last Chance Harvey

Actress, Comedy
Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia
Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey

Foreign Language Film
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
Everlasting Moments (Sweden)
Gomorrah (Italy)
I’ve Loved You So Long
Waltz with Bashir

Animated Feature
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

Screenplay
Slumdog Millionaire
The Reader
Frost/Nixon
Benjamin Button
Doubt

Score
Benjamin Button
Changeling
Defiance
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon

Song
Down to Earth, Wall-E
Gran Torino
I thought I Lost You, Bolt
Once in a Lifetime, Cadillac Record
The Wrestler, The Wrestler

Interesting set of nominees I'd say. Looks like Benjiman Button and "Doubt" lead the nominees with five nominations each (though "Doubt" does so without a nomination for either Picture or Director). I know we're all surprised to see "The Dark Knight" and "Milk" get mostly shut out, but don't count these films out of the Oscar race. Keep in mind the last time the Globes and Oscars actually awarded the same film Best Picture was in 2003, when "The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" walked home with the top prizes. And 2004's Best Picture winner, "Crash," wasn't even nominated at the Globes. Plus they have two picture categories, so sometimes the vote gets split on those movies that fall somewhere in the middle. So in short, don't count Nolan and Van Sant out yet, with the critics and public choice awards going mostly in their favor, I think one of them will have the last laugh come Oscar night.

It IS nice to see both Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. get Best Supporting Actor nods for their work in "Tropic Thunder," and so my prediction that Tom Cruise may get a nomination in this category is looking more likely. Ultimately though the big push is going to come when the Director's Guild and Critics Choice give out their awards. They're the big ones, and they usually award the films that get nominated. So enjoy the Globes, and don't feel too bad about your favorite film not getting a nomination. It ain't over til it's over.

Pete's Top Ten

Peter Travis, film critic of Rolling Stone (and one of the few legit critics working these days), has posted his top ten best films of 2008 list. They are:

1. Milk
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. The Dark Knight
4. Frost/Nixon
5. WALL-E
6. Revolutionary Road
7. The Visitor
8. Doubt
9. Rachel Getting Married
10. Man on Wire

Good to see "The Dark Knight" and "Wall•E" up on the list. It's also nice to see someone giving "Rachel Getting Married" some well deserved recognition. And "Milk" gets another number one spot. Is that our next Best Picture winner? I won't be putting my list together until early January, so I'll hold off commenting my opinions for the moment.

Nominees For The 14th Annual Critics Choice Awards Reveled

For your reading pleasure, here are the nominees for the Critics Choice Awards:

BEST PICTURE

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
The Wrestler

BEST ACTOR

Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
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

Kate Beckinsale - Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
James Franco - Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Vera Farmiga - Nothing But the Truth
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Milk
Rachel Getting Married

BEST DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

BEST WRITER (Original or Adapted Screenplay)

Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Wall-E
Waltz With Bashir

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS (Under 21)

Dakota Fanning - The Secret Life of Bees
David Kross - The Reader
Dev Petal - Slumdog Millionaire
Brandon Walters - Australia

BEST ACTION MOVIE

The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Quantum of Solace
Wanted

BEST COMEDY MOVIE

Burn After Reading
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Role Models
Tropic Thunder
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

John Adams
Recount
Coco Chanel

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

A Christmas Tale
Gomorrah
I’ve Loved You So Long
Let the Right One In
Mongol
Waltz With Bashir

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

I.O.U.S.A.
Man On Wire
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Standard Operating Procedure
Young At Heart

BEST SONG

“Another Way to Die” (performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys, written by Jack White) - Quantum of Solace
“Down to Earth” (performed by Peter Gabriel, written by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman) - Wall-E
“I Thought I Lost You” (performed Miley Cyrus and John Travolta, written by Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele) - Bolt
“Jaiho” (performed by Sukhwinder Singh, written by A.R. Rahman and Gulzar) - Slumdog Millionaire
“The Wrestler” (performed by Bruce Springsteen, written by Bruce Springsteen) - The Wrestler

BEST COMPOSER

Alexandre Desp lat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clint Eastwood - Changeling
Danny Elfman - Milk
Hans Zimmer/James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire

Right now here are the leaders of the pack:

Milk (Eight Nominations)

Best Picture
Best Actor
Two Best Supporting Actor Nominations
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director
Best Writer
Best Composer

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Eight Nominations)

Best Picture
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actress
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director
Best Writer
Best Composer

The Dark Knight (Six Nominations)

Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Director
Best Action Movie
Best Composer

Doubt (Six Nominations)

Best Picture
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Acting Ensemble
Best Writer

Slumdog Millionaire (Six Nominations)

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Writer
Best Young Actor/Actress
Best Song
Best Composer

So what does this mean for Oscar season? Well, not too much, though we are starting to see a pattern emerge so that we have a slightly better idea of how the Oscar race is turning out. Here are some things we do know:

• "The Dark Knight" is more likely to get a Best Picture nomination if not outright become the favorite to win.
• "Revolutionary Road" may be trouble, based on it's total shut-out here.
• "The Curious Case of Benjiman Button" is looking to be more then just hype.
• "Slumdog Millionaire" could become this years "Little Film That Could" after all.

Other then that though we don't know much. The Golden Globes are going to be announcing their nominees soon, so once those are announced we may or may not have a good idea on how the Oscar noms will go. Remember, anything can happen and nothing is certain. I mean, just take a look at that song list: Miley Cyrus is a CCA nominee. Crickey!