Hmm...
So I've done this for the last 3-4 years, my oscar predictions and all (which usually turn out 60-70% correct at best)
my picks = ***
probable winner = $$$
best picture:
juno
atonement $$$
no country for old men ***
there will be blood
michael clayton
Actor:
George Clooney, "Michael Clayton";
Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"; *** $$$
Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street";
Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah";
Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises."
(james mcavoy didn't get in, either did denzel. they really love johnny depp and tommy lee jones)
3. Actress:
Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age";
Julie Christie, "Away From Her"; *** $$$
Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose";
Laura Linney, "The Savages";
Ellen Page, "Juno."
surprising that they bumped out angelina jolie for laura linney.
Supporting Actor:
Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford";
Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"; *** $$$
Hal Holbrook, "Into the Wild";
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War";
Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton."
javier's the front runner (he was fucking frightening in no country) but he might get Arkin'd by hal holbrook.
Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"; *** $$$
Ruby Dee, "American Gangster";
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement";
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone";
Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton."
Director:
Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly";
Jason Reitman, "Juno";
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton";
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"; ***
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood." $$$
i'm stuck between the coens and PTA. i liked No country overall more than TWBB but hollywood always loves to make a statement about the war in iraq regarding oil and greed. the coens or PTA both deserve this one. schnabel is an outside shot (he won the golden globe for it). jason reitman doesn't belong here. juno had standard camera work and no real standout sequences involving sets. it's mostly a character piece.
Adapted Screenplay:
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement";
Sarah Polley, "Away from Her";
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly";
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"; ***
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood." $$$
9. Original Screenplay:
Diablo Cody, "Juno"; $$$
Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl";
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton";
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, "Ratatouille";
Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages."
in terms of originality, lars and the real girl's concept should win. however, i haven't seen any of the 4 not named Juno so I don't have a call here.
11. Art Direction:
"American Gangster," "Atonement,"
"The Golden Compass,"
"Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street," $$$
"There Will Be Blood." ***
probably one of categories i care least about next to sound mixing and sound editing and other shit that i won't even mention.
12. Cinematography:
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,"
"Atonement,"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,"
"No Country for Old Men," *** $$$
"There Will Be Blood."
tough category, roger deakins (who has been nominated many times but has never won) has 2 nominations this year for jesse james and no country. kaminski (diving bell and butterfly) has won twice, primarily for his work with steven spielberg (schindler's list and saving private ryan). robert elswit made there will be blood fantastic looking (especially in his campfire scenes with daniel day lewis as well as the outdoor landscapes). i think they'll finally give one to deakins.
there are other categories but i don't really care about them.
my picks = ***
probable winner = $$$
best picture:
juno
atonement $$$
no country for old men ***
there will be blood
michael clayton
Actor:
George Clooney, "Michael Clayton";
Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"; *** $$$
Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street";
Tommy Lee Jones, "In the Valley of Elah";
Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises."
(james mcavoy didn't get in, either did denzel. they really love johnny depp and tommy lee jones)
3. Actress:
Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age";
Julie Christie, "Away From Her"; *** $$$
Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose";
Laura Linney, "The Savages";
Ellen Page, "Juno."
surprising that they bumped out angelina jolie for laura linney.
Supporting Actor:
Casey Affleck, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford";
Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"; *** $$$
Hal Holbrook, "Into the Wild";
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War";
Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton."
javier's the front runner (he was fucking frightening in no country) but he might get Arkin'd by hal holbrook.
Supporting Actress:
Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"; *** $$$
Ruby Dee, "American Gangster";
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement";
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone";
Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton."
Director:
Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly";
Jason Reitman, "Juno";
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton";
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"; ***
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood." $$$
i'm stuck between the coens and PTA. i liked No country overall more than TWBB but hollywood always loves to make a statement about the war in iraq regarding oil and greed. the coens or PTA both deserve this one. schnabel is an outside shot (he won the golden globe for it). jason reitman doesn't belong here. juno had standard camera work and no real standout sequences involving sets. it's mostly a character piece.
Adapted Screenplay:
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement";
Sarah Polley, "Away from Her";
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly";
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"; ***
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood." $$$
9. Original Screenplay:
Diablo Cody, "Juno"; $$$
Nancy Oliver, "Lars and the Real Girl";
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton";
Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava and Jim Capobianco, "Ratatouille";
Tamara Jenkins, "The Savages."
in terms of originality, lars and the real girl's concept should win. however, i haven't seen any of the 4 not named Juno so I don't have a call here.
11. Art Direction:
"American Gangster," "Atonement,"
"The Golden Compass,"
"Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street," $$$
"There Will Be Blood." ***
probably one of categories i care least about next to sound mixing and sound editing and other shit that i won't even mention.
12. Cinematography:
"The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,"
"Atonement,"
"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,"
"No Country for Old Men," *** $$$
"There Will Be Blood."
tough category, roger deakins (who has been nominated many times but has never won) has 2 nominations this year for jesse james and no country. kaminski (diving bell and butterfly) has won twice, primarily for his work with steven spielberg (schindler's list and saving private ryan). robert elswit made there will be blood fantastic looking (especially in his campfire scenes with daniel day lewis as well as the outdoor landscapes). i think they'll finally give one to deakins.
there are other categories but i don't really care about them.