I watched it again last night and I have to say, I'd love to see the Academy break Wall-e out of the animated category to compete with the big boys.

It's strange they chose a Thursday this time. For as long as I can remember, it was always on a Tuesday.

Ben Lyons, but I think he's the only one.

Me too. But I don't think it will be even nominated.

It will, I think. Benjamin Button's getting pretty mixed reviews now, and Dark Knight has gained more steam since its DVD release. Plus the Golden Globe nominations were jack shit of an indication this year.

I think bejamin Button will still definitely get a Best Picture nomination. One movie I was positive that would get a nomination (and am now not so sure it will) is Milk. t seems like Focus really dropped the ball by not properly expanding this film after it has been doing so well. Are they waiting for the Oscar noms to be announced or something? This should have been in the amount of screens Brokeback Mountain was and they still have Milk playing in the same 350 or 360 screens since last month Theres only so many people in those areas the film is showing in who are going to see this. Put it in other screens now.

Do you know him, by any chance? I wonder if he's really as much of a douchebag as his critics make him out to be.

They are almost every year.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Picture
1. Slumdog Millionaire (NBR, WAFCA, AWFJ, NYFCO, SDFCS, PFCS, DFWFCA, FFCC, DFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, BSFC**, SAG*, PGA*, AFCA**, SEFCA***, AAFC***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Milk (NYFCC, SEFCA, SFFCC, AFI**, SAG*, PGA*, DFWFCA***, NBR*, BFCA*, CFCA*, LFCC*, VFCC*)
3. The Dark Knight (AFCA, UFCA, AAFC, AFI**, LAFCA***, PGA*, NBR*, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
4. Wall-E (LAFCA, CFCA, AFI**, BSFC**, NBR*, BFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
5. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (SLGFC, HFCA, AFI**, SAG*, PGA*, NBR*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)

Director
1. Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire” (LAFCA, CFCA, WAFCA, AWFJ, NYFCO, SLGFC, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, HFCA, DFWFCA, FFCC, AAFC, DFCA, OFCC, BFCA*, GG*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Gus Van Sant, “Milk” (SFFCC, BSFC**, NSFC***, SEFCA***, BFCA*, CFCA*, LFCC*, VFCC*)
3. David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (NBR, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
4. Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (NYFCC, NSFC)
5. Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” (AFCA, LAFCA***, UFCA***, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)

Actor
1. Sean Penn, “Milk” (LAFCA, NYFCC, NSFC, AWFJ, NYFCO, SLGFC, SEFCA, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, BSFC**, SAG*, SFFCC**, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, ISA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” (CFCA, WAFCA, WFCC, SDFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, DFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, BSFC**, LAFCA***, NSFC***, SAG*, SFFCC**, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, ISA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
3. Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon” (LVFCS, AAFC, SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
4. Clint Eastwood, “Gran Torino” (NBR, BFCA*, CFCA*)
5. Richard Jenkins, “The Visitor” (SAG*, BFCA*, CFCA*, ISA*, OFCS*)

Actress
1. Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (LAFCA, NYFCC, BSFC, NSFC, NYFCO, SFFCC, OFCC, AWFJ**, GG*, CFCA*, VFCC*)
2. Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married” (NBR, CFCA, SEFCA, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, SAG*, UFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, ISA*, LFCC*)
3. Melissa Leo, “Frozen River” (WFCC, FFCC, UFCA, LAFCA***, NSFC***, SAG*, BFCA*, CFCA*, ISA*)
4. Meryl Streep, “Doubt” (WAFCA, PFCS, KCFCC, SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, VFCC*)
5. Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road” (SLGFC, DFCA, SAG*, AWFJ**, LVFCS**, GG*, LFCC*, VFCC*)

Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight” (LAFCA, BSFC, CFCA, WAFCA, AWFJ, SLGFC, SEFCA, SFFCC, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, LVFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, AAFC, DFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, NSFC***, SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, LFCC*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. Josh Brolin, “Milk” (NBR, NYFCC, NYFCO, SAG*, BFCA*, CFCA*, VFCC*)
3. Eddie Marsan, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (NSFC, LAFCA***, OFCS*)
4. Robert Downey, Jr., “Tropic Thunder” (SAG*, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
5. Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt” (SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)

Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (NBR, NYFCC, BSFC, NYFCO, SEFCA, KCFCC, LAFCA**, SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, ISA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
2. Viola Davis, “Doubt” (SLGFC, HFCA, DFWFCA, AAFC, LAFCA***, NSFC***, SAG*, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
3. Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler” (SFFCC, SDFCS, PFCS, LVFCS, FFCC, DFCA, OFCC, BFCA*, GG*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
4. Kate Winslet, “The Reader” (CFCA, SAG*, BFCA*, GG*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
5. Rosemarie Dewitt, “Rachel Getting Married” (WAFCA, UFCA, TFCA, ISA*, CFCA*, VFCC*)

Screenplay, Adapted
1. Simon Beaufoy, “Slumdog Millionaire” (CFCA, WAFCA, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, HFCA, FFCC, OFCC, KCFCC, NBR**, BFCA*, GG*, USC*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
2. Peter Morgan, “Frost/Nixon” (AWFJ, SLGFC, SFFCC, LVFCS, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
3. Eric Roth, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (NBR**, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, USC*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
4. Johnathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” (AFCA, CFCA*, OFCS*)
5. John Patrick Shanley, “Doubt” (BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*)

Screenplay, Original
1. Jenny Lumet, “Rachel Gettng Married” (NYFCC, WAFCA, WFCC, UFCA, TFCA, CFCA*)
2. Dustin Lance Black, “Milk” (BSFC, SEFCA, SFFCC, DFWFCA, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
3. Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (LAFCA, NSFC)
4. Charlie Kaufman, “Synecdoche, New York” (AFCA, LAFCA***, CFCA*, ISA*, OFCS*)
5. Andrew Stanton, “Wall-E” (CFCA, AWFJ, OFCS*)

Animated
1. Wall-E (NBR, NYFCC, BSFC, WAFCA, NYFCO, CFCA, SLGFC, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, LVFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, AA*, PGA*, BFCA*, GG*, OFCS*)
2. Kung-Fu Panda (AA*, PGA*, SEFCA***, UFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, OFCS*)
3. Waltz With Bashir (LAFCA, AA*, BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)

Documentary
1. Man On Wire (NBR, LAFCA, NYFCC, BSFC, CFCA, NSFC, WAFCA, NYFCO, SLGFC, SEFCA, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, HFCA, DFWFCA, LVFCS, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, PGA*, AWFJ**, BFCA*, ISA*, OFCS*)
2. Trouble The Water (NSFC***, PGA*, AWFJ**)
3. Standard Operating Procedure (PGA*, BFCA*, CFCA*)
4. My Winnipeg (SFFCC, OFCS*)
5. I.O.U.S.A (BFCA*, CFCA*, OFCS*)

Foreign Film
1. Sweden, “Let The Right One In” (BSFC, CFCA, WAFCA, SEFCA, SFFCC, SDFCS, PFCS, AFCA, FFCC, UFCA, TFCA, OFCC, KCFCC, BFCA*, OFCS*, VFCC*)
2. France, “I’ve Loved You So Long” (WFCC, SEFCA, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
3. Belgium, “Tell No One” (AWFJ, DFWFCA, VFCC*)
4. Israel, “Waltz With Bashir” (UFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, LFCC*, OFCS*)
5. Italy, “Gomorrah” (BFCA*, GG*, ISA*, LFCC*)

Music (Score)
1. A. R. Rahman, “Slumdog Millionaire” (LAFCA, NYFCO, SDFCS, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*)
2. Alexandre Desplat, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (PFCS, LAFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*)
3. Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard, “The Dark Knight” (AFCA, BFCA*, CFCA*)
4. Thomas Newman, “Wall-E” (CFCA)
5. James Newton Howard, “Defiance” (LVFCS, GG*)

Music (Song)
1. The Wrestler, “The Wrestler” (PFCS, BFCA*, GG*)
2. Wall-E, “Down to Earth” (HFCA, BFCA*, GG*)
3. Quantum of Solace, “Another Way To Die” (LVFCS, BFCA*)
4. Bolt, “I Thought I Lost You” (BFCA*, GG*)
5. Gran Torino, “Gran Torino” (GG*)
5. Cadillac Recoards, “Once In A Lifetime” (GG*)

Editing
1. Slumdog Millionaire (BSFC, SDFCS, PFCS)
2. Frost/Nixon (LVFCS)
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (AWFJ)

Visual Effects
1. The Dark Knight (SLGFC, PFCS)
2. Iron Man (LVFCS)

Cinematography
1. Anthony Dod Mantle, “Slumdog Millionaire” (NYFCC, NSFC, NYFCO, SDFCS, LAFCA***, CFCA*)
2. Wally Pfister, “The Dark Knight” (CFCA, SFFCC, DFWFCA, FFCC)
3. Claudio Miranda, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (PFCS, HFCA, LVFCS, CFCA*)
4. Christopher Doyle, “Paranoid Park” (BSFC)
5. Colin Watkinson, “The Fall” (AFCA, CFCA*)

Art Direction
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (WAFCA, SDFCS, LVFCS)
2. Synecdoche, New York (LAFCA)
3. The Dark Knight (PFCS, LAFCA***)

Costume Design
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (LVFCS)
2. The Duchess (PFCS)

---
*=nomination, **=tied win, ***=runner-up


As it stands:

Eight Nominations
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Picture, Director, Screenplay, Score, Editing, Cinematography, Art Direction, Costume Design
The Dark Knight - Picture, Director, S. Actor, Screenplay, Score, Cinematography, Visual Effects, Art Direction

Six Nominations
Slumdog Millionaire - Picture, Director, Screenplay, Score, Editing, Cinematography

Five Nominations
Milk - Picture, Director, Actor, S. Actor, Screenplay
Wall-E - Picture, Screenplay, Animated, Score, Song

Four Nominations
Doubt - Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress, Screenplay
Happy-Go-Lucky - Director, Actress, S. Actor, Screenplay

Three Nominations
Frost/Nixon - Actor, Screenplay, Editing
The Wrestler - Actor, S. Actress, Song

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Penelope Cruz is getting more pluadits than Rosemary DeWitt? How very curious.

You know that scene in Wall*E when he finds the jewelry box, discards the item of value within and just marvels at the worthless crap encasing it? That's Ben Lyons' film criticism; it has nothing to do with the film and everything to do with who's in it, the special effects, and/or what other people are saying about it.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

:dance:

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I just saw The Wrestler and as far as I'm concerned, the Best Actor race is over. Rourke was amazing.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

It'll still probably go to Penn which, excellent as Penn was, is a travesty. Far as I'm concerned Rourke's was the performance of the decade.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Thinking the same thing. When I saw Milk I left thinking that Sean Penn was amazing and he had the statue wrapped up. A week later I saw The Wrestler and all of those feeling went out the door, Mickey Rourke deserves it but I have a feeling Sean Penn will win.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Can we just let Penn and Rourke box over it? I'd tune in to see that. :)

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I'd like to see them have a fight while in character from their respective movies.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Ugh - I wish The Wrestler would go wide already. Only playing at one place around here I think.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

What, Rourke comes out swinging and Penn's all like "I know you're ANGRY! I'M ANG-" K.O. Rourke wins.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Yeah, something like that. Or perhaps a hardcore wrestling match. Penn would have a pretty big posse with him though.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I don't think Penn is going to win. He already won. He has that going against him.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

Shouldn't Langella be up for best supporting actor in Frost/Nixon? Michael Sheen (who should easily be getting the nom over Eastwood) was the lead actor.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

She was very good in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, but part of it also smacks of star-whoring. I've not seen Doubt, The Reader or Rachel Getting Married to compare, but Cruz was better than Tomei in my mind.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I've seen "Revolutionary Road" and "The Reader" in one week. For fuck sake, will the Academy give Winslet the Oscar already!? Both are two of the year's very best films. And she gives the two best performances by a female in 2008. Hands down.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I agree. I think Winslet deserves it.

Re: The 81st Academy Awards — 2009 Oscar pre-nomination discussion
 

I haven't seen The Reader, but I know you're at least half wrong. Anne Hathaway and Melissa Leo were leagues better than her work in RR (which was great). Winslet has the "rotten" luck of being superb but just behind the people she runs against. She's still the most consistently fantastic actress of her generation, though.