RayChuang

However, AMPAS voters chose The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King for Best Picture because it was essentially a "cumulative" award for all three LoTR films. And as a "cumulative" award, it won 11 times out of 11 nominations, an incredible feat that may not be repeated anytime soon.

Buttmunker

James Dean received a posthumous nomination for Giant in 1956 (he died before the film was released) - they nominated him, but did not award him the Oscar. Instead, they gave it to Mr. Clean for The King & I.

They will probably nominate Heath Ledger for his supporting role in The Dark Knight, but they may not give it to him. Greater legends didn't get the award in death. It is no guarantee. Does he stand a chance? Sure. So far as I'm concerned, his biggest competion is Robert Downey Jr - but only because I have not been fortunate enough to see the other films that are getting all the attention. My opinion may change once I do.

Buttmunker

Listen, when I saw The Dark Knight in the theater, my head was whizin'. It was just zoom-zoom-zoom-zoom. Maybe it would be a different experience for me if I saw it at home, I dunno. I didn't see The Incredible Hulk in the theater, and maybe that's why I enjoyed it? The pace had its moments with Edward Norton very frustrated and conscious of what could happen when provoked. He had human qualtities which the audience could relate to. The Dark Knight was ultra-comic-booky...no real human touch (I guess they explored more humanity in Batman Begins), and it was almost like watching Mission: Impossible - beyond belief. I'm not saying Hulk was necessarily believable, but it had a more human touch with Banner fighting for his life...and his freedom.

With Bruce Wayne, he chose his own destiny. With Bruce Banner, he was fighting against it. Maybe that concept just agrees with me more.

PopcornTreeCt

It's not just about the ratings. It's about a connection between Hollywood and the public.

I just can't see it not winning if it's nominated.

hardercore

Heath's biggest competition is Josh Brolin in Milk and, to a lesser extent, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt. However, there are two things I can't see AMPAS doing: rewarding Hoffman again in another Ledger-Hoffman contest and rewarding Downey Jr. for such an overtly comedic role. Brolin has a solid body of good work now, he is fantastic in Milk and is beginning to find himself in a "deserves one by now" bracket. But sentiment and bombast may still push the voters in Ledger's favour.

RayChuang

Right now, I can see AMPAS voters at least do two things:

1) They will award Best Actor to Sean Penn, who was flat-out superb in Milk (Penn has left most of his "bad boy" days far behind and is well-liked by AMPAS voters).

2) They will award Best Supporting Actor to the late Heath Ledger, because Ledger's performance was easily the best part of The Dark Knight. That plus all the critics groups all over the USA lauding his role will sway AMPAS voters for this award.

toddly6666

Although it would be surprising to people that haven't seen The Wrestler, but it is the type of film that may get the most Oscar Nominations. It would be wrong if The Wrestler didn't get nominated for the following 7 awards:

Best Actor: Mickey Rourke
Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei
Best Film
Best Director: Darren Aronofsky
Best Score: Clint Mansell (sounded similar to the great Dark Knight score as well)
Best Song: Bruce Springsteen
Best Original Screenplay: Robert Siegel

chris_sc77

^I think Benjamin Button will get the most Award nominations even if most of the noms are n the technical categories. It should almost certainly get Make-up, Music (score), Visual Effects, Cinematography, Costume Design, Sound Effects, etc. I'd say it also has a good chance to get noms for Editing and Screenplay (adapted). I think all together it'll get 10 or 11 noms.

Daytripper

The 29th London Critics' Circle Film Awards, sponsored by First Direct, in aid of the children's charity NSPCC will take place Feb. 4.

A complete list of nominees follows:

Film of the year
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"WALL-E"
"The Wrestler"

The Attenborough Award for British film of the year
"Happy-Go-Lucky"
"Hunger"
"In Bruges"
"Man on Wire"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Foreign-language film of the year
"Gomorra"
"I've Loved You So Long"
"The Orphanage"
"Persepolis"
"Waltz With Bashir"

Director of the year
Darren Aronofsky, "The Wrestler"
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Clint Eastwood, "Changeling"
David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"

British director of the year
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Terence Davies, "Of Time and the City"
Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Steve McQueen, "Hunger"
Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight"

Actor of the year
Josh Brolin, "W."
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Actress of the year
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road"

British actor of the year
Michael Fassbender, "Hunger"
Ralph Fiennes, "The Duchess"
Ben Kingsley, "Elegy"
Dev Patel, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Michael Sheen, "Frost/Nixon"

British actress of the year
Rebecca Hall, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Sally Hawkins, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Kristin Scott Thomas, "I've Loved You So Long"
Tilda Swinton, "Julia"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader" and "Revolutionary Road"

British actor in a supporting role
Liam Cunningham, "Hunger"
Toby Jones, "Frost/Nixon" and "W."
Eddie Marsan, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Peter O'Toole, "Dean Spanley"
Mark Strong, "Body of Lies"

British actress in a supporting role
Hayley Atwell, "The Duchess"
Kristin Scott Thomas, "Easy Virtue"
Tilda Swinton, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Emma Thompson, "Brideshead Revisited"
Alexis Zegerman, "Happy-Go-Lucky"

Screenwriter of the year
Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"
David Hare, "The Reader"
Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"
Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"
Eric Roth, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

NSPCC Award for young British performer of the year
Asa Butterfield, "The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas"
Georgia Groome, "Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging"
Bill Milner, "Son of Rambow"
Dev Patel, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Will Poulter, "Son of Rambow"
Thomas Turgoose, "Somers Town" and "Eden Lake"

Breakthrough British filmmaker
Joanna Hogg, writer-director: "Unrelated"
Martin McDonagh, writer-director: "In Bruges"
Steve McQueen, writer-director: "Hunger"
James Watkins, writer-director: "Eden Lake"
Rupert Wyatt, director: "The Escapist"

Dilys Powell Award for outstanding contribution to cinema
Judi Dench

hardercore

Picture
1. Slumdog Millionaire (NBR, NYFCO, SDFCS, DFWFCA, BSFC**, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*)
2. Milk (NYFCC, SEFCA, SFFCC, DFWFCA***, AFI**, NBR*, BFCA*, NYFCO*, CFCA*, SAG*, LFCC*)
3. Wall-E (LAFCA, CFCA, AFI**, BSFC**, NBR*, BFCA*, NYFCO*, LFCC*)
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (AFI**, NBR*, BFCA*, GG*, NYFCO*, CFCA*, SAG*, LFCC*)
5. The Dark Knight (AFI**, LAFCA***, NBR*, BFCA*, NYFCO*, CFCA*)

Director
1. Danny Boyle, “Slumdog Millionaire” (LAFCA, NYFCO, SEFCA, SDFCS, DFWFCA, CFCA, NYFCC***, BCFA*, GG*, LFCC*)
2. Gus Van Sant, “Milk” (SFFCC, BSFC**, SEFCA***, BFCA*, CFCA*, LFCC*)
3. David Fincher, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (NBR, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*)
4. Christopher Nolan, “The Dark Knight” (LAFCA***, BFCA*, CFCA*)
5. Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (NYFCC)

Actor
1. Sean Penn, “Milk” (LAFCA, NYFCC, NYFCO, SEFCA, DFWFCA, BSFC**, SFFCC**, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*, LFCC*)
2. Mickey Rourke, “The Wrestler” (CFCA, SDFCS, SFFCC**, BSFC**, LAFCA***, NYFCC***, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, SAG*, LFCC*)
3. Clint Eastwood, “Gran Torino” (NBR, BFCA*, CFCA*)
4. Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon” (BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*, LFCC*)
5. Brad Pitt, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (BFCA*, GG*, SAG*)

Actress
1. Sally Hawkins, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (LAFCA, NYFCC, NYFCO, SFFCC, BSFC, GG*, CFCA*)
2. Anne Hathaway, “Rachel Getting Married” (NBR, SEFCA, DFWFCA, CFCA, BFCA*, GG*, SAG*, LFCC*)
3. Melissa Leo, “Frozen River” (LAFCA***, NYFCC***, BFCA*, CFCA*, SAG*)
4. Kate Winslet, “The Reader” (SDFCS, SEFCA***)
5. Meryl Streep, “Doubt” (BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*, LFCC*)
5. Angelina Jolie, “Changeling” (BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*, LFCC*)

Supporting Actor
1. Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight” (LAFCA, BSFC, NYFCO, SFFCC, SEFCA, SDFCS, DFWFCA, CFCA, NYFCC***, BFCA*, GG*, SAG*, LFCC*)
2. Josh Brolin, “Milk” (NBR, NYFCC, BFCA*, SAG*)
3. Robert Downey, Jr., “Tropic Thunder” (SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*)
4. Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Doubt” (BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*)
5. Eddie Marsan, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (LAFCA***)

Supporting Actress
1. Penelope Cruz, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (NBR, NYFCC, BSFC, NYFCO, SEFCA, LAFCA**, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*, LFCC*)
2. Viola Davis, “Doubt” (DFWFCA, LAFCA***, NYFCC***, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, SAG*)
3. Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler” (SFFCC, SDFCS, BFCA*, GG*)
4. Kate Winslet, “The Reader” (CFCA, BFCA*, GG*, SAG*, LFCC*)
5. Amy Adams, “Doubt” (GG*, CFCA*, SAG*)

Screenplay, Adapted
1. Simon Beaufoy, “Slumdog Millionaire” (NYFCO, SEFCA, SDFCS, CFCA, NBR**, BFCA*, GG*, LFCC*)
2. Eric Roth, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (NBR**, SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*)
3. Peter Morgan, “Frost/Nixon” (SFFCC, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*)
4. John Patrick Shanley, “Doubt” (BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*)
5. David Hare, “The Reader” (GG*, LFCC*)

Screenplay, Original
1. Dustin Lance Black, “Milk” (BSFC, SFFCC, SEFCA, DFWFCA, BFCA*, CFCA*)
2. Mike Leigh, “Happy-Go-Lucky” (LAFCA, NYFCC***)
3. Jenny Lumet, “Rachel Getting Married” (NYFCC, CFCA*)
4. Nick Schenk, “Gran Torino” (NBR)
5. Andrew Stanton, “Wall-E” (CFCA)

Animated
1. Wall-E (NBR, NYFCC, BSFC, NYFCO, SEFCA, SDFCS, DFWFCA, CFCA, AA*, BFCA*, GG*)
2. Waltz With Bashir (NYFCC***, AA*, BFCA*, LAFCA*, CFCA*)
3. Kung Fu Panda (SEFCA***, AA*, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*)

Documentary
1. Man On Wire (NBR, LAFCA, NYFCC, NYFCO, BSFC, SEFCA, SDFCS, DFWFCA, CFCA, BFCA*)
2. Waltz With Bashir (LAFCA***, NYFCC***)
3. My Winnipeg (SFFCC)
4. Young At Heart (SEFCA***, BFCA*)
5. I.O.U.S.A (BFCA*, CFCA*)
5. Standard Operating Procedure (BFCA*, CFCA*)

Foreign Film
1. Sweden, “Let The Right One In” (BSFC, SFFCC, SEFCA, SDFCS, CFCA, NBR*, BFCA*)
2. France, “I’ve Loved You So Long” (SEFCA***, BFCA*, GG*, CFCA*, LFCC*)
3. Israel, “Waltz With Bashir” (NBR*, BFCA*, GG*, LFCC*)
4. Belgium, “Tell No One” (DFWFCA)
5. Italy, “Gomorrah” (BFCA*, GG*, LFCC*)

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

Music (Song)
1. Bolt, “I Thought I Lost You” (BFCA*, GG*)
1. Wall-E, “Down To Earth” (BFCA*, GG*)
1. The Wrestler, “The Wrestler” (BFCA*, GG*)
4. Gran Torino, “Gran Torino” (GG*)
4. Cadillac Record, “Once in a Lifetime” (GG*)

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

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

-----

How It’s Shaping Up:

Seven Nominations
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Picture, Director, Actor, A. Screenplay, Score, Cinematography, Art Direction)

Six Nominations
The Dark Knight (Picture, Director, S. Actor, Score, Cinematography, Art Direction)
Milk (Picture, Director, Actor, S. Actor, O. Screenplay, Score)

Five Nominations
Doubt (Actress, S. Actor, S. Actress, S. Actress, A. Screenplay)
Slumdog Millionaire (Picture, Director, A. Screenplay, Score, Cinematography)
Wall-E (Picture, O. Screenplay, Animated, Score, Song)

Four Nominations
Happy-Go-Lucky (Director, Actress, S. Actor, O. Screenplay)

Three Nominations
Gran Torino (Actor, O. Screenplay, Song)
The Reader (Actress, S. Actress, A. Screenplay)
Waltz With Bashir (Animated, Documentary, Foreign)
The Wrestler (Actor, S. Actress, Song)

Sanjuro37

Gran Torino's script is being recognized? Shouldn't one of the criteria of Original Screenplay be that it's, I dunno, original? I enjoyed it a lot but that was the most derivative movie around.

Drexl

Do you really think Brolin "deserves one by now?" It seems to me that he practically came out of nowhere last year in No Country for Old Men and a couple of other films. When I think of people who deserve one by now, I think of actresses such as Kate Winslet or Julianne Moore, who have had several nominations over the past decade.

Maybe he just flew under my radar, but before Grindhouse the last thing I remember him in was The Goonies.

SweetP

Gee Sanjuro, somebody has to have the last word. And it made sense to me. YOUR FACE? Now that I don't get. And count me in as a fan of the new Hulk. The first was terrible.

Sanjuro37

Josh Brolin was in The Goonies.
Everyone who was in The Goonies deserves Oscars.
Therefore, Josh Brolin deserves an Oscar.


It's science.

LickTheABCs

Dude, he has a point. "Gran Torino" getting nominated for best writing is a joke. It's like nominating Tom Cruise for a performance in which he dances around for 4 minutes. A 12-year old could write the script for GT. It's THAT predictable, and personally (key word) I can't believe Eastwood is nominated for this.

Sanjuro37

No man, he didn't quote so I understand your confusion. He's responding to like a 4 or 5 day old post where I was in an argument (not with him), accusing me of having to have the last word in it (which I don't think I did since I never checked back in on it). By responding to a 4 day old post. Cause hurt.

And if it does have something to do my my GT post, then color me confused, because it in no way applies.

LickTheABCs

Ah, gotchya.

Doctor Gonzo

-- Detroit Film Critics:

Best film
* Slumdog Millionaire
Best director
* Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire
Best actor
* Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler
Best actress
* Kate Winslet for Revolutionary Road
Best supporting actor
* Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight
Best supporting actress
* Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler
Best ensemble
* Frost/Nixon
Best newcomer
* Martin McDonough, writer/director, In Bruges

-- African American Film Critics:

1. The Dark Knight
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4. Tie) The Secret Life of Bees
4. Tie) Cadillac Records
6. Miracle at St. Anna
7. Milk
8. Seven Pounds
9. Doubt
10. Iron Man
Best Director: Danny Boyle
Best Lead Actor: Frank Langella
Best Lead Actress: Angelina Jolie
Best Sup. Actor: Heath Ledger
Best Sup. Actress: Viola Davis
Special Achievement Award: Melvin Van Pebbles

-- Utah Film Critics Association:

Best Picture
The Dark Knight
(runner-up: Rachel Getting Married)
Best Achievement in Directing
Andrew Stanton, WALL-E
(runner-up: Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight)
Best Lead Performance by an Actor
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
(runners-up: Richard Jenkins, The Visitor; Sean Penn, Milk)
Best Lead Performance by an Actress
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
(runner-up: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married)
Best Supporting Performance by an Actor
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
(no runner-up)
Best Supporting Performance by an Actress
Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
(runners-up: Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading; Misty Upham, Frozen River; Evan Rachel Wood, The Wrestler)
Best Screenplay
Jenny Lumet, Rachel Getting Married
(runner-up: Robert Siegel, The Wrestler)
Best Documentary Feature
Man on Wire
(runners-up: Encounters at the End of the World; Waltz with Bashir)
Best Non-English Language Feature
Let the Right One In
(runner-up: Waltz with Bashir)
Best Animated Feature
WALL-E
(runner-up: Kung Fu Panda)

Doctor Gonzo

-- Las Vegas Film Critics Society:

Picture: “Frost/Nixon”
Actor: Frank Langella, “Frost/Nixon”
Actress: Kate Winslet, “Revolutionary Road,” “The Reader”
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, “The Dark Knight”
Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei, “The Wrestler”
Director: Ron Howard, “Frost/Nixon”
Screenplay (Original or Adapted): Peter Morgan, “Frost/Nixon”
Cinematography: Claudio Miranda, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Film Editing: Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill, “Frost/Nixon”
Score: James Newton Howard, “Defiance”
Song: “Another Way to Die,” “Quantum of Solace”
Family Film: “The Spiderwick Chronicles”
Documentary: “Man on Wire”
Animated Film: “Wall-E”
Foreign Film: “Mongol” (Russia)
Costume Design: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Art Direction: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”
Visual Effects: “Iron Man”
Youth in Film: David Kross, “The Reader”

BJacks

Having finally seen Benjamin Button, I'm now convinced that Best Picture will go to either that or Slumdog. Or at least, it should.

Anonymous2008

I would LOVE for The Dark Knight to win Best Picture.

PopcornTreeCt

When are the nominations announced? It might say it somewhere in here... but it's 9 pages long.

Drexl

January 22nd.

PopcornTreeCt

Thanks!!

ardathbey

Anybody think 'Rock me Sexy Jesus' will get any love for best song??