Oscar Nominations Out!!

Ok so the Oscar nominations have finally come out and I am a hell of a lot more happy with them than the Golden Globes (for the most part) I mean come on, what were you thinking putting both Clint and Mel's pictures down in the best foreign film section - they are fucking American backed, American made movies - just because they speak a different language it doesn't make it a foreign production. Grrr. Ok mini-rant over - here is the full list of nominations complete with my picks. I can hardly do any worse than I did for the Globes (7/24) but you never know.

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Leonardo DiCaprio - BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling - HALF NELSON
Peter O'Toole - VENUS
Will Smith - THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS
Forest Whitaker - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Has to be Forest Whitake for this one, that is where all the buzz is going. Although Leo could win it now that he isn't competing against himself with two nominations like in the Golden Globes. Last King of Scotland has been getting rave reviews and everyone has been saying what a powerhouse performance Whitaker gives in it so I am going with the hype.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Alan Arkin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley - LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou - BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy - DREAMGIRLS
Mark Wahlberg - THE DEPARTED

Oooo, nice list. So great to see Alan Arkin there, he was absolutely hilarious in Little Miss Sunshine and Mark Wahlberg was wicked in Departed, kind of chanelling his I Heart Huckabees persona. I actually thought Alec Baldwin was just as good but ah well. I am picking Eddie Murphy for a comeback award - the man has been doing some seriously bad movies over the last few years and finally it looks like we might be seeing the Eddie Murphy of old. Djimon Hounsou was really good in Blood Diamond - definately one of my favourite actors. This one is actually really hard to pick aside from Eddie Murphy, could go to any of them really so not going to pick a second most likely winner.

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Penélope Cruz - VOLVER
Judi Dench - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Helen Mirren - THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep - THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Kate Winslet - LITTLE CHILDREN

Awesome that Meryl Streep got nominated, she lifted that movie from the same mindless pap to something pretty damn good. If it wasn't for her performance Devil wouldn't have been half the movie it was. Saw Volver last week and Penelope definately has given her best performance in ages - she should do more native speaking roles. Plus Almodovar is TOTALLY in love with her cleavage - and I ain't compalining :p However Helen Mirren is the obvious front-runner for this one so I am picking her, with Penelope Cruz as number 2 and Meryl an outside chance.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Adriana Barraza - BABEL
Cate Blanchett - NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin - LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson - DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi - BABEL

Rinko Kikuchi - damn straight, that was an amazing performance. Haven't seen Notes On A Scandal or Dreamgirls yet (seeing it tonight) but Jennifer Hudson seems to be the early favourite. I would love Abigail Breslin to win too though, best child performance since Freddie Highmore in Finding Neverland (didn't beat that one though) I am picking Jennifer Hudson and then Rinko Kikuchi.

Best animated feature film of the year

CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE

Has to be Monster House. Was the only decent animated feature to come out last year and for a childrens film it had a lot of pace and intensity, it was even pretty scary! Lots of voice talent too and it showed that performance-capture animation can actually work.

Achievement in art direction

DREAMGIRLS
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
PAN'S LABYRINTH
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
THE PRESTIGE

Hmm, I am hoping Pan's Labyrinth wins judging by some of the promo stuff I have seen - looks so fantastically beautiful.

Achievement in cinematography

THE BLACK DAHLIA
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE ILLUSIONIST
PAN'S LABYRINTH
THE PRESTIGE

Children of Men. Hands down. That single tracking shot around the seige of Bexhill was amazing. Best peice of camerawork I have seen all year. Maybe Pan's.

Achievement in costume design

CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE QUEEN

Oooooo now this is a toughie!! Zhang Yimou has always had gorgeous costumes - just look at Hero and House of Flying Daggers although those dresses in Devil Wears Prada were delightful. But then Marie Antoinette - damn those were some impressive costumes. I don't think enough people have seen Curse of The Golden Flower yet so I am going to pick Marie.

Achievement in directing

BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
THE QUEEN
UNITED 93

Another toughie. I will be pissed if Clint gets it again for Letters instead of Scorsese for Departed but I doubt he will. Although out of all these the one I most want to win is United 93. Second only to Science of Sleep last year. I feel it might be a bit too much of a political choice though. Would love it if Babel or Departed won too. In order of preference: United 93, Babel, Departed, The Queen, Letters From Iwo Jima.

Best documentary feature

DELIVER US FROM EVIL
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
JESUS CAMP
MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY

Iraq In Fragments was pretty good but this is really all about An Inconvenient Truth. No question.

Best documentary short subject

THE BLOOD OF YINGZHOU DISTRICT
RECYCLED LIFE
REHEARSING A DREAM
TWO HANDS

No idea.

Achievement in film editing

BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
UNITED 93

Some people hated the disjuncture of the editing in Babel cutting away from the Moroccan story when it was at its dramatic climax to the subdued Japanese won but personally I think some of the edits worked in perfect counterpoint. Ah well. This is a hard one as I loved the editing in all of them. United 93 was by far the most intense experience I have ever had in a movie theatre so thats my pick.

Best foreign language film of the year

AFTER THE WEDDING
DAYS OF GLORY (INDIGÈNES)
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
PAN'S LABYRINTH
WATER

Ok, the only nomination list I am pissed off with. Ok sure Volver wasn't Almodovar's best but it was damn good. GRRRRRR. Without Volver I am left to choose Pan's Labyrinth although I hear Water is really good too.

Achievement in makeup

APOCALYPTO
CLICK
PAN'S LABYRINTH

Click? lol. Pan's Labyrinth but I wouldn't be pissed if Apocalypto won as that had awesome makeup too.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

Gustavo Santaolalla, BABEL
Thomas Newman, THE GOOD GERMAN
Philip Glass, NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Javier Navarrete, PAN'S LABYRINTH
Alexandre Desplat, THE QUEEN

I think Gustavo won (rightly) for Brokeback so can't see him winning again this year. I have heard the Pan's Labyrinth score is really good so picking that one.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

"I Need to Wake Up" - AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
"Listen" - DREAMGIRLS
"Love You I Do" - DREAMGIRLS
"Our Town" - CARS
"Patience" - DREAMGIRLS

Haha, 3 songs for the same movie! Well I will get back to this one tonight after having seen Dreamgirls.

Best motion picture of the year

BABEL
THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE!!!! I would love it if it won but I don't have the balls to go out there and say it will. Babel, or Departed with Little Miss Sunshine an outside chance. If Letters wins... @$!!

Best animated short film

THE DANISH POET
LIFTED
THE LITTLE MATCHGIRL
MAESTRO
NO TIME FOR NUTS

No Idea.

Best live action short film

BINTA AND THE GREAT IDEA (BINTA Y LA GRAN IDEA)
ÉRAMOS POCOS (ONE TOO MANY)
HELMER & SON
THE SAVIOUR
WEST BANK STORY

No idea.

Achievement in sound editing

APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

Great sound in Apocalypto and Blood Diamond has to win something it was pretty damn good.

Achievement in sound mixing

APOCALYPTO
BLOOD DIAMOND
DREAMGIRLS
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

ditto.

Achievement in visual effects

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST
POSEIDON
SUPERMAN RETURNS

This one isn't hard - POTC:DMC - the first time in history where I could no longer tell the CGI join. Took me ages to figure out it was Bill Nighy behind that amazing CGI work.

Adapted screenplay

Sacha Baron Cohen and Anthony Hines and Peter Baynham and Dan Mazer and Todd Phillips, BORAT CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN

Alfonso Cuaron and Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, CHILDREN OF MEN

William Monahan, THE DEPARTED

Todd Field and Tom Perrotta,LITTLE CHILDREN

Patrick Marber, NOTES ON A SCANDAL

Borat got an Oscar nomination!!! Result!! I reckon it will go to The Departed though. Possibly Children of Men.

Original screenplay

Guillermo Arriaga, BABEL

Iris Yamashita and Paul Haggis, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA

Michael Arndt, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

Guillermo del Toro, PAN'S LABYRINTH

Peter Morgan, THE QUEEN

Ooh thats tough. Has Guillermo won before? He has done some great screenplays although they all follow the same fractured narrative format. Little Miss Sunshine was an awesome script. Paul Haggis got it for Crash I think. Would lovei if Sunshine got an upset but don't think it will ultimately.