The 2008 Academy Awards ceremony takes place this Sunday and, while some states are still figuring out which political candidate to vote for, I, your YSN.com and Rama’s Screen movie buff, already know my predictions for this year’s Oscar winners. Start your engines, folks! Ready or not, this weekend will be raining gold in Hollywood, California.
It’s a tough task because most of this year’s nominees are on a level playing field. It’s anybody’s game, whereas in previous years you could easily pinpoint who’s going home with the statuette. I’m just going to go
through some of the major categories… decisions, decisions!
And the Oscar, in my opinion, goes to:
BEST PICTURE: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
This is a tough choice between There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men but I picked the latter because I feel like there is more depth to the artistry of Coen Brothers’ masterpiece. Both films are great character study films and I think the dynamic duo directors are slightly more skilled in delivering that aspect.
BEST ACTOR: DANIEL DAY-LEWIS — There Will Be Blood
George Clooney might have a chance to be the surprise and I’m really hoping Tommy Lee Jones would get honored for his powerful performance in In The Valley of Elah, but somehow we just know that the Oscar will go home with the greedy oil man who drank our milkshake.
BEST ACTRESS: JULIE CHRISTIE — Away From Her
The Oscars rarely award an actor who played the same role twice. Cate Blanchett should feel lucky to be nominated for playing Queen Elizabeth again because Johnny Depp didn’t get nominated for playing Jack Sparrow the second time around. Ellen Page should feel grateful for being invited to join the party but she’ll get to say her acceptance speech some other time. This year belongs to the actress whom my hero Al Pacino called “The most poetic of all actresses.”
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: JAVIER BARDEM — No Country For Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman might have a chance to steal the moment but the fact is the world is talking about the baddest bad guy of the year whose evil and charisma have been compared to Hannibal Lecter.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: AMY RYAN — Gone Baby Gone
Everybody in this category deserves to win. The ultimate contest however is between Cate Blanchett and Amy Ryan who did a great job playing a negligent single parent, a character we’d like to despise. But who knows, Cate Blanchett might pull a Jamie Foxx or an Al Pacino. (Jamie was nominated for Ray and Collateral, he won for Ray in 2005. Al was nominated for Scent of a Woman and Glengarry Glenn Ross, he won for Scent of a Woman in 1993.)
BEST DIRECTOR: JOEL AND ETHAN COEN — No Country For Old Men
This year, four of the nominees under this category have their movies nominated for Best Picture as well. That’s awesome! All of the names are great directors with amazing ability to envision what great films should look like. But I think the brothers of destruction have better chances of destroying their competitors
BEST ANIMATED FILM: RATATOUILLE
I don’t want this movie to win but it seems like it’s everybody’s favorite this year.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: JOEL AND ETHAN COEN — No Country for Old Men
They’re unstoppable!
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: DIABLO CODY — Juno
Just like when voters chose Michael Arndt to win for his Little Miss Sunshine screenplay last year. I think they will award the ex-stripper who penned the movie that’s been called this year’s Little Miss Sunshine.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: JANUSZ KAMINSKI — for The Diving Bell and The Butterfly
This one’s an easy task. If you’ve seen The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, you’ll understand why this guy is an expert at what he does.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: ATONEMENT
Even though The Kite Runner‘s music is inspirational and moving, my fellow movie buff Screener Sam was right when he said that the way they made the music dance with every letter pressed on the typewriter in Atonement was simply brilliant.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG: FALLING SLOWLY – Once
Since Eddie Vedder didn’t get considered at all and as much as I like the movie Enchanted, the songs to me, didn’t go quite straight to the heart. I love the movie August Rush but I’m head over heels for the song ‘Falling Slowly’ from the movie Once. That melody sounds sweet and catchy.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: TRANSFORMERS
It doesn’t take a genius to predict that one!
YSN member and movie aficionado Rama Tampubolon runs the movie review and discussion blog, Rama’s Screen, and was featured in “United 300,” which won for “Best Spoof” at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards. He’ll discuss the latest hot topics and movie reviews every Thursday on Waste Time Wisely.
