Key: Bold = Nominee; Italics = Title of Film. Not everything will be linked in this post in order to make it easier to follow as a statistical reference material.

Best Motion Picture of the Year:

Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire (Fox Searchlight) [Produced by Christian Colson.] – This is the first nomination for Christian Colson.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Paramount and Warner Bros.) [Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin.] – This is the sixth nomination in this category for Kathleen Kennedy. Her previous nominations were for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), The Color Purple (1985), The Sixth Sense (1999), Seabiscuit (2003) and Munich (2005).

This is the fifth nomination in this category for Frank Marshall. His previous nominations were for Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981),
The Color Purple (1985), The Sixth Sense (1999) and Seabiscuit (2003). • This is the first nomination for Ceán Chaffin.

Frost/Nixon (Universal) [Produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner.] – This is Brian Grazer’s fourth nomination and the third in this category. His other Best Picture nominations were for Apollo 13 (1995) and the Oscar-winning A Beautiful Mind (2001). He received a writing nomination for Splash (1984).

This is Ron Howard’s fourth nomination and the second in this category. He won Best Picture and Directing Oscars® for A Beautiful Mind (2001). He is also nominated in the Directing category this year. • This is the third nomination in this category for Eric Fellner, who was previously nominated for Elizabeth (1998) and Atonement (2007).

Milk (Focus Features) [Produced by Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen.] – This is the second nomination for both Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, who won the Best Picture Oscar in 1999 for American Beauty.

The Reader (The Weinstein Company) [Nominees to be determined.]

Achievement in Directing:

Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire – Danny Boyle – This is his first nomination.

Milk – Gus Van Sant – This is his second nomination in this category. His previous nomination was for Good Will Hunting (1997).

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – David Fincher – This is his first nomination.

Frost/Nixon – Ron Howard – This is his fourth nomination and the second in this category. He won Best Picture and Directing Oscars for A Beautiful Mind (2001). He is also nominated in the Best Picture category this year.

The Reader – Stephen Daldry – This is his third nomination in this category. His other nominations were for Billy Elliot (2000) and The Hours (2002).

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:

Predicted Winner: Mickey Rourke (Randy in The Wrestler) – This is his first nomination.

Richard Jenkins (Walter in The Visitor) – This is his first nomination.

Frank Langella (Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon) – This is his first nomination.

Sean Penn (Harvey Milk in Milk) – This is his fifth nomination in this category. He was previously nominated for Dead Man Walking (1995), Sweet and Lowdown (1999) and I Am Sam (2001), and won the award in 2003 for his performance in Mystic River.

Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) – This is his second nomination and the first in this category. He was nominated in the supporting category for his performance in 12 Monkeys (1995).

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

Predicted Winner: Heath Ledger (Joker in The Dark Knight) – This is his second nomination and the first in this category. He was nominated for his leading role in Brokeback Mountain (2005). This nomination is posthumous, as he died January 22, 2008.

Josh Brolin (Dan White in Milk) – This is his first nomination.

Robert Downey Jr. (Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder) – This is his second nomination and the first in this category. He was nominated for his leading role in Chaplin (1992).

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Father Brendan Flynn in Doubt) – This is his third nomination and the second in this category. He won an Oscar for his leading role in Capote (2005) and was nominated last year for his supporting role in Charlie Wilson’s War.

Michael Shannon (John Givings in Revolutionary Road) – This is his first nomination.

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:

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Predicted Winner: Angelina Jolie (Christine Collins in Changeling) – This is her second nomination and the first in this category. She won an Oscar for her supporting role in Girl, Interrupted (1999).

Anne Hathaway (Kym in Rachel Getting Married) – This is her first nomination.

Melissa Leo (Ray Eddy in Frozen River) – This is her first nomination.

Meryl Streep (Sister Aloysius Beauvier in Doubt) – This is her fifteenth Academy Award nomination and the twelfth in this category. Her other leading role nominations were for The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981), Sophie’s Choice (1982), for which she won the Oscar, Silkwood (1983), Out of Africa (1985), Ironweed (1987), A Cry in the Dark (1988), Postcards from the Edge (1990), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), One True Thing (1998), Music of the Heart (1999) and The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Her supporting role nominations were for The Deer Hunter (1978), Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), for which she took home the Oscar, and Adaptation (2002).

Kate Winslet (Hanna Schmitz in The Reader) – This is her sixth nomination and the fourth in this category. Her other leading role nominations were for Titanic (1997), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and Little Children (2006). Her supporting role nominations were for Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Iris (2001).

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:

Predicted Winner: Marisa Tomei (Cassidy in The Wrestler) – This is her third nomination in this category. Her previous nominations were for My Cousin Vinny (1992), for which she won the Oscar, and In the Bedroom (2001).

Amy Adams (Sister James in Doubt) – This is her second nomination in this category. She was previously nominated for Junebug (2005).

Penélope Cruz (Maria Elena in Vicky Cristina Barcelona) – This is her second nomination and the first in this category. She was nominated for her leading role in Volver (2006).

Viola Davis (Mrs. Miller in Doubt) – This is her first nomination.

Taraji P. Henson (Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) – This is her first nomination.

Achievement in Writing (Adapted Screenplay):

Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire – Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy (based on the novel Q&A by Vikas Swarup). – This is his second nomination in this category. He was previously nominated for The Full Monty (1997).

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Screenplay by Eric Roth. Screen Story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord (from the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald). – This is the fourth nomination for Eric Roth in this category. He won the Oscar in 1994 for writing Forrest Gump. He was also nominated for The Insider (1999) and Munich (2005). This is the first nomination for Robin Swicord.

Doubt – Written by John Patrick Shanley (based on his play). – This is his second nomination in this category. He won the Oscar for his original screenplay for Moonstruck (1987).

Frost/Nixon – Screenplay by Peter Morgan (based on his stage play). – This is his second nomination in this category. He was previously nominated for The Queen (2006).

The Reader – Screenplay by David Hare (based on the book Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink). – This is his second nomination in this category. He was previously nominated for The Hours (2002).

Achievement in Writing (Original Screenplay):

Predicted Winner: Milk – Written by Dustin Lance Black. – This is his first nomination.

Frozen River – Written by Courtney Hunt. – This is her first nomination.

Happy-Go-Lucky – Written by Mike Leigh. – This is his sixth nomination and the fourth in this category. He was nominated for his original screenplays for Secrets & Lies (1996), Topsy-Turvy (1999) and Vera Drake (2004). He was also nominated for directing Secrets & Lies and Vera Drake.

In Bruges – Written by Martin McDonagh. – This is his second nomination and the first in this category. He won the Oscar in the Live Action Short Film category for Six Shooter (2005).

WALL-E – Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon. Story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter. – This is the fifth nomination for Andrew Stanton and the third in this category. He won the Oscar in the Animated Feature Film category for Finding Nemo (2003) and was nominated in the Original Screenplay category for Toy Story (1995) and Finding Nemo. He is also nominated in the Animated Feature Film. • This is the first nomination for Jim Reardon. • This is the fourth nomination for Pete Docter. He was nominated in the Original Screenplay category for Toy Story (1995), the Animated Feature Film category for Monsters, Inc. (2001), and the Animated Short Film category for Mike’s New Car (2002).

Best Foreign Language Film:

Predicted Winner: Departures (Japan) [Directed by Yojiro Takita.] – This is twelfth nomination for Japan. Previous nominations were for Harp of Burma (1956), Immortal Love (1961), Twin Sisters of Kyoto (1963), Woman in the Dunes (1964), Kwaidan (1965), Portrait of Chieko (1967), Dodes’ka-Den (1971), Sandakan No. 8 (1975), Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior) (1980), Muddy River (1981) and The Twilight Samurai (2003). Additionally, Japan received three Special/Honorary Awards prior to the establishment of Foreign Language Film as a regular category in 1956: Rashomon (1951), Gate of Hell (1954) and Samurai, The Legend of Musashi (1955).

Waltz with Bashir (Israel) [Directed by Ari Folman.] – This is the eighth nomination for Israel. Previous nominations were for Sallah (1964), The Policeman (1971), I Love You Rosa (1972), The House on Chelouche Street (1973), Operation Thunderbolt (1977), Beyond the Walls (1984) and Beaufort (2007).

The Class (France) [Directed by Laurent Cantet.] – This is the thirty-fifth nomination for France, the record in the category (Italy is second with twenty-seven nominations). It has taken home nine Oscars for My Uncle (1958), Black Orpheus (1959), Sundays and Cybele (1962), A Man and a Woman (1966), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972), Day for Night (1973), Madame Rosa (1977), Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978) and Indochine (1992). Additionally, France received three Special/Honorary Awards prior to the establishment of Foreign Language Film as a regular category in 1956: Monsieur Vincent (1948), The Walls of Malapaga (1950) [shared with Italy] and Forbidden Games (1952). Other nominations were for Gervaise (1956), Gates of Paris (1957), La Vérité (1960), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), Live for Life (1967), Stolen Kisses (1968), My Night at Maud’s (1969), Hoa-Binh (1970), Lacombe, Lucien (1974), Cousin, Cousine (1976), A Simple Story (1979), The Last Metro (1980), Coup de Torchon (“Clean Slate”) (1982), Entre Nous (1983), Three Men and a Cradle (1985), Betty Blue (1986), Au Revoir Les Enfants (Goodbye, Children) (1987), Camille Claudel (1989), Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), Ridicule (1996), East-West (1999), The Taste of Others (2000), Amélie (2001), The Chorus (Les Choristes) (2004) and Joyeux Noël (2005).

The Baader Meinh of Complex (Germany) [Directed by Uli Edel.] – This is the eighth nomination for Germany. Previous nominations were for The Nasty Girl (1990), Schtonk! (1992), Beyond Silence (1997), Nowhere in Africa (2002) which won the Oscar, Downfall (2004), Sophie Scholl – The Final Days (2005) and The Lives of Others, which won the Oscar in 2006. Prior to reunification in 1990, the Federal Republic of Germany received a total of eight Academy Award nominations. They were The Captain of Kopenick (1956), The Devil Came at Night (1957), Arms and the Man (1958), The Bridge (1959), The Pedestrian (1973), The Glass Cell (1978), The Tin Drum (1979) which won the Oscar, and Angry Harvest (1985). Also prior to reunification, the German Democratic Republic received one Academy Award nomination: Jacob, the Liar (1976).

Revanche (Austria) [Directed by Götz Spielmann.] – This is the third nomination for Austria. Previous nominations were for “38” (1986) and The Counterfeiters, which won the award last year.

Best Animated Feature Film:

Predicted Winner: WALL-E (Walt Disney) – Andrew Stanton – This is his fifth nomination and the second in this category. He won the Oscar in the Animated Feature Film category for Finding Nemo (2003) and was nominated in the Original Screenplay category for Toy Story (1995) and Finding Nemo. He is also nominated in the Original Screenplay category this year.

Bolt (Walt Disney) – Chris Williams and Byron Howard – This is the first nomination for both.

Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount) – John Stevenson and Mark Osborne – This is the first nomination for John Stevenson. This is the second nomination for Mark Osborne and the first in this category. He was nominated in the Animated Short Film category for More (1998).

Best Costume Design:

Predicted Winner: The Duchess
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Revolutionary Road

Best Documentary Feature:

Predicted Winner: Man on a Wire
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Trouble the Water

Best Documentary Short:

Predicted Winner: Smile Pinki
The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch

Best Film Editing:

Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk

Best Makeup:

Predicted Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Best Sound Editing:

Predicted Winner: The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Best Sound Mixing:

Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
WALL-E
Wanted

Best Visual Effects:

Predicted Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

Best Original Score:

Predicted Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Defiance
Milk
WALL-E

Best Original Song:

Predicted Winner: Jai Ho (From Slumdog Millionaire)
Down to Earth (from WALL-E)
O Saya (From Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Art Direction:

Predicted Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Changeling
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Best Cinematography:

Predicted Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Changeling
The Dark Knight
The Reader

Best Short Film, Live Action:

Predicted Winner: Spelzeugland (Toyland)
Auf De Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig

Short Film, Animated:

Predicted Winner: Presto
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory – Lovestory
Oktapodi
This Way Up

I hope you enjoyed this walk down the red carpet and the insight view into the winners. I’m crossing my fingers. My winners list will be just that, a list. I’ll give you my score and I’m interested in yours also. I’ve been hosting Oscar parties for some 19 years and the ballot/scorecard point system has been perfected since not every category is of equal value. Please email me and let me know how you do.

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Download your own Oscar Party Kit from the Academy Awards website. Download everything from appetizers to dessert recipes plus plenty of trivia to keep your party going. Even if you’re just going to play at home by yourself, do not forget to download your own ballot so you can easily keep track of the action. And if you’re really home alone you can go for the Oscar Crossword Puzzle.
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All information used under license of the CC agreement and permission with the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences. Academy Awards and the name Oscar are registered trademarks and are used in reference only.

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Ron Howard is expected to reach into his bag of tricks and come out with another hit.* His team fill that bag with some good things because Ron Howard is doing alright. Now they have to all pull together and take a swing at the highest office in the land. Their target is Tricky Dick himself and their aim is at the 37th president.

Screenings in the US have shown the film adaptation of the play has yielded a mixed/positive reaction from critics. There were no outright pans it seems (the closest was a mixed review), however even the glowing reviews indicate that its chances of being a Best Picture frontrunner have been dimmed – mostly due of all things to do with Howard’s direction.

Howard’s rather frustratingly straightforward direction has had many reviewers up in arms. Howard has always had a rather hands-off approach. By doing so, sometimes you end up with just people standing and talking. With a movie like this one that style could prove fatal.

What helps that lack of direction are facts. Actual historical facts. In some sort of weird voyeuristic deja vu watching this talky and rather stoic movements. People in the age group pulled in by the movie feel as though they are vested in this information and this quirky window to the past will fill in the holes they weren’t privy to the first time around.

I like the weird feeling that makes the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I do feel like I’ve seen it before but I know I haven’t. Watching the exchanges between Frost/Nixon, I knew right where it was going. Nothing could stop it. Eventually I’m watching the president admit he did what he did because, according to Nixon, “it’s not against the law if the president does it.“

*The movie will not will Best Picture at the Academy Awards. It really isn’t a typical Oscar film. That is where Ron Howard’s directing comes in. What AMPAS would like to see would be more mystery and intrigue rather than this battle between two men. If you’re a 1970s fan then you’ll love this film all the more.

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BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
I am pleased with the way this category has taken shape. The two on the list that I needed to see to keep it right for me is Robert Downey Jr. and of course Heath Ledger. Will the voters do the right thing and give it to Downey or will they make a political move and give it to Ledger? I’ll answer my own question. Ledger.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicki Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
This is an exciting category and very hard to predict. I feel the winds blowing a certain way here but who cares. The choice I would like to see win is Tomei. She does such a great job in this performance, and it is such a gutsy role that I would give it to her. She won’t win.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon

Sean Penn, Milk

Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
First I am surprised that Clint Eastwood did not make it into the category for Gran Torino. One thing is clear and that’s if Rourke does not win then there’s going to be some bloodshed and I don’t know who will come out on top. Sean Penn should win. I believe that Penn is going to win over Rourke because there are so many more gay people than there are wrestlers in Hollywood.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie, Changeling

Melissa Leo, Frozen River

Meryl Streep, Doubt

Kate Winslet, The Reader
I am bored by these choices. Nothing here is very clear. Why did Streep get another nomination? She’s not dying yet. The only non-lame choice on the list is Jolie. Indirectly this is a nod to Clint for leaving Gran Torino out. Jolie will win.

BEST DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

David Finscher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Gus Van Sant, Milk

Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

Stephen Daldry, The Reader
This is a tough category to play if you have any hope for the high budget studios. There is only one real winner that I can see and that’s Slumdog Millionaire.

Finally let’s do Screenplay.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
Wall-E, original story by Pete Docter & Andrew Stanton; screenplay by Jim Reardon & Andrew Stanton
Frozen River, Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
I am disappointed that Sybecdoche, NY was not nominated. The others all deserve to be here.

BEST SCREENPLAY ADAPTED FROM ANOTHER MEDIUM

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Screenplay by Eric Roth; Screen Story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord

Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

Nice list but I don’t even have to read it. I know that Slumdog Millionaire is going to take this one home.

Now as I promised, here is the rest of the list. Let me know what you do with it.

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Bolt 

Kung Fu Panda 

Wall-E 



BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM

The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany) 

The Class (France)
Waltz with Bashir (Israel)
Departures (Japan)
Revanche (Austria)

BEST PICTURE OF THE YEAR

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 

Frost/Nixon 

Milk 

The Reader 

Slumdog Millionaire

ART DIRECTION
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
THE DUCHESS
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

CINEMATOGRAPHY
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

COSTUME DESIGN
AUSTRALIA
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DUCHESS
MILK
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

DIRECTING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
FROST/NIXON
MILK
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
THE BETRAYAL (NERAKHOON)
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
THE GARDEN
MAN ON WIRE
TROUBLE THE WATER

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
THE CONSCIENCE OF NHEM EN
THE FINAL INCH
SMILE PINKI
THE WITNESS – FROM THE BALCONY OF ROOM 306

FILM EDITING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
MILK
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX
THE CLASS
DEPARTURES
REVANCHE
WALTZ WITH BASHIR

MAKEUP
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

MUSIC (SCORE)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
DEFIANCE
MILK
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E

MUSIC (SONG)
“Down to Earth” WALL-E
“Jai Ho” SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
“O Saya” SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

BEST PICTURE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
FROST/NIXON
MILK
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
LA MAISON EN PETITS CUBES
LAVATORY – LOVESTORY
OKTAPODI
PRESTO
THIS WAY UP

SHORT FILM *LIVE ACTION“
AUF DER STRECKE (ON THE LINE)
MANON ON THE ASPHALT
NEW BOY
THE PIG
SPIELZEUGLAND (TOYLAND)

SOUND EDITING
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E
WANTED

SOUND MIXING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E
WANTED

VISUAL EFFECTS
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
DOUBT
FROST/NIXON
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
FROZEN RIVER
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
IN BRUGES
MILK
WALL-E

TUNE IN TO THE ACADEMY AWARDS
ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2009.

Also if you need a printable ballot designed into one single page
then click here to download.

I brazenly made my predictions the other day without hesitation. Well, I’m not too big a man to admit I was very wrong on my predictions of Best Picture nominees. I did get 4/5 right but that is only 80% out of 100% which is hardly a B. The surprise on my list is The Reader. I think a lot of my colleagues may have gotten this one wrong also. It will interesting to see which of the movies gets the most talk, The Reader or The Dark Knight. I certainly enjoy making predictions each year. Thanks for joining me on this journey of Best Picture this year. I want to make it clear that I agree with the decisions of the Academy by excluding Dark Knight in this category and I’m proud that they did put The Reader in its place.

The Nominees for Best Picture are:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button	Frost/Nixon	Milk	Slumdog Millionaire	The Reader

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Mmmmm. Smell that? That bitter sweet smell is Oscar. He cannot be stopped, he’s on the way. The film-like air that surrounds us once again is certainly that of our dear friend and enemy to some, Oscar. This year, for all movies released in the year 2008, might prove be a little smellier than in the last few years. I’m not sure whether Oscar will be as dark and brooding as last year’s 80th award winners. Winners such as There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men. The one thing I know that seems darker this year is the host, Hugh Jackman. Jackman has never had a gig like this and I can’t see it being good for his career.

Now just about anyone can tell you who the winners have been. Isn’t that what the internet is for? Today is January 19th. On January 22 the Motion Picture Academy will announce the list of nominations. This is my prediction for the list of Best Picture nominees:

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Slumdog Millionaire
• Milk
• Frost/Nixon
• The Dark Knight

Here’s some research information below. Even though the information can be found online, it is difficult to find a list of the Best Picture winners from 1927-2007.

81st Academy Awards Show:

February 22, 2009 @ 8:00pm Sunday

The following is a list of Best Picture winners: