Shocker: No Dark Knight? Really? Wow. That is crazy talk. The Wrestler was a longer shot, as was Doubt. The Reader taking up a slot is silly. Pulling for: Gotta go with Slumdog Millionaire now. Prediction: This is Slumdog Millionaire's award to lose, with Benjamin Button the runner-up.
Shocker: Richard Jenkins was in the conversation, but no Clint Eastwood is definitely an upset. Pulling for: I've got to pull for Mickey Rourke. Prediction: Sean Penn should be considered the favorite, as Milk won't be winning Best Picture.
Shocker: Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) and Cate Blanchett (Benjamin Button) get shut out. Jolie sneaking in is a slight upset. Pulling for: I liked Hathaway's performance the best, so I'm pulling for her. Prediction: Gonna be a close category. Hathaway has buzz, Streep is always formidable, and Winslet has two Golden Globes this year. The only two to count out are Jolie and Leo.
Shocker: Pretty much a chalk category, though the unconventional Downey Jr. choice was acceptable because everyone knows where The Oscar is headed. Pulling for: Heath Ledger. Prediction: The safest bet on the board. If anyone gives you anything approaching even odds you should put all your money on it. Heath Ledger in a landslide.
Shocker: Winslet getting a nod for The Reader in the lead category was strange, but the there aren't any rules for Supporting versus Lead. Pulling for: I loved Viola Davis in Doubt. Prediction: I'm making Penelope Cruz the favorite.
Shocker: Christopher Nolan gets snubbed as The Academy's punishment of The Dark Knight continues. Pulling for: Danny Boyle is the only one I really even like in this category. Prediction: Danny Boyle will win it. But Fincher is definitely breathing down his neck.
Best Original Screenplay Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Shocker: I thought Woody Allen would get courtesy nod for a very good Vicky Cristina Barcelona script. Pulling for: Martin McDonagh's In Bruges script was very solid. Prediction: It's either Milk or Wall-E. I'll take Milk.
Best Adapted Screenplay Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Shocker: This went according to plan, though I would have liked to see Justin Haythe's Revolutionary Road adaptation sneak in. Pulling for: I'm rooting against The Reader. Which makes me a Slumdog Millionaire fan. Prediction: Another tough category. I'm going to say Slumdog Millionaire takes it, but I wouldn't bet more than a dollar on it.
Best Animated Feature Films Wall-E Bolt Kung Fu Panda
Shocker: I thought Waltz with Bashir might get in, and Bolt's nomination is a slight surprise. Pulling for: I'm pulling for Kung Fu Panda, but only in the sense one pulls for David versus Goliath. Prediction:Wall-E will win this easily.
Best Art Direction Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Revolutionary Road
The Duchess
The Dark Knight
Shocker: No real shocker here other than The Duchess picking up a nomination besides Costume Design. Pulling for: I'm pulling for The Dark Knight. Just in general. Prediction: This goes to Benjamin Button. For sure.
Best Cinematography The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Changeling
Slumdog Millionaire
Shocker: I thought Defiance might get a sympathy nod here. Revolutionary Road was a slight snub too. Pulling for: Remember that thing I said about The Dark Knight? I stand by it. Prediction: I think The Dark Knight actually takes this one. It's a safe category for The Academy to do some face-saving.
Best Costume Design Milk
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Australia
Revolutionary Road
Shocker: How does Australia make this list instead of Changeling? That's insane. Pulling for: I'm pulling for The Duchess. It was an underrated film. Prediction:The Duchess will take it, especially as the only real competition (Changeling) didn't even get a nomination.
Best Documentary (feature) Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
The Garden
Encounters at the End of the World
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Shocker:I.O.U.S.A. not making it is a surprise. Pulling for: The only one I've seen is Man on Wire so I suppose I'll cheer for it. Prediction:Man on Wire definitely has the buzz and is the prohibitive favorite.
Achievement in Film Editing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon
Shocker: None. This category went as expected. Pulling for: I think I'll pull for Slumdog Millionaire as the editing was quite good throughout. Prediction: I think they'll give it to Frost/Nixon ... unless the night turns into a complete Slumdog route.
Best Foreign Language Film The Class
Departures
Waltz with Bashir
The Baader Meinhof Complex
Revanche
Shocker:Gomorrah missed the original cut of nine, which still seems strange. Pulling for: Pass. I didn't get to screen enough Foreign Language Films to feel confident cheering for anyone. Prediction: This should be Waltz with Bashir's category to lose.
Achievement in Makeup The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Shocker: It would have been nice to see a Tropic Thunder nomination here, especially since Downey Jr. was nominated. Pulling for: Anything but Hellboy II. Prediction: I'd say Benjamin Button takes it.
Achievement in Music (Original Score) Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Wall-E
Defiance
Shocker: I thought Changeling, Frost/Nixon, and Gran Torino all had a shot. But all of the choices are worthy. Pulling for: I listen to the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack at least once a week. Prediction: I think Slumdog Millionaire takes this category with ease. So long as the voters actually listen to it.
Achievement in Music (Original Song)
A R Rahman featuring Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah & Mahalaxmi Iyer "Jai Ho", Slumdog Millionaire
A R Rahman & M.I.A. "O Saya", Slumdog Millionaire
Peter Gabriel "Down to Earth", Wall-E
Shocker: No High School Musical 3? Did Miley not sing in Bolt? Pulling for: I'd love for M.I.A. to win. She's aces. Prediction: I'm a little worried that Slumdog splits its own votes here, leaving Peter Gabriel to win. In fact, that's what I'm predicting.
Achievement in Sound Editing Wall-E
Iron Man
Wanted
Slumdog Millionaire
The Dark Knight
Shocker:Wanted getting in over Quantum of Solace is a surprise. I can't really fault any of the choices here though. Pulling for: I'm pulling for Wanted, if only because I seemingly liked that film much more than most people. Prediction: It's between Iron Man and Wall-E. I give the slight edge to Wall-E.
Achievement in Sound Mixing The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
Wanted
WALL-E
Shocker: No Iron Man? Was Benjamin Button's sound mixing all that impressive? Pulling for: I'll cheer for Dark Knight here. The haunting drumbeats from that film really worked. Prediction: I think Dark Knight pulls out a victory over Wall-E.
Achievement in Visual Effects The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Shocker: I thought they'd give Hellboy II another token nomination here. Thankfully they didn't. Pulling for:The Dark Knight. Prediction: I think Iron Man gets this one as The Dark Knight has plenty of other categories to compete in.
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Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wall-E
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Milk
Man on Wire
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Class
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
A R Rahman featuring Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah & Mahalaxmi Iyer "Jai Ho", Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
