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.
Film.com's FREE movie of the week is "Daughters of the Dust." A film that portrays the unique culture of the Gullah people by focusing on the extended Peazant family as its members struggle with the decision to leave their island and move north. On the eve of their departure, memories of their Gullah history and its African roots come rising to the surface. Winner of Cinematography at the 1991 Sundance Film Festival.
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
