Dre Rivas
Video editor, Film.com contributor, an all around pleasant fella, Dre Rivas' mystery is only exceeded by his power.
Predicting The Oscars: The Other Categories
Dre Rivas February 20, 2009
Okay, we’ve gone over the major awards already and who we think will win. But what about Oscar’s forgotten children? Look, if you’re doing an office pool, you ain’t winning because you picked Slumdog for Best Picture. Everybody’s going to have Slumdog (except maybe that poor sap you conned into thinking Milk has a shot).
You win your pool with the smaller categories. And we’re going to do our part to make sure when you curse the idiot you trusted online on who was going to win Best Documentary Short Subject … that that idiot is us. Let’s do this.
Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Milk
WALL-E
Who Will Win: First of all, if that Lifetime movie Frozen River wins I will murder a puppy (not really). My heart says WALL-E but Milk‘s best shot at a big award makes it the obvious choice here.
Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Doubt
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Reader
Who Will Win: If Slumdog doesn’t take this bad boy home it will be the first major “uh-oh” moment of the night.
Slumdog Millionaire
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Reader
Changeling
The Dark Knight
Who Will Win: This is a toughie. I’m feeling a “We need to give The Reader something” vibe. But I think the Academy will be satisfied with a Winslet win in that regard. So it’s Button versus Slumdog. Benjamin Button looks exquisite on the big screen but Slumdog pops. I’m riding this paper train. Slumdog.
Changeling
The Dark Knight
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
Who Will Win: Did anybody even see The Duchess? If it wins, I’m calling bull crap on the Academy voters. The other choices aren’t sexy so I’m going with Benjamin Button.
Australia
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road
Milk
Who Will Win: They should rename this award “Best Jane Austen-Type Costumers” because that’s what it has become. But The Duchess? And I’m not sure any Academy voter can vote for Australia with a straight face. Button again.
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Slumdog Millionaire
Wanted
WALL-E
The Dark Knight
Who Will Win: Not even the Academy is lame enough to pass over the great Ben Burtt and team WALL-E … right?
Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Reader
Milk
The Dark Knight
Who Will Win: Being that most people’s issue with Benjamin Button was that it was too long, I think this belongs to the stylish Mumbai folk.
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
Wanted
WALL-E
Who Will Win: I’ve never really understood the difference between Best Sound and Best Sound Editing and I can’t help but think many Academy members don’t either. That leads me back to WALL-E. But the inclusion of all these action-packed features tells me this will be one of those Dark Knight consolation prizes.
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Who Will Win: There is no way The Curious Case of Benjamin Button should or will lose this. The most talked-about effects of the year will bring it home.
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Who Will Win: Button‘s technical award run continues. The only confusing part is where do the film’s visual effects begin and the makeup jobs end?
“Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire
“O Saya,” Slumdog Millionaire
“Down to Earth,”WALL-E
Who Will Win: Sing it with me: Jai Ho! Jai Ho! Jai Ho! Jai Ho!
Alexandre Desplat, Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard, Defiance
Danny Elfman, Milk
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman, WALL-E
Who Will Win: I don’t get the Slumdog nomination here. Was there even a score? I thought it was just a bunch of songs played throughout. It comes down to my favorite two scores of the year, WALL-E and Benjamin Button. Methinks Button‘s haunting score takes it down, though.
Best Short Film, Animated
La Maison en Petits Cubes
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up
Lavatory – Lovestory
Who Will Win: Everyone loves Presto. Also, everyone has only seen Presto. It’s Presto.
Best Short Film, Live Action
On the Line
The Pig
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
Toyland
Who Will Win: I know all of you out there are expecting me to pick On the Line. I’m not going to do it. Now you’re probably thinking, Okay, Dre, then you clearly are going with The Pig. But you would be wrong. People, I’m going way off the reservation here. I’m picking Manon on the Asphalt. My reason? Longest title. Very scientific process I’ve got.
Best Documentary Short Subject
The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306
Who Will Win: Hmm. India is so in these days but that only makes me think The Final Inch and Smile Pinki cancel each other out. That leaves the category’s longest title versus the category’s most intriguing title. But you know my rule … The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306.
The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water
Who Will Win: My favorite documentaries almost never win. But I will root for it anyway: Man on Wire.
The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Class
Departures
Revanche
Waltz with Bashir
Who Will Win: Finally, another lock! Waltz with Bashir owns this.
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
Bolt
Who Will Win: Don’t buy into the Kung Fu Panda upset talk. WALL-E walks away with this one. Skadoosh!
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Dre writes two times a week for Film.com. Email him!
Tags: oscar predictions, oscar winners
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