So, only a few days to go. Who will walk away with a new bookend Sunday night? I’ll make my guesses as well as comment on who I think should win in selected categories.
Actor: Here I think my choice will win – Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood. All the actors nominated are exceptional, but Day-Lewis was head and shoulders above them.
Actress: I expect the voters for the Academy will go with Julie Christie in Away From Her. But Marion Cotillard’s role as Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose was the most outstanding performance by an actor of either gender this year. I’d love to see her win it, but I think a role in a French language film is going to have a very uphill battle.
Supporting Actor: I’d be happy with any of the nominees winning. My guess is that Hal Holbrook will get the nod for his role in Into the Wild because some folks may consider his body of work as a tie breaker in a very close race. My choice vacillates between Holbrook and Casey Affleck in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.
Supporting Actress: I expect Cate Blanchett will gather her second Oscar in this category for channeling Bob Dylan in I’m Not There. I think, though, that Amy Adams may be just a hair more deserving for her role in Gone Baby Gone.
Director: I think the Coen brothers will win for No Country for Old Men. That isn’t a bad choice, but I think Julian Schnabel transformed The Diving Bell and the Butterfly into glorious work of visual art.
Cinematography: My choice is Janusz Kaminski for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, and I think the Academy will agree.
Adapted Screenplay: I think the Coen brothers will get it for No Country for Old Men, but as in the Director category, I’d prefer The Diving Bell and the Butterfly and Ronald Harwood’s adaptation.
Original Screenplay: Another category filled with worthy winners. I suspect Diablo Cody will score for Juno. I’d really love to see Nancy Oliver get it for Lars and the Real Girl.
Documenary Feature: I’ve only seen three of the nominees in this category. No End in Sight will, I think, but the Academy’s choice. War/Dance was the best doc I saw last year.
Animated Feature: Ratatouille all the way.
Best Picture: I think it’s going to be a good night for No Country for Old Men. I wouldn’t be disappointed by any of them winning. I’d be voting for No Country.
February 21st, 2008 at 9:50 pm
After watching most of the animated shorts, I’d go with Peter and the Wolf. I can never tell how the Academy judges shorts, so I’ll just stick with my pick.
February 22nd, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Tough to argue with your choices, Darrel — especially considering that very few of my top picks are even nominated in the major categories. I’ll just chime in with my picks for the most underrated and overrated films of the year:
Most Underrated Films of 2007
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
2. Feast of Love
3. Alpha Dog
Most Overrated Films of 2007
1. No Country for Old Men
2. I’m Not There
3. Into Great Silence
February 23rd, 2008 at 5:10 pm
There have been some stirrings recently in the media regarding the exclusion of Ratatouille from this year’s Best Picture nomination. What’s your take?
(For me, if Beauty and the Beast could get a nomination in 1992, Ratatouille is more than deserving in 2008.)
February 23rd, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I will be posting my picks for the big six categories in just a little bit but here are my picks for the rest of the categories you touched on:
Cinematography: I’m going to have to go with “The Assassination of Jesse James” on this one. What a beautifully shot picture.
Adapted Screenplay: I’ll also go with the Coen brothers for “No Country For Old Men”
Original Screenplay: I concur with Diablo Cody for “Juno”
Documentary: Again, agree that “No End In Sight” will take it–although I wish “Crazy Love” was nominated here. But, then again, I’m pretty twisted!
Animated Feature: Slam-dunk for “Ratatouille”
February 23rd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
As far as “Ratatouille” not being up for Best Picture…I think that the creation of the Animated Feature category excludes any animated picture from Best Picure. If memory serves correct, it was the controversy caused by “Beauty and the Beast” that led to this being done.
If the Animated Feature category did not exist, then “Ratatouille” would have to be at least considered in the Best Picture category. Hard to argue with 4 of the 5 choices the Academy made. The only one I would not agree with is “Atonement”—there are at least 6 other movies I considered better (”Ratatouille” being one of them). I would have much rather seen “Sweeney Todd”, “Zodiac”, “Into the Wild”, “The Savages” or “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” grab a nomination.
February 24th, 2008 at 10:12 am
As to most overrated films, I’d add Persepolis. Not a bad movie, but nowhere near its hype. Underrated, I’d include Zodiac because of it’s complete absence at the Oscars
February 24th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Heh. I almost included Zodiac on my overrated list — because people have been grousing about it not being nominated! I really found Zodiac very similar to The Hoax and The Hunting Party, but found it to be marginally less compelling than the other two.
February 24th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Pretty decent tally, Darrel. I never do so well.