The 81st Annual Academy Award Winners

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn - Milk
Best Actress: Kate Winslet - The Reader
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Original Screenplay: Milk
Best Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire


Best Animated Feature: WALL-E
Best Animated Short: La Maison en Petites Cubes
Best Art Direction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Costume Design: The Duchess
Best Makeup: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Cinematography: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Animated Short: Spielzeugland (Toyland)
Best Documentary Feature: Man on Wire
Best Documentary Short: Smile Pinki
Best Visual Effects: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Best Sound Editing: The Dark Knight
Best Sound Mixing: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Film Editing: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Score: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Song: "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire

Last Minutes Oscar Predictions

Well here we are. It's just about 3 PM here, five or some hours away from the 81st Annual Academy Awards. I'm praying that there was a sudden 'Slumdog' backlash. And that Sean takes it home. So since I have to go get ready for my Oscar party, I'm gonna leave you with these, my last minute predictions. Have fun tonight, kiddies!

Best Picture: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: Milk)

Best Director: DANNY BOYLE - SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: Gus Van Sant - Milk)

Best Actor: SEAN PENN - MILK (alt: Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler)

Best Actress: KATE WINSLET - THE READER (alt: Meryl Streep - Doubt)

Best Supporting Actor: HEATH LEDGER - THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Josh Brolin - Milk)

Best Supporting Actress: PENELOPE CRUZ - VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (alt: Viola Davis - Doubt)

Best Original Screenplay: MILK (alt: WALL-E)

Best Adapted Screenplay: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Reader)

Best Foreign Language Film: THE CLASS (alt: Waltz with Bashir)

Best Animated Feature Film: WALL-E (alt: Kung Fu Panda)

Best Documentary Feature: MAN ON WIRE (alt: Encounters at the End of the World)

Best Original Score: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Original Song: "DOWN TO EARTH" - WALL-E (alt: "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Art Direction: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Costume Design: THE DUCHESS (alt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Best Make Up: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Cinematography: THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Film Editing: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Sound Mixing: THE DARK KNIGHT (alt: Slumdog Millionaire)

Best Sound Editing: WALL-E (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Visual Effects: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (alt: The Dark Knight)

Best Documentary Short: THE WITNESS - FROM THE BALCONY OF ROOM 306 (alt: Smile Pinki)

Best Short Film (Animated): LA MAISON EN PETITES CUBES (alt: Presto)

Best Short Film (Live Action): SPIELZEUGLAND (alt: The Pig)

A few words on ... 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'

So on my first night out in a little bit less than a week, I saw 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'. It has been panned by most critics, and could be considered "mindless fizz". Well if this is mindless fizz then it's of the best possible caliber. The Dom Pérignon of mindless fizz, 'Shopaholic', was just what I was looking for after my seemingly never-ending bought of illness. Isla Fisher was charmingly hysterical, Hugh Dancy was adorable, and the jokes and clothes flew by like nothing. It was some of the most fun I've had at the movies recently, regardless of the fact that the plotline was a little bit of the improbable side.

Okay, a lot on the improbable side. Whatever. Go see it: it's a blast.

An incubus of viral plague

So since around I'll say Saturday I've become, as Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestley so lovingly names her first assistant Emily (Emily Blunt) in 'The Devil Wears Prada', "an incubus of viral plague". Anyways yeah I more or less died on Saturday at a friends house and because of that have done absolutely no blogging. Here I am! It's the Thursday before Oscar night and I'm scared out of my mind because of two reasons: 1) 'Slumdog Millionaire' has the possibility of winning nine total awards, and 2) Sean Penn has the possibility of losing Best Actor to Mickey Rourke. I'm hopeful though, because I know that the Academy has been a fan of surprises, and hey, maybe they'll throw us a bone and break the hearts of Danny Boyle and crew! How lovely that'd be.

So now I will rest up, watch some 'High School Musical 3' (thanks Mom) and whether or not I have to bring a doggy bag for my vomit, I'm seeing 'Frost/Nixon' before Sunday. See you guys then!

BAFTA Winners

BEST PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTRESS: Kate Winslet, The Reader
BEST ACTOR: Micky Rourke, The Wrestler
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
BRITISH FILM: Man on Wire
ANIMATED FILM: WALL•E
CARL FOREMAN AWARD: Steve McQueen, Hunger
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: I’ve Loved You So Long
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
VISUAL EFFECTS: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
MAKEUP and HAIR: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
PRODUCTION DESIGN: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
SCORE: AR Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
SOUND: Slumdog Millionaire
EDITING: Slumdog Millionaire
COSTUMES: The Duchess
RISING STAR: Noel Clarke
SHORT ANIMATION: Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death
ACADEMY FELLOWSHIP: Terry Gilliam

Sigh. I guess we're in for a BAFTA repeat come Oscar night. I'll be so upset if Rourke does indeed take Actor, as I'm sure you're all aware. And I still just DO NOT GET the 'Slumdog' sweep.

I can't wait to look back on this and laugh.

Variety asks "Is Milk Coming Up on the Outside?"

While reports of the inevitable Slumdog Millionaire backlash may be overstated--the hugely popular movie is still charging forward to some major Oscar wins on February 22--here's a new Oscar slant: Slumdog and its main rival, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, split the vote and Milk takes the best picture win.

I would die of sheer happiness. I'm not trying to get my hopes up too high or anything, but god...if we're celebrating a victory on February 22nd, that would make me one hell of a happy boy.

One hell of a happy boy.

More here.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder?

So I hadn't seen Jason Reitman's 'Juno' since probably December of 2007. I found it severely overrated but modestly charming at the same time. Gave it a B, and called it a day. Last night it was on HBO and I caught the first 30 minutes or so...really enjoyed it. Had a snow day today, so I woke up and watched the whole thing thanks to On Demand.

I completely loved it! How the hell does that happen? I found it one of the most annoying films of the decade and now I adore it? I don't know, I think it was probably that I didn't have an annoying tween-filled audience in back of me this time talking, screaming, and laughing at inappropriate parts. That coupled with the, lets face it, kind of overly hipster dialogue made for a horrendous movie going experience. It was like a totally new movie this go around. Oh and, naturally, I cried at the end (Jennifer Garner's final scene). If there is ever a movie with some sort of thematic elements that doesn't make me cry, I will be shocked.

Well, it appears that I've seen the light. I say that just a touch self-ashamedly.