Blind Prophecy

Well, the red carpet rolls out in a few hours and I still haven’t written my big final Oscar blog. After all, I made a big deal out of trying to see all the films this year. With a few hours to go, here are my predictions (films I’ve seen are in bold, normal weight films I haven’t seen yet):
Best Picture

• THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
• FROST/NIXON
• MILK
• THE READER
• SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

My pick: Milk
But what will actually win: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actor

• Richard Jenkins
  THE VISITOR
• Frank Langella
  FROST/NIXON
• Sean Penn
  MILK
• Brad Pitt
  THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
• Mickey Rourke
  THE WRESTLER

My pick: Frank Langella
But what will actually win: Mickey Rourke (blegh! I just don’t like him, which is why I still haven’t watched his movie)

Best Actress

• Anne Hathaway
  RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
• Angelina Jolie
  CHANGELING
• Melissa Leo
  FROZEN RIVER
• Meryl Streep
  DOUBT
• Kate Winslet
  THE READER

My pick: Surprising myself, I’d say Anne Hathaway, although I could just as easily give it to Streep.
But who will actually win: Kate Winslet’s tits and ugly eyebrows.

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Josh Brolin
  MILK
• Robert Downey Jr.
  TROPIC THUNDER
• Philip Seymour Hoffman
  DOUBT
• Heath Ledger
  THE DARK KNIGHT
• Michael Shannon
  REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

My pick: Philip Seymour Hoffman, if people vote on actual performance and talent.
But who will actually win: Heath Ledger. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Ledger’s Joker as much as the next fanboy, but was it really Oscar-worthy, or is this a sentimental vote?

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Amy Adams
  DOUBT
• Penélope Cruz
  VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
• Viola Davis
  DOUBT
• Taraji P. Henson
  THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
• Marisa Tomei
  THE WRESTLER

My pick: Amy Adams
But who will actually win: Anyone’s guess. I think it’s the only real surprise category of the night.

Best Animated Feature Film

• BOLT
• KUNG FU PANDA
• WALL-E

My pick: Kung Fu Panda
But what will actually win: Wall-E

Directing

• THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
• FROST/NIXON
• MILK
• THE READER
• SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

My pick: Slumdog Millionaire (My problems with the film as Best Picture center around the script, but I think there was excellent direction)
But what will actually win: I think Slumdog Millionaire really might take it.

Writing for Adapted Screenplay

• THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
• DOUBT
• FROST/NIXON
• THE READER
• SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

My pick: Frost/Nixon
But what will actually win: I think it’s a race between Frost/Nixon and Doubt – both worthy.

Writing for Original Screenplay

• FROZEN RIVER
• HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
• IN BRUGES
• MILK
• WALL-E

My pick: Milk
But what will actually win: Milk

So, only a few hours and we’ll see how I did.

Filed under: movies by Jere Keys