Kinematoscope

Best Documentary (Full Length):

The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

Who Will Win: Man on Wire
Who Should Win: Man on Wire

Should I act indignant and say, “Yeah, Man on Wire all the way. I totally saw it. Like, totally.”

Best Foreign Language Film:

Der Baader Meinhof Komplex
Entre les Murs
Revanche
Okuribito
Vals Im Bashir

Who Will Win: Vals Im Bashir
Who Should Win: Vals Im Bashir

Vals Im Bashir should win solely for the fact that the film’s director, Ari Folman, is having a contest for people to write his Oscar speech. That and the movie looks pretty trippy.

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: The Witness from the Balcony of Room 306
Who Should Win: The Witness from the Balcony of Rom 306

Calling it.

Best Short Film – Animated:

La Maison en Petits Cubes
Ubornaya Istoryia
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

Who Will Win: Presto
Who Should Win: Oktapodi

Presto will win because it’s a Pixar Year. I want to see Oktapodi win because I want Keanu Reeves to try and pronounce that.

More...

Best Short Film – Live Action:

Auf der Strecke
Manon Sur le Bitume
New Boy
Grisen
Spielzeugland

Who Will Win: New Boy
Who Should Win: Spielzeugland

New Boy will win because it is the only one that anyone can pronounce.

Best Animated Feature:

Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

Who Will Win: Wall-E
Who Should Win: Wall-E

Thanks for playing, Bolt and Kung Fu Panda.

Best Visual Effects:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

Who Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Who Should Win: The Dark Knight

The digital wizardry of Button will take home the trophy, but the practical effects of The Dark Knight were something to truly behold.

Best Sound Editing:

The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Wanted

Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Should Win: Wall-E

Let the Slumdog juggernaut begin.

Best Sound:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
Wanted

Who Will Win: Wall-E
Who Should Win: Wall-E

From what I understand, this category is about the creation of sound, which means it has to go to Wall-E. Right? Dave Karger says if Slumdog wins here it would be an upset. So, it has to be Wall-E, right?

Best Song:

“Down to Earth” – Wall-E
“Jai Ho” – Slumdog Millionaire
“O Saya” – Slumdog Millionaire

Who Will Win: “Jai Ho” – Slumdog Millionaire
Who Should Win: “Down to Earth” – Wall-E

At this point in my show, Wall-E is turning into a juggernaut. Anyway, Slumdog will take it because it is high energy and a feel good song that is getting radio play.

Best Score:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Alexandre Desplat
Defiance – James Newton Howard
Milk – Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire – A. R. Rahman
Wall-E – Thomas Newman

Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire – A. R. Rahman
Who Should Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Alexandre Desplat

While Rahman’s score was one of the highlights of Slumdog, I feel that Desplat’s score was more poignant and elegant.

Best Make Up:

The Curious of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hell Boy II: The Golden Army

Who Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Who Should Win: The Dark Knight

When you make an iconic face – see The Joker – you should be rewarded over scale. Too bad the Academy does not share my sentiment.

Best Costume Design:

Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road

Who Will Win: The Duchess
Who Should Win: Revolutionary Road

Pretty.

Best Art Direction:

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Who Will Win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Who Should Win: Revolutionary Road

Even prettier.

Best Editing:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Should Win: The Dark Knight

Action movies that aptly build tension have been rewarded in the past, like The Bourne Ultimatum last year. However, this will factor into the Best Picture race, inevitably knocking The Dark Knight out.

Best Cinematography:

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Should Win: The Dark Knight

I missed this category last year and was stunned. The dizzying work of Slumdog will beat out The Dark Knight’s technological marvel.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Simon Beaufoy – Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare – The Reader
Peter Morgan – Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth and Robin Swicord – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley – Doubt

Who Will Win: Simon Beaufoy – Slumdog Millionaire
Who Should Win: David Hare – The Reader

Let my Reader juggernaut begin!

Best Original Screenplay:

Dustin Lance Black – Milk
Courtney Hunt – Frozen River
Mike Leigh – Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh – In Bruges
Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, and Jim Reardon – Wall-E

Who Will Win: Dustin Lance Black – Milk
Who Should Win: Martin McDonagh – In Bruges

Are you f-**-king deft? Yeah?

Best Direction:

Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry – The Reader
David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant – Milk

Who Will Win: Danny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire
Who Should Win: Stephen Daldry – The Reader

I am still baffled by this co-director credit for Danny Boyle. So, Daldry gets my vote for his touching film.

Best Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams – Doubt
Penelope Cruz – Vicky Christina Barcelona
Viola Davis – Doubt
Tareji Hanson – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler

Who Will Win: Penelope Cruz – Vicky Christina Barcelona
Who Should Win: Viola Davis – Doubt

Cruz will win because she is liked and due, but Davis’ performance was stirring.

Best Supporting Actor:

Josh Brolin – Milk
Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder
Phillip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon – Revolutionary Road

Who Will Win: Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Who Should Win: Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight

Bet the house, the barn, your children.

Best Actress:

Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo – Frozen River
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Kate Winslet – The Reader

Who Will Win: Kate Winslet – The Reader
Who Should Win: Kate Winslet – The Reader

Long overdue for the best performance of the year.

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

Who Will Win: Sean Penn – Milk
Who Should Win: Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler

This is the closest category. It is a toss up between Penn and Rourke. I give Penn the edge because of past history, the statement the film makes, and the Academy’s fear of Rourke’s acceptance speech.

Best Picture:

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Who Will Win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who Should Win: The Reader

And the lowest rated telecast ever is completed with Slumdog Millionaire winning it all with a grand total of eight. I will not proceed to take a shower.