It's been a while since I've posted on my blog, but that's mainly due to the lack of quality movies to be seen. This weekend will be a busy weekend, so get ready! Until that time, here are my thoughts on all academy award nominations:

Performance by an actor in a leading role:

Although I'm happy Richard Jenkins, Langella, and Sean Penn are nominated,
this award belongs to Mickey Rourke. As far as who IS going to get it? I
suspect the award will go to Sean Penn.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role:

This is a pretty interesting category and the addition of Robert Downey
Junior is pretty awesome, his performance was pretty difficult. Josh
Brolin was good, Michael Shannon was a personal favorite of mine in
Revolutionary Road, and Hoffman is ALWAYS good. Everybody knows Heath's a
lock though. Rightfully so, too.

Performance by an actress in a leading role

I don't like Angelina Jolie and I don't think she should be nominated.
Melissa Leo was really good as was Kate Winslet (who may win). I'm also the
only person in the world who didn't like Rachel Getting Married. Sure, it's
a decent movie, it just didn't resonate with me at all and I wasn't a big
fan of the lead character. I also don't think Anne Hathaway was the best
actress in the movie, let alone the year (that was Rosemary DeWitt). I
reviewed Doubt when I saw it and didn't think much of it but the more I
think about it, the more I like it. Meryl Streep should win - and she may
(although this should be Sally Hawkins award). My Pick: Kate Winslet
(head, not heart)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

I'm going to make this short and sweet. Amy Adams was overrated, Viola
Davis was good, Toraji P. Henson was decent, Marisa Tomei was Marisa Tomei,
and Penelope Cruz was GREAT. She's your winner.

Best animated feature film of the year

My Pick: WALL*E (although Kung Fu Panda was underrated)

Achievement in art direction

This really should go to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or maybe even
Revolutionary Road but will probably go to some POS like The Duchess. My
Pick: Benny

Achievement in cinematography

By all rights, this should go to Slumdog millionaire. It was beautifully
shot. I wouldn't be upset if The Dark Knight got it though My Pick:
Slumdog

Achievement in costume design

This always goes to some POS period piece that has no business winning.
The voters have no imagination. This one is The Duchess.

Achievement in directing

The Academy clearly doesn't know what a director does based on a few
nominations and they always give it to the Best Picture winner so I'm going
with Danny Boyle.

Best documentary feature

I've actually seen most of these and if there is any good left in this
world, Man on Wire gets it.

Best documentary short subject

The Conscience of Nhem En deals is about Cambodia 30 years after the end of
the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror. This sounds like a winner to me!

Achievement in film editing

I thought The Dark Knight was pretty well edited. My Pick: The Dark
Knight.

Best foreign language film of the year

I intend on seeing The Class at some point and that should clear off most of
them on this list. I expect Waltz With Bashir wins.

Achievement in makeup

I expect Ben Button wins but I think The Dark Knight should win based on Two
Face and The Joker. My pick: The Dark Knight

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score):

Ring one up for my boy Thomas Newman! It should go to The Dark Knight
though.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

Should go to The Wrestler but I expect Slumdog to split votes and Down to
Earth to win.

Best motion picture of the year

The more and more I think about it, the more and more Doubt was really a
pretty good movie and I wish it was nominted over both The Reader and
Benjamin Button. I'd also like to see The Dark Knight tossed in there.
It's a tragedy really. My winner remains the same, though. It's Slumdog
Millionaire. Rightfully so, too. It's not the masterpiece No Country for
Old Men was, but few movies are and the more and more I think about it, the
better that movie gets. My Pick: Slumdog Millionaire.

Best animated short film:

I managed to catch most of these in various sources. Presto was cute and I
expect it'll win. The others are all worth the time though. If they show
up in iTunes, I'll probably pick them up.

Best live action short film

This one is a shot in the dark, I've seen none of these. I'll go with Auf
der Strecke just 'cause.

Achievement in sound editing

Race between The Dark Knight and Wall*E. My Pick: Wall*E

Achievement in sound mixing

It's the same race here too with a different result: The Dark Knight

Achievement in visual effects

I suspect Benjamin Button will win another award here. If the movie did
anything well, it's visual effects.

Adapted screenplay

By all rights this should be Slumdog Millionaire.

Original screenplay

And in a shocker, IN BRUGES (and the crowd goes wild!!!). Terrific
Dialogue. Really top notch stuff.

Anyhow, here's what I think this year. The Oscars are a bit of a mess this
year but Slumdog winning 4 or 5 would really do a lot to legitimize them.