Well its now time for my 3rd annual "Oscar Selections for 2008. The same logic applies as last year. This is who I would vote for, if I had a ballot. The "Dark Horse" selection is one who is gaining last minute support and might pull off the upset.


Winners to be announced on Sunday, February 24th.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Nominees:
Atonement (2007): Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster
Juno(2007): Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick, Russell Smith
Michael Clayton (2007): Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox, Kerry Orent
No Country for Old Men (2007): Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
There Will Be Blood (2007): Paul Thomas Anderson, Daniel Lupi, JoAnne Sellar

This was a very easy choice. There Will be Blood. The hype is over "No Country" but "Juno" looks like the dark horse. I have seen all 5 of these films and "Blood" tells the most complete and most deservingof this award.


Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees:
George Clooney for Michael Clayton (2007)
Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007)
Johnny Depp for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Tommy Lee Jones for In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Viggo Mortensen for Eastern Promises (2007)

Just Give the award to Daniel-Day. He really pulled this one off. Dark Horse is Viggo, for his role of the Russian gangster.


Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees:
Cate Blanchett for Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
Julie Christie for Away from Her (2006)
Marion Cotillard for Môme, La (2007)
Laura Linney for The Savages (2007)
Ellen Page for Juno (2007)

My vote is for the upset of the night, Ellen Page for "Juno". I saw all 5 of these films and her acting is what made this small, independent film into a blockbuster. Dark Horse is Marion for her great role.



Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Casey Affleck for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men (2007)
Philip Seymour Hoffman for Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
Hal Holbrook for Into the Wild (2007)
Tom Wilkinson for Michael Clayton (2007)

Myvote would be for Philip Seymour Hoffman, he really captured the role of a man who broked a deal with the devil to save Afghanistain from the USSR. The Dark Horse is Javier Bardem for his role as a killer.




Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees:
Cate Blanchett for I'm Not There. (2007)
Ruby Dee for American Gangster (2007)
Saoirse Ronan for Atonement (2007)
Amy Ryan for Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Tilda Swinton for Michael Clayton (2007)

Once again, I would vote for the child actress, in this case its Saoirse Ronan. Her eyes told why she did the things that she did. The "Dark Horse" is Amy Ryan. What she brought to "Gone Baby Gone" was unfracking believable.

Best Achievement in Directing
Nominees:
Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will Be Blood (2007)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for No Country for Old Men (2007)
Tony Gilroy for Michael Clayton (2007)
Jason Reitman for Juno (2007)
Julian Schnabel for Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (2007)

My vote is for Paul T. Anderson. I just have a funny feeling that the Coen Brothers will win this one. The dark horse is Jason Reitman for "Juno"





Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Nominees:
Juno (2007): Diablo Cody
Lars and the Real Girl (2007): Nancy Oliver
Michael Clayton (2007): Tony Gilroy
Ratatouille (2007): Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco
The Savages (2007): Tamara Jenkins

My vote is for Brad Bird. My gut states, Diablo win this one in a rout.




Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Nominees:
Atonement (2007): Christopher Hampton
Away from Her (2006): Sarah Polley
Scaphandre et le papillon, Le(2007): Ronald Harwood
No Country for Old Men< (2007): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
There Will Be Blood (2007): Paul Thomas Anderson

I realy think that whoever wins this one, wins the Oscar for "Best Film ' also. My vote is for P.T. Anderson.


Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Nominees:
Atonement (2007): Dario Marianelli
The Kite Runner (2007): Alberto Iglesias
Michael Clayton (2007): James Newton Howard
Ratatouille (2007): Michael Giacchino
3:10 to Yuma (2007): Marco Beltrami

My vote goes to "Ratatouille" Dark Horse is "The Kite Runner" In both of the films, the music really helps the film.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Nominees:
August Rush (2007): Jamal Joseph, Charles Mack, Tevin Thomas("Raise It Up")
Enchanted (2007): Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz("Happy Working Song")
Enchanted (2007): Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz("So Close")
Enchanted (2007): Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz("That's How You Know")
Once (2006): Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová(“Falling Slowly” )

I loved "That's How You Know", so that would be my vote. The Dark Horse is “Falling Slowly” I would not be real suprise if, "Falling Slowly" were to win this award.


Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Nominees:
Persepolis (2007): Vincent Paronnaud Marjane Satrapi
Ratatouille (2007): Brad Bird
Surf's Up (2007): Ash Brannon, Chris Buck


For all of the selections, this one was the hardest, "Ratatouille" and "Persepolis" were both in my top 5 films of the year list and they both brig something very different to the table. My vote here is for Ratatouille. I would not be disapointed if "Persepolis" were to win here.

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Nominees:
Fälscher, Die (2007)(Austria)
Beaufort (2007)(Israel)
Mongol (2007)(Kazakhstan)
Katyn (2007)(Poland)
12 (2007)(Russia)

I have no idea why "Persepolis" or, "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" are not in this category. This is where Oscar ticked me off. The above 2 films should be in this category, but, sadly, they are not. My vote is for Mongol. My gut feels that "12" will win this but my Dark Horse is "Katyn"

Well this is who I would vote for. We will see next week.