YEAH IT DOES.For my predictions, see here. Note I only predicted the major ones.
Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Thoughts: This lineup is hot. When the worst of them is Juno, you know something happened to the Academy, and that something was awesome. AHHHH Atonement YAYYY!!! No, it's not the best of these nominees, but it's fantastic, in my Best Picture lineup, and I'm glad to see it recover. Take THAT, guilds!
Will win: No Country for Old Men has the most nominations and it's got the (deserved) hype going for it since it opened.
Alternate: It's clear they loved There Will Be Blood too, but that has way more detractors than No Country.
Dark horse: Juno has been surprising everyone all season.
Should win: All of these movies are absolutely exemplary for what they are, but There Will Be Blood is a true frontrunner in the quest to revolutionize cinema. Damn, PTA.
I predicted: 4/5, missing Atonement for Into the Wild; Atonement was my 6th placer. I'm extremely pleased with that and rather happy in a schadenfreude-ish way that Oscar clearly didn't like Into the Wild, as it's one of very few films this year that I didn't think lived up to their hype (the other notable ones being I'm Not There, Knocked Up, and especially Once). Toldja Oscar wouldn't go for Diving Bell.
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood
Ethan & Joel Coen - No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman - Juno
Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Thoughts: I'm not quite sure what Reitman's direction had to do with Juno being so good, but it only proves that the Academy loved it. Diving Bell gets the lone arty spot, I guess. And YES for PTA. After being ignored for two masterpieces in the '90s, he finally gets the nomination for what might be his greatest film yet. I do find it shocking that all the actor-directors were snubbed this year - Denzel, Sean Penn, Ben Affleck. I realize Denzel and Ben weren't really in the race to begin with, but you know.
Will win: It's the Coens' to lose.
Alternate: Like I said before, Oscar loved There Will Be Blood, and Anderson is all over that movie.
Dark horse: Schnabel won the Globe (from the Foreign Press, mind you) and clearly has support... but when's the last time the lone director won?
Should win: As I said before, P.T. Anderson makes what might be the greatest film of his career (and that's saying a lot when you've made Boogie Nights and Magnolia), and There Will Be Blood just wouldn't be the same without him. That's a stupid statement, I realize - aren't the directors what make their films, after all? - but There Will Be Blood is just very, very, Paul Thomas Anderson.
I predicted: 4/5 missing Reitman (didn't we all) for Penn, whose film I thought had more support in general + actor-turned-director. Reitman wasn't even in my (four!) alternates =/
Best Actor
George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises
Thoughts: When I first watched the Oscar broadcast at lunchtimeish here and they got to Best Actor and they said Tommy's name, I thought someone had made some sort of cruel joke and when I really checked the Oscar nominations, it would be like...Cate Blanchett again or something. But NO! He really got nominated! AMAZING. That said, wow, Oscar hates its youngin's. Hirsch, Gosling, and McAvoy, all serious contenders, got left out for Lee Jones, which means the youngest is Depp, who is... 44? 45?
Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis has kind of had this in the bag since the trailer came out, and for good reason.
Alternate: Clooney has the (very few) awards DDL doesn't, and the love of, well, everyone! Plus, the film was clearly liked.
Dark horse: Haha hey, remember how back in like February/March '07 some big/main Oscar coverer guy made a blog post that was like "THERE IS A 90% CHANCE JOHNNY DEPP WILL WIN THE OSCAR WHOAMG." Well...you don't make claims like that a year in advance =/ Depp's hype still isn't dead, though, and he clearly has fans (and detracters, finally, thank God. Just when I start to be less annoyed by him...).
Should win: Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Though all these nominees are good, and actually, three of these are my top 3 (you'll just have to wait a little to see who, though. Ha.)...
I predicted: 4/5 missing Lee Jones (not in my alternates...but was he in yours either? Probably not...) for Hirsch.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away from Her
Marion Cotillard - La vie en rose
Laura Linney - The Savages
Ellen Page - Juno
Thoughts: OMG OMG OMG OMG LAURAAA!!!!!!! When I watched the nomination video and they said Blanchett first, I actually went "BAH" and prepared to sleep through the rest of the nomination... but ohhh noooo it was JOLIE who got the snub, for the Lovely Laura Linney! AHHHHH I love the Oscars sometimes!!!! I'm so very thrilled about Laura I'm almost - almost - okay with Jesus getting snubbed.
Will win: Julie Christie.
Alternate: Ellen Page. I don't care that Cotillard won the Globe, that's the Foreign Press and Juno clearly had a lot of support (Director...yeah, who saw that getting in?). Or...okay, I just don't want to think about Cotillard winning. Blah.
Dark horse: Oh, I so want to say Linney's going to pull a Gay Harden. Sorry, Julie, but I'd about cry in joy if that happened. But, yeah, I'm not deluding myself. Unfortunately, Cotillard is way more likely, which means her fans would continue being the most obnoxious ever until the end of time. Yes, we know you thought she was good. Do you have to keep insulting the person who's going to win the Oscar over her? Ass (es).
Should win: Both Linney and Christie were superb, but LAURA LINNEY!!!! AAAAHHH I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE SHE ACTUALLY GOT IN!!!!!!
I predicted: 3/5 going with Blanchett for the snub instead of Jolie (I wasn't the biggest fan of Jolie either, but booooo) and Adams instead of Linney for the "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE" spot. I also said that I would cry of happiness if Linney got in...I can't say I did, but I did let out quite a loud shriek of utter joy. I swear, the Oscars make crazy people out of all of us.
Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck - The Assassination...
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton
Thoughts: This has been locked up for uh, a long time, so yeah. It really is an excellent lineup, though.
Will win: Javier Bardem. And Spain, for some reason, hates him (my host mom, while I was there, tried to explain it to me, but I was very confused and I'm still not sure why), so I'm sure they won't mention it. Hee.
Alternate: Casey Affleck has the critics' wins Bardem doesn't. Oscars for the whole Affleck family! Hooray! (Imagine if Ben got in somehow, too, and Jennifer Garner for Juno. That'd be adorable.)
Dark horse: Holbrook could concievably pull an Alan Arkin, beating other, much better, nominees, but there's a pretty significant difference - Arkin's film was beloved by the Academy and Holbrook's isn't.
Should win: Javier Bardem was kind of beyond words in No Country. From the very beginning...that look on his face when he strangles the guy who arrests him is amazing (and obviously, terrifying). Ahhh... but as I said above, it's an excellent lineup. Even if Holbrook - the least of the group - pulls an Arkin I won't have to do a "what? NO!" like I did last year.
I predicted: 5/5. Hooray. Me, and everyone else, I think.
Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Ruby Dee - American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton
Thoughts: It's fine. Neither Ryan nor Dee really excite me, but both are okay (and Dee was in Do the Right Thing! And Ryan was in You Can Count on Me! Both of these, quite frankly, get you eternal love from me!). And hey, Tilda Swinton finally gave a performance that made me understand her hype!
Will win: Hard to call between Ryan and Blanchett. I'm gonna wait until the SAG is over to make a final call, I think... for now, I'm going with Blanchett.
Alternate: Ryan's right on her heels, though. I think this one is far from locked.
Dark horse: ...or, I can still easily see Blanchett and Ryan splitting votes and Swinton getting it, especially since the film is a Best Picture nominee, supported in other categories, and not seeming likely of a win anywhere...
Should win: Cate Blanchett. Fine, universe! You win! (Seriously, she was excellent in I'm Not There. The...only excellent thing about that movie. =/)
I predicted: 4/5, going for Keener over Dee. I wish it had gone to, I dunno, Kelly MacDonald or Jennifer Garner or something, but between Keener and Dee, I'm glad I was wrong.
Best Original Screenplay
Juno
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages
Thoughts: Yup, pretty standard. It was always going to be 4 great screenplays and one that had no chance and was bad (Lars and the Real Girl or Knocked Up). Also...this lineup is estrogen-riffic!
Will win: Juno. Have you been paying attention for the past month or so?
Alternate: Michael Clayton, if the "homeskillet" backlash kicks up enough...
Dark horse: Ratatouille. OMG if this won I would be SO HAPPY.
Should win: Ratatouille. Though, as I said, four of these screenplays are great and one is...Lars and the Real Girl.
I predicted: 4/5, going for Knocked Up instead of Lars and the Real Girl, assuming Oscar couldn't ignore Apatow any more. I guess they can... and quite frankly, I'm damn thankful for that!
Best Adapted Screenplay
Atonement
Away from Her
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Thoughts: Away from Her is an absolutely lovely surprise. Sarah Polley deserved a nomination (and a win!) all the way back in 1997 for The Sweet Hereafter, so that's great for her. I didn't think she was quite as deserving for director - she was a tad too detached - but here, totally. Congrats, Sarah!
Will win: No Country for Old Men, which isn't only the frontrunner but also had an unlikely Globe win.
Alternate: There Will Be Blood is clearly the second-placer in a lot of these categories...
Dark horse: Atonement, if it had had more support throughout the season in general, is the British prestige-y type movie that Oscar loves.
Should win: Atonement, for deftly adapting an incredibly complex novel (though I still haven't seen Diving Bell, and probably won't for a long time :( ).
I predicted: 4/5, going for Into the Wild instead of Away from Her. But we all know what was Into the Wild's fate...
Note: after here, the predictions get kinda list-y and less analysis-y...
Best Cinematography
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Will win: No Country for Old Men
Alternate: Atonement
Dark horse: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Should win: of these, Atonement, though I give Deakins the win for Assassination and No Country together
Best Editing
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Will win: No Country for Old Men
Alternate: There Will Be Blood
Dark horse: The Bourne Ultimatum
Should win: There Will Be Blood (or No Country for Old Men...hmm)
Best Art Direction
American Gangster
Atonement
The Golden Compass
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood
Will win: hmmm, Sweeney Todd
Alternate: Atonement
Dark horse: There Will Be Blood
Should win: There Will Be Blood
Best Costume Design
Across the Universe
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
La vie en rose
Sweeney Todd
Will win: Atonement
Alternate: Sweeney Todd
Dark horse: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Should win: Atonement (ahhh, the green dress!)
Best Makeup
La vie en rose
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Will win: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Should win: La vie en rose
Best Score
3:10 to Yuma
Atonement
The Kite Runner
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
Will win: Atonement
Alternate: Ratatouille
Dark horse: Michael Clayton
Should win: Atonement (why oh why is There Will Be Blood not eligible again)
Best Original Song
August Rush - "Raise It Up"
Enchanted - "Happy Working Song"
Enchanted - "So Close"
Enchanted - "That's How You Know"
Once - "Falling Slowly"
Will win: "Falling Slowly"
Alternate: "That's How You Know"
Dark horse: "So Close"
Should win: "Falling Slowly"
Best Sound
3:10 to Yuma
Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Thoughts: This lineup is hot. When the worst of them is Juno, you know something happened to the Academy, and that something was awesome. AHHHH Atonement YAYYY!!! No, it's not the best of these nominees, but it's fantastic, in my Best Picture lineup, and I'm glad to see it recover. Take THAT, guilds!
Will win: No Country for Old Men has the most nominations and it's got the (deserved) hype going for it since it opened.
Alternate: It's clear they loved There Will Be Blood too, but that has way more detractors than No Country.
Dark horse: Juno has been surprising everyone all season.
Should win: All of these movies are absolutely exemplary for what they are, but There Will Be Blood is a true frontrunner in the quest to revolutionize cinema. Damn, PTA.
I predicted: 4/5, missing Atonement for Into the Wild; Atonement was my 6th placer. I'm extremely pleased with that and rather happy in a schadenfreude-ish way that Oscar clearly didn't like Into the Wild, as it's one of very few films this year that I didn't think lived up to their hype (the other notable ones being I'm Not There, Knocked Up, and especially Once). Toldja Oscar wouldn't go for Diving Bell.
Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood
Ethan & Joel Coen - No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman - Juno
Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Thoughts: I'm not quite sure what Reitman's direction had to do with Juno being so good, but it only proves that the Academy loved it. Diving Bell gets the lone arty spot, I guess. And YES for PTA. After being ignored for two masterpieces in the '90s, he finally gets the nomination for what might be his greatest film yet. I do find it shocking that all the actor-directors were snubbed this year - Denzel, Sean Penn, Ben Affleck. I realize Denzel and Ben weren't really in the race to begin with, but you know.
Will win: It's the Coens' to lose.
Alternate: Like I said before, Oscar loved There Will Be Blood, and Anderson is all over that movie.
Dark horse: Schnabel won the Globe (from the Foreign Press, mind you) and clearly has support... but when's the last time the lone director won?
Should win: As I said before, P.T. Anderson makes what might be the greatest film of his career (and that's saying a lot when you've made Boogie Nights and Magnolia), and There Will Be Blood just wouldn't be the same without him. That's a stupid statement, I realize - aren't the directors what make their films, after all? - but There Will Be Blood is just very, very, Paul Thomas Anderson.
I predicted: 4/5 missing Reitman (didn't we all) for Penn, whose film I thought had more support in general + actor-turned-director. Reitman wasn't even in my (four!) alternates =/
Best Actor
George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises
Thoughts: When I first watched the Oscar broadcast at lunchtimeish here and they got to Best Actor and they said Tommy's name, I thought someone had made some sort of cruel joke and when I really checked the Oscar nominations, it would be like...Cate Blanchett again or something. But NO! He really got nominated! AMAZING. That said, wow, Oscar hates its youngin's. Hirsch, Gosling, and McAvoy, all serious contenders, got left out for Lee Jones, which means the youngest is Depp, who is... 44? 45?
Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis has kind of had this in the bag since the trailer came out, and for good reason.
Alternate: Clooney has the (very few) awards DDL doesn't, and the love of, well, everyone! Plus, the film was clearly liked.
Dark horse: Haha hey, remember how back in like February/March '07 some big/main Oscar coverer guy made a blog post that was like "THERE IS A 90% CHANCE JOHNNY DEPP WILL WIN THE OSCAR WHOAMG." Well...you don't make claims like that a year in advance =/ Depp's hype still isn't dead, though, and he clearly has fans (and detracters, finally, thank God. Just when I start to be less annoyed by him...).
Should win: Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Daniel Day-Lewis. Though all these nominees are good, and actually, three of these are my top 3 (you'll just have to wait a little to see who, though. Ha.)...
I predicted: 4/5 missing Lee Jones (not in my alternates...but was he in yours either? Probably not...) for Hirsch.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away from Her
Marion Cotillard - La vie en rose
Laura Linney - The Savages
Ellen Page - Juno
Thoughts: OMG OMG OMG OMG LAURAAA!!!!!!! When I watched the nomination video and they said Blanchett first, I actually went "BAH" and prepared to sleep through the rest of the nomination... but ohhh noooo it was JOLIE who got the snub, for the Lovely Laura Linney! AHHHHH I love the Oscars sometimes!!!! I'm so very thrilled about Laura I'm almost - almost - okay with Jesus getting snubbed.
Will win: Julie Christie.
Alternate: Ellen Page. I don't care that Cotillard won the Globe, that's the Foreign Press and Juno clearly had a lot of support (Director...yeah, who saw that getting in?). Or...okay, I just don't want to think about Cotillard winning. Blah.
Dark horse: Oh, I so want to say Linney's going to pull a Gay Harden. Sorry, Julie, but I'd about cry in joy if that happened. But, yeah, I'm not deluding myself. Unfortunately, Cotillard is way more likely, which means her fans would continue being the most obnoxious ever until the end of time. Yes, we know you thought she was good. Do you have to keep insulting the person who's going to win the Oscar over her? Ass (es).
Should win: Both Linney and Christie were superb, but LAURA LINNEY!!!! AAAAHHH I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE SHE ACTUALLY GOT IN!!!!!!
I predicted: 3/5 going with Blanchett for the snub instead of Jolie (I wasn't the biggest fan of Jolie either, but booooo) and Adams instead of Linney for the "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE" spot. I also said that I would cry of happiness if Linney got in...I can't say I did, but I did let out quite a loud shriek of utter joy. I swear, the Oscars make crazy people out of all of us.
Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck - The Assassination...
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton
Thoughts: This has been locked up for uh, a long time, so yeah. It really is an excellent lineup, though.
Will win: Javier Bardem. And Spain, for some reason, hates him (my host mom, while I was there, tried to explain it to me, but I was very confused and I'm still not sure why), so I'm sure they won't mention it. Hee.
Alternate: Casey Affleck has the critics' wins Bardem doesn't. Oscars for the whole Affleck family! Hooray! (Imagine if Ben got in somehow, too, and Jennifer Garner for Juno. That'd be adorable.)
Dark horse: Holbrook could concievably pull an Alan Arkin, beating other, much better, nominees, but there's a pretty significant difference - Arkin's film was beloved by the Academy and Holbrook's isn't.
Should win: Javier Bardem was kind of beyond words in No Country. From the very beginning...that look on his face when he strangles the guy who arrests him is amazing (and obviously, terrifying). Ahhh... but as I said above, it's an excellent lineup. Even if Holbrook - the least of the group - pulls an Arkin I won't have to do a "what? NO!" like I did last year.
I predicted: 5/5. Hooray. Me, and everyone else, I think.
Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Ruby Dee - American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton
Thoughts: It's fine. Neither Ryan nor Dee really excite me, but both are okay (and Dee was in Do the Right Thing! And Ryan was in You Can Count on Me! Both of these, quite frankly, get you eternal love from me!). And hey, Tilda Swinton finally gave a performance that made me understand her hype!
Will win: Hard to call between Ryan and Blanchett. I'm gonna wait until the SAG is over to make a final call, I think... for now, I'm going with Blanchett.
Alternate: Ryan's right on her heels, though. I think this one is far from locked.
Dark horse: ...or, I can still easily see Blanchett and Ryan splitting votes and Swinton getting it, especially since the film is a Best Picture nominee, supported in other categories, and not seeming likely of a win anywhere...
Should win: Cate Blanchett. Fine, universe! You win! (Seriously, she was excellent in I'm Not There. The...only excellent thing about that movie. =/)
I predicted: 4/5, going for Keener over Dee. I wish it had gone to, I dunno, Kelly MacDonald or Jennifer Garner or something, but between Keener and Dee, I'm glad I was wrong.
Best Original Screenplay
Juno
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages
Thoughts: Yup, pretty standard. It was always going to be 4 great screenplays and one that had no chance and was bad (Lars and the Real Girl or Knocked Up). Also...this lineup is estrogen-riffic!
Will win: Juno. Have you been paying attention for the past month or so?
Alternate: Michael Clayton, if the "homeskillet" backlash kicks up enough...
Dark horse: Ratatouille. OMG if this won I would be SO HAPPY.
Should win: Ratatouille. Though, as I said, four of these screenplays are great and one is...Lars and the Real Girl.
I predicted: 4/5, going for Knocked Up instead of Lars and the Real Girl, assuming Oscar couldn't ignore Apatow any more. I guess they can... and quite frankly, I'm damn thankful for that!
Best Adapted Screenplay
Atonement
Away from Her
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Thoughts: Away from Her is an absolutely lovely surprise. Sarah Polley deserved a nomination (and a win!) all the way back in 1997 for The Sweet Hereafter, so that's great for her. I didn't think she was quite as deserving for director - she was a tad too detached - but here, totally. Congrats, Sarah!
Will win: No Country for Old Men, which isn't only the frontrunner but also had an unlikely Globe win.
Alternate: There Will Be Blood is clearly the second-placer in a lot of these categories...
Dark horse: Atonement, if it had had more support throughout the season in general, is the British prestige-y type movie that Oscar loves.
Should win: Atonement, for deftly adapting an incredibly complex novel (though I still haven't seen Diving Bell, and probably won't for a long time :( ).
I predicted: 4/5, going for Into the Wild instead of Away from Her. But we all know what was Into the Wild's fate...
Note: after here, the predictions get kinda list-y and less analysis-y...
Best Cinematography
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Will win: No Country for Old Men
Alternate: Atonement
Dark horse: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Should win: of these, Atonement, though I give Deakins the win for Assassination and No Country together
Best Editing
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Will win: No Country for Old Men
Alternate: There Will Be Blood
Dark horse: The Bourne Ultimatum
Should win: There Will Be Blood (or No Country for Old Men...hmm)
Best Art Direction
American Gangster
Atonement
The Golden Compass
Sweeney Todd
There Will Be Blood
Will win: hmmm, Sweeney Todd
Alternate: Atonement
Dark horse: There Will Be Blood
Should win: There Will Be Blood
Best Costume Design
Across the Universe
Atonement
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
La vie en rose
Sweeney Todd
Will win: Atonement
Alternate: Sweeney Todd
Dark horse: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Should win: Atonement (ahhh, the green dress!)
Best Makeup
La vie en rose
Norbit
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Will win: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Should win: La vie en rose
Best Score
3:10 to Yuma
Atonement
The Kite Runner
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
Will win: Atonement
Alternate: Ratatouille
Dark horse: Michael Clayton
Should win: Atonement (why oh why is There Will Be Blood not eligible again)
Best Original Song
August Rush - "Raise It Up"
Enchanted - "Happy Working Song"
Enchanted - "So Close"
Enchanted - "That's How You Know"
Once - "Falling Slowly"
Will win: "Falling Slowly"
Alternate: "That's How You Know"
Dark horse: "So Close"
Should win: "Falling Slowly"
Best Sound
3:10 to Yuma
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
Transformers
Will win: Transformers
Alternate: The Bourne Ultimatum
Dark horse: No Country for Old Men
Should win: ummm... No Country for Old Men?
Best Sound Editing
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers
Will win: Transformers
Alternate: The Bourne Ultimatum
Dark horse: No Country for Old Men
Should win: Transformers
Best Visual Effects
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Transformers
Will win: Transformers
Should win: Transformers
Best Animated Film
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up
Will win: Ratatouille
Should win: Ratatouille
and for Foreign Language, Documentary, and the Shorts, just...look on IMDb or something. Lazy, I am.
Overall notes:
- AHHHHH LAURA LINNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- They really didn't like Sweeney Todd or Into the Wild very much.
- HAHAHAHA NORBIT THE OSCAR NOMINEE HAHAHAHA. Between this and Click last year, I think the Makeup department is just insane and wants to fuck with all of us.
- Okay, three nominations for Enchanted's songs (including the inane "Happy Working Song," which wouldn't have been shit without the genius person who sings it), but you couldn't manage a nod for Amy Adams? Boo. At least she'll be singing it live (I guess)!!!
- As long as I'm on the subject, Best Song is very strange. August Rush was awful and I don't enjoy thinking about it, but "Raise It Up" was the best song in the movie...not that that really says too much. Once is the most overrated film of 2007, but it should honestly take up all five spaces in this category ("Falling Slowly," "If You Want Me," "Lies," "Fallen from the Sky," "When Your Mind's Made Up" is a much better lineup than what they have).
- Surf's Up over The Simpsons Movie might be the strangest nominee of all, next to the very idea of Norbit as an Oscar nominee. Jesus Christ, the Academy loves penguins!
- Okay, I gotta say it: both Cate Blanchett and Jodie Foster were leads in crap films that got awful reviews and were way below them this year. Cate Blanchett was fine but far from outstanding or even very good in her movie. Jodie Foster was, well, not Silence of the Lambs or Contact level, but she was Jodie, that is to say, approximating brilliant. Who's got the Oscar nomination, though? Sigh.
- Do you think Keira is having a fabulous little fit that she didn't get a nomination but the scrawny Irish unknown did?
- SO happy for Ratatouille's many nominations. It's such a great movie.
- Teehee, one of the Best Foreign Film nominations (which are bizarre... where is 4 Months and Persepolis and Diving Bell????? Utterly weird) is from Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan greatest country in the world. All other countries are run by little girls. Kazakhstan number one exporter of potassium. Other countries have inferior potassium...
- ... could Kevin O'Connell actually win the Oscar? If he does, I'm predicting he gives one of the best speeches of the night (please, God, let us have an Oscar ceremony.) - in freakin' Sound!
- AHHHHHHH LAURA LINNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
Transformers
Will win: Transformers
Alternate: The Bourne Ultimatum
Dark horse: No Country for Old Men
Should win: ummm... No Country for Old Men?
Best Sound Editing
The Bourne Ultimatum
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
There Will Be Blood
Transformers
Will win: Transformers
Alternate: The Bourne Ultimatum
Dark horse: No Country for Old Men
Should win: Transformers
Best Visual Effects
The Golden Compass
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Transformers
Will win: Transformers
Should win: Transformers
Best Animated Film
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up
Will win: Ratatouille
Should win: Ratatouille
and for Foreign Language, Documentary, and the Shorts, just...look on IMDb or something. Lazy, I am.
Overall notes:
- AHHHHH LAURA LINNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- They really didn't like Sweeney Todd or Into the Wild very much.
- HAHAHAHA NORBIT THE OSCAR NOMINEE HAHAHAHA. Between this and Click last year, I think the Makeup department is just insane and wants to fuck with all of us.
- Okay, three nominations for Enchanted's songs (including the inane "Happy Working Song," which wouldn't have been shit without the genius person who sings it), but you couldn't manage a nod for Amy Adams? Boo. At least she'll be singing it live (I guess)!!!
- As long as I'm on the subject, Best Song is very strange. August Rush was awful and I don't enjoy thinking about it, but "Raise It Up" was the best song in the movie...not that that really says too much. Once is the most overrated film of 2007, but it should honestly take up all five spaces in this category ("Falling Slowly," "If You Want Me," "Lies," "Fallen from the Sky," "When Your Mind's Made Up" is a much better lineup than what they have).
- Surf's Up over The Simpsons Movie might be the strangest nominee of all, next to the very idea of Norbit as an Oscar nominee. Jesus Christ, the Academy loves penguins!
- Okay, I gotta say it: both Cate Blanchett and Jodie Foster were leads in crap films that got awful reviews and were way below them this year. Cate Blanchett was fine but far from outstanding or even very good in her movie. Jodie Foster was, well, not Silence of the Lambs or Contact level, but she was Jodie, that is to say, approximating brilliant. Who's got the Oscar nomination, though? Sigh.
- Do you think Keira is having a fabulous little fit that she didn't get a nomination but the scrawny Irish unknown did?
- SO happy for Ratatouille's many nominations. It's such a great movie.
- Teehee, one of the Best Foreign Film nominations (which are bizarre... where is 4 Months and Persepolis and Diving Bell????? Utterly weird) is from Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan greatest country in the world. All other countries are run by little girls. Kazakhstan number one exporter of potassium. Other countries have inferior potassium...
- ... could Kevin O'Connell actually win the Oscar? If he does, I'm predicting he gives one of the best speeches of the night (please, God, let us have an Oscar ceremony.) - in freakin' Sound!
- AHHHHHHH LAURA LINNEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
