81st Academy Award Nominations

[Miriel]

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

BEST DIRECTOR
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON - David Fincher
FROST/NIXON - Ron Howard
MILK - Gus Van Sant
THE READER - Stephen Daldry
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - Danny Boyle

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

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

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

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams for DOUBT
Penelope Cruz for VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Viola Davis for DOUBT
Tarija P. Henson for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Marisa Tomei for THE WRESTLER

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
FROZEN RIVER
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
IN BRUGES
MILK
WALL-E

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
DOUBT
FROST/NIXON
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

BEST ART DIRECTION/SET DECORATION
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
THE DUCHESS
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
AUSTRALIA
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DUCHESS
MILK

BEST FILM EDITING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
MILK
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

BEST SOUND MIXING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E
WANTED

BEST SOUND EDITING
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E
WANTED

BEST MAKEUP
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
DEFIANCE
MILK
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - "O Saya"
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE - "Jai Ho"
WALL-E - "Down to Earth"

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
BOLT
KUNG FU PANDA
WALL-E

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX - Germany
THE CLASS - France
DEPARTURES - Japan
REVANCHE - Austria
WALTZ WITH BASHIR - Israel

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
THE BETRAYAL
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
THE GARDEN
MAN ON WIRE
TROUBLE THE WATER

Aside from the Slumdog love and the awesome nod to Robert Downy JR., the nominations list is so boring. Sometimes, I get the feeling that the Academy doesn't even watch the movies that they nominate for these awards. They just nominate the people who they THINK should be nominated, regardless of the quality of movie and/or performances.

That's the only thing that can account for the mind boggling number of nominations for Benjamin Button, a movie that screams "Give me an Oscar!!!" but isn't actually very good at all.

I was bracing myself for a Dark Knight snub in the Best Picture category, but a Christopher Nolan snub?! Didn't see that one coming. Wall.E and Dark Knight both got shafted for the Best Picture category. I dunno how it can even be justified. Dark Knight (94% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and Wall.E (96% on RT) were both two of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of 2008. Compared to the lukewarm reviews given to Benjamin Button (77% on RT) and The Reader (60% on RT).

Whatever. Gonna root for Slumdog Millionaire and hope they include the Bollywood number when they present Jai Ho for best song.

[Bunny]

That list is god awful.

[Madame Adequate]

Query: How do they distinguish between Actor and Supporting Actor? I don't see how Ledger is a Supporting Actor for TDK, given that the entire movie revolved around him and he was one of the three main characters.

Also, what's with this Benjamin Button love?

[Tavrobel]

Is it just me, or has the Academy gotten less, less, and less creative with nominations ever since the third LotR? Despite their "credibility," all they manage to do is nominate the movies from the big studios that are all the same; there's nothing special about them. You've seen one, you've seen them all. Besides that, Hollywood sucks this year. We might as well just give the Dark Knight everything and call it a day.


Query: How do they distinguish between Actor and Supporting Actor? I don't see how Ledger is a Supporting Actor for TDK, given that the entire movie revolved around him and he was one of the three main characters.

I can't be entirely sure, but if you want a half-sarcastic answer, it would be because the title of the movie isn't about him. Therefore, he is not the main.

If you want a real answer, then the only clue I could give you is to think if the character could be replaced, and if the movie would still be the same movie. In the Academy's opinion, the Joker is interchangeable with someone else.

[Miriel]

Query: How do they distinguish between Actor and Supporting Actor? I don't see how Ledger is a Supporting Actor for TDK, given that the entire movie revolved around him and he was one of the three main characters.

Most of the time, common sense is enough to decide between supporting vs. main. But when it's not that obvious, it's usually up to the studio to decide how they want to campaign. If they feel like they'd have a better shot pushing for supporting than main, then they'll do that. Or take the case with Kate Winslet. She was pushed for Best Actress for Revolutionary Road and Supporting Actress for The Reader so that her nominations wouldn't cancel each other out. WB always campaigned for Ledger in the supporting category which is smart of them because in a toe-to-toe match up between Sean Penn for Milk and Ledger for Dark Knight, I think it would have gone to Penn. But in the supporting category, Ledger pretty much has the award locked down.

[Kirobaito]

I've never even HEARD of The Reader.

That said, go Frost/Nixon! Hopefully you'll get something.

[Rocket Edge]

BEST PICTURE
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

BEST DIRECTOR
FROST/NIXON - Ron Howard

BEST ACTOR
Mickey Rourke for THE WRESTLER

BEST ACTRESS
Kate Winslet for THE READER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger for THE DARK KNIGHT

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz for VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

Thats who I think will win in the main ones. Ledger is a cert anyway.

Think Nolan deserved to be nominated, however TDK in their eyes isn't oscar material. That said I thought TDK was incredably over-rated.

Also, If Anne Hathaway wins I'll scream.

[I Took the Red Pill]

Wall-E is not up for Best Picture? You've got to be fucking kidding me.

[Bunny]

Also, If Anne Hathaway wins I'll scream.

Good scream or bad scream?

[Shoeberto]

I have had trouble caring about the academy awards for years because of stuff like this. The picks are just always so obvious.

But I guess overall this year didn't really see an onslaught of great movies either, compared to other years. Oh well.

[Rocket Edge]

Also, If Anne Hathaway wins I'll scream.

Good scream or bad scream?

A bad one.

[Miriel]

I heard Anne Hathaway was brilliant in Rachel Getting Married. Why the hate?

[Big D]

! Didn't see that one coming. Wall.E and Dark Knight both got shafted for the Best Picture category. I dunno how it can even be justified. Dark Knight (94% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and Wall.E (96% on RT) were both two of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of 2008. Compared to the lukewarm reviews given to Benjamin Button (77% on RT) and The Reader (60% on RT).Personally, I'd hate to see the day when movie awards are based on ratings from websites. You let internet geeksites decide what "score" a movie gets, and Rick Astley will end up getting Best Actor every year...

Yes, Heath Ledger was remarkably good in The Dark Knight. But that movie shouldn't automatically win every accolade that's going, simply because of Ledger's unfortunate death.

I'm looking forward to The Reader. I read Der Vorleser a couple of years ago, it's a hard-hitting novel, and both thought-provoking and rather controversial. It's interesting that it's got an English adaptation so soon.

[The Man]

These award selections are smurfing awful; it's as if they're deliberately trying to make themselves as irrelevant as possible by disregarding everything that doesn't fit into their stuffy, antiquated notions of what constitutes cinematic art. The only thing that pleases me about this list is Ledger's nomination for TDK; apart from that, it's a bunch of reactionary crap.

That said, I still haven't seen Slumdog or Frost/Nixon, so maybe they're good, but the fact that cinematic masterpieces like Wall-E and TDK didn't get Best Picture or Best Director nods is just a joke.

[Miriel]

! Didn't see that one coming. Wall.E and Dark Knight both got shafted for the Best Picture category. I dunno how it can even be justified. Dark Knight (94% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes) and Wall.E (96% on RT) were both two of the most successful and critically acclaimed films of 2008. Compared to the lukewarm reviews given to Benjamin Button (77% on RT) and The Reader (60% on RT).Personally, I'd hate to see the day when movie awards are based on ratings from websites. You let internet geeksites decide what "score" a movie gets, and Rick Astley will end up getting Best Actor every year...

Rotten Tomatoes is a site that compiles reviews from actual critics. Kenneth Turan from the LA Times, Robert Ebert from the Chicago Sun Times, Lisa Schwarzbaum from Entertainment Weekly, etc. The site isn't 100% precise, but it does closely mirror what a lot of critic groups are thinking. Wall.E and Dark Knight both have their share of Best Picture awards given to them by specific critics groups (Boston Society of Film Critics, Los Angeles Film Critics, etc). The Producers Guild nominated Dark Knight for Best Picture and the Directors Guild nominated Christopher Nolan for Best Director.

Critics generally gave The Reader a lukewarm (at best) reception. So the fact that it got in OVER two of the most critically acclaimed and top grossing films of the year is insane.

And Wall.E is proof that never again will an animated feature get into the Best Picture category. Not with the existence of the Best Animated Film category.



That said, I still haven't seen Slumdog or Frost/Nixon, so maybe they're good, but the fact that cinematic masterpieces like Wall-E and TDK didn't get Best Picture or Best Director nods is just a joke.

Slumdog Millionaire has earned its place in my Best Movies EVER list. It was better than both Wall.E and Dark Knight, and every other nominated film this year. I wouldn't say it's a lock for Best Picture, but the chances are good.

[Rocket Edge]

I heard Anne Hathaway was brilliant in Rachel Getting Married. Why the hate?
She probably was, and it's not the acting side of her I hate, it's the human side. A friend of mine was an extra on a movie she did years ago, Jane Austin or whatever it was. She said that she was the biggest drama queen and was so stuck up all the time. She didn't talk to anyone, even people who said hello, and gave out constantly. According to what she told me, everyone hated her.

[Breine]

I heard Anne Hathaway was brilliant in Rachel Getting Married. Why the hate?
She probably was, and it's not the acting side of her I hate, it's the human side. A friend of mine was an extra on a movie she did years ago, Jane Austin or whatever it was. She said that she was the biggest drama queen and was so stuck up all the time. She didn't talk to anyone, even people who said hello, and gave out constantly. According to what she told me, everyone hated her.

I'd get tired of people saying hello and wanting my attention all the time as well. Probably just had a bad day or something, who knows really.

Anyway, I haven't really had the chance to see that many of the Oscar nominated movies since I'm traveling and all, but as far as I can see it looks pretty good. Did expect Benjamin Button to get a lot of noms, but that many was a bit of a surprise. Just sucks that I won't be home to see the show itself!

[The Man]

Slumdog Millionaire has earned its place in my Best Movies EVER list. It was better than both Wall.E and Dark Knight, and every other nominated film this year. I wouldn't say it's a lock for Best Picture, but the chances are good.Yeah, I wasn't discounting it as a good film, I'm just saying that when there's as wide a consensus that two films are masterpieces as there was with TDK and Wall-E, and both of them don't get Best Picture nominations, that just proves that the Academy is pretty much irrelevant these days.

[Miriel]

Here's a really great compilation of nearly 300 Top 10 lists from critics for 2008: MCN Awards Watch: The Awards Scoreboard (http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2009/top_ten/00scoreboard.htm)

Wall.E is #1 with 162 mentions and Dark Knight is #2 with 134 mentions. Actually, the top 5 films on that list is what the Oscar nomination list SHOULD look like. Dark Knight, Wall.E, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, and The Wrestler were all tremendous films. Far better than The Reader which is waaay down on the list at #32.

Yes, the Oscars have strayed further and further away from mainstream tastes. And that's dumb and narrowminded of them. They seriously need to stop awarding films that they think have the appearance of being artsy fartsy "high art" cinema. But then again, mainstream audiences need to get up off their ass and try actually watching some of the smaller budget and non-blockbuster films. It's kinda sad to me that more people have watched Mall Cop than Milk.

There should be a happy medium between the two extremes.

[The Man]

A lot of mainstream cinema is crap, there's no question about it, but there's by far more innovation in Wall-E than there is in, say, The Reader. Or for that matter, a good number of the films that have won Best Picture throughout the years.

That said, I also agree that audiences need to branch out more. Actually half the reason I'm so irked by those two films' exclusion is because both of them are in many ways so atypical of mainstream cinema. Wall-E was highly cinematically literate yet managed to break a tremendous amount of new ground, and any film that can keep audiences rapt through thirty minutes of practically no dialogue is an achievement for that alone. The Dark Knight, meanwhile, didn't really bother to present audiences with easy answers to anything; the whole movie was steeped in ethical shades of grey. Any film that expands the tastes of the mainstream as much as those two did deserves recognition, and the fact that the Academy isn't giving it annoys me to no end.

[Bunny]

I heard Anne Hathaway was brilliant in Rachel Getting Married. Why the hate?
She probably was, and it's not the acting side of her I hate, it's the human side. A friend of mine was an extra on a movie she did years ago, Jane Austin or whatever it was. She said that she was the biggest drama queen and was so stuck up all the time. She didn't talk to anyone, even people who said hello, and gave out constantly. According to what she told me, everyone hated her.

She's not being nominated for being an outstanding human being though and this isn't awards given out to the most stand-up people you will ever meet. It's an award for being a good actor and Hathaway is a good actor. Besides, the other actresses being nominated for the Best Support Actress Award weren't or aren't that great.

[Psychotic]

mind boggling number of nominations for Benjamin Button, a movie that screams "Give me an Oscar!!!" but isn't actually very good at all.
Yes, Heath Ledger was remarkably good in The Dark Knight. But that movie shouldn't automatically win every accolade that's going, simply because of Ledger's unfortunate death.These two quotes sum up my thoughts nicely.

[Rocket Edge]

I heard Anne Hathaway was brilliant in Rachel Getting Married. Why the hate?
She probably was, and it's not the acting side of her I hate, it's the human side. A friend of mine was an extra on a movie she did years ago, Jane Austin or whatever it was. She said that she was the biggest drama queen and was so stuck up all the time. She didn't talk to anyone, even people who said hello, and gave out constantly. According to what she told me, everyone hated her.

I'd get tired of people saying hello and wanting my attention all the time as well. Probably just had a bad day or something, who knows really.
So does everyone, but do be like that in extremes throughout the duration of filming is a bit much.



I heard Anne Hathaway was brilliant in Rachel Getting Married. Why the hate?
She probably was, and it's not the acting side of her I hate, it's the human side. A friend of mine was an extra on a movie she did years ago, Jane Austin or whatever it was. She said that she was the biggest drama queen and was so stuck up all the time. She didn't talk to anyone, even people who said hello, and gave out constantly. According to what she told me, everyone hated her.

She's not being nominated for being an outstanding human being though and this isn't awards given out to the most stand-up people you will ever meet. It's an award for being a good actor and Hathaway is a good actor. Besides, the other actresses being nominated for the Best Support Actress Award weren't or aren't that great.
I'll leave that to the Academy. I just rather she didn't win 'cos I don't like her.

[Del Murder]

Dark Knight is based on a comic book and Wall-E is an animated film so my guess that's why they didn't get nominated for best picture even though they were the best two films of the year in my irrelevant opinion.

What's just as bad as giving Dark Knight a bunch of accolades because of Legder's death is saying that any it does get is because of Ledger's death. It was a great film and I would have said he deserves an award for acting regardless of what happened to him.

[Boney King]

'READER' & WEEP, BATMAN - New York Post (http://www.nypost.com/seven/01232009/entertainment/movies/reader__weep__batman_151405.htm)

Link is relevant.

I don't really care about any of the nominations. I only saw Benjamin Button and it was pretty good, but obviously Oscar-bait. And my 2 top films of the year (WALL-E and The Dark Knight) got snubbed.

It wasn't a great year for films anyway.

[Depression Moon]

I've never even HEARD of The Reader.

Nor have I or Milk which sounds just terrible! I don't really think that The Dark Knight or Tropic Thunder will win anything. The Oscars is full of boujie people so they don't really like fun films and that's also why Iron Man wasn't nominated for anything either.I like the serious life changing movies too, but I also give respect to the fun thoughtful section movies and comedies. I wouldn't be surprised though if Heath wins an award. I won't bother watching the awards though because it's always boring.

[edczxcvbnm]

The snub of the Dark Knight and Wall-E in favor of less rated crap reminds me of a few years ago when critics gushed over Casino Royale(94% or something crazy) but instead nominated Babel which got something like 66%-ish at RT. Granted Casino Royale probably didn't deserve to be nominated but Babel sure as hell shouldn't have even been considered. If that last spot is a token spot at least give it to a movie everyone liked and considers to be great.

I rarely watch the academy awards and this year is so "typical" of them that I will not even bother. I hope the ratings blow.

While I like that films like "The Queen", "Milk" and "Frost/Nixon" are nominated(they are all damn good movies), I hate how the academy practically turns a blind eye to anything outside of reality. There have been exceptions such as the Lord of the Rings all getting nominated but it seems like you have to make the best movie ever outside of reality to even be considered.

[Old Manus]

I strongly disagree with the concept of giving anything but films awards in these ceremonies. It's just a bunch of famous people patting each other on the back then snorting lines of coke at Elton John's house in the 24 hours afterwards.

[Psychotic]

What the hell! I only just noticed this. Why wasn't Friedberg and Seltzer's periodic commentary Meet the Spartans included? I thought the strong themes that ran throughout really spoke to me as a cinema-goer. It just shouts out to you "This is how we live now!" Not many people know this because the media tried to cover it up, but famous singer Britney Spears shaved all her hair off. MtS was not afraid to speak out about this issue, and that's the kind of gritty situation what I want to see in my dramas. MtS delivered.

smurf the Academy. smurf everything.

[Tavrobel]

Paul, that's not even from this year.

[fire_of_avalon]

That list is god awful.
I mostly agree. Gran Torino snub? I never.

I've never even HEARD of The Reader.

That said, go Frost/Nixon! Hopefully you'll get something.
Really? It's really popular. I think I might see it in a couple weeks.


I have had trouble caring about the academy awards for years because of stuff like this. The picks are just always so obvious.

But I guess overall this year didn't really see an onslaught of great movies either, compared to other years. Oh well.
Yeah, I think this is pretty pertinent. They do it the same every year. All of the "Oscar-worthy" films come out in select cities about a month before the Golden Globes. In fact, most films that are nominated/win for the GGs aren't even released nationally by the time the awards are presented. So, clearly, no one really cares about the average person's take on a film - although average people are exactly what keep the industry afloat. Film is a really, really weird art form, isn't it?

That being said, Benji with Buttons is going to win everything because Danny Boyle is an outsider and Mickey Rourke is "washed up" and Hollywood hates stuff that isn't routine and sexy. It's really, really sad.

[Psychotic]

Paul, that's not even from this year.Well yeah, it's from 2008, but then again so is the Dark Knight etc. etc.

[edczxcvbnm]

Don't worry Paul...it was nomiated for WORST picture of the year for the Razzies =D

ROTTEN TOMATOES: Razzies Name 2008's Worst Movie Nominees (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/disaster_movie/news/1792152/razzies_name_2008s_worst_movie_nominees)

[Tavrobel]

Well yeah, it's from 2008, but then again so is the Dark Knight etc. etc.

Season. My apologies.

[charliepanayi]

I think Best Picture is between Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, with the former as the slight favourite at the moment. It currently has the momentum anyway. They may choose to split Best Film/Director between the two films perhaps.

I felt that Best Actor was between Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn, but Frank Langella could be a dark horse in that category. And I think Best Actress is between Kate Winslet and Anne Hathaway. The only real certainties at the moment are Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor (though I'd laugh my head off if Robert Downey Jnr pulled off a shock) and Wall-E for Best Animated Film.

I think we were a little spoilt last year when two terrific films in No Countty for Old Men and There Will Be Blood were the main contenders, so this year's list looks pretty staid in comparison. I've barely seen anyone have a good word to say about The Reader, but as usual the Weinsteins have managed to crowbar another film onto the shortlist. The Wrestler, Wall-E and The Dark Knight have all been snubbed (The Wrestler especially), but then the Oscar voters hate animated films and comic-book films (not to mention almost anything comedic). Films that don't conform to the profile of a typical Best Picture nominee are all too often sheparded into the Best Screenplay categories (Lost in Translation, Sideways, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Being John Malkovich, every Pixar film) or technical awards.

The Oscars narrow focus on what to nominate is their biggest flaw. But then if you listed all the mistakes the Oscars have made you could go on for hours.

I'd like Slumdog Millionaire to win I think. It's a very good film and its sheer exuberance carries you along.

[Miriel]

The snub of the Dark Knight and Wall-E in favor of less rated crap reminds me of a few years ago when critics gushed over Casino Royale(94% or something crazy) but instead nominated Babel which got something like 66%-ish at RT. Granted Casino Royale probably didn't deserve to be nominated but Babel sure as hell shouldn't have even been considered.

Babel was literally one of the worst films I've ever seen in my life.

[Kenshin IV]

I was bracing myself for a Dark Knight snub in the Best Picture category, but a Christopher Nolan snub?! Didn't see that one coming. Wall.E and Dark Knight both got shafted for the Best Picture category.

WALL-E was never really in the running for best picture, and that's directly due to the Best Animated Picture category. It isn't exactly fair, but that's their reasoning behind it. As for The Dark Knight and Nolan, Best Picture and Best Director usually go hand-in-hand, so it's no surprise it got snubbed on both accounts. It certainly was worthy of a nomination, but it isn't exactly shocking it got snubbed either. Not only is it a comic-book movie, already a negative for it's chances, but the Academy loves them some Harvey Weinstein and the fact that there were rumors that Weinstein was in serious trouble due to a number of flops, I'm sure that played into The Readers nomination.

Plus when a movie (or anything) like The Dark Knight reaches that rare, elite level of critical and commercial world-wide success, that too can hurt it drastically. When something reaches that level it always goes together with the "overrated" tag by some. Final Fantasy fans should be more than familiar with this. Just look at what happened with Final Fantasy VII. It's the same kinda thing.

Other movies this year got snubbed, too. The Wrestler is certainly better than a lot of those choices. One of my personal, lesser-known favorites of the year was In Bruges. Although that never had any chance, so it wasn't really a "snub" per se. Outta the five nominees, Slumdog Millionaire is definitely the better film, and will most likely win.