Who should win: Those few who have witnessed Leo's note-perfect performance in River will not soon forget it.
BEST ACTOR
- Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
- Sean Penn, Milk
- Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
- Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Who will win: Rourke has been rapidly exhausting his goodwill with his erratic off-screen behavior (which is just puzzling, as he's not getting the award for his lifestyle). Nonetheless, look for Penn's earnest embodiment to eke out a victory.
Who should win: Rourke. While his face may have changed over the years, his talent continues to mesmerize.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Amy Adams, Doubt
- Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
- Viola Davis, Doubt
- Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Who will win: Cruz has been the slow and steady one in this race, and was the standout of Woody Allen's sexed-up dramedy. And while Davis was equally impressive, her marginal role in Doubt may not be enough against some of the meatier roles.
Who should win: Between The Wrestler and last year's Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead Tomei has bared herself to the audience in ways no other mainstream actress of her generation has.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Josh Brolin, Milk
- Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
- Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
- Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
Who should and will: A much deserving Heath Ledger.
BEST DIRECTOR
- 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. For all its sentimental faults, he raised Slumdog with skill and technical verisimilitude.
Who should win: It always seems as though this category exists for voters to split love between two Best Picture favorites, so since I selected Benjamin for the top honors, it's only fitting that Fincher should prevail here.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- Dustin Lance Black, Milk
- Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
- Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
- Marttin McDonagh, In Bruges
- Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, WALL·E
Who will win: Milk's Black crafted a fine highlight reel of the politician's life, which should also get a boost from those in the Prop. 8 state.
Article comments
1 - No Longer Silent
Milk is the most important cultural happening outside of the Obama Presidency this year.
How can you deny the impact this will have on this nation? This is the end of the right-wing rule over our lives!
2 - El Bicho
"Winslet's Golden Globe win ups her chances for Oscar glory"
I don't understand your reasoning here. The SAG award went to Meryl Streep and the acting body is the biggest wing in the Academy. Many of the members crossover, so I don't see how a Golden Globe decided by foreign journalists matters.
3 - Rob
Here you go, Bicho. From that rag called the UK Independent:
"Strangely enough, the Globes are a slightly more reliable indicator of who will be the Oscars' best actress than they are for the best actor. The Globes have largely matched the Oscars in the actress category for yonks - as far back as 1944, when Jennifer Jones won both for The Song of Bernadette, through to 1972, when Jane Fonda reaped both for Klute. In the last five years, there has been only one mismatch, when Sissy Spacek (In the Bedroom) and Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge) won Globes, but Halle Berry took the Oscar for Monster's Ball."
Enjoy the show...
4 - handyguy
Different nominations at the SAG awards: Winslet won for The Reader in the supporting category, and was nominated for Revolutionary Road in the lead. [And don't forget last year's results: Julie Christie won the SAG, and Marion Cotillard got the Oscar.]
I love Kate in general, but I'd prefer to see Anne Hathaway be recognized. Rachel Getting Married is very good, and she is phenomenal in it. Melissa Leo will probably win the Independent Spirit award the night before the Oscars.
5 - suvro
Hi,
My vote for the best movie goes to Slumdog.Awesome movie with magnificient music and backgound score.I have seen the movie several times.