For this writer, Oscar time is about as exciting as Christmas and this year could be the best ceremony yet. From Heath Ledger and "Slumdog Millionaire" to "Frost/Nixon" and Mickey Rourke, the competition is jam-packed with great roles and great films.
Who will take home the trophies during the 81st annual Academy Awards ceremony tonight at 8 on ABC? Here's a look:
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"WALL-E"
Should and will win: Pixar's "WALL-E" was not just a pretty amazing animated film, it's a pretty amazing film. Don't have kids? Don't worry about it. Watch it anyway. The film's intelligence and message is approved for all ages.
Who will take home the trophies during the 81st annual Academy Awards ceremony tonight at 8 on ABC? Here's a look:
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"WALL-E"
Should and will win: Pixar's "WALL-E" was not just a pretty amazing animated film, it's a pretty amazing film. Don't have kids? Don't worry about it. Watch it anyway. The film's intelligence and message is approved for all ages.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Should win: "The Dark Knight" is simply a visually stunning movie. There are no sweeping landscapes, no epic shots, but what it does have is simply perfect sequences that look amazing. (The tractor trailer scene at the end? Come on!)
Will win: I don't think "Benjamin Button" is going to win a ton of awards, but this will be one of them.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth" from "WALL-E," Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman
"Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar
"O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam
Should win: I don't think there were many blatant snubs this year but Bruce Springsteen's "The Wrestler" from the film of the same name should have been a runaway winner.
Will win: Take your pick from the "Slumdog" soundtrack. I'll employ the very scientific method of closing my eyes and pointing --at "O Saya."
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Eric Roth and Robin Swicord for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
John Patrick Shanley for "Doubt"
Peter Morgan for "Frost/Nixon"
David Hare for "The Reader"
Simon Beaufoy for "Slumdog Millionaire"
Should and will win: You couldn't ask for better material than what Peter Morgan got with "Frost/Nixon." The built in suspense and drama led to one of the best films of the year.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Courtney Hunt for "Frozen River"
Mike Leigh for "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Martin McDonagh for "In Bruges"
Dustin Lance Black for "Milk"
Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter for "WALL-E"
Should win: Fanboy readers know I have been pushing "In Bruges" since it was released last summer. The film is bold and outrageously funny, with characters that are just perfect. In this writer's opinion, it was one of the top 10 films of the year.
Will win: The story of Harvey Milk takes home the first of its many trophies of the night.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams for "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis for "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei for "The Wrestler"
Should win: Marisa Tomei's portrait of an aging stripper opposite Mickey Rourke's aging wrestler in "The Wrestler" is sad and beautiful. And while it wasn't a particularly large role, neither was that of Davis in "Doubt," whose entire performance can be found in a 7 minute clip on YouTube.
Will win: Hey, if Alan Arkin can win after only being in "Little Miss Sunshine" for 15 minutes, so can Viola Davis.
Wanna see her entire 7-minute performance?
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"
Should and will win: No actor or actress embodied a role like
Heath Ledger did with the Joker. The performance was spot on and at
times creepily perfect. And while, yeah, this is the sentimental vote
due to the actor's passing last January, it makes him no less
deserving. His family accepting the award for him should be an Oscar
moment to remember.
BEST DIRECTOR
David Fincher for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant for "Milk"
Stephen Daldry for "The Reader"
Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire"
Should win: How do you take a film about one dude talking to another dude in cozy armchairs and make it one of the most suspenseful films of the year? Ask Ron Howard. By rights, there is no reason that "Frost/Nixon" should have been as heart racingly good as it was. But there isn't a moment of the film that doesn't hold your attention.
Will win: The only way Howard doesn't take the award is if the Academy gives the trophy to Danny Boyle. But if I have to pick, I'm still going with Howard.
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"
Should win: Disclaimer: all apologies to my wife, but if Angelina Jolie sent for me today, none of you would ever see me again. All that aside, Jolie's performance in "Changeling" was incredibly touching as a mother whose child has been abducted. While the film is not perfect, Angie's perfomance is.
Will win: There is no way that Kate Winslet doesn't win the Oscar for "The Reader." The Academy loves period pieces and asbetween being both the object of Ralph Fiennes' affection and a Nazi guard at a concentration camp, Winslet is stellar on screen.
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"
Should win: Oscar loves a good comeback story and it's hard to find one better than Mickey Rourke. As the way-past-his-prime wrestler, Randy "The Ram," Rourke delivers a performance that is touching, endearing and incredibly depressing. But there isn't another actor in Hollywood that could have delivered it the way he did.
Will win: This is easily the toughest category of the night with Rourke, Langella and Sean Penn. It could easily be any one of these three them but if it isn't Rourke, then put your money on Penn.
BEST PICTURE
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Should win: Since "The Wrestler" wound up being snubbed in this category, I have to go with "Frost/Nixon." A wonderful script, brilliant acting and a masterful directing job make this my best pic of the year.
Will win: In the spirit of "Crash," look for the indie bombshell to take the top award of the night. "Slumdog Millionaire" wins the big prize.
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"The Dark Knight"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Should win: "The Dark Knight" is simply a visually stunning movie. There are no sweeping landscapes, no epic shots, but what it does have is simply perfect sequences that look amazing. (The tractor trailer scene at the end? Come on!)
Will win: I don't think "Benjamin Button" is going to win a ton of awards, but this will be one of them.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth" from "WALL-E," Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman
"Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar
"O Saya" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam
Should win: I don't think there were many blatant snubs this year but Bruce Springsteen's "The Wrestler" from the film of the same name should have been a runaway winner.
Will win: Take your pick from the "Slumdog" soundtrack. I'll employ the very scientific method of closing my eyes and pointing --at "O Saya."
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAYEric Roth and Robin Swicord for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
John Patrick Shanley for "Doubt"
Peter Morgan for "Frost/Nixon"
David Hare for "The Reader"
Simon Beaufoy for "Slumdog Millionaire"
Should and will win: You couldn't ask for better material than what Peter Morgan got with "Frost/Nixon." The built in suspense and drama led to one of the best films of the year.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Courtney Hunt for "Frozen River"
Mike Leigh for "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Martin McDonagh for "In Bruges"
Dustin Lance Black for "Milk"
Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter for "WALL-E"
Should win: Fanboy readers know I have been pushing "In Bruges" since it was released last summer. The film is bold and outrageously funny, with characters that are just perfect. In this writer's opinion, it was one of the top 10 films of the year.
Will win: The story of Harvey Milk takes home the first of its many trophies of the night.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams for "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz for "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis for "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei for "The Wrestler"
Should win: Marisa Tomei's portrait of an aging stripper opposite Mickey Rourke's aging wrestler in "The Wrestler" is sad and beautiful. And while it wasn't a particularly large role, neither was that of Davis in "Doubt," whose entire performance can be found in a 7 minute clip on YouTube.
Will win: Hey, if Alan Arkin can win after only being in "Little Miss Sunshine" for 15 minutes, so can Viola Davis.
Wanna see her entire 7-minute performance?
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"
Should and will win: No actor or actress embodied a role like
Heath Ledger did with the Joker. The performance was spot on and at
times creepily perfect. And while, yeah, this is the sentimental vote
due to the actor's passing last January, it makes him no less
deserving. His family accepting the award for him should be an Oscar
moment to remember.BEST DIRECTOR
David Fincher for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard for "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant for "Milk"
Stephen Daldry for "The Reader"
Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire"
Should win: How do you take a film about one dude talking to another dude in cozy armchairs and make it one of the most suspenseful films of the year? Ask Ron Howard. By rights, there is no reason that "Frost/Nixon" should have been as heart racingly good as it was. But there isn't a moment of the film that doesn't hold your attention.
Will win: The only way Howard doesn't take the award is if the Academy gives the trophy to Danny Boyle. But if I have to pick, I'm still going with Howard.
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"
Should win: Disclaimer: all apologies to my wife, but if Angelina Jolie sent for me today, none of you would ever see me again. All that aside, Jolie's performance in "Changeling" was incredibly touching as a mother whose child has been abducted. While the film is not perfect, Angie's perfomance is.
Will win: There is no way that Kate Winslet doesn't win the Oscar for "The Reader." The Academy loves period pieces and asbetween being both the object of Ralph Fiennes' affection and a Nazi guard at a concentration camp, Winslet is stellar on screen.
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"
Should win: Oscar loves a good comeback story and it's hard to find one better than Mickey Rourke. As the way-past-his-prime wrestler, Randy "The Ram," Rourke delivers a performance that is touching, endearing and incredibly depressing. But there isn't another actor in Hollywood that could have delivered it the way he did.
Will win: This is easily the toughest category of the night with Rourke, Langella and Sean Penn. It could easily be any one of these three them but if it isn't Rourke, then put your money on Penn.
BEST PICTURE
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
Should win: Since "The Wrestler" wound up being snubbed in this category, I have to go with "Frost/Nixon." A wonderful script, brilliant acting and a masterful directing job make this my best pic of the year.
Will win: In the spirit of "Crash," look for the indie bombshell to take the top award of the night. "Slumdog Millionaire" wins the big prize.
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