Monday, February 23, 2009

Oscar Winners

The biggest movie event of the year happened on Sunday night. I was watching raptly; were you?
The Oscars exploded back onto the small screen to celebrate the acheivments on the big screen of the past year. Host Hugh Jackman was a good choice as a counter to the usual comedy man, like Billy Crystal or Jon Stewart. He did make some good jokes, including a guess as to why he wasn't nominated for Australia (because he's Australian). The highlight of his performance was definitely his opening number, in which he said since the country was in a recession, they had to cut back on sets and he made them all in his garage. So, on cardboard sets, he made hilarious songs about Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, and The Dark Knight. My personal favorite was the Frost/Nixon bit, where he randomly grabbed Anne Hathaway from the audience to play Nixon in his skit. ("Frank Langella was sitting right next to me!") The second musical sequence, in which he celebrated the success of Mamma Mia! at the box office and the supposed return of the movie musical, was entirely unnecessary but a good energy-upper.
The format of this year was so clever, and yet so obvious, it makes me wonder why no one thought of it before. The evening was structured to tell a narrative about making a movie, starting with the screenplay awards, moving on to costumes and makeup, and finishing with post-production elements like music, visual effects, and sound. The major awards were sprinkled in between, with Director, Actress, Actor, and Best Picture being the last, suspenseful awards given.
Each acting award had five previous winners of that award take the stage, including last year's winners Tilda Swinton and Marion Cotillard. Each of the presenters addressed one nominee directly and praised their performance, at the end of which one of them opened the envelope and announced the winner. This was a good idea, but the praising went on uncomfortably long and was missing one vital element-the film clip. This is why some people watch the show, just to see film clips of the nominated films they did not see. While other categories used clips as normal, the four acting awards did not, leaving a sort of emptiness once the award was handed out. The producers did not think of the audience on that one.
Well, I still enjoyed the ceremony and hope that Hugh Jackman will return to host sometime in the future. Below are all the winners, complete with my commentary and comparison to my predictions. I got 15 out of 24 categories correct. Less than what I'd hoped for, but still more than half.

Best Picture

( ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) Frost/Nixon
( ) Milk
( ) The Reader
(x) Slumdog Millionaire

Correct. Slumdog came out the year's biggest film with ten nominations and an astonishing eight wins. This win marks the end of a long awards season that had this film in front for most of it. Over the next year, expect many romantic films set on game shows.

Best Director

( ) David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
( ) Gus Van Sant, Milk
( ) Stephen Daldry, The Reader
(x) Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Correct. The Best Picture and Director awards matched up this year, as they do maybe three-fourths of the time. Boyle deserves it for making the feel-good movie of the year and for it being his first nomination. Bet you didn't expect this from the guy who did 28 Days Later and Sunshine. Can't wait to see what he does next.

Best Actor

( ) Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
( ) Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
(x) Sean Penn, Milk
( ) Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Incorrect. I guessed Rourke would take it, but Penn was my personal preference, so I'm happy. Penn gave a beatiful acceptance speech about earning equal rights for gays which again makes me wonder who the hell voted for Proposition 8 in California. Although Rourke was extraordinary, Penn deserves it for bring Milk back to life. Milk won two awards, making it one of only four films to win multiple awards.

Best Actress

( ) Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
( ) Angelina Jolie, Changeling
( ) Melissa Leo, Frozen River
( ) Meryl Streep, Doubt
(x) Kate Winslet, The Reader

Correct. As predicted, the Academy gave Winslet her first Oscar after five previous losses. I didn't have a lot of love for that movie, but Winslet was still stunning in it. She deserves it just for being one of the greatest actresses alive. (She should have won for Titanic way back when!)

Best Supporting Actor

( ) Josh Brolin, Milk
( ) Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
( ) Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
(x) Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
( ) Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Correct. The Academy simply couldn't resist awarding Ledger for one of the most terrifying screen villains in history. I hate to say it, but the fact that he died actually helped his chances. This is only the second posthumous acting award in history, and it's got to be the first acting Oscar for a comic book movie. He completely deserved it; it's only a shame he didn't live to win it himself. The Dark Knight walked away with two Oscars; not bad for a sequel to a big superhero movie franchise.

Best Supporting Actress

( ) Amy Adams, Doubt
(x) Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
( ) Viola Davis, Doubt
( ) Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Incorrect. The Academy has lost their minds. I'll admit, I'm biased, I haven't seen the movie, and I don't like Cruz or Woody Allen. But her comic performance just doesn't seem to have the gusto needed for an Oscar. I would have been much happier with anyone else on the list.

Best Adapted Screenplay

( ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) Doubt
( ) Frost/Nixon
( ) The Reader
(x) Slumdog Millionaire

Correct. Slumdog won for writing to go along with Best Picture and Director. I don't know much about the book it originated from, but this film doesn't feel like it's adapted from anything. It feels completely original in every respect, even though it's essentially a formula film set in Mumbai. I'd be interested to see what this screenwriter does next.

Best Original Screenplay

( ) Frozen River
( ) Happy-Go-Lucky
( ) In Bruges
(x) Milk
( ) WALL-E

Correct. As the only Best Picture nominee of the bunch, Milk easily won this prize. Dustin Lance Black's acceptance speech was one of the highlights of the evening, as he promised all of his gay audience members that God loves them and soon they will have equal rights. A very impressive script from a first-time writer; hope he makes more like these in the future.

Best Original Score

( ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) Defiance
( ) Milk
(x) Slumdog Millionaire
( ) WALL-E

Correct. Slumdog's soundtrack's unique sound took this award away from the more traditional scores. If you haven't heard the soundtrack, I encourage you to check it out; it's a little taste of Bollywood.

Best Original Song

( ) "Down to Earth," WALL-E
(x) "Jai Ho," Slumdog Millionaire
( ) "O Saya," Slumdog Millionaire

Incorrect. Maybe I should have seen this one coming, but typically, multiple nominations here is bad luck. "Jai Ho" is completely in Hindi, and is a heavily choreographed dance sequence played out during the end credits that doesn't really make sense with the rest of the film. Regardless, it's almost impossible not to fall in love with it. Again, check out this song on the soundtrack if you haven't.

Best Film Editing

( ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) The Dark Knight
( ) Frost/Nixon
( ) Milk
(x) Slumdog Millionaire

Incorrect. This year's editing Oscar squared up with Best Picture as it often does. I still think The Dark Knight is more worthy, but since it didn't get nominated for the top spot, maybe its nomination is its victory. Slumdog's editing does help set the mood nicely.

Best Cinematography

( ) Changeling
( ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) The Dark Knight
( ) The Reader
(x) Slumdog Millionaire

Correct. Although I prefered The Dark Knight to win here, I correctly guessed that Slumdog's handheld camerawork would prevail. It puts the viewer right next to the action and adds to the excitement of already exciting scenes.

Best Makeup

(x) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) The Dark Knight
( ) Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Correct. The makeup helped age Brad Pitt in reverse and Cate Blanchett and Taraji P. Henson forward. Although Hellboy's work is impressive, it was all just monsters, which is kind of easy to do, and The Dark Knight's makeup was really only for the Joker's face. Benjamin Button won three Oscars, an impressive feat considering Slumdog gobbled up every award in sight.

Best Costume Design

( ) Australia
( ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(x) The Duchess
( ) Milk
( ) Revolutionary Road

Correct. This award always goes to the biggest and most glamorous costumes, which this year's was a no-brainer. Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes looked very dashing in their Victorian-era garbs.

Best Art Direction

( ) Changeling
(x) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) The Dark Knight
( ) The Duchess
( ) Revolutionary Road

Correct. Slumdog would have won here if it was nominated, but its exclusion granted mercy to Benjamin Button, allowing it to win one for its stellar scenes all over the world and all across time.

Best Visual Effects

(x) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) The Dark Knight
( ) Iron Man

Correct. While I love the special effects in all the nominees, Benjamin Button got it for aging Brad Pitt in reverse. It gets extra points for putting the fantasy element seamlessly into a period drama where it didn't belong.

Best Sound Mixing

( ) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
( ) The Dark Knight
(x) Slumdog Millionaire
( ) WALL-E
( ) Wanted

Incorrect. A huge shocker for me, Slumdog stole the award away from WALL-E. The robot's beeps and boops were no match for the bustling business of Mumbai, apparently. Just goes to show that a strong film that everyone loves cannot be stopped in any category.

Best Sound Editing

(x) The Dark Knight
( ) Iron Man
( ) Slumdog Millionaire
( ) WALL-E
( ) Wanted

Incorrect. I spoke too soon; this is the only category in which Slumdog lost. (For Original Song, it lost to itself.) While I still think Ben Burtt deserved recognition for his work in WALL-E, it's nice to see that The Dark Knight was honored in the technical categories.

Best Animated Feature

( ) Bolt
( ) Kung Fu Panda
(x) WALL-E

Correct. This was one of the surest things this year, and a highlight of the night was Jack Black (the star of Kung Fu Panda) presenting the award. Black joked that he bet all his money on Pixar before the ceremony; lucky for him, the film sailed to victory.

Best Foreign Language Film

( ) The Baader Meinhof Complex
( ) The Class
(x) Departures
( ) Revanche
( ) Waltz with Bashir

Incorrect. This was one of the big surprises of the evening; it seemed to clearly be between The Class and Waltz. Surprise winner Departures was a huge hit in Japan, but isn't even available in the United States.

Best Documentary Feature

( ) The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
( ) Encounters at the End of the World
( ) The Garden
(x) Man on Wire
( ) Trouble the Water

Correct. Man on Wire was clearly the favorite and easily walked to the winner's circle. Possibly the highlight of the evening came right after the acceptance speeches, in which Philippe Petit- the man on wire himself- grabbed the producer's Oscar and balanced it on his face for a few seconds. Like the stunt he pulled in the film, there was no reason for this, it was just so he could say he did it. It became the iconic image of the evening and will be remembered for a long time to come.

Best Live Action Short Film

( ) Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
( ) Manon on the Asphalt
( ) New Boy
( ) The Pig
(x) Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Correct. The Holocaust-themed film won the prize, as predicted.

Best Animated Short Film

(x) La Maison en Petits Cubes
( ) Lavatory Lovestory
( ) Oktapodi
( ) Presto
( ) This Way Up

Incorrect. The Japanese short stole the award away from Pixar's wonderful Presto. Like the foreign language film, this short is not available in the United States. Why does the Academy vote for films they likely have not seen?

Best Documentary Short

( ) The Conscience of Nhem En
( ) The Final Inch
(x) Smile Pinki
( ) The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306

Incorrect. Smile Pinki, about a child with a cleft lip getting surgery, won the award that no one cares about.

Thanks for reading, and thank you Hugh Jackman for bringing the Oscars up from last year's low!
Jai ho!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Oscar Winners Predictions

The Academy Awards ceremony will be broadcast on ABC live on Sunday, February 22nd at 7:00 pm. Lots of rumors have been circulating around about the ceremony, that the awards given out will be structured to tell a story, that the presenters are being kept secret, that Hugh Jackman (he's the host, in case you don't know) will lead a large song and dance number. No one really knows what to expect from the ceremony, but from my point of view, it doesn't really matter because I think not many people will watch. The viewers may increase to see if Heath Ledger will receive a posthumous Oscar (only the second in history), but the nominees leave little else for the general public. I, of course, will be watching religiously as always, as I have seen most of the nominated films and am very interested to see who will take home the gold.
These are my winners predictions. I'll list out all the categories again, tell who I think deserves to win, and then who I think will win. My opinion is not worth very much as I am not a professional critic, but this may show that I don't always side with the Academy on their decisions. Feel free to leave comments if you agree or disagree; I'll do another post after the ceremony to see how close I was.

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Who should win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire

The film that started out the season as the underdog has now become the Lord of the Rings of this year, winning every major award so far. It is pretty much in the bag right now, although I sense that Milk may be making a comeback. Slumdog totally deserves the win, as it is by far the most entertaining of the five, and is exceptionally well-made to boot. Jai ho!

Best Director

David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Who should win: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

The Director and Best Picture wins will square up this year, as they frequently do, and it will rightfully go to the man who made the film of his career. Gus Van Sant is also a worthy choice, and could possibly score an upset win. Ron Howard and Stephen Daldry don't have much of a chance; David Fincher made a semi-epic film, but it didn't really turn out the way he envisioned it.

Best Actor

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Who should win: Sean Penn, Milk
Who will win: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

This race has Penn and Rourke neck-in-neck and I can see either of them winning. I loved both movies and both performances, but have to prefer Penn for bringing a real person back to life for the whole world to see. The Academy, however, will side with Rourke for his role that brought his career back on track. Plus, this is Rourke's first nomination, and Penn already won in this category six years ago. Langella was also good as Richard Nixon, but his performance seems a little too caricature for me. And I loved Jenkins in The Visitor, and he was such a long-shot to be nominated, that the nomination is a victory in itself, especially in such great company. If you ask me, Pitt didn't even deserve a nomination here; Benjamin Button is way too quiet and uninteresting a character.

Best Actress

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Who should win: Meryl Streep, Doubt
Who will win: Kate Winslet, The Reader

This is Winslet's sixth nomination. She is a goddess, and she deserves an Oscar. No, she needs an Oscar. And the Academy will deliver it to her this year. I'm just not excited about her winning for this film. It was a powerful performance, but the film left many things to be desired. Like, a point. Streep was remarkable as a nun who accuses a priest of molesting a child, and late in the film, the audience has to question the character's sanity. But, she has two Oscars and Winslet has none. Hathaway is also a worthy first-time nominee, but there hasn't been a whole lot of love for the film itself. She will get another chance to win later. Jolie and Leo have lost a lot of heat because it's been a while since their films came out.

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 win: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Who will win: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Ledger's performance as the Joker was utterly terrifying and will go down in history as one of the best screen villains of all time. Yes, all of the other nominees were good (Hoffman was extraordinary), but Ledger brought us something we've never seen before; his performance is on a whole different level than the others. An upset win is possible, at this point Brolin seems to be getting a lot of love, but that would seem like an insult to Ledger's memory.

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 should win: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Who will win: Viola Davis, Doubt

This race is the most wide-open this year, mostly because Kate Winslet was nominated for lead Actress instead of here. My personal choice is Tomei because she brought a whole new light to the film that was mostly advertised as a vehicle for Mickey Rourke. I loved Adams in Doubt, but her performance is too restrained to warrant a win. Cruz didn't even deserve the nomination, and while Henson was one of the best things in that film, she doesn't have any particularly strong scenes. Davis has a pretty small role, but has been lauded for packing a hell of a punch in such little screen time. I think the Academy will give the Oscar to her, if it doesn't lose its mind and give it to Cruz.

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Who should win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire

I'm torn on my personal favorite; I admired how Frost/Nixon turned a series of television interviews into an entertaining film, via a play. Doubt was also seamlessly adapted from a play, and Curious Case turned a short story into a very ambitious epic film project. But Slumdog turned a formula film into something totally unique and opened up a world most Americans have never seen. The Academy will give it the Oscar to go along with its Best Picture win, although a Curious Case upset is possible.

Best Original Screenplay

Frozen River
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Milk
WALL-E

Who should win: WALL-E
Who will win: Milk

The screenwriter for Milk toiled for years to capture the spirit of Harvey Milk and to tell his story accurately, and he will get his well-deserved first Oscar. However, my vote is for WALL-E, the most original animated film I've ever seen, and one of Pixar's best. They should give it this Oscar since they won't nominate animated films for Best Picture. The other three nominees are standard indie films and don't have much of a chance.

Best Original Score

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

Who should win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog's score is incredible, and unlike anything else America has heard before. It brings a taste of Bollywood into Hollywood and will be rewarded. While WALL-E's score is exceptional for an animated film and Curious Case's score is beautiful, Slumdog has the unique factor on its side.

Best Original Song

"Down to Earth," WALL-E
"Jai Ho," Slumdog Millionaire
"O Saya," Slumdog Millionaire

Who should win: "O Saya," Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: "Down to Earth," WALL-E

I remember I had a huge smile on my face when I saw Slumdog and the song "O Saya" started, opening up a chase sequence at the beginning of the film. It definitely gets the unique vote: it combines traditional Indian music and percussion with M.I.A.'s fast and frenzied raps. "Jai Ho," the closing credits song that also served as a huge dance number, has a better shot as it's completely in Hindi and more traditional, but multiple nominations in this category usually backfire, and I think the very worthy "Down to Earth" will give Peter Gabriel an Oscar for his closing-credits song.

Best Film Editing

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

Who should win: The Dark Knight
Who will win: The Dark Knight

Curious Case really needed a trim and had a lame framing device that wasn't needed. Frost/Nixon's editing was good, but doesn't really bring anything special to the table. Milk splendidly blended its drama with real news and video footage from the time. Slumdog was filled with flashbacks that didn't hinder the story, but progressed it and matched the energy perfectly. It could win to match with Best Picture, but I think the award will go to the very worthy Dark Knight, as it had to swtich between several different locations and brought the suspense level up to almost unbearable heights. It will win here as penance for not being nominated for Best Picture.

Best Cinematography

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Who should win: The Dark Knight
Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire

The Dark Knight deserves to win for its sweeping city shots and action sequences filmed in IMAX. But Slumdog will add on to its growing list of wins for its energetic camerawork that places the viewer on the streets of Mumbai.

Best Makeup

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Who should win: tie between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Dark Knight
Who will win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I'm torn between the first two nominees. Curious Case skillfully aged Brad Pitt in reverse, as well as aged all its other characters the correct way. The Dark Knight made Heath Ledger unrecognizable and was a vital part of his performance. The Academy will side with the former because it is much more glamorous. Sorry, Hellboy, but the fact that this is the film's only nomination pretty much sends its chances straight down to...you know.

Best Costume Design

Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road

Who should win: Milk
Who will win: The Duchess

All of the costumes are good, and add to the story and the believability. My vote is for Milk because the costumes make the viewer believe it's the 70's but don't draw attention to themselves. The Academy likes period pieces though, so Victorian England-set Duchess will win.

Best Art Direction

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

Who should win: Changeling
Who will win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Clint Eastwood wouldn't have been able to make Changeling at all if his movie didn't look exactly like Los Angeles in the 20's, and it was very convincing as such. But, as the sole Best Picture nominee in the bunch, Curious Case will pick up the win for its many different locales across decades.

Best Visual Effects

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Iron Man

Who should win: three-way tie
Who will win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I am truly torn here and cannot decide on a favorite. The Dark Knight is the least showy of the bunch, as Christopher Nolan prides himself on not using a lot of visual effects, but Two-Face looked very real, as did the helicopter crash and everything else that was a visual effect but we didn't even realize it. In Iron Man, I couldn't tell which shots of the suit were real and which were computer-generated. Very believable and cool, to boot. Curious Case, along with the makeup, helped age Benjamin Button in reverse and made it look real. The Academy will be unlike me and decide on the last, because it's a non-blockbuster.

Best Sound Mixing

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Who should win: WALL-E
Who will win: WALL-E

I read that The Dark Knight would actually win both sound awards. While that would be awesome and proof that the Academy didn't totally ignore it, I disagree. Ben Burtt had to create all of the sounds for WALL-E from scratch, ending up with practically half the finished product being due to just his work.

Best Sound Editing

The Dark Knight
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Wanted

Who should win: WALL-E
Who will win: WALL-E

These two awards usually match up. If WALL-E wins Sound Mixing, it'll win here as well. Although the same prediction goes for The Dark Knight.

Best Animated Feature

Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

Who should win: WALL-E
Who will win: WALL-E

Bolt and Kung Fu Panda are cool films, but don't even come close to Pixar and its latest masterpiece. If WALL-E doesn't win, the LAPD will launch a full-scale investigation into the Academy voting system.

Best Foreign Language Film

The Baader Meinhof Complex
The Class
Departures
Revanche
Waltz with Bashir

Who should win: ?
Who will win: Waltz with Bashir

I haven't seen any of these films, so I don't have an opinion. Waltz seems to be the favorite in America, and will take it home if The Class doesn't pull an upset.

Best Documentary Feature

The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

Who should win: ?
Who will win: Man on Wire

I've only seen Man on Wire, so my opinion would be biased, but I still think that film will win as it is by far the most famous and the most liked, if not the most relevant. (If the Academy does choose relevance, then Trouble the Water will win, but that is unlikely.)

Best Live Action Short Film

Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Manon on the Asphalt
New Boy
The Pig
Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Who should win: ?
Who will win: Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Sorry, I still don't know anything about these nominees, but I read that Toyland is about the Holocaust.

Best Animated Short Film

La Maison en Petits Cubes
Lavatory Lovestory
Oktapodi
Presto
This Way Up

Who should win: Presto
Who will win: Presto

I've only seen Presto, so I'll admit that my opinion is biased. But it's hard to imagine a more worthy candidate for the Oscar than the manic Pixar film, a companion to WALL-E. None of the other films were mass-released in theaters, and it is best known with voters, so they will award it. It's been a while since Pixar has won here.

Best Documentary Short

The Conscience of Nhem En
The Final Inch
Smile Pinki
The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306

Who should win: ?
Who will win: The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306

Sorry, haven't seen any of these either. I read The Witness is about a man who witnesses Martin Luther King, Jr. getting assassinated from his hotel room; sounds very interesting. Why are there always only four nominees?

Also, Jerry Lewis will receive an honorary Oscar for his legendary comedy roles and his help with raising money for dementia. Expect a humorous acceptance speech.

That's everything. Be sure to watch the show this Sunday night!