oscar buzzzzzzzzzz.....

I used all the z's because of the extreme z's factor that might come with an extended writers' strike and yet another cancelled awards show. As mentioned before, I love a good awards show and I especially love the Oscars. My secret desire is to have someone to watch the fashion pre-show with as Marco just hates it all and my "she looks like a fat cow" comments are kind of lost on him. Anyway, the nominations came out today and it's quite the race for a few reasons. Many of my comments will be similar to my Golden Globes rant but I'm going to do it anyway cuz it's super fun for me. Here are my thoughts on some of the category races for 2008:

Best Picture

I will always pick a Coen brothers movie over just about anything else so for me, No Country For Old Men has to come out on top. That being said, any movie with Daniel Day Lewis in it as the bad guy has an edge right out of the gate. There Will Be Blood could have been a movie about a boy and his dog who get lost on the family vacation and would probably still win. As long as it's not Atonement I'll be happy -- I haven't even seen that movie and I think I hate it just because of it's over the top melodramatic trailers and Keira Knightley's big stupid face. She didn't get nominated for anything so clearly I'm not the only one who thinks she's overrated.

Best Actor

Daniel Day-Lewis hands down. He's just that good. And tall. And handsome. Poor Johnny Depp...if only you were in this category alone. And where's Ryan Gosling for Lars and the Real Girl?? Did you not see that movie Academy?? Oh well, at least it got a Best Original Screenplay nod.

Best Actress

I SO want it to be Julie Christie because I love the whole Hollywood icon does indie movie comeback not to mention that this was one of the best films I've seen. She is so stunning on the screen that you can't help but be mesmerized. I just don't know if enough people saw Away From Her for her to win though. Especially when you have Oscar darling Cate Blanchett in your category. I LOVE the Cate but my heart just wants it to be Julie. Laura Linney would make me happy too though only cuz she's done so many great films and has never won (even though talent-less horseface Hilary Swank has TWO!) and of course, Ellen Page would just knock everyone on their ass if she won and that would be great too. But as much as everyone loves Juno, I just think that Julie Christie's role was so much more complex and ultimately a better contender. But beware the foreigner -- the Academy loves them and Marion Cotillard could easily steal it from all of them. Notice the absense of one fat-lipped Angelina Jolie? teehee, teehee.....

Best Supporting Actor

Casey Affleck for real???? You go short little mini-Affleck! Part of me just wants to pat him on the head for being invited to the big kid's table. Maybe now he'll stop making those American Pie movies for pete's sake....and those stupid Ocean's 11, 12, 13, 14 etc movies. Seriously though, it'll probably be Javier Bardem. People love him, he makes consistently great movies, he goes out with Penelope Cruz...what else do you want? Phillip Seymour Hoffman? We love you too but you just won last year and you don't have an accent....

Best Supporting Actress

People say she shouldn't win because she's actually playing a man. That's bullshit. Bob Dylan can't be an easy role to play and she if she did it that well then by all means, give her a statue. So she's got boobs...big deal. So does Phillip Seymour Hoffman....

Best Director

Again, I find the Coen brothers darn near perfect (well except for The Ladykillers, that stunk to high heaven) but throw in P.T Anderson and you got yourself a ballgame. Add to that mix a foreign film director and you just never know. I'm still going to say the Coen's just for fun.

Best Original Screenplay

I want Diablo Cody to win just because she used to be a stripper/phone sex operator and has a big ol' pin-up tattoo on her arm. What a great story. Take that Ratatouille!

Best Adapted Screenplay

Sorry Coen's but you do get ousted in this category in favour of countrymate Sarah Polley. Whooda thunk it that the little girl from Road to Avonlea would bust out an Oscar worthy screenplay? I love it! Lots of Canadian filmgoers have seen big things like this coming a mile away for her. She's crazy smart, dedicated, well-respected and constantly speaks out in favour of the importance of telling Canadian stories. It's perfect that the one that would do it for her is an Alice Munro story. She's got some serious competition in this category but I do think that she's got a decent shot and that's not just my Canadian pride talking either. Away From Her was brilliantly written and can totally stand up to just about anything.

Best Costume Design

If Colleen Atwood wins yet another Oscar I will barf. She didn't even have to get out of bed to do the costumes for Sweeney Todd! She just leaned over and pulled out her big cardboard box of costumes for Tim Burton from under her bed and said "here take whatever you want...I'm too tired to put any kind of thought into this." Besides, any film that takes place in Elizabethan times should just win automatically.

Best Original Song

Seriously? 3 songs from Enchanted??? I saw that movie. Those songs were not that good to take up almost the whole category. Certainly not any better than "Walk Hard" from Dewey Cox. The songs in that movie kicked ass! "Raise It Up" from August Rush?? Who even saw that movie??? It looks like the worst movie ever! Maybe the Academy thought that since There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men are so dark and evil and taking up all the other categories that they needed to lighten the mood a bit.

If you want to see the complete list click here.