The 2009 Academy Awards

Now that the Academy Award nominees have been announced, it's time for amateur critics to hop on the almighty prediction bandwagon, so that when the Oscars are finally awarded we can jump and point excitedly at our blog posts from a month earlier, jabbering on about how we predicted various winners and pretending that we have a vague influence in the award panel, all the while sweeping any guesses proven false under the carpet with a less-than-sneaky edit. And, since I've never been one to buck the trend, I figure I might as well join in.

Oh, and for a full list of the nominations, just head on over to here.

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

Embarrassingly enough I've only seen one of the films nominated for this award, but in this case it's probably sufficient. It's already got the Golden Globe and Critics' Choice award for Best Picture tucked safely under it's belt, as well as another two nominations for Best Film and Outstanding British Film at the BAFTAs, making it very hard to see past Slumdog Millionaire for Best Picture.

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

Again, this is another scenario where it's almost impossible to see past Danny Boyle and Slumdog Millionaire. Come on, he's won three Best Director awards for it already. The only way I can see him losing out on this award is if the voters decide that someone else should have a turn making an acceptance speech.

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

Oh come on, Rourke has to walk away with this one, he carried The Wrestler with one of the most moving and emotional performances of the decade.

Best supporting actor
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road

How weird is it seeing Tropic Thunder in-between Milk and Doubt? I reckon this one will be a toss up between Hoffman and Ledger. As cynical as it sounds, Ledgers death will probably give him an edge to win another posthumous award. It's not as if it's undeserved, he was nothing short of superb in The Dark Knight, but there's always going to be that niggling "what if?" doubt in the back of many people's minds.

Best animated feature film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

I've got a feeling Wall-E is going to take this one; not only because it's arguably the best animated film of the decade, but because the lack of dialogue gives it an almost art house quality that's never found among animated feature films. It's unique, and I'll be very surprised if it doesn't win this award.

Best original score
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E

Once you get past the surprise that The Dark Knight didn't get a mention for it's score, you're staring right back into the face of Slumdog Millionaire for this one, with two of it's songs nominated for Best Original Song award.

Best original song
Down To Earth - Wall-E
Jai Ho - Slumdog Millionaire
O Saya - Slumdog Millionaire

See, now this is probably the only category I can give a proper prediction for, since I'm a massive fan of all three songs. Personally I'd be leaning towards O Saya, but I reckon Jai Ho will take it. Either way, as brilliant as Down To Earth was, I can see Slumdog walking away with another award here.

In case you haven't figured it out, I've got a feeling that Slumdog Millionaire is going to walk these awards. And it would probably deserve them; it certainly deserves every single nomination. I'd like to see it perform a clean sweep as well, as it's nicked a place in my heart as one of my all time favourite films. It's just a phenomenal all rounder.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2009 Academy Awards is The Dark Knight's lack of mentions. I'm struggling to see why it's been overlooked so consistently, last I checked it had done brilliantly with critics. Maybe it's not quite as sentimental or emotional as some of the other films that have sprawled themselves across the various award nominations, like desperate whores turning tricks in return for glittery statuettes. But it's still damn good, and surely worthy of more high profile nominations?

So there you go, a prediction on the 2009 Academy Awards that barely meets the minimum requirements to call itself "informed". Although I've just realised how few good films I've seen this year. Like, properly good films. I've been going out of my way to play the best games, so it's probably about time I got round to seeing more, and better, films. What do you know, I've finally got a new years resolution.

You have no idea how bored I had to get before I considered writing this. Seriously.

Isn't looking forward to rewriting all this after he sees Milk tonight - tomdoodle16@live.co.uk