Posts Tagged ‘ben stiller’
academy awards rehash ’09 »
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009
If you didn’t watch, I’ll be ruining the ending for you. Somehow I doubt you care. Below are my predictions and the winners and why I’m still right even if I’m wrong. (Ego!)
Animated Feature
Predicted: WALL-E
Winner: WALL-E
First, Jack Black, you are astounding. Great movie, great story and hated by the Right. It could do no wrong.
Original Song
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire – “Jai Ho”
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire – “Jai Ho”
This was a lock. Especially when you consider the emotional impact and plot-driving force of it. Could pretty much bank on Slumdog the entire night.
Editing
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Intensity, dynamism and heart. That’s what Dickens brought to the party and he brought more than anyone else. It’s not an important award as far as E! is concerned but it’s insanely important to film as an art. No one cares.
Cinematography
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Gorgeous film. Stiller’s rendition of Pheonix was almost better though. And then the guy thanked everyone he’s worked with for twenty years so that was… a cop out.
Adapted Screenplay
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
This, like so many of the other categories where Slumdog is nominated, was almost a lock. (Full disclosure: I didn’t read or see any of the works adapted. Still, I’m a genius.)
Original Screenplay
Predicted: In Bruges
Winner: Milk
Ugh. Can this movie get dry-humped further? The story was awesome, yes. The events and plot and acting was stunning, yes. The politics were topical, yes. But the gorgeous symmetry of Bruges should have sold it. (It didn’t, apparently.) @SlashFilm‘s tweet said it all.
Directing
Predicted: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Winner: Danny Boyle
He deserved it. (As he does consistently.) That is all.
Supporting Actress
Predicted: Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)
Winner: Penelope Cruz
Them announcing this one first was far more surprising than the actual winner. Still, with her performance, Tomei did a better job. The character was deeper and more intriguing but I guess Cruz winning just goes to show you… going crazy is second only to a mental/physical handicap when it comes to the gold statue. (Ask Angelina Jolie.) Tomei, you (and your nipples) should have taken it.
Supporting Actor
Predicted: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
Winner: Heath Ledger
‘Cause… duh. I mean, he was outstanding and it’s posthumous. The Academy can’t resist. The speech was poignant and beautiful.
Actress
Predicted: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
Winner: Kate Winslet
BOOM! She was up against a bunch of nobodies and first-timers with one woman who already has a few so the competition was thin but she still earned it. The speech was shakey but that’s understandable after so many nominations that came of nothing. Cheers, Kate, you’re gorgeous.
Actor
Predicted: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
Winner: Sean Penn
Penn was solid. I take nothing away from his performance but Rourke was better. Politics won over performance. Congrats, Penn, but, Rourke, you were robbed. The speech was just as political as you’d expect but at least he didn’t droll on and on and on…
Picture
Predicted: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
This was like the safe Ed Norton stored the gold in from Italian Job. The movies were good but Slumdog was great. Bringing everyone up and having so many there was epic. It’s heart-warming and jaw-dropping. Unreal.
All in all, it was a lame movie season. Really, as you can tell from the above, Slumdog, was about the only movie you need see. That goes to show you how small the crop of quality film was. (Yes, I’m looking at you Tropic Thunder.)
This was written during the awards show and just after. I don’t have clips of certain segments for that reason. For your own enjoyment, find Ben Stiller’s reenactment of Joaquin Pheonix.