With the Oscar nominations coming out on January 22nd, everyone is wondering who will walk away with the 2008 Academy Awards. But without knowing who was nominated, it is more difficult to guess who will win the prize. With a long list of the best, breakout films released in 2007, it’s hard to pick a top contender in any category. However, while many of the films received acclaim last year, some at least seem certain to receive a few Oscar nods, if not Oscar wins. Here are a few of my own Oscar nominee predictions for the 2008 Awards. According to the Institutes of the Academy, up to five candidates may be nominated in each category; therefore I have chosen five contenders in four major categories for consideration.
According to rule one of the Academy Award regulations, awards are to be considered based on “accomplishments in theatrical feature-length films.”
Best picture
Given the number of films released in 2007, it was difficult to choose just five that seemed certain to receive Oscar nominations. According to two and three Academy Award nominations, the film will air from midnight on January 1, 2007 to midnight, ending on December 31, 2007 at Los Angeles County nominations were eligible. To be considered for use, films must be at least 40 minutes in length.
One film that seems almost certain to receive an Oscar nod in this category is NoOld Country Men< /i>. The film, released on November 21 last year, has won two Golden Globe awards so far: one for Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture, awarded to the Coen brothers, and one for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role, awarded to Javier Bardem. It has also won thirty-seven film awards from various critics circles and film societies, including four from the New York Film Critics Circle. But other films based on the critically acclaimed novel weave a tangled web of satisfaction and dissatisfaction; One of the few recent creative and unexpected films that leaves the viewer surprisingly content with the displeasure of the events that occur throughout the film. Dealing with themes of temptation, justice (and injustice), and brutal corruption, this is one of the most recent modern westerns. It’s also a unique feat for directors Joel and Ethan Coen.
Although it is surprising to report directly after such an intense film as No Country, another high-hopeful Oscar contender Juno, the light-hearted yet starry star Ellen Page and Arrested Development< /i>s Michael Cera. This movie is not your typical coming of age story. It’s about a complex series of broken relationships and lives, revolving around the surprising and hilarious outcome of a disordered pregnancy. The film was nominated for three Golden Globes. The remarkable success of the film is due in large part to the stellar performance by Ellen Page, whose development as a character is both heart-breaking and emotional- Flaunting in a bright representation of the atypical, the girl’s pulse is growing much faster than expected. Although the film was seen as a little too energy-heavy and stereotypically age-specific at times-there were more than a few groans over lines like “I guess I don’t know what kind of girl I am”; The film proved that he knew what he was doing, both creatively, artistically, and expressively.
Another contender for the Best Picture award is the Sweeney Todd thriller-musical: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The film’s actors Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter deliver characterful but crowd-pleasing performances. The two actors, who always gravitate toward the weird, the fantastic, and the slightly creepy when it comes to film, create oddly likable characters who happen to be on a killing spree in Victorian London. The film is either macabre and playful in its machinations, developing characters, and more. There is some doubt that a film with such a long title could ever win an Academy Award these days, but I think Sweeney Todd has a good chance of cutting in-no pun intended. . . well maybe a little nominations.
Of course, no Best Picture film nominations from 2007 would be complete without Atonement. This stunning film, also based on a novel, delivered powerful performances to James McAvoy and Keira Knightley, as well as to fourteen-year-old actress Saoirse Ronan. The film is packed with beautiful images, settings, and costumes to match the beautiful romantic romance. Although Knightley is the actress who typically fills the limelight in the film, she only gets a corner for the performance compared to McAvoy, whose acting talent really shines in this film. it shone. Also, despite Knightley claiming her role as an acting model, Saoirse Ronan seemed a step above her, delivering a surprisingly strong performance. Knightley did an excellent job, but the two cast members were definitely given their time to shine in this feature. Some predict—myself among them—that the film’s slow pace will hinder its chances of actually winning an award, but for its epic, stunning beauty, the film deserves at least a nomination.
Finally, one of the most difficult films of the year: The Golden Compass. Although not an award-winning film, the picture definitely captured a series of stunning performances that matched the series of stunning settings. Despite being marketed as a children’s film, the feature had some harsh images that sometimes seem more mature. I’m sure, due to its popularity, plot, and some degree of controversy, this movie can be nominated in the best movie category.
With these possible names in mind, I commend going to No Country for the Old. Highly successful at already receiving awards and acclaim, the film seems certain to be a hard-to-beat contender in this category.
Best Actor
With the nominations for Best Picture out of the way, it’s surprising to find that most of my predictions for the Best Actor category aren’t for those movies. The only actor who bridges both categories is Johnny Depp, who is likely to receive a nomination for his performance in Sweeney Todd. Also competing in this category is Daniel Day-Lewis, due to his stunning performance in There Will Be Blood. Lewis portrays a ruthless Tycoon who constantly struggles with his demons in pursuit of more and more material wealth. Lewis’s development as a character is cleverly executed, making him a difficult contender to judge.
Also in the running is Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington, for his role in American Gangster. In this movie, Washington pretends to be a villain you almost can’t help but root for some of the steps. It is strange, however, not at the same time, as a function to Washington; Washington, despite his favorite type of hero, still manages to portray with unique strength the everyday man who perseveres despite all odds (well, kind of). However, his performance in this film was absolutely brilliant, and in my opinion he almost certainly deserves a place on the nomination list.
George Clooney Clooney’s performance in Michael Clayton was impressive, to say the least; not his own role as a villain, but he retired from it – with the exception of the film Ocean, that is-in years. The face of Clayton’s inner turmoil is delivered in a well-rounded performance from Clooney, one of his best in years. His coolness continues to shine on screen, even in the darkness of this film, but the atypical nature of that coolness makes it worthy of a nomination. Not a definite name indeed, but perhaps more likely than others.
Finally, there is Oriental Promises by Viggo Mortensen. This is done. . . well, gritty and dirty, something Mortensen seems very fond of these days. As one of the biggest career performances of the year, many will credit Mortensen’s nomination for one simple reason, three simple words: the naked fight scene. I would strongly say that the viewers missed something, very badly if this was the reason for the nomination. His performance as Nikolai was certainly intense, sometimes even in a chilling, well-hidden menace. Through Mortensen we are exposed to a character with a secret and hidden past; we want there to be good in him, even if we can’t see it, and the fact that Mortensen keeps the suspense and intrigue with this character throughout the whole movie earned him a place perhaps less likely, but still well deserved. put it among other potential names in this category.
As much as I would love to see Depp walk away with this award, my prediction is that Daniel Day-Lewis will be the steal this year.
Best Actress
Two actresses from the Best Picture category have also qualified for this one. But before we get to them, let’s take a look at the other three potential names. The first is Angelina Jolie, to perform in Strong Heart. Based on the true story of Marianne Pearl, Danny’s husband, and her attempt to find out what happened to him, this film revolves around Julia’s performance as a mad woman searching for her missing husband. Despite the film’s overall slowness, Jolie gave her performance a heart, reminding viewers that she is the most talented actress across the board.
Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose, made the story of the singer Edith Piaf even more impressive. Cotillard’s transformation into Piaf was simply stunning; his performance as a singer was absolutely admirable, a wonderfully realistic performance. It does not do justice to call it his duty; Cotillard went through an indescribable transformation that almost literally made her Edith Piaf. His part in the movie was boring, slow, and intense. She will be hard to beat when it comes to a best actress nomination.
After such a final transformation of the actress in the film, it is difficult to place this next actress immediately behind her. But it has to be said: Amy Adams’ performance in Sing just deserved her nomination. Perhaps I would call that somewhat unlikely, but I would say it is a possibility. Many female viewers are leaving the movie wanting to be her, and for more reasons than what she got to hang out with Patrick Dempsey. Adam’s training was clever, charming, and, I dare say, almost too cute for words. She was actually a Disney princess in this movie! Just me for him; his performance of the heart was worthy of an Oscar.
The last two nominees are Ellen Page and Keira Knightley. To be honest, Knightley’s military performance was enough to earn her the fifth spot in the category; while pleasing the crowd and definitely moving, his character comes in many secondary roles compared to the performance by McAvoy, so while he probably gets more votes, it’s just as likely that he doesn’t. necessarily make a schedule. However, his chances are pretty good. It is Ellen Page who is far more likely to earn a spot on the ballot. His performance was absolutely delightful, and he really showed off his acting skills in a wonderfully sweet way. She was almost certainly named. However, despite waking up to a crowd-pleasing Juno, my guess is that Marion Cotillard will walk away with the Oscar, and I’d be very disappointed if she didn’t!
Best Director
In the Best Director category, it is typically the directors of the films that made the best picture scrutiny. However, in this case, Ridley Scott’s direction of American Gangster will probably deserve a nomination. Also, Julian Schnabel’s art and direction of Warrior Tribe and Butterfly gave him a good chance to win a nomination. Apart from these two directors, the last three have all had films in the Best Picture category. Joe Wright’s stunning direction of Atonement may earn a nomination, though the film’s slow pace hurts its chances of winning or even a nomination. Jason Reitman delivered a legendary movie with Juno; the creative representation of the characters, the realistic language, and the moving story are enough to earn it a probable spot on the ballot. Finally, Ethan and Joel Coen’s direction of No Country for Old Men will likely make them tough contenders in this category. Despite the merits of the other films and their directors, I predict the Coen brothers will walk away with the award, with Schnabel likely in the second coming, even if There are no second-place decisions.
The nominees for the 2008 Academy Awards will be announced on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 8:30 AM EST (5:30 AM PST) on ABC. Eager students can either watch the nomination announcements on ABC’s local channel or visit Oscars.com, where the nominations will be streaming live. .
