The Oscars 2009

[Dominique]

What films have you seen that are nominated?
What do you think will win in the categories?

I've seen Slumdog Millionare, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button out of best films. They were both so good that I really don't know which should win.

Out of the movies nominated across the other categories I've seen Changeling, Tropic Thunder (kind of weird nomination), The Dark Knight, Wall-E (which will of course win it's best animated feature category), The Duchess, Hellboy II and Wanted.

I've only seen Changeling in the best actress category and Angelina Jolie was wonderful in it, but everyone seems to think Meryl Streep or Kate Winslet will win.

Before Sunday I'm planning to try and see The Reader and Revolutionary Road in the cinema, maybe download a few others if I have time and look for the short films online.

Here's the list of nominations:
www.oscar.com/nominees/?pn=nominees

[Isa]

I really haven't seen enough movies this year to pick a winner. I saw "Milk" and thought Sean Penn was terrific, I also saw "Rachel Getting Married" and Anne Hathaway did a great job, but I don't think it was good enough to win the Oscar. I saw "Tropic Thunder" and "The Dark Knight" and I'm pretty much expecting that Heath Ledger will get that one. I also saw "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", and Penelope Cruz was great but again, I don't think she'll win the Oscar. I won't be home on Sunday so I won't get to watch Hugh Jackman host the show, I'm curious as to how he'll do it, kinda like Billy Crystal maybe?

[Hanna]

I read that they've got Rob Pattinson in to give away an award, mostly to attract young viewers I guess.

I haven't seen any of the Oscar movies, so I shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion, (but of course I do;)) but I'm kinda hoping for Kate Winslet to win.

[Deleted]

I was planning to see the curious case of Benjamin button on movie theare, because it was only five euros, but I forgot! I definetly want to see that and Slumdog millionaire. I haven't seen any of the nominees.

[Halie]

I'm so excited! I love the Oscars.

[Dominique]

I'm excited too! It really bugs me though that heaps of the movies haven't even started playing in my area yet! I would have liked to have seen Milk and Rachael Getting Married by now but they haven't opened

[Bina]

I´ve only watched Waltz with Bashir and In Bruges and both were great. But I usually don´t watch that many Oscar films. They tend go for the most serious und pompous films.

[Bad Kitty]

I've seen all the nominated films now. (I made a point of seeing them all this year so I can be righteously indignant when it doesn't go my way).

Sean Penn was effortlessly brilliant in 'Milk' and I hope very much that he wins Best Actor. I have a feeling Mickey Rourke will get it though.

I actually wasn't very impressed by 'Slumdog Millionaire' though I know it's a favourite to win Best Picture.

I know loads of people want (and are expecting) Heath Ledger to win Best Supporting Actor for 'The Dark Knight', but to be honest, I think if the Academy were going to give him an award they SHOULD have done so for 'Brokeback Mountain' a couple of years ago, when he thoroughly deserved it and could have actually been there to pick it up. I think if they give him an award this year it will be at least partly out of regret and guilt that they didn't give him an award the last time he was nominated.

I personally would like to see Robert Downey Jr win the Best Supporting Actor award for 'Tropic Thunder' as I thought his performance in that film was hilarious and quite a risky career move. And (hypocrisy warning!) he should've won an Oscar years ago. This would make up for all the times he should've won/been nominated and didn't/wasn't.

I'd also quite like to see Angelina Jolie win for 'Changeling'. She was excellent in that movie.. and also it'd be an upset for Kate Winslet who has been annoying me lately (yes, I'm being petty. Petty but honest!)

Gus Van Sant won't win Best Director because he NEVER DOES. He is another one who should have been nominated many more times than he has been. But I do acknowledge that his films are often "not Academy material" (ie; too niche or arty or non-mainstream.)

'Wall:E' will win Best Animated film if there is any justice in the universe.

'The Baader Meinhoff Complex' will NOT win Best Foreign film if there is any justice in the universe (why? because it was awful and shouldn't have even been nominated.)

[Halie]

I agree about Slumdog Millionaire. I completely loved that movie, but to be honest I loved Benjamin Button more (and those are the only two best picture noms I've seen.)

And also, about Heath, even though I thought he was brilliant in the Dark Knight, it really should go to someone living. You can't get a Nobel prize if you're dead, sorry.

And if Bolt or Kung-Fu Panda wins over Wall-E for Best Animated there's no justice in this world. That movie is amazing. It's really philosophical, which I like.

[Dominique]

You know, I think I agree about Slumdog Millionare and Benjamin Button too. Slumdog is great and everything, but I think Benjamin Button is far more unusual, nuanced and I guess just generally more of an achievement.

[Halie]

I liked how the idea of fate played a huge part in both of them, but I think Benjamin Button was more powerful because the relationship was fated NOT to work out and the characters had to deal with that, as opposed to Slumdog Millionaire which was fated to work (I think that's the Bollywood aspect there. I don't know if you've seen a lot of Bollywood movies but I love them and they all turn out happy in the end.)

I like movies that are happy but sad at the same time, because that's how life is. Like Edward Scissorhands or Moulin Rouge. It was happy while it lasted, but it couldn't work out, because life doesn't work out sometimes.

My mom disagrees with me and wants Slumdog Millionaire to win every prize it's nominated for (though I do agree the with her on the cinematography, it was amazing). However, this is because she's blind with love for Danny Boyle, the director. She thinks he's a genius (kind of the way I love Baz Luhrmann. Only hers is to a greater extent, haha). But she's seen all his other movies, and I haven't.

[Dominique]

^^ I agree.
I saw Frost/Nixon last night, it was very good and very interesting. But I still think Benjamin Button should win!

[Bad Kitty]

I thought 'Benjamin Button' was over-long and kind of ordinary (which surprised me a bit, given the weirdness of the subect matter.)

I think I would've preferred it had Spike Jonze made the Charlie Kaufman scripted version. Without Brad Pitt. It would've been a lot more interesting, imo.

But that's just me.

Of the five movies up for Best Picture I would like to see 'Milk' win. For artistic, personal and political reasons.