And The
Winners
Will Be . . .
Predictions For The 81st Annual Academy
Awards (on February 22, 2009)
By
Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
Monday, February 9, 2009
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Kate Winslet - Best Actress, "The Reader"
Kate Winslet's
performance as Hanna Schmitz is subtle, secreted beneath layers of torment,
conflict, passion and shame. She shows more range than she appears to in
Stephen Daldry's brilliant "The Reader" and never asks for sympathy (or a cup of
tea for that matter.) The year 2008 was a great one for the British
actress, who has always been unabashedly open and honest in her big screen
portrayals. And 2009 has picked up where the previous year left off as far
as Ms. Winslet is concerned, with dual Golden Globe wins ("Revolutionary Road"
and "The Reader") and a BAFTA best actress win ("The Reader"). Meryl
Streep (who won at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last month) will be the main
competition here but it's Kate W. -- whose additional film "Revolutionary Road"
late last year also featured her par excellence -- gets her the edge. Ms.
Winslet is also the only actor nominated in "The Reader" whereas Ms. Streep, who
has won the Oscar twice and been nominated a record fifteen times, is one of
four actors nominated for "Doubt". The Academy loves glamour and skilled
actresses in roles where they are buried under make-up (most recently Nicole
Kidman in "The Hours", another film by Mr. Daldry), and this will be no
exception.
Kate Winslet has been nominated six times for an Oscar. It's her turn to
finally take Oscar home. And she will.
Sean Penn - Best Actor,
"Milk"
Sean Penn will narrowly edge out Mickey Rourke for the honor -- and it's
interesting that these two ex-"bad boys" of decades ago compete with three
others for best actor. Mr. Rourke's performance in "The Wrestler" is
better and more indelible, in some ways ever-so faintly reminiscent of Marlon
Brando's in "On The Waterfront", but it is Mr. Penn as late 1970's gay
politician Board Supervisor Harvey Milk, that is the most alive portrayal in
this normally tough category. Although Mr. Penn won an Oscar in 2004 for
his compelling work in "Mystic River", he will win a second Oscar on February 22
because his portrayal in "Milk" is one he has never exhibited in a character in
his entire career, which spans three decades. Sean Penn is well liked by
the Academy too, having been nominated on four prior occasions ("Dead Man
Walking", Sweet And Lowdown", "I Am Sam", "Mystic River"). On the cynical
side, after what many thought was a snub of "Brokeback Mountain" for top honors
three years ago, the Academy will decide to make nice this time. The
surprise of the night could still come here though, as Mr. Pitt may just take
everyone's breath away, similar to the way Adrien Brody did for "The Piano" in
2003. Mr. Rourke (BAFTA winner) may not have the Academy on his side --
and has been on and off for a time in acting.
All politics aside, Mr. Penn will win again.
Taraji P. Henson -
Best Supporting Actress, "The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button"
"The Curious
Case Of Benjamin Button", a vastly polarizing film, had only one good aspect
acting-wise, and that was the supporting work of Taraji P. Henson as the
adoptive mother of the title character. Miss Henson has been stunning in
other films ("Hustle & Flow", "Talk To Me") and rises to the occasion once
again, providing a life and a spark for her character that the film itself
desperately needed. The category is generally one where a breakthrough
performance is honored or a long-time veteran (Alan Arkin, "Little Miss
Sunshine" for example). With no veterans in sight (unless you count Viola
Davis, Marisa Tomei and Penelope Cruz), the field looks like a clear one for
Miss Henson, who is helped by the fact that there are 13 nominations for"
Button" and that co-star Brad Pitt has also been nominated for the film in the
lead actor category. Amy Adams has been nominated three times now (the
others were "Junebug" and "Enchanted") and will win one of these golden boys . .
.
. . . Just not this year. Taraji takes it.
Heath Ledger - Best
Supporting Actor, "The Dark Knight"
Despite
reports that Josh Brolin may win for his role in "Milk", the late Heath Ledger
will be one of the very few actors to win an Oscar posthumously -- in fact the
first since Peter Finch did back in 1977 for his portrayal as Arthur Beale in
"Network". Mr. Ledger's performance as The Joker in "The Dark Knight"
grips us and we are in total submission. Mr. Ledger is completely
believable because of the gravity of his swirling menace. He is smart, he
towers over us (in IMAX) and he is no cookie-cutting campy Joker either.
Cesar Romero and Jack Nicholson's previous portrayals are not thought of in the
same way after Mr. Ledger's Joker is seen. Had the talented Australian
actor been with us today he would have won anyhow. Mr. Ledger's strength
here is reminiscent of last year's winners Javier Bardem ("No Country For Old
Men") and Daniel Day-Lewis ("There Will Be Blood").
Heath Ledger has swept through every major award ceremony (Golden Globes, Screen
Actors Guild, BAFTAs) thus far and will complete the four-trick on February 22
with an Oscar.
Danny Boyle - Best
Director, "Slumdog Millionaire"
For pure
entertainment and exhilaration, no director last year magnetized us at the
movie's like Danny Boyle did with his phenomenal direction of "Slumdog
Millionaire", an energetic film that has everything you want a movie to have.
For this reason and many others Mr. Boyle will rise from his seat on Oscar night
in a fortnight with a great achievement in film directing. The director of
"Trainspotting", "28 Days Later", "Millions" and "Sunshine" has always dazzled
us with visuals, but he crafts a deeply affecting and involving story with "Slumdog
Millionaire", getting two never-before-big screen actors to shine brightly and
convince us that they were pros. Mr. Boyle is truly deserving and on the
last day of January won the Directors' Guild Of America Award for Best Feature
Film Directing. Only five or six times in the 59 or so years of the
Directors' Guild Awards has a director won and not gone on to win the same award
at the Oscars (the last was Rob Marshall in 2003 for "Chicago").
Oh Danny Boy (le), the pipes, the pipes are calling . . .
"Slumdog Millionaire" - Best Picture
A film richly
deserving of the honor, "Slumdog Millionaire" proved to be magnificent
entertainment, rarely putting a foot wrong. The film will do something
that is rare at the Oscars: win the top prize in spite of not having the highest
amount of Oscar nominations. "Benjamin Button" is everything the Academy
typically loves in a best picture: an oddity in its title character
(remember "Forrest Gump"), epic length, glamorous stars (Brad Pitt, Cate
Blanchett, Tilda Swinton) and rich cinematography. "Slumdog Millionaire"
however, is more appealing for its thrills, vivid adventure, suspense and its
underdog lead character -- also things that the Academy traditionally admires.
The sentimental favorite, Mr. Boyle's universal film is neither dripping in
pretension nor ever guilty of playing a false note in its sincerity and ability
to entertain and enrapture. "Milk", a good film not a great film, is about
a slither of time, even though it has profound resonance today, "Frost/Nixon" is
also of relevance but is a yesteryear that has already been portrayed on the
stage in London and New York two years ago. "Slumdog Millionaire" is
bustling with charisma, great music and a flavor of India that rivals some of
the best Bollywood films.
This "Millionaire" wins, all the way to the Oscar bank.
Copyright The Popcorn Reel. PopcornReel.com. 2009. All Rights
Reserved.
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