The Oscar Challenge. Paul Gambaccinni said on the radio the other day that in all the time he’d been following the Oscars, he’d never heard anyone predict all the main winners correctly. So Writeworders here’s the list of the main 9 categories. Just post your predictions (Just stick a cross beside your choice) and let’s see if anyone can beat Mr Gambaccinni’s challenge. Remember it’s a horse race not Pop Idol – it’s who you think will win not who you want to win. Just to demonstrate why I never bet on horses, these are my predictions in the form you can use.

Best Film

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men XXX
There Will Be Blood

Direction

Julian Schnabel (Diving Bell and Butterfly)
Jason Reitman (Juno)
Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)
Joel & Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men) XXX
Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)

Lead Actor

George Clooney
Daniel Day-Lewis XXX
Johnny Depp
Tommy Lee Jones (Valley of Elah)
Viggo Mortensen

Support Actor

Casey Affleck
Javier Bardem XXX
Philip Seymour-Hoffman
Hal Holbrook
Tom Wilkinson

Lead Actress

Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth)
Julie Christie
Marion Cotillard
Laura Linney
Ellen Page XXX

Support Actress

Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There) XXX
Ruby Dee
Soirise Ronan
Amy Ryan
Tilda Swinton

Animated Feature

Persepolis
Ratatouille XXX
Surfs Up

Adapted Screenplay

Atonement
Away From Her
Diving Bell and The Butterfly
No Country For Old Men XXX
There Will Be Blood

Original Screenplay

Juno XXX
Lars And The real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages

My only comment - I'd love Tommy Lee Jones to get the actor award but he won't.

And lastly it seeems to me that Hollywood has lost faith in what it does best. By ANY standard of entertainment and craft The Bourne Ultimatum should be up for the best film. Probably the most simply enjoyable film of the year for me - and almost faultless in every department.

I'd love Tommy Lee Jones to get the actor award but he won't.

I love Tommy Lee Jones' work too, but why don't you think he stands a chance?



- NaomiM

Naomi

He does stand a chance. But his performance in Elah is so quietly understated and Daniel Day-Lewis's so powerful and 'visible' that I think they nearly always vote for the obvious over the subtle. I'd love them to prove me wrong. So I'll keep my fingers crossed. It is a good sign that they have nominated it.

It is interesting that he is also excellent in No Country For For Old Men which I have a hunch could win the most Oscars this time. But there he is playing with his normal screen persona, which is fine because it is right for the role, but his 'Hank' is so disciplined, so nuanced that I'd love it to be recongnised.

Thanks for the comment. Have a go at guessing - just select and copy my list, then paste it into a reply and change to your selections. It's no fun for me if no one else has a go. I'm pretty sure I'll be way out.


Thanks for the comment. Regards

Zettel

OK, here's my selection, although I haven't seen nearly as many performances as Zettel, so they are mainly gut reactions.

Best Film

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men - Fingers Crossed for this one.
There Will Be Blood

Direction

Julian Schnabel (Diving Bell and Butterfly)
Jason Reitman (Juno)
Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton)
Joel & Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men)
Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood) - very possibly

Lead Actor

George Clooney
Daniel Day-Lewis
Johnny Depp
Tommy Lee Jones (Valley of Elah) - Definitely (although it's difficult to turn George Clooney and Viggo Mortensen down, and Johnny Depp! Oh god what a line up, can't they all share?)
Viggo Mortensen

Support Actor

Casey Affleck
Javier Bardem
Philip Seymour-Hoffman
Hal Holbrook
Tom Wilkinson - is that good old Tom Wilkinson from the UK? Gotta vote for him.

Lead Actress

Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth) - ah, dear Cate. Definitely her.
Julie Christie
Marion Cotillard
Laura Linney
Ellen Page

Support Actress

Cate Blanchett (I’m Not There)
Ruby Dee
Soirise Ronan
Amy Ryan
Tilda Swinton - I love Tilda, although she is a little too like Kate sometimes. Difficult to choose betwen them.

Animated Feature

Persepolis
Ratatouille - Definitely!!!!!!
Surfs Up

Adapted Screenplay

Atonement - I think I'm going to have to go for this one.
Away From Her
Diving Bell and The Butterfly
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Original Screenplay

Juno
Lars And The real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille - definitely this one
The Savages


- NaomiM

Thanks Naomi - we shall see what we shall see.

Regards

Z