Oscar nods 2009

Let's take a look at the Oscar nominees. Obviously, the most important aspect is how many nominees have I seen?

Best Picture: 4/5 (not Benjamin Button)
Best Director: 4/5 (ditto)
Best Actor: 2/5 (Langella, Penn)
Best Actress: 1/5 (Winslet)
Supporting Actor: 3/5 (Brolin, Ledger, Shannon)
Supporting Actress: 0/5
Animated: 1/5 (Wall-E)

I'm not sure whether I'm going to see Benjamin Button. I hear it's like Forrest Gump, which I enjoyed fairly well. And, if nothing else, the special effects look pretty cool. But I really have no desire to see it. So I may just let it go. It really doesn't seem like it'll be a big winner. Of course, this is where is wins all 13 awards it was nominated for.

The thing that surprised me most was the almost total exclusion of Revolutionary Road. I though both Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio were really good in it--though I did internally yell at Leo to get out of the water when they went to the beach. And may have also been like, "I'll never let go, Jack!" a few times. It was instinctive.

I'd give the Oscar to Penn over Langella (as I'm still bitter at Michael Sheen getting shut out; he was just as good as Langella!), and Ledger over Brolin and Shannon (I would've preferred James Franco to get a nomination for Milk).

For Best Picture? I don't know. I thought the four movies I saw were all quite good, though perhaps The Reader less so than the others (honestly, the end just seemed to go on). So that leaves Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, and Frost/Nixon. I'm leaning toward Slumdog because it managed to be something of a feel-good movie even while being about some very dark topics. Though the acting and writing for all three were just superb. I'd probably be happy if any of them won, honestly.

Though I do want Kate Winslet to get an Oscar. I love her. I want her to be my BFF. The nod for The Reader over Revolutionary Road was a surprise, though she certainly was a lead in both. I think they made the right choice, though; her character in The Reader is unlike any I've seen her do before.