OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS -- Best Original Score

The 2009 Beachhouse nominees for Best Original Score are...

Avatar

Fantastic Mr. Fox

A Single Man

Star Trek

Up

OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS -- Best Original Song

The 2009 Beachhouse nominees for Best Original Song are...

"Almost There" -- The Princess and the Frog













"The Climb" -- Hannah Montana: The Movie

"I See You" -- Avatar

"Take It All" -- Nine

"The Weary Kind" -- Crazy Heart

OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS -- Best Foreign Language Film

The 2009 Beachhouse nominees for Best Foreign Language Film are...

Broken Embraces

Red Cliff

Sin Nombre

Un Prophete

The White Ribbon

OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS -- Best Comedy Film

The 2009 Beachhouse nominees for Best Comedy Film are...

(500) Days of Summer

Black Dynamite

The Hangover

I Love You, Man

Zombieland

OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS -- Best Breakthrough Performance

The 2009 Beachhouse nominees for Best Breakthrough Performance are...


Sharlto Copley -- "District 9"

Anna Kendrick -- "Up in the Air"

Carey Mulligan -- "An Education"

Chris Pine -- "Star Trek"

Gabourey Sidibe -- "Precious"

OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS -- Best Breakthrough Filmmaker

The 2009 Beachhouse nominees for Best Breakthrough Filmmaker are...


Neill Blomkamp -- "District 9"




















Armando Iannucci -- "In the Loop"

















Duncan Jones -- "Moon"


























Oren Peli -- "Paranormal Activity"



















Marc Webb -- "(500) Days of Summer"

OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS -- Best Scene/Sequence

The 2009 Beachhouse nominees for Best Scene/Sequence are...


(500) Days of Summer -- The Morning After Musical

(500) Days of Summer -- Reality vs. Expectations

Inglourious Basterds -- The Opening Farmhouse Scene

Knowing -- The Plane Crash

Up -- The Married Life Montage

THE OSCAR BEACHHOUSE AWARDS

Hey everyone. After much deliberation, I have finally decided on the nominees for my personal awards of the year, something I've done for about the last 5-6 years now. Here is a list of the categories for this year, and in the order that I will be announcing them.

Best Scene/Sequence of the Year
Best Breakthrough Filmmaker
Best Breakthrough Performance
Best Comedy Film
Best Foreign Language Film
Best Original Song
Best Original Score
Best Makeup
Best Visual Effects
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Costume Design
Best Art Direction
Best Film Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Ensemble Cast
Best Supporting Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Actress
Best Actor
Best Director
Best Picture

The 2009 Oscar nominees, and how I did on predix

If you include my "alternates", I got 86 out of 101 predictions correct. Take off 10 without them. Still, not too shabby.

BEST PICTURE -- 8/10

• AVATAR
• THE BLIND SIDE (missed)
• DISTRICT 9
• AN EDUCATION
• THE HURT LOCKER
• INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
• PRECIOUS
• A SERIOUS MAN (alternate)
• UP
• UP IN THE AIR

BEST DIRECTOR -- 5/5

• KATHRYN BIGELOW -- "THE HURT LOCKER"
• JAMES CAMERON -- "AVATAR"
• LEE DANIELS -- "PRECIOUS"
• JASON REITMAN -- "UP IN THE AIR"
• QUENTIN TARANTINO -- "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS"

BEST ACTOR -- 5/5

• JEFF BRIDGES -- "CRAZY HEART"
• GEORGE CLOONEY -- "UP IN THE AIR"
• COLIN FIRTH -- "A SINGLE MAN"
• MORGAN FREEMAN -- "INVICTUS"
• JEREMY RENNER -- "THE HURT LOCKER"

BEST ACTRESS -- 4/5

• SANDRA BULLOCK -- "THE BLIND SIDE"
• HELEN MIRREN -- "THE LAST STATION" (alternate)
• CAREY MULLIGAN -- "AN EDUCATION"
• GABOUREY SIDIBE -- "PRECIOUS"
• MERYL STREEP -- "JULIE & JULIA"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR -- 4/5

• MATT DAMON -- "INVICTUS" (alternate)
• WOODY HARRELSON -- "THE MESSENGER"
• CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER -- "THE LAST STATION"
• STANLEY TUCCI -- "THE LOVELY BONES"
• CHRISTOPH WALTZ -- "INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS -- 4/5

• PENELOPE CRUZ -- "NINE"
• VERA FARMIGA -- "UP IN THE AIR"
• MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL -- "CRAZY HEART" (missed)
• ANNA KENDRICK -- "UP IN THE AIR"
• MO'NIQUE -- "PRECIOUS"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY -- 4/5

• THE HURT LOCKER
• INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
• THE MESSENGER (missed)
• A SERIOUS MAN
• UP

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY -- 4/5

• DISTRICT 9
• AN EDUCATION
• IN THE LOOP (alternate)
• PRECIOUS
• UP IN THE AIR

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE -- 4/5

• CORALINE
• FANTASTIC MR. FOX
• THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
• THE SECRET OF KELLS (missed)
• UP

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY -- 3/5

• AVATAR
• HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (missed)
• THE HURT LOCKER
• INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
• THE WHITE RIBBON (alternate)

BEST FILM EDITING -- 4/5

• AVATAR
• DISTRICT 9
• THE HURT LOCKER
• INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
• PRECIOUS (missed)

BEST ART DIRECTION -- 1/5

• AVATAR
• THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS (alternate)
• NINE (missed)
• SHERLOCK HOLMES (missed)
• THE YOUNG VICTORIA (missed)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN -- 3/5

• BRIGHT STAR
• COCO BEFORE CHANEL (alternate)
• THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS (missed)
• NINE
• THE YOUNG VICTORIA

BEST SOUND MIXING -- 4/5

• AVATAR
• THE HURT LOCKER
• INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (missed)
• STAR TREK
• TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

BEST SOUND EDITING -- 4/5

• AVATAR
• THE HURT LOCKER
• INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (missed)
• STAR TREK
• UP

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS -- 3/3

• AVATAR
• DISTRICT 9
• STAR TREK

BEST MAKEUP -- 1/3

• IL DIVO (missed)
• STAR TREK
• THE YOUNG VICTORIA (alternate)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE -- 3/5

• AVATAR
• FANTASTIC MR. FOX
• THE HURT LOCKER (missed)
• SHERLOCK HOLMES (alternate)
• UP

BEST ORIGINAL SONG -- 2/5

• "ALMOST THERE" -- THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
• "DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS" -- THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (alternate)
• "LOIN DE PANAME" -- PARIS 36 (missed)
• "TAKE IT ALL" -- NINE (missed)
• "THE WEARY KIND (THEME FROM CRAZY HEART)" -- CRAZY HEART

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM -- 4/5

• "AJAMI" -- ISRAEL
• "EL SECRETO DE SUS OJOS" -- ARGENTINA
• "THE MILK OF SORROW" -- PERU (alternate)
• "UN PROPHETE" -- FRANCE
• "THE WHITE RIBBON" -- GERMANY

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

• BURMA VJ
• THE COVE
• FOOD, INC.
• THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: DANIEL ELLSBERG AND THE PENTAGON PAPERS
• WHICH WAY HOME

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

• CHINA'S UNNATURAL DISASTER: THE TEARS OF SICHUAN PROVINCE
• THE LAST CAMPAIGN OF GOVERNOR BOOTH GARDNER
• THE LAST TRUCK: CLOSING OF A GM PLANT
• MUSIC BY PRUDENCE
• RABBIT A LA BERLIN

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM

• THE DOOR
• INSTEAD OF ABRACADABRA
• KAVI
• MIRACLE FISH
• THE NEW TENANTS

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

• FRENCH ROAST
• GRANNY O'GRIMM'S SLEEPING BEAUTY
• THE LADY AND THE REAPER (LA DAMA Y LA MUERTE)
• LOGORAMA
• A MATTER OF LOAF AND DEATH

Awards -- Annie Award Winners

The Annie Awards delivered a wide range of winners this year, recognizing most of the films nominated at the Oscars, except for the surprise nominee The Secret of Kells. As expected, Up took the top prize, along with best director for Pete Docter, but Coraline and The Princess and the Frog took the most awards with 3 apiece. Fantastic Mr. Fox was also given a shout-out in the form of the best writing award. Here are the winners...

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Up

BEST DIRECTING
Up -- Pete Docter

BEST WRITING
Fantastic Mr. Fox -- Wes Anderson & Noah Baumbach

BEST ANIMATED EFFECTS
The Princess and the Frog -- James Mansfield

BEST CHARACTER ANIMATION
The Princess and the Frog -- Eric Goldberg

BEST CHARACTER DESIGN
Coraline -- Shane Prigmore

BEST MUSIC
Coraline -- Bruno Coulais

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Coraline -- Tadahiro Uesugi

BEST STORYBOARDING
Monsters vs. Aliens -- Tom Owens

BEST VOICE ACTING
Jen Cody -- "Charlotte" -- The Princess and the Frog

FINAL PREDICTIONS...All Categories....

There's always that one unexpected film that comes out of nowhere to steal a few nods away from the mainstream contenders. Who knows what it'll be this year? These choices are a slight mix of the "easy calls", a few "wildcards", and probably more than a few "personal choices." But that being said, that's what makes tomorrow morning so fun...every year. They may go for Invictus, or The Messenger, or (500) Days of Summer. They may not follow the guilds' love for District 9, or Star Trek. We'll know in just a few hours. I actually never mind being wrong with these, which is makes it so much fun for me.

I will post my final predictions in each category, as well as 2 "runner-up" choices. Some of these races are just either too close to call, or way too open to pick realistically accurately. So, with that in mind, HERE...WE...GO...


BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The finalist list is narrowed down to 9, and France and Germany are so far ahead at this point that I don't think it'll matter much with other films are nominated, but still gotta pick 5, so...

• Australia -- "Samson and Delilah"
• Argentina -- "El Secreto de Sus Ojos"
• France -- "Un Prophet"
• Germany -- "The White Ribbon"
• Israel -- "Ajami"

Alternates
Netherlands -- "Winter in Wartime"
Peru -- "The Milk of Sorrow"


BEST ORIGINAL SONG
The Academy has been ridiculously random in this category over the last few years. Songs winning the Globe aren't even safe anymore. And it all depends on a few certain members' taste of what they hear. Last year they only chose 3 songs, leaving out some of the most heralded competition.

• "All is Love" -- Where the Wild Things Are
• "Almost There" -- The Princess and the Frog
• "Cinema Italiano" -- Nine
• "I See You" -- Avatar
• "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" -- Crazy Heart

Alternates
"Down in New Orleans" -- The Princess and the Frog
"(I Want To) Come Home" -- Everyone's Fine


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
With a few of my favorites not being eligible, I have to go with the few scores that have not only had some pre-buzz, but also that I remember noticing even in the theater, the very first time around.

• Avatar
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• The Informant!
• A Single Man
• Up

Alternates
Sherlock Holmes
Star Trek


BEST MAKEUP
If the Academy is going to give a nod to Terry Gilliam's latest, and Heath Ledger's final film, this is most likely where it'll happen. A no-show of District 9 would be the biggest surprise, as I think it's the frontrunner to WIN this category. And in a close 3-way race between futuristic faces, apocalypse ridden grime, and royal treatments, Star Trek should take the 3rd spot.

• District 9
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
• Star Trek

Alternates
The Road
The Young Victoria


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
With the amazing effects work of Wild Things left on the semi-finalist floor, this should be sweep of the sci-fi films. Granted, this category is actually an Avatar & also-ran category.

• Avatar
• District 9
• Star Trek

Alternates
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen


BEST SOUND EDITING
If there is one category where I think Public Enemies deserves a nom, this is it. The gun effects, car chases, etc... are all wonderfully done. That said, it just hasn't even made much of a blip on the awards radar this year, so as usual, I think this category is gonna be a close match-up of the Best Sound nods, maybe with 1 or 2 different. The sci-fi films should make a splash in both, and the war surroundings of The Hurt Locker should be rewarded here too. The only difference for me, Up in Editing, Transformers in Mixing...

• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Star Trek
• Up

Alternates
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen


BEST SOUND MIXING

• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Star Trek
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Alternates
Nine
Up


BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Bright Star was amazingly shut out from the Costume Designers Guild, even with some of the most original "period" pieces in recent memory. I also love the work in both Coco Before Chanel & Public Enemies, but I don't see them happening. The Young Victoria will follow the role of "royal" film, as past-winners Elizabeth: The Golden Age & The Duchess show. The costumes of Nine shouldn't be denied their rightful place, and the old London work of Sherlock Holmes is it's best chance to be recognized.

• Bright Star
• Inglourious Basterds
• Nine
• Sherlock Holmes
• The Young Victoria

Alternates
Coco Before Chanel
An Education


BEST ART DIRECTION
Avatar should easily slip in here for it's other-worldly designs and concepts, and the sci-fi trio might be completed again, as both District 9 and Star Trek brought their worlds to life, in very different and yet completely convincing ways. The last Harry Potter film to receive a nod was Goblet of Fire, and it was in this category. It also showed up as a BAFTA nominee, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it here. And finally, Basterds should grow it's tally with a nod here. Imho, the theater design by itself is worthy enough of a nod.

• Avatar
• District 9
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Inglourious Basterds
• Star Trek

Alternates
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Where the Wild Things Are


BEST FILM EDITING
Usually a mix-match of the Best Picture nominees, and maybe with 1 or 2 others. But with 10 nominees this year in that category, it's hard to imagine any film showing up here and not there.
I feel Avatar, Locker, and Air are pretty much set. Basterds missed an ACE nod, and some have said that the bar scene is too long, with in the general tally, I think it should still sneak it's way in.

• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Up in the Air

Alternates
Nine
Star Trek


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
My favorite category of all the technicals. Avatar, Locker, and Basterds should make it in due to their Best Pic bids, as well as their ASC nods. Other strong possibilities include District 9, for it's documentary/real time feel, and The White Ribbon, for possibly the best film to be shot in black-and-white since Good Night and Good Luck back in 05, but I'm going with the tremendous theatrical and clever shadow-work of Nine, along with the eye-opening and devastatingly good work in The Road. If Road doesn't make it in the Makeup or Art Direction categories, this might be it's best chance at it's deserved recognition.

• Avatar
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Nine
• The Road

Alternates
District 9
The White Ribbon


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Coraline, Fox, Frog, and Up should be all locked here. The big question is the final spot. It's nice to see 5 nominees in this category again, btw, for only the 2nd time in history, and the first since 2002. The race is really been Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, the very funny Sony release, and Hayao Miyazaki's latest work, Ponyo. With as much momentum as Cloudy has, I wouldn't be a bit surprised to hear it called, but even with the lackluster Annie Award mentions, I can't seem to bring myself to believe that the Academy won't honor one of the greatest animators of all time. In a tight call...Ponyo.

• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Ponyo
• The Princess and the Frog
• Up

Alternates
9
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs


BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
While I think this category will eventually be a slam-dunk win for Up in the Air, picking the nominees is a bit tougher. Up in the Air will be joined by the British film An Education, as well as Precious. Those 3 are safe. Now, it gets trickier. The joined buzz for and WGA nod for District 9 should be enough to give it a nod here. And while I think the wonderful In the Loop should be nominated, I simply don't think enough people saw it. That leaves 2 very different films...the character study of a washed-up music man in Crazy Heart, and the lovable characters from Roald Dahl's Mr. Fox. Besides in the animated category, I think Fox deserves some love elsewhere. And I think it just might be the first animated film since Shrek, not from the Pixar Studio (all hail!!!!), to receive a screenplay nomination.

• District 9
• An Education
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Precious
• Up in the Air

Alternates
Crazy Heart
In the Loop


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The best chance for (500) Days, my #2 film of the year, to get a nod. And this is also the 1 big category they are pushing for. It's the most truly original script of the year, and it deserves to be here. The wonderful work of Mark Boal for The Hurt Locker should easily carry him in, and Quentin Tarantino will get his first nod here since Pulp Fiction!!! (just wrong), and I'm sure his answer will be "Gratsi"! hahaha The Coen brothers have hit quite a few critics awards, and the latest of their always clever scripts should show up here, it's best chance at a nod. And finally, since 4 of their last 5 films have found a home here, Pixar's Up should earn the studio it's 6th total screenplay nod. However, don't count out the "sweep effect" for Avatar, althought not even Titanic could earn James Cameron a nod. Outside chance? The Hangover, which was nominated by both the Writers Guild, and the Bafta's.

• (500) Days of Summer
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• A Serious Man
• Up

Alternates
Avatar
The Hangover


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Farmiga, Kendrick, and Mo'Nique are locks. And while her work in her film has been called "limited" (which I totally disagree with btw), Julianne Moore should get her first nod since her double-nods back in 02. If the Academy loves The Messenger, Samantha Morton will get in. If the Basterds tally adds up, SAG nominee Diane Kruger will hear her name called. But even with the lackluster reviews and fading buzz, I'm taking a gut-shot with Penelope Cruz for Nine. She's the best thing in the film, and if it weren't for her win in this category last year, I would call her a lock too.

• Penelope Cruz -- "Nine"
• Vera Farmiga -- "Up in the Air"
• Anna Kendrick -- "Up in the Air"
• Mo'Nique -- "Precious"
• Julianne Moore -- "A Single Man"

Alternates
Diane Kruger -- "Inglourious Basterds"
Samantha Morton -- "The Messenger"


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
The only locks for me are Woody and Waltz. If the Invictus love spreads, then Matt Damon will get his first nod since way back in 97 for Good Will Hunting, and it may be seen as a makeup for his no-show nod for any of the Bourne films. If I had it my way, Christian McKay would be a sinch for a nod for his amazing turn as Orson Welles, but I'm betting the final 3 spots go to a trio of actors that have amazing never been nominated in their distinguished careers. Stanley Tucci is the best bet as The Lovely Bones' killer next door. Christopher Plummer could get his 1st ever nod at the ripe young old of 80, as Tolstoy, and with the BAFTA love for the film (see The Reader last year), I'm guessing Alfred Molina will receive his first nod as a father who doesn't wanna let go.

• Woody Harrelson -- "The Messenger"
• Alfred Molina -- "An Education"
• Christopher Plummer -- "The Last Station"
• Stanley Tucci -- "The Lovely Bones"
• Christoph Waltz -- "Inglourious Basterds"

Alternates
Matt Damon -- "Invictus"
Christian McKay -- "Me and Orson Welles"


BEST ACTRESS
Bullock, Mulligan, Sidibe, and Streep are all locks. The final spot is really a 2-woman race between 2006's winner Helen Mirren as Leo Tolstoy's wife, and 26-year-old up and comer Emily Blunt as the Young Queen Victoria. My guess, Blunt by a nose?

• Emily Blunt -- "The Young Victoria"
• Sandra Bullock -- "The Blind Side"
• Carey Mulligan -- "An Education"
• Gabourey Sidibe -- "Precious"
• Meryl Streep -- "Julie & Julia"

Alternates
Helen Mirren -- "The Last Station"
Saoirse Ronan -- "The Lovely Bones"


BEST ACTOR
I really can't see anyone taking out one of these gentlemen, although I think Viggo deserves to be there.

• Jeff Bridges -- "Crazy Heart"
• George Clooney -- "Up in the Air"
• Colin Firth -- "A Single Man"
• Morgan Freeman -- "Invictus"
• Jeremy Renner -- "The Hurt Locker"

Alternates
Matt Damon -- "The Informant!"
Viggo Mortensen -- "The Road"


BEST DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow will be the 4th woman ever nominated here, and the 1st with true "front-runner" status, which she deserves. James Cameron and Quentin Tarantino both delivered their true singular visions, and Jason Reitman continues his mastery of filmmaker with the timely, hilarious, and devastating Up in the Air. The final spot is the tricky one. You can never count out the Eastwood factor (see Letters from Iwo Jima & Million Dollar Baby for examples), but with Gran Torino fizzling out last year, maybe they're cooling a bit towards him. My pick would be Neill Blomkamp, for delivering one of the best debut films in recent memory. But I have to go with Lee Daniels for Precious. The biggest reason being his DGA nod.

• Kathryn Bigelow -- "The Hurt Locker"
• James Cameron -- "Avatar"
• Lee Daniels -- "Precious"
• Jason Reitman -- "Up in the Air"
• Quentin Tarantino -- "Inglourious Basterds"

Alternates
Neill Blomkamp -- "District 9"
Clint Eastwood -- "Invictus"


BEST PICTURE
The 1st time since 1943 (the year Casablanca won) that we have 10 nominees. There are a few true gutshot calls here, but I stand by my choices, and am amazed that 7 out of these 10 also made my personal top 10 of the year. District 9 and Star Trek are very vulnerable to not show up in the big race, but dramatic guild love for both puts them in my guesses. The strongest chances NOT on this list would be the Coen's A Serious Man, or The Messenger...but in my perfect world, Precious is left off (it won't be), so I'll have to leave off Invictus (good, not great), and add the wonderful 500 Days of Summer to the list. Nothing would make my day better than to hear that called out. Literally...nothing.

• Avatar
• District 9
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Invictus
• Precious
• Star Trek
• Up
• Up in the Air

Alternates
(500) Days of Summer (GOD I HOPE!!!!)
The Messenger
Nine
A Serious Man

Awards -- Costume Designers Guild

The costume designers guild released their nominees today, and it's a decent list, but there are a few HUGE choices left off here. Most notably Bright Star, Inglourious Basterds, A Single Man, & A Serious Man were all left out in the cold. Very shocked.

FANTASY FILM

AVATAR
Mayes C. Rubeo & Deborah Lynn Scott

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS
Monique Prudhomme

STAR TREK
Michael Kaplan


CONTEMPORARY

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
Hope Hanafin

BRUNO
Jason Alper

CRAZY HEART
Doug Hall

PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE
Marina Draghici

UP IN THE AIR
Danny Glicker


PERIOD

COCO BEFORE CHANEL
Catherine Leterrier

JULIE & JULIA
Ann Roth

NINE
Colleen Atwood

SHERLOCK HOLMES
Jenny Beaven

THE YOUNG VICTORIA
Sandy Powell

#1 of 2009...THE HURT LOCKER

1. THE HURT LOCKER (director: Kathryn Bigelow)

The best film of the year. Period. End of discussion. Kathryn Bigelow's film is leaps-and-bounds better than anything released this year. The film has won so many awards that it's almost a cliche choice, but I can't help it. It really is THAT good. The characters are so finely interwoven that one can't help but to care about them. A star turn by Jeremy Renner should make him a household name, the supporting performances, particularly from Anthony Mackie are marvelous, and the screenplay by Mark Boal is the most complexly put together of the year. It's not only the best film of the year, but I think it's in the running for one of the best of the entire 2000's. When you think of great WWII movies, you think of Saving Private Ryan, From Here to Eternity, or The Bridge on the River Kwai. When you think of Vietnam, you think of Platoon or Apocalypse Now. When you think of Desert Storm, you think of Black Hawk Down or Jarhead. In the annuls of time, when you think of a film that best describes the war in Iraq...that film will be The Hurt Locker.

#2 of 2009...(500) DAYS OF SUMMER

2. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER (director: Marc Webb)



Every year, there are films that I consider to be "best", and films that I consider to be "favorites" (i.e. Would want to watch over and over and over and over). Sometimes I find myself lucky enough to see a film that easily fits into both categories. This year, that film is (500) Days of Summer. It is perhaps the most wonderful, funny, brutually honest film about the ups and downs of relationships made in the past decade. All the creativity is boundless. It contains some of my favorites sequences of the year, including "the morning after musical number" and "the split-screen expectations/reality scene". The script takes some serious chances, and I think it happens to succeed with every one. The soundtrack is pitch-perfect, the screenplay IS the best original of the year, and the performances of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are nothing less than breaktakingly good. This is one of those "smaller" films that audiences need to discover, and I hope they do. For my money, it's my "favorite" film of the year.

#3 of 2009...AVATAR

3. AVATAR (director: James Cameron)

It's hard to come up with anything new to say about Avatar, the brain-child of storyteller James Cameron. In what will eventually (and sooner before later) be the highest-grossing film of all time, Cameron emerges us into another world once again. A world of blue-skinned aliens, of giant trees, of deadly monsters, of flying soul-mate creatures, of islands floating in the sky, of literal connection with our natural surroundings. It doesn't hurt that the cast gives wonderful performances, even if it can be argued that it's "only motion capture". It's not, and that's what makes the story, and the emotions, so believeable. When I left my screening for this one, a studio rep asked me my thoughts...the best thing I could come up with is still the way I feel about it... "Epic...in every sense of the word. A true experience that rarely comes along, and one that will stand as a milestone in cinema history."

#4 of 2009...DISTRICT 9

4. DISTRICT 9 (director: Neill Blomkamp)

The most wholly original film of the year, shot in a particularly challenging (and completely successful) way, Neill Blomkamp's vision is clearly one to be reckoned with. The story of a man (played brilliantly by Sharlto Copley, Oscar worthy), who goes through the most dramatic change seen on screen since I can't think of when, both literally and figuratively. Everything about this film is 1st-rate. The screenplay is brilliant, the technical aspects are fantastic, and the direction and tone are spot-on. If someone unconvered this film in a time capsule, not knowing it is a fictional work, it's almost believeably enough that you could think it was actual history. It's that good. For once a film left me with something I rarely wish for...a sequel.

AWARDS -- PGA WINNER!!!

WWWWOOOOOWWWWW! In maybe the most unexpected (and yet deserved) Best Film prize of the year, the PGA (Producers Guild) named THE HURT LOCKER as the best-produced film of the year. This race, if any race, was thought to be sewn up for Avatar to take. After all, come on, this is a producer's prize, and Avatar has $$$$$$$$$ coming out the ass. But...wow...is all I can say. Congrats!

Oh, and FYI, the films UP and THE COVE stayed in their front-runner status, and took the Animated and Documentary categories.

Awards -- SAG Winners

BEST ACTOR

BEST ACTRESS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

Awards -- MPSE (Motion Picture Sound Editors)

For the first time in their history, the MPSE have announced their nominations before the Oscar nods are announced. Normally, it's been in the week after. Either way, like the CAS, this should give us a pretty good indicator of what to expect on Oscar morning. Although, I am more than a little bit surprised at the no-show of District 9 here, in the main category at least, although they did give it a "Foreign" awards, but I think it's one of the category's best contenders. That said, the nominees are..

BEST SOUND EDITING: DIALOGUE AND ADR

• (500) Days of Summer
• Avatar
• G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• A Serious Man
• Star Trek
• The Stoning of Soraya M.

BEST SOUND EDITING: SOUND EFFECTS AND FOLEY

• 2012
• Avatar
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Push
• Star Trek
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
• Watchmen

BEST SOUND EDITING: SOUND EFFECTS, FOLEY, DIALOGUE AND ADR IN A FOREIGN FEATURE FILM

• The Baader Meinhof Complex
• Coco Before Chanel
• District 9
• An Education
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Red Cliff

BEST SOUND EDITING: SOUND EFFECTS, FOLEY, MUSIC, DIALOGUE AND ADR IN AN ANIMATED FEATURE

• 9
• Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Monsters vs. Aliens
• The Princess and the Frog
• Up

BEST SOUND EDITING: MUSIC IN A FEATURE

• 2012
• (500) Days of Summer
• Avatar
• An Education
• The Informant!
• It's Complicated
• Sherlock Holmes
• Star Trek

BEST SOUND EDITING: MUSIC IN A MUSICAL FILM

• Crazy Heart
• Every Little Step
• Nine
• This Is It

Awards -- BAFTA (British Academy) Awards

Possibly the most influential voting body this year in terms of possible Oscar cross-over, as the BAFTAs will be handed out in supreme voting time for Oscar winners. Not surprised at many of this year's nominees, and as always a few nice surprises here and there, and a few not to nice. The nominees for this year's BAFTAs are...

BEST FILM

• Avatar
• An Education
• The Hurt Locker
• Precious
• Up in the Air

BEST DIRECTOR

• Kathryn Bigelow -- "The Hurt Locker"
• Neill Blomkamp -- "District 9"
• James Cameron -- "Avatar"
• Lone Scherfig -- "An Education"
• Quentin Tarantino -- "Inglourious Basterds"

BEST ACTOR

• Jeff Bridges -- "Crazy Heart"
• George Clooney -- "Up in the Air"
• Colin Firth -- "A Single Man"
• Jeremy Renner -- "The Hurt Locker"
• Andy Serkis -- "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll"

BEST ACTRESS

• Carey Mulligan -- "An Education"
• Saoirse Ronan -- "The Lovely Bones"
• Gabourey Sidibe -- "Precious"
• Meryl Streep -- "Julie & Julia"
• Audrey Tautou -- "Coco Before Chanel"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Alec Baldwin -- "It's Complicated"
• Christian McKay -- "Me and Orson Welles"
• Alfred Molina -- "An Education"
• Stanley Tucci -- "The Lovely Bones"
• Christoph Waltz -- "Inglourious Basterds"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Anne-Marie Duff -- "Nowhere Boy"
• Vera Farmiga -- "Up in the Air"
• Anna Kendrick -- "Up in the Air"
• Mo'Nique -- "Precious"
• Kristin Scott Thomas -- "Nowhere Boy"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• The Hangover
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• A Serious Man
• Up

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• District 9
• An Education
• In the Loop
• Precious
• Up in the Air

BEST ANIMATED FILM

• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Up

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• The Road

BEST FILM EDITING

• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglrourious Basterds
• Up in the Air

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Avatar
• District 9
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
• Inglourious Basterds

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• Bright Star
• Coco Before Chanel
• An Education
• A Single Man
• The Young Victoria

BEST SOUND

• Avatar
• District 9
• The Hurt Locker
• Star Trek
• Up

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Avatar
• District 9
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• The Hurt Locker
• Star Trek

BEST MAKEUP & HAIR

• Coco Before Chanel
• An Education
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
• Nine
• The Young Victoria

BEST MUSIC

• Avatar
• Crazy Heart
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
• Up

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

• Broken Embraces
• Coco Before Chanel
• Let the Right One In
• A Prophet
• The White Ribbon

BEST BRITISH FILM

• An Education
• Fish Tank
• In the Loop
• Moon
• Nowhere Boy

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

• Lucy Bailey, Andrew Thompson, Elizabeth Morgan Hemlock & David Pearson -- Directors, Producers -- "Mugabe and the White African"
• Eran Creevy -- Writer/Director -- "Shifty"
• Stuart Hazeldine -- Writer/Director -- "Exam"
• Duncan Jones -- Director -- "Moon"
• Sam Taylor-Wood -- Director -- "Nowhere Boy"

BEST SHORT FILM

• 14
• I Do Air
• Jade
• Mixtape
• Off Season

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

• The Gruffalo
• The Happy Duckling
• Mother of Many

ORANGE RISING STAR AWARD

• Jesse Eisenberg
• Nicholas Hoult
• Carey Mulligan
• Tahar Rahim
• Kristen Stewart