I tried this in '07 and ended up with 12 for 24. Last year, I improved by one prediction and went 13 for 24. This year, I expect to do horrible. Feel free to comment along tonight and I will most likely respond to you. Let's see how I do this year.
It's Oscar Night Live!
Last update: 9:08 p.m. PT (Best motion picture of the year); It's over!
Prediction rate: 15 for 24 (63%) I did better than I thought I was going to do. Improved by 2 right predictions!
Performance by an actor in a leading role
My prediction: Sean Penn
Winner: Sean Penn
Discussion: Yessssssssss! I'm glad I got it right, but at the same time, I hate that Mickey Rourke did not win. This certainly leads me to believe that the Academy is very biased... and predictable when it comes to messages in films.
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
My prediction: Heath Ledger
Winner: Heath Ledger
Discussion: No surprise. Deserves it 100% not because he died, but because it really was the best performance of the year.
Performance by an actress in a leading role
My prediction: Kate Winslet
Winner: Kate Winslet
Discussion: Finally! This is long overdue for her! Congratulations!
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
My prediction: Penélope Cruz
Winner: Penélope Cruz
Discussion: No surprise here. I've heard nothing but good thing about Cruz's performance. Well deserved.
Best animated feature film of the year
My prediction: WALL-E
Winner: WALL-E
Discussion: Even though I haven't seen the other animated films, I know for a fact that WALL-E deserves this award. It was one of my favorite pictures of the year. Would have been really disappointed in the Academy if they didn't let it win. Love it.
Achievement in art direction
My prediction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Discussion: Tough category here, but I was certain the Academy would throw Ben Button a bone on this one since I don't think they will be winning the big prizes.
Achievement in cinematography
My prediction: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Discussion: I'm glad that Anthony Dod Mantle finally got his Oscar. He deserves it. Slumdog is on its way to winning the big one!
Achievement in costume design
My prediction: The Duchess
Winner: The Duchess
Discussion: It was going to either be this, or Australia. Gotta go with the bigger movie.
Achievement in directing
My prediction: Danny Boyle
Winner: Danny Boyle
Discussion: Yay! First Oscar for Mr. Boyle after so many great movies! Watch everything he's done.
Best documentary feature
My prediction: Man on Wire
Winner: Man on Wire
Discussion: One of the most acclaimed documentaries of the year and not a surprise for it to win.
Best documentary short subject
My prediction: The Conscience of Nhem En
Winner: Smile Pinki
Discussion: I guessed on this one. Anyone guess right?
Achievement in film editing
My prediction: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Discussion: Chris Dickens is a great film editor and I'm really happy to see him win this one.
Best foreign language film of the year
My prediction: Waltz with Bashir
Winner: Departures
Discussion: If only Let the Right One In had been nominated. *sigh*
Achievement in makeup
My prediction: Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Discussion: I thought the Academy would recognize Hellboy since it's generally liked, but not nominated for much. I'm glad Ben Button got it though. Just mad that I missed it.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
My prediction: Danny Elfman
Winner: A.R. Rahman
Discussion: It's deserved, but I still don't think the score was very memorable.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
My prediction: “O... Saya” from Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire
Discussion: Well, I like Jai Ho better as a song, but I figured O... Saya would win due to it winning more awards.
Best motion picture of the year
My prediction: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Discussion: Yay! So happy for Slumdog to win! It really is the best movie of the year. Go see it now!
Best animated short film
My prediction: Presto
Winner: La Maison en Petits Cubes
Discussion: What a shocker! I thought it was going to be Presto or Oktapodi! Really surprising! I didn't think this would be the one I'd first get wrong.
Best live action short film
My prediction: Auf der Strecke (On the Line)
Winner: Spielzeugland (Toyland)
Discussion: I should have known. The Academy loves to go for foreign films that deal with the holocaust.
Achievement in sound editing
My prediction: WALL-E
Winner: The Dark Knight
Discussion: Well, I spoke too soon in the special effect category. Glad Dark Knight won something technical.
Achievement in sound mixing
My prediction: WALL-E
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Discussion: Really!? WALL-E doesn't get anything in the sound categories!? What a rip! They deserve at least something!
Achievement in visual effects
My prediction: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Discussion: I wish The Dark Knight would win one of these post-production awards, but The Curious Case of Benjamin Button certainly deserves this award as well. They made the character look so real.
Adapted screenplay
My prediction: Slumdog Millionaire
Winner: Slumdog Millionaire
Discussion: So happy Slumdog Millionaire won this! Just a image of things to come for this movie!
Original screenplay
My prediction: Milk
Winner: Milk
Discussion: Look at that kid. He's so young. Well, I guessed right.
Final thoughts: Well, when Hugh Jackman was on, I liked him, but they didn't feature him too much. Still, I thought he did better than most of the previous recent hosts and the overall show was better than the past two or three Oscars. Not too big of a fan of all the past actors and actresses coming out to present the awards spending, like, 5 minutes on each nominee. Oddly enough, I did like the musical numbers. Enjoyed the Pineapple Express guys looking at some of 2008's better and worse movies and hearing a Japanese guy thank Mr. Roboto. Glad to see Slumdog take away most of the awards. Better Oscars than I thought it was going to be, but I miss the funny comments in between awards. Still, I have improved my guesses over the past two years. Can't wait to do it again next year! Hope you enjoyed it too!
The end. Stay tuned for Showtime at the Apollo.
P.S. To see my original Oscar blog with prediction explanations, click here.
i am 6/9 right now, only 1 behind you. i didnt get supporting actress and got makeup but not art direction
ReplyDeleteSweet. I honestly didn't expect to be doing so well.
ReplyDeleteim still 1 behind.
ReplyDeletemolly and i had tied you up after the sound catergories, but you passed us back up with film editing. which i should have chosen slumdog after seeing the nominees, i remembered how awesome it was.
ReplyDeleteDid bad through the sound categories. Poopie.
ReplyDeleteit will come down to best actor, we have the same in all other catergories i think, assuming danny elfman was wall-e, i chose mickey rourke.
ReplyDeleteoh i lied, we also have different slumdog original songs, i chose jai ho. so i do have a chance to win.
ReplyDeleteAiya! Did you pull ahead now?
ReplyDeletewe are tied. it is now officially down to best actor, winner take all.
ReplyDeletemy dad and i are tied for first at my parents house and we both chose all the same movies for the last 4. are you winning so far there?
ReplyDeleteI'm winning here, but everyone is really close. At first, I was shocked that I was doing so good, but now I'm shocked that I'm doing so bad.
ReplyDeleteboo! congratulations on beating me.
ReplyDeleteYay! It was a close one; I was sweating it.
ReplyDeleteme, molly, and my dad all tied at 14.
ReplyDelete"STUDENT BEATS TEACHER SHOCK!!"
ReplyDeleteHoly shit! You beat me for the first (and last!) time! Well done and good call on Penn and Milk winning orig. screenplay...I was SURE In Bruges would win that one. Good job, dude. I'll have to try and get my title back next year!