Oscar nominations 2009

Ok, I'm trying to be more positive in my life, so in regards to the top six categories of oscar nods, I'll start with what I like.

And the nominees are...

Like:

Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button made it into the top 5. I did not expect this to be in this category. I think it deserves it, being the great film that I thought it was, but then again the academy and I rarely agree. It also led the Oscars with 13 nominations, one short of the record. Since this is the only movie of the five nominated that I saw or intend to see, I'll root for this one, even though i know the critic's darling slumdog millionaire is going to win.

Best Actor: Brad Pitt was nominated for his work in Benjamin Button, although I'm pretty sure he's not going to win.

Best Actress: Anne Hathaway, who i always thought was a much better actress then some of the roles she gets finally gets a part she can sink her teeth into, and gets the recognition to boot. i pick her for a win, but I don't think she'll get it.

Best Supporting Actor: Robert Downy Jr. for tropic thunder. Now I didn't see this film, but just from the previews I know that he did a hell of a job with this character. But he will ultimately lose to Heath Ledger I think, who I am so glad was recognized for his AMAZING performance as The Joker in "The Dark Knight". I really hope he wins post-humonously, as I think it would be a very fitting tribute.

Best supporting actress: Taraji P. Henson for Benjamin Button. She plays Benjamin's adoptive mother in the film, and her performance was brilliant. She deserves to win.

Best Director : The director I wanted to be nominated wasn't, so I don't care, if I have to choose one, I'll say David Fincher for Benjamin Button cause it's the only film I saw.

Didn't like (in reverse):

Best Director: Christopher Nolan wasn't nominated for "The Dark Knight". I think that this was hands down the BEST movie of the year. It was everything a movie needs to be. It had action, a great plot, terrific villians, great pacing, it was a masterpiece. Also, it was the first mainstream film to my knowledge to incorporate IMAX sequences into the movie. This is a directoral achievement to envision this stuff. Plus, he made a superhero movie not feel like a super hero movie. He made it rooted in reality, and trancended the genre.

Best supporting actress: My chief complaint about the academy: choosing performances is little known films that nobody sees. Until the golden globes I had only heard of two of these films. I go to the movies at least once a month, and I never even saw posters for them.

Best supporting actor: Heath ledger's in, I'm good. No complaints here. Now if he doesn't win, then I will have complaints.

Best Actress: Other then Melissa leo who I've never heard of, all of these actresses are great, so this is a close category. I again, don't know the movies they are nominated for, but I know the actresses cause they do branch out into "mainstream" movies.

Best Actor: Sean Penn again...really. What, does he have naked pictures of the academy members on his computer or something. I know that he was great in mystic river, but honestly, I've never really liked the guy as an actor. I don't know why, I just don't really like watching him. Mickey Rourke is the favorite here, again, didn't see the tiny independent film only shown in a few cities...so I can't really judge his performance.

Best Picture: brace yourself:

THE DARK KNIGHT WASN'T NOMINATED!!!!!!!!

WTF!?!?!?!?!?: It's the highest grossing film just below Titanic. There is a REASON for that. People LOVED IT! It was a movie you had to see twice, and then bring your friends. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it transcended it's own genre, and provided a new standard by which to be measured. The fact that it wasn't nominated is due to the academy's obsession with reducing almost any film that made alot of money to the minor leagues. It almost makes me want to boycott the awards this year. They are out of touch with the public, and they wonder why the amount of people who watch the oscars has dropped by 50% since 1998. No one's going to watch an awards show when they don't know the nominees.

What do you all think?