The Academy of Motion Pictures (i.e, The one-foot-in-the-grave snob association) released its nominees for Hollywood's highest honor, the Oscar, on yesterday -- slobbing on the knob of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" a whopping 13 times. Not far behind was "Slumdog Millionaire," whose a*s has been kissed far too many times thus far, most recently from the Hollywood Foreign Press (which distributes the oh-so-coveted-for-no-godd*mn-reason Golden Globe). Anywho, let the games begin.
Before I get into my personal picks, I'm going to quote the marvelous Tina Fey by telling the Academy to "suck it!" The omission of "The Dark Knight" in any major category (minus Heath Ledger's well-deserved nod Best Supporting Actor nod for his performance as the diabolical, wacky Joker) was utterly ridiculous. But considering the fact that the movie wasn't the prototypical snooze fest the Academy marvels over, I shouldn't be too surprised. Regardless, the nominees are...
Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin ("Milk"), Robert Downey, Jr. ("Tropic Thunder"), Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Doubt"), Heath Ledger ("The Dark Knight") and Michael Shannon ("Revolutionary Road")
My Pick: With the exception of Shannon in "Revolutionary Road," I've seen all the performances and if anyone in the academy is dumb enough to look over Ledger's turn as the Joker, they deserve to have their social security check revoked. End of story.
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams ("Doubt"), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Viola Davis ("Doubt"), Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and and Marisa Tomei ("The Wrestler")
My Pick: Viola Davis as the emotional mother of an African-American boy believed to be doing the...ya know...with a priest. Although her role was minimal, (I went to the bathroom, came back, and she was approaching the end of her 12-minute stint in the movie), she definitely let it out. When I came back, she was snotting, crying and screaming--all ingredients for an Oscar, right? I was just kidding about the bathroom part, but her role was 12-minutes long (and perhaps had I gone to the bathroom, I would have missed it)-- and she owned every second of it.
Best Actor: Richard Jenkins ("The Visitor"), Frank Langella ("Frost/Nixon"), Sean Penn ("Milk"), Brad Pitt ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler")
My Pick: Ok, I hadn't even heard of "The Visitor" until about eight minutes ago, and I haven't seen Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler" (although it's supposedly a role that is uplifting, heart-warming and all those other insert-here adjectives you say about a guy who was just about at the end of his career). I have seen the other three, though. Pitt was good, but despite his subtle, understated role as the sensitive title character, he shouldn't waste his time preparing an acceptance speech. Langella and Penn were both GREAT and completely immersed themselves in their respective roles, but Penn -- as slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk -- really made "Milk" come alive.
Best Actress: Anne Hathaway ("Rachel Getting Married"), Angelina Jolie ("Changeling"), Melissa Leo ("Frozen River"), Meryl Streep ("Doubt") and Kate Winslet ("The Reader")
My Pick: Kate Winslet. Haven't seen anyone else except Streep, but Winslet is one of my favorite actresses (I know, but isn't it about rewarding the performance, not the individual? -- H*ll no). With six nominations (she's only 33 years old) and no wins, I don't want her to become that chick from the Emmy's...what's her name...oh yeah, Susan Lucci!
Best Picture: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader," "Slumdog Millionaire"
My Pick: "Slumdog" is overrated. America decides to be progressive on Election Day, so critics decide to follow suit. Well cut the sh*t. "Frost/Nixon" is good, but who the h*ll will remember it, perhaps, three months from now. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is epic, it's long, it's romantic...what more could the Academy want? Forget the fact that it's also clichéd and starts to spiral into this parabolic sap fest during the movie's last act. I didn't see "The Reader," but I hear it's just another melodramatic film set during none other than: World War II. "Milk" is great. It's moving. Sean Penn is excellent. "Milk" by a longshot.
Well I'm tired and all this talk about Milk has me wanting a peanut better and jelly sandwich with a side of beets.
Peace.
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