PREDICTIONS FOR 81ST ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS, 2009

It is time for the most lavish awards to roll out its gifts to another set of winners. Let’s take a peek at the possible winners……….

Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

The predicted winner: Slumdog Millionaire is the clear front runner here. This rags-to-riches tale seems to be the critics delight, the favourite for audiences worldwide and the toast of every award ceremony worth talking about.

Might just make it: The Academy struck a major shock by eliminating Revolutionary Road in favour of Milk among the nominees, still the argument of Slumdog Millionaire remains very strong. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Frost/Nixon are strong contenders. The eventuality of their winning is remote. Still the Academy can throw in surprises… remember Brokeback Mountain.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Kate Winslet, The Reader

The predicted winner: As always the Academy loves to shock and surprise. This time again, they replaced Kate Winslet’s Golden Globe winning role in Revolutionary Road and nominated her supporting actress winning role in The Reader in the lead category. This ruined her possible historic double win. Nevertheless, this category remains the most exciting in years for there are no clear frontrunners and has the best talents in the industry vying for the grand prize

Anne Hathaway started strong in the early award season scooping every critic’s award possible. The baton then somewhat moved on to Meryl Streep with a strong momentum leading to the Golden Globes. But the Golden Globe Awards put Kate Winslet as the complete front runner. Though she scooped the supporting actress nod for The Reader against different nominees, this still puts her in a higher pedestal. She won the BAFTA on Sunday for The Reader against similar nominees as at the Oscars. The SAG awards went both to Meryl Streep for best actress and Kate Winslet for the best supporting actress. This makes this category all the more unpredictable.

In the battle between the living legend, Streep and the maverick English brilliance, Winslet it will be Streep with the golden statuette but expect a very close finish, a very very close finish in fact.

Might just make it: Anne Hathaway may just surprise the proceedings with her gigantically loved role in Rachel Getting Married. She has vowed most of the critics, just remains to be seen if members of the Academy are vowed. She truly remains the dark horse this season. Expect surprises…..

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Richard Jenkin, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

The predicted winner: Though Leonardo Dicaprio remained denied yet again it seems to be a two way battle between Mickey Rourke and Sean Penn. Mickey Rourke who seems to have seen a sudden revival in his drug induced career, seems to be on the higher side of winnings in the popular awards. He won both the Golden Globes and BAFTA but the veteran winner Penn came back strongly to win at the SAG and a host of critics awards.

Expect the Academy to love the underdog, read Rourke but then again past winners have been equally cherished. If it all comes to the end of the wire then Sean Penn will be scooping up another Oscar.

Might just make it: Brad Pitt has flown under the radar for most of the award season for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. He has been nominated every where but has won a couple of critic’s award. Just like Anne Hathaway, he is the dark horse in this category with an added bonus of being a debutant to the Oscar race. Might just break the class ceiling when and where it matters the most….. Who knows?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

The predicted winner: This again is an open category and has opened furthur with the absence of Kate Winslet’s nomination for her work in The Reader. In her nonattendance, a three way battle seems to have opened. Penélope Cruz won the BAFTA on Sunday which added further momentum to her ambitions, Amy Adams has had a wonderful innings as a two time nominee and would like to convert her third into a win while Taraji P. Henson has been raved about for her work in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

If all goes well, expect Penélope Cruz to look all pretty with the Oscar, a wonderful gown, a ravishing hairdo and an accented thank you speech.

Might just make it: Viola Davis seems to be making all the right noises for her ten minute appearance in Doubt. She is one who could come all the way and disrupt the happy party for the three front runners. The Academy enjoys breakthrough performances, it might just be the ticket for Viola in the big league.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

The predicted winner: It’s unanimous, it’s well deserved and it’s almost a sure thing. It’s Heath Ledger for his unfathomable warped performance in The Dark Knight.

Might just make it: Robert Downey Jr. seems to be getting the momentum in his stride and it is a very well deserved nomination but the writing is on the wall and it says The Joker………

Best Achievement in Directing
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Steven Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk

The predicted winner: With every award going his way it seems futile to make any predictions. It’s Danny Boyle all the way…………

Might just make it: With Sam Mendes being over looked for Revolutionary Road (another shocker) the field clamped down even more competition. If a second in command has to be nominated it has to be Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon, WALL•E

The predicted winner: In Bruges…. Period.

Might just make it: WALL•E and Milk might snare in a competitive look into the winners circle but a win seems highly unlikely.

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Eric Roth, Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
David Hare, The Reader
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

The predicted winner: Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire. Take a bow!!!!!!

Might just make it: The Reader and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button might just about play spoilers but in the competitive arena, shockers are far and few in between. Not this time………..

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard, Defiance
Danny Elfman, Milk
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman, WALL•E

The predicted winner: The envelope reads A.R. Rahman…. This award is for billions. Let us enjoy our moment.

Might just make it: No one seems to be seen this year as competition….

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
A.R. Rahman, Gulzar("Jai Ho"), Slumdog Millionaire
A.R. Rahman, ("O Saya"), Slumdog Millionaire
Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman("Down to Earth"), WALL•E

The predicted winner: The second envelope should also read A.R. Rahman but hoping that it has Gulzar Saab’s name as well. Jay Jaykar for ‘Jai Ho’………..

Might just make it: WALL•E might just sneak this one away as a consolation prize…….

Best Achievement in Sound
David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, Mark Weingarten, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo, The Dark Knight
Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty, Slumdog Millionaire
Tom Myers, Michael Semanick, Ben Burtt, WALL•E
Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño, Petr Forejt, Wanted

The predicted winner: Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty will take the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire. No second doubts………..

Might just make it: The Dark Knight will have to be content with a runner up finish.

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL•E

The predicted winner: WALL•E! WALL•E! WALL•E! WALL•E! The envelope screams WALL•E…………..

Might just make it: Kung Fu Panda might have an outside chance…

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex (Germany)
Entre les murs (France)
Revanche (Austria)
Okuribito (Japan)
Vals Im Bashir (Israel)

The predicted winner: Critics loved it, and so will the Academy members. It’s Vals Im Bashir from Israel.

Might just make it: Kung Fu Panda might have an outside chance…