If I Were an Academy...

As I attempt a new foray into the blogosphere, I couldn't think of a better first post than my annual "If I Were an Academy." Overall 2008 was a weak year for film, but with the Oscars this Sunday here are my thoughts on who will win, who should win, and who should've been nominated in all of the major categories.

Best Picture
Nominees:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Who should & will win: An incredible film about fate, hope, and love -- Slumdog Millionaire should take home the trophy. It has won every precursor award imaginable, so it'd be a HUGE upset (bigger than Crash v. Brokeback Mountain) if any other film wins.

Who should have been nominated: (tie) Revolutionary Road and The Dark Knight. Road's brilliance, much like Closer's a few years ago, was completely underestimated because it was too "depressing." Knight, on the other hand, is the best comic book film ever made -- it should have been recognized.

Best Director
Nominees:
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant, Milk

Who should & will win: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire. He made the best film of the year, it's as simple as that. Plus, Slumdog has too much momentum for anyone to surpass Boyle.

Who should have been nominated: Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight. He made a film that will be talked about for decades. His snub is almost unforgivable.

Best Actor
Nominees:
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Who should win: Sean Penn, Milk. He's often called one of our generation's greatest living actors. However he often plays dark and brooding, but his characterization of Harvey Milk is joyful, inspiring, and commanding.

Who will win: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler. There's always a surprise at the Oscars and I think it will be here. Comeback stories are hard to top and Rourke's is remarkable. His performance is physical, gritty, and truly moving.

Who should have been nominated: Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road. He gave his most emotive performance ever. Why he can be nominated for Blood Diamond and not for Revolutionary Road is beyond me.

Best Actress
Nominees:
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Who should win: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road. Oh wait, she's nominated for the wrong film. As a result, the greatest living actress of our time, Meryl Streep should take home her third statue for Doubt.

Who will win: Kate Winslet, The Reader. Her work is great here -- it's just not as superb as what she accomplished in Revolutionary Road.

Who should have been nominated: Of course Kate should have been nominated for Road. But the other "Great Cate," this time Blanchett, should have been nominated for her underrated work in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Best Supporting Actor
Nominees
Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Who should & will win: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight. This isn't even a competition.

Who should have been nominated: Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire. It was the best film of the year. Why not throw it an acting nomination?

Best Supporting Actress
Nominees
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Who should & will win: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She steals every scene she's in and gives the rest of the cast a lesson in acting.

Who should have been nominated: Rosemarie Dewitt, Rachel Getting Married. In a role far more complex than Anne Hathaway's, Dewitt grounds the film.

Best Original Screenplay
Nominees
Frozen River, written by Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, written by Mike Leigh
In Bruges, written by Martin McDonagh
Milk, written by Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, screenplay by Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, original story by Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter

Who should & will win: Wall-E. A film as good as Wall-E with as little dialogue must have an awesome screenplay.

Who should have been nominated: Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Woody Allen's best film since Match Point.

Jason's Top 10 of 2008
1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Dark Knight
3. Milk
4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. Revolutionary Road
6. The Wrestler
7. Doubt
8. The Reader
9. Iron Man
10. Wall-E