My statue has a first name, it's O-S-C-A-R

The 79th annual Academy Awards nominations were announced yesterday and I have to say that I'm pretty pleased by the results.

But first off, let me say that I don't get out to the movie theaters that often (it's just too damn expensive anymore). However, I do read A LOT about movies and I feel like I'm a good judge of character when it comes to a quality film versus crap. So, my opinion of the nominations is based on reading what the "experts" have to say along with my own gut feeling about a film. It pains me to say that the only movie I've seen from the ENTIRE list of nominees is Superman Returns (Best Visual Effects).

By far, the two biggest surprises were the Best Actor nomination for Ryan Gosling and the Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for "Borat". I've heard nothing but great things about Gosling's performance, but typically this is the type of movie that never gets the recognition it deserves. I would have rather seen a Best Actor nomination for Sacha Baron Cohen, but I guess a writing accoloade will do. Every year the Academy throws in a few nominees to prove to the masses that they are indeed hip, and "Borat" is this year's Eminem.

Anyway, here are my predictions for the Big 6 awards (who will win vs. who should win):

Best Picture:
Will win - Babel
Should win - Letters from Iwo Jima

Best Actor:
Will win - Peter O'Toole
Should win - Forest Whitaker

Best Actress:
Will win - Helen Mirren
Should win - Helen Mirren

Best Supporting Actor:
Will win - Eddie Murphy
Should win - Jackie Earle Haley

Best Supporting Actress:
Will win - Jennifer Hudson
Should win - Adriana Barraza

Best Director:
Will win - Martin Scorsese
Should win - Martin Scorsese

I think we'll get two instances this year of the Academy making up for past trangressions, with Scorsese and O'Toole. Scorsese seems to be the frontrunner, but I don't know how he can get passed over again for making the same kind of brilliant movie that's right up his alley. With Peter O'Toole, he's almost certainly not going to get an opportunity to win an acting award, so this will be a sentimental, "forgive us for our past mistakes" pick. Both are much deserving, but the Academy loves to make up for past mistakes (i.e. Denzel for Training Day, Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby, etc).

I'm personally glad to see Dreamgirls get snubbed for Best Picture. That's just a movie that reeks of Chicago....a good movie, but not up to snuff with the other contenders.

-- BD

Come One, Come All!

Thanks for taking the time to check out the first entry in my new movie blog. I'm new to this whole blog phenomenom (I know, I know....everyone and their Grandmother has a blog these days). But I thought I'd give it a shot, just for fun, to discuss whatever's on my mind with regards to those wonderful moving pictures that everyone's talking about. I'll talk about movies I've just seen, whether in the Theater or on DVD, or any other news in the world of entertainment. So stop by, drop me a line and thanks for reading!