Oscar Standing

Best Picture
Atonement is everything that a solidified Oscar Frontrunner normally is: large in scope, deep in meeting and met with a great ensemble of actors; No Country and There will be Blood will ride off the wonderful careers of its helmers, who despite hitting their stride in the 90’s; Elah isn’t the most favoured film of the season, but its supporters are strong; Before the Devil… seems to be hitting its stride at the right moment; while Clayton, Charlie Wilson’s War (if people start talking about it) and American Gangster seem to be all the right stuff for the Oscar season.

1. Atonement
2. No Country for Old Men
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Michael Clayton
5. Before The Devil Knows Your Dead
6. American Gangster
7. In The Valley of Elah
8. The Savages
9. Charlie Wilson’s War
10. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Howard Ford

Best Director
Let’s just get this out of the way: Ceons, Ander and Wright are all euqaly (and pretty) safe. Lumet is a vet and has strong ties with the Academy; Scott’s overdue big time and the film is bait (even if the film’s not safe); Haynes & Dominik seems like the most probable lone director nom, but the film’s way out there Academy wise; Burton & Nichols could be considered if their films become worthy: De Palma is getting the best raves since Carlito’s Way.

1. Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
2. The Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men
3. Joe Wright, Atonement
4. Sidney Lumet, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
5. Ridley Scott, American Gangster
6. Todd Haynes, I’m Not There
7. Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd
8. Brian De Palma, Redacted
9. Mike Nichols, Charlie Wilson’s War
10. Andrew Dominik, Assasination of Jesse James


Best Actor
Day Lewis is considered to be one best actors of the generation and he seems to be at his best form; Tommy Lee Jones is getting raves and nothing less for his performance ina film that’s not getting as much praise; McAvory and Washington will ride to coattails of their movies (their both supposedly giving solid perfs; Into the Wild is totally on Hirsh’s shoulders ; Mortensen & Conenberg didn’t work last time, but they keep getting raves for their work; Benicio somewhere in limbo between lead and supporting; Riley’s giving one of the most praised performances of the year; Hoffman seems to be having a hell of a year.

2. Daniel Day Lewis, There Will Be Blood
2. Tommy Lee Jones, In The Valley of Elah
3. James McAvory, Atonement
4. George Clooney, Michael Clayton
5. Denzel Washington, American Gangster
6. Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
7. Emile Hirsh, Into the Wild
8. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead
9. Benicio Del Toros, Things We Lost In The Fire
10. Sam Riley, Control

Best Actress
Knightley (terrific or not) is locked up, she’s starring in the front running film; Christie has gotten the best reviews out of any performer this year; Linney is overdue and word is that she’s great in the Savages; Cortillard & Foster are both savaging was is said to be a terrible films (will that hurt them); Kidman’s character is said to be a monster; Blenchett is getting inferior comparisons to her 1998 performance; High Profilers Berry and Jolie are hoping their celebrity will improve their chances; while Page is the Toronto breakthrough.

1. Kiera Knightley, Atonement
2. Julie Christie, Away From Her
3. Laura Linney, The Savages
4. Marion Cortillard. La Vie En Rose
5. Nicole Kidman, Margot and the Wedding
6. Jodie Foster, The Brave One
7. Cate Blanchett, A Golden Age
8. Halle berry, Things Lost in the Fire
9. Ellen Page, Juno
10. Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart

Best Supporting Actor
Bardem is the undisputed frontrunner people are already calling him iconic in the role; Ruffalo is way overdue, and seems stable despite the lack of support for the film; Dano is definetly becoming one of the best actors of his generation (this is supposed to be his best); Hoffman has bait roles in three serious Oscar films; Brosco seems to be taking this year’s vet spot ; Brolin seems to be this years John C Reilly; Affleck is having his breakout year; Zahn gave the best supporting performance of the first half; Wilkinson is bait and the film is rising at the best time; HAlbrook is one of the films stoandouts.

1. Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
2. Paul Dano, There Will Be Blood
3. Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
4. Cassey Affleck, The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
5. Philip Brosco, The Savages
6. Hal Holbrook, Into The Wild
7. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War
8. Josh Brolin, No Country for Old Men
9. Mark Ruffalo, Reservation Road
10. Steve Zahn, Rescue Dawn

Best Supporting Actor
Blanchett is (at this point) the undisputable frontrunner noyone is begin buzzed as much as her palying Bob Dylan; if Margot flies Leigh might have it in her to become serious competition for the Great Cate; The similarities between Ryan’s character and Madeleine McCann will heightened her visibility; Ronan is something of a milestone in Atonement and they love to award young actors in this category; Morton is a reliable name in a critical darling; Thomei’s something of a wildcard, riding her film’s coattails; Redgrave is said to be grand, but also short; Carter & Roberts really need their ponnies to start moving up the tract; McDonald is playing the academy loving role of the long suffering wife; as is Sarandon.

1. Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
2. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Margot and the Wedding
3. Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
4. Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
5. Samantha Morton, Control
6. Marisa Thomei, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
7. Venessa Redgrave, Atonement
8. Kelly McDonald, No Country for Old Men
9. Julia Roberts, Charlie Wilson’s War
10. Susan Sarandon, In The Valley of Elah

Best Original Screenplay
Juno is the perfect Original Screenplay contender, it smeels like LMS; Clayton seems like an unbeatable force; For Before the Devil … to become a Best Picture contender, a screenplay nomination is a must; The Savages seems like its going to make the grade; if the Incredibles got a screenplay nom, Ratatioulle will; Lars & Margo seem to be in Juno & Savages Shadows; Once is getting big notices, but its also really, really small; Few people find Eastern Promises is as good as History of Violence

1. Juno
2. Michael Clayton
3. The Savages
4. Before The Devil Knows Your Dead
5. Ratatouille
6. Margo and the Wedding
7. Lars and the Real Girl
8. Once
9. Eastern Promises
10. Knocked Up

Best Adapted Screenplay
BP frontrunners Atonement, There will be … and No Country … are all going mano the mano; CWW is the current filler; Diving Bell & Away From Her will pull on their heart strings; Chlora is a classic novel and the adaptation might just be right up the Academy’s ally; Into the Wild & Elah are getting mixed reception, but their not completely out of the question; American Gangster is going to be big, but how big?

1. Atonement
2. There will Be Blood
3. No Country for Old Men
4. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
5. Charlie’s Wilson War
6. Away From Her
7. Love in the Time of Chlora
8. Into the Wild
9. American Gangster
10. In the Valley for Elah