Best of 2008: Everything But Best Motion Picture

Best of 2008: Everything But Best Motion Picture

So before I give up my 10 ten film of 2008, here's a rundown of the top visual and special effects, movie music, cinematographers, screenplays, ensemble, directors, and the 5 greatest performances of 2008 (male, female, leading or supporting). I won't write any reasons, just a list this time, so: Enjoy!

Top 5 Visual/Special Effects:
5. Beverly Abbot for THE RUINS
4. Kaj Steveman for LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
3. Ben Snow for IRON MAN
2. Nick Davis for THE DARK KNIGHT
1. Eric Barba for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Top 5 Musical Scores/Soundtracks:
5. David Torn/Soundtrack for THE WACKNESS
4. Howard Shore for DOUBT
3. ABBA for MAMMA MIA!
2. Nico Muhly for THE READER
1. A.R. Rahman/Soundtrack for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Top 5 Cinematographers:
5. Roger Deakins for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
4. Wally Pfister for THE DARK KNIGHT
3. Roger Deakins and Chris Menges for THE READER
2. Anthony Dod Mantle for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
1. Claudio Miranda for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Top 10 Screenplays:
10. Eric Roth & Robin Swicord for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
9. Kelly Reichardt & Jonathan Raymond for WENDY AND LUCY
8. Darren Aronofsky for THE WRESTLER
7. Woody Allen for VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
6. David Hare for THE READER
5. Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter & Jim Reardon for WALL-E
4. Simon Beaufoy for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
3. Dustin Lance Black for MILK
2. John Patrick Shanley for DOUBT
1. Jenny Lumet for RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

Top 10 Cast Ensembles:
10. FUNNY GAMES
9. THE VISITOR
8. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
7. THE DARK KNIGHT
6. THE READER
5. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
4. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
3. RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
2. MILK
1. DOUBT

Top 10 Directors:
10. Woody Allen for VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
9. Martin McDonagh for IN BRUGES
8. Darren Aronofsky for THE WRESTLER
7. Jonathan Demme for RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
6. David Fincher for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
5. James March for MAN ON WIRE
4. Stephen Daldry for THE READER
3. Tomas Alfredson for LET THE RIGHT ONE IN
2. Gus Van Sant for MILK
1. Danny Boyle for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

The 5 Greatest Performances of 2008:
5. Sally Hawkins in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
4. Sean Penn in MILK
3. Meryl Streep in DOUBT
2. Kate Winslet in THE READER
1. Heath Ledger in THE DARK KNIGHT

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actor

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actor

Honestly, I am just happy enough with my list of 10 men. Unlike the women of '08, the guys proved to show high caliber but less quantity - save a few. My list of ten actors was insanely weak until December rolled around.

In the list, most of the guys are newcomers to top ten-class acting - at least to my 23 year-old eye. Colin Farrell surprised many with his dark, comedic turn in "In Bruges". He's lovable, pitiful, and insanely irritating - also known as brilliance. I'm glad he gained recognition and a Golden Globe for his performance. Though I kind of despise "Frost/Nixon" for many reasons, I love it for Frank Langhella's sacrosanct work as Richard Nixon. His voice, his hair, his gestures, his attitude all make the movie great - I hate saying that. In "The Reader," newcomer David Kross had to learn English, turn 18, and shoot explicit nude scenes with the goddess that is Kate Winslet. Though he was surely terrified, Kross perfected his character's voice and tone, keeping every flinch and word close to the novel. His scene when he realizes his lover is being tried is heart-wrenching and stunning to unravel. Mickey Rourke, as you may have heard, has this think known as a come-back in "The Wrestler." Though I've never seen him in anything other than "Sin City," Rourke serves muscle and heart in the sinisterly real drama. Playing a passively introvertent professor who turns into a bongo-banging illegal immigrant ally, Richrad Jenkins conveys the most level-headed performance of the year in "The Visitor." He's true and compassionate, showing the true meaning of a 180 degree transition. Also, in "The Wackness," Ben Kingsley dishes out a role I would've never cast him as - a pot-smoking, depressed psychologist. Never sticking out in my mind before, Kinglsey gave one of the funniest roles of the year.

Two men appearing once in my Supporting Actor list and here are Brad Pitt for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and Robert Downey, Jr. for "Iron Man." In one of his best performances to date, Pitt strives to capture a man's entire life, only it's all to be done backwards. A shapeshifting role, the man shows that he's not just some guy in the tabloids. Downey, Jr., beneath Tina Fey, had the most incredible year. He struck stars with critics for "Iron Man," playing the dangerously narcissistic Tony Stark, then a couple months later gained instant Oscar buzz for "Tropic Thunder." The man deserves a pat on the back! In the superhero phenonmenon, he translates a new version of the genre, regrouping the shambles "Spiderman 3" and the X-Men trilogy left us in. "The Dark Knight" didn't hurt either.

Then, we have two of my favorite contemporary actors. Leonardo DiCaprio goes head-to-head with Winslet in "Revolutionary Road." Winslet stuck out more for me, but DiCaprio shouldn't be forgotten. He provided the realism sided with hope, while Kate's character just wanted to escape everything. I would've enjoyed this role more if "Mad Men" didn't exist - too many similarities. Finally, Sean Penn will recruit you as Harvey Milk. In Van Sant's terrifically spliced "Milk," Penn becomes the title role. Forgetting who Sean Penn is or was, you become captivated with the character and purely want him to live freely. One of the best performances of the decade.

Conclusively, the final list of 2008's Top 10 Performances by a Leading Male are:

10. Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark in IRON MAN

9. Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Wheeler in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

8. Ben Kingsely as Dr. Squires in THE WACKNESS

7. Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button in THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

6. David Kross as Michael Berg in THE READER

5. Colin Farrell as Ray in IN BRUGES

4. Frank Langhella as Richard Nixon in FROST/NIXON

3. Richard Jenkins as Professor Walter Vale in THE VISITOR

2. Mickey Rourke as Randy "The Ram" Robinson in THE WRESTLER

1. Sean Penn as Harvey Milk in MILK

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actress

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actress

The women of 2008 have been so incredible that many great performances couldn't even make the top ten. The biggest names in Hollywood strut their stuff on the screen and the red carpet this year, and rightfully so.

Most of the acting I enjoy in the lead categories are of dramatic roles, however, two funny ladies made the cut. Rebecca Hall in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" was superbly sly and cunning opposite Scarlett Johansson. Hall played the woman with a wall blocking Javier's attempts and eventual triumph of woo, and turned her character into the more interesting one of the title roles. The other comedian, Sally Hawkins in "Happy-Go-Lucky," provides the funniest, soulful, and deeply hilarious performance of the year. She completely sparkles in the film and was terribly snubbed by SAG and the Oscars. Thank God she won a Golden Globe.

Then, there's the dramatic. The diva. The immaculate and untouchable. In three of the "simply complicated" roles, Melissa Leo, an actress I've never heard of, stars in "Frozen River" and delivers a punch as the desperate, surviving mom of two who will stop at nothing for the safety and health of her children - even transporting illegals over the frozen river on Canada's border. In "Rachel Getting Married," the abstruse relationships with everyone and Kym is what makes Anne Hathaway simmer. With enough teenage angst to create a "Catcher in the Rye" handbook, she is one of the five ladies I highly recommend to win. She's so damn empathetic, I can't even retell it. Finally, Michelle Williams' performance in "Wendy and Lucy" doesn't impale you with campaigning urgency right away. She sits in your stomach, working her way to your heart. An unforgettable role in the most simple of films, that, like her performance, blossoms into a complicated was with an unforgiving society. She's exceptional.

And now for the screamers - and I'm not including Jamie Lee Curtis. Meryl Streep proves that one can be happy in the sunshine and dancing on the beach during the summertime, and shift as winter grows colder, the leaves lie dead under the snow, and nothing can escape the chill. Her interpretation of "Doubt's" Sister Aloysius is phenomenal. She brings on the intensity, she gives us the accent, and she is so intimate with compassion. On paper, Aloysius is a complete bitch. Streep gave her humility, ambition, and weaknesses. I loved that. In "Revolutionary Road," Leo did most of the screaming, but Kate Winslet balanced with utter, eerie silence and blood-curdling blowouts. Her character was the most stimulating, escaping the housewife commonality into a world of dreams and hope. She fought as hard as she could to live a life they could love. She was painful and beautifully depressing. Last of the screamers is Angelina Jolie in "Changeling."

Finally, the two women who played the adult life of their characters, Hanna Schmitz for Kate Winslet (appearing for the second time on this list) and Daisy for Cate Blanchett. The two K(C)ate's take the art of acting to new levels, creating new stages with each scene, allowing their characters to flex and mold as age sets in and wrinkles cross their brow. Winslet, in a performance that nearly tops herself as Clementine in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," strips herself nude (literally and figuratively) to play a role destined for her in "The Reader." Blanchett surpasses beautiful, entering the realm of the insanely celestial. The brilliant cinematography of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" captured the royalty that is Blanchett.

So, I'd like to present the 2008 Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actress:

10. Cate Blanchett as Daisy in THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

9. Rebecca Hall as Vicky in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

8. Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins in CHANGELING

7. Melissa Leo as Ray Eddy in FROZEN RIVER

6. Michelle Williams as Wendy in WENDY AND LUCY

5. Kate Winslet as April Wheeler in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

4. Anne Hathaway as Kym in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

3. Sally Hawkins as Poppy in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

2. Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius Beauvier in DOUBT

1. Kate Winslet as Hanna Schmitz in THE READER

Screen Actor's Guild Award Predictions & Winners

15th ANNUAL SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS NOMINATIONS

**My predictions are LARGE**

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
RICHARD JENKINS / Walter Vale - "THE VISITOR" (Overture Films)
FRANK LANGELLA / Richard Nixon - "FROST/NIXON" (Universal Pictures)
SEAN PENN / Harvey Milk - "MILK" (Focus Features)
BRAD PITT / Benjamin Button - "THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON" (Paramount Pictures)
MICKEY ROURKE / Randy - "THE WRESTLER" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)Outstanding

Winner: Sean Penn

Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
ANNE HATHAWAY / Kym - "RACHEL GETTING MARRIED" (Sony Pictures Classics)
ANGELINA JOLIE / Christine Collins - "CHANGELING" (Universal Pictures)
MELISSA LEO / Ray Eddy - "FROZEN RIVER" (Sony Pictures Classics)
MERYL STREEP / Sister Aloysius Beauvier - "DOUBT" (Miramax Films)
KATE WINSLET / April Wheeler - "REVOLUTIONARY ROAD" (Paramount Vantage)

Winner: Meryl Streep

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
JOSH BROLIN / Dan White - "MILK" (Focus Features)
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR. / Kirk Lazarus - "TROPIC THUNDER" (Paramount Pictures)
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN / Father Brendan Flynn - "DOUBT" (Miramax Films)
HEATH LEDGER / Joker - "THE DARK KNIGHT" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
DEV PATEL / Older Jamal - "SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE" (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Winner: Heath Ledger

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
AMY ADAMS / Sister James - "DOUBT" (Miramax Films)
PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Maria Elena - "VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA" (The Weinstein Company)
VIOLA DAVIS / Mrs. Miller - "DOUBT" (Miramax Films)
TARAJI P. HENSON / Queenie - "THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON" (Paramount Pictures)
KATE WINSLET / Hanna Schmitz - "THE READER" (The Weinstein Company)

Winner: Kate Winslet

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (Paramount Pictures)
DOUBT (Miramax)
FROST/NIXON (Universal Pictures)
MILK (Focus Features)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire


PRIMETIME TELEVISION

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
RALPH FIENNES / Bernard Lafferty - "BERNARD AND DORIS" (HBO)
PAUL GIAMATTI / John Adams - "JOHN ADAMS" (HBO)
KEVIN SPACEY / Ron Klain - "RECOUNT" (HBO)
KIEFER SUTHERLAND / Jack Bauer - "24: REDEMPTION" (FOX)
TOM WILKINSON / Benjamin Franklin - "JOHN ADAMS" (HBO)

Winner: Paul Giamatti

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
LAURA DERN / Katherine Harris - "RECOUNT" (HBO)
LAURA LINNEY / Abigail Adams - "JOHN ADAMS" (HBO)
SHIRLEY MacLAINE / Coco Chanel - "COCO CHANEL" (Lifetime)
PHYLICIA RASHAD / Lena Younger - "A RAISIN IN THE SUN" (ABC)
SUSAN SARANDON / Doris Duke - "BERNARD AND DORIS" (HBO)

Winner: Laura Linney

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - "DEXTER" (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper - "MAD MEN" (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / Gregory House - "HOUSE" (FOX)
WILLIAM SHATNER / Denny Crane - "BOSTON LEGAL" (ABC)
JAMES SPADER / Alan Shore - "BOSTON LEGAL" (ABC)

Winner: Hugh Laurie

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
SALLY FIELD / Nora Walker - "BROTHERS & SISTERS" (ABC)
MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson - "LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT" (NBC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko - "SAVING GRACE" (TNT)
ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson - "MAD MEN" (AMC)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Dep. Chief Brenda Johnson - "THE CLOSER" (TNT)

Winner: Sally Field

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - "30 ROCK" (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott - "THE OFFICE" (NBC)
DAVID DUCHOVNY / Hank Moody - "CALIFORNICATION" (Showtime)
JEREMY PIVEN / Ari Gold - "ENTOURAGE" (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk - "MONK" (USA)

Winner: Alec Baldwin

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly - "SAMANTHA WHO?" (ABC)
AMERICA FERRERA / Betty Suarez - "UGLY BETTY" (ABC)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - "30 ROCK" (NBC)
MARY-LOUISE PARKER / Nancy Botwin - "WEEDS" (Showtime)
TRACEY ULLMAN / Various Characters - "TRACEY ULLMAN’S STATE OF THE UNION" (Showtime)

Winner: Tina Fey

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
THE CLOSER (TNT)
DEXTER (Showtime)
HOUSE (Fox)
MAD MEN (AMC)

Winner: Mad Men

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 ROCK (NBC)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
WEEDS (Showtime)

Winner: 30 Rock


SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
THE DARK KNIGHT (Warner Bros. Pictures)
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (Universal Pictures)
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (Paramount Pictures)
IRON MAN (Paramount Pictures)
WANTED (Universal Pictures)

Winner: The Dark Knight

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
THE CLOSER (TNT)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (NBC)
HEROES (NBC)
PRISON BREAK (FOX)
THE UNIT (CBS)

Winner: Heroes

My Grade: 11/15 = 73%
Jennie's Grade: 12/15 = 80% --- WINNER

Damn it! All because of the stupid stunt awards!!!

Oscar Nominations - Reactions and My Batting Average

The Academy Awards let loose their ever-royal list of nominations today. Here's how well I predicted and what I think of the actual nods:

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

(I went with "The Wrestler" instead of "F/N" because I was very disappointed in the nominated film. I should have gone with my gut but I couldn't predict it out of spite! And I'm very, very, very proud that I am the only person in the universe who predicted that "The Reader" would make it.)

Grade: 4/5

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

(I shouldn't have doubted Van Sant - I'm sorry Jennie! - but Howard? C'mon. I picked Nolan for "The Dark Knight" and Aronofsky for "The Wrestler" instead. Oh well. And once again, "The Reader" pulls ahead!)

Grade: 3/5

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

(I expected these three and called that I would have a perfect prediction in this category - and I was right!)

Grade: 5/5

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

(I picked Franco instead of Brolin in hopes that the Academy realized who was better in the film - but I was wrong. Then I went with Patel instead of Shannon. My mistake.)

Grade: 3/5

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

Kate Winslet, The Reader

(Surprises in this category! I only predicted Hathaway and Streep correctly. Sally Hawkins took Jolie's place from last year in the snub category, they pulled a Naomi Watts in "21 Grams" on Kate by putting "The Reader" as Best Actress - and rightfully so - and then Leo snuck into the five.)

Grade: 2/5

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

(Thank God Winslet is going to win Best Actress and no in this category; now it's anyone's trophy, though I hope for Adams or Cruz to win. I predicted four, and then Henson took Winslet's old spot. Good for her.)

Grade: 4/5

My Average: 70%

Jennie's Average: 76.6% - WINNER!

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actor

Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actor

Looking at my list for the best supporting actors, there's not really a system or a commonality between them except eight out of the ten played off-their-rocker psychopaths, killers, molesters, or schizophrenics. The two sane ones weren't so over the top, but sweet and gracefully filled the stage with presence.

Dev Patel in "Slumdog Millionaire" captured the essence of unstoppable determination in the name of love. He wasn't over the top or under-performing - he was perfect in a crucial age-role of the film. The other lucid character was played by James Franco in "Milk." Franco - with "Pineapple Express" under his belt - had a tremendous career, jump-starting a future in great films. In "Milk," he was more like the housewife to Harvey Milk, a Jackie Onassis to her JFK.

Eddie Marsan, who was pitch-perfectly creepy as the driving instructor in "Happy-Go-Lucky," begins the eight crazies. He contrasted Sally Hawkin's character so masterfully that sometimes you weren't sure if she's ever leave the car alive. In "Revolutionary Road," Kate and Leo go head-to-head, but in the few scenes with Michael Shannon - the only role who understands the couple's escapism dream - are brilliant. The man out-performs DiCaprio in every which way. A possible child molester, Philip Seymour Hoffman plays a priest in "Doubt" who must defend his sexuality and position at a 1964 Catholic school in the Bronx. Like the feuds in "Revolutionary Road," Hoffman clashes swords with Meryl Streep - if only we could have a sword-duel to see who would truly win. In "Burn After Reading," Brad Pitt, releasing his inner-Keanu, blooms as the bouncy/screwball gym trainer who teams with Frances McDormand to uncover a possible government secret, while John Malkovich goes ape-shit on the Coen Brothers set as the man McDormand and Pitt are after. Also starring in the same film are Tom Cruise as the foul-mouthed, rapping movie producer and Robert Downey, Jr. as the dude playin' the dude, disguised as another dude. Cruise was off-the-charts crazy, while you had to look beyond the character-over-character/skin-over-skin to find the insanity of Downey, Jr.'s character.

And then, in a whole other universe of caliber, there is the unreachable Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight." All I have to say about his performance is that it is the best performance of the 21st century, and one of the best in cinematic history. Transcendent. Sinister. Perfect.

And now, the list of the 2008 Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actor:

10. Dev Patel as Jamal Malik in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

9. John Malkovich as Oscbourne Cox in BURN AFTER READING

8. Brad Pitt as Chad Feldheimer in BURN AFTER READING

7. Tom Cruise as Les Grossman in TROPIC THUNDER

6. Michael Shannon as John Givings in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

5. James Franco as Scott Smith in MILK

4. Robert Downey, Jr. as Kirk Lazarus in TROPIC THUNDER

3. Eddie Marsan as Scott in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

2. Philip Seymour Hoffman as Father Brendan Flynn in DOUBT

1. Heath Ledger as The Joker in THE DARK KNIGHT

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actress

Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actress

It's very difficult in defining a top 10 list for any category of film. There are so many genres and types of movies released that it's a daunting task for any professional or amateur critic. This year was full of great supporting roles for both male and female, and I could probably list 10 more reasonably - but I'm not.

The women comprising the Supporing Actress category are just that - supporting characters, despite what any award show says. Three movies cultivated such great performances that they have two actresses appearing in the list. Debra Winger and Rosemarie DeWitt shine like a dirty gem in "Rachel Getting Married," both giving realistic performances, particularly DeWitt who should be nominated for an Oscar as Rachel. In "Doubt," Amy Adams impeccably plays Sister James - a role only fate could allow her to have - and Viola Davis stands out in her single, yet moving, scene. And in "The Wrestler," Mickey Rourke's two supporting women, Evan Rachel Wood and Marisa Tomei, aid his journey with eloquent, raw performances.

The four women of the list certainly stood out in their particular films. Taraji P. Henson captivated the character of Queen so perfectly - she was hilarious, heart-felt, and effective in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." In "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," Penelope Cruz surfaces as a woman who can act her heart out. Her fiery vixen of an ex-wife was both entertaining and frightening. Freida Pinto captured the purity, beauty, and romance that was "Slumdog Millionaire." I'd put her on the list for that slow motion shot of her by the trains, smiling. Such a great, simple performance by a beautiful unknown. Finally, Misty Upham drove Melissa Leo's lead character into forbidden dangers in "Frozen River." She gave an incredible performance that was both dynamic and effortless.

Here is the list of the Top 10 Performances by a Supporting Actress:

10. Debra Winger as Abby in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

9. Freida Pinto as Lakita in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

8. Evan Rachel Wood as Stephanie Robinson in THE WRESTLER

7. Misty Upham as Lila in FROZEN RIVER

6. Taraji P. Henson as Queenie in THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

5. Viola Davis as Mrs. Miller in DOUBT

4. Marisa Tomei as Cassidy in THE WRESTLER

3. Rosemarie DeWitt as Rachel in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

2. Amy Adams as Sister James in DOUBT

1. Penelope Cruz as Maria Elena in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

Dane's Oscar Predictions

So, that time of year has arrived, when everyone (well, those of you who are into film awards) take a guess as to what 5 nominations per category the Academy will put forth as the best of the year. In predicting, one takes into account what other people say, reviews, precursor awards, and, most importantly, the surprise Oscar nods. Without further ado, here are my somewhat ballsy predictions for this year's Academy Awards (released on Thursday):

Note: Italicized predictions are ones that I predicted last March and have decided to stick with.

BEST PICTURE

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

MILK

THE READER

THE WRESTLER

I feel very, very, very, unsure about these predictions. Why? Because other than "Slumdog" I have NO IDEA who is going to be nominated, and - it seems - neither does anyone else! "Ben Butt" is too epic and beautiful for the Academy to let go, so I think that's in definitely too, but the other three are toss ups. I chose "Milk" because of it's political content in a very political time. "The Wrestler" for it's gorgeously paced movement as a film and to put a down-to-earth film on the list. And, "The Reader" because it's about the Holocaust and the Academy really like Daldry. I won't get into the whole, well maybe it's this movie or this movie because I want to seem confident even though I'm not!

BEST DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle for SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

David Fincher for THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Darren Aronofsky for THE WRESTLER

Stephen Daldry for THE READER

Christopher Nolan for THE DARK KNIGHT

Going on my "Wrestler" kick, Aronofsky is in. Daldry has been nominated for all of the 2 films he's directed ("The Hours" and "Billy Elliot") so count him in with the five. Boyle, Fincher, and Nolan are complete and utter locks. There you have it! Note: I'm acting wayyyy more confident than I actually am in this category!

BEST ACTOR

Richard Jenkins in THE VISITOR

Frank Langhella in FROST/NIXON

Sean Penn in MILK

Brad Pitt in THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Mickey Rourke in THE WRESTLER

Honestly, I believe that Pitt is the only one on the chopping block. However, there's only 1 or 2 other actors to fill his shoes. I expect this category to be pitch perfect.

BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

Sally Hawkins in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

Meryl Streep in DOUBT

Michelle Williams in WENDY AND LUCY

Kate Winslet in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

This category is in the same situation as Best Actor's: Four locks, and then one open space. The only difference is that the open space can be filled by 5-7 actresses very deserving of the nod. I'm going with Williams hopefully. She's the silent trout ready to bit the bait - plus it would be historic to see her nominated with Heath.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Robert Downey, Jr. in TROPIC THUNDER

James Franco in MILK

Philip Seymour Hoffman in DOUBT

Heath Ledger in THE DARK KNIGHT

Dev Patel in SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Franco, in my opinion, was the best supporting actor in "Milk" and will be rewarded with a nomination. Patel is riding the rocket ship that is "Slumdog Millionaire." Downey had too great of a year to get away without being nominated. Hoffman was incredible in "Doubt" and is an Oscar favorite. Then there is Ledger who gave the best performance of the year.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams in DOUBT

Penelope Cruz in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

Viola Davis in DOUBT

Marisa Tomei in THE WRESTLER

Kate Winslet in THE READER

There will be snubs any way you look at it in this highly qualified category. I think "The Wrestler" is going to do better than expected with nomination count and Tomei will help that cause. Winslet and Cruz have their feet in the door already. Then there are the ladies of "Doubt." Without a Best Picture/Director nomination, Davis and Adams are sure to be nominated.

3 Adjectives - '08 Films I Didn't See in Theaters

Happy-Go-Lucky

Light-Hearted, Intricate, Effortless

Grade: A

Paranoid Park
Subjective, Thrilling, Novel

Grade: B+

The Fall

Colorful, Chimerical, Disorganized

Grade: B

Snow Angels

Stimulating, Cutting, Absorbing

Grade: B+

The Wackness

Coming-of-Age, Hip, Surprising

Grade: A-

Transsiberian

Stinging, Xenophobic, Psychological

Grade: B+

The Visitor

Important, Contemporary, Charismatic

Grade: A-

The Tracey Fragments

Dull, Labrinthine, Dubious

Grade: C-

Milk

Essential, Inspiring, Cognizant

Grade: A

The Wrestler

Heart-breaking, Clean, Opulent

Grade: A-

Revolutionary Road

Dismal, Ensnaring, No-Holds-Barred

Grade: B+

Man on Wire

Eccentric, Compelling, Immaculate

Grade: A

Wendy and Lucy

Simple, Knotty, Sad

Grade: A-

Frost/Nixon

Stagey, Engrossing, Self-Absorbed

Grade: B-

Frozen River

Edgy, Effective, Unfeigned

Grade: A-

The Counterfeiters

Concise, Historic, Fraternal

Grade: A-

Golden Globe Predictions - Who's Going to Win

On Sunday, the Golden Globes will be back after last year's "reading" of the winners due to the writer's strike. So, after watching the winners of the Critic's Choice Awards, and after viewing MOST of the films nominated, I think I have a pretty good shot of predicting the winners. Let's see how I do:

FILM
BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire
Correct!

BEST MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Prediction: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Correct!

ACTOR, DRAMA
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Prediction: Sean Penn
Wrong... Rourke

ACTRESS, DRAMA
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Prediction: Anne Hathaway
Wrong... Winslet

ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Javier Bardem, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Colin Farrell, In Bruges
James Franco, Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey
Prediction: Dustin Hoffman
Wrong... Farrell

ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey
Prediction: Sally Hawkins
Correct!

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Prediction: Heath Ledger
Correct!

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Prediction: Kate Winslet
Correct!

DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road
Prediction: Danny Boyle
Correct!

SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare, The Reader
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Prediction: Simon Beaufoy
Correct!

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
Everlasting Moments (Sweden)
Gomorrah (Italy)
I've Loved You So Long (France)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
Prediction: Waltz With Bashir
Correct!

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
Prediction: WALL-E
Correct!

ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clint Eastwood, Changeling
James Newton Howard, Defiance
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Hans Zimmer, Frost/Nixon
Prediction: A.R. Rahman
Correct!

ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth," WALL-E; music by Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman; lyrics by Peter Gabriel
"Gran Torino," Gran Torino; music by Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens; lyrics by Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
"I Thought I Lost You," Bolt; music & lyrics by Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
"Once in a Lifetime," Cadillac Records; music & lyrics by Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
"The Wrestler," The Wrestler; music & lyrics by Bruce Springsteen
Prediction: Bruce Springsteen
Correct!

TELEVISION
TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Dexter
House
In Treatment
Mad Men
True Blood
Prediction: True Blood
Wrong... Mad Men

ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
January Jones, Mad Men
Anna Paquin, True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Prediciton: January Jones
Wrong... Paquin

ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors
Prediction: Jon Hamm
Wrong... Byrne

TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 Rock
Californication
Entourage
The Office
Weeds
Prediction: 30 Rock
Correct!

ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Prediction: Tina Fey
Correct!

ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
David Duchovny, Californication
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Prediction: David Duchovny
Wrong... Baldwin

MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
A Raisin in the Sun
Bernard and Doris
Cranford
John Adams
Recount
Prediction: John Adams
Correct!

ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Judi Dench, Cranford
Catherine Keener, An American Crime
Laura Linney, John Adams
Shirley MacLaine, Coco Chanel
Susan Sarandon, Bernard and Doris
Prediciton: Shirley MacLaine '
Wrong... Linney

ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ralph Fiennes, Bernard and Doris
Paul Giamatti, John Adams
Kevin Spacey, Recount
Kiefer Sutherland, 24: Redemption
Tom Wilkinson, Recount
Prediction: Paul Giamatti
Correct!

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Eileen Atkins, Cranford
Laura Dern, Recount
Melissa George, In Treatment
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Prediction: Dianne Wiest
Wrong... Dern

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Denis Leary, Recount
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams
Prediction: Tom Wilkinson
Correct!

Final Grade: 16/25 = 64%