What I'd Like to See at the Oscars

I don't have any idea what motion pictures and performers will be honored tonight, but, now that I've caught up with the last couple of contenders in major categories (see the last two posts), I thought I'd share what I hope the winners will be.

Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
There seems to be a real split of critical opinion on this picture, but it's definitely the movie I most enjoyed this past year, on both an emotional and intellectual level.

Best Director: David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
I can't think of any way that the best film wouldn't, almost automatically, imply the best direction. By the way, in both of these first two categories, I wouldn't be surprised or offended if Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle took the prize, as it was awfully good too.

Best Actor: Sean Penn, Milk
looking back, I don't see how this movie would exist (or be so highly praised) without a dynamic performance at its center, and Penn definitely delivers. Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler is in virtually every scene of that movie and is equally strong, but I think that Penn's performance represented more of a challenge and represented the incredible versatility he has displayed throughout his career.

Best Actress: Melissa Leo, Frozen River
I haven't actually seen this film, but of those I have seen (I also missed Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Wedding) there were no great stand-outs (though I liked Meryl Streep in Doubt). Melissa Leo was always so good in the old TV show Homicide, that I'm pulling for her to win here.

Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Much as I said about Penn, this film is inconceivable without this performance (or anyway, it would have been considerably less entertaining, or even watchable).

Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
When Tomei won this category years ago for My Cousin Vinny, a lot of people thought it was a joke, merely because she had demonstrated how to do comedy. But she's always been good in a wide variety of roles, and this would be nice validation of her true talents. I might be inclined to see Viola Davis as also deserving, if her role amounted to more than a single scene in Doubt (though it is truly a dynamite scene).

Cinematography: Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Easily the best-looking film I saw all year (even critics who didn't like the picture seemed to acknowledge that).

Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Obviously, I really like this movie.

Writing (Original Screenplay): Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
I haven't seen this yet, but I really want to (if it ever comes to Montana-- sometimes good movies don't), but Leigh has been so uniformly good for such a long time, that I want to see him rewarded. I wouldn't mind too much if Martin MacDonagh won for In Bruges either, as that was one of the most entertaining films I saw all year.

Those are the biggies. If you read this before the ceremony, give us your picks in the comments; if after, feel free to second-guess my picks. Enjoy the show!