Features







2007-08 Oscar Calendar



[Monday, December 3, 2007]

Official Screen Credits
Forms Due.


[Wednesday, December 26, 2007]

Nominations ballots mailed.


[Saturday, January 12, 2008]

Nominations polls close
5 p.m. PST.


[Tuesday, January 22, 2008]

Nominations announced
5:30 a.m. PST
Samuel Goldwyn Theater


[Wednesday, January 30, 2008]

Final ballots mailed.


[Monday, February 4, 2008]

Nominees Luncheon


[Saturday, February 9, 2008]

Scientific and Technical
Awards Dinner


[Tuesday, February 19, 2008]

Final polls close 5 p.m. PST.


[Sunday, February 24, 2008]

79th Annual
Academy Awards Presentation
Kodak Theatre

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An Aimless Expression of "Happyness"

lastdays.jpg


Last year’s cinematic output was a dreadful display in my opinion. It almost became infamously so, what with a number of readers questioning my passion for film, my dedication to balanced coverage and my overall lack of excitement for the 2005 season.


I’m nothing if not candid (well – not as candid as Sumner Redstone apparently was today), and I’m always the first to address my attitude and such criticisms. While the assumption that my passion was gone was certainly off-target (Why would I continue to write about such things otherwise?), the widespread interpretation of my sluggish reaction was pretty much on the money.


The simple fact was, last year it wasn’t connecting for me. It was all a drab affair and my feelings on the season played themselves out in a top ten list that was speckled with such down-tuned and brooding efforts as Gus Van Sant’s “Last Days,” Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins,” David Cronenberg’s “A History of Violence” (though I certainly wasn’t alone on that one) and Gore Verbinski’s “The Weather Man.” The feeling was as equally shared as it wasn’t, but that’s how my 2005 cookie crumbled. And I guess real-life stuff can play into such things as well.


littlemisssunshine.jpg


This year, however, I am bursting with exhilaration, not only at what is on the periphery, but also at what I’ve already seen. This is the most difficult time, that pre-Toronto phase where you’re sitting on reviews of films for weeks upon weeks. Last year, all was well. Nothing much mattered to me in that regard. But this year – this year I’m just giddy, and that’s the best adjective I could possibly use. I’m giddy and rejuvenated by the films in play, both reviewed and kept under my hat, and there really is no point to this column other than to convey just that.


Sometimes you feel like it’s all sluggish and “work.” Other times, you feel like the luckiest person in the world because people are making fantastic and unique films. This year, I feel like the luckiest person in the world, and I hope my fellow journalists and filmgoers feel the same way. However, if they don’t, “one man’s floor is another man’s ceiling.” Right?


(And no, the title of this blurb does not indicate anything. It just felt like the right extra touch.)

Comments

Well, I was one of the people who questioned your passion last year (although you also got me confused with another John, which made you hate me more than you should have). I wasn't questioning your overall passion for film - no one here would doubt you obviously must love movies to be doing what you're doing. I just felt you were maybe in a funk, which can happen to any of us.

But, yeah, I thought last year was a wonderful year for the movies. So, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that I find this year to be lacking so far (save for a few notable flicks like United 93, Tristam Shandy, and The Illusionist).

But I am truly excited for the movies to come... The Fountain, Children of Men, The Prestige, For Your Consideration, Borat, etc. It will make me very happy if by the end of the year we both agree on it being a good year for cinema; but alas, that will all depend on the films themselves.

I'm excited about this year as well...it seems like a lot of good things are happening and that it's a tough year to pick the best because there's so many good things going on....

As for Pursuit of Happyness...you think this is going to be an awards player????

--RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com

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2008 Year in Advance Predictions


UPDATED: 2/25/2008





Main Charts | Tech Charts



[Motion Picture]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Revolutionary Road”

“The Soloist”



[Directing]

David Fincher
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Ron Howard
“Frost/Nixon”

Gus Van Sant
“Milk”

Sam Mendes
“Revolutionary Road”

Joe Wright
“The Soloist”



[Actor in a Leading Role]

Benicio Del Toro
“The Argentine”

Jamie Foxx
“The Soloist”

Frank Langella
“Frost/Nixon”

Sean Penn
“Milk”

Brad Pitt
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”



[Actress in a Leading Role]

Vera Farmiga
“Nothing But the Truth”

Angelina Jolie
“Changeling”

Julianne Moore
“Blindness”

Meryl Streep
“Doubt”

Kate Winslet
“Revolutionary Road”



[Actor in a Supporting Role]

Josh Brolin
“Milk”

Russell Crowe
“Body of Lies”

Robert Downey, Jr.
“The Soloist”

Heath Ledger
“The Dark Knight”

Michael Sheen
“Frost/Nixon”



[Actress in a Supporting Role]

Amy Adams
“Doubt”

Kathy Bates
“Revolutionary Road”

Cate Blanchett
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Catherine Keener
“The Soloist”

Carice van Houten
“Body of Lies”



[Writing, Adapted Screenplay]

“Body of Lies”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Writing, Original Screenplay]

“Changeling”

“Hamlet 2”

“Milk”

“The Soloist”

“WALL·E”



[Art Direction]

“Australia”

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Red Cliff”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Cinematography]

“Australia”

“The Dark Knight”

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Costume Design]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Doubt”

“The Other Boleyn Girl”

“Red Cliff”

“Revolutionary Road”



[Film Editing]

“Body of Lies”

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Defiance”

“Frost/Nixon”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”



[Makeup]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“The Dark Knight”

“Red Cliff”



[Music, Original Score]

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“The Soloist”

“Revolutionary Road”

“WALL·E”



[Music, Original Song]

coming soon



[Sound Editing]

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Iron Man”

“Speed Racer”

“WALL·E”



[Sound Mixing]

“Defiance”

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull”

“Cloverfield”

“The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian”

“WALL·E”



[Visual Effects]

“The Chronicles of Narnia:
Prince Caspian”

“The Incredible Hulk”

“Iron Man”



[Animated Feature Film]

“9”

“Kung Fu Panda”

“WALL·E”



[Foreign Language Film]

coming soon



[Documentary, Features]

coming soon



[Documentary, Short Subjects]

coming soon



[Short Film, Animated]

coming soon



[Short Film, Live Action]

coming soon