Tuesday, December 9, 2008

BFCA Nominees

The Broadcast Film Critics Association have announced their 2008 Oscar Predictions nominees. Leading the field are Gus Van Sant's gay rights biopic Milk and David Fincher's backwards-aging curio Benjamin Button with eight nominations each.

<-- The other big story is a complete snub for Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road and its titanic stars Kate & Leo.

Best Actress is particularly alarming with two acclaimed performances Winslet's and Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) snubbed to make room for both Melissa Leo (Frozen River... that longshot Oscar bid looking less and less impossible if still not quite probable) and Kate Beckinsale (Nothing but the Truth). Otherwise it's your usual suspects: Blanchett, Hathaway, Jolie and Streep. Obviously it can't transfer to Oscar though since there are six women. Do the math.

Brad & Angie. His & Hers BFCA nominations.
Will the Globes and the Academy also court the world's most famous celebrity couple?

Best Actor -the only real surprise here: Brad Pitt underneath f/x instead of Leonardo DiCaprio's raging husband. Otherwise, the five men: Langella, Rourke, Eastwood, Penn, Jenkins are all in play for Oscar nods. Someone has to go... but who. Eastwood (I guess the media and not just the Academy wants him to have that fifth Oscar), Penn, Rourke and Langella all looking solid now but that fifth spot for Oscar. Ouch: DiCaprio, Pitt or Jenkins (who would be totally inked in by now but for the need to honor Eastwood again this year).

Best Supporting Actress - This Oscar category was always a little fuzzy and it got a shake up. Taraji P Henson (adorable in Benjamin Button) scores as does her competition Marisa Tomei and a somewhat surprise Vera Farmiga for the very buzz-less Nothing but the Truth. The major snub: No Rosemarie DeWitt for Rachel Getting Married. They also ignored that great movie for screenplay so the BFCA have dealt it kind of a painful blow today. Penélop Cruz and Viola Davis are probably battling it out for the actual Oscar. Unless of course Kate Winslet repeats her nod here for The Reader. And if she wins the Oscar for that film the famous Extras skit will become EVEN MORE BRILLIANT than it already was)

I don't think we really need another film about the Holocaust, do we? It's like. How many have there been, you know? 'We get it. It was grim. Move on.' No, I'm doing it because but I've noticed if you do a film about the Holocaust --guaranteed an Oscar. I've been nominated four times. Never won. The whole world is going "Why hasn't Kate won one?!?"

Best Supporting Actor is my Oscar prediction lineup minus Michael Shannon (remember that Rev Road shutout. It needs to have a comeback at the Globes and SAG or it could be DOA when it opens in theaters for Christmas) plus RDJ's hilarious Tropic Thunder star turn. Yay! This is the only category in which the Broadcast talking heads didn't allow themselves a hedge bet with a sixth nominee so maybe they're confident that it's the exact Oscar lineup.

oh yes and their "Best Pictures of December" nominees with the number of nominations they received.



Thank God for WALL•E & Batman proving that they do have hippocampi!


Complete nominee list here
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