So the Oscar nominations came out yesterday, and you can view them here. Now notwithstanding the fact that the ceremony might not actually happen this year, the Academy Awards are still the most prestigious, desired trophy in Hollywood. Unfortunately the Academy tends to get things right only about half the time with who they nominate and award... And this year is no different. The following is how I would have narrowed the field of nominees for the eight major categories:
Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis, There Will Be Blood Viggo Mortenson, Eastern Promises Ryan Gosling, Lars and the Real Girl Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild Christian Bale, Rescue Dawn
Best Actress Julie Christie, Away From Her Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose Keri Russell, Waitress Amy Adams, Enchanted Laura Linney, Jindabyne
Best Supporting Actor Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James… John Carroll Lynch, Zodiac Steve Zahn, Rescue Dawn Paul Schneider, Lars and the Real Girl
Best Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone Catherine Keener, Into the Wild Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton Charlotte Gainsbourgh, I’m Not There
Best Director David Fincher, Zodiac Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men Todd Haynes, I’m Not There Richard Kelly, Southland Tales
Best Picture Into the Wild Zodiac There Will Be Blood No Country for Old Men I’m Not There
Best Original Screenplay Juno Lars and the Real Girl I’m Not There The Savages Once
Best Adapted Screenplay No Country For Old Men Zodiac There Will Be Blood The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Into the Wild