MTV Movies Blog: Who should direct the fourth 'Mission: Impossible'?

Some random AICN reader calling himself ‘supastring’ wrote in to report that Tom Cruise was on some popular program called “Smap Smap” in Japan where he revealed that he has started working on the story for a fourth film in the “Mission: Impossible” series, and that he’s been “thinking about how to stage a big action sequence in downtown Tokyo.”

Some of you might bemoan the idea of another "Mission: Impossible" film but I, for one, have always preferred Cruise’s Ethan Hunt to Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne, or any of the modern incarnations of James Bond, although to be fair, I am a Tom Cruise apologist who thinks the man is incapable of giving a flat-out bad performance.

Of course, this should be treated as just a rumor at this point but if “M:I:IV” were to happen relatively soon, we wanted to stay ahead of the development process and recommend 10 directors who might be a good fit for the series.

Now obviously it’d be cool if Steven Spielberg or James Cameron or Peter Jackson decided to do “M:I:IV” but that would NEVER happen, so they’re not on the list. Likewise, we eliminated Brian DePalma and John Woo who directed the first two installments, and while we wouldn’t oppose J.J. Abrams’ return considering his feature debut “M:I:III” was the best in the series and Paramount shouldn’t mess with a good thing, we have a feeling the studio won’t mind if Abrams is busy directing “Star Trek” sequels for the next few years. We also excluded Oliver Stone, David Fincher and Joe Carnahan, all of whom spent significant time developing “Impossible” sequels, as well as past Cruise collaborators Ben Stiller, Ed Zwick and Bryan Singer, plus directors like Gavin Hood and McG while we wait until May to see how “Wolverine” and “Terminator Salvation” turn out.

So without further ado, here’s my wishlist for “Mission: Impossible 4” directors, in alphabetical order.

1. Timur Bekmambetov – The Russian director of “Wanted” has his own distinctive style that could be just what the series is looking for. He’s currently prepping the English-language third installment of his “Night Watch” trilogy but I’m not sure he’d let that stop him from listening to Cruise’s pitch.

2. Peter Berg – The Hancock” director has really started to come into his own as a visual storyteller. I just think he has really good instincts and I like how he always seems to be challenging himself. Plus I just have a weird feeling that he and Tom would really get along.

3. Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker” director would be a bold, brave choice who could really crank up the adrenaline. “The Hurt Locker” is the real deal and should have her in the hunt for Best Director at next year’s Oscars, after which everyone will want a piece of her.

4. Neill Blomkamp – Blomkamp directed the impressive short films “Alive in Joburg” and “Tempbot” before signing on to direct the long-gestating “Halo” movie. His debut feature, “District 9,” comes out this July and will be his first real mainstream test. Of course, if he ever has any questions, he can always ask his mentor Peter Jackson.

5. Jan de Bont – What the hell happened to this guy? He directed two AWESOME movies in “Speed” and “Twister” and then he fell off the face of the Earth after directing “Speed 2: Cruise Control” (HA!), “ The Haunting” and “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.” On second thought, maybe he should stay away from movies with colons in their titles. But on third thought, de Bont shot “Die Hard” and “The Hunt for Red October,” plus he served as a producer on “Minority Report,” which means he has ties to Cruise, who has the power to resurrect the man's once-great career.

6. Joe Johnston – The director of “Jurassic Park III” already knows a thing or two about inheriting franchises. This fall he’ll stake his claim on “The Wolf Man” and he’s also attached to the “Captain America” movie, which could keep him off this “Mission,” but like it or not, his stock is on the rise so long as “The Wolf Man” makes a killing at the box office.

7. Justin Lin – His work on “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” brought him back for April’s “Fast and Furious,” which will test his box office metal. But if Cruise is serious about shooting in Tokyo then it couldn’t hurt for him to sit down and hear Lin’s take on the material.

8. Pierre Morel – The French filmmaker managed to turn “Ta ken’s” simple set-up into a surprise international hit. Lionsgate will soon distribute his new movie “From Paris With Love” which stars John Travolta, who might be able to put in a good word with his friend and fellow Scientologist.

9. Jonathan Mostow – The director of “Terminator: Rise of the Machines” has a lot riding on this fall’s Bruce Willis-starred “The Surrogates.” Disney obviously likes what they’ve seen since Mostow is attached to write and direct “Swiss Family Robinson” for the studio. He’s a realistic get and could be a decent catch for a new “Mission” movie. I mean, how many truly A-List directors are rushing to direct #4’s?

10. Matt Reeves –Could Abrams leave the reins of the “M:I” franchise in his longtime collaborator’s hands? Reeves is a really smart filmmaker who helped make “Cloverfield” a pop culture sensation, and while he’s currently working on the “Let the Right One In” remake and an “Invisible Man” movie, he could be an interesting if darker choice for the series.

Original Link: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/03/23/who-should-direct-the-fourth-mission-impossible-berg-biegelow-bekmambetov/

FINAL 2008 OSCAR PREDICTIONS and IF I HAD A BALLOT

This is The End. My only friend, The End.

It all comes down to this, gang. MY PREDICTIONS for the 81st Annual Academy Awards, as well as my own personal selections IF I HAD A BALLOT. It's pretty self-explanatory. Should Win is what I HOPE wins on Sunday night. That doesn't mean I necessarily thought their work was the best of the year (for instance, I'd give Best Supporting Actress to Rosemarie DeWitt for Rachel Getting Married, but somehow she wasn't nominated), it just means that OF THE NOMINEES, this is who I would vote for. Likewise, just because I think someone WILL win, doesn't mean I think they SHOULD win. If you have an Office Oscar Pool, you can take these predictions to the bank, because they're money, baby!

There are a couple upsets sprinkled throughout, including both of the lead acting categories. Right now, the only other prognosticator picking Rourke AND Streep is Jeff Wells of Hollywood Elsewhere. I just think this is Mickey's year (Sean Penn just won for Mystic River) and Kate Winslet got nominated for the wrong performance, opening the door for Meryl Streep, who hasn't won since Sophie's Choice in 1983. I'd say she's every bit as due as Kate. Supporting Actress is a tight race (I even had difficult deciding who I'd vote for) but Penelope Cruz has a distinguished body of work behind her now, plus she's never won (sorry Marisa Tomei) and she has plenty of screentime (sorry Viola Davis), although that rarely matters in this category (ahem, Judi Dench). Original Screenplay is another one to watch. Dustin Lance Black has Milk's Best Picture nomination on his side but the Academy could choose to reward its first animated film and go with Wall-E. And no, I don't think The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will get shut-out. No way, no how. PLEASE NOTE: I will not be predicting any of the Short Film categories.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all my readers (i.e. friends and family) for checking out The InSneider. I hope you all enjoy the show and if you're in the Boston area, feel free to stop by The InSneider's temporary headquarters. It'll be a magical night to remember, so here's hoping Hugh Jackman has some surprises in store for us. So without further ado, here are my Final 2008 Oscar Predictions as well as my wishlist for Sunday night. The envelope, please...

BEST PICTURE

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

SHOULD WIN: Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Slumdog Millionaire

BEST DIRECTOR

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

SHOULD WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ACTOR

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

SHOULD WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
WILL WIN: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

SHOULD WIN: Meryl Streep, Doubt
WILL WIN: Meryl Streep, Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

SHOULD WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

SHOULD WIN: Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
WILL WIN: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Courtney Hunt, Frozen River
Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E

SHOULD WIN: Martin McDonagh, In Bruges
WILL WIN: Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E

BEST ADAPTED 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

SHOULD WIN: John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
WILL WIN: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

SHOULD WIN: Kung Fu Panda
WILL WIN: Wall-E

BEST DOCUMENTARY

The Betrayal
Encounters at the End of the World
The Garden
Man on Wire
Trouble the Water

SHOULD WIN: Man on Wire
WILL WIN: Man on Wire

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
The Class, France
Departures, Japan
Revanche, Austria
Waltz With Bashir, Israel

SHOULD WIN: Waltz With Bashir, Israel
WILL WIN: Waltz With Bashir, Israel

BEST ART DIRECTION

Changeling - Art Direction: James J. Murakami; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt; Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
The Dark Knight - Art Direction: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Peter Lando
The Duchess - Art Direction: Michael Carlin; Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
Revolutionary Road - Art Direction: Kristi Zea; Set Decoration: Debra Schutt

SHOULD WIN: Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Donald Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
Chris Menges and Roger Deakins, The Reader
Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
Tom Stern, Changeling

SHOULD WIN: Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Danny Glicker, Milk
Catherine Martin, Australia
Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Albert Wolsky, Revolutionary Road

SHOULD WIN: Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Michael O’Connor, The Duchess

BEST EDITING

Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Lee Smith, The Dark Knight
Mike Hill and Dan Hanley, Frost/Nixon
Elliott Graham, Milk
Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire

SHOULD WIN: Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST MAKEUP

Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O'Sullivan, The Dark Knight
Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz, Hellboy II: The Golden Army

SHOULD WIN: Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Greg Cannom, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST SCORE

Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
James Newton Howard, Defiance
Danny Elfman, Milk
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Thomas Newman, Wall-E

SHOULD WIN: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire

BEST SONG

“Down to Earth,” Wall-E - Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman; Lyrics by Peter Gabriel
“Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire - Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyrics by Gulzar
“O Saya,” Slumdog Millionaire - Music and Lyrics by A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasm

SHOULD WIN: “Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire
WILL WIN: “Jai Ho,” Slumdog Millionaire

BEST SOUND EDITING

The Dark Knight - Richard King
Iron Man - Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
Slumdog Millionaire - Tom Sayers
Wall-E - Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
Wanted - Wylie Stateman

SHOULD WIN: Richard King, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Richard King, The Dark Knight

BEST SOUND MIXING

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
The Dark Knight - Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
Slumdog Millionaire - Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
Wall-E - Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
Wanted - Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montano and Petr Forejt

SHOULD WIN: Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick, The Dark Knight
WILL WIN: Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt, Wall-E

VISUAL EFFECTS

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
The Dark Knight - Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
Iron Man - John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan

SHOULD WIN: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
WILL WIN: Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Top 143 of 2008... So Far

Here they are, in a very particular set of orders. All films are judged on a 4-STAR system. Top TBD List COMING SOON!

THE STANDOUTS (24) - See these movies. They will not disappoint.

Tell No One ***1/2
Dear Zachary ***1/2
Doubt ***1/2
Man on Wire ***1/2
The Dark Knight ***1/2
Young@Heart ***1/2
Rachel Getting Married *** 1/2
The Wrestler ***1/2
Slumdog Millionaire ***1/2
Waltz with Bashir *** 1/2
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *** 1/2
Cloverfield ***1/2
Frost/Nixon ***
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (It had a qualifying run in NY) ***
Bigger, Stronger, Faster: The Side Effects of Being American ***
Let the Right One In ***
Vicky Cristina Barcelona ***
The Wackness ***
The Fall ***
Wendy and Lucy ***
Gran Torino ***
Nothing But the Truth ***
The Class ***
Elite Squad ***

THE GOOD (36) - All pretty solid/entertaining movies that exceeded my expectations, which are a funny thing, in that they inherently affect what you think of the films themselves.

Pineapple Express ***
Forgetting Sarah Marshall ***
Tropic Thunder ***
What Doesn't Kill You ***
I've Loved You So Long ***
Elegy ***
The Hammer ***
In Bruges ***
Zack and Miri Make a Porno ***
Bolt ***
Kung Fu Panda ***
Shine a Light ***
U2 3D ***
W. ***
Towelhead ***
Baghead ***
Sex and the City ***
American Teen ***
Wanted ***
Step Brothers ***
Battle in Seattle ***
Transsiberian ***
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist ***
Tony Manero ***
Seven Pounds ***
Yes Man ***
The Incredible Hulk ***
Speed Racer ***
The Foot Fist Way ***
Mister Lonely ***
Ben X ***
Traitor ***
Afterschool ***
The Bank Job ***
Role Models ***
Timecrimes ***

THE GOOD BUT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTERS (21) - I wanted to like these movies more than I actually did. They're all enjoyable but they fall short of greatness. But just because they're listed here doesn't mean I liked 'The Good' films more, I just thought that the potential to be better existed and thus, they fell short of certain expectations.

Gomorrah ***
Milk ***
Revolutionary Road ***
Frozen River ***
The Reader ***
Hunger ***
Iron Man ***
Wall-E ***
Funny Games ***
Happy-Go-Lucky ** 1/2
Red **1/2
The Strangers **1/2
While She Was Out ** 1/2
Get Smart **1/2
Redbelt **1/2
Snow Angels **1/2
Body of Lies **1/2
21 **1/2
Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay **1/2
Charlie Bartlett **1/2
Paranoid Park **1/2

THE GUILTY PLEASURES (19) - People will rag on these movies but if you feel like actually giving them a chance, you should "definitely, maybe" catch up with them on DVD.

The Ruins ***
Lakeview Terrace ***
Rambo ***
Teeth ***
Trick 'r Treat **1/2
The Midnight Meat Train **1/2
Hellboy II: The Golden Army **1/2
Definitely, Maybe **1/2
Untraceable **1/2
Street Kings **1/2
Strange Wilderness **1/2
Frontier(s) **1/2
The Rocker **1/2
The Promotion **1/2
What Happens in Vegas **1/2
Drillbit Taylor **
College **
Pathology **
Mirrors **

THE UNDERWHELMING DISAPPOINTMENTS (33) - Whatever my expectations were, these movies failed to meet them for whatever reason. They all have their moments but ultimately, they're half-baked, at best.

Valkyrie **1/2
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian **1/2
Cassandra's Dream ** 1/2
Hamlet 2 **1/2
Defiance **1/2
Adam Resurrected **1/2
Quantum of Solace **
Blindness **
Burn After Reading **
Choke **
Miracle at St. Anna **
Changeling **
Pride and Glory **
Hancock **
RocknRolla **
Eagle Eye **
Four Christmases **
The Love Guru **
Super High Me **
You Don't Mess With the Zohan **
Jumper **
Vantage Point **
The Grand **
Quarantine **
Appaloosa **
Bedtime Stories **
Semi-Pro *1/2
Stop-Loss *1/2
Smart People *1/2
Be Kind Rewind *1/2
Leatherheads *1/2
Baby Mama *1/2
The Air I Breathe *1/2
Synecdoche, New York *1/2

THE ACTIVELY BAD (12) - I rolled my eyes multiple times and laughed unintentionally at all of these movies, which you should avoid at all costs. Consider yourselves warned.

Righteous Kill *1/2
Homo Erectus * 1/2
The Signal *
The Happening *
The Day the Earth Stood Still *
Anamorph *
Max Payne *
Surfer, Dude *
Saw V *
Shutter *
The Eye 1/2*
Prom Night 1/2*

COMING SOON: Che, The Visitor, Everlasting Moments, Sukiyaki Western Django, Shotgun Stories, In Search of a Midnight Kiss, Son of Rambow, Revanche, The House Bunny

HOLY MOLY, BATMAN! IT'S LAST CHANCE HARVEY!

Lesson of the Day: Don't bet against Harvey Weinstein. The Reader pulls off a SHOCKING upset over The Dark Knight, which gets the Best Picture shaft, not to mention nothing for Christopher Nolan in the writing or directing categories due to the curious inclusion of Reader director Stephen Daldry and writer David Hare. Happy-Go-Lucky's Sally Hawkins and Eddie Marsan get snubbed yet writer-director Mike Leigh gets some love with an Original Screenplay nod. Should known the Academy would keep Waltz With Bashir in the Foreign Language category (where it is sure to win) so they Pixar could lock up another Animated Feature Oscar with Wall-E. Had a feeling Japan's Departures would sneak in. No love for Rachel Getting Married outside of Hathaway's nom. Brangelina BOTH get nommed (questionable, especially Jolie) while neither Leo or Kate get noms for Revolutionary Road, whose sole rep in the acting categories is Michael Shannon. That's because Winslet got nommed for The Reader, where she's been hiding in the supporting category all season. The move allows Taraji P. Henson to score a Supporting Actress nom for Ben Button. Robert Downey Jr. capitalizes on all his good buzz over the last couple years with a Supporting Actor nom for Tropic Thunder. Melissa Leo beats out Cate Blanchett and Kristin Scott Thomas for the last Best Actress slot. Richard Jenkins edges Clint Eastwood in the Best Actor category. Stephen Daldry sneaks in the Best Director lineup over Darren Aronofsky, while Martin McDonagh slips past Robert Siegel in the Original Screenplay category. Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel fails to cash in on his film's front-runner status. I was WAY OFF on the Score and Documentary categories. I should've known they'd go for Werner Herzog again. I NAILED the Editing lineup. Wanted pulled off a couple upsets in the Sound Mixing and Editing categories. Frankly stunned that Woody Allen wasn't recognized for Vicky Cristina Barcelona, or Tom McCarthy for The Visitor, in favor of newcomer Courtney Hunt, who wrote and directed Frozen River. Time to go to work... be back later with more meaningless analysis.

FINAL 2009 OSCAR NOMINATION PREDICTIONS

Most of you who read this blog know me personally, so you know that I'm the worst procrastinator in the history of the Internet. Thus, it's fitting that I'm making these final predictions at 5 a.m., a mere half-hour before the Oscar nominations are announced. Yet even I, a dedicated prognosticator, have no idea what to make of this year's contenders except for that in the end, as William Goldman once said of Hollywood, "Nobody Knows Anything." With that in mind, here's The InSneider's take on the 2009 Academy Award nominations. I'll be back soon with my "If I Had a Ballot" post. Please note: I will not be making predictions for the Live Action or Animated Short Film categories.

BEST PICTURE

1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. Frost/Nixon
3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
4, The Dark Knight
5. Milk

ALT: The Wrestler

BEST DIRECTOR

1. Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
2. David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight
4. Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler
5. Gus Van Sant, Milk

ALT: Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

BEST ACTOR

1. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
2. Sean Penn, Milk
3. Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
4. Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
5. Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

ALT: Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

BEST ACTRESS

1. Meryl Streep, Doubt
2. Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
3. Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
4. Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
5. Kristin Scott Thomas, I’ve Loved You So Long

ALT: Melissa Leo, Frozen River

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1. Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
2. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
3. Josh Brolin, Milk
4. Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire
5. Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky

ALT: James Franco, Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1. Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
2. Viola Davis, Doubt
3. Kate Winslet, The Reader
4. Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
5. Amy Adams, Doubt

ALT: Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1. Dustin Lance Black, Milk
2. Woody Allen, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
3. Robert Siegel, The Wrestler
4. Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E
5. Thomas McCarthy, The Visitor

ALT: Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

1. Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
2. Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
3. Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
4. John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
5. Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight

ALT: David Hare, The Reader

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

1. Waltz With Bashir, Israel
2. The Class, France
3. Everlasting Moments, Sweden
4. The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
5. Revanche, Austria

ALT: Three Monkeys, Turkey

BEST ANIMATED FILM

1. Wall-E
2. Waltz With Bashir
3. Kung Fu Panda

ALT: Bolt

BEST DOCUMENTARY

1. Man on Wire
2. Trouble the Water
3. Pray the Devil Back to Hell
4. I.O.U.S.A.
5. At the Death House Door

ALT: Standard Operating Procedure

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
3. Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight
4. Maryse Alberti, The Wrestler
5. Roger Deakins, Revolutionary Road

ALT: Catherine Martin, Australia

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. The Dark Knight
3. Iron Man

ALT: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

BEST MAKEUP

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. The Dark Knight
3. Tropic Thunder

ALT: Synecdoche, New York

BEST EDITING

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Milk
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. The Dark Knight
5. Frost/Nixon

ALT: Revolutionary Road

BEST ART DIRECTION

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. The Dark Knight
4. Changeling
5. Milk

ALT: Frost/Nixon

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

1. Jacqueline West, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Deborah Hopper, Changeling
3. Michael O’Connor, The Duchess
4. Albert Wolsky, Revolutionary Road
5. Catherine Martin, Australia

ALT: Eiko Ishioka, The Fall

BEST SCORE

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. Slumdog Millionaire
3. The Dark Knight
4. Revolutionary Road
5. The Reader

ALT: Gran Torino

BEST SONG

1. The Wrestler
2. Wall-E
3. Slumdog Millionaire
4. Bolt
5. High School Musical 3

ALT: Gran Torino

BEST SOUND EDITING

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. The Dark Knight
3. Iron Man
4. Wall-E
5. Slumdog Millionaire

ALT: Defiance

BEST SOUND MIXING

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. The Dark Knight
3. Iron Man
4. Slumdog Millionaire
5. Wall-E

ALT: Defiance

The 2008 Most Overlooked and Underappreciated Lists

It seems like the mainstream media is a broken record come Oscar season, talking about the same actors over and over again. It's because we all get caught up in the "serious contenders" who studios are spending money on campaigns for, as opposed to who we feel did genuinely deserving work. With this in mind, I compiled the following lists hoping to illuminate the best performances that were either overlooked or severely underappreciated this year. By this I mean performances that few were writing/talking about. So you won't find The Wrestler's Mickey Rourke or Wendy and Lucy's Michelle Williams on these lists because people noticed their exceptional work. And to be clear, some folks listed below did get a glimpse of the awards spotlight this season. I'm not saying that no one else appreciated Milk's Emile Hirsch or What Doesn't Kill You's Mark Ruffalo because that obviously wasn't the case... just that not enough people were passionate about them one way or the other. The following lists reflect my personal taste and represent, in my humble opinion, some of the best work of the year.

The Top 25 Most Overlooked and Underappreciated Supporting Performances

1. Ben Kingsley, The Wackness
2. Bill Irwin, Rachel Getting Married
3. Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky
4. David Harbour, Revolutionary Road
5. Emile Hirsch, Milk
6. Peter Macdissi, Towelhead
7. Aaron Eckhart, The Dark Knight
8. Ethan Hawke, What Doesn’t Kill You
9. Charlie McDermott, Frozen River
10. Kim Cattrall, Sex and the City
11. Jane Lynch, Role Models
12. Adam Scott, Step Brothers
13. Evan Rachel Wood, The Wrestler
14. Jason Butler Harner, Changeling
15. Emily Mortimer, Transsiberian
16. Martin Henderson, Battle in Seattle
17. Ari Graynor, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
18. Mark Strong, Body of Lies
19. Alan Alda, Nothing But the Truth
20. Noel Fisher, Red
21. Noah Emmerich, Pride and Glory
22. Gwyneth Paltrow, Iron Man
23. Chris Parnell, The Grand
24. Thomas Haden Church, Smart People
25. (tie) Toby Kebbell, RocknRolla and Catinca Untaru, The Fall

The Top 5 Most Underappreciated Movie Duos

1. Sam Rockwell and Oliver Platt, Frost/Nixon
2. David Kross and Ralph Fiennes, The Reader
3. Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, Step Brothers
4. Kare Hedebrant and Lina Leandersson, Let the Right One In
5. Edward Norton and Tim Roth, The Incredible Hulk

The Top 5 Most Underappreciated Dramatic Performances

1. Mark Ruffalo, What Doesn’t Kill You
2. Francois Cluzet, Tell No One
3. Naomi Watts, Funny Games
4. Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
5. (tie) Brian Cox, Red and Andre Ramiro, Elite Squad

The Top 5 Most Underappreciated Comedic Performances

1. Adam Carolla, The Hammer
2. Danny McBride, The Foot Fist Way
3. Steve Coogan, Hamlet 2
4. Kat Dennings, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
5. Jack Black, Kung Fu Panda

The Top 5 Most Underappreciated Ensembles

1. The cast of Slumdog Millionaire
2. The cast of Young@Heart
3. The cast of Baghead
4. The cast of Zack and Miri Make a Porno
5. The cast of Forgetting Sarah Marshall

BONUS LIST: The Top 3 Most Interesting/Compelling/Fascinating Documentary Subjects

1. Phillipe Petit, Man on Wire
2. (tie) The Bagby Family, Dear Zachary and The Bell Family, Bigger, Stronger, Faster: The Side Effects of Being American
3. Hannah Bailey, American Teen

2009 OSCAR PREDICTIONS AS OF DECEMBER

Everybody else is doing it so why the hell not?

Going into the season, when I hadn't seen anything, I personally thought that despite all the Ben Button hype, Sam Mendes would prove he's truly The King of the World and Revolutionary Road would win Best Picture in the end.

Of course, I had no idea what Revolutionary Road was about because I hadn't read the book yet and the truth is, it's a small miracle this movie even got made. It's very good, don't get me wrong, but it softens the characters and their attitudes towards each other, losing a penetrating brutality that doesn't scar so much as bruise.

Kate and Leo were both excellent but the truth of the matter is that I was a little underwhelmed by Revolutionary Road. The end in particular did not sit very well with me. There were a couple missed opportunities in my mind.

Is it one of the top 25 films of the year? Absolutely. But do I think it's one of the top 5? No. To be fair, I think one would appreciate the film more if they've ever been married. But ultimately, while I thought DiCaprio was actually better, or at least more consistent than Winslet (although that may just be the characters), I don't think it was a character/performance he'll be remembered for. Winslet may be more memorable if only because you're not likely to forget one of the scenes toward the end of the film (a gorgeous sweeping shot across a living room). But you can't argue that it's not a career best performance from either DiCaprio or Winslet, and I'm just not hearing the passion out there for Leo this year, at least certainly not as loud as The Aviator or The Departed.

There are plenty of other questions to be sure. Will voters embrace Clint Eastwood like they have in the past? Will voters feel Frank Langella's Tony Award is enough? And will they snub the yin to Nixon's yang, Michael Sheen's David Frost. Will Sheen accept supporting status, despite the fact that both roles are clearly both leads. Of course, that line is getting blurrier each year. Heath Ledger, lead or supporting? Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder, lead or supporting? Could The Reader's Kate Winslet be nominated in the supporting actress category since she's a lock for a lead nom for Revolutionary Road? Will the dual nomination help or hurt her Oscar chances? Could Milk earn dual supporting actor nominations for its impressive trio of Josh Brolin, James Franco and Emile Hirsch?

I 'doubt' Miramax will push Philip Seymour Hoffman for lead even though he most definitely is a co-lead with Streep. The acting in the scene where they're without a third party in Sister Aloysius' office is the stuff movies are made of. Hoffman's performance walks an incredibly fine line and I feel it registers as one of the best of the year and his career. There's such focus and restraint in every scene. He's so careful to 'control the look on his face' as Sister Aloysius puts it. The way his eyes dart back and forth as Streep applies pressure. It's like watching two boxers in the ring, throwing acting punches at each other. And believe it or not, Amy Adams holds her own with them. Of course everyone will be talking about Viola Davis and deservedly so. She's fantastic. Lock her up on the chart cuz she ain't goin' nowhere!

I'm still waiting to see Australia, Valkyrie and I'm holding off on Button to hopefully save the best for last. I don't want to watch it during some week filled with screenings. I don't want Button to be an awards season casualty, a statistic, another notch on my moviegoing belt. I want it to be special and so it shall, on Christmas Day, so long as it's not sold out.

Meanwhile, I still have no idea what to make of The Dark Knight. Is it Best Picture material? Does that even matter? Who knows? Nobody. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button remains a giant Question Mark for me right now. Without further adieu...

BEST PICTURE

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E

BEST DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

BEST ACTOR

Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn – Milk
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS

Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Woody Allen - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Jenny Lumet - Rachel Getting Married
Robert Siegel - The Wrestler
Andrew Stanton - Wall-E

BEST ADAPTED 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

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Encounters at the End of the World
Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts
Man on Wire
Standard Operating Procedure
Trouble the Water

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Bolt
Wall-E
Waltz With Bashir

Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Death threats? Let's hear 'em below.