My Julie Powell-esque quest

I've finally decided what it's going to be.  Because I'll probably never have the time ever again to do this, I'm going to try and go back and come up with my own Oscar lists for every year, including nominations.  Which means I'm going to have to watch every movie that was in contention that year...I've already seen a bunch of them, so armed with my trusty blockbuster.com account, I think I can do it.  I've decided stop at 1939, which many critics have said was Hollywood's golden year for movies.  It will get harder the farther back I go - but I think that is what's going to make it fun.  Maybe I'll be able to watch as many movies as Marty Scorsese has!

I, of course, have my list from last year readily handy.  I have my issues with THE READER, but as I said to my archrival Cinescapist, I just couldn't bring myself to put a Batman movie in my Best Picture list.  So like the Academy, I will succumb to the Weinstein's bully campaigning and choose THE READER as my final choice for Best Picture.

I really like GRAN TORINO and love Clint's modern-day Dirty Harry character, so I'm giving him the final slot for Best Actor.  I think THE VISITOR is a charming movie, but there isn't really anything about Richard Jenkins' performance that really impressed me enough to think he deserves a nomination.  And although I think Meryl is absolutely amazing in DOUBT, I do think it's about time to give Kate the Oscar.  How risky was it for her to show her breasts nowadays?  They are definitely not as firm as they were in Titanic.

I love, love, love SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, so I'm going to agree with SAG and give Dev Patel the nod for Best Supporting Actor.  I know Kate was shafted for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, but does that mean we have to give Michael Shannon a nomination to make up for that?  I don't think so.

Best Picture
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
FROST/NIXON
MILK
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Best Actor
Clint Eastwood, GRAN TORINO
Frank Langella, FROST/NIXON
Sean Penn, MILK
Brad Pitt, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
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

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 Director
Danny Boyle, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
David Fincher, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Ron Howard, FROST/NIXON
Chris Nolan, THE DARK KNIGHT
Gus Van Sant, MILK

Best Original Screenplay
FROZEN RIVER
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
MILK
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
WALL-E

Best Adapted Screenplay
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE