Who Will Take an Oscar statue Home?

Hello BW Readers,

Sorry I've not posted anything in two weeks. I was in Ft Lauderdale helping Mr. Benny find a place to live. He's moving around the 17th of April and has a place to live in Plantation, FL, about a little over 5 miles to work.

Back to the topic. There are 10 films nominated, but still only 5 for individual awards. The nominees are as follows:

Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

I don't understand the thinking of the Academy members in nominating the following two on this list: An Education and Up. And epic films such as Invictus and The Last Station left off the list?

I'm watching the last Barbara Walters Oscar special as I type. I realized while watching the guests over the years that I was a regular viewer to her show.

Best of luck, nominees!

Oscar Picks Tonight

Nate Silver is probably correct about the Oscar picks.

Here are mine, with in parenthesis which ones I think should win, but may not:

Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger (Philip Seymour Hoffman)
Supporting Actress: Taraji P. Henson (Viola Davis)
Lead Actor: Sean Penn (Senn Penn or Mickey Rourke)
Lead Actress: Kate Winslet (she or Meryl Streep are fine choices, but I think Winslet should have nominated for Revolutionary Road; the Reader is more of a Supporting role)
Best Director: Danny Boyle (Danny Boyle)
Best Song: Down to Earth (Down to Earth)
Original Screenplay: En Bruges (Milk)
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire (Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire (Slumdog Millionaire)

Oversights for nominations:

Gran Torino for Best Picture
Clint Eastwood for Lead Actor (Grand Torino)
David Kross for Lead Actor (The Reader)
Ralph Fiennes for Supporting Actor (The Reader)
Bruce Springsteen, "The Wrestler" for Best Song
John Patrick Stanley for Best Director (Doubt)
Nick Schenk, Original Screenplay (Grand Torino)

We'll see how close it is.

There Will Be Blood: Daniel Day-Lewis Wins Oscar

No denyin' he was going to win. Even after the nominees were announced for Best Actor, there was no moment of opening the envelope, no sound: it was announced he was the recipient of the Oscar. They forced him to make a short speech, which probably suited him in character (or not) well.

Congrats, Daniel Day-Lewis. Despite what critics say, I think the character loved his adopted son, but felt betrayed for some reason, maybe because Plainview began to hate himself more and thus, others. I appreciate that picture very much for its symbolism, and best character study, although nearly all of the nominated films had them.

DDL gives thanks here.