BEST PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire
A breath-taking tale of life and love, Slumdog Millionare follows a young man named Jamal Malik. He is a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionare? and is arrested for suspicion of cheating. In an attempt to prove his innocence, he tells the police his amazing life story and all he has endured–adventures, lost love and the mystery behind his incredible knowledge. Follow Jamal on his journey to a fortune he cares little about.
BEST DIRECTING: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Director of Best Picture nominee, Slumdog Millionare, Danny Boyle takes editors’ pick as Best Director for the Oscars. With other films such as 28 Days Later and Trainspotting under his belt, Boyle has been nominated for more than forty awards and has won more than thirty in his long career. And with Slumdog Millionare as our choice for Best Picture, it is no surprise Boyle takes best director.
BEST ACTRESS: Kate Winslet (The Reader)
For her stunning performance as Hanna Schmitz (a Nazi war criminal) in The Reader, Kate Winslet has already won numerous awards. She proved her ability as an actress with her performance in Titanic more than a decade ago, and she has shown once again that her career is far from reaching its end. Though she has been previously nominated for five Academy Awards for films including Titanic and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, she has yet to win.
BEST ACTOR: Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler brings none other than Mickey Rourke back into the limelight as Randy “The Ram” Robinson. Randy is an old, run-down professional wrestler who is still trying to find his place in the world as he attempts to rekindle the relationship with his teenage daughter and form a relationship with a stripper he has romantic feelings for. Rourke’s performance is heart-wrenching, and he is well-deserving of the Best Actor title.
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
Vicky Cristina Barcelona is about a complex love triangle between a man, his wife and his ex-wife. The ex-wife, María Elena (played by Penélope Cruz) finds a renewed spark in her old marriage as a result of her ex-husband’s new wife. This is Cruz’s second Academy Award nomination (her first was in 2007 for her role as Raimunda in Volver), and it would be her first win.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
Few will disagree that Ledger’s role in The Dark Knight was anything short of legendary. His creepy, flawless portrayal of the Joker sent chills down every spine. Gone and already missed, this young actor was filled with talent, and no doubt deserves the title of Best Actor in a Supporting Role. This is his second Academy Award nomination, and with it his memory lives on.