The Oscarologist's OSCAR® Nominee Predictions For October!

Here are my nominee predictions for October:

Best Picture

Changeling
Rachel Getting Married
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Next In Line: Doubt, Frost/Nixon

Best Actor In A Leading Role

Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Next In Line: Josh Brolin, W., Benicio Del Toro, Che, Michael Fassbender, Hunger

Best Actress In A Leading Role

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Next In Line: Kristin Scott Thomas, I’ve Loved You So Long, Shohreh Aghdashloo, The Stoning of Soraya M.

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

Josh Brolin, Milk
Robert Downey Jr., The Soloist
James Franco, Milk
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Kodi-Smit McPhee, The Road

Next In Line: Peter O’Toole, Dean Spanley

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

Amy Adams, Doubt
Elizabeth Banks, W.
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Next In Line: Viola Davis, Doubt, Hiam Abbass, The Visitor, Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading

Best Director

Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Clint Eastwood, Changeling
David Fincher, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Baz Luhrmann, Australia
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road

Next In Line: Jonathan Demme, Rachel Getting Married, Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

Best Original Screenplay

Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York
Mike Leigh, Happy Go Lucky
Jenny Lumet, Rachel Getting Married
Thomas McCarthy, The Visitor
J. Michael Straczynski, Changeling

Best Adapted Screenplay

Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare, The Reader
Justin Haythe, Revolutionary Road
Joe Penhall, The Road
Eric Roth, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Best Animated Feature

Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E
Waltz With Bashir

Best Foreign-Language Film (top 9 short-list)

The Baader Meinhof Complex, Germany
The Class (Entre Les Murs), France
Dream Weaver: Beijing 2008, China
Everlasting Moments, Sweden
Gomorra, Italy
Revanche, Austria
Stars On Earth, India
Three Monkeys, Turkey
Waltz With Bashir, Israel

Best Documentary Film

I.O.U.S.A.
Man On Wire
Religulous
Roman Polanski: Wanted & Desired
Stealing America: Vote By Vote

Best Original Song

“All Dressed In Love,” Sex And The City: The Movie
“Down To Earth,” Wall-E
“Rock Me Sexy Jesus,” Hamlet 2
“The Story,” My Blueberry Nights
“The Wrestler,” The Wrestler

Best Art Direction

Catherine Martin, Australia
Gary Fettis & James J. Murakami, Changeling
Donald Graham Burt & Victor J. Zolfo, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Debra Schutt & Kristi Zea, Revolutionary Road
Mark Friedberg & Adam Stockhausen, Synecdoche, New York

Best Cinematography

Javier Aguirresarobe, The Road
Roger Deakins, Revolutionary Road
Claudio Miranda, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Declan Quinn, Rachel Getting Married
Mandy Walker, Australia

Best Costume Design

Patricia Field, Sex And The City: The Movie
Eiko Ishioka, The Fall
Michael O’Conner, The Duchess
Jacqueline West, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Albert Wolsky, Revolutionary Road

Best Film Editing

Tariq Anwar, Revolutionary Road
Kirk Baxter & Angus Wall, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Chris Dickens, Slumdog Millionaire
Pietro Scalia, Body Of Lies
Lee Smith, The Dark Knight

Best Makeup

Kate Biscoe, Iraina Crenshaw, Heather Plott, Mitchell Stone, & Jay Wejebe, Tropic Thunder
Carla Brenholtz, Stacey Herbert, Elaine L. Offers, & Ghislaine Sani, The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
John Caglione Jr., Linda Rizzuto, Sue Robb-King, & Vicki Vacca, The Dark Knight

Best Original Score

Donald Harrison Jr. & Zafer Tawil, Rachel Getting Married
David Hirschfelder, Australia
Thomas Newman, Revolutionary Road
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
John Williams, Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull

Best Sound Editing

Australia
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Quantum Of Solace

Best Sound Mixing

Australia
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Wall-E

Best Visual Effects

Hanc*ck
Iron Man
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

TALLY OF THE NOMINATIONS:

Revolutionary Road – 10 nominations
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – 10 nominations
Australia – 6 nominations
Rachel Getting Married – 6 nominations
Changeling – 5 nominations
Slumdog Millionaire – 5 nominations
The Dark Knight – 5 nominations
Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull – 3 nominations
Iron Man – 3 nominations
Milk – 3 nominations
The Road – 3 nominations
Doubt – 2 nominations
The Visitor – 2 nominations
Happy Go Lucky – 2 nominations
Sex And The City: The Movie – 2 nominations
Synecdoche, New York – 2 nominations
The Reader – 2 nominations
Wall-E – 2 nominations
Body of Lies – 1 nomination
Frost/Nixon – 1 nomination
Hamlet 2 – 1 nomination
Hanc*ck – 1 nomination
Kung Fu Panda – 1 nomination
My Blueberry Nights – 1 nomination
Quantum of Solace – 1 nomination
The Duchess – 1 nomination
The Fall – 1 nomination
The Soloist – 1 nomination
The Wrestler – 1 nomination
Tropic Thunder – 1 nomination
Vicky Cristina Barcelona – 1 nomination
W. – 1 nomination
Waltz With Bashir – 1 nomination (2 nominations including Foreign Film)

*My explanations for my predictions will come later, so stay tuned!*

"I believe marriage is to remain a sacred institution between two unwilling teenagers"

I really loved seeing the surprise guest Queen Latifah as Gwen Ifill. Jason Sudeikis was solid as Joe Biden as well, but it was once again Tina Fey who stole show! Tina Fey is so awesome!

Julia Louis Dreyfus Is A Thief!

Remember this:



Yeah, I guess that "feud" is still going on... But you gotta love JLD! Very funny! And then Tina Fey coming in! Very funny Conan!

Has anyone seen Charlie Bartlett?

Well if you have, then you know how brilliant Anton Yelchin is! Who is Anton Yelchin you say? I'm sure you've seen him before, but most likely didn't know his name... Well first of all, if you haven't seen Charlie Bartlett, you should, it is actually a very funny movie. Not only does it star Yelchin, but also Robert Downey Jr. (this was one of his movies that came out right before Iron Man) and Kat Dennings (who is currently being noticed for her breakout role in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist). Hope Davis (who will be seen in Synecdoche, New York) also stars in the film.

The character Charlie Bartlett can easily be compared to Matthew Broderick's Ferris Bueller. Even though this movie depicts high school as "slummy" and everyone is practically a druggie, it is Yelchin's hilarious performance in this movie that makes Charlie Bartlett what it is!

Charlie is a very wealthy teenager who adjusts to the completely different world of public school after being kicked out of the private schools he attended. As he starts to understand the "social hierarchy," his charm and likeableness and friendliness pretty much makes him the "unofficial psychiatrist" at the school. He starts to dish out advice to his fellow students, as well as occasionally giving out prescription medicines, from which he recieves from his "personal on-call psychiatrists," in which he lies about his symptoms in order to recieve them from the psychiatrists. And along the way, he decides to take some of his own advice while trying to figure out who he really is.

And also, as I was watching this film, I couldn't stop thinking about how Anton Yelchin would make an awesome Holden Caulfield from The Catcher In The Rye. If for some reason J.D. Salinger decides to change his mind about making a movie version of The Catcher in the Rye, I can only see one person playing Holden, and that is Anton Yelchin! He is the perfect Holden Caulfield!

But anyways, I totally think that Anton Yelchin should get a Golden Globe nomination for his role in Charlie Bartlett, and I think after seeing these clips from the movie, you might agree with me as well!:

WOAH!!!!!!

Thank you so much Ricky Gervais for mentioning me on your webpage! I am still pinching myself... I truly wish you the best of luck!

Sincerely,
The Oscarologist!

Ok, I'm Calling This Now!

Here is my outlandish statement/prediction that I am predicting right now (and I bet I'm the first):

I think Tina Fey will get an Oscar nomination next year. Say what? Yup, you heard me right. She will be co-starring in This Side of the Truth alongside Ricky Gervais (and Jennifer Garner), but I am calling this one now, I think she will get a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

"Academy Award-nominee Tina Fey." It has a nice sound to it!

And here is my other outlandish prediction, This Side of the Truth will be the "Comedy pick" for that year, and the surprise one too (kinda like Juno and Little Miss Sunshine... you get the point). So, say what you will right now, but when this happens, just know that I was the [first] one who predicted it! (Or maybe it'll might bite me in the ass later on, but oh well...).

Oh and by the way,

This Side of the Truth is set in a world in which the concept of lying doesn't exist; and the story centers on a loser (Gervais) who changes his lot when he invents lying and uses it to get ahead.

Is there a way to have Amy Ryan stay on The Office for good...

...and not just as a "guest actress"?

The Contenders!

After a few months, I have finally revised the list of the contenders:

BEST PICTURE

Frontrunners

(“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”)
(“Revolutionary Road”)

Lead Ponies

(“Australia”)
(“Changeling”)
(“Doubt”)
(“Frost/Nixon”)
("Milk")
(“Slumdog Millionaire”)

In the Running

(“Blindness”)
("The Dark Knight")
(“Happy Go Lucky”)
(“Hunger”)
(“Rachel Getting Married”)
(“The Reader”)
("The Road")
(“Synecdoche, New York”)
("The Visitor")
("W.")
(“Wall-E”)

Dark Horses

(“Body Of Lies”)
(“Burn After Reading”)
(“Che”)
(“Gran Torino”)
(“Miracle At St. Anna”)
(“Seven Pounds”)
(“Skin”)
(“The Soloist”)

BEST DIRECTOR

Frontrunners

Clint Eastwood for (“Changeling”)
David Fincher for (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”)
Sam Mendes for (“Revolutionary Road”)

Lead Ponies

Danny Boyle for (“Slumdog Millionaire”)
Ron Howard for (“Frost/Nixon”)
Charlie Kaufman for (“Synecdoche, New York”)
Baz Luhrmann for (“Australia”)
Christopher Nolan for ("The Dark Knight")
John Patrick Shanley for (“Doubt”)
Oliver Stone for ("W.")
Gus Van Sant for (“Milk”)

In the Running

Darren Aronofsky for (“The Wrestler”)
Stephen Daldry for (“The Reader”)
Clint Eastwood for (“Gran Torino”)
Mike Leigh for ("Happy Go Lucky")
Steve McQueen for (“Hunger”)
Ridley Scott for (“Body Of Lies”)
Steven Soderbergh for (“Che”)
Andrew Stanton for ("Wall-E")

Dark Horses

Spike Lee for (“Miracle At St. Anna”)
Fernando Meirelles for (“Blindness”)
Tarsem Singh for (“The Fall”)
Joe Wright for (“The Soloist”)
Edward Zwick for (“Defiance”)

BEST ACTOR

Frontrunners

Leonardo DiCaprio in (“Revolutionary Road”)
Frank Langella in (“Frost/Nixon”)

Lead Ponies

Josh Brolin in ("W.")
Benicio Del Toro in ("Che")
Michael Fassbender in (“Hunger”)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in (“Synecdoche, New York”)
Richard Jenkins in ("The Visitor")
Sean Penn in (“Milk”)
Brad Pitt in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”)
Mickey Rourke in (“The Wrestler”)

In the Running

Daniel Craig in ("Defiance")
Robert De Niro in (“What Just Happened?”)
Leonardo DiCaprio in (“Body of Lies”)
Clint Eastwood in (“Gran Torino”)
Ralph Fiennes in ("The Reader")
Jamie Foxx in (“The Soloist”)
Dustin Hoffman in (“Last Chance Harvey”)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in ("Doubt")
Hugh Jackman in ("Australia")
Martin Landau in (“Lovely, Still”)
Viggo Mortensen in ("The Road")
Dev Patel in (“Slumdog Millionaire”)
Sam Rockwell in ("Choke")
Will Smith in ("Seven Pounds")

Dark Horses

Robert Downey Jr. in (“Iron Man”)
Harrison Ford in (“Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull”)
Jake Gyllenhaal in (“Brothers”)
Ed Harris in ("Appaloosa")
Josh Hartnett in ("August")
Ben Kingsley in (“Elegy”)
Jared Leto in (“Chapter 27”)
Viggo Mortensen in ("Good")
Lee Pace in (“The Fall”)
Alan Rickman in ("Bottle Shock")

BEST ACTRESS

Frontrunners

Anne Hathaway in ("Rachel Getting Married")
Angelina Jolie in (“Changeling”)
Kate Winslet in (“Revolutionary Road”)

Lead Ponies

Shohreh Aghdashloo in (“The Stoning of Soraya M.”)
Sally Hawkins in (“Happy Go Lucky”)
Kristin Scott Thomas in (“I’ve Loved You So Long”)
Meryl Streep in (“Doubt”)

In the Running

Kate Beckinsale in ("Nothing But The Truth")
Cate Blanchett in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”)
Emily Blunt in (“The Young Victoria”)
Ellen Burstyn in (“Lovely, Still”)
Penelope Cruz in (“Elegy”)
Nicole Kidman in (“Australia”)
Keira Knightley in (“The Duchess”)
Melissa Leo in (“Frozen River”)
Julianne Moore in (“Blindness”)
Sophie Okonedo in ("Skin")
Sarah Jessica Parker in (“Sex And The City: The Movie”)
Amanda Seyfried in ("Mamma Mia")
Meryl Streep in (“Mamma Mia”)
Emma Thompson in (“Last Chance Harvey”)

Dark Horses

Summer Bishil in ("Towelhead")
Dakota Fanning in ("The Secret Life Of Bees")
Helen Hunt in (“Then She Found Me”)
Norah Jones in (“My Blueberry Nights”)
Keira Knightley in (“The Edge Of Love”)
Diane Lane in (“Nights In Rodanthe”)
Frances McDormand in (“Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day”)
Julianne Moore in (“Savage Grace”)
Samantha Morton in ("Expired")
Ellen Page in (“The Tracey Fragments”)
Natalie Portman in ("Brothers")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Frontrunners

Robert Downey, Jr. in (“The Soloist”)
Heath Ledger in (“The Dark Knight”)

Lead Ponies

Josh Brolin in (“Milk”)
Jason Butler Harner in ("Changeling")
James Cromwell in (“W.”)
Robert Downey Jr. in (“Tropic Thunder”)
James Franco in (“Milk”)
John Malkovich in (“Changeling”)
Peter O’Toole in (“Dean Spanley”)
Liev Schreiber in (“Defiance”)
Michael Shannon in (“Revolutionary Road”)
Michael Sheen in ("Frost/Nixon")
Kodi Smit-McPhee in ("The Road")

In the Running

Jerry Adler in (“The Memory Thief”)
Alan Alda in ("Nothing But The Truth")
Jamie Bell in (“Defiance”)
Demián Bichir in ("Che")
Russell Crowe in ("Body Of Lies")
Tom Cruise in (“Tropic Thunder”)
Aaron Eckhart in ("The Dark Knight")
Dennis Hopper in (“Elegy”)
Ben Kingsley in (“Transsiberian”)
Sam Neill in ("Skin")
Brad Pitt in ("Burn After Reading")
Haaz Sleiman in (“The Visitor”)
Tom Wilkinson in ("RocknRolla")

Dark Horses

Kevin Bacon in (“Frost/Nixon”)
George Clooney in ("Burn After Reading")
James Franco in (“Pineapple Express”)
Bruno Ganz in (“The Reader”)
Brendan Gleeson in ("In Bruges")
Danny Glover in (“Blindness”)
Emile Hirsch in (“Milk”)
Richard Jenkins in ("Burn After Reading")
John Leguizamo in (“Paraiso Travel”)
John Malkovich in ("Burn After Reading")
Josh Peck in (“The Wackness”)
Oliver Platt in (“Frost/Nixon”)
Maximilian Schell in (“The Brothers Bloom”)
J.K. Simmons in ("Burn After Reading")
David Strathairn in (“My Blueberry Nights”)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Frontrunners

Amy Adams in (“Doubt”)
Kate Winslet in (“The Reader”)

Lead Ponies

Hiam Abbass in ("The Visitor")
Elizabeth Banks in ("W.")
Kathy Bates in (“Revolutionary Road”)
Penelope Cruz in (“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”)
Viola Davis in (“Doubt”)
Rosemarie DeWitt in ("Rachel Getting Married")
Taraji P. Henson in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”)
Felicity Huffman in ("Phoebe In Wonderland")
Frances McDormand in (“Burn After Reading”)
Marisa Tomei in (“The Wrestler”)
Debra Winger in ("Rachel Getting Married")
Elsa Zylberstein in (“I’ve Loved You So Long”)

In the Running

Ellen Burstyn in (“W.”)
Vera Farmiga in (“Nothing But The Truth”)
Jennifer Hudson in ("The Secret Life Of Bees")
Queen Latifah in ("The Secret Life Of Bees")
Kelly MacDonald in ("Choke")
Rachel McAdams in (“Married Life”)
Bette Midler in (“Then She Found Me”)
Thandie Newton in ("W.")
Amy Ryan in (“Changeling”)
Meryl Streep in (“Dark Matter”)
Charlize Theron in ("The Road")
Emma Thompson in (“Brideshead Revisited”)
Dianne Wiest in (“Synecdoche, New York”)

Dark Horses

Amy Adams in (“Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day”)
Christine Baranski in (“Mamma Mia”)
Cate Blanchett in (“Indiana Jones And The Crystal Skull”)
Mariah Carey in (“Tennessee”)
Kim Catrall in (“Sex And The City: The Movie”)
Hope Davis in (“Synecdoche, New York”)
Anjelica Huston in ("Choke")
Jennifer Jason Leigh in (“Synecdoche, New York”)
Catherine Keener in (“Synecdoche, New York”)
Alicia Keys in ("The Secret Life Of Bees")
Sienna Miller in (“The Edge Of Love”)
Samantha Morton in (“Mister Lonely”)
Samantha Morton in (“Synecdoche, New York”)
Cynthia Nixon in (“Sex And The City: The Movie”)
Sandra Oh in (“Blindness”)
Sophie Okonedo in ("The Secret Life Of Bees")
Elisabeth Shue in ("Hamlet 2")
Tilda Swinton in (“Burn After Reading”)
Tilda Swinton in (“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”)
Carice van Houten in (“Body Of Lies”)
Julie Walters in (“Mamma Mia”)
Emily Watson in (“Synecdoche, New York””)
Michelle Williams in (“Synecdoche, New York”)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Frontrunners

(“The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button”)
(“Revolutionary Road”)

Lead Ponies

(“Doubt”)
(“Frost/Nixon”)
(“The Reader”)
(“The Road”)
(“Slumdog Millionaire”)

In the Running

(“Body Of Lies”)
("The Dark Knight")
(“The Soloist”)

Dark Horses

(“Blindness”)
(“Che”)
(“Defiance”)
(“The Fall”)
(“Miracle At St. Anna”)
(“Then She Found Me”)
(“Towelhead”)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Frontrunners

(“Changeling”)
(“Happy Go Lucky”)
(“Synecdoche, New York”)
("The Visitor")

Lead Ponies

("Burn After Reading")
(“Milk”)
(“Nothing But The Truth”)
(“Rachel Getting Married”)
(“Vicky Cristina Barcelona”)
("Wall-E")

In the Running

(“Australia”)
("Che")
(“Hunger”)
(“I’ve Loved You So Long”)
(“Lovely, Still”)
(“The Wackness”)

Dark Horses

(“The Brothers Bloom”)
(“Gran Torino”)
(“Seven Pounds”)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 5769!

L'Shana Tova! I hope you all have a great holiday (well, if you celebrate it like i do...).

So anyways, in honor of Rosh Hashanah, I came across this article just a few minutes ago that I thought was pretty funny. In the style of David Letterman, here are The Top Ten Rosh Hashanah Pick-Up Lines! Now some are funny and some are ok, but you are really going to get these jokes if you are jewish... So here they are:

10. Today must be Yom Hazikaron cause I'll never forget the day we met.

9. You are a 10 on my scale of judgement.

8. I need to make a Shechianu--cause dang--you are my new fruit.

7. The only book I need opened today is my little black book, of life.

6. When I see you I fall to my knees like bowing at Alienu

5. Our New Year Resolutions should be "Haari At Mikudeshet"

4. Are you a Pomegrante? cause you just left a stain on my heart

3. Is your dad a baker? Cause you got the roundest challahs in town!

2. Lets skip the apples, and get straight to the honey.

1. You had me at Malchios

And some other pick-up lines that some people added in the comment boxes at the bottom that I just couldn't resist posting:

-Do I make you horn-y?
-Is that a tekia gedola in your pants or are you just glad to see me?
-Lets put our broken shvarim together and make a tekia together.
-Care to go Honey-Dipping?
-I just proclaimed God as the King of Kings. Can I make you my Queen of Queens?
-Are you a Shofar? Cause man you blow me away
-Are you a Shofar? Cause wow, you got some amazing curves
-Are you a Shofar? Cause I dont mean to toot your horn but you are hot!

http://www.bangitout.com/articles/viewarticle.php?a=1507

She's Back!

Sarah Palin is back! Well, at least Tina Fey's version! Last saturday night (of course the one night I have to miss SNL and forget to Tivo it), Fey reprised her role as Palin and Poehler not as Hillary Clinton but as Katie Couric.

Though this is still funny, I loved the "Can I use a lifeline?" line, but the original Palin/Clinton sketch was better. But still, check it out!

Now, is it possible for Tina Fey to get another Emmy nomination for SNL for playing Sarah Palin? I heard of possibly having SNL hosts be campaigned for Guest Actor/Actress for next year, but with SNL cast members being placed in the Supporting catagories at the Emmys, and with the example of Tina Fey getting nominated in the Individual Performance category for her hosting stint on SNL, WHERE WILL SHE BE PLACED?

Honestly, I would say the Guest Actress spot would be a very good place for NBC to campaign Fey in for her few skits (and hopefully more) playing Palin, but could she in fact be considered in supporting, or even individual performance?

I'm Back!

Hey Guys, sorry I haven't been able to blog in the past couple of days. I don't think I have ever been this busy in my life, but right now, it has slowed down a bit and I am able to get get back to blogging!

So to start off again, here are the tidbits of the day:

-Could Dubya really get an Oscar nomination? Of course, lately, it has been wishful thinking for Brolin to get recognized for playing the president, but could he really land a spot in the top 5? According to Politico (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13820.html),

People who have seen the film, and there are not many at this point, have said the most astonishing part of the movie isn’t the storyline, which doesn’t contain any shocking new information. And it’s not the liberties the film takes with reality — like any biopic, it includes invented dialogue, and several lengthy real-life events have been telescoped into a few minutes of screen time. Instead, “W.” watchers say that Brolin has positively nailed Dubya, channeling his very soul in the same way Jamie Foxx inhabited Ray Charles’ skin in “Ray,” Joaquin Phoenix captured Johnny Cash in “Walk the Line” and Jim Carrey became Andy Kaufman’s reincarnation in “Man on the Moon.”

Brolin is said to be so impressive that there has been discussion of using his performance to market the entire picture. “He gives off such an amazing vibe that Lionsgate should promote the movie as a great dramatic piece, instead of hyping it as another Oliver Stone controversy, because that’s going to happen anyway,” said a source close to filmmakers. While viewers have an awareness of Stone that no other
director enjoys, the campaign will be very “Josh-centric,” confirmed a studio insider who requested anonymity.

As a result, expect Lionsgate to move hard for a best actor nomination come Oscar season in order to move more DVDs, with release of the home video version of the film expected to conincide with Academy Awards hoopla early next year.

Stone said he then chose Brolin, who was “not a star” but felt “more rural Americana.” According to the director, Brolin was “scared sh-tless” at the thought of mocking the sitting president — probably because he remembered the grief that his father, James Brolin, went through after playing Ronald Reagan in a CBS TV movie that ultimately got bumped from the network. But the younger Brolin dove into his work, spending hours perfecting his Texas twang and listening to speeches, press conferences and other material to strike a proper tone.

One thing to be grateful about: Unlike Stone’s previous presidential picture about Richard Nixon that ran an interminable 192 minutes (and 212 in the subsequent “director’s cut”), his take on Bush is way more concise. Advance word from the London Film Festival (where the picture will make its European debut) indicates it will clock in at a mere 110 minutes.

-Is anyone else excited for Sasha Baron Cohen's Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt? Yeah, long name... but Cohen recently got arrested for it. Earlier this week, the notorious Cohen managed to somehow get backstage and walk down the catwalk before getting pulled away by security at Agatha Ruiz de la Prada show in Milan. After being bundled away by the Italian police, one officer recalled, "He was actually very funny, and the first thing he said was 'Can I make a phone call', like they do on TV."

Luckily, an Italian film crew captured everything that went on at the show:



-John Foote over at In Contention (http://www.incontention.com/?p=2075) wonders if Kate Winslet is the greatest actress of her generation? I think he is right!

-And speaking about Kate Winslet, Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein have finally come to an agreement! The Reader will be released on December 12, 2008 after a long and heated debate between Rudin and Weinstein, and even a rumored bet.

-And while we are still on the topic of the amazing Kate Winslet, Anne Thompson says that Paramount Vantage will officially debut the Revolutionary Road trailer during tonight's broadcast of Mad Men. This is very appropriate because Matthew Weiner, the show's creator, was mostly inspired to create Mad Men after reading Richard Yates's amazing book, Revolutionary Road.

-Will Helen Mirren be the next iconic action star? Mirren will star in John Madden's The Debt. According to Empire Magazine (http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=23323),

Mirren will play a former Mossad agent who, along with two colleagues, fails to capture a Nazi war criminal. They decide to cover their tracks, only for the criminal to resurface thirty years later, prompting Mirren to track him down before the truth can be revealed.

Seems like this could be a doozy of a role for the ever-wonderful Mirren – not only will there be a great deal of soul-searching and self-examination, there should be the chance to see a sixtysomething woman kick arse on the big screen.

To be honest, we should have seen Mirren’s casting coming the minute we discovered that the plot called for two actresses to play the main character – one in her thirties, and the other in her sixties. Quite frankly, there aren’t many actresses around these days who could handle a role like this – and Mirren is at the top of a very short list.

-An in Foreign Language submissions news, China has unusually submitted a documentary for their choice: Dream Weaver: Beijing 2008. It is about the country’s seven years of preparation for last month’s Olympic Games. It was produced by a state-owned company. Israel has submitted the animation flick Waltz With Bashir, which is about the director's attempt to reconstruct lost memories of his -- and the Israeli Army's -- involvement in the massacre of Palestinian civilians by Christian militias during the first Lebanon War in 1982. Waltz recently premiered at Cannes and won the top prize at the Israeli Film Academy Awards. France chose the Cannes winner, The Class, and Germany in a very surprising move chose The Baader Meinhof Complex. Most people thought Germany would choose The Wave, but instead they chose this movie which is about the early years of the RAF.



-And who will be the new Oscar host for this year? I say the amazing Kathy Griffin, but rumor is that Ricky Gervais will be the man! I am a huge fan of Gervais and I think he will make a great host. The Academy has made a statement that they have not chosen a host yet, but apparently some light bulbs were turned on with some execs when Ricky Gervais was telling Steve Carell to "Give me back my Emmy."



I swear, I crack up everytime I see that! Ricky Gervais is brilliant! Last week, after recieving praise, his movie Ghost Town premiered... and flopped at the box office. But hey, that could be like a punchline at the Oscars if he is the host. He has another movie coming out in 2009 called This Side of the Truth, in which he wrote and directed and stars along Jennifer Garner and the amazing Tina Fey.

-And by the way, Ricky Gervais has like the best blog ever! Check it out - http://www.rickygervais.com/thissideofthetruth.php

And now on to my OBSESSION of the week. Now, I just realized that I forgot to do my obsession of the week for last time, so I got two obsessions for you guys.

1. The trailer for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. What a great looking trailer!



2. This has nothing to do with movies or tv or anything like that, but just the other day my friend told me about how there is a "secret menu" at Jamba Juice! I've always loved Jamba Juice and was excited when I heard about this "secret menu." She told me that she got one smoothie that was called "White Gummie Bear" and another one called "Pink Star" (which is suppossed to replicate a Pink Starburst - which just so happens to be my favorite flavor). Well, later on in the day, I googled up "secret menu jamba juice," and sure enough I found a few pages relating to this "secret." As I was looking down the list of names of these smoothies, I saw such titles as "Fruity Pebbles," "Skittles," "Wake-Up Call," "Push-Up Pops," "Strawberry Shortcake," "PB+J," "Hello Jesus," "Thank You Jesus," and my personal favorite "Screaming Orgasm" just to name a few on a very long list.

Well anyways, today I decided that I would go to my nearest Jamba Juice and order a "secret menu" item. I ordered the Pink Star. When I ordered it, the guy was like "no problem." And the woman at the check-out station rung me up like normal with a smile and without any questions. But here's the best part. As I was waiting for the smoothie to be made, there were like two people working the blenders there - the guy making my "Pink Star" and another girl. The girl asks the guy, "So, what smoothie are you making?" And the guy responds "Pink Star." And girl is like, "Are you seriously making that?" And they guy is like, "Who cares, it's already in the blender." And he rolled his eyes. Ah, that was great! Pathetic, but great. And it tasted so good too! It was like a Pink Starburst! So if you get a chance, go to your nearest Jamba Juice and order a secret menu item.

Paul Newman - You Will Be Missed

I want to take a moment now to remember a true hollywood legend, and arguably one of our great actors of all time, if not the best - Paul Newman. Paul, you will be missed and you were a great man. I hope you can make everyone up there smile just like you made us smile! My heart and prayers go out to his family, and especially his wife, Joanne Woodward. Rest in peace Paul.



"[I] loved that man with all my heart. He was goodness and kindness and pure integrity. I know he loved his family, his wife, the world and mankind. He was purity of heart. Working with him was such a joy. Knowing him, being his friend, was as golden as the sunset and a privilege I'll never forget. I thank God and feel so honored for that privilege. May he be in God's embrace forever." -- Elizabeth Taylor

"There is a point where feelings go beyond words. I have lost a real friend. My life -- and this country -- is better for his being in it." -- Robert Redford

"It's a great loss, in so many ways. The history of movies without Paul Newman? It's unthinkable. His presence, his beauty, his physical eloquence, the emotional complexity he could conjure up and transmit through his acting in so many movies -- where would we be without him? 'In From the Terrace' or 'The Hustler' or 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' or 'The Verdict' or 'Nobody's Fool,' to name just a few pictures that come to mind, he's more than just iconic. In those movies and in many, many others, he created characters that are lasting and durable. His powerful eloquence, his consummate sense of craft, so consummate that you didn't see any sense of effort up there on the screen, set a new standard. My own experience working with him on 'The Color of Money' was a joy, and my memories of our time together are precious. But in addition to being a great actor, one of the greatest really, he was also such a fine, caring man. I will miss him greatly." -- Martin Scorsese

"He set the bar too high for the rest of us -- not just actors, but all of us. He will be greatly missed." -- George Clooney

"I was blessed to have known him. The world is better because of him. Sometimes God makes perfect people and Paul Newman was one of them." -- Sally Field

"He was my hero." -- Julia Roberts

"His was an important life lived in ways that exemplified what good, caring human values look like in a truly decent human being. In his life and in his work, he was a giver -- and never a taker." -- Sidney Poitier

"Paul Newman was a class act; smart, sexy, generous and kind. He was committed equally to justice and pranks. He was something you don't hear mentioned often these days; a good man. He taught me to appreciate the homegrown tomato, championship badminton and chamber music. He will be missed." -- Susan Sarandon

"Paul was a very fine actor and a really good race driver. But mostly, he personified humanity - always taking care of those who were less fortunate. For me, this will be his legacy." -- David Letterman

"Just look out for each other. That's really what he was all about. He was awesome to the end, and he is an awesome guy and his spirit will be with us forever and ever and ever." -- Lizzy Newman, Paul's daughter.

"Actor, author, screenwriter, director, producer and philanthropist, he was also a great friend of France and fans of motor racing will remember his successive appearances at the Le Mans 24-hour race." - President Nicolas Sarkozy of France

"[His death is] a blow. When such important personalities die, one despairs and thinks that, little by little, all the greats are disappearing." -- Sophia Loren

"He was one of the greatest screen actors of all time and a beautiful man." - Daniel Craig

"[Paul was a] dear human being. He busied himself with the professional rather than with PR. His main motto was, 'If you do not exploit your success in order to improve things in the world, then you are really wasting it'." - Haim Topol