Prestige

It’s getting to be that time of year again…the prestige films vying for Oscars and the holiday box office prizes have approximately 7 weeks to roll out and stake their claims.  Because I’m a total dork, I obsessively read about these films and their handicapped chances for award-season nominations and wins – it’s never too early to prognosticate.  I’ve been known to do well in Oscar pools in the past, do in part, at least, to paying attention to the hype and murmurs and getting myself to the theaters to see for myself.Now, I’ll join in on the fun and make a few lists of potential Oscar nominees.  Since it is so early in the game, and I have seen less than 1/4 of the films listed below, I’m going to have 7 choices in each list; I’ll narrow them down in a month or two when I have more to work with.

Best Picture:

• No Country for Old Men
• There Will be Blood
• Sweeney Todd
• Atonement
• The Kite Runner
• Once
• Away from Her

 Best Director:

• Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men
• Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will be Blood
• Joe Wright, Atonement
• Sarah Polley, Away from Her
• Sidney Lumet, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
• Sean Penn, Into the Wild
• Marc Forster, The Kite Runner

Best Actor:

• George Clooney, Michael Clayton
• Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will be Blood
• James McAvoy, Atonement
• Denzel Washington, American Gangster
• Josh Brolin, No Country for Old Men
• Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
• Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd

Best Actress:

• Keira Knightley, Atonement
• Julie Christie, Away from Her
• Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
• Nicole Kidman, Margot at the Wedding
• Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
• Jodie Foster, The Brave One
• Keri Russell, Waitress

Best Supporting Actor:

• Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James
• Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
• Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
• Tommy Lee Jones, No Country for Old Men
• Paul Dano, There Will be Blood
• Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
• Ben Foster, 3:10 to Yuma

Best Supporting Actress:

• Helena Bonham Carter, Sweeney Todd
• Vanessa Redgrave, Atonement
• Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
• Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
• Saiorse Ronan, Atonement
• Amy Adams, Gone Baby Gone
• Jennifer Jason Leigh, Margot at the Wedding