2009 Oscar Nominations
Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:06AM - By Mali Elfman
The Oscar Gods have spoken and the nominations for 2009 Academy Awards have officially been announced. There are quite a few faces that we expected to see on the list as well as a few surprises.
Check the all out now below the jump…(brace yourselves TDK fans, you are only going to be reasonably happy)
Guess we were right about Dark Knight | Post Nomination Editorial | Check out our Predictions
***Update: 2009 Oscar Winners here***
View the list as a docshots – Oscar Nominations 2009
BEST PICTURE
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production,Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers
- “Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production,Christian Colson, Producer
BEST ACTOR
- Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)
- Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)
- Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)
- Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
- Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
BEST ACTRESS
- Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)
- Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)
- Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)
- Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
- Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)
- Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)
- Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)
- Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)
- Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)
BEST ANIMATED FILM
- “Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard
- “Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton
BEST DIRECTOR
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
- “Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt
- “Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh
- “In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter
BEST ART DIRECTION
- “Changeling” (Universal), Art Direction: James J. Murakami, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Donald Graham Burt, Set Decoration: Victor J. Zolfo
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Art Direction: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Peter Lando
- “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Art Direction: Michael Carlin, Set Decoration: Rebecca Alleway
- “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Art Direction: Kristi Zea, Set Decoration: Debra Schutt
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
- “Changeling” (Universal), Tom Stern
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Claudio Miranda
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Wally Pfister
- “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Chris Menges and Roger Deakins
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Anthony Dod Mantle
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
- “Australia” (20th Century Fox), Catherine Martin
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Jacqueline West
- “The Duchess” (Paramount Vantage, Pathé and BBC Films), Michael O’Connor
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Glicker
- “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage), Albert Wolsky
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
- “The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath
- “Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser
- “The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy
- “Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn
- “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
- “The Conscience of Nhem En” A Farallon Films Production, Steven Okazaki
- “The Final Inch” A Vermilion Films Production, Irene Taylor Brodsky and Tom Grant
- “Smile Pinki” A Principe Production, Megan Mylan
- “The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306” A Rock Paper Scissors Production, Adam Pertofsky and Margaret Hyde
BEST EDITING
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lee Smith
- “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Mike Hill and Dan Hanley
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Elliot Graham
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Chris Dickens
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
- “The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany
- “The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France
- “Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan
- “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria
- “Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel
BEST MAKEUP
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Greg Cannom
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), John Caglione, Jr. and Conor O’Sullivan
- “Hellboy II: The Golden Army” (Universal), Mike Elizalde and Thom Floutz
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Alexandre Desplat
- “Defiance” (Paramount Vantage), James Newton Howard
- “Milk” (Focus Features), Danny Elfman
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A.R. Rahman
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Thomas Newman
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
- “Down to Earth” from “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Music by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman, Lyric by Peter Gabriel
- “Jai Ho” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music by A.R. Rahman, Lyric by Gulzar
- “O Saya” from “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Music and Lyric by A.R. Rahman andMaya Arulpragasam
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
- “La Maison en Petits Cubes” A Robot Communications Production, Kunio Kato
- “Lavatory – Lovestory” A Melnitsa Animation Studio and CTB Film Company Production, Konstantin Bronzit
- “Oktapodi” (Talantis Films) A Gobelins, L’école de l’image Production, Emud Mokhberi and Thierry Marchand
- “Presto” (Walt Disney) A Pixar Animation Studios Production, Doug Sweetland
- “This Way Up”, A Nexus Production, Alan Smith and Adam Foulkes
BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT
- “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” (Hamburg Shortfilmagency), An Academy of Media Arts Cologne Production, Reto Caffi
- “Manon on the Asphalt” (La Luna Productions), A La Luna Production, Elizabeth Marre and Olivier Pont
- “New Boy” (Network Ireland Television), A Zanzibar Films Production, Steph Green and Tamara Anghie
- “The Pig” An M & M Production, Tivi Magnusson and Dorte Høgh
- “Spielzeugland (Toyland)” A Mephisto Film Production, Jochen Alexander Freydank
BEST SOUND EDITING
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Richard King
- “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), Frank Eulner and Christopher Boyes
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Tom Sayers
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Ben Burtt and Matthew Wood
- “Wanted” (Universal),Wylie Stateman
BEST SOUND MIXING
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Mark Weingarten
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo and Ed Novick
- “Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
- “WALL-E” (Walt Disney),Tom Myers, Michael Semanick and Ben Burtt
- “Wanted” (Universal), Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
- “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton and Craig Barron
- “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.), Nick Davis, Chris Corbould, Tim Webber and Paul Franklin
- “Iron Man” (Paramount and Marvel Entertainment), John Nelson, Ben Snow, Dan Sudick and Shane Mahan
Nominations brought to you by Oscar.com
Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:58AM
[...] The official nominations have been posted on the [...]
Thursday, January 22, 2009 2:58PM
At least some parts of TDK has been nominated. And I think its awesome Downey Jr for Tropic Thunder, that joke campaign really paid off didnt? Oh the irony!
Thursday, January 22, 2009 7:59AM
[...] Oscar Nominations 2009 | ScreenCrave – Movie & Film Blog, News … [...]
Thursday, January 22, 2009 11:37AM
[...] think you’re better of catching up on, or re-watching any of the 2009 Oscar nominated films. I bet you even though it’s a re-release, The Dark Knight is still going to cream the rest of [...]
Thursday, January 22, 2009 8:28PM
Is it just me or did Benjamin Button not seem as good as everyone was hyping it to be? I'm not saying TDK should have taken it's place, but they should have given Wrestler a nod at Best Picture. Must be because it's a "wrestling" movie that it got snubbed.
Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:35PM
i agree with steve! if the Button wins best pic., i will so disappointed. does not deserve it
Thursday, January 22, 2009 2:21PM
[...] with me. And as far as the physical threats go – come by anytime – Check out the full list of Oscar nominations now””” Posted In: Editors Picks, [...]
Thursday, January 22, 2009 10:59PM
For the Oscars not to nominate TDK and Wall-E for best picture is a disgrace to them and a spit to the face to all filmmakers all around the world.
Friday, January 23, 2009 12:32AM
I for one am getting tired of this. I have heard several people knock TDK saying it should not be nominated for best picture because it is an action or comic book movie.
When was it decided that best picture = drama? I know non dramas have won in the past but it seems that if a movie isnt a drama it has to be twice as good as a drama to get recognition.
Heres an example of my point. According to the top critics here are the scores for the 5 best picture noms.
(tomato meter critics only from rottentomatoes.com)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button…..72%
Slumdog Millionaire……………………………….95%
Frost/Nixon……………………………………………..91%
Milk…………………………………………………………92%
The Reader…………………………………………….60%
Now lets see what critics think of TDK
The Dark Knight…………………………………….94%
Does anyone else see a little problem. Now these scores to me point to one of two inconsistencies in the way we review movies. Either 1) Dramas are held to a higher standard than other movies and are therefore more likely to be reviewed lower for their faults. or 2) The people who select the Oscar noms believe that movies that are not dramas are worth less just because they are not.
As far as the general critical view, and I stress that I did not take the community rating for these movies but the critical ones, only three of the five movies nominated for best picture are even on the same level as TDK. Yet it is snubbed by having two movies one of which 4 out of 10 people did not even like.
Here's a few more movies that were better reviewed than the lower two noms for best picture.
The Wrestler………………………………………..98%
Wall-E………………………………………………….96%
Iron Man………………………………………………93%
There are other movies that are rated higher (several others) than The Reader and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button I am not saying that artistically they are better as I have not seen all of these movies. The point I am trying to make is that there should be an overhaul on the system. When barely 60% of movie critics people who judge movies for a living like a movie that is chosen as a nominee for the best picture it is a slap in the face to not only the people who made these other movies but also to the critics that rate them.
Thursday, January 22, 2009 5:02PM
[...] Oscar Nominations 2009 | ScreenCrave – Movie & Film Blog, News … [...]
Friday, January 23, 2009 1:14AM
Benjamin Button was not very good. It's like Hollywood tries to pretend its cool even when it isn't being cool. It's a clean special effects movie which is wrong for a story wrapped around love between a manboy and his mother/lover. Van Sant and Boyle are only nominated because Hollywood never gets their movies and it's their way of apologizing. They are very good, but it's pretty much given that the great director gets one of his or her weaker films nominated while Hollywood sleeps on more really freaking great flicks. Dark Knight should not have won best picture, but it should win for everything else that its in. That means that it will have a quiet night for the televised part.
Friday, January 23, 2009 1:47AM
this is crap most of these movies i haven't even hear of
Friday, January 23, 2009 2:51AM
Where is Gran Torino?! I thought that would have been nominated for at least best picture for sure!
Friday, January 23, 2009 3:09AM
You forgot 7 pounds feat. will smith, he is sure to at least get a nom. for his amazing performance
Friday, January 23, 2009 4:00AM
And here I was hoping we'd have at least one respectable major media arts ceremony.
I completely agree with Alan.
From what I've heard Button wasn't very good.
I've never heard of The Reader (and if I have it didn't stick at all).
And for some reason I just can't picture Frost/Nixon being all that great either.
Slumdog was great, but in my opinion the Dark Knight and Walle should have both been up for best picture for the very fact that they took genres that are scoffed at by the film elite and turned them into respectable works of art, something that the Academy hasn't, and I fear never could, pick up on.
I have to believe that the only reason TDK is up for anything is simply to appease its fans.
Imagine the backlash they'd get is Ledger wasn't even nominated.
Friday, January 23, 2009 4:11AM
You can't say that without seeing them! The Reader was in my opinion one of the most original and well crafted movies! Just because you haven't seen half (or more) of the movies nominated doesn't mean that the one you've seen is the best. Ledger did an amazing job. He deserves a nod. But watch the other films before tossing them off!
Friday, January 23, 2009 7:58PM
TDK not even getting nominated for Best Picture is a joke. It proves that the people voting for these awards are out of touch with what good film making is.
Anyone who tells you that all five of those films were better than TDK has horrible taste.
The fact that it's an action movie is irrelevant. There isn't a clause that says action movies can't also be great movies.
When you take everything about TDK into account (it's plot, it's good acting with a great ensemble cast, the brilliant cinematography and special effects) you clearly have one of the top 5 movies of the year.
Saturday, January 24, 2009 12:02PM
[...] 2009 Oscar Nominations [...]
Sunday, January 25, 2009 1:52PM
Benjamin Button was not very good. It's like Hollywood tries to pretend its cool even when it isn't being cool. It's a clean special effects movie which is wrong for a story wrapped around love between a manboy and his mother/lover. Van Sant and Boyle are only nominated because Hollywood never gets their movies and it's their way of apologizing. They are very good, but it's pretty much given that the great director gets one of his or her weaker films nominated while Hollywood sleeps on more really freaking great flicks. Dark Knight should not have won best picture, but it should win for everything else that its in. That means that it will have a quiet night for the televised part..
Monday, January 26, 2009 7:51AM
[...] week, comic book fans everywhere rejoiced when the late Heath Ledger was nominated for his performance as the maniacal Joker in the summer blockbuster, The Dark [...]
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 1:06AM
Slumdog is a absolute disappointment mainly because it’s an overrated film. With a totally unrealistic and horribly predictable plot. With the exception of the child actors, the acting (in particular the main actor) is lousy and sluggish. Kite runner, Benjamin Button or Milk are far better films with more entertaining plots and superior acting prowess to deliver greater depth to the screen.
Thursday, January 29, 2009 2:01PM
[...] to the film. It looks like this is going to be one hell of a romantic comedy with two current Oscar nominated [...]
Saturday, January 31, 2009 9:01AM
[...] 2009 Oscar Nominations [...]
Sunday, February 1, 2009 3:48PM
It's obvious you haven't seen Slumdog – or perhaps you just don't "get it". It's easily one of the five best films of the year – and to say Benjamin Button (or the Kite Runner) are better is simply laughable. Unless you have severe man-love for Brad Pitt, Benjamin Button is a truly mediocre film – with great special effects, but nothing else going for it. Brad Pitt up for an individual oscar is laughable as well, he's not in the class of any of the other nominees this year, specifically Langella who is brilliant in Frost/Nixon, or Mickey Rourke (or Jenkins or Penn for that matter…).
Sunday, February 1, 2009 7:43PM
THIS YEAR'S MAJOR OSCAR SNUBS:
-Leonardo Dicaprio (Revolutionary Road) and Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino) for best actor nominations
-Gran Torino and The Dark Knight for best picture nomination
-Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino or Changeling) and Chris Nolan for best director nomination
I actually can understand all of those snubs, but what BLOWS my mind, is how the bloody READER gets in the top 5 movies of the year!!
I have seen all possible best picture contenders except Benjamin Button, and The Reader is really not a good movie. Its not bad, but its so unmoving and cold in its direction, that its one of the most ridiculous choices for best picture of the last few years.
So as much as I wanna complain about other movies and actors getting robbed, I'd rather demand an explanation from the academy concerning the reader for best picture.
Because as a faithful film lover, I feel cheated!
Monday, February 2, 2009 12:53AM
I have to agree with you armeet.
Slumdog Millionaire is a good film, but incredibly overrated. I mean you can love the plot, the originality of such a narration, the pace of the movie, the mumbai setting. But its no masterpiece in terms of acting, far from that, and its too predictable.
Else,
GRAN TORINO: where is it? I have seen all of the oscar contenders except Benjamin Button, and its a real shame its not up there, way better than the reader, and easily as good as milk and frost/nixon.
SEVEN POUNDS: not a good movie, will smith is not convincing, doesnt hold its ground at all, had absolutely no chance in any category.
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD: ok kate winslet got snubbed because she got the reader, but dicaprio!! for me, biggest snub. And sam mendes could have got a nod for best director, i mean the pace of the movie and the setting and actor direction are just top class. Might even have got a nod for best picture cos damn, its better than the reader.
THE DARK KNIGHT: i can maybe understand its best picture snub, but chris nolan would deserve recognition as best director, second biggest snub for me.
Any comments? I would love to discuss my opinions.
Cheers ++
Monday, February 2, 2009 2:01PM
[...] the maniacal Joker was deafening. Fast forwarding to 2009, Ledger has not only received his Academy Award nomination, but has dominated the Best Supporting Actor category as a whole. The actor has already [...]
Tuesday, February 3, 2009 12:14AM
Y ON EARTH DID THE DARK KNIGHT NOT GET NOMINATED FOR BEST PICTURE!!!!!!!!!! x(
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 9:51PM
I caught The Visitor when it was in theaters, and it was one of my favorite films of the whole year! Richard Jenkins from Six Feet Under was outstanding, and I really hope he wins the Oscar for best actor! The Visitor is now on DVD, and I definitely plan on buying a copy for myself and my girlfriend. If you haven't seen the movie yet, you can find more info here:
http://www.thevisitorfilm.com/
Saturday, February 14, 2009 4:33AM
What happened to 7 pounds man? will deserves at least a nominee yo!
Saturday, February 14, 2009 4:34AM
7 pounds was awesome yo, dont be jelous
Sunday, February 22, 2009 8:25PM
Vote your own way http://oscars.nytimes.com/groups/kKibjkBgSxC
Monday, July 6, 2009 12:02PM
No Gran Torino ???!!! Complete shambles – Newman was right to ignore this oscar mania crap when he was alive. Disgraceful.
Monday, July 6, 2009 12:04PM
No Gran Torino – best film of the year, absolute classic by Clint Eastwood. Paul Newman was right to ignore this Oscar mania rubbish.