from EW


An Actor: former Oscar nominee who has played leading-man roles in studio blockbusters as well as character parts in small indies.

Picture: Milk
(fan of Slumdog, but "it didn't affect me the way Milk did.")
Director: David Fincher
("beautifully crafted... he's got an amazing, creative mind.")
Actor: Sean Penn
("He just manages to immerse himself so deeply...")
Actress: Kate Winslet
("a vote for both performances,")
Supporting Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman
(he doesn't really give a reason besides thinking that Doubt was "a great movie," ...)
Supporting Actress: Amy Adams
("a towering performance. She's something else.")

A Director: Oscar winner whose credits include both acclaimed dramas and mainstream hits.

Picture: Milk
("an important film that was beautifully made, and it really moved me.")
Director: Danny Boyle
("Van Sant also really deserves it... but [Boyle] was able to capture those performances and make it all so beautiful and real... I couldn't imagine doing anything close to that.")
Actor: Sean Penn
("one of the most remarkable performances I have ever seen... completely transformed himself." Also talks how one of his friends actually thought Penn was gay in real life after seeing Milk)
Actress: Melissa Leo
("so compelling and moving and honest," Also describes Winslet as "brilliant", Streep as "what can you say?", "loved" Jolie, and Hathaway "was miraculous,")
Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin
("a true supporting performance,")
Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz
("she has deserved it a couple of times now-even for films that haven't been nominated.")

An Executive: woman

Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
("original... not cynical.. I love everything about it.... I think you should honor something that's extraordinary and different and special,")
Director: Danny Boyle
("a fantastic filmmaker,")
Actor: Sean Penn & Mickey Rourke
(Says it will have to be a last minute decision.
on Penn: "unbelievable,"
on Rourke: "his personal story [is] so moving... turned his chances with his speech at the Golden Globes. When he talked about his dogs, I wanted to cry.")
Actress: Undecided
("I didn't like any of those nominees."
on Jolie: "good,"
on Streep: "pretty good... but definitely not the best she's ever been."
on Winslet: "her speech at the Golden Globes, when she said [to herself], 'Gather,' I just thought, 'I don't know if I can ever see her in a movie again,"
on Hathaway: "great... but I wanted to take my skin off while watching that movie, so I can't vote for her.")
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger
("He was a wonderful actor and this is the only chance to honor him. You almost feel like the other nominees should just not show up.")
Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz
("I loved that movie. It just made me happy.")

I wonder who the director is. I first thought of Ron Howard, but I don't think they'd ask someone who's nominated.

From the small sample, Milk is definitely looking like a bigger threat than BB to challenge Slumdog, if we want to build some suspense.

I think the director is Steven Soderbergh. The comments on the Best Actresses sounds like something he'd say.

Milk isn't my top pick, but it would make for an awesome upset. And it wouldn't anger people the way that a BB win would -- it has that liveliness and energy that has made Slumdog so popular, just with a downbeat ending instead of a feel-good one.

and like... I'm already just so tired of Slumdog. Which is saying something when the Oscars haven't even happened yet and I liked the movie a lot.

Well, it would need 3 wins. Best Actor, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture.

Supporting Actor is out, as it Best Director. I would think Score and Editing are off limits too. Maybe costume is possible?

Aha, good choice.

Why is it that every year they seem to get the most stupid people for these things? lol

Seriously. That woman person is actually pretty funny. Especially the part about how Kate Winslet's speech turned her away from watching any movie with her again.

Looks like Ledger's out...

Remember Deep Vote telling us all to watch out for Gran Torino?

I wonder if there's an archive of how EW's past Oscar Voters matched up with the actual results.

Probably not, but these mean very little.

That's being a bit dismissive. There's no way to tell how much or how little these mean until Oscars are announced. For now, they're just another piece to the puzzle.

Well, for nominations.

I always thought that the actors vote for acting awards, directors for director etc and everyone could vote in Best Picture?

If that is the case, why are they asking the Director which actors they would vote for.

EDIT - Wow. I always thought that each branch only voted for the awards related to their branch. It seems that once they have got the 5 nominations from the branch then all active members can vote for most awards. Seems a little unfair.

Not unfair?

I think actor could be Johnny Depp

Nah. He would give Heath his due

It could be Edward Norton then, who would vote for his role model Penn over his friend Pitt.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... nn.&st=cse

Indeed

Penn is only 38?? I thought he was around 50.

Well these don't really mean much, but if Milk won BP (it's already looking at Screenplay and a strong chance at Actor...throw in a couple tech wins....not completely out of the question)...wow....

38 as of December 27, 1998, when that article was written.

OMFG, I LOL'ED like crazy at that.

Oops hehe, I didn't check the article's date. So my guess was accurate after all...

another one:

Picture: Milk
Director: Van Sant
Actor: Jenkins
Actress: Leo
Supporting Actor: Brolin
Supporting Actress: Cruz
Adapted Screenplay: Did not enjoy any of them.
Original Screenplay: Happy Go Lucky