What’s Up?

Take W’s look of confusion…apply it to the topic of handicapping the Oscar race…slap it on my face. It’d be rather appropriate at the moment.

There’s a lottery in Ontario who’s slogan is “Anything Can happen. Anyone Can Win.” That might make for a good motto for the 2008 Academy Awards too. You see, last night the Broadcast critics handed out their hardware (winners list after the jump), and since their nominations and winners have turned into pretty good indicators lately…getting a grip on what films were looking golden seemed to be getting easier.

Then today, the Directors Guild of America announced their nominee list…again, a recent go-to when it came to handicapping what films look golden. The only thing more surprising than the names listed, are the names absent. The list went like so:

P.T. Anderson – THERE WILL BE BLOOD (Not terribly surprising)
The Coen Brothers – NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (Likewise)
Sean Penn – INTO THE WILD (Interesting. A more daring nod.)
Terry Gilroy – MICHAEL CLAYTON (Woah – where did you come from?)
Julian Schnabel – THE DIVING BELL & THE BUTTERFLY (………?)

All impressive choices…all truly deserving. But with all the year-end love he was getting, it’s surprising to see Tim Burton get snubbed for SWEENEY TODD. And considering the lock that many award-watchers were considering ATONEMENT, Joe Wright’s absence from this list speaks volumes.

When it comes to this year’s Academy Awards, I quote Socrates:
“I know nothing”

Broadcast Critic Award Winners
Best Picture – No Country for Old Men
Best Directors – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Best Actress – Julie Christie – Away From Her
Best Actor – Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
Best Picture Made for Television – Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Best Documentary -Sicko
Best Family Film – Enchanted
Best Animated Film – Ratatouille
Joel Siegel Humanitarian Award – Don Cheadle
Best Foreign Language Film – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Best Supporting Actress – Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Best Supporting Actor – Javier Bardem – No Country for Old Men
Best Song – Falling Slowly – Once
Best Composer – Jonny Greenwood – There Will Be Blood
Best Comedy – Juno
Best Young Actor – Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada – The Kite Runner
Best Young Actress – Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray
Best Screenplay – Diablo Cody – Juno
Best Ensemble – Hairspray