Best Motion Picture of the Year Nominees:

-The Curious Case of Benjamin Button : Ceán Chaffin, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall

-Frost/Nixon: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Eric Fellner

-Milk: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks

-The Reader: Anthony Minghella, Sydney Pollack, Donna Gigliotti, Redmond Morris

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire: Christian Colson-The Indian indie-international crowd pleaser that came out of nowhere is at the same time heartbreaking and heartwarming. This film blends the best of film and movie to create an engaging and thought-provoking piece of entertainment much like a great work of literature.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Nominees:

-Richard Jenkins for The Visitor

-Sean Penn for Milk

-Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

Winner: Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon (2008)-The aging actors-actor pulled off a theatrical performance (he originated the Nixon role on stage) has never won the big Oscar. The Academy will probably award him the gold for his five decade long career of powerful performances.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Nominees:

-Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married

-Angelina Jolie for Changeling

-Melissa Leo for Frozen River

-Meryl Streep for Doubt

-Kate Winslet for The Reader

Winner: Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married-Hathaway has proven her flexibility as both a Hollywood and independent film actress. Her young age and versatile career could prove for Oscar gold.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Nominees:

-Josh Brolin for Milk

-Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder

-Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt

-Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

-Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road

Winner: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight-Heath Ledgers turn as The Joker was undoubtably the most talked about performance of the year. His bringing of legitimacy to “comic-book super-villains” combined with his untimely death, fan support, and a huge push from the studio will give Ledger his posthumous Oscar gold.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Nominees:

-Amy Adams for Doubt

-Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

-Viola Davis for Doubt

-Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler

Winner: Viola Davis for Doubt-In a film full of great performances, Davis pulled off the most controversial and thought-provoking character with amazingly tragic grace.

Best Achievement in Directing Nominees:

-Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

-Stephen Daldry for The Reader (2008)

-David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

-Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon

-Gus Van Sant for Milk

Winner: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire (2008)-In a perfect world, the director of the Best Picture should win the award. The director makes the film and Boyle should be awarded for his visual

-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Nominees:

-Frozen River (2008): Courtney Hunt

-Happy-Go-Lucky (2008): Mike Leigh

-In Bruges (2008): Martin McDonagh

-Milk (2008): Dustin Lance Black

-WALL·E (2008): Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon.

Winner: In Bruges (2008): Martin McDonagh- The hilarious dark comedy about philosophical assassins brings on heavy does of both pathos and laughs.