The British are Here

The Academy Awards are upon us – the British Academy that is. They are usually my favorite awards show of the year; though last year was a bit lackluster, with the usual, hilarious host Stephen Fry being replaced by boring talk show host Jonathon Ross. Ross will be hosting against this year, which is disappointing. Oh well, the awards themselves are usually great.

I usually agree with the winners at the BAFTAs a little more than the Oscars. They tend to aim for the best of this year, rather than weighing the politics of who has won what and who deserves what. That said, I’m significantly worse at predicting the winners of the BAFTAs.

Below are this year’s nominees. No category matches the Oscar nominations five for five. Most are 2 or 3, less than most years. I still think we will be seeing a lot of the same winners. Those nominated for an Oscar are in bold and my predictions are in italics. After the awards, I will put a star next to the winners.

The BAFTAs air on BBC America at 5pm on Sunday.

BEST FILM
AMERICAN GANGSTER
*ATONEMENT
THE LIVES OF OTHERS
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
THERE WILL BE BLOOD

BEST BRITISH FILM
ATONEMENT 

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
CONTROL
EASTERN PROMISES
*THIS IS ENGLAND

THE CARL FOREMAN AWARD FOR SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT BY A BRITISH DIRECTOR, WRITER OR PRODUCER IN THEIR FIRST FEATURE FILM
CHRIS ATKINS (Director/Writer) – Taking Liberties

MIA BAYS (Producer) – Scott Walker: 30 Century Man

SARAH GAVRON (Director) – Brick Lane

*MATT GREENHALGH (Writer) – Control

ANDREW PIDDINGTON (Director/Writer) – The Killing of John Lennon

DIRECTOR
ATONEMENT – Joe Wright

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Paul Greengrass

THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

*NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Joel Coen/Ethan Coen

THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Paul Thomas Anderson

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Steven Zaillian

*JUNO – Diablo Cody

THE LIVES OF OTHERS – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

MICHAEL CLAYTON – Tony Gilroy

THIS IS ENGLAND – Shane Meadows

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ATONEMENT – Christopher Hampton

*THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY – Ronald Harwood

THE KITE RUNNER – David Benioff

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Joel Coen/Ethan Coen

THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Paul Thomas Anderson

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY 

THE KITE RUNNER 

*THE LIVES OF OTHERS 

LUST, CAUTION 

LA VIE EN ROSE

ANIMATED FILM
*RATATOUILLE – Brad Bird 

SHREK THE THIRD – Chris Miller

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE – David Silverman

LEADING ACTOR
GEORGE CLOONEY – Michael Clayton

*DANIEL DAY-LEWIS – There Will Be Blood

JAMES McAVOY – Atonement

VIGGO MORTENSEN – Eastern Promises

ULRICH MÜHE – The Lives of Others

LEADING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT – Elizabeth: The Golden Age

JULIE CHRISTIE – Away From Her

MARION COTILLARD – La Vie en Rose

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY – Atonement 

ELLEN PAGE – Juno

SUPPORTING ACTOR
*JAVIER BARDEM – No Country for Old Men

PAUL DANO – There Will Be Blood

TOMMY LEE JONES – No Country for Old Men

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – Charlie Wilson’s War

TOM WILKINSON – Michael Clayton

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
CATE BLANCHETT – I’m Not There

KELLY MACDONALD – No Country for Old Men

SAMANTHA MORTON – Control 

SAOIRSE RONAN – Atonement 

*TILDA SWINTON – Michael Clayton

MUSIC
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Marc Streitenfeld

ATONEMENT – Dario Marianelli 

THE KITE RUNNER – Alberto Iglesias

THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Jonny Greenwood

*LA VIE EN ROSE – Christopher Gunning

CINEMATOGRAPHY
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Harris Savides

ATONEMENT – Seamus McGarvey

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Oliver Wood

*NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Roger Deakins

THERE WILL BE BLOOD – Robert Elswit

EDITING
AMERICAN GANGSTER – Pietro Scalia

ATONEMENT – Paul Tothill

*THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM – Christopher Rouse

MICHAEL CLAYTON – John Gilroy

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – Roderick Jaynes

PRODUCTION DESIGN
*ATONEMENT
ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE 

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
THERE WILL BE BLOOD
LA VIE EN ROSE

COSTUME DESIGN
ATONEMENT 

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE 

LUST, CAUTION
SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET 

*LA VIE EN ROSE

SOUND
ATONEMENT 

*THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN 

THERE WILL BE BLOOD 

LA VIE EN ROSE

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM 

*THE GOLDEN COMPASS
HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S 

SPIDER-MAN 3

MAKE UP & HAIR
ATONEMENT 

HAIRSPRAY 

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET 

*LA VIE EN ROSE

SHORT ANIMATION
*THE PEARCE SISTERS 

THE CRUMBLEGIANT

SHORT FILM
*DOG ALTOGETHER 

HESITATION 

THE ONE AND ONLY HERB MCGWYER PLAYS WALLIS ISLAND
SOFT 

THE STRONGER