Around 5pm the Critics Choice will announce their winners, a few days before the Golden Globes announce theirs.  The Monday following, Oscar ballots are due.  This is the first time many of these contenders will be going to head to head for the first time.  The five most likely films up for Best Picture all continue to gain momentum in their own way, but probably right now Slumdog Millionaire is going to start winning.

Let’s go down BFCA road, shall we?

For the past two years, the Critics Choice have matched Best Picture, Best Director.  You have to go back to 2003 to find a year when their Best Actor and Best Actress picks did not match Oscar. So it will be interesting to see whom they choose, particularly since there is some disconnect between the BFCA and the Globes in those categories.

Here are this year’s nominees:

BEST PICTURE

Nominees:
• Changeling
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• Doubt
• Frost/Nixon
• Milk
• The Reader
• Slumdog Millionaire
• Wall-E
• The Wrestler

It’s probably safe to go with Slumdog Millionaire, which has a 92 BFCA rating.  But if it isn’t Slumdog, it might be The Dark Knight with a rating of 96, or Benjamin Button (91), Milk (92), or Frost/Nixon (94).  It’s doubtful that the winner won’t be among these five and is expected to be Slumdog.

BEST ACTOR

Nominees:
• Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
• Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
• Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
• Sean Penn - Milk
• Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

This is either going to be Sean Penn or Mickey Rourke.  A sentimental vote could go to Clint Eastwood, everyone’s favorite everything.  I would probably predict Rourke for this.  And something to note - Mickey Rourke’s moment at the podium is crucial to how his awards run plays out because there are two winners whose win would bring down the house: Mickey Rourke and Heath Ledger.

BEST ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Kate Beckinsale - Nothing But the Truth
• Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
• Angelina Jolie - Changeling
• Melissa Leo - Frozen River
• Meryl Streep - Doubt

I have absolutely no clue how this is going to go.  I don’t even really know whom the favorite is.  Any of them could win.   Meryl Streep is probably going to win but any of them might.  This category is mostly wide open.  Kate Winslet looms large but she isn’t nominated here.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Nominees:
• Josh Brolin - Milk
• Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
• Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
• Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
• James Franco - Milk

If Heath Ledger doesn’t win this I’ll eat my hat.  And it will be the first public win for the dearly departed actor.  And I pity the actor who beats him but if there is going to be one, I’d say Josh Brolin has it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Nominees:
• Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
• Viola Davis - Doubt
• Vera Farmiga - Nothing But the Truth
• Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
• Kate Winslet - The Reader

Penelope Cruz should win this.  Viola Davis could win and Marisa Tomei is the dark horse.

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

Nominees:
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• The Dark Knight
• Doubt
• Milk
• Rachel Getting Married

I’m thinking either Milk or Doubt.

BEST DIRECTOR

Nominees:
• Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
• David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
• Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
• Gus Van Sant - Milk

It’s probably going to be Danny Boyle but Christopher Nolan could sneak in.

BEST WRITER (Original or Adapted Screenplay)

Nominees:
• Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
• Dustin Lance Black - Milk
• Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
• Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

Again, any of them could win — for some reason I have a feeling Frost/Nixon will win this but if it doesn’t, it would be Slumdog Millionaire, going for a sweep.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Nominees:
• Bolt
• Kung Fu Panda
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
• Wall-E
• Waltz With Bashir

Oh, do we really even need to go there?
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS (Under 21)

Nominees:
• Dakota Fanning - The Secret Life of Bees
• David Kross - The Reader
• Dev Patel - Slumdog Millionaire
• Brandon Walters - Australia

Dev Patel in a walk. Brandon Walters is a threat.

BEST ACTION MOVIE

Nominees:
• The Dark Knight
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
• Iron Man
• Quantum of Solace
• Wanted

Could be Iron Man or The Dark Knight.

BEST COMEDY MOVIE

Nominees:
• Burn After Reading
• Forgetting Sarah Marshall
• Role Models
• Tropic Thunder
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona

It probably will be Burn After Reading or Vicky Cristina OR even Tropic Thunder.

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Nominees:
• John Adams
• Recount
• Coco Chanel

John Adams easily wins.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Nominees:
• A Christmas Tale
• Gomorrah
• I’ve Loved You So Long
• Let the Right One In
• Mongol
• Waltz With Bashir

Let the Right One In, I’m going to guess, or Waltz with Bashir.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Nominees:
• I.O.U.S.A.
• Man On Wire
• Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
• Standard Operating Procedure
• Young At Heart

Man on Wire will probably win.

BEST SONG

Nominees:
• “Another Way to Die” (performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys, written by Jack White) - Quantum of Solace
• “Down to Earth” (performed by Peter Gabriel, written by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman) - Wall-E
• “I Thought I Lost You” (performed Miley Cyrus and John Travolta, written by Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele) - Bolt
• “Jaiho” (performed by Sukhwinder Singh, written by A.R. Rahman and Gulzar) - Slumdog Millionaire
• “The Wrestler” (performed by Bruce Springsteen, written by Bruce Springsteen) - The Wrestler

Brooooooooooooooce.

BEST COMPOSER

Nominees:
• Alexandre Desplat - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
• Clint Eastwood - Changeling
• Danny Elfman - Milk
• Hans Zimmer/James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight
• A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire

I think it’s down to Button, Dark Knight and Slumdog for the win.

25. Fame (1980)

Cast:
Irene Cara
Debbie Allen
Gene Anthony Ray
Lee Curreri
Paul McCrane

The School of the Performing Arts, where people break into song and spirited choreographed dance routines! It could happen… but probably doesn’t in real life. Coco, Bruno, Leroy and company have their fair share of real world troubles too though – it’s not all taxi top dance fun.

24. Lucas (1986)

Cast:
Corey Haim
Kerri Green
Charlie Sheen

First crushes aren’t easy when you’re a dorky, awkward teenager who gets teased endlessly at school. But you gotta give the kid credit for joining the football team to impress the girl he’s infatuated with. Plus, the nostalgia of a sweet, adorable Corey Haim versus his current washed up status lets us remember Haim in the happy 80s.

23. Carrie (1976)

Cast:
Sissy Spacek
Piper Laurie
Betty Buckley
Amy Irving

Oh shit, Carrie is all kinds of creepy, but her whack job mom doesn’t exactly help her fit in at school. And then that disgusting pig blood soaked prom scene. Kids can be so fuckin cruel, but don’t piss off a girl with telekinetic powers. Carrie exacts her revenge in the end. That’ll teach ‘em.

22. Friday Night Lights (2004)

Cast:
Billy Bob Thornton
Lucas Black
Garrett Hedlund
Derek Luke
Jay Hernandez

Friday Night Lights presents high school football as an obsession for the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas. With little else going on in this small town, Friday night football is something to look forward to, but hopes of winning the championship is a lot of pressure for these players fighting for an escape from the same dead-end lives their parents endure.

21. Dead Poets Society (1989)

Cast:
Robin Williams
Robert Sean Leonard
Ethan Hawke
Josh Charles

Dramatic and truly inspiring, Dead Poets’ English professor John Keating (Robin Williams) teaches his students to seize the day by thinking outside the confines of their prep school. Make sure you have a box of tissues nearby for this high school tale – there wasn’t a dry eye in the theater when I saw it the first go-around.

20. Rushmore (1998)

Cast:
Jason Schwartzman
Bill Murray
Olivia Williams

From the quirky mind of Wes Anderson, we get our first look at Jason Schwartzman as the eccentric over-booked prep school student who finds a father figure and nemesis in Bill Murray - as student and rich dude vie for the affection and attention of elementary school teacher Miss Cross.

19. Donnie Darko (2001)

Cast:
Jake Gyllenhaal
Jena Malone
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Mary McDonnell

It’s a cult classic - cue “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” – well, at least as teenager Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) knows, via a big burned bunny. All the sci fi coolness, while hitting the high school themes, Donnie Darko is an original, no doubt about it. We’re still scratching our head about a few things though.

18. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Cast:
Jon Heder
Efren Ramirez
Tina Majorino

Oh, awkward youth – Napoleon Dynamite has you rooting for this majorly uncool title character with Jon Heder’s brilliant performance. And we never see such energy from the low vibe Napoleon as when he performs his dance routine in front of the entire school. Vote for Pedro!

17. Risky Business (1983)

Cast:
Tom Cruise
Rebecca De Mornay
Curtis Armstrong

It launched Tom Cruise (for better or for worse) into the stratosphere of super stardom, gave us the memorable air guitar underwear scene – and oh, yeah… one of the hottest sex on a train scenes ever. This is one high school experience that takes Cruise’s straight-laced character, Joel, on a wild ride.

16. Say Anything (1989)

Cast:
John Cusack
Ione Skye
John Mahoney
Lili Taylor

He’s the loveable underachiever – she’s the class valedictorian. The star-crossed lovers in Say Anything are meant to be despite the odds. Check out Lloyd Dobler as he proves his love in that classic boom box scene. Sigh. A million John Cusack fans were born from this movie.

15. Sixteen Candles (1984)

Cast:
Molly Ringwald
Michael Schoeffling
Anthony Michael Hall

Sixteen Candles is when we fell in love with freckly Molly Ringwald – her family forgets her birthday, nerds want to see her panties, and her infatuation with Jake (ultimately) leads to a happy ending. Even nerdy Anthony Michael Hall finds love with the most popular girl in school. So, all’s well that ends well.

14. Hoop Dreams (1994)

Cast:
William Gates
Arthur Agee

The inspiring true story of two kids trying to make it out of the Chicago slums on a basketball dream, this documentary follows both the struggles and the joy, making it a must-watch on our high school film list. Hoop Dreams follows Arthur Agee and William Gates for five years, from high school to college recruitment.

13. Superbad (2007)

Cast:
Jonah Hill
Michael Cera
Christopher Mintz-Plasse

Raunchy and ridiculous, Superbad gave us so many things that were oh-so-wrong, yet oh-so-right. The comedy duo of Michael Cera and Jonah Hill combined with a script by Seth Rogan and his buddy struck a chord with audiences with this hilarious high school tale of two buddies. And c’mon… McLovin? It’s all good.

12. Clueless (1995)

Cast:
Alicia Silverstone
Paul Rudd
Stacey Dash
Brittany Murphy
Donald Faison

Alicia Silverstone is such a Betty in this movie! Plus Clueless put Paul Rudd on the map – so thank the heavens for that. An adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, director Amy Heckerling nailed this funny look at a rich girl who learns there’s more to her than just the superficial, shallow Cher.

11. Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Cast:
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Ice Cube
Morris Chestnut
Larry Fishburne
Angela Basset

Boyz n the Hood was a masterpiece for director John Singleton, capturing the gritty realities of high school life for three high school friends on different paths – one an athlete, one with college aspirations and one a drug dealer. Nothing is easy in this tale and Tre, played by Cuba Gooding Jr., learns hard life lessons when his friend is murdered. With guidance from his dad, he escapes the cycle of crime and violence and gets out of the hood.

10. Mean Girls (2004)

Cast:
Lindsay Lohan
Rachel McAdams
Lacey Chabert
Amanda Seyfried

Can Tina Fey do no wrong? Mean Girls was a killer script by Fey, featuring Lindsay Lohan before she had a party-girl reputation, and included turns by Rachel McAdams, Lizzy Caplan and Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia) before they were bigger names. Mean Girls confirmed that girls can be so bitchy – and cruel.

9. Grease (1978)

Cast:
John Travolta
Olivia Newton-John
Stockard Channing
Jeff Conaway

The original High School Musical… well, sorta. Singing and dancing was never so cool as in Grease, what with Sandy, Danny and the gang at 1950s Rydell High. Who doesn’t love the Goody Two Shoes/Bad Boy dynamic in Grease, but please answer this burning question – what the hell with Sandy and Danny flying off in the car at the end? Never got that one.

8. Hoosiers (1986)

Cast:
Gene Hackman
Barbara Hershey
Dennis Hopper

Everybody loves a story with heart – small-town Indiana high school basketball underdogs beat the odds and win the state championship in this early-50s tale of redemption. Gene Hackman gives a fantastic performance as a washed up former collegiate coach who has a lot to prove to the town – and himself.

7. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Cast:
Matthew Broderick
Alan Ruck
Mia Sara
Jeffrey Jones
Jennifer Grey

If you could have gotten away with the shit that Ferris Bueller did when he skipped school, wouldn’t you have done it? Matthew Broderick rocks this John Hughes classic, taking audiences along for one helluva ride – from Ferrari to Abe Froman (The Sausage King of Chicago), to riding atop a parade float. Ditching school has never been more fun.

6. Election (1999)

Cast:
Reese Witherspoon
Matthew Broderick
Chris Klein

Forget her Academy Award win for Walk the Line, Reese Witherspoon’s role as uber annoying overachiever Tracy Flick in Election was easily her best work. Ever. Throw in pathetic Matthew Broderick, his contempt for Tracy and his ill fortunes (that’s one mother of a bee sting reaction!), and you’ve got one darkly funny look at the politics of high school.

5. Heathers (1989)

Cast:
Winona Ryder
Christian Slater
Shannen Doherty

With lines like “Well, fuck me gently with a chainsaw,” Heathers takes high school bitches to a whole new level. Smarmy Christian Slater has never been better and hot fingers Winona Ryder plays bitchy with precision in this dark high school tale. Heathers was a stark contrast to the feel good high school flicks of the 80s, for sure.

4. Dazed and Confused (1993)

Cast:
Jason London
Rory Cochrane
Wiley Wiggins
Matthew McConaughey

This is familiar territory, given that Dazed and Confused topped our Stoner Movies list. Dazed captures the life of seventies high schoolers, as the upcoming seniors ceremoniously haze the incoming freshmen on the last day of school in 1976. Sex, drugs and music of the day comes into play and Matthew McConaughey gives one of the best performances ever with his classic line: “That’s what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.”

3. American Pie (1999)

Cast:
Jason Biggs
Seann William Scott
Shannon Elizabeth
Alyson Hannigan
Thomas Ian Nicholas
Tara Reid
Chris Klein

When American Pie hit theaters, no one could have guessed how an actual pie would be so affectionately regarded by a horny high schooler. Pie was like the Porky’s of the 90s, with four friends making a pact to lose their virginity by graduation. Plus, American Pie gave us classics like MILF and the ever popular “this one time?… at band camp?”

2. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

Cast:
Sean Penn
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Judge Reinhold
Phoebe Cates

Penned by Cameron Crowe and directed by Amy Heckerling, Fast Times introduced us to Sean Penn as ultimate stoner Spicoli and a host of other interesting characters, including Jennifer Jason Leigh and Phoebe Cates (which led to Judge Reinhold’s infamous bathroom scene – yikes). Fast Times was a coming-of-age story that hit all the right notes with audiences.

1. The Breakfast Club (1985)

Cast:
Judd Nelson
Molly Ringwald
Emilio Estevez
Anthony Michael Hall
Ally Sheedy

We’ve got the classic high school types (jock, princess, brain, basket case, criminal) locked together for Saturday detention in this John Hughes’ classic. They each learn that they’re not so different after all… and The Breakfast Club became the quintessential high school movie, but seriously? Saturday detention?

Audrey Tautou is playing Chanel in the film, which examines the life and career of renowned fashion designer. "Chanel" is based on Edmonde Charles-Roux's book "L'Irreguliere."

Watch out for "Coco Avant Chanel" some time later this year.

Defiance stars Daniel Craig as one of three Jewish rebels camping in the forests of Belarus to evade the Nazis. The Defiance soundtrack does not feature The Bloodhound Gang.

Very interesting, dramatic subject matter for a film. If it was directed by, oh, I don’t know, Fernando Meirelles (City of God, Constant Gardener), or maybe Jacques Audiard (The Beat That My Heart Skipped), or even Tommy Lee Jones after the work he did on Three Burials, it could really be something. But it’s directed by Edward Zwick (Blood Diamond was his most recent outing), who specialises in Hollywooding-up weighty socio-political subject matter so that you popcorn chompin’ masses out there don’t chew your own hands off from the unbearable boredom of going ten minutes without a chase sequence. The Defiance soundtrack isn’t exactly out of leftfield either.

It’s brooding, almost beautiful in the way that any collection of violins played in tune is almost beautiful, occasionally menacing, dark, bleak, and does a fair job of evoking nondescript Jewish survivors crying. So far so Zwick. Emotional gravitas melding into melodrama, politicized generic thriller filler – that’s what Zwick does, and he doesn’t breach into the realms of awe inspiring auteurism through his soundtrack choice. In fact, it sounds like all the music that wasn’t quite right for Schindler’s List. It’s really quite dull.

Marrying the most emotive of all subject matters – the holocaust – with the most predictable of scores is the height of laziness in my view. Look at the evidence. Song title: Survivors, song style: brooding strings. Song title: Camp Montage, song style: brooding strings. Song title: Escaping The Ghetto… well, you get the point. There’s a whole lot of brooding strings. What do brooding strings do? They evoke sadness, tragedy and loss. Well, you really hit the nail on the head there Zwicko. Some people go for contrast, or nuance, or originality, but not ole Zwickety Zwick. No, when he makes a film dealing with the holocaust, he says to himself: I’m not sure people will get that they’re supposed to be sad. Better put brooding strings all the way through. Then they’ll get the message.

Buy this soundtrack album and listen to all the brooding strings over breakfast, then you can cry as you eat your Coco Pops. It’s what the victims of the holocaust would have wanted.

(By the way: anyone else think Daniel Craig has the face of an Italian construction worker?)

You can buy it here

Defiance Soundtrack (Score) - Track Listing
1. Defiance Main Titles - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
2. Survivors - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
3. Make Them Count - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
4. Your Wife - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
5. The Bielski Otriad - James Newton Howard
6. Bella and Zus - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
7. Exodus - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
8. Camp Montage - James Newton Howard
9. The Wedding - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
10. Winter Joshua Bell - James Newton Howard
11. Escaping the Ghetto - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
12. Police Station - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
13. Tuvia Kisses Lilka - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
14. Nothing is Impossible - Joshua Bell, James Newton Howard
15. The Bielski Brothers/Ikh Bin A Mame - Joshua Bell, James N. Howard

Leave your thoughts on the Defiance soundtrack in the comments.

Full List from SAG’s site:
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
RICHARD JENKINS / Walter Vale - “THE VISITOR” (Overture Films)
FRANK LANGELLA / Richard Nixon - “FROST/NIXON” (Universal Pictures)
SEAN PENN / Harvey Milk - “MILK” (Focus Features)
BRAD PITT / Benjamin Button - “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” (Paramount Pictures)
MICKEY ROURKE / Randy - “THE WRESTLER” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
ANNE HATHAWAY / Kym - “RACHEL GETTING MARRIED” (Sony Pictures Classics)
ANGELINA JOLIE / Christine Collins - “CHANGELING” (Universal Pictures)
MELISSA LEO / Ray Eddy - “FROZEN RIVER” (Sony Pictures Classics)
MERYL STREEP / Sister Aloysius Beauvier - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
KATE WINSLET / April Wheeler - “REVOLUTIONARY ROAD” (Paramount Vantage)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
JOSH BROLIN / Dan White - “MILK” (Focus Features)
ROBERT DOWNEY, JR. / Kirk Lazarus - “TROPIC THUNDER” (Paramount Pictures)
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN / Father Brendan Flynn - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
HEATH LEDGER / Joker - “THE DARK KNIGHT” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
DEV PATEL / Older Jamal - “SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
AMY ADAMS / Sister James - “DOUBT” (Miramax Flms)
PENÉLOPE CRUZ / Maria Elena - “VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA” (The Weinstein Company)
VIOLA DAVIS / Mrs. Miller - “DOUBT” (Miramax Films)
TARAJI P. HENSON / Queenie - “THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON” (Paramount Pictures)
KATE WINSLET / Hanna Schmitz - “THE READER” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
DOUBT (Miramax)
FROST/NIXON (Universal Pictures)
MILK (Focus Features)
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (Paramount Pictures)

TV and nomination count after the cut (can I just say that I hate the all-caps thing?)

PRIMETIME TELEVISION


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
RALPH FIENNES / Bernard Lafferty - “BERNARD AND DORIS” (HBO)
PAUL GIAMATTI / John Adams - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)
KEVIN SPACEY / Ron Klain - “RECOUNT” (HBO)
KIEFER SUTHERLAND / Jack Bauer - “24: REDEMPTION” (FOX)
TOM WILKINSON / Benjamin Franklin - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
LAURA DERN / Katherine Harris - “RECOUNT” (HBO)
LAURA LINNEY / Abigail Adams - “JOHN ADAMS” (HBO)
SHIRLEY MacLAINE / Coco Chanel - “COCO CHANEL” (Lifetime)
PHYLICIA RASHAD / Lena Younger - “A RAISIN IN THE SUN” (Lifetime)
SUSAN SARANDON / Doris Duke - “BERNARD AND DORIS” (HBO)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
MICHAEL C. HALL / Dexter Morgan - “DEXTER” (Showtime)
JON HAMM / Don Draper - “MAD MEN” (AMC)
HUGH LAURIE / Gregory House - “HOUSE” (FOX)
WILLIAM SHATNER / Denny Crane - “BOSTON LEGAL” (ABC)
JAMES SPADER / Alan Shore - “BOSTON LEGAL” (ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
SALLY FIELD / Nora Walker - “BROTHERS & SISTERS” (ABC)
MARISKA HARGITAY / Det. Olivia Benson - “LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT” (NBC)
HOLLY HUNTER / Grace Hanadarko - “SAVING GRACE” (TNT)
ELISABETH MOSS / Peggy Olson - “MAD MEN” (AMC)
KYRA SEDGWICK / Dep. Chief Brenda Johnson - “THE CLOSER” (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
ALEC BALDWIN / Jack Donaghy - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
STEVE CARELL / Michael Scott - “THE OFFICE” (NBC)
DAVID DUCHOVNY / Hank Moody - “CALIFORNICATION” (Showtime)
JEREMY PIVEN / Ari Gold - “ENTOURAGE” (HBO)
TONY SHALHOUB / Adrian Monk - “MONK” (USA)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Samantha Newly - “SAMANTHA WHO?” (ABC)
AMERICA FERRERA / Betty Suarez - “UGLY BETTY” (ABC)
TINA FEY / Liz Lemon - “30 ROCK” (NBC)
MARY-LOUISE PARKER / Nancy Botwin - “WEEDS” (Showtime)
TRACEY ULLMAN / Various Characters - “TRACEY ULLMAN’S STATE OF THE UNION” (Showtime)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
BOSTON LEGAL (ABC)
DEXTER (Showtime)
HOUSE (Fox)
MAD MEN (AMC)
THE CLOSER (TNT)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 ROCK (NBC)
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
ENTOURAGE (HBO)
THE OFFICE (NBC)
WEEDS (Showtime)

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
THE DARK KNIGHT (Warner Bros. Pictures)
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY (Universal Pictures)
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (Paramount Pictures)
IRON MAN (Paramount Pictures)
WANTED (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (NBC)
HEROES (NBC)
PRISON BREAK (FOX)
THE UNIT (CBS)
THE CLOSER (TNT)


LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Screen Actors Guild Awards 45th Annual Life Achievement Award
James Earl Jones

1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures and Paramount Pictures

b. FROST/NIXON
Imagine Entertainment, Working Title, Studio Canal; Universal Pictures

c. THE READER
Mirage Enterprises; The Weinstein Company

d. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
An Evamere Entertainment BBC Films Neal Street Production; DreamWorks Pictures in Association with BBC Films and Paramount Vantage

e. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.; Fox Searchlight Pictures and Warner Bros.


2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. ANNE HATHAWAY RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

b. ANGELINA JOLIE CHANGELING

c. MERYL STREEP DOUBT

d. KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)

e. KATE WINSLET REVOLUTIONARY ROAD


3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

a. LEONARDO DICAPRIO REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

b. FRANK LANGELLA FROST/NIXON

c. SEAN PENN MILK

d. BRAD PITT THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

e. MICKEY ROURKE THE WRESTLER


4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. BURN AFTER READING
Working Title/Releasing Company; Focus Features in association with Studio Canal

b. HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Summit Entertainment, Film4, Ingenious Film Partners, Miramax Films; Miramax Films

c. IN BRUGES
Blueprint Pictures; Focus Features

d. MAMMA MIA!
Relativity Media, Playtone, Littlestar; Universal Pictures

e. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Mediapro; The Weinstein Company



5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. REBECCA HALL VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

b. SALLY HAWKINS HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

c. FRANCES MCDORMAND BURN AFTER READING

d. MERYL STREEP MAMMA MIA!

e. EMMA THOMPSON LAST CHANCE HARVEY


6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. JAVIER BARDEM VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

b. COLIN FARRELL IN BRUGES

c. JAMES FRANCO PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

d. BRENDAN GLEESON IN BRUGES

e. DUSTIN HOFFMAN LAST CHANCE HARVEY


7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

a. BOLT
Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

b. KUNG FU PANDA
DreamWorks Animation SKG; Paramount Pictures

c. WALL-E
Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures


8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

a. THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
(DER BADDER MEINHOF KOMPLEX)
Constantin Film Produktion GmbH; Summit Entertainment, LLC

b. EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
(MARIA LARSSONS EVIGA ÖGONBLICK)
Final Cut Productions Aps; IFC Films

c. GOMORRAH (ITALY)
(GOMORRA)
Fandango; IFC Films

d. I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
(IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
UGC YM/UGC Images/France 3 Cinema/Integral Film; Sony Pictures Classics

e. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)
Bridgit Folman Film Gang/Les Films D'Ici/Razor Films/Arte France/ITVS International; Sony Pictures Classics



9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. AMY ADAMS DOUBT

b. PENELOPE CRUZ VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

c. VIOLA DAVIS DOUBT

d. MARISA TOMEI THE WRESTLER

e. KATE WINSLET THE READER


10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

a. TOM CRUISE TROPIC THUNDER

b. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. TROPIC THUNDER

c. RALPH FIENNES THE DUCHESS

d. PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN DOUBT

e. HEATH LEDGER THE DARK KNIGHT


11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

a. DANNY BOYLE SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

b. STEPHEN DALDRY THE READER

c. DAVID FINCHER THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

d. RON HOWARD FROST/NIXON

e. SAM MENDES REVOLUTIONARY ROAD


12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

a. SIMON BEAUFOY SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

b. DAVID HARE THE READER

c. PETER MORGAN FROST/NIXON

d. ERIC ROTH THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

e. JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY DOUBT


13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

a. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
BUTTON

b. CLINT EASTWOOD CHANGELING

c. JAMES NEWTON HOWARD DEFIANCE

d. A. R. RAHMAN SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

e. HANS ZIMMER FROST/NIXON


14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

a. “DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel

b. “GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens

c. “I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele

d. “ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street

e. “THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen



15. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. DEXTER (SHOWTIME)
Showtime/John Goldwyn Productions/The Colleton Company/Clyde Phillips Productions

b. HOUSE (FOX)
Universal Media Studios in association with Heel and Toe Films, Shore Z Productions and Bad Hat Harry Productions

c. IN TREATMENT (HBO)
Sheleg, Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

d. MAD MEN (AMC)
Lionsgate Television

e. TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Your Face Goes Here Productions in association with HBO Entertainment


16. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. SALLY FIELD BROTHERS AND SISTERS

b. MARISKA HARGITAY LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS
UNIT

c. JANUARY JONES MAD MEN

d. ANNA PAQUIN TRUE BLOOD

e. KYRA SEDGWICK THE CLOSER


17. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

a. GABRIEL BYRNE IN TREATMENT

b. MICHAEL C. HALL DEXTER

c. JON HAMM MAD MEN

d. HUGH LAURIE HOUSE

e. JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS THE TUDORS

18. BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. 30 ROCK (NBC)
Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video and Little
Stranger Inc.

b. CALIFORNICATION (SHOWTIME)
Showtime Presents in association with Aggressive Mediocrity, And Then...

c. ENTOURAGE (HBO)
Leverage and Closest to the Hole Productions in association with HBO Entertainment

d. THE OFFICE (NBC)
Deedle Dee Productions, Reveille LLC, Universal Media Studios

e. WEEDS (SHOWTIME)
Lionsgate Television


19. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES –COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. CHRISTINA APPLEGATE SAMANTHA WHO?

b. AMERICA FERRERA UGLY BETTY

c. TINA FEY 30 ROCK

d. DEBRA MESSING THE STARTER WIFE

e. MARY-LOUISE PARKER WEEDS


20. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

a. ALEC BALDWIN 30 ROCK

b. STEVE CARELL THE OFFICE

c. KEVIN CONNOLLY ENTOURAGE

d. DAVID DUCHOVNY CALIFORNICATION

e. TONY SHALHOUB MONK


21. BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. A RAISIN IN THE SUN (ABC)
Sony Pictures Television

b. BERNARD AND DORIS (HBO)
Trigger Street Independent Productions in association with Little Bird and Chicago Films and HBO Films

c. CRANFORD (PBS)
A Co-Production of BBC and WGBH Boston.

d. JOHN ADAMS (HBO)
Playtone in association with HBO Films

e. RECOUNT (HBO)
Spring Creek/Mirage Productions in association with Trigger Street Productions, Everyman Pictures and HBO Films


22. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. JUDI DENCH CRANFORD

b. CATHERINE KEENER AN AMERICAN CRIME

c. LAURA LINNEY JOHN ADAMS

d. SHIRLEY MACLAINE COCO CHANEL

e. SUSAN SARANDON BERNARD AND DORIS


23. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. RALPH FIENNES BERNARD AND DORIS

b. PAUL GIAMATTI JOHN ADAMS

c. KEVIN SPACEY RECOUNT

d. KIEFER SUTHERLAND 24: REDEMPTION

e. TOM WILKINSON RECOUNT


24. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. EILEEN ATKINS CRANFORD

b. LAURA DERN RECOUNT

c. MELISSA GEORGE IN TREATMENT

d. RACHEL GRIFFITHS BROTHERS AND SISTERS

e. DIANNE WIEST IN TREATMENT


25. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

a. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER

b. DENIS LEARY RECOUNT

c. JEREMY PIVEN ENTOURAGE

d. BLAIR UNDERWOOD IN TREATMENT

e. TOM WILKINSON JOHN ADAMS

What's great about the L.A. Film Critics and Time Magazine's Richard Corliss voting Wall-E as best film is that not only is it among the best-reviewed movies of the year (93 % on Metacritic), which means that most critics adore it, but it's an underdog. I've gotten into trouble for suggesting that critics groups ever vote with an eye on other upcoming awards votes. But perhaps the critics' desire to help Wall-E helped knock out its stiffest competitor, The Dark Knight, which doesn't need any help at this point. Wall-E was also a huge boxoffice success, but what it needs is respect. This is the first time the critics' group has awarded its top prize to an animated film.

I like the way the LA critics reveal their runner-ups. Slumdog Millionaire continues to do well, with prizes for director and score, and Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky snagged major wins for screenplay and actress Sally Hawkins. Frozen River's Melissa Leo was the runner-up in that category, which makes me wonder about Kristin Scott Thomas's chances to break into the Oscar Top Five; maybe not everyone has seen I've Loved You So Long. She needs some wins to get there.

In the best actor race, Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke solidified their front-runner status, leaving Frank Langella as an also-ran; Frost/Nixon was shut out by the critics, as was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which had to settle for runner-up for Alexandre Desplat's score. For supporting actor, Heath Ledger will be tough to beat. The critics awarded Penelope Cruz supporting actress for her perfs in two films, Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Elegy, leavng Viola Davis in the runner-up spot for Doubt. Israeli Waltz with Bashir won not only best animated film but runner-up for best documentary, a category for which it is ineligible for the Oscars.

Here's the full list:

Picture: "Wall-E" Runner-up: "The Dark Knight"

Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Runner-up: Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight"

Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk"
Runner-up: Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Actress: Sally Hawkins, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Runner-up: Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"

Supporting actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Runner-up: Eddie Marsan, "Happy-Go-Lucky"

Supporting actress: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" and "Elegy"
Runner-up: Viola Davis, "Doubt"

Screenplay: Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Runner-up: Charlie Kaufman, "Synecdoche, New York"

Foreign-language film: "Still Life" Runner-up: "The Class"

Documentary: "Man on Wire"
Runner-up: "Waltz With Bashir"

Animation: "Waltz With Bashir"

Cinematography: Yu Lik Wai, "Still Life"
Runner-up: Anthony Dod Mantle, "Slumdog Millionaire"

Production design: Mark Friedberg, "Synecdoche, New York"
Runner-up: Nathan Crowley, "The Dark Knight"

Music/score: A.R. Rahman, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

New Generation: Steve McQueen, "Hunger"

Douglas E. Edwards independent/experimental film/video: James Benning, "RR" and "Casting a Glance"

Here are the Broadcast Film Critics nominations, which have little influence beyond building a sense of forward momentum for pics in the awards derby:

BEST PICTURE Changeling The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Dark Knight Doubt Frost/Nixon Milk The Reader Slumdog Millionaire Wall-E The Wrestler

BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Kate Beckinsale - Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey, Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
James Franco - Milk

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Vera Farmiga - Nothing But the Truth
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Milk
Rachel Getting Married

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant - Milk

BEST WRITER (Original or Adapted Screenplay)
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Wall-E
Waltz With Bashir

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS (Under 21)
Dakota Fanning - The Secret Life of Bees
David Kross - The Reader
Dev Petal - Slumdog Millionaire
Brandon Walters - Australia

BEST ACTION MOVIE
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Quantum of Solace
Wanted

BEST COMEDY MOVIE
Burn After Reading
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Role Models
Tropic Thunder
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
John Adams
Recount
Coco Chanel

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Christmas Tale
Gomorrah
I've Loved You So Long
Let the Right One In
Mongol
Waltz With Bashir

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
I.O.U.S.A.
Man On Wire
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired
Standard Operating Procedure
Young At Heart

BEST SONG
"Another Way to Die" (performed by Jack White and Alicia Keys, written by Jack White) - Quantum of Solace
"Down to Earth" (performed by Peter Gabriel, written by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman) - Wall-E
"I Thought I Lost You" (performed Miley Cyrus and John Travolta, written by Miley Cyrus and Jeffrey Steele) - Bolt
"Jaiho" (performed by Sukhwinder Singh, written by A.R. Rahman and Gulzar) - Slumdog Millionaire
"The Wrestler" (performed by Bruce Springsteen, written by Bruce Springsteen) - The Wrestler

BEST COMPOSER
Alexandre Desplat -The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clint Eastwood - Changeling
Danny Elfman - Milk
Hans Zimmer/James Newton Howard - The Dark Knight
A.R. Rahman - Slumdog Millionaire