Omega Omicron 2nd Annual Night at the Oscars

[Sapphire]

Lights, Camera, Action! The nominees are in and the date is set. The 80th Annual Academy Awards Ceremony will take place on February 24, 2008. Who will take home the shiny golden statues? Who will be thrilled just to be nominated? Can you pick the winners?

Test your skills by participating in the 2nd Annual Omega Omicron E-Sorority, Inc. Night at the Oscars. Just choose the winner from the categories below… the person with the most correct picks wins!

Each post in the thread raises $20. Each entry is $20. (y'all are e-rich, so c'mon!) Multiple entries are welcome. 50% of the funds will be donated to the local senior citizen center. The rest will go to the winner of the pool.

The crackpot team of Sapphy & Ebert will be back as we get closer to the event to give you tips for picking this year’s winners. Good luck!

And the nominees are:

Best Picture

Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson - There Will Be Blood
Joel and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman - Juno
Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Actor

George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis -There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley Of Elah
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away From Her
Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose
Laura Linney - The Savages
Ellen Page – Juno

Best Supporting Actor

Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson’s War
Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett - I’m Not There
Ruby Dee - American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton

Best Documentary Feature

No End in Sight
Operation Homecoming:
Writing the Wartime Experience
Sicko
Taxi to the Dark Side

Just in case we all win, please also pick a winner in these tie breaker categories:

Best Foreign Language Film – Tie Breaker 1

Beaufort
The Counterfeiters
Katyñ
Mongol
12

Best Original Song– Tie Breaker 2

"Falling Slowly" - Once
"Happy Working Song" - Enchanted
"Raise It Up" - August Rush
"So Close" - Enchanted
"That’s How You Know" - Enchanted

[Southie]

On Oscar night, we will provide a large screen television for viewing, and refreshments.

[Sapphire]

Yes, thanks e-soror Southie! I forgot that part. This event will be a lot of fun!

[Sapphire]

Okay OO Alumni! We've got just over a week to go until the big day? Just in case you haven't seen all of the movies, doesn't mean you can't win the pool. Pay attention to the Sapphy & Ebert as they guide you through the Oscar Pool Maze.

Sapphy & Ebert Tip #1: Know A Little Bit About the Oscars

You're probably wondering, "Who nominates these people and films anyway?" The answer is: members of the Academy. "Who are these members of the Academy?" you ask. Well, it’s complicated. Suffice it to say that they are members of the industry... not you.

How does the nomination process work? Well, the Academy is divided into branches (acting, directing, editing, writing, sound and music). Every member belongs to one and ONLY one branch. So for example Barbra Streisand had to decide a long time ago whether she wanted to be included in the music, acting or directing branch (she chose acting). So that's that.

Each member of the Academy receives a ballot and nominates people/films only for their branch. Music branch members nominate people for song and score, while actors only nominate actors. An exception is made for a few categories (documentary, live action short, animated, and foreign).

The ultimate Oscar winner for each category is based upon a vote of the ENTIRE membership, not only the specific branch (unlike the nominating procedure). So yes, the 80-year old musicians vote on the best actor too.

What difference does this make? Well, if you're gonna predict the Oscars and win the pool, it helps to know who is doing the voting and how people got nominated in the first place.

When choosing your picks, know that the actors make up the biggest branch, so try to think like an actor and you'll do fine. ;D

[Sapphire]

Sapphy & Ebert Tip #2: See who's been winning the pre-Oscar awards

Other groups give out awards too. So check out what they like, you'll be able to get a sense of what has generally been accepted as "good" and what is a "bomb." The best indicator (recently anyway) of who will win the Oscar is the Golden Globe Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

[Sapphire]

Sapphy & Ebert Tip #3: The Best Picture/Director/Screenplay Collabo

Whatever wins the best picture award will probably win a screenplay award too. Not always, but it usually stands that the best movie of the year was also the best written. Best Director usually goes to someone that has a film nominated for best picture. And the Best Picture is usually nominated for best director. Are you confused yet?

[Sapphire]

Sapphy & Ebert Tip #4: The Sympathy Vote

Okay people, yes we know. Sometimes the Academy gets it wrong. The Oscars is good for giving an award to someone who should have won the year (or years) before. It makes them feel better. Anyone who is old, dying, made a comeback or gets nominated all the time but never wins is a possibility.

So could it be Johnny Depp's year? Many a nominations, nary a win... plus people love an actor that sings and dances. Think I'm lying? Think back to Moulin Rouge and Chicago. Hal Holbrook is extremely old... probably his last chance to get an Oscar. Could it be? But wait, Daniel Day Lewis didn't win for Gangs of NY either and he's getting great reviews for this new film. So many things to consider...

[Sista08]

<---has been sitting up all night going over all the contracts ensuring that the event will run smoothly.

[Sapphire]

Yay Sista!

[Sista08]

<---is asleep at her e-desk
<---wearing her OO T-shirt

[Sapphire]

LOL

[QUIET As Kept]

LOL @ sista

[Julie Art]

LOL @ my e-ls! Quiet as Kept is in the building, lol!

[Sapphire]

Just a reminder, tomorrow's the big event! Because posts can be edited several days after the fact, the official cut of time for pool entries will be approximately 8 p.m. tomorrow, or before the awards start. Whatever picks you made at that time will be used for your entry.

Good luck!

[Sapphire]

Sapphy’s Award- Wining Picks

Best Picture
No Country for Old Men

Best Director
Joel and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Best Actress
Julie Christie - Away From Her

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There

Best Documentary Feature
No End In Sight

Best Foreign Language Film – Tie Breaker 1
The Counterfeiters

Best Original Song– Tie Breaker 2
"Falling Slowly" - Once

[Sapphire]

Sapphy’s Upset & Sympathy Vote Picks

Best Picture
Michael Clayton

Best Director
Tony Gilroy - Michael Clayton

Best Actor
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley Of Elah

Best Actress
Julie Christie - Away From Her

Best Supporting Actor
Hal Holbrook - Into the Wild

Best Supporting Actress
Ruby Dee - American Gangster

Best Documentary Feature
Sicko

Best Foreign Language Film – Tie Breaker 1
The Counterfeiters

Best Original Song– Tie Breaker 2
"Falling Slowly" - Once

[Sapphire]

Sapphy’s Last I Think This Is How It's Gonna Go Down Picks (If My E-Sorors/Bruhs Had Participated I Wouldn't Have to Submit So Many Entries.

Best Picture
No Country for Old Men

Best Director
Joel and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men

Best Actor
Daniel Day Lewis - There Will Be Blood

Best Actress
Julie Christie - Away From Her

Best Supporting Actor
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men

Best Supporting Actress
Ruby Dee - American Gangster

Best Documentary Feature
No End In Sight

Best Foreign Language Film – Tie Breaker 1
The Counterfeiters

Best Original Song– Tie Breaker 2
That’s How You Know" - Enchanted

[coldfront06]

I haven't seen any of those movies...I can't make a prediction! LOL. Nice event though Sapphy

[Sapphire]

LOL. Yay Cold! Don't worry, just posting in the thread raised some e-money. I e-love ya!

[Sapphire]

I just saw There Will be Blood today. It was "interesting." Daniel Day Lewis was good as always... I thought he was oustanding in Gangs of NY though. I would love for my hubby Johnny Depp to win, but I don't think it will happen. But who knows... they love it when folks sing.

[QUIET As Kept]

<<~~boycotting the Oscars cause they slighted The Great Debaters

[Sapphire]

Oh hursh...

[Gee-Are]

I guess Sapphy won the pool. What was the prize?

[Sapphire]

LOL. Yeah I won against myself. Well each entry and post in the thread (thank you) was worth $20. Half was to be split by the winner and half was to be donated to the local senior citizen center. But I'm going to donate my winnnings to the center also.

[Southie]

<< Did not pay attention to the Oscars
<<<thought it was boring

[Sapphire]

I think I'm boycotting the Oscars for dissing Brad Renfro in the in memorium section. They said they can't include everybody. It bothers me that some are more important than others even in death. Honestly I think they messed up and forgot and don't wanna admit it so they made it seem like it was intentional. Bammas.