Oscar Predictions

I really have no idea on any of these. There seems to be a few categories that are all but decided (best actor, actress) and some that any of the nominees could win (best picture). And with that, my guesses...

Performance by an ACTOR in a LEADING ROLE

Pick: Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland
Preference: Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland

I really liked Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson but he has no chance of winning. I never saw Venus so can't comment on Peter O'Toole and Whitaker really gives the most dynamite performance.

Performance by an ACTOR in a SUPPORTING ROLE

Pick: Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
Preference: Mark Wahlberg - The Departed

Eddie Murphy has won basically every award up to this point and it's probably a mistake to go against him here but can the star of Norbit really win an oscar?

Performance by an ACTRESS in a LEADING ROLE

Pick: Helen Mirren - The Queen
Preference - Helen Mirren - The Queen

The safest bet of the night.

Performance by an ACTRESS in a SUPPORTING ROLE

Pick: Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
Preference: Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls

I feel like she is winning this for one song but it's a hell of a moment in the movie. I think it will be more interesting to see what or if she does anything next.

Best ANIMATED FEATURE FILM of the Year

Pick: Cars
Preference: Monster House

Cars was good but not one of the best Pixar efforts. Monster House felt like those adventure movies from the eighties that have kids doing amazing things while their parents are away at work.

Achievement in CINEMATOGRAPHY

Pick: Children of Men - Emmanuel Lubezki
Preference: Children of Men - Emmanuel Lubezki

The other nominated films all look nice but this is the only one that was actually groundbreaking.

Best DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Pick: An Inconvenient Truth
Preference: An Inconvenient Truth

Granted, I have only seen two of the nominees but if everything that this movie predicts actually happens, those kids from Jesus Camp will never get a chance to take over the world.

Achievement in FILM EDITING

Pick: Babel - Stephen Mirrione and Douglas Crise
Preference: United 93 - Clare Douglas, Richard Person, and Christopher Rouse

Filmed much like a documentary the editors of United 93 has to go through countless hours of footage to construct the story on the plane.

Best FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM of the Year

Pick: Pan's Labyrinth
Preference: Pan's Labyrinth

It's the only one I have seen of the nominees. The Lives of Others seems to be its only competition.

Best WRITING, SCREENPLAY BASED ON MATERIAL PREVIOUSLY Best WRITING, SCREENPLAY BASED ON MATERIAL PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED OR PRODUCED

Pick: The Departed - William Monahan
Preference: The Departed - William Monahan

"I'm gonna go have a smoke right now. You want a smoke? You don't smoke, do you, right? What are you, one of those fitness freaks, huh? Go fuck yourself."

Best WRITING, SCREENPLAY WRITTEN DIRECTLY FOR THE SCREEN

Pick: Little Miss Sunshine - Michael Arndt
Preference: Little Miss Sunshine - Michael Arndt

I would be equally happy if Letters From Iwo Jima won.

Achievement in DIRECTING

Pick: The Departed - Martin Scorsese
Preference: The Departed - Martin Scorsese

He's probably the greatest living director.

Best MOTION PICTURE of the Year

Pick: Babel
Preference: The Departed

Like I said earlier, any of these five could win and it wouldn't be a big surprise (well, maybe if The Queen wins).

And the rest of the categories. Only predictions, no preference...

Achivement in ART DIRECTION:
Pan's Labyrinth
Art Direction: Eugenio Caballero
Set Decoration: Pilar Revuelta

Achievement in COSTUME DESIGN:
Dreamgirls - Sharen Davis

Best DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT:
Recycled Life - Leslie Iwerks and Mike Glad

Achievement in MAKEUP:
Pan's Labyrinth - David Martí and Montse Ribé

Achievement in MUSIC Written for Motion Pictures (ORIGINAL SCORE):
The Queen - Alexandre Desplat

Achievement in MUSIC Written for Motion Pictures (ORIGINAL SONG):
“I Need to Wake Up” from An Inconvenient Truth - Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge

Best ANIMATED SHORT FILM:
The Little Matchgirl - Roger Allers and Don Hahn

Best LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM
West Bank Story - Ari Sandel

Achievement in SOUND EDITING:
Letters from Iwo Jima - Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman

Achievement in SOUND MIXING:
Dreamgirls - Michael Minkler, Bob Beemer and Willie Burton

Achievement in VISUAL EFFECTS:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest - John Knoll, Hal Hickel, Charles Gibson and Allen Hal