My Oscar Predictions.

Much like The Grammy’s, once a year I lay on the couch in sheer anticipation (minus all of the tired memoirs, dedications and irrelevant awards), tuning into the Academy Awards. Thank God I have a meeting to go to while they are airing so that I can TIVO the actual show and then fast forward through all of the drudgery. However every once in a while you get some magic (like Scorcese last year, or Ben Affleck and Matt Damon for Good Will Hunting) that makes up for everything.

 

Writing – Original Screenplay

• Juno
• Lars and the Real Girl
• Michael Clayton
• Ratatouille
• The Savages

Prediction: Juno. Diablo Cody’s dialog was hillarious, but a lot of it had to do with Ellen Page’s performance. I loved Juno though.

Documentary – Feature

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

Prediction: Sicko

Animated Feature Film

• Persepolis
• Ratatouille
• Surf’s Up

Prediction: Persepolis. Although you can never can count out Ratatouille.

Actress in a Supporting Role

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

Prediction: Cate Blanchett. Her as Bob Dylan was unbelievable.

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Casey Affleck/Assassination of Jesse James:
• Javier Bardem/No Country for Old Men:
• Philip Seymour Hoffman/Charlie Wilson’s War
• Hal Holbrook/Into the Wild
• Tom Wilkinson/Michael Clayton

Prediction: Javier Bardem/No Country for Old Men. One of the best performances I have seen in a long time. Bardem played the most menacing villian in recent history.  However, Phillip Seymour Hoffman was fantastic in Charlie Wilson’s War.  Not many people have the ability to play the characters that he does.

Actress in a Leading Role

• Cate Blanchett/Elizabeth:
• Julie Christie/Away From Her
• Marion Cotillard/ La Vie En Rose
• Laura Linney/The Savages
• Ellen Page/Juno

Prediction: Marion Cotillard.

Best Actor in a Leading Role

• 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

Prediction: Daniel Day-Lewis/There Will be Blood. Daniel Day Lewis is the best actor working in Hollywood today.  It’s a shame he is so selective (3 films in 10 years ) about the films he is in. Although I think that Johnny Depp has a slight chance to upset. Also, it’s a travesty that Brad Pitt wasn’t even nominated for The Assassination of Jesse James.

Directing

• Julian Schnabel/The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
• Jason Reitman/Juno
• Tony Gilroy/Michael Clayton
• The Coen Brothers/No Country For Old Men
• Paul Thomas Anderson/There Will Be Blood

Prediction: The Coen Brothers/No Country For Old Men

Best Picture

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

Prediction: No Country for Old Men. This was the best movie I saw all year. Though There Will Be Blood has a chanc, along with Michael Clayton. God help me if Atonement wins.

 

* I am anticipating the reflections and dedications to Heath Ledger. It really is a tragedy that he passed so soon.