Oscar Predictions

It is hard to believe that the Oscar nominations are less than a week away. This year has been one of the most unpredictable in recent years, which for this Oscar enthusiast, is very exciting indeed. I am going to post my predictions. For most of the technical nominations I am relying on my gut instinct, as well as for the foreign and documentary categories. I should have my own personal ballot out by the end of the month. I will be seeing "There Will Be Blood" and "The Savages" this weekend and I think "Starting Out in the Evening" the following week.

PICTURE
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Michael Clayton
Juno
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Commentary: I thought about replacing "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" with "Into the Wild," but I think when it comes down who placed higher on voters' ballots I think "Diving Bell" will edge out "Into the Wild."

DIRECTOR
Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Paul T. Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Sean Penn, Into the Wild

Commentary: I really feel uncomfortable predicting Tony Gilroy, but he is the safe choice right now. I wanted to put either Tim Burton or Joe Wright in his place but neither of them are getting enough love.

ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises

Commentary: I think either Depp, Hirsch, or Mortensen could be replaced in this category by either Ryan Gosling or Denzel Washington. It would be nice to see someone like James McAvoy receive a surprise nod.

ACTRESS
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Ellen Page, Juno
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart
Amy Adams, Enchanted

Commentary: Personally, I hated "La Vie en Rose," and that affected Cotillard's performance for me. I still am clinging to the Amy Adams nomination; something in my gut tells me it will happen. If Cotillard were removed and replaced by Knightley, then this scenario would prefectly match my own ballot. If there is a God Cate Blanchett will not get in for the horrible "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."

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

Commentary: This is the category that I feel most confident predicting, but I know better to say that anything is set in stone. Who knows? Max von Sydow could possibly sneak in or even Tommy Lee Jones.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Catherine Keener, Into the Wild
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement

Commentary: There seems to be many options in this category, but there have not been many great performances for supporting actresses this year (which is the likely reason for the plethora of options). I could see Ruby Dee nominated, but I don't think "American Gangster" should receive anything.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Juno
Michael Clayton
The Savages
Lars and the Real Girl
Knocked Up

Commentary: I am not sure about this lineup, but it is the best that I could come up with. I could see anyone of these nominees except for "Juno" and "Michael Clayton" to be replaced by "American Gangster," "Once," or "Ratatouille."

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Into the Wild
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Zodiac

Commentary: This is another category that I am fairly confident on. The only possible change I would make would be that "Zodiac" would be replaced by "Atonement."

BEST ART DIRECTION
Sweeney Todd
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
300

CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Atonement

COSTUME DESIGN
Hairspray
Atonement
Sweeney Todd
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Elizabeth: The Golden Age

FILM EDITING
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
Into the Wild
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Zodiac

MAKEUP
La Vie en Rose
Sweeney Todd
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

SCORE
Atonement
Into the Wild
There Will Be Blood
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Ratatouille

SONG (Don’t know how many they nominate but I’m going to choose 5)
“Falling Slowly” Once
“Guaranteed” Into the Wild
“That’s How You Know” Enchanted
“Come So Far” Hairspray
“Society” Into the Wild

SOUND EDITING
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
300
Ratatouille
The Bourne Ultimatum

SOUND MIXING
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
Transformers
Sweeney Todd
300

VISUAL EFFECTS
I Am Legend
Transformers
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Sicko
No End in Sight
Lake of Fire
The Rape of Europa
War/Dance

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Counterfeiters
Days of Darkness
Beaufort
12
Katyn

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Ratatouille
Persepolis
The Simpson’s Movie