First Official Oscar Predictions.

It's Oscar season, so I'm happy ^__________^

The Oscars are a tricky thing though. You mention you enjoy the Oscars, people think you're gay. And I completely understand why. Watch any show on them, it's all about fashion or singing and dancing or some stupid boring shit like that. I don't follow the Oscars because of that. I liken the Oscars to football. Each season, everyone makes predictions, follows their favorite players and hope the ones they like make it all the way to the Superbowl. That's just what the Oscars are. Picking your favorites and hoping they make it. Of course, there's very few things more frustrating than the Oscars. Maybe once a decade the right movie or actor wins. So why do I do it every year? Because I am sad and lonely and most people hate me. So here's my predictions for this year.

BEST PICTURE-
No Country for Old Men*
Atonement
There Will Be Blood
Sweeney Todd
Charlie Wilson's War

For the past, like, two years I've been saying that whenever There Will Be Blood comes out, it'll be an Oscar winner. I still think it'll win some awards, but not Best Picture. It's too dark and disturbing and mean for the Oscars. Some people may come back and say "Yeah, but so was The Departed." No, it wasn't. The Departed was at it's heart an entertaining popcorn flick. There Will Be Blood isn't. Atonement I think is just too British. Sweeney Todd is too song and dance-y. They already awarded one of those this decade. Charlie Wilson's War is full of Oscars winners, so maybe the Academy will be bored with them. I dunno one way or another which way this movie will go. So that leaves No Country for Old Men, which is the best reviewed movie of the year, plus it has an already classic performance from Javier Bardem, and the Coens are overdue. I'll say it's the frontrunner.

DIRECTOR-
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen- No Country for Old Men*
Joe Wright- Atonement
P.T. Anderson- There Will Be Blood
Tim Burton- Sweeney Todd
Mike Nichols- Charlie Wilson's War

Again, I think the fact that everyone loves NCFOM and the fact that the Coens are pretty much American heroes at this point will put them over the top. They'll win it.

ACTOR-
Daniel Day-Lewis- There Will Be Blood*
Johnny Depp- Sweeney Todd
Tom Hanks- Charlie Wilson's War
Denzel Washington- American Gangster
Tommy Lee Jones- In the Valley of Elah

I'm confident on three of those. The last two I'm not so sure. I'm gonna say it's a two-man race anyways. Day-Lewis and Depp. Depp has become everyones favorite actor over the past few years and everyone wants to see him win. But Day-Lewis is the single most respected actor since Brando. Plus he was robbed for Gangs of New York and people haven't forgotten that. Day-Lewis wins.

ACTRESS-
Ellen Page- Juno*
Marion Cotillard- La Vie en Rose
Angelina Jolie- A Mighty Heart
Amy Adams- Enchanted
Laura Linney- The Savages

I'm not confident in this one at all. I'm just guessing what everyone else is guessing. I'll say Ellen Page, but don't hold me to that.

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

I'm pretty sure this is how it'll look, but who knows? If Javier Bardem doesn't win though, it'll be remembered as one of the biggest snubs ever.

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

Boring race. Blanchett will win easily. If not, I will go to jail.

So there you go. I might get into more detail as the Oscars get closer. Go forth and conquer.

-M