2nd Annual Oscar Picks

The Academy Awards are tomorrow! As you know, I absolutely love the Oscars. It's like a holiday or something! Naturally I've once again made my selections for who I think will walk away with the gold, so read on for my picks in all 24 of the award categories. And take note, because I am never wrong.*

Best Picture: “Slumdog Millionaire” has been sweeping nearly every awards show this season, and it has so much momentum I really don’t see any other movie swooping in and stealing the spotlight.

Best Director: So many times Best Director and Best Picture just go hand in hand. It’s not a hard and fast rule, but it’s a pretty solid bet. This year is no exception, as Danny Boyle will undoubtedly win for “Slumdog.”

Best Actor: Sean Penn is a possible upset, but this is most assuredly Mickey Rourke’s year. Hollywood loves a comeback (just look at Robert Downey Jr.’s supporting actor nod for “Tropic Thunder”), and Rourke has had himself a stellar one.

Best Actress: Finally, finally finally. Finally my very favorite actress will win her first Oscar, after previously being nominated an astounding five times (and now the youngest actor to receive six nominations). I will be most distraught if Meryl Streep takes home the award instead, and I think it could possibly happen, but my money is still on Kate Winslet.

Supporting Actor: This is the most locked category, and has been for months. The only question that remains is who will be accepting Heath Ledger’s Oscar on his behalf. Probably his “Dark Knight” director Christopher Nolan, who has picked up several awards for Ledger already this season.

Supporting Actress: I am having such a hard time calling this category. Ever since they pulled Kate’s performance in “The Reader” and named her a Best Actress nominee instead, I have been lost. So I’ll be doing this by process of elimination. I think Marisa Tomei would have won if she didn’t take home the Oscar so unexpectedly back in 1993; the voters won’t be inclined to honor her again, especially when so many consider her first award undeserved. I’m not sure Viola Davis has a powerful enough performance to catch the Academy’s attention. Taraji P. Henson was great in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” but it’s not enough to take the category. That leaves me with Amy Adams and Penelope Cruz, and I’m mostly certain it will be one of them. But I have to say a name, so I’m going with Penelope Cruz.

Animated Feature: It was enough of an issue that “Wall-E” wasn’t nominated in the Best Picture category, so you can be sure it will walk (roll?) away with this award.

Art Direction: I’d love it if “The Dark Knight” won, but I think “Benjamin Button” has it in the bag.

Cinematography: So… it’s either “Slumdog,” “Dark Knight,” or “Benjamin Button.” Can I just leave it at that? No? Hmm… I guess then I’ll stick with my Best Picture winner and officially pick “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Costume Design: I love love loved the costumes in “Australia.” In my dream world, “Australia” would win. But the Academy loves them some corsets, so I’ll go with “The Duchess.”

Editing: I must confess I am probably not the best person to recognize when a film has particularly good editing. I’m inclined to think “The Dark Knight” might get some love here, but when all else fails, stick with the Best Picture: “Slumdog” it is.

Makeup: “Benjamin Button.” No question.

Original Score: When a movie’s music is getting almost as much attention as the film itself, you know you have a winner, so again I’m picking “Slumdog Millionaire.”

Original Song: Did you see the closing credits of “Slumdog?” Jai Ho is most definitely a safe bet here.

Original Screenplay: It’d be great to see “Wall-E” get some love here, but I think “Milk” will win this one.

Adapted Screenplay: I’m really torn between “Slumdog” and “Doubt” in this category, and wouldn’t be surprised if either of them won it. But once again I’m using my strategy of picking the Best Picture winner, so I’ll say “Slumdog Millionaire” again.

Sound Mixing: I…have no idea. How about “The Dark Knight?” I remember lots of…sounds….in that movie. Done.

Sound Editing: And those sounds were edited so well, too. Let’s keep it in the sound family: “The Dark Knight.”

Visual Effects: Have you seen what they did to Brad Pitt? “Benjamin Button,” fo sho.

Documentary Feature: I have not stopped hearing about “Man on a Wire” all season, so I’ll be shocked if anything else wins here.

Documentary Short: I stumbled across the title “The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306” several times when looking up tomorrow’s Oscar nominees, so I’ll go ahead and pick it to win this category.

Foreign Language Film: I listened to a really interesting story about France’s “The Class” on NPR today. Now in addition to thinking it might have a shot at winning tomorrow night, I actually want to see it now! In my heart, though, I think they’ll be awarding “Waltz with Bashir.”
Animated Short: How could anybody not love “Presto?”

Live-Action Short: I have absolutely no idea here. How about “Spielzugland (Toyland)?”

*Except for all the time.