My Oscars Predictions

Yep, it's that time of year again. This year's race is harder than usual to handicap, but for what they're worth, here are my predictions.

Best Picture
NOMINEES: "The Aviator," "Million Dollar Baby," "Sideways," "Ray," "Finding Neverland"
WINNER: "Million Dollar Baby" - though it's running a very tight race with the more technically dazzling "Aviator," MDB has more heart, which I think the Academy voters will recognize and reward accordingly.

Best Director
NOMINEES: Martin Scorsese ("The Aviator"), Clint Eastwood ("Million Dollar Baby"), Alexander Payne ("Sideways"), Taylor Hackford ("Ray"), Mike Leigh ("Vera Drake")
WINNER: Another close call between Marty and Clint, but I'm still betting on a Pic/Director split, with the previously winless Scorsese taking Director by a hair.

Best Actor
NOMINEES: Jamie Foxx, "Ray"; Clint Eastwood, "Million $ Baby"; Leonardo di Caprio, "The Aviator"; Johnny Depp, "Finding Neverland"; Don Cheadle, "Hotel Rwanda"
WINNER: Foxx, or I'll eat my hat. Not that I have any hats.

Best Actress
NOMINEES: Hilary Swank, "Million Dollar Baby"; Annette Bening, "Being Julia"; Imelda Staunton, "Vera Drake"; Kate Winslet, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"; Catalina Sandeno-Moreno, "Maria Full of Grace"
WINNER: This is the hardest one to call - ask me again at post time. Conventional wisdom appears to be tilting towards a second win for Swank, but I'm not ruling anyone out except Sandeno-Moreno. (Not holding my breath for Winslet, either. As among the other three, though, it's open season.)

Best Supporting Actor
NOMINEES: Morgan Freeman, "Million Dollar Baby"; Clive Owen, "Closer"; Jamie Foxx, "Collateral"; Thomas Haden Church, "Sideways"; Alan Alda, "The Aviator"
WINNER: Freeman. It's time.

Best Supporting Actress
NOMINEES: Cate Blanchett, "The Aviator"; Virginia Madsen, "Sideways"; Laura Linney, "Kinsey"; Natalie Portman, "Closer"; Sophie Okonedo, "Hotel Rwanda"
WINNER: Either Blanchett or Madsen. I'm going with Cate, though I may change my mind.

Best Original Screenplay
NOMINEES: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"; "The Aviator"; "The Incredibles"; "Hotel Rwanda"; "Vera Drake"
WINNER: Dude, I dunno. All I can say is I *wish* "Eternal Sunshine" would win...

Best Adapted Screenplay
NOMINEES: "Sideways"; "Million Dollar Baby"; "Finding Neverland"; "Before Sunset"; "The Motorcycle Diaries"
WINNER: "Sideways" - I'd bet good money on this one.

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Random TV-related observation: "Lost" is a damn good show, and I'm lovin' the fact that it has two major Korean characters...but why is the non-English-speaking half of the couple the one who speaks Korean with an American accent?