Best Actress

One cent: Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart: Jolie’s tabloid life and superior bust has made people forget she can be a very good actress and here she pulls off a difficult and soulful performance as a Mariane Pearl. On paper this seems like an obvious choice for an Oscar nomination, but I have a strong feeling she’s going to get stiffed.

Two cents: Amy Adams, Enchanted : My crush not withstanding, Adams has become a favorite actress of mine. It sounds corny to say she “lights up the screen," but that really is the best way I can put it. The next Julia anyone?

Runner-Up: None. Assuming Ellen Page gets nominated for Juno.

Best Actor

One cent: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford: The rumors are swelling that Affleck is being pushed for the supporting actor category rather than the lead, and this is absolutely ridiculous. Either way, his Robert Ford is one of the most interesting performances by an actor this year.

Two cents: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men: The problem Bardem has is that he’s in the same movie as Tommy Lee Jones, who is great and should (and I think will) be nominated in the supporting category. It’s easy to put Bardem in the supporting slot since he’s the bad guy (more like the monster) in the story. However, now he has to contend with his more recognized co-star. So here’s what you do, Academy: nominate him for Best Actor instead. As good as Josh Brolin is in the film, Bardem has just as much the lion’s share in terms of screen time and is easily the best thing in the movie.

Runner-Up: Don Cheadle, Reign Over Me

Best Supporting Actor

One cent : Mark Ruffalo, Zodiac: The only actor getting any hype for Zodiac seems to be Robert Downey Jr. and while I think he’s a brilliant actor and I love him in Zodiac, it’s Ruffalo’s intense performance as David Toschi that carries more weight.

Two cents: Adam Sandler, Reign Over Me: I’m going to make the case that the true lead in this movie is Don Cheadle. So why not give some love to Sandler’s surprisingly powerful work?

Runner-Up: Jonah Hill, Superbad

Best Supporting Actress

One cent: Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton: Swinton does a lot with very little, one of the best coming-apart-at-the-seems roles of 2007 (and we had a few great ones in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead alone). Her final showdown with Clooney is riveting stuff from both actors.

Two cents: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone: I’m not sure whether or not the Academy is going to appreciate how great Ryan is in this flick. I’m even shocked the NBR recognized her. She is so scummy and trashy and hateful and sad that you forget there’s an actor under there doing all of that.

Runner-Up: Kelly MacDonald, No Country for Old Men

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Dre writes three times a week for Film.com. He was nominated Most Likely to Make Bold Predictions. But he lost to Marissa Tomei.Email him!

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