Best Picture

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/101/06417101.jpg” alt=”Slumdog Millionaire” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Slumdog Millionaire

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Shocker: No Dark Knight? Really? Wow. That is crazy talk. The Wrestler was a longer shot, as was Doubt. The Reader taking up a slot is silly.

Pulling for: Gotta go with Slumdog Millionaire now.

Prediction: This is Slumdog Millionaire‘s award to lose, with Benjamin Button the runner-up.

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Best Actor

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/6/5/3/8/25288356-25288359-thumbnail.jpg” alt=”Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler” width=”104″ height=”142″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Sean Penn, Milk

Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon

Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor

Shocker: Richard Jenkins was in the conversation, but no Clint Eastwood is definitely an upset.

Pulling for: I’ve got to pull for Mickey Rourke.

Prediction: Sean Penn should be considered the favorite, as Milk won’t be winning Best Picture.

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Best Actress

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/8/5/6/8/24758658-24758661-thumbnail.jpg” alt=”Kate Winslet in The Reader” width=”104″ height=”142″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Meryl Streep, Doubt

Kate Winslet, The Reader

Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie, Changeling

Melissa Leo, Frozen River

Shocker: Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky) and Cate Blanchett (Benjamin Button) get shut out. Jolie sneaking in is a slight upset.

Pulling for: I liked Hathaway’s performance the best, so I’m pulling for her.

Prediction: Gonna be a close category. Hathaway has buzz, Streep is always formidable, and Winslet has two Golden Globes this year. The only two to count out are Jolie and Leo.

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Best Supporting Actor

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/9/2/9/6/16256929-16256937-thumbnail.jpg” alt=”Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight” width=”104″ height=”142″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt

Josh Brolin, Milk

Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder

Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Shocker: Pretty much a chalk category, though the unconventional Downey Jr. choice was acceptable because everyone knows where The Oscar is headed.

Pulling for: Heath Ledger.

Prediction: The safest bet on the board. If anyone gives you anything approaching even odds you should put all your money on it. Heath Ledger in a landslide.

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Best Supporting Actress

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/3/3/1/6/22146133-22146136-thumbnail.jpg” alt=”Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona” width=”104″ height=”142″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Viola Davis, Doubt

Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Amy Adams, Doubt

Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Shocker: Winslet getting a nod for The Reader in the lead category was strange, but the there aren’t any rules for Supporting versus Lead.

Pulling for: I loved Viola Davis in Doubt.

Prediction: I’m making Penelope Cruz the favorite.

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Best Director

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/8/1/5/9/24749518-24749521-thumbnail.jpg” alt=”Danny Boyle in Slumdog Millionaire” width=”104″ height=”142″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Gus Van Zant, Milk

Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon

Stephen Daldry, The Reader

Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire

Shocker: Christopher Nolan gets snubbed as The Academy’s punishment of The Dark Knight continues.

Pulling for: Danny Boyle is the only one I really even like in this category.

Prediction: Danny Boyle will win it. But Fincher is definitely breathing down his neck.

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Best Original Screenplay

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/001/06248001.jpg” alt=”Frozen River” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Dustin Lance Black, Milk

Courtney Hunt, Frozen River

Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon, Wall-E

Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky

Martin McDonagh, In Bruges

Shocker: I thought Woody Allen would get courtesy nod for a very good Vicky Cristina Barcelona script.

Pulling for: Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges script was very solid.

Prediction: It’s either Milk or Wall-E. I’ll take Milk.

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Best Adapted Screenplay

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/001/05807001.jpg” alt=”The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire

John Patrick Shanley, Doubt

Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon

David Hare, The Reader

Shocker: This went according to plan, though I would have liked to see Justin Haythe’s Revolutionary Road adaptation sneak in.

Pulling for: I’m rooting against The Reader. Which makes me a Slumdog Millionaire fan.

Prediction: Another tough category. I’m going to say Slumdog Millionaire takes it, but I wouldn’t bet more than a dollar on it.

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Best Animated Feature Films

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/05661301.jpg” alt=”Wall-E” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Wall-E

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Shocker: I thought Waltz with Bashir might get in, and Bolt‘s nomination is a slight surprise.

Pulling for: I’m pulling for Kung Fu Panda, but only in the sense one pulls for David versus Goliath.

Prediction: Wall-E will win this easily.

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Best Art Direction

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/06265301.jpg” alt=”Changeling” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Changeling

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Revolutionary Road

The Duchess

The Dark Knight

Shocker: No real shocker here other than The Duchess picking up a nomination besides Costume Design.

Pulling for: I’m pulling for The Dark Knight. Just in general.

Prediction: This goes to Benjamin Button. For sure.

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Best Cinematography

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/401/05530401.jpg” alt=”The Dark Knight” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

The Reader

Changeling

Slumdog Millionaire

Shocker: I thought Defiance might get a sympathy nod here. Revolutionary Road was a slight snub too.

Pulling for: Remember that thing I said about The Dark Knight? I stand by it.

Prediction: I think The Dark Knight actually takes this one. It’s a safe category for The Academy to do some face-saving.

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Best Costume Design

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/801/06265801.jpg” alt=”The Duchess” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Milk

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Duchess

Australia

Revolutionary Road

Shocker: How does Australia make this list instead of Changeling? That’s insane.

Pulling for: I’m pulling for The Duchess. It was an underrated film.

Prediction: The Duchess will take it, especially as the only real competition (Changeling) didn’t even get a nomination.

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Best Documentary (feature)

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/501/06250501.jpg” alt=”Man on Wire” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Man on Wire

Trouble the Water

The Garden

Encounters at the End of the World

The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)

Shocker: I.O.U.S.A. not making it is a surprise.

Pulling for: The only one I’ve seen is Man on Wire so I suppose I’ll cheer for it.

Prediction: Man on Wire definitely has the buzz and is the prohibitive favorite.

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Achievement in Film Editing

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/201/06265201.jpg” alt=”Frost/Nixon” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Milk

Slumdog Millionaire

Frost/Nixon

Shocker: None. This category went as expected.

Pulling for: I think I’ll pull for Slumdog Millionaire as the editing was quite good throughout.

Prediction: I think they’ll give it to Frost/Nixon … unless the night turns into a complete Slumdog route.

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Best Foreign Language Film

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/201/06637201.jpg” alt=”The Class” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>The Class

Departures

Waltz with Bashir

The Baader Meinhof Complex

Revanche

Shocker:Gomorrah missed the original cut of nine, which still seems strange.

Pulling for: Pass. I didn’t get to screen enough Foreign Language Films to feel confident cheering for anyone.

Prediction: This should be Waltz with Bashir‘s category to lose.

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Achievement in Makeup

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/6/5/9/9/17819956.jpg” alt=”Hellboy II: The Golden Army” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Shocker: It would have been nice to see a Tropic Thunder nomination here, especially since Downey Jr. was nominated.

Pulling for: Anything but Hellboy II.

Prediction: I’d say Benjamin Button takes it.

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Achievement in Music (Original Score)

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/06288301.jpg” alt=”Defiance” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Slumdog Millionaire

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Milk

Wall-E

Defiance

Shocker: I thought Changeling, Frost/Nixon, and Gran Torino all had a shot. But all of the choices are worthy.

Pulling for: I listen to the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack at least once a week.

Prediction: I think Slumdog Millionaire takes this category with ease. So long as the voters actually listen to it.

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Achievement in Music (Original Song)

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/rn/img/9/0/2/3/24693209-24693212-thumbnail.jpg” alt=”Slumdog Millionaire” width=”104″ height=”142″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>
A R Rahman featuring Sukhvinder Singh, Tanvi Shah & Mahalaxmi Iyer “Jai Ho”, Slumdog Millionaire

A R Rahman & M.I.A. “O Saya”, Slumdog Millionaire

Peter Gabriel “Down to Earth”, Wall-E

Shocker: No High School Musical 3? Did Miley not sing in Bolt?

Pulling for: I’d love for M.I.A. to win. She’s aces.

Prediction: I’m a little worried that Slumdog splits its own votes here, leaving Peter Gabriel to win. In fact, that’s what I’m predicting.

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Achievement in Sound Editing

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/301/05505301.jpg” alt=”Iron Man” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>Wall-E

Iron Man

Wanted

Slumdog Millionaire

The Dark Knight

Shocker: Wanted getting in over Quantum of Solace is a surprise. I can’t really fault any of the choices here though.

Pulling for: I’m pulling for Wanted, if only because I seemingly liked that film much more than most people.

Prediction: It’s between Iron Man and Wall-E. I give the slight edge to Wall-E.

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Achievement in Sound Mixing

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/701/05816701.jpg” alt=”Wanted” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Slumdog Millionaire

Wanted

WALL-E

Shocker: No Iron Man? Was Benjamin Button‘s sound mixing all that impressive?

Pulling for: I’ll cheer for Dark Knight here. The haunting drumbeats from that film really worked.

Prediction: I think Dark Knight pulls out a victory over Wall-E.

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Achievement in Visual Effects

src=”http://i.realone.com/assets/cs/401/05530401.jpg” alt=”The Dark Knight” width=”100″ height=”150″ align=”left” hspace=”6″/>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Dark Knight

Iron Man

Shocker: I thought they’d give Hellboy II another token nomination here. Thankfully they didn’t.

Pulling for: The Dark Knight.

Prediction: I think Iron Man gets this one as The Dark Knight has plenty of other categories to compete in.

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Tags: 2009 academy awards, oscar nominations, oscar predictions