Oscar Predictions

Tonight is the 81st Annual Academy Awards, which means its the last chance to shout out those Oscar picks before running to your local bookie. So, there are my choices in the six major categories; Best Supporting Actors, Best Actors, Best Director, and Best Film.

Right off the bat, the Best Supporting Oscar will go to Heath Ledger. He gave a balls-to-the-wall performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight and despite his untimely death, his penultimate performance will be awarded this weekend. If I had to choose a runner up in the category, it would be Josh Brolin for his performance in Milk.

Best Supporting Actress will probably go to Penolope Cruz for her role as the icy wife of a highly sexual painter in "Vicky Christina Barcelona." Mind you, I haven't seen the movie, but Cruz is sweeping up as many awards as she can get for her work in Woody Allen's sexual farce. My runner up choice would have to be Marisa Tomei and her stunning performance in The Wrestler.

Best Actress will hopefully go to Kate Winslet and her performance as The Reader. She has been snubbed 5 times for an Oscar and she's only 33 years old! The vulnerability and complexity in her performance as a Nazi Concentration Camp worker has been getting a lot of attention and a lot of awards. With respect to the fellow nominees- Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Melissa Leo- I think this will be Kate's year unless the Academy wants to tease her with another nomination and another loss like past legends like Al Pacino (8 nominations until he finally got one) and Peter O'Toole.

The category that has me sweating is the Best Actor category. Its going to come down between Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke's performances in "Milk" and "The Wrestler." Both performances were so incredible and astounding that I cannot choose between the two of them. I'm just going to predict a Hail Mary by hoping that another tie be given at the Oscars. Exactly 40 years ago, Barbara Streisand and Katherine Hepburn were the first actors to win for the same category. I'm hoping that this once-in-every-40-years chance comes along for Penn and Rourke.

I am 99.9% positive that "Slumdog Millionaire" will pick up Best Picture and Best Director for Danny Boyle. The film was simply remarkable! Boyle's intense camera picks up the story of a kid from the slums of Mubai, India and how he is steps away for winning a fortune on "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?" As simplistic as the story sounds, it is an astounding work of art that deserves all the recognition and praise it deserves.

Okay, here's the recap of winners and tonight's awards will either be a huge sigh of relief for my choices, a succession of surprise slaps in the face, or a night of fury and anger (as if I'm not already angry over Peter Gabriel boycotting his performance and Springsteen being snubbed!).

Best Picture-Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director- Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)
Best Actor- Sean Penn"Milk" /Mickey Rourke "The Wrestler"
Best Actress - Kate Winslet "The Reader"
Best Supporting Actress - Penelope Cruz "Vicky Christina Barcelona"
Best Supporting Actor - Heath Ledger "The Dark Knight"