I haven't seen all the movies that are up for the Oscars, so i'm going to guess about some of these picks. My information comes from movie reviews, awards show buzz, and just personal opinion. But if I had to vote on the Ocars, given the current crappy nominations, here would be my picks:
ACTOR -- LEADING
*Leonardo DiCaprio – BLOOD DIAMOND
Ryan Gosling – HALF NELSON
Peter O’Toole – VENUS
Will Smith – THE PURSUIT of happyness
Forest Whitaker – THE LAST KING of scotland
Leo all the way. He was so good in The Departed, I'm giving it to him for that.
ACTOR -- SUPPORTING
Alan Arkin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jackie Earle Haley – LITTLE CHILDREN
Djimon Hounsou – BLOOD DIAMOND
Eddie Murphy – DREAMGIRLS
*Mark Wahlberg – THE DEPARTED
Marky Mark gets my vote. He rocked.
ACTRESS -- LEADING
Penélope Cruz – VOLVER
Judi Dench – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
*Helen Mirren – THE QUEEN
Meryl Streep – THE DEVIL WEARS prada
Kate Winslet – LITTLE CHILDREN
Helen Mirren. She's so classy, and even though I haven't seen it, I'm betting she was awesome. Meryl Streep is a close 2nd.
ACTRESS -- SUPPORTING
Adriana Barraza – BABEL
*Cate Blanchett – NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Abigail Breslin – LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
Jennifer Hudson – DREAMGIRLS
Rinko Kikuchi – BABEL
Cate Blanchett. She's always been one of my favorite actresses.
ANIMATED FEATURE
*CARS
HAPPY FEET
MONSTER HOUSE
Cars. I guess.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
THE BLACK DAHLIA
*CHILDREN OF MEN
THE ILLUSIONIST
PAN’S LABYRINTH
THE PRESTIGE
Children of Men in a heartbeat. The 5 minutes uncut scene through the remains of the city is un-be-lievable.
COSTUME DESIGN
CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
DREAMGIRLS
*MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE QUEEN
Has to be Marie Antoinette. The costumes were astonishing.
DIRECTING
BABEL
*THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
THE QUEEN
UNITED 93
The Departed. OF COURSE! It's Scorcese!
ORIGINAL SONG
“I Need to Wake Up” – AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
“Listen” – DREAMGIRLS
“Love You I Do” – DREAMGIRLS
“Our Town” – CARS
*“Patience” – DREAMGIRLS
Something from Dreamgirls. Who cares which one.
FILM EDITING
*BABEL
BLOOD DIAMOND
CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
UNITED 93
I'll give it to Babel, since they had so many storylines. But my heart is with Children of Men.
VISUAL EFFECTS
*PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN:
DEAD MAN’S CHEST
POSEIDON
SUPERMAN RETURNS
Pirates, no question.
SCREENPLAY -- ADAPTED
BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA FOR MAKE BENEFIT GLORIOUS NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN
*CHILDREN OF MEN
THE DEPARTED
LITTLE CHILDREN
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
Children of Men!
SCREENPLAY -- ORIGINAL
BABEL
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
*LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
PAN’S LABYRINTH
THE QUEEN
Gotta be Little Miss Sunshine. What a wacky, endearing, great film.
BEST PICTURE
BABEL
*THE DEPARTED
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA
LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE
THE QUEEN
Easy one. The Departed, no question.