<p>Keep in mind that my predictions do NOT reflect my own thoughts on which films/actors are the best in a given category. I believe that the Oscars is not about rewarding the best films and performances but rather those that have the most relevance to the current times, elicit the right kind of emotional appeal, and involve people for whom recognition is long overdue. Yes, it's political, basically.</p>
<p>To be fair, I also watched the Superbowl earlier this year but I still think that the Oscars does a greater service to humanity.</p>
<p>Picture: Babel
Director: Martin Scorcese (The Departed)
Actress: Helen Mirren (The Queen)
Actor: Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland)
Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls)
Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls)
Cinematography: Children of Men
Adapted Screenplay: The Departed
Original Screenplay: Little Miss Sunshine
Art Direction: Pan's Labyrinth
Animated Feature: Cars
Costume Design: Dreamgirls
Documentary Feature: An Inconvenient Truth
Documentary Short: The Blood of Yingzhou District
Film Editing: Babel
Foreign Language Film: Pan's Labyrinth
Makeup: Pan's Labyrinth
Original Score: Pan's Labyrinth
Original Song: "Listen" (Dreamgirls)
Short Film-Animated: The Little Matchgirl
Short Film-Live Action: West Bank Story
Sound Editing: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Sound Mixing: Dreamgirls
Visual Effects: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest</p>
<p>PS: I know this is late, but I dare you to post your predictions right now (you have 15 or so minutes). The deadline is when the first award is about to be given.</p>
<p>Picture: Little Miss Sunshine. A loonngg shot, but America loves an underdog.
Director: Martin Scorcese. Duh.
Actress: Helen Mirren, but an upset would be welcome.
Actor: Forest Whitaker, but ditto above.
Supporting Actor & Actress: Must I really say?
Foreign Language: Pan's Labyrinth.</p>
<p>And the others, I pretty much agree with oyu.</p>
<p>I really want Peter O'Toole to win Actor. He has been nominated 7 times and never won and he truly did a great job in "Venus". </p>
<p>For picture, the race is wide open. Babel, Departed and Little Miss Sunshine could win. </p>
<p>Director, Actress and Supporting Actress are in the bag if you ask me. Scorcese, Mirren and Hudson will be winners tonight.</p>
<p>For Supporting Actor, I really want Eddie Murphy to win. He is mega-talented and he deserves recognition.</p>
<p>For Foreign Language Film, I loved Pan's Labyrinth of Mexico and the Lives of Others of Germany. Either one could win, but Pan was more popular, so it gets the nod.</p>
<p>OMG Eddie Murphy didn't win!!</p>
<p>curse of norbit. also, alan arkin was good in little miss sunshine</p>
<p>to be quite honest, i think peter o'toole should win because he is about to kick the bucket any day now and it would be a shame if he didn't get to win an oscar. he is really a fine actor.</p>
<p>I agree with you Morango. O'Toole is an amazing actor and it would be a shame if he never won the oscar. Cary Grant never won it, I hope that doesn't happen to O'Toole.</p>
<p>The Lives of Others beating out Pan's Labyrinth may come as a shock to many, but having seen both movies, I can tell you they are both amazing. Watch them both if you haven't.</p>
<p>13/24, yuck.</p>
<p>My biggest disappointment was with Pan's Labyrinth not winning Best Foreign Language Film. My friend was so upset, he tore up his ballot (but he's Mexican, so he's biased).</p>
<p>Watch The Lives and Others and I think you will not be so disapointed that it won. It was very different but just as good.</p>
<p>It was my second choice prediction. I would be happy to watch it.</p>
<p>Even though I was wrong about Picture, I'm glad that Scorcese has finally been recognized for both Directing and Picture.</p>
<p>My only disapointments tonight were Eddie Murphy and Peter O'Toole. I really wanted them to win...particularly O'Toole. The man has lost 8 times and he deserved most of those! Lawrence of Arabia, the Lion in Winter and Becket were all worthy Oscar performances.</p>
<p>I was rooting for Happy Feet in Animated Feature until most critics predicted Cars, so I went with their prediction instead. Predicting the Oscars is an art to be mastered.</p>
<p>My biggest disappointment of the night would have to be the Best Foreign Language Film category- I LOVED Pan's Labyrinth, I was convinced that it was going to win (although to be fair I haven't seen The Lives of Others- I'll definitely try to see it now though). </p>
<p>I was really happy that Little Miss Sunshine won Best Original Screenplay- I adore that movie but I knew it didn't have much of a chance at Best Picture, so I was glad that its awesome-ness was still recognized.</p>
<p>So, I finally saw Pan's Labyrinth and felt the need to update this thread because I don't want to give people the wrong impression that this movie is amazing. I vouched for it during Oscar season only because my friend loved it (and he's a harsh critic) and because I like him a lot (haha). How wrong of me. Needless to say, my friend is heartbroken to find out that I gave it only 3 stars (when I gave Year of the Dog 3.5), since it's one of his favorite movies. He does acknowledge his bias though (as I said, he's Mexican-born). I wanted to love the movie, but alas, that's the truth.</p>
<p>How wrong of me... in reference to vouching for the film without solid basis for judgment.</p>
<p>I also finally watched Borat. As a sociology/anthropology major who's against chauvinism, heterosexism, religious bigotry, xenophobia, I loved it! I call it an epic parod- 4 stars.</p>