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It's about that time- My Predictions

Best Picture Slumdog Millionaire Best Director Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire Best Actor Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler Best Actress Kate Winslet - The Reader Best Supporting Actor Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight Best Supporting Actress Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona Best Original Screenplay Happy-Go-Lucky Best Adapted Screenplay Slumdog Millionaire Best Achievement in Cinematography Slumdog Millionaire Best Achievement in Editing Slumdog Millionaire Best Achievement in Art Direction The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Best Costume Design The Duchess Best Makeup Hellboy II: The Golden Army Best Original Score Slumdog Millionaire Best Song "Jai Ho" - Slumdog Millionaire Best Sound The Dark Knight Best Sound Editing WALL·E Best Visual Effects Iron Man Best Animated Feature Film of the Year WALL·E Best Foreign Language Film Waltz With Bashir Best Documentary Trouble the Water Best Documentary, Short Subject The Final Inch Best Short Film, Animated Presto Best Short Film, Live Action Spielzeugland (Toyland)

Best Original Screenplay

This category is just so interesting this year. I'm still completely on the fence over who's going to take it this year. Frozen River Happy-Go-Lucky In Bruges Milk WALL·E Prediction: Happy-Go-Lucky.

Best Adapted Screenplay

I love this category- it's easily one of my favorites. Normally I go in having read most of the books that the movies are based on, but this year I'm a little out of my element with two plays nominated. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Doubt Frost/Nixon The Reader Slumdog Millionaire Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire.

Best Supporting Actress

What interests me most about this category is that I had one person nailed for this award, and have since completely changed my mind. Amy Adams for Doubt Penélope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona Viola Davis for Doubt Taraji P. Henson for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler Prediction: Penélope Cruz.

Best Supporting Actor

Here's a category that's had a front runner since before the film even came out. I think it's the only category this year with an absolute shoe in for the award. Josh Brolin for Milk Robert Downey Jr. for Tropic Thunder Philip Seymour Hoffman for Doubt Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road Prediction: Heath Ledger.

Best Actress

At first, I thought this category had some pretty stiff competition and would be difficult to predict, but as I saw all the films and the awards season wore on, it was made pretty clear who the front runner is here. Anne Hathaway for Rachel Getting Married Angelina Jolie for Changeling Melissa Leo for Frozen River Meryl Streep for Doubt Kate Winslet for The Reader Prediction: Kate Winslet. Her performance in The Reader is amazing and I'm so glad to see it here.

Best Actor

This year this category is full of very strong contenders this year with no clear front runner. Richard Jenkins for The Visitor Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon Sean Penn for Milk Brad Pitt for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Mickey Rourke for

Best Director

I love this category- especially when someone unexpected and deserving wins it (see Roman Polanski for The Pianist). This year is a little unusual and, I think, a little predictable as the category is identical to Best Picture: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire Stephen Daldry for The Reader David Fincher for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Ron Howard for Frost/Nixon Gus Van Sant for Milk Prediction: Danny Boyle. He has a wonderful vision and of these nominees he deserves it the most.

Best Picture

In my opinion, the Best Picture showcase should be mandatory for all voting Academy members. It's an event that really separates the men from the boys, the strong from the weak, and the hardcore filmgoers from the casual audience. Imagine 13 1/2 hours of back to back films, supposedly the best films of the year.

#24/36 - The Reader

I saw this film in theaters a few weeks ago and I was the youngest person in the audience by about 20 years. When a young boy, Michael Berg (David Kross), gets sick on his way home from school, a woman, Hannah Schmitz (Kate Winslet), helps him get home. When he goes back to thank her, they discover a tension there that manifests into an illicit affair.