My Predictions.

• Best Picture – The Hurt Locker. I thought it was an intense and virtually flawless war movie.  Avatar was an experience I’ve never had at the movies, but in five or ten years when 3D is the norm it will remembered as the first, not the best.
• Best Director – Kathryn Bigelow. She’ll be the first woman director to win, and deservedly so.  She somehow directed Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze in the same movie (Point Break) and managed to have a career.
• Best Actor – Jeff Bridges. I haven’t seen Crazy Heart yet, but Jeff is one of my favorite actors.  How he hasn’t won an Oscar and Jamie Foxx has is a travesty.
• Best Actress – Meryl Streep.  I like Sandra Bullock just fine, but The Blind Side is a formulaic popcorn movie.  It’s inspiring, but so was Rudy.  Did Rudy deserve an Oscar? Take this scene from the Blind Side:  Woman, “You’re changing that boy’s life.” Take a wild guess at what Sandra’s response is.  I’m not going to tell you because you already know.  And if you can write the dialogue, Oscar has no place in the discussion.
• Supporting Actor – Christopher Waltz. Quentin Tarantino writes meaty parts for everyone in his movies, but Waltz made Nazis fun.
• Supporting Actress – Mo’Nique. Ugh.
• Original Screenplay- Quentin Tarantino. He’s probably too famous and colorful to pass up.  The Hurt Locker dude probably deserves it, but…
• Adapted Screenplay – Jason Reitman. I’d give it to the District 9 guy, but Reitman seems to have this one.
• Best Animated Film – Up.  It’s also nominated for best film, so if it doesn’t win best animated film then the voters are stupid.
• The other categories are for bathroom and snack breaks.