2008 Oscar Winner Predictions

The 2008 Oscar awards will be taking place this Sunday, but before all that happens I felt it was only appropriate to lay out my predictions. I actually hate to do this only because I hate to be wrong, but if I am right? Oh the sweet taste of victory will be mine even if I don’t have a golden knight to represent my win.

So here are my predictions for the 2008 Oscars. My pick for the win is in bold red letters and my explanation is just below each category.

Be sure to come back Sunday night (February 24th) as we will be live blogging the show and updating the winners live on the site. See you then!

Best motion picture of the year

Atonement

Juno

Michael Clayton

No Country for Old Men

There Will be Blood

No Country for Old Men is my pick here, but I really think Atonement has a shot. If the Academy hadn’t snubbed Joe Wright for Best Director I may have even picked Atonement to win because it is a film the Academy can get behind way more than the darker No Country and There Will be Blood. Then again, Atonement is not exactly a cheery film either and perhaps even darker than No Country when it comes down to it.

Performance by an actor in a leading role

George Clooney, Michael Clayton

Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will be Blood

Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd

Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah

Viggo Mortenson, Eastern Promises

This award is for Daniel Day-Lewis, it’s a guaranteed lock.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

CaseyAffleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson’s War

Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild

Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

I am going out on a limb with this one. As much as I would like to pick Javier Bardem I think that is a case where people are more in love with the character than the actual performance. Hal Holbrook seems to me the logical choice if you take that approach even though I think the award should go to Hoffman.

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Julie Christie, Away from Her

Marion Cotillard, La Vie En Rose

Laura Linney, The Savages

Ellen Page, Juno

The Julie Christie vs. Marion Cotillard battle has been waged over the past couple of months and I would say going into the 12th round Christie is winning, but I think Cotillard is going to pull out a win with a judges decision.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Cate Blanchett, I’m Not There

Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Saoirse Ronin, Atonement

Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

After watching Gone Baby Gone again I am more impressed with Amy Ryan’s character and don’t have a problem with her taking this one even though I think it should go to Tilda Swinton.

Best animated feature film of the year

Persepolis

Ratatouille

Surf’s Up

Here is your second lock of the night.

Achievement in art direction

American Gangster

Atonement

The Golden Compass

Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

There Will Be Blood

This one just makes sense, if only just because Atonement looks like a painting and has the broadest scope of sets, costumes and props. I would love to see Sweeney Todd take this one, but Atonement massive size I think out does it.

Achievement in cinematography

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Atonement

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

No Country for Old Men

There Will Be Blood

Here is a hard one to pick, and the smart money is on No Country and Roger Deakins. However, Deakins was the man behind Assassination of Jesse James as well, and it is a far more impressive effort. If Warner had just done a better job with Jesse James I think there would be more awards in its future.

Achievement in costume design

Across the Universe

Atonement

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

La Vie en Rose

Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

This is a really hard category because the true winner is Elizabeth: The Golden Age, but the movie was so bad it can’t be rewarded. This really leaves a race between Atonement and Sweeney Todd and I am going to stick with Atonement for its period piece aspect even though I think Colleen Atwood may take it for Sweeney.

Achievement in directing

Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton

Jason Reitman, Juno

Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will be Blood

It’s the year of the Coens and they will be holding up the trophy even though I think Julian Schnabel (or Joe Wright) deserves the win.

Best documentary feature

No End in Sight

Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience

Sicko

Taxi to the Dark Side

War/Dance

Sicko is the only one I saw so it gets my pick.