I Wish I Was An Oscar Trophy Winner

Time's a wastin'! In mere days, the Academy Awards will be announced and the world is waiting with baited breath (breath that smells like nightcrawlers) for my presdictions this year. For the love of Meryl Streep, there are Oscar office pools that are perched on the edges of their cubicles just for my expert analysis.

Right..................

Here goes nothing:

BEST PICTURE: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
No contest. Everything seems to be pointed this way and if the accumulation of every other award is any indication, which it usually is, it will be victorious. Deservedly so, I might add. This is a real MOVIE movie. Danny has accomplished a fairy tale for the 21st Century and I fell in love with it myself, just as just about everyone else has around the world. I am torn because of MILK (which I haven't seen, but it's the Californian liberal in me that still exists) and Gus van Sant is the hometown (Portland, Or) favorite, but I go with my gut and my heart on this.

BEST DIRECTOR: DANNY BOYLE
For everything I said above. It's great to see him finally realize his potential. (Check out MILLIONS sometime for another Boyle treasure.)

BEST ACTOR
MICKEY ROURKE
Sean Penn is the favorite, almost a consolation prize for MILK losing Best Picture, but this is my underdog pick for a guy that really deserves it. THE WRESTLER gets so many things right, but ultimately is flawed, falling apart in the final reel. But Rourke never hits a wrong note and overcomes all odds in a performance that will live forever.

BEST ACTRESS
KATE WINSLET
It's time. I wish it was for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD, strangely passed over by Academy voters, but she'll walk away with gold for THE READER.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
PENELOPE CRUZ
All indications point in this direction. Besides, look how many Best Supporting Actresses came from Woody Allen films.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
HEATH LEDGER
Way to go out on a limb...

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
MILK
Another compensation for not winning the big prize and a chance to make a speech about gay rights.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
A no-brainer. Not the screenplay. The award.

BEST SONG
The closing credits song from SLUMDOG. Fine. I don't the name of it. Do you?
SM will also win FILM EDITING, CINEMATOGRAPHY and ORIGINAL SCORE, making it the big winner of the evening with a grand total of 6

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
WALL-E
Why don't they just rename it the Pixar award?

That's all, folks. Figger the rest out yerself.

Check back to see if I'm right or just so terribly wrong.