My Wishes and Picks for Oscar Winners

The 2008 Oscars are actually taking place tonight at 8:30 EST. I spent this weekend renting all of the Oscar-nominations I could get my hands on that are on DVD, because I was determined to be better informed for tonight's event. I even went to go see one in the theatres.

1. Best Picture: Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood.

~~Unfortunately, the only one I have seen, yet, is Michael Clayton. It was good, but probably not the best of the bunch. I'm leaning toward No Country.

2. Actor: George Clooney, Michael Clayton ; Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood ; Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street ; Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah ; Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises.

~~I saw Michael Clayton and didn't feel that George Clooney did anything more spectacular than in his other movies. Viggo Mortensen was extremely good in Eastern Promises. I have a feeling this will go to Daniel Day-Lewis, though.

3. Actress: Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age ; Julie Christie, Away From Her ; Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose ; Laura Linney, The Savages ; Ellen Page, Juno.

~~I unfortunately haven't seen any of these, yet. My pick is torn between Marion and Julie.

4. Supporting Actor: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ; Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men ; Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild ; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War ; Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton.

~~I'm becoming a bigger fan of Casey Affleck, but the movie wasn't available when I went to rent it. I thought Tom Wilkinson was fantastic in Michael Clayton. But I'm still partial to Hal Holbrook, possibly because he makes me think of my grandfather whenever I watch Into the Wild. The Rochestarian in me is somewhat rooting for Philip Seymour Hoffman. Javier Bardem seems to be the favorite, though.

5. Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There;Ruby Dee, American Gangster ; Saoirse Ronan, Atonement ; Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone ; Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton.