And the award goes to...

It's that time of year again. Yes, the time of year when you try to get inside the minds of academy members, made up mostly of frequent commerical actors who just barely earned their SAG cards and the best boy grip on "Alone in the Dark" (what does a grip do exactly?), in order to win a gift certificate to your local cineplex in the office Oscar pool. I thought I would treat you to my picks in my office pool. Mind you they are not who I think should win, but who I think will win. Hey, I could put that gift certificate to Loew's to good use.

Best Actor:
I chose Jamie Foxx in Ray. It seems that ever since the film came out Foxx has been starting most of his interviews with "I would like to thank the Academy...I mean working with Tom Cruise was really great. Man that guy can act!" I think that Don Cheadle might have a chance due to the heavy subject matter of his film, Academy members eat up stuff like that, and because I personally think he is really cool.

Best Supporting Actor:
I chose Morgan Freeman in Million Dollar Baby. This one was a little tougher for me to pick since there seems to be a lot of good choices here. I was leaning toward Clive Owen since he won the Golden Globe, but then I thought about how he probably won't be selected as the next James Bond. As the old saying in Hollywood goes, "If you can't be James Bond, you can't win an Oscar." Ok, I just made that up, but these are my picks and I'm sticking to them. I chucked Alan Alda and Jamie Foxx out of the running right away, because I figured most people will vote for Jamie Foxx for best actor and not supporting and that MASH was cancelled a long time ago. Thomas Haden Church I think might make a go of it, but that people identify him too much with Lowell Mather. They are so wrong though, Lowell totally rocks! I'd like to see Tim Daly be nominated for an Oscar.

Best Actress:
I chose Hilary Swank. Again with Best Actor, this seems to be a lock. She won the Golden Globe and the SAG award, both predictors of the Oscars. Maybe this time she will remember to thank her husband, if he hasn't already divorced her for that slight. If I was Chad Lowe, I'd have the divorce papers ready for her to sign by the time she got off stage. I only think that is it fair to mention that Chad Lowe was in an After School Special we had to watch in health class in high school where he played a character named Skip Lewis who read Sylvia Plath and killed himself. It was weird because Skip Lewis also happened to be the name of a kid in our class. Everyone started to get worried after seeing the movie that Skip would become depressed and kill himself. They kept checking his lockers for copies of "Ariel" and "The Bell Jar." Charlie Sheen and "Audrey" from National Lampoon's European Vacation were also in the movie. I miss After School Specials.

Best Supporting Actress:
I chose Cate Blanchett. I think you could make a case for Natalie Portman and Virginia Madsen, but Katherine Hepburn=Oscar. The woman won 4 while she was alive and she might at well continue winning them, even though it's actually Cate Blanchett winning the Oscar, but we all really know who it's for.

Director:
I chose Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby. This seems to be a little bit of a favorite of the critcs, moviegoers, etc. I don't think they will ever give an Oscar to Scorsese, which is a shame. I think Vera Drake doesn't have a chance in H-E-double hockey sticks. Ray and Sideways I think will be honored in other categories.

Animated Feature:
I choo-choose the Incredibles. Why? This was kind of random, but I just feel like everyone who has seen it has really liked it and it got a lot of good reviews. I didn't hear the same of either Shrek 2 or Shark Tale.

Cinematography:
I chose The Aviator. I felt that since the Aviator harkens back to Hollywood's golden age the Academy voters might somehow associate this with Cinematography. Yeah, it sounds like a flimsy argument to me too.

Documentary Feature:
I chose Super Size Me. Now I think this film might have a chance since it is so well known. Popular films have a better chance than ones that you have never heard of. Unless McDonalds gets their hands on the voters, well that I'd go with the one that sounds the most depressing either Born into Brothels or The Story of the Weeping Camel.

Foreign Language Film:
I chose The Sea Inside. With Javier Bardem as a man fighting to end his life, I don't there is really much of a choice. Plus Alison Baels of At the Angelika seems to like it and that Alison Baels seems to know what she is talking about.

Original Score:
I chose The Passion of the Christ. I thought the Academy might throw a bone to this film so Mel Gibson doesn't get all of upset and go even more crazy.

Original Song:
I chose "Learn to be Lonely" from the Phantom of the Opera. I really hate trying to pick a winner in this category since most of the time I hate most of the songs. Plus, I've been bitter ever since "Blame Canada" lost to "You'll be in my Heart."

Screenplay-Adapted:
I chose Sideways. Even with all the backlash since the intial critical success of Sideways, I think it will be the sure winner in this category. If it doesn't win, I will eat a steak. What? You want me to eat something that I won't like, like my sock. I'm sorry I don't play that way.

Screenplay-Original:
I chose Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Perhaps this is just wishful thinking on my part. Charlie Kauffman has always been the bridesmaid and never the bride. I think this will be his year and I totally loved the movie.

***Warning Obscure Technical Categories***
I don't really know much about the next few categories, so my method for these is to choose the most popular film or the most frequently nominated.

Makeup-The Sea Inside
Sound Editing-Spider-Man 2
Sound Mixing-The Aviator
Visual Effects-Spider-Man2
Costume Design-The Aviator

And finally...

Best Picture:
I chose The Aviator. Do I think this is the movie that should win? Maybe. I figure a movie doesn't get nominated for 11 awards and walks away without best picture. To be sure it is no Return of the King, but it will do.