XDA

The secret to accurate prediction here is 'best' means 'the choice most academy members think will put them in the best light among their peers.' So here we go with the top 10.

Best Picture--The Hurt Locker (it could be Avatar--it comes down to $1.8 Billion versus $40,000,000 in box office but in a serious recession, the big draw will be seen as gauche by Hollywoodians)

Best Director--Katherine Bigelow

Best Actress--Sandra Bullock (it could be Meryl Streep but Bullock won the SAGs--this one is close)

Best Actor--Jeff Bridges (for his body of work)

Best Supporting Actress--Mo'Nique

Best Supporting Actor--Christopher Waltz

Adapted Screenplay--Up In the Air

Original Screenplay--The Hurt Locker (it could be Inglourious Basterds)

Best Song--The Misery Kind from Crazy Heart

Best Foreign Film--The White Ribbon

Wild ass guesses:

Animated Feature Film: Up (why wasn't Avatar in this category?)

Art Direction, Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects, Film Editing--Avatar (and it deserves all of them but Film Editing which should go to The Hurt Locker)

Original Score: Up (but probably Avatar)

Costume--Coco before Chanel (but it could be The Young Victoria)

Documentary Feature--The Cove (I normally would have picked Food, Inc. but for the dolphins)

Documentary Short--Rabbit a la Berlin (like anyone has seen any of these)

Make Up--Star Trek

Animated Short--French Roast (like anyone has seen any of these, Oh, I said that already)

Live Action Short--Miracle Fish (ditto--why do they even have this category--it's not like they play them in between the repeats of the main movie any more)

Labels: Oscar Picks