Oscar Nominations

I consider myself quite adept in my movie knowledge and I believe I can predict the winners of the big six categories: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.

The Nominees

Best Motion Picture of the Year

Avatar (2009):

The Blind Side (2009):

District 9 (2009):

An Education (2009):

The Hurt Locker (2008):

Inglourious Basterds (2009):

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009):

A Serious Man (2009):

Up (2009):

Up in the Air (2009/I):

I am almost certain that Avatar will win this category. You all know my feelings on this film and I am angry that this will happen. Far better films are on this list, I think District 9 is better and have heard good thing about the Hurt Locker. My favourite on the list is Disney's brilliant Up, the first time a Disney film has been nominated in this category since Beauty and the Beast in 1995, worthy it definitely is. I am surprised Clint Eastwood's Mandela Biopic doesn't feature, but there you go.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart (2009)

George Clooney for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Colin Firth for A Single Man (2009)

Morgan Freeman for Invictus (2009)

Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker (2008)

This category I believe will be battled out between Morgan Freeman as Mandela in Invictus and Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart. I definitely believe Freeman will win as biopics are loved by the academy. Renner in Iraq war film The Hurt Locker could ha an outside chance

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Nominees:

Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side (2009)

Helen Mirren for The Last Station (2009)

Carey Mulligan for An Education (2009)

Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia (2009)

We see again Streep gets her inevitable nomination. This however, is a close call and I'm not certain on this. Following Bullock's Globe win she must be the favourite, but Gabourney Sidibe has been liked by the critics as has Mulligan in An Education. I do think Bullock will win this.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Nominees:

Matt Damon for Invictus (2009)

Woody Harrelson for The Messenger (2009/I)

Christopher Plummer for The Last Station (2009)

Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones (2009)

Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

I also believe this to be a two horse race between Damon and Waltz. Waltz has taken this at the Globes and the SAGs but the Oscar is different. I loved Waltz's performance in Inglourious Basterds but Damon is good in Invictus.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Penélope Cruz for Nine (2009)

Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart (2009)

Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Mo'Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

This is the hardest to call, and I must admit I haven't seen any of these films yet. Mo'Nique has been praised for Precious but Farmiga in Up in the Air cannot be ruled out. Also Cruz apparently does well in Nine, but I think Mo'Nique will win this.

Best Achievement in Directing

Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2008)

James Cameron for Avatar (2009)

Lee Daniels for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009/I)

Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Director is not obvious but I believe it will be betwee Bigelow and Cameron. We have seen over the past 3 Oscar's Film and Director has been won by the same film: Departed and Scorcese, No Country for Old Men and Coen Brothers and Slumdog and Boyle. However, I think this year may be different. If Avatar wins picture I think Bigelow will win director and visa versa.

Final Pick:
Film: Avatar
Actor: Morgan Freeman
Actress: Sandra Bullock
Supporting Actor: Waltz
Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique
Director: Kathryn BIgelow