Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Charlie Kaufman
Please, please, please.

Garden State - Zach Braff
This would just be too cool. But the WGA supports it, so it's not a total pipe dream.

Hotel Rwanda - Keir Pearson & Terry George
Gets the conscience vote.

Kinsey - Bill Condon
Won for Gods & Monsters. Nominated for Chicago. This would be his first Original nom.

(Note: Here I've shown a total lack of imagination, matching the WGA Original noms completely. But there's usually at least one category that matches up to guild noms, so why not this?.)

Best Actress

Annette Bening - Being Julia
Third nom's the charm?

Emmy Rossum - The Phantom of the Opera
I don't know why I keep hawking her, but the GG and BFCA bit, and Hollywood loves their ingénues.

Hilary Swank - Million Dollar Baby
Eyeing bookends.

Imelda Staunton - Vera Drake
The one spoiler for Hilary, but not really.

Kate Winslet - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Why for this and not for Finding Neverland? Because everyone else nominated her for Sunshine. Other than that, I really don't know.

Best Actor

Johnny Depp - Finding Neverland
This time they won't be saying "Johnny Depp? Really?"

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Aviator
Remember when Johnny and Leo were just eye candy? Actually they're reunited here for the first time since Gilbert Grape, Leo's first nom.

Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby
They can't get enough of this guy.

Jamie Foxx - Ray
D to the U to the H.

Paul Giamatti - Sideways
A long overdue nom.

Best Director

Clint Eastwood - Million Dollar Baby
They just can't get enough...oh, wait I said that already.

Michael Gondry - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
My out of nowhere, dark horse, no way in hell pick. There's gotta be one.

Alexander Payne - Sideways
Wishing he weren't up against Martin Scorcese.

Michael Mann - Collateral
DV. It's not just for indies anymore.

Martin Scorcese - The Aviator
This is Marty's year. No. Really. I mean it this time.

Best Picture

The Aviator
One of three on everyone's tongues since December.

Finding Neverland
Has all the necessary pathos and period.

Hotel Rwanda
I don't know. I've just got a feeling.

Million Dollar Baby
Two of three.

Sideways
Three of three. And all three are in a dead heat now, with Aviator peeking ahead.

January 25th, 5:30AM (Pacific Time, thank God) we'll see if I'm just talking out of my ass. Actually, I'll end the suspense now. I'm completely talking out of my ass. All the announcement will determine is the effectiveness of that strategy.