2007 Oscar Predictions In Three Sentences Or Less
Published February 23, 2007
Every year, awards show analysis hits its peak with the Academy Awards, which air this Sunday on ABC. Articles in various magazines and on various websites tend to be long and detailed when it comes to Oscar predictions. This year, I have decided to take the opposite route.
My goal is to not only make my Oscar predictions but to also give my comments on each category as concisely as possible... in three sentences or less. I'll even try not to resort to those long, complicated sentences that contain every punctuation mark ever made. Can this normally long-winded blogger do it? Let's find out.
Best Picture
- Babel
- The Departed
- Letters From Iwo Jima
- Little Miss Sunshine
- The Queen
Comments: This race is wide open so it's anybody's guess. Babel won the Golden Globe for Best Drama and has an ensemble cast. It will win, even though people debate its quality, just like Crash did last year.
Best Director
- Clint Eastwood - Letters From Iwo Jima
- Stephan Frears - The Queen
- Alejandro González Iñárritu - Babel
- Paul Greengrass - United 93
- Martin Scorsese - The Departed
Comments: Everyone says that it's Scorsese's year to win and I agree. However, Clint spoiled his chances last time and it could happen again.
Best Actor
- Leonardo DiCaprio - Blood Diamond
- Ryan Gosling - Half Nelson
- Peter O'Toole - Venus
- Will Smith - The Pursuit Of Happyness
- Forest Whitaker - The Last King Of Scotland
Comments: When the right actor gets the right role at the right time, he usually gets honored. That is the role that Forest Whitaker got in playing Idi Amin. This is his chance at Oscar greatness.
Best Actress
- Penélope Cruz - Volver
- Judi Dench - Notes On A Scandal
- Helen Mirren - The Queen
- Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
- Kate Winslet - Little Children
Comments: Helen Mirren has won virtually every other award for her role, so let's just give her the Oscar already.
Best Supporting Actor
- Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
- Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children
- Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond
- Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
- Mark Wahlberg - The Departed
Comments: Great comedians only get honored if they go dramatic. Eddie put in a great performance without any latex makeup and he will get the Oscar because of it.
Best Supporting Actress
- Adriana Barraza - Babel
- Cate Blanchett - Notes On A Scandal
- Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine
- Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
- Rinko Kikuchi - Babel
Comments: Even before anyone saw Dreamgirls, people talked up Jennifer Hudson's performance. After all the (warranted) hype, she will get the big prize.
Best Animated Feature
- Cars
- Happy Feet
- Monster House
Comments: Pixar's only loss in this category was to the original Shrek so it's best not to bet against them. This would be a more interesting category if Arthur And The Invisibles had more animation in it. Its disqualification meant that there could only be three nominees in this category instead of five.
- 2007 Oscar Predictions In Three Sentences Or Less
- Published: February 23, 2007
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Awards Shows, Video: Film and TV Business
- Writer: Sterfish
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Comments on this articleComments
Children of Men are grossly overlooked -- it simply shocked and awed more than some of the films nominated for best picture this year and -- as is The Painted Veil, I think. Norton's performance in that was better than in the Illusionist and what's up with Alexendre Desplat's snub for its score, which won the Golden Globe? OK, he does have a chance with The Queen, but I think The Painted Veil was a better score. And Alfonso Cuarón not nominated for best director? The agony.
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I disagree on your selection of Best Picture -- BABEL. I think LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE will win for the following reasons: 1) it won SAG's Best Ensemble award (the closest to a BEST PICTURE category for that award); 2) it won WGA's Best Original Screenplay award; and 3) it won PGA's Best Picture award. If you add up these three guilds, the actors, writers and producers, you are looking at a majority of the Academy voters, and hence, the reason I think it will win. Golden Globes are foreign press people and it's dangerous to base a decision on such criteria as a foreign critic. Afterll, they also nominated Renee Zellwegger for BEATRIX POTTER ... shall I go on?! :)