The cloud of the WGA strike hangs over this year's Oscar ceremony, but insiders seem convinced it will still go ahead with support from actors. We'll see on 24 February...
The nominations and my predictions (on the big categories), are below:
BEST PICTURE
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Prediction: I really think There Will Be Blood has this one, although No Country For Old Men could sneak it.
BEST DIRECTOR
Julian Schnabel -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman -- Juno
Tony Gilroy -- Michael Clayton
Joel and Ethan Coen -- No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson -- There Will Be Blood
Prediction: It stands to reason that P.T Anderson will get the award, seeing as I think There Will Be Blood will be Best Picture... so I'll stand by that.
BEST LEADING ACTOR
George Clooney -- Michael Clayton
Daniel Day Lewis -- There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp -- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
VIggo Mortensen -- Eastern Promises
Prediction: There Will Be Blood again, with Daniel Day Lewis giving a barnstorming performance.
BEST LEADING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett -- Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie -- Away from Her
Marion Cotillard -- La vie en rose
Laura Linney -- The Savages
Ellen Page -- Juno
Prediction: I'd love Ellen Page to win, and I bizarrely think she will. That would be amazing!
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Christopher Hampton -- Atonement
Sarah Polley -- Away From Her
Ronald Harwood -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel and Ethan Coen -- No Country For Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson -- There Will Be Blood
Prediction: No Country For Old Man was the best translation, I feel.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody -- Juno
Nancy Oliver -- Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy -- Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Jim Capobianco, Jan Pinkava -- Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins -- The Savages
Prediction: Juno, I reckon. People in the US love that film, and the screenplay was purposefully made to shake-up formula.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck -- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem -- No Country for Old Men
Phillip Seymour Hoffman -- Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook -- Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson -- Michael Clayton
Prediction: I think Casey Affleck stands a chance (particularly as Assassination was so cruelly snubbed everywhere else), but Javier Bardem must surely get it for No Country For Old Men.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett -- I'm Not There
Ruby Dee -- American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan -- Atonement
Amy Ryan -- Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton -- Michael Clayton
Prediction: I'm not sure, but I suspect Cate Blanchett for her weird Bob Dylan impression.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up
Prediction: Gotta be Ratatouille.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Beaufort
The Counterfeiters
Katyn
Mongol
12
Prediction: Sorry, I have no idea.
