Oscar Predictions

So it's not until the end of the month, but I thought since I've seen a lot of the movies nominated, I'd share my personal favorites to win Oscars this year:

BEST PICTURE:
*My pick: Slumdog Millionaire. A really hard choice between this and "Milk" but Slumdog is basically like an old Frank Capra movie, with all the loose ends tied up and a very, very happy feeling at the film's conclusion. It's a general audience movie with a great storyline dressed up as an indie movie, so I think it will win.

Milk: This movie is thrilling, and a great bio-pic. It's really hard for me to choose between this one and "Slumdog" but I think bio-pics win far too often. On the other hand, it would be nice to see the Hollywood community make it up to the gay community for its incredibly stupid choice of "Crash" for best picture the same year that "Brokeback Mountain" was nominated in 2005.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Boring. I've already seen "Forrest Gump" and am not impressed by a movie just because of special effects magic. Even Cate Blanchett couldn't save it.

Frost/Nixon: Great movie, but based on a play that already won a million Tony awards, so its adaptation to the screen was far too easy to merit a best picture award

The Reader: Kate Winslett aside (my female crush), this is a dressed-up artsy drama that voters wouldn't have glanced at twice without the amazing performance of its leading actress

BEST ACTOR:
*My pick: Sean Penn, "Milk": he gives the best performance of his life here, even better than his previous win for "Mystic River." He actually smiles and makes jokes in this one! It shows another side to an incredibly versatile actor, and even if he's won before and isn't due, his acting is just too good to ignore.

Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler": God, so overrated. I'm tired of "comeback actors" winning awards for roles because an auteur director decided to pluck them out of the gutter.

Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button": A joke. He was severely undermatched against Cate Blanchett and it showed in every scene they had together

Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon": REALLY great performance, but he already won a Tony for the same role on Broadway, and basically repeats that role here, so he's not due for an Oscar.

Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor": I have no idea who this is. The Academy always nominates one little-known indie role for supposed credibility, and I guess he's this year's sucker.

BEST ACTRESS:
*My pick: Kate Winslett, "The Reader": Granted, I haven't seen the movie, but the reviews were mixed. However, Kate Winslett has been up five previous times for an Oscar. She should have won for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." She's the best actress of her generation. She's overdue

Angelina Jolie, "The Changeling": Um...

Melissa Leo, "Frozen River": Again, the Academy's indie slot. I have no idea who this woman is, but she probably sold one of her kidneys at the Sundance Film Festival to get funding for her movie.

Meryl Streep, "Doubt": I love her, but her over-acting in this movie is unbearable.

Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married": Too soon in her career for an Oscar, and the movie's storyline is totally hackneyed (rehab girl goes home for sister's wedding, family secrets are revealed, etc.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
*My pick: Robert Downey, Jr., "Tropic Thunder": The Academy never awards actors who play comedic roles, but this was HILARIOUS! Honestly, I had no idea RDJr. could be this funny, and he'd make a hell of an acceptance speech.

I won't discuss the other actors, because of course Heath Ledger is going to win for "The Dark Knight"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
*My pick: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona": She's just fantastic in this, and she's done such amazing work without being nominated in the past 10 years in Pedro Almodovar's films. She should win.

Viola Davis and Amy Adams of "Doubt" cancel each other's votes out, I don't know who Taraji P. Henson is (but I DO know how much I loathe "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Marisa Tomei who is up for "The Wrestler" already won a Supporting Actress Oscar like 15 years ago.

So...that's my opinion. Feel free to disagree.