Oscar Picks

With the Oscars coming up here in about three hours, I figured I owed it to the planet to submit my predictions for this year's race. I've been meaning to post on this for a while, but, let's face it, I'm a pretty lazy blogger. As in years past, I'll point out who will win, who should win, and who got screwed out of a nomination.

Best Picture

What will win: The Hurt Locker will take home the big prize. Avatar never really had much of a chance, but James Cameron's parade of stupid quotes during the race hasn't helped his cause at all.

What should win: A Serious Man was easily the best movie of 2009. All in all, 2009 was a pretty good year for movies. But, the Coen's latest opus was head and shoulders above the rest, in my not-so-humble opinion.

What got screwed: With the expanded list of nominated movies, the Academy actually did a pretty good job. But, I would have left The Blind Side off the list and nominated either 500 Days of Summer or Drag Me to Hell.

Best Director

Who will and should win: Kathryn. Bigelow. Hands. Down.

Who got screwed: The Coens got their Best Picture nomination but were unfortunately left out of this category.

Best Actor

Who will and should win: Jeff Bridges gave yet another effortless-but-fantastic performance in Crazy Heart. He'll get a standing ovation for his long-overdue Oscar acceptance speech tonight.

Who got screwed: Viggo Mortensen was tragically overlooked for his punch-in-the-gut turn in The Road. In my mind, Bridges and Mortensen's performances tied for the best of the year.

Best Actress

Who will win: Sandra Bullock has inexplicably won people over with her so-so performance in The Blind Side. Don't get me wrong, she was good in the movie, but I honestly have not understood all the fuss over either The Blind Side or Bullock's performance. That said, I think she'll win tonight.

Who should win: I'd be happy to see either Meryl Streep, who tore it up in Julie and Julia, or Gabourey Sidibe, the brilliant star of Precious, take home the award.

Best Supporting Actor

Who will and should win: Christopher Waltz was incredible in Inglorious Basterds, a movie I actually didn't see until last week. He deserves all the acclaim he's received thus far.

Best Supporting Actress

Who will and should win: Mo'Nique. Period. Hers was the best overall performance of the year.

Adapted Screenplay

What will and should win: Up in the Air began the Oscar season as the front-runner for Best Picture, but lost steam when other, more worthy contenders were released. It should win here.

Original Screenplay

What will win: The Hurt Locker appears to have everything going its way in the major categories. I think it takes this one pretty easily.

What should win: I hate to beat a dead horse. But, the Coen Brothers' script for A Serious Man was among their most serious and unique of their storied career. Too bad it doesn't have a chance here.

Now just to round things off, in the more minor categories, I'll just state my predicted winner.

Best Animated Feature -- Up (duh!)

Art Direction -- Avatar

Cinematography -- Avatar

Costume Design -- Young Victoria

Documentary Feature -- The Cove

Documentary Short -- Music by Prudence (no clue...total guess)

Film Editing -- Avatar

Foreign Language Film -- A Prophet

Makeup -- Star Trek

Musical Score -- Up

Original Song -- "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart.

Animated Short -- A Matter of Loaf and Death (when in doubt, go with Wallace and Gromit)

Live Action Short -- Miracle Fish (?)

Sound Editing -- Avatar

Sound Mixing -- Avatar

Visual Effects -- Avatar

There you go people. My nerdy take on the Oscars. Enjoy.