[lonewolfny42]

My wife is getting....excited.  

Its almost time for the Oscar awards....a few hours away.

http://www.oscar.com/

Anyone care to make some early predictions on who will win ?

[John Casler]

My wife is getting....excited.  

Its almost time for the Oscar awards....a few hours away.

http://www.oscar.com/

Anyone care to make some early predictions on who will win ?

The good news is that the SUN is shining right now, but who knows how long that will last.

VuDU'd Michael Clayton last night, and had low expectations due to things I had read and heard.

It is an excellent film.

If I had to guess, I would say JUNO will win, but No Country and Micheal Clayton are right in there.

[ajzepp]

I'm sure Michael Clayton is a great flick...I can't wait to see it myself. But if Clooney even gets a sniff of an Oscar, the thing is rigged. To me, he's no different than Benny Affleck...it doesn't matter what character he plays, cause his acting is the same in every movie. There are so many underrated, amazingly talented actors out there who don't get nearly enough credit, while people like Clooney are sucking up all the limelight. Makes me sick! 

[Night_Train]

I'm sure Michael Clayton is a great flick...I can't wait to see it myself. But if Clooney even gets a sniff of an Oscar, the thing is rigged. To me, he's no different than Benny Affleck...it doesn't matter what character he plays, cause his acting is the same in every movie. There are so many underrated, amazingly talented actors out there who don't get nearly enough credit, while people like Clooney are sucking up all the limelight. Makes me sick! 

I would agree with your assessment of the Clooney thing too. I probably think D. Day Lewis should walk away with the golden idol. Except, I would also surmise things like this get political, like most other things do. So somebody walking away with someone else's award is a bigger possibilty than one would imagine and jappens all the time. That is why it is next to impossible to second guess who the Academy picks. Why would this thing be any different than any other contests or awards.

[NealH]

My picks are:

Daniel Day Lewis (Johnny Depp and Viggo Mortensen were very good also)

Javier Bardem (no contest here)

Ellen Page (another easy pick)

Saoirese Ronan (but I am not real sure about this)

When I start looking at the other picture categories, its really a shame only one will get the award. 

[ajzepp]

I'm sure Michael Clayton is a great flick...I can't wait to see it myself. But if Clooney even gets a sniff of an Oscar, the thing is rigged. To me, he's no different than Benny Affleck...it doesn't matter what character he plays, cause his acting is the same in every movie. There are so many underrated, amazingly talented actors out there who don't get nearly enough credit, while people like Clooney are sucking up all the limelight. Makes me sick! 

I would agree with your assessment of the Clooney thing too. I probably think D. Day Lewis should walk away with the golden idol. Except, I would also surmise things like this get political, like most other things do. So somebody walking away with someone else's award is a bigger possibilty than one would imagine and jappens all the time. That is why it is next to impossible to second guess who the Academy picks. Why would this thing be any different than any other contests or awards.

I haven't seen "There Will Be Blood" yet either, but my gosh, just look at the clips of D.Day Lewis in that film. They guy is absolutely captivating even in a fifteen second snippet. With the exception of the Tom Wilkinson one, every clip with Clooney in it makes me want to fall asleep   

Lewis is clearly just an amazing actor, and I'm really glad he won the award. I still want to see Depp win one, cause he's an amazingly versatile actor with a great deal of range.

[jimdgoulding]

The fact that Best Actress was awarded to a performer in a foreign langauge movie speaks volumes.  Inhabits the role comes to mind.

[Night_Train]

I'm sure Michael Clayton is a great flick...I can't wait to see it myself. But if Clooney even gets a sniff of an Oscar, the thing is rigged. To me, he's no different than Benny Affleck...it doesn't matter what character he plays, cause his acting is the same in every movie. There are so many underrated, amazingly talented actors out there who don't get nearly enough credit, while people like Clooney are sucking up all the limelight. Makes me sick! 

I would agree with your assessment of the Clooney thing too. I probably think D. Day Lewis should walk away with the golden idol. Except, I would also surmise things like this get political, like most other things do. So somebody walking away with someone else's award is a bigger possibilty than one would imagine and jappens all the time. That is why it is next to impossible to second guess who the Academy picks. Why would this thing be any different than any other contests or awards.

I haven't seen "There Will Be Blood" yet either, but my gosh, just look at the clips of D.Day Lewis in that film. They guy is absolutely captivating even in a fifteen second snippet. With the exception of the Tom Wilkinson one, every clip with Clooney in it makes me want to fall asleep  

Lewis is clearly just an amazing actor, and I'm really glad he won the award. I still want to see Depp win one, cause he's an amazingly versatile actor with a great deal of range.

You probably have seen M. Scorsese's film "Gangs of New York." D. Day Lewis tears it up in this flick also. I felt he and Scorsese both got robbed that year when they did not win prizes for their work and was handed to "Chicago." "Gangs," in my opinion, was a way better film then the one he finally ended up getting an award for: "The Departed." I believe it is like that for many that deserve awards in this industry. And many times they don't get the award/recognized for their best work and later get an award that would be considered a "Day late and a dollar short."

Brings me to your Depp comment. I too think he has at least deserved to win something by now. He's proven himself as one of the best time and time again. Scorsese comes to mind until last year. I liked Scorsese's comment last year something like "there must be some mistake here?" Unfortunately, I fear Depp's going to be waiting some time to get the recognition he deserves and again it probably will end up being for not his best work. But one can never tell.

[goldlizsts]

My wife is getting....excited.  

Its almost time for the Oscar awards....a few hours away.

http://www.oscar.com/

Anyone care to make some early predictions on who will win ?

I predicted Juno was going to "surprised" the hell out of people, and it didin't happen. Gott change my crystal ball. 

[BobM]

I'm sure Michael Clayton is a great flick...I can't wait to see it myself. But if Clooney even gets a sniff of an Oscar, the thing is rigged. To me, he's no different than Benny Affleck...it doesn't matter what character he plays, cause his acting is the same in every movie. There are so many underrated, amazingly talented actors out there who don't get nearly enough credit, while people like Clooney are sucking up all the limelight. Makes me sick! 

Reminds me of Cher winning an oscar way back when for "Mermaids". Cher was just playing Cher! No acting involved. Granted, she's an interesting character, but she didn't have to act the part at all.

Bob

[Wind Chaser]

I predicted Juno was going to "surprised" the hell out of people, and it didin't happen. Gott change my crystal ball. 

I never understood the hype on that mediocre film.  Maybe because most movies made now are sub par.

[Rob Babcock]

Most movies have always been subpar.  It's rose-colored-glasses syndrome to say otherwise.

I haven't seen Juno yet but I'm a big fan of Page.  She was simply amazing in Hard Candy.  Maybe she didn't win an Oscar this year but one day she will.

[Whitese]

Daniel D Lewis sometimes strikes me as always too intense...its as if bursting veins in the forehead means your a good actor.  But the guy is good...he has come a long way since "My Left Foot"....I hope Bale gets a nomination soon..Rescue Dawn and Yuma didnt get him one..I dont think the Machinist got him a nomination either...

[miklorsmith]

Depp is anti-Hollywood, this is their biggest day.  It would be humble of Those People to grant him their highest award - and these are not humble people.

[ted_b]

Depp is anti-Hollywood, this is their biggest day.  It would be humble of Those People to grant him their highest award - and these are not humble people.

Foreign actors and actresses going 4 for 4 ain't Hollywood either.  Nor are the Cohens, but they got the prize.  Johnny will get his, but as some said, likely in response to a body of work, and the exact movie that's associated with the award at the time won't be necessarily his best.

[lonewolfny42]

Looks like the TV ratings weren't too good....

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN2521078720080225

[Rob Babcock]

I'm not surprised, Wolfy.  It's a boring show, always has been.  Some will disagree with me, but I liken it to the NFL draft; sure, I wanna see who went where but I'd rather spend 5 minutes reading the results than all day watching it live!

[lonewolfny42]

I liked it better when Billy Crystal was the host....