New Oscar Predicitons for the New Year

Very few changes actually. Best Actress is increasingly exciting, since really the only lock is Meryl Streep. Any of the other women can be snubbed. I'm still wondering how big or small Doubt and Gran Turino will be come nomination day, and I'm starting to worry about Milk's prospects. Is it really a lock for Best Picture and Director? Also, is Happy-Go-Lucky going to surprise with its number of noms? I think it might. As I keep saying, never underestimate a Mike Leigh film. Vera Drake pulled off those surprise writing and directing nods, after having had a poor box-office run and seemingly lack of excitement for the film. Maybe Leigh can pull off the lone director nod. Anyway, here's what I'm currently thinking:

Picture:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire

Director:
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Milke Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight

Actor:
Clint Eastwood - Gran Turino
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Actress:
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

Supporting Actor:
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Eddie Marsan - Happy-Go-Lucky

Supporting Actress:
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Adapted Screenplay:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

Original Screenplay:
Happy-Go-Lucky
Milk
Rachel Getting Married
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
WALL-E

Cinematography:
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

Editing:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Frost/Nixon
Iron Man
Slumdog Millionaire

Art Direction:
Australia
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader

Costume Design:
Australia
The Curious Case of Bejamin Button
The Duchess
The Other Boleyn Girl
Revolutionary Road

Make Up:
Hellboy R: The Golden Army
Synecdoche, New York
Tropic Thunder

Original Score:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Milk
WALL-E

Original Song:
"Down to Earth" - WALL-E
"Gran Turino" - Gran Turino
"Jaiho" - Slumdog Millionaire
"Once in a Lifetime" - Cadillac Records
"The Wrestler" - The Wrestler

Sound Mixing:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
WALL-E

Sound Editing:
The Dark Knight
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

Visual Effects:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Iron Man