24 WINNERS

We won't be able to make my friend Dave & Kerstin's Annual Oscar party this year so that Tracy can rest and continue her recovery from a hysterectomy (nor will I be able to watch the Oscars with my movie expert, Z) but that doesn't mean I can't still make my Oscar picks. Not one to shy away from the lesser known categories, I'll dare to pick a winner in every category being presented tonight. How well did I do compared to you?

For a complete list of nominees, go to www.oscars.org.
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BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (just a warning - I don't anticipate a lot of upsets)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (one of three sure things tonight)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Wall-E (the second of three sure things)
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION: The Dark Knight
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY: The Reader (a mild upset - the Academy loves to honor Roger Deakins, who is a co-nominee for this award)
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Man on Wire
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT: The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306 (I have no idea...but I like the title)
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Waltz with Bashir
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (the only way this loses is if the Academy voters somehow think that making Brad Pitt look like an old shriveled boy is ALL special effects)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Slumdog Millionaire (should be Wall-E, but it's going to be that type of night)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG: "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM: Oktopodi (it's the only one I've seen, so why not take a shot?)
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM: Manon on the Asphalt
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING: The Dark Knight (should be Wall-E though)
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING: Wall-E (the Academy splits the spoils for the sound awards)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Milk (far and away the best and most known script of a lackluster category--and it's really more of an adapted screenplay)
BEST DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
BEST ACTOR: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler (I'm rooting hard for Richard Jenkins, but the Academy loves comeback stories)
BEST ACTRESS: Kate Winslet, The Reader (almost a cinch, but you can't call it that when you have Meryl Streep in your category)
BEST PICTURE: Slumdog Millionaire (the third of three sure things)