My Oscar Predictions

Actually I haven't watched Atonement, There Will Be Blood, Michael Clayton, and many others. But it's just for fun anyway. So, here they are:

Best Motion Picture of the Year
No Country for Old Men (2007): Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Scott Rudin
Another masterpiece from Coen Brothers. Superb in every category (except music, it doesn't have any). Black horse: Juno.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007)
The easiest category to predict. Day-Lewis will take the Oscar home, though Viggo Mortensen has a terrific performance in Eastern Promises.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Marion Cotillard for Môme, La (2007)
Just saw La Mome last night. Terrific performance and lots of Oscar worthy scenes.. And she just won the BAFTA. I think it's either her, or Ellen Page in Juno.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men (2007)
Scary Anton Chigurh. That single scene in the gas station alone will get him an Oscar.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Ruby Dee for American Gangster (2007)
Oscar likes to give a nod to senior actors. Ruby Dee has a great scene as Denzel Washington's mom in American Gangster. Black Horse: Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone.

Best Achievement in Directing
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for No Country for Old Men (2007)
Either them, or P.T. Anderson for There Will Be Blood. But they just won the Director's Guild Award, so they will have bigger chance.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Juno (2007): Diablo Cody
A very smart and original script. Uncommon and funny dialogs and the scenes flow like water..

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
No Country for Old Men (2007): Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Love the dialogs, and the great aftermath scenes that make my imagination works. And especially, the ending.

Best Achievement in Cinematography
No Country for Old Men (2007): Roger Deakins
Just pay attention to those quiet opening scenes..

Best Achievement in Editing
No Country for Old Men (2007): Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Maybe it will go to The Bourne Ultimatum (since it's the most edited). But I'll vote for No Country. I really like the pace of the film..

Best Achievement in Art Direction
Atonement (2007): Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer
I think Atonement should get an Oscar, if not, it will be an upset. And being a very beautiful film, I think it will get it in this category.

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Môme, La (2007): Marit Allen
Jumping from one era to another very seamlessly (so strange it doesn't get a nomination in editing). Thanks to the costume designer for it.

Best Achievement in Makeup
Môme, La (2007): Didier Lavergne, Jan Archibald Actually I hate that thin eyebrows of Marion Cotillard here. But, that is Edith Piaf. That is her trade mark. The Oscar will go to La Mome for changing the pretty Marion Cotillard to an almost fifty, cancer-ill, near-death Piaf.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Ratatouille (2007): Michael Giacchino This is personal choice. I like the touch of french music here with that accordions. And lately, the academy didn't give an Oscar for a 'standard' orchestral score, but to a more traditional/ethnic ones like Frida, Brokeback Mountain, and Babel. Though, if that's the case, The Kite Runner and 3:10 To Yuma has equal chance.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Once (2006): Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová(“Falling Slowly”)
Either Falling Slowly in Once, or Raise It Up in August Rush.

Best Achievement in Sound
Ratatouille (2007): Randy Thom, Michael Semanick, Doc Kane
Felt like actually in Paris when watching the animated Ratatouille? The recorded sounds are including actual Parisians speaking French in the background of some scenes.

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
No Country for Old Men (2007): Skip Lievsay
One thing that really contributes to the scary Anton Chigurgh's character is that air-tank cattle gun sound "ch-chung".

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
The Golden Compass (2007): Michael L. Fink, Bill Westenhofer, Ben Morris, Trevor Wood
Though Transformer is really great (and the sound department also), but the visual effects are mostly in high speed movements that my eyes can't see. So I choose the superb daemons visualization in The Golden Compass.

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
Ratatouille (2007): Brad Bird
Firstly, I think the nominees should be Ratatouille, Persepolis, and Simpsons The Movie. Persepolis is a rare and really good film with great message. And Simpsons made 2D happening again. But if we talk about animation, 2007 is all about Ratatouille. Pixar might lost with Cars, but not with Ratatouille. Love that rat!

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Fälscher, Die (2007)(Austria)
The most controversial category this year. There are no 4 Month, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days, Persepolis, Lust, Caution, and La Mome in the category. Even there is no Le Scaphandre et le papillon, which is nominated also for Best Director. The rumor is that the jury members that actually watched the whole official entry for the category are retirees who are not active in the academy anymore. And they didn't really like films about abortion and a rebellious Iranian girl. But if I have to choose one from the nominees, I'll choose The Counterfeiters from Austria.

Best Documentary, Features
No End in Sight (2007): Charles Ferguson, Audrey Marrs
Sicko is the most talked about documentary this year (due to Michael Moore factor). And the issue is very important. But I heard that No End in Sight is an important documentary about the Iraq invasion. So it's either the two of them.

So, this year, I think No Country For Old Men, La Mome, and Ratatouille will get the most Oscars, and There Will Be Blood will only get one despite its 8 nominations.