Mandatory predictions....

No time for a big, well researched post. But then, no time to wait either. Its Jan 30, and the oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow. So, just a quick post about my predictions and hopes for the nominations... The "hopes" part is mostly based on just the movies that I have caught till now. And I still have to see quite a few of the movies that are likely to win most awards... Among them are Walk The Line, The Constant Gardener, Capote, Match Point, Syriana, Memoirs of a Geisha, Paradise Now, Tsotsi and Cache.

Anyway... the predictions...

Best Movie: Brokeback Mountain, The Constant Gardener, Good Night and Good Luck, Capote, Munich (Dark horses: Walk The Line, A History of Violence, Crash)

I hope: Crash gets a nomination....

Best Director: Ang Lee, George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, Fernando Meirelles, Paul Haggis (Dark horses: Bennett Miller, Woody Allen)

I hope: George Clooney and Paul Haggis don't miss out...

Best Actor in Leading Role: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, David Strathairn, Russel l Crowe, Terrence Howard (Dark Horse: Heath Ledger)

I hope: David Strathairn doesn't miss out...

Best Actress in Leading Role: Felicity Huffman, Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron, Judi Dench, Zhang Ziyi (Dark horses: Rachel Weiss, Maria Bello)

I hope: Zhang Ziyi gets a nomination.. not that I have seen Memoirs of a Geisha or that her past performances make me think that she is a great actress or anything... But I LOVE her!! Left to myself, I'd give Zhang Ziyi and Natalie Portman a lifetime achievement oscar and be done with it... :P

Thats it then.. no time to go into supporting actors, screenplay, foreign movie, cinematography etc in detail.... Should talk about some wishes though... Most of these won't come true, but registering them with the Oscar gods anyway..

I wish...

Crash gets nominated for best original screenplay.

2046 gets nominated for best foreign movie, best cinematography AND best music.

Good Night and Good Luck, Sin City and maybe even Jarhead get recognition for theri cinematography.

George Clooney gets nomination for Good Night and Good Luck.