Predictions for the 79th Academy Awards
February 25th, 2007 by EoinI’ve been a little busy these last few days so this is going up later than I had hoped. Still, it’ll be here for ye to laugh at in the morning.
The 79th Academy Awards take place tonight - well Monday morning if I’m being precise - at about 01:00. It will be shown live on Sky Movies 1 and there will be highlights on both Sky One and RTÉ tomorrow night.
Here are my predictions. I’ve put them in order with the winner first and the next most likely after that.
Best Picture
The Departed
Babel
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen
Letters From Iwo Jima
Best Director
Martin Scorsese - The Departed
Clint Eastwood - Letters From Iwo Jima
Paul Greengrass - United 93
Alejandro González Iñárritu – Babel
Stephen Frears - The Queen
Best Actor
Forest Whitaker - The Last King Of Scotland
Peter O’Toole - Venus
Will Smith - The Pursuit Of Happyness
Leonardo DiCaprio - Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling - Half Nelson
Best Actress
Helen Mirren - The Queen
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet - Little Children
Penélope Cruz - Volver
Judi Dench - Notes On A Scandal
Best Supporting Actor
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
Mark Wahlberg - The Departed
Jackie Earle Haley - Little Children
Djimon Hounsou - Blood Diamond
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
Cate Blanchett - Notes On A Scandal
Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine
Adriana Barraza - Babel
Rinko Kikuchi- Babel
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Departed
Children Of Men
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Notes On A Scandal
Little Children
Best Original Screenplay
Little Miss Sunshine
Babel
Letters From Iwo Jima
The Queen
Pan’s Labyrinth
Best Cinematography
Children Of Men
Pan’s Labyrinth
The Illusionsit
The Black Dahlia
The Prestige
Best Art Direction
Pan’s Labyrinth
Dreamgirls
The Prestige
The Good Shepherd
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Best Original Song
Listen - Dreamgirls
Love You I Do - Dreamgirls
Patience - Dreamgirls
I Need To Wake Up - An Inconvenient Truth
Our Town - Cars
Best Original Score
Notes On A Scandal
Babel
The Good German
Pan’s Labyrinth
The Queen
Best Editing
Babel
The Departed
Children Of Men
United 93
Blood Diamond
Best Documentary Feature
An Inconvenient Truth
Iraq In Fragments
Deliver Us From Evil
My Country, My Country
Jesus Camp
Best Documentary Short
Recycled Life
Rehearsing a Dream
Two Hands
The Blood Of Yingzhou District
Best Foreign Language Film
Pan’s Labyrinth
Water
The Lives Of Others
Days Of Glory
After the Wedding
Best Animated Short
The Little Matchgirl
The Danish Poet
Lifted
Maestro
No Time For Nuts
Best Live Action Short
The Saviour
Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)
Éramos Pocos (One Too Many)
Helmer & Son
West Bank Story
Best Sound Editing
Blood Diamond
Flags Of Our Fathers
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Letters From Iwo Jima
Apocalypto
Best Sound Mixing
Dreamgirls
Blood Diamond
Flags Of Our Fathers
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
Apocalypto
Best Animated Feature Film
Cars
Happy Feet
Monster House
Best Visual Effects
Superman Returns
Pirates Of The Caribbean - Dead Man’s Chest
Poseidon
Best Make-Up
Pan’s Labyrinth
Apocalypto
Click
Best Costume Design
The Queen
Curse of the Golden Flower
The Devil Wears Prada
Marie Antoinette
Dreamgirls
Entries (RSS)
February 26th, 2007 at 12:13 am
Very brave, very brave… God I hope some of your predictions are wrong!
Just on the big 4 awards here’s my views:
Best Picture: I haven’t seen Letters From Iwo Jima yet but I thin it’s a strong Oscar contender. I don’t think Babel is an Best Picture Oscar winner, even though I loved it, but The Departed sucked so I’m going to go out on a limb and say that Iwo Jima might win.
Best Director: I think the above might be true for this category too, but if I was making a trip to the bookies I’d go out on a limb and say that Alejandro González Iñárritu will be the surprise winner.
Best Actor: It’s Peter O’Toole’s year. Oh yeah. Legend.
Best Actress: Haven’t seen any of these films, but I’d love to se Mirren get an Oscar.
February 26th, 2007 at 1:31 am
To anyone who didn’t like The Departed, may I request that you take another look? It was a lot to expect The Departed to live up to Infernal Affairs, so I think a second viewing would be kind to that particular film.
I’m afraid there is a 0% chance of Letters From Iwa Jima winning Best Picture. No foreign language movie has ever won and this won’t be the first.
They just HAVE to give Scorsese an award this time. It’s becoming a bit of a joke!
It might well be Peter O’Toole’s year. That would be good, but I’d be surprised.
Anyway, it’s starting…
February 26th, 2007 at 1:49 am
Ah but no other Foreign Language film nominated for Best Picture had good ol Dirty Harry at the wheel…
February 26th, 2007 at 2:09 am
True, but…not gonna happen!
Show’s not bad so far. Pan’s Labyrinth has won for Art Direction and Make-up (as predicted…ahem!).
Ellen Degeneres isn’t doing a bad job and it’s a tighter show than other years. So far.
The actors don’t seem as bad at reading their lines either. Which is encouraging!!
They just had Will Smith’s son present the awards for animated short and live action short. I thought that was funny and check out his reaction to reading the wrong line in the highlights.
Got those two wrong. The Danish Poet won animated short. West Bank Story too live action short.
February 26th, 2007 at 2:14 am
Wow, sound mixing is coming up. Kevin O’Connell, who is nominated for Apocalypto has been nominated 18 times without winning. Don’t see him winning for number 19 either!
February 26th, 2007 at 2:20 am
Letters From Iwo Jima won for Sound Editing but I did get Sound Mixing right. It went to Dreamgirls. Poor old Kevin. I wonder does he owe the 19th loss to Mel Gibson’s outburst?
February 26th, 2007 at 2:21 am
Now it’s getting serious. Supporting actor…
February 26th, 2007 at 2:23 am
Alan Arkin! Good performance, but a bit of a surprise. Might be an interesting night yet.
February 26th, 2007 at 2:27 am
Ellen just gave Scorsese a script to read. Wonder if he’ll refer to it in his speech?
February 26th, 2007 at 2:46 am
Happy Feet is the Animated Film of the Year. George Miller has come a long way since Mad Max.
February 26th, 2007 at 2:53 am
The Departed is the best Adapted Screenplay. This is a good sign for my Best Picture prediction.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:05 am
Marie Antoinette just won for Best Costume. It’s our fourth surprise of the night. Nobody had even mentioned that film yet tonight. After 10 awards we’ve had 4 surprises. Not a bad evenings entertainment I guess, but I like being right too so better pick up a few more correct marks in the bigger prizes!
February 26th, 2007 at 3:14 am
There’s an interesting political undertone/sub-plot to this years ceremony. Apocalypto has been completely overlooked (although all things considered it did well to get any nominations at all), Hollywood showed Al Gore a lot of love and gave him an opportunity to test the waters for another run for the Presidency (I can’t really see him going up against Hillary though) and now Tom Cruise got to present an Honourary Oscar to the last Head of Paramount.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:15 am
Ellen got Steven Spielberg to take a photograph of her with Clint Eastwood for MySpace. An amusing moment. Wonder if she’ll actually put the picture up?
February 26th, 2007 at 3:17 am
Cinematography goes to Pan’s Labyrinth again. We have an early leader…
February 26th, 2007 at 3:20 am
Hmm, Sacha Baron Cohen was due to present an award tonight but they wouldn’t let him present it as Borat so he’s declined the invitation to present. Apparently they were concerned he’d say something controversial after doing so at the Golden Globes (not sure what he said there though. Must look it up tomorrow).
February 26th, 2007 at 3:21 am
Can I take this opportunity to say that the actresses aren’t dazzling me with their beauty this year, but I do like Naomi Watts.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:23 am
Best Visual Effects goes to The Pirates Of The Caribean 2. Didn’t they see that movie? No matter how good the Visual Effects were they should not be allowed to say “the Oscar winning movie” in the same breath as that stinking pile of…!
February 26th, 2007 at 3:32 am
Unbelievable! The Lives of Others has won Best Foreign Language Film. So they like Pan’s Labyrinth but they don’t love it I guess. Actually I guess I have to agree.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:36 am
Best Supporting Actress goes to Jennifer Hudson. It’s about time I got another one right! Sorry, I’m getting grumpy now because I’m out of Sesame Sticks!
February 26th, 2007 at 3:37 am
Oh, the first weepy speech!
February 26th, 2007 at 3:44 am
The Blood Of Yingzhou District is the Best Documentary Short.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:48 am
Oh look, Jerry Seinfeld is here to present an award. He’s even getting to a stand up routine! Documentary Feature goes to An Inconvenient Truth.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:53 am
There’s more underlying politics if you want to look for it. An Inconvenient Truth is connected to the hurricane in New Orleans, the guy who played Kramer had that outburst, Jerry stood up for his friend and now gets to present this award. Also Larry David’s wife Laurie (yes Larry & Laurie) produced An Inconvenient Truth.
February 26th, 2007 at 3:55 am
Clint Eastwood is getting old. He had a lot of trouble introducing the Ennio Morricone montage. Great music in there though!
February 26th, 2007 at 4:00 am
Oh and in case you didn’t get it from that last comment Ennio Morricone just got an Honourary Oscar.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:03 am
As if to make up for his earlier difficulties Clint is now translating Ennio’s speech. Impressive Mr. Eastwood, most impressive.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:07 am
Penélope Cruz is looking good too.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:08 am
Best Original Score goes to, Babel.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:12 am
Ah, the always beautiful Kirsten Dunst! And Spiderman…
February 26th, 2007 at 4:14 am
Best Original Screenplay is Little Miss Sunshine. I needed that…
February 26th, 2007 at 4:28 am
Good performance from the Dreamgirls. That Beyoncé Knowles has some talent. Yes, in every sense of the word.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:30 am
Best Original Song goes to An Inconvenient Truth. I don’t believe it. If you haven’t hear this song? Thank your blessings!
February 26th, 2007 at 4:43 am
The Departed wins Best editing. Looks like we’re going to have an out and out winner in this years awards. Maybe?
February 26th, 2007 at 4:48 am
Scorsese uses Thelma Schoonmaker regularly and although he has never won Best Director, Thelma has won Best Editor for both The Aviator and Raging Bull.
February 26th, 2007 at 4:49 am
Jodie Foster may be 44 but she’s leaving the rest behind tonight!
February 26th, 2007 at 4:50 am
Just the big four to go now…
February 26th, 2007 at 4:53 am
7 out of 20, I’m going to need some help from the big four!
February 26th, 2007 at 4:55 am
Best Actress is Helen Mirren. Good!
February 26th, 2007 at 5:04 am
Best Actor is Forest Whitaker.
February 26th, 2007 at 5:08 am
Martin Scorsese is Best Director. Once I saw Coppola, Lucas and Spielberg come out it had to be him. I wouldn’t be his biggest fan but even I admit it’s about time. One more then. Let’s bring it home!
February 26th, 2007 at 5:10 am
And so the Best Picture of 2006 was…
February 26th, 2007 at 5:13 am
Could Jack be a clue?
February 26th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Yep, it’s The Departed!
February 26th, 2007 at 5:19 am
11 out of 24. 46% Not bad. Well, better than last year anyway, even if I was hoping to get better than 50%. I’ve got to be happy with getting Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actress and both Screenplay awards right though.
Ellen did a good job. When I first head she got the gig I thought it would be awful. Now, I’d be happy to see her return next year.
One of the best shows the Oscars have produced for a few years.
In closing I would suggest that Peter O’Toole gets cast in an Oscar friendly Supporting Role soon. He’ll win as soon as he gets one!
February 26th, 2007 at 5:25 am
Oh, so it’s;
The Departed 4 wins
Pan’s Labyrinth 3 wins
Dreamgirls, An Inconvenient Truth and Little Miss Sunshine 2 wins
Nothing else won more than 1. A bit of a surprise that Babel only gets Original Score, but it is clearly a film that would scare the Academy and I hope people still put it on their must watch list.
Good night and good luck!
February 26th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
It’s just like being there….if I’d known you were going live I’d have tuned in !
February 26th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Meh. Departed Scmeparted.
February 26th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Great reportage by the way
February 26th, 2007 at 10:40 pm
Sorry Rich. It was a spur of the moment decision. Might do it again next year, I’ll let you know.
Frank - Watch it again!
May 9th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
[...] The message of this film made it a surprise winner in the Best Foreign Film category at this year’s Oscars. Surprisingly enough there was no controversy beforehand or afterwards. I believe this was because Pan’s Labyrinth was the favourite and not too many people were familiar with The Lives of Others. Having seen them both I have to agree with the choice the Academy made. The Lives of Others marks the feature debut for writer/director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. It shows us a successful and talented playwright and the love of his life, an equally successful and talented actress. Their happy lives are put at risk by the invasion of the state in their domestic and private affairs. Surely the message to everyone is to be careful about who you give power to. Oh, if only there was an election on? [...]