And the Oscar Goes To...

Since I enjoy any occasion to watch pretty people dress up in pretty attire and win pretty things, I thought I'd document my predictions for Sunday's Academy Awards.

Now, by no means am I an expert in this field, nor have I seen most of the movies that are nominated... Yet, I still think I know who will win:

Best Actress:
Helen Mirren, The Queen
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Penelope Cruz, Volver
Kate Winslet, Little Children

My pick: Helen Mirren, "The Queen" (I would, however, love to see Kate Winslet win. I just adore her.)

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

My pick: Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland" (Ever since the after-school show "Breaker High," Ryan Gosling is also a favorite.)

Best Supporting Actress:
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Adriana Barraza, Babel
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

My pick: Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls" (It would be cute to see Abigail Breslin win it for "Little Miss Sunshine." Those dance moves at the end of the movie could win it for her, but probably not.)

Best Supporting Actor:
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed
Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond

My pick: Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls" (If Marky-Mark won, I'd smile.)

Best Original Song:
'I Need to Wake Up' - Music and Lyric by Melissa Etheridge An Inconvenient Truth
'Love You I Do' - Music by Henry Krieger; Lyric by Siedah Garrett, Dreamgirls
'Our Town' - Music and Lyric by Randy Newman, Cars
'Patience' - Music by Henry Krieger; Lyric by Willie Reale, Dreamgirls
'Listen' - Music by Henry Krieger and Scott Cutler; Lyric by Anne Preven Dreamgirls

My pick: Randy Newman... The Academy (or whomever decides) loves this guy!

Best Animated Feature Film:
Cars
Happy Feet
Monster House

My pick: "Cars" (I saw this one with my nephew Elliot, and he loooved it.)

Achievement in Cinematography:
The Black Dahlia
Children of Men
The Illusionist
Pan's Labyrinth
The Prestige

My pick: "Pan's Laybrinth"

Best Adapted Screenplay
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Children of Men
The Departed
Little Children
Notes on a Scandal

My pick: "Borat" (It's got to win something.)

Best Original Screenplay
Babel
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen

My pick: "Letters From Iwo Jima" (Mainly because it won't win Best Film.)

Achievement in Directing:
Martin Scorsese, The Departed
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel
Paul Greengrass, United 93
Clint Eastwood, Letters From Iwo Jima

My pick: Martin Scorsese (It's about time, and Eastwood has already won.)

Best Picture:
The Departed
The Queen
Little Miss Sunshine
Babel
Letters From Iwo Jima

My pick: "Babel" (Or, "Little Miss Sunshine")

We'll see if any of my predictions come true Sunday night! Wish me luck. (I'm going to need it.)