Things I Love Thursday: Oscar Predictions

This weekend is the Academy Awards, yay! I always look forward to this every year, not because the ceremony is so exciting (it's waaaaay too long, of course, and most of the winners entirely too predictable!). I like to see the clothes, and to see how I do in the Oscar prediction pool. Let's take a look at the picks for this year (with some cranky opinions thrown in):

Picture: There are TEN choices this year (in theory--IMO this was not a good move. It dilutes the prestige of the award, and everyone knows of the 10 there are only really 5, and of the 5 only 2 have a big chance. Plus--there was room for The Blindside but not Bright Star?? Fail!). It seems to come down to these two, Avatar and The Hurt Locker. I have great technical admiration for both films but no great love for either. I think Avatar will sweep all the tech awards and rightly so, but I think Hurt Locker for Best Picture. It could go either way. If it was up to me, I would give it to An Education of the nominees, though Bright Star was my favorite film of the year.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker, and about time a woman wins it, too.

Actor: Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart, which I have not seen. I have no strong opinions in this category...

Actress: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side. I would vote for Meryl Street or Carey Mulligan, because they are awesome and I have an irrational dislike of Bullock!

Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz. Much deserved, he was phenomenal, but it might be nice to see Christopher Plummer get some recognition. (And IMO Stanley Tucci should have been nominated for his great turn as Paul Child in Julie and Julia and not the widely-panned Lovely Bones)

Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique. Again, a category where I have no strong opinions, and Mo'Nique is widely praised for her work. The Supporting categories are such a lock this year, if anyone else wins it will be a shocker. (Quick note--I love Maggie Gyllenhaal, but have heard this performance is not her best. I might have liked to see Diane Kruger in there. I've always loved her fashion sense, but her new-found acting chops in Basterds was amazing)

Original Screenplay: Basterds--it re-writes WWII!

Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air (which seemed a favorite for Best Picture for a while)

Animated Movie: Up (I do have an opinion on this one! I think I'm the only person who didn't care for Up at all. I would vote for the charming Princess and the Frog, and I would vote for Almost There for Best Song, too)

Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon. I only recently had a chance to see this, it's gorgeous-looking and harrowing and scary....

Costume: I'm weird, I know, but this is one of my very favorite categories! It's a good one this year, too, really you couldn't go wrong with any of the nominees. I think it will be Young Victoria, which I loved, but I would give the edge to Bright Star.

Now it's your turn! What are your choices?