Oscar Picks

Let me be one of the first of thousands of people to make predictions for the 2007 Academy Awards.

Best Actor: I’ll go with Peter O’Toole in an upset over Forest Whitaker. Even though Whitaker’s performance in “The Last King of Scotland” may have been better and more powerful, O’Toole will get his lifetime achievement award since this is his eighth nomination and he has never won an Oscar.

Best Actress: Helen Mirren for “The Queen.” This seems like the easiest pick of the night.

Supporting Actor: Everyone seems to think that Eddie Murphy is going to win. I personally think voters saw previews of “Norbit” and decided there is no way they would vote for Murphy. Alan Arkin was really good in Little Miss Sunshine. I’m pulling for Arkin but think Djimon Hounsou will get the nod for “Blood Diamond.”

Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson for “Dreamgirls.” I wonder if Beyonce is upset at Hudson’s success at an actress.

Director: Martin Scorsese. Every voter has Jon Stewart’s line from last year’s Oscars in their mind: Three Six Mafia – 1; Marin Scorsese – 0.

Best Picture: None of these movies really stand out. Little Miss Sunshine was great, but do comedies ever win Oscars? For some reason I think Babel will win even though the movie did not receive many nominations in other categories. I’ll pick “The Departed” for Scorsese.

Documentary: Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth.” Al Gore – 1; possibly Peter O’Toole – 0

Foreign Language Film: “Pan’s Labyrinth.” Since this movie does not involve the salmonella of Peter Pan peanut butter or feature David Bowie, I think it will win.

Animated Feature Film: Happy Feet. Besides Capitals fans, who doesn’t like Penguins? I did not see the movie but I'm sure Crosby and Malkin were great.

Disclaimer: Of all movies and actors nominated, I have only seen Will Smith in “The Pursuit of Happiness,” “Little Miss Sunshine” and Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada.” However, I did very well in my picks last year going 7 for 9 (yes, I looked this up).

Feel free to make your own picks in the comments. I will probably have a running journal of the Academy Awards on Sunday.