The Oscars are almost on

By Larry Putzgerald February 24, 2008

The Oscars are once again upon us and having never watched it in full since, well, ever, I’ve decided to put my picks in right now. 3 hours before the stupid thing starts. That way tomorrow I can say, “See? I told you they would win. Next time maybe you’ll listen, jerk.” And if they don’t win, I’m just going to delete this post. Hence, I still win!

I’ve put up the odds and also highlighted who I think will win and why. In retrospect, I should have put this up much earlier, but that would’ve severely cut into my “staring at the wall” time.

Actor in a leading role

GEORGE CLOONEY (MICHAEL CLAYTON) +1000
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS (THERE WILL BE BLOOD) -1600 / “I drink your milkshake!”
JOHNNY DEPP (SWEENEY TODD) +1000
TOMMY LEE JONES (IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH) +2400
VIGGO MORTENSEN (EASTERN PROMISES) +2000

Actor in a supporting role

CASEY AFFLECK (THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES) +1000
JAVIER BARDEM (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN) -1300 / He kills people with an air gun. How cool is that?!
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN (CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR) +1800
HAL HOLBROOK (INTO THE WILD) +900
TOM WILKINSON (MICHAEL CLAYTON) +1000

Actress in a lead role

CATE BLANCHETT (ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE) +2000
JULIE CHRISTIE (AWAY FROM HER) -310
MARION COTILLARD (LA VIE EN ROSE) +120
LAURA LINNEY (THE SAVAGES) +2000
ELLEN PAGE (JUNO) +400 / I’ve never seen the movie, but I’ve seen Hard Candy. Best pedophile revenge/avenge movie ever. Possibly because it’s the only one. That’ I’ve watched.

Actress in a supporting role

CATE BLANCHETT (I’M NOT THERE) -145
RUBY DEE (AMERICAN GANGSTER) +185
SAOIRSE RONAN (ATONEMENT) +3000
AMY RYAN GONE (BABY GONE) -170 / It’s about time a crack-head won.
TILDA SWINTON (MICHAEL CLAYTON) +400

Art direction

AMERICAN GANGSTER +550
ATONEMENT +160
THE GOLDEN COMPASS +400
SWEENEY TODD THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET -210 / Johnny Depp. If I was a girl, I’d probably swoon.
THERE WILL BE BLOOD +210

Best achievement in writing

J. SCHNABEL- THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY +550
JASON REITMAN- JUNO +2000
TONY GILROY- MICHAEL CLAYTON +2600
JOEL COEN/ETHAN COEN- NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN -430
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON- THERE WILL BE BLOOD +400 / “I drink your fucking milkshake!”

Foreign language film

BEAUFORT +445
THE COUNTERFEITERS -165
KATYN -105 / I have no idea what this is about or what the name means, but it sounds sexy.
MONGOL +105
12 +655

Best picture

ATONEMENT +775
JUNO +400
MICHAEL CLAYTON +3300
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN -285 / Air gun, bitches!
THERE WILL BE BLOOD +250

Short film (animated)

I MET THE WALRUS +250
MADAME TUTLI-PUTLI -110
MÃŠME LES PIGEONS VONT AU PARADIS (EVEN PIGEONS GO) +2250
MY LOVE (MOYA LYUBOV) +1750
PETER & THE WOLF -125 / Wolves are nature’s most efficient killer. Just kidding. I think that’s the Great White Shark. Wolves are cool though.

Writing (adapted screenplay)

ATONEMENT +345
AWAY FROM HER +1000
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY +275
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN -450 / I wanted to pick Blood just so I could say, “I drink it up!” Ah, screw it. “I DRINK IT UP!”
THERE WILL BE BLOOD +350

#oscars