Daniel Crooke's Final Oscar Predictions 2007

Finally, it's time. Here are my predictions for 2007-

BEST MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
Babel
The Departed**
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine
The Queen

Here's why- 'Letters' didn't get enough publicity. I'm guessing it beat 'Dreamgirls' for that last spot only by a small margin. 'The Queen' is a brilliant character study and doesn't have enough momentum to take the top prize. 'Sunshine' was my favorite of the year, but when it gets down to it, it isn't Oscar material. Sure it won the PGA and SAG...but is the Academy going to honor a comedy? 'Babel' is a HUGE love it-hate it. I loved it. That leaves 'Departed'. 'Departed' won the DGA and the Critic's Choice Awards. For those who say that mob movies can't win Best Picture...look at The Godfather (and part II). Scorsese has Best Director in the bag, and I think that he could just as easily take Picture as well. So, 'Departed' is my pick with 'Babel' and 'Little Miss Sunshine' right behind.

BEST DIRECTOR
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Babel
Martin Scorsese, The Departed**
Clint Eastwood, Letters from Iwo Jima
Stephen Frears, The Queen
Paul Greengrass, United 93

The Academy truly has no heart if they give this to Eastwood over Scorsese. He should already have 2 Oscars (Raging Bull and Taxi Driver) and his waaaaay overdue. Of course, that goes without saying. The only upset I would be okay with in this category is Paul Greengrass.

BEST ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio, Blood Diamond
Ryan Gosling, Half Nelson
Peter O'Toole, Venus
Will Smith, The Pursuit of Happyness
Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland**

Whitaker has this in the bag. Should he? No. But, Whitaker gave a really good performance and will easily take this. I really hope Peter O'Toole upsets though. 'Last King' has made Whitaker a bigger icon then he was before. He will get another opportunity to win. O'Toole's career is (sadly) coming to a close soon. Please Academy, give this to Peter O'Toole.

BEST ACTRESS
Penelope Cruz, Volver
Judi Dench, Notes on a Scandal
Helen Mirren, The Queen**
Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada
Kate Winslet, Little Children

This is Mirren's. She totally deserves it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin, Little Miss Sunshine**
Jackie Earle Haley, Little Children
Djimon Hounsou, Blood Diamond
Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls
Mark Wahlberg, The Departed

Alan Arkin deserves this. This is the one prediction that I am predicting an upset. Sadly, Eddie Murphy will probably win. But, I'm going to go ahead and predict Arkin.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Adriana Barraza, Babel
Cate Blanchett, Notes on a Scandal
Abigail Breslin, Little Miss Sunshine
Jennifer Hudson, Dreamgirls**
Rinko Kikuchi, Babel

Hudson has this. She gave a great performance and her background of being kicked off 'American Idol' will give another reason for the Academy to give it to her. Good for her, excellent film debut. I prefer Adriana Barraza, but there is no stopping Hudson. And I'm okay with that.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Babel
Letters from Iwo Jima
Little Miss Sunshine**
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen

This is a three way race between 'Babel', 'Sunshine', and 'Queen'. 'Sunshine' won the BAFTA and the WGA. 'Queen' won the Golden Globe. 'Babel' is still a potential winner because there is a large chance it will win BP. 'Sunshine' has the edge though, and this will give the voters the best place to reward the film.

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

First off, I can officially spell Kazakhstan correctly now because I have written it out so many times with that title. Anyway, 'Departed' has this hands down. Even if it doesn't win BP, it will most likely still win this.

And this is where the in-depth predictions end. Here's a straight forward list of my other predictions

BEST FILM EDITING

Babel
Blood Diamond
Children Of Men
The Departed**
United 93

BEST ART/SET DIRECTION

Dreamgirls
The Good Shepherd
Pan's Labyrinth**
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Prestige

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Curse Of The Golden Flower
The Devil Wears Prada
Dreamgirls
Marie Antoinette**
The Queen

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Black Dahlia
Children Of Men**
The Illusionist
Pan's Labyrinth
The Prestige

BEST MAKEUP

Apocalypto
Click
Pan's Labyrinth**

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Babel**
The Good German
Notes On A Scandal
Pan's Labyrinth
The Queen

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Cars - ''Our Town''
Dreamgirls - ''Listen''**
Dreamgirls - ''Love You I Do''
Dreamgirls - ''Patience''
An Inconvenient Truth - ''I Need To Wake Up''

BEST SOUND MIXING

Apocalypto
Blood Diamond
Dreamgirls**
Flags Of Our Fathers
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

BEST SOUND EDITING

Apocalypto
Blood Diamond
Flags Of Our Fathers
Letters From Iwo Jima**
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest**
Poseidon
Superman Returns

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Cars**
Happy Feet
Monster House

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

After The Wedding (Denmark)
Days Of Glory (Algeria)
The Lives Of Others (Germany)
Pan's Labyrinth (Mexico)**
Water (Canada)

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Deliver Us From Evil
An Inconvenient Truth**
Iraq In Fragments
Jesus Camp
My Country, My Country

I'll put up my Top Ten with honorable mentions, worst film of the year, most overrated film/performance, most underrated film/performance, and my own big eight awards. Enjoy tonight's show!