Early Best Picture Predictions

There is a long way to go before next year's Oscars, but here's a look of the potential candidates for the top prize for the 80th Academy Award Ceremony:

1) American Gangster

After a commercially disastrous flop for Ridley Scott (the fabulously boring A Good Year), he comes in this year joining Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe again with an early favorite based on the true story of Frank 'Superfly' Lucas. And with a script from one of Hollywood's best, Steven Zaillian, this will rack up a lot of nominations, especially in the big 8.

2) Charlie Wilson's War

Another early favorite, this new film from Oscar darling Mike Nichols will be very much anticipated, directing a big cast for this production. Even though it will have a lot of competition with two other productions on Afghanistan, a lot of great performances are expected, notably from Tom Hanks and Phillip Seymour Hoffman (even Amy Adams could pull off a nom). Even though the Academy might favor other actors due to the number of Academy winners in the acting categories (Hanks, Hoffman and Julia Roberts), you can expect it to be one of the top contenders.

3) The Kite Runner

With Marc Forster at the helm, this film could be the next Crash or Babel. This film contains the kind of story that the Academy has favoured over the last few years. Of course, the actors are relatively unknown, but this screenplay should be one of the most powerful of the year.

4) There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson, maybe the most underrated filmmaker in Hollywood, brings us his first historical film and it should be a winner. With Daniel Day-Lewis starring, it revolves around a lot of topics that will interest the Academy, including family and greed. The one thing that might hurt this film is it's box-office that is expected to be low, but don't let that fool you (Letters from Iwo Jima!)

5) I'm Not There

This truly original idea of the story of Bob Dylan should be an interesting one, since the Academy is looking to repair it's error of not nominating Walk The Line for Best Picture. With a big cast to choose from, director Todd Haynes may pick up a couple of nominations come next year.

Others to consider

Sweeney Todd

A big production from Tim Burton (only nominated once for Corpse Bride), this new collaboration with Johnny Depp and Burton's wife Helena Bonham Carter will be one of the favorites to enter this category, with a script from John Logan and a strong supporting cast including Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen (can't wait to see his performance). Of course, since it's an adaptation from a Broadway play, the public's reaction will influence the decision, so hopefully it will be faithful to it's legacy.

Lions For Lambs

With Redford behind the camera, this film will mark the comeback for Tom Cruise who needs some Oscar glory to shake off last year's gossip-filled 'events'. Since this is another Afghanistan located film, it will be hard to enter the top category, but if the acting is great, it will have a chance.

Reservation Road

Like In The Bedroom and unlike Little Children, this quiet small-town drama adapted from the novel by John Burnham Schwartz could make it in the top 5 if it can pull off a lot of nominations in the big 8. With a very strong cast (Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connelly and Mark Ruffalo are favored to be nominated) and a good director in Terry George, this film will turn some heads around.

The Other Boleyn Girl

This film has all the ingredients to rack up a lot of nominations; based on a controversial novel with strong feminine characters, a lot of technical nominations are expected since this film takes place in 16th Century England. Natalie Portman will likely be nominated for this project, as well as Peter Morgan, but it will depend on the flow of the story to see if it will impress the Academy, who left Marie Antoinette and Memoirs of a Geisha unrewarded in this category.

The Golden Age

Normally, sequels have no chance of making the top 5, but Elizabeth was one of the most interesting films of 1998, far better in my opinion than Shakespeare in Love. Cate Blanchett was robbed of the Oscar last time around, but this film will mark another strong performance, as Shehkar Kapur returns to direct the film. Clive Owen will be interesting to watch as Sir Walter Raleigh, and it will pick up a lot of nominations, even possibly for Best Picture.

For my next post, I shall address my early predictions in the acting categories as well as my top 10 anticipated films of 2007.