My Oscar predictions/wish list

I usually do this much earlier, but I've been slacking. This year proves to be a bit harder than last. There's A LOT of worthy people, and SO many are being overlooked! I'm going to post my predictions of who I think will get nominated, and those that should.

Best Picture
1)Avatar
2)Precious
3)An Education
4)The Hurt Locker
5)Inglorious Basterds
6)(500) Days of Summer
7)District 9
8)Up in the Air
9)Star Trek
10)Invictus

I'm not the biggest fan if the 10 nominations. I feel it came off as "too little too late" (Yes, I'm one of those people that was pissed that The Dark Knight didn't get nominated last year) If we're going by box office draws, 'The Hangover' could very well oust 'Star Trek'. '(500) Days of Summer' isn't a sure thing, but I think it deserves to be. 'Up' or 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' could end up the in the race as the first animated film since 'Beauty and the Beast' to do so. 'The Lovely Bones' could get in there too, it wasn't as bad as everyone was saying it was. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince could get in there too, it was a good movie (just a horribly adapted screenplay...you stay classy Steve Kloves, you freaking joke!)

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

I'd say this is a pretty set category. Although I would LOVE LOVE LOVE if Joseph Gordon-Levitt for (500) Days of Summer replaced Jeremy Renner. That's my biggest hope for this category, but sadly I don't think it will budge. Some other pleasant surprises would be Sam Rockwell for 'Moon' or Sharlto Copley for 'District 9'.

Best Actress
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Saoirse Ronan, The Lovely Bones
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Saoirse isn't a sure thing, but she should be. Sandra Bullock is supposed to be a front runner, but I refuse to believe it. Not that I'm totally against her, I just didn't think 'The Blind Side' was that spectacular of a movie. Cary, Gabby and Meryl are pretty much locked, and they deserve to be. Emily Blunt could get in there for 'Young Victoria'.A long shot would be beautiful Audrey Tautou for 'Coco before Chanel' or Abbie Cornish for 'Bright Star'.

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Another category that's pretty locked. I can't think of anyone else they could possible put in there. I haven't gotten a change to see 'The Last Station' yet, but I trust Christopher Plummer is awesome. Ben Foster was good in 'The Messenger' as well, but I doubt the academy would replace him for Woody.

Best Supporting Actress
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo’Nique, Precious
Melanie Laurent, Inglorious Basterds
Diane Kruger, Inglorious Basterds

Could be possibly get 2 noms for 2 movies? Unlikely, but wouldn't it be wonderful? Julianne Moore is getting alot of buzz for 'A Single Man' so she could be in there too. I don't think any of the woman from 'Nine' will make the cut. At first I wondered if Anna Kendrick would make the cut, but I think she will. She was my favorite part of 'Up in the Air'.

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

Again, slightly predictable. Tarintino and Reitman so deserve it, and Lee Daniels does as well. Kathryn Bigelow is a sure thing, but I would love if Neill Blomkamp (District 9) would replace James Cameron.

Best Original Screenplay
Quentin Tarintino, Inglorious Basterds
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
Scott Neustatder & Michael H. Weber, (500) Days of Summer
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar

(500) Days of Summer is my pick to win. Tarintino deserves to be in there for Inglorious Basterds, and the Oscars love them some Coens. The Hurt Locker I'm throwing in there just because it's winning so many critic's awards. Avatar is on track to score the most nods of any other film, so it gets in there too.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell, District 9
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
Nick Hornby, An Education
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
Nora Ephron, Julie and Julia

I'm predicting 'District 9' to take this one. Everyone is loving 'Precious', 'An Education' and 'Up in the Air'. I think Julie and Julia's script looks to be the dark horse..although if 'Star Trek' magically got in there, I wouldn't complain. Same with 'Watchmen'.

Best Aminated Feature
Up
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Honestly, Up might as well be the only one in this category because they are the biggest lock to win of ALL the Oscars this year. If I had it my way, 'Coraline' would win. I loved that flick. 'Princess and the Frog' could get in there, maybe 'Ice Age 3'. I wouldn't be surprised if only Up, Coraline and Mr. Fox made it in.

That's it for the major categories. I hate trying to predict 'Best Original Song' because I'm ALWAYS wrong (sad face). And I never get a chance to see any of the 'Best Foreign Langauge' films until after the Oscars. Sound, Special Effects, etc will go to the obvious: Avatar, Star Trek, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Lovely Bones, Watchmen, maybe even GI Joe: Rise of Cobra.