Best Picture nominees:
‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’
‘Frost/Nixon’
‘Milk’
‘The Reader’
‘Slumdog Millionaire” Winner

Slumdog will take the Oscar home simply because it took everything home at the Golden Globes. It’s this year’s Juno, only it’s good and not up against anything.

Best Actor nominees:
Richard Jenkins, ‘The Visitor’
Brad Pitt, ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’
Frank Langella, ‘Frost/Nixon’
Sean Penn, ‘Milk” Winner
Mickey Rourke, ‘The Wrestler’

Penn just has the spirit of Harvey Milk. Penn looks, walks and talks like him. This was hands-down a great performance.

Best Actress nominees:
Anne Hathaway, ‘Rachel Getting Married’
Melissa Leo ‘Frozen River’
Meryl Street ‘Doubt’
Angelina Jolie ‘Changeling’
Kate Winslet ‘The Reader” Winner

No movie in this category ever appealed to me so I didn’t waste my time or money.

Best Supporting Actor nominees:
Josh Brolin, ‘Milk’
Robert Downey Jr. ,’Tropic Thunder’
Philip Seymour Hoffman, ‘Doubt’
Heath Ledger, ‘The Dark Knight” Winner
Michael Shannon, ‘Revolutionary Road’

This award should go to Downey Jr. with no questions asked. For him to play a dude playing dude disguised as another dude and work it so well in a comedy, well that just genius. But someone will take this one home for Ledger through via sympathy vote. His performance as the Joker was great, but if he were alive today would people be thinking the same way?

Best Supporting Actress nominees:
Amy Adams, ‘Doubt’
Penelope Cruz, ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona” Winner
Viola Davis, ‘Doubt’
Taraji P. Henson, ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’

I only saw Benjamin Button, but it doesn’t matter. I’m sure Henson is going to win it anyway.

Best Director nominees:
David Fincher, ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’
Ron Howard, ‘Frost/Nixon’
Gus Van Sant, ‘Milk’
Stephen Daldry, ‘The Reader’
Danny Boyle, ‘Slumdog Millionaire” Winner

Everyone just loves Slumdog. It will win. It was fun, not great, but again it’s not up against anything. People seem to be drawn to these low budget Sundance films. Christopher Nolan got screwed big time here. I can’t believe he didn’t even get nominated for ‘The Dark Knight.’

Best Animated Feature Film nominees:
‘Bolt’
‘Kung Fu Panda’
‘Wall-E” Winner

If ‘Wall-E’ doesn’t win it will confirm my theory that the Oscars are rigged. Pixar pushes the envelope with every movie they make.

Best Adapted Screenplay nominees:
‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’
‘Doubt’
‘Frost/Nixon’
‘The Reader’
‘Slumdog Millionaire” Winner

Slumdog will win. Do you see a trend here?

Look for Slumdog and ‘The Dark Knight’ to take home everything in their categories. Unfortunately ‘The Dark Knight’ won’t be taking home any individual honors.