The Academy Awards 2008 Predictions including "Best Picture", "Best Director", "Best Actori", "Best Actress", "Best Supporitng Actor" and "Best Supporting Actress" from various blogs and sites:

Best Picture:

Oscar Frenzy: "Well, well, well. It all comes down to this, right? “The Kite Runner” is out for reasons specified above. “His Dark Materials” is probably not going to win since it’s the first of a trilogy and “Atonement” may not have a wide enough appeal. That means the race comes down to “Reservation Road” vs. “My Blueberry Nights.” You would think the obvious choice is “Reservation,” since it’s a serious drama with hefty, possible award-winning performances and backed by Focus. But we still feel it may be a bit too dark and depressing to snag the top prize. Call us crazy, but this may just very well be the first year since 1998 (”Shakespeare in Love”) that another romantic comedy beats them all. It would be fitting, actually, since it is exactly a decade later. Our pick for 2008 Best Motion Picture is “My Blueberry Nights"."

Alternative Film Guide Blog: "No Country for Old Men. Until late last week, things were still somewhat murky in the best film race. No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood were the front-runners, while Juno was the dark horse that could potentially upset the heavy-drama heavyweights. But after the SAG best ensemble and DGA wins, No Country for Old Men, about a drug deal gone murderously wrong, has become the official front-runner."

BetFirms Blog: "Best Picture is a tough one this year, but Juno will likely take the cake on this one. The hot new cast and buzz worthy stripper-turned-screen writer (yep, it’s true) has caught everyone’s eye in the past few months. This fresh story has caught the attention of day time talk shows everywhere and it’s doubtful that it will lose any publicity in the next few weeks. Rivaled by Atonement and No Country for Old Men, the Grammy could very well be stolen by any one of these note worthy blockbusters."

John's  Movie Blog: "No Country for Old Men, pure and simple. It is the best of the lot and the most unanimously praised. There was a time when There Will Be Blood was considered a serious threat but the DGA and PGA wins for the Coens' film are clear indicators that No Country for Old Men is not budging. Some feel that if those two films split among their target audiences, Juno might take the crown but it is still a little too feathery and lightweight (which is probably like Little Miss Sunshine last year). As for Michael Clayton and Atonement, the nominations are their ultimate rewards (though I think Atonement is the close second here)."

Best Director: 

John's  Movie Blog: "Again, there is no dethroning the Coen brothers here. They are the only ones with a previous nomination and not even the Academy’s purported bias against duo directors will stop them from getting this one. The others like P.T. Anderson, Julian Schnabel, Tony Gilroy and Jason Reitman may go on to win an Oscar® but in a category that has so many directors who are relatively new to or normally work outside the normal Hollywood system, the Coens are the veterans and are thought to be long due."

Alternative Film Guide Blog: "Joel and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men By now the Coen brothers are veterans; they’ve been around for more than two decades and neither one has ever won a best director Oscar. Joel Coen was nominated in 1996 for Fargo, but lost to Anthony Minghella for The English Patient. (Until The Ladykillers in 2004, in which they were billed as directors, producers [along with a few other names], writers, and editors [as "Roderick Jaynes"], the Coen brothers shared credit for their films by naming Joel the director and Ethan the producer.) It’s the Coens’ turn now — and they’ve won this year’s DGA Award, the first pair to do so since Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins won for West Side Story back in 1961 (or early 1962, whenever the DGA ceremony was held)."

Oscar Frenzy: "It could be close between Forster and George, and we wouldn’t necessarily expect this award to line up with Best Picture given the frequency of splits over the last ten years. We say George takes it in a close one."

Best Actor:

John's  Movie Blog: "Yet another category that has very little contesting. This one is Daniel Day-Lewis’ to lose for There Will Be Blood. That film will likely potentially be a big loser on Oscar® night so Lewis’ win will be a way to reward it in some way (and he was the thread that did hold P.T. Anderson’s at times screw-loose vision together). I am happy enough that my personal pick, Tommy Lee Jones for In the Valley of Elah was awarded with a nomination for essentially carrying that film on his thespian shoulders and also for Viggo Mortensen in Eastern Promises. George Clooney is a fairly recent Oscar® winner and as many women would like to see their own heartthrob, Johnny Depp win for Sweeney Todd, there will be another time."

Oscar Frenzy: "Joaquin Phoenix will be one of the favorites for his turn in “Reservation Road” just a few years off a career-defining performance in “Walk the Line.” But he will be going up against the ever-popular and beloved Johnny Depp in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Depp, with his endless array of amazing performances, is one of two actors that you just KNOW will win an Oscar one day (the other being DiCaprio). If “Sweeney” is as good as advertised, he’ll be making his first trip to the podium."

BetFirms Blog: "The category for best actor is filled with actors that have likely seen this nomination coming from miles away. They act like they had no idea it was coming but we know that it’s all a big game. It must be because these guys are right on the money with their big hits this year; George Clooney for Michael Clayton, Johnny Depp in Sweeny Todd, and Daniel Day Lewis in There Will be Blood. I’d say Johnny Depp will probably come out on top of this category with his creepy role in Sweeny Tood. Creepy or not, this guy can act and he knows a thing or two about how to win awards. If anything, Daniel Day Lewis will steal this one away from him."

Alternative Film Guide Blog: "Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood. George Clooney (for Michael Clayton) might have been the sentimental favorite for he’s a local Hollywood-ite, while Daniel Day-Lewis, who plays a ruthless oil baron in There Will Be Blood, is an Englishman living in Ireland. Clooney, however, won an Oscar (for Syriana) a mere two years ago, while Day-Lewis’ SAG win has solidified his position as this year’s front-runner."

Best Actress:

BetFirms Blog: "And the Juno buzz continues. Best actess will undeniably go to new actress, Ellen Page from Juno. She might be new to this scene but she looked like a natural in this film, depicting the laid back, high school student that gets pregnant accidentally. The young starlet will turn 21 just days before the awards show airs and it’s likely her birthday present will be that infamous gold plated Grammy. My guess is she’ll be toasting a little champagne to that."

Alternative Film Guide Blog: "Julie Christie, Away from Her Until the SAG Awards, it was a three-lane race: veteran Julie Christie for Away from Her, Marion Cotillard for La Vie en rose, and Ellen Page for Juno — by far the biggest box-office hit among the films nominated in the best actress category. As a result of her SAG win, Julie Christie, for her portrayal of a woman suffering from Alzheimer’s, is now the front-runner."

John's  Movie Blog: "Finally, a category with potential for some curve balls and this is where I am going on a little whim with my prediction. I know the precursors from the critics and the SGA dictate that Julie Christie will win here for Away From Her but I have a feeling that the sentimental vote will not pass here. Older veterans are usually quite rare in leading categories and the Academy also likes to give a boost for rising younger actors and actresses in the leading categories (think of Adrien Brody’s first win for The Pianist in 2002 when all the other four nominees were previous winners). Christie does not deserve it this year anyway and I can sense audiences wanting the truly deserving contender, Marion Cotillard to win for bringing the heart and soul of Edith Piaf to life in La Vie en Rose. Also, since globalization has lately been quite big in the Oscars®, I think this trend will continue with Javier Bardem likely to win for Best Supporting Actor. Ellen Page may be able to sneak in for Juno but the voters will feel she is a little too young at the age of 20. Cate Blanchett will likely get her award in the supporting category and Laura Linney will gain enough respect in future years to possibly walk up to the Oscar® podium another year."

Oscar Frenzy: "For the second year in a row, this category is loaded. Keira Knightley, Jennifer Connelly, Naomi Watts, Natalie Portman, and Angelina Jolie are all bona fide contenders. If Jolie’s film “A Mighty Heart,” (the story of journalist Daniel Pearl) is very good, look for her to be the frontrunner. But we’re going to totally go out on a limb and pick the unlikeliest of contenders…Norah Jones for “My Blueberry Nights.” If Jennifer Hudson can win an Oscar, we see now reason why the talented Ms. Jones can’t make the leap."

Best Supporting Actor:

Oscar Frenzy: "We feel most confident about this one. Mark Ruffalo has been an outstanding character actor and he’s in at least two very good films in 2007, “Zodiac,” and “Reservation Road.” He’ll win his first golden statuette for “Reservation Road.”"

Alternative Film Guide Blog: "Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men. Javier Bardem — the third non-American in this list — was the favorite from the very start. He’s won nearly every US film critics’s group award, in addition to the Golden Globe and the SAG Award, for his turn as a demonic killer."

BetFirms Blog: "Best Supporting Actor is most likely going to go home with Javier Bardem from No Country for Old Men. Born in Spain, Bardem has a diverse acting background that has already lead him to receive an Academy Award nomination once before (2000) and it’s likely that he’ll soon be the proud owner of not only the nomination but the coveted award. This Frankenstein-like man will scare you shitless every time he appears on screen but he’s got that “it-factor” that will likely snag this award."

John's  Movie Blog: "Javier Bardem for No Country for Old Men, no contesto. His character has even been compared to the best cinematic villains like Hannibal Lecter and the potential awards sweep of that film won’t leave him out (plus he is thought to be long due). There won’t even be room for a sentimental vote for a senior veteran like Hal Holbrook for Into the Wild (I’m trying really hard to contain my urge to make an ironic pun here) and the other nominees are non-contenders."

Best Supporting Actress: 

Alternative Film Guide Blog: "Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men. Javier Bardem — the third non-American in this list — was the favorite from the very start. He’s won nearly every US film critics’s group award, in addition to the Golden Globe and the SAG Award, for his turn as a demonic killer."

John's  Movie Blog: "Cate Blanchett seemed like the solid favorite here for a long time for I’m Not There until Ruby Dee nabbed a surprising win at the SAG awards for American Gangster. But the SAG awards are usually more privy to sentimental votes than the Oscars® and thus Dee’s winning for a performance in just a handful of scenes is less likely. Amy Ryan’s Gone Baby Gone, I think, is the biggest potential spoiler here, as she has swept most of the critics’ awards but Blanchett has two nods this year and the Academy loves her too much. Saoirse Ronan's nomination for Atonement is a big enough boost for her promising career and hopefully more people will see Tilda Swinton's work to recognize her in the future."

BetFirms Blog: "Finally, Best Supporting female actress is a tight race as well. Cate Blanchet is a star from the start and an award winning famous face. But it’s hard to tell if she’ll take this one for her role in, I’m not There, a film about Bob Dylan and his interesting life from childhood. With Amy Ryan also in the pool of nominees this year for her solid role in Gone Baby Gone, it’s tough to tell who will be the winner here. Blanchett and Ryan’s roles in these very different films are off the charts but neck and neck until they announce the winner." 

Oscar Frenzy: "Ruby Dee, American Gangster. This is still a messy category. It’s true that not every SAG Award winner goes on to win the Oscar, but considering that Ruby Dee is a longtime veteran, that Cate Blanchett (up for I’m Not There) has already won an Oscar (for The Aviator), and that Amy Ryan (for Gone Baby Gone) is well known on Broadway but not in Hollywood, since this past Sunday Dee has unexpectedly become the front-runner."

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