Oscar Nominations, My Predictions The Oscar Nominees have been announced. So, let's talk about them. First, let's acknowledge a few things. There will not be a single film that will 'sweep' the Oscars. Best Picture/Best Director will be split, just as last year. Best Actor/Actress awards will be for different films, as well. Overall, 2006 was a weak year in cinema, just like 2005. My predictions are in bold.

Best Picture: We have a minor upset in this category. Little Miss Sunshine, an indie comedy/drama received a nod and Dreamgirls didn't. It should also be noted that United 93 was not nominated. The winner will be either Babel or Letters from Iwo Jima. Longshot: The Departed. Thankfully, the two most over-hyped movies of the past several years, Borat and Dreamgirls, are not among the nominees.

Best Director: Martin Scorsese will win, after more than 30 years of making critically acclaimed films.

Best Actor: First, it should be noted that Sacha Baron Cohen was not nominated. Forest Whitaker is the likely winner, but I think DiCaprio actually has a shot, unlike at the Golden Globes. The big surprise in this category is that DiCaprio was not nominated for his performance in The Departed.

Best Actress: Helen Mirren will win. Next.

Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy got the Golden Globe, but the Oscar may go to Mark Wahlberg. Since Dreamgirls was not nominated for Picture, Eddie is not a sure thing.

Best Supporting Actress: An upset is possible, but more than likely Jennifer Hudson, of American Idol fame will win this one. The upset winner would be Abigail Breslin, the little girl in Little Miss Sunshine.

The only other minor categories that really interest me are Film Editing, Cinematography and Original Screenplay. Each of these races looks quite competitive, so I won't even guess who'll win.