(School) Week Long Oscar Coverage

Since it's only five days until the Oscars, we're calling it our "School Week-Long Coverage" (5 Days = School Week.... Not so funny if you have to explain it...).


Now, for all of you in Oscar Pools (Hi Julia!) we're gonna put up odds for each catagory (only the main/semi-main ones):

BEST PICTURE:
No Country for Old Men - [Odds = 3:1] Its the front runner right now and not much seems to be changing.
There Will Be Blood - [Odds = 5:1] Its not totally unlikely for it to upset NCFOM, and the chances are looking a little better each day...
Juno - [Odds = 8:1] Heres how Juno could win -- it gets a decent amount of vote and NCFOM and TWBB split votes, though thats probably how TWBB would win too, so don't count on it. In the end its just a little to hip for the voters.
Michael Clayton - [Odds = 10:1] This may suprise you, but its really not that far behind Juno in terms of likeliness. Its a really great film with three acting noms but its got no buzz and is blindsighted by the other movies. Though its not crazy that you might see a very interesting suprise on sunday night.
Atonement - [Odds = 12:1] Once again, not to far behind the other movies, but its too much of an oscar bait (epic love story, ensamble cast, war, lies, wounds the time wont heal, cliche, cliche, cliche...). It'll have to settle for the golden globe.

BEST ACTOR:
Daniel Day-Lewis - [Odds = 2:1} No brainer.
Johnney Depp - [Odds = 7:1] Good, but the academy hates him. He'll likely be the next Peter O'Toole: Nominated every year until the day he dies.
George Clooney - [Odds = 10:1] He got the Oscar for the wrong movie two years back and now that he's actually in an Oscar-Worthy preformance, its no-go.
NOTE: Viggo Morteson and Tommy Lee Jones can be smiling and cheering for Daniel Day-Lewis on Sunday.

BEST ACTRESS:
Julie Christie - [Odds = 3:1] She hits the nail on head in every way: An aging (check) woman (check) whos losing her mind (check, and pun intended)>
Marion Cortillard - [Odds = 6:1] Not crazy to think she has a shot. The oscars for best actress have gone to actressess playing reall women the last 8 out of the times, so who knows...
Ellen Page - [Odds = 8:1] Not horrible odds, but i think the Academy has realized shes cute and really good in Juno, but not great (see Hard Candy!)
Laura Linney - {Odds = 16:1] It would take a lot, and i mean A LOT of things to happen in order for her to win (so, its a no.)
Cate Blanchett - [Odds = 20:1] Filler Nom. This, right now, should have been Anjelinia's spot. All that Blanchett is, is a good actress in a $#*!!y movie.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Javier Bardem - [Odds = 5:2 (ie. 2.5:1)] He's got this. One of the greatest villians of our time (says too many people).
Casey Affleck - {Odds = 7:1] No. Before, there could have been an upset, but no. Casey is really good buuutttt... no.
Hal Hollbrok - [Odds = 8:1] I don't care what people say, not even the "sympathy/'he's old and an acting vetran'" shtick will help him get this.
Tom Wilkinson - [Odds = 10:1] Let me just say, it just took me 2 minutes to remember his name, and thats how the Academy reacts to his name on the ballot. He was superb, but the was zilch buzz for this film. Theres a small fraction of hope however, you just need to clap you hands and say "I do believe in upset, I do believe in upsets".
That was a bad Peter Pan joke for all of you wondering... so Yea...

Phillip Seymore Hoffman - [Odds = Odds? Yeah, Right! Good One!] Just like Cate, he's a filler nom. The only differnce is that he's good in this film, but not nearly good enough.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Cate Blanchett - [Odds = 7:2 (ie. 3.5:1)] What made this great is that it sticks out and the role is just so original, how can you resist voting for it?
Amy Ryan - [Odds = 5:1] The monster mom lost buzz and it doesn't look to good for her as she suffered from buzz-too-early.
Tilda Swinton - [Odds = 7:1] Ok, for those nay-sayers, she is begining to have a real chance. Buzz is growing everyday for her (as oppossed to the rest of the film) and she is great in it, but is the buzz happening to late?
Ruby Dee - [Odds = 8:1] Who cares what she one, no one saw the film and the age/vetran factor wont help you against these nominies.
Soarse Ronan - [Odds = 13:1] She is long forgotten about, as is the rest of the film... It looked like a maybe when it was first announced, but now its just a big fat N-O.

Consensus:
Best Picture: No Country is the safe bet, but keep an eye on Blood... You never know...
Best Actor: Three Words -- Danial Day-Lewis(is it two words because it hyphinated?)
Best Actress: Probably Christe, but don't count out Cortillard and maybe even Ms. Page because she could... Oh who am I kidding, I have no faith in Juno. Yeah, its Christe vs. Cortillard
Best Supp. Actor: Bardem. Bardem. Bardem. Oh wait, and did i mention Bardem?
Best Supp. Actress: This is the only toughy. My moneys on Blanchett, but I understand those who'r gonna put the money on Ryan. Dee or Swinton could surprise... but don't count on it.

BEST DIRECTOR, BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY comming soon...