Oscar Watch 14.0

This is it. Movies are watched and picks are made - in the big categories, in the little ones, all the way around. The competition within the family is always furious - the winner of the pool gets bragging rights and that's about it, but apparently for us, it's enough. Even though I see many of the nominated films, I don't always win the pool, usually due to my incessant need to go with what I want to win and not what will likely take the prize. We'll see how it goes this year! Drumroll please...

Best Picture: I picked "Slumdog Millionaire" because I bet it will win. If I were an Oscar voter with a real ballot, I'd still pick "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." It stands out even now as the most well-rounded of all the films, and I will stand my ground on that.

Best Director: I'll go with Danny Boyle for "Slumdog Millionaire" though I'd love to see David Fincher get it for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." His ability to combine cutting edge special effects with deeply moving performances in an epic film amazes me.

Best Actor: A close call, but I'm going with Sean Penn in "Milk." Incidentally, this is also my choice as the best of the year. Mickey Rourke comes a close second and I won't be surprised if he won, but Sean Penn's Harvey Milk resonates more and more.

Best Actress: Another close one. I've picked Kate Winslet in "The Reader" in a real slugfest with Meryl Streep in "Doubt." I think Kate wins it by a hair and is my choice as the best. Though I do agree with some recent rumblings that if any other actress acted as well as Meryl Streep, she'd win hands-down. Meryl Streep is so good in everything, it works against her apparently.

Best Supporting Actor: Of course my pick is Heath Ledger and everyone in the pool, even those who typically go against the grain, has picked him. Alive or dead, it's the best performance of the bunch this year.

Best Supporting Actress: Might as well stick the names in a hat and pick one randomly. These ladies are all so good, I still can't decide. I finally marked my ballot for Taraji P. Henson in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" but don't even know as of now if she's really my choice as the best. Anyone who wins this one deserves it wholeheartedly and it should be exciting just to see who does take it. I think it might be Penelope Cruz, but as evident with my pick, I think the advance buzz could be wrong. Good, tense races like this make it fun!

So, the tension builds until the big spectacle tonight. I'm especially anxious to see Hugh Jackman as the host and for the rumored Baz Luhrmann song-and-dance numbers. Most of all, I can't wait to see who wins what, what surprises may come, and which stunner packs the most emotional wallop. (Last year, hands down, it was Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard winning Best Song for Falling Slowly from the remarkable indie hit "Once.")

There's always something which warrants a rewind - and if you don't believe me, stop by sometime and we can review the Oscar ceremonies from the past fifteen or more years. Happy watching!