Collegiate Times

It's that time of year again. Oscar Season will officially come to a close when Hollywood's highest honors are handed out Sunday at 8 p.m.

When the writers' strike officially came to a close last week, I wasn't thinking of "Grey's Anatomy" or "The Office."  I was elated over the fact that we will have a real Oscar ceremony - unlike the starless Golden Globe disaster that took place back in January.

Indeed, the stars will be in attendance on Sunday. I can safely say that, this year, there will be surprises.  Let's talk about the nominees.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Nominees: Casey Affleck for "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," Javier Bardem for "No Country for Old Men," Philip Seymour Hoffman for "Charlie Wilson's War," Hal Holbrook for "Into the Wild," and Tom Wilkinson for "Michael Clayton."

Predicted Winner: Javier Bardem for 'No Country for Old Men'

The two best actor categories are the closest locks of the season, beginning with Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men." Bardem's Anton Chigurh has been called the best villain since Hannibal Lector; and no, it wasn't just the haircut. I held my breath every time Bardem was on screen.  With almost the entire batch of precursor awards, I'd say Bardem is about to be a first-time winner.  Possible upsets? Casey Affleck has been getting a lot of buzz for acting circles around Brad Pitt in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." Also, Hal Holbrook could take the veteran award for "Into the Wild," as Alan Arkin managed to do last year in a surprise win over Eddie Murphy.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Nominees: Cate Blanchett for "I'm Not There," Ruby Dee for "American Gangster," Saoirse Ronan for "Atonement," Amy Ryan for "Gone Baby Gone," and Tilda Swinton for "Michael Clayton"

Predicted Winner: Tilda Swinton for 'Michael Clayton'

This category has been the most sporadic and unpredictable of the season. I could basically make an argument for any of these ladies to win. However, Swinton has one key advantage - "Michael Clayton" is nominated for Best Picture. The Academy loved "Michael Clayton," but it has virtually no chance in any other category.  

Therefore, I'm somewhat confident that Swinton will be "Michael Clayton's" consolation prize.  However, there's upset potential surrounding her on all sides.  At one point, it was Blanchett's Oscar to lose. She won the Golden Globe back in January, but she's lost a lot of momentum lately. Dee, who managed to pick up the SAG award, is in the same position as Hal Holbrook in the Best Supporting Actor Category, the veteran actress whose clock is ticking.  

Ryan has been this year's critical darling, snagging the majority of critics' circle awards. Even Saoirse Ronan could manage a surprise win, as the Academy loves to award young talent in this category. At 12, Anna Paquin took home an Oscar in 1994 for "The Piano," the second youngest actor ever to do so. At this point, I'm taking a leap with Swinton, but this category is essentially anyone's game.

Best Actor

Nominees: George Clooney for "Michael Clayton," Daniel Day Lewis for "There Will Be Blood," Johnny Depp for "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," Tommy Lee Jones for "In the Valley of Elah," and Viggo Mortensen for "Eastern Promises"

Predicted Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis for 'There Will Be Blood'

It's Daniel Day-Lewis. Why?  He's got the SAG, the Golden Globe, the BAFTA, and almost a clean sweep with the critics' awards. Plus, he's regarded as one of - if not the - best actors of his generation.  The only possible upset I'll offer is Viggo Mortensen, a well-respected character actor who's never been awarded for his work before.

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