EARLY OSCAR PICKS

It's still too early to have any conclusive idea of what this coming year's Oscar Nominations/Awards will bring, but I know I have my personal favrorites, and a good idea of what may be up for awards. Keeping in mind that there are a number of films I have yet to see that could potentially be up for awards (THERE WILL BE BLOOD, JUNO, SWEENEY TODD, THE DIVING BELL & THE BUTTERFLY, MARGOT AT THE WEDDING, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, ATONEMENT, THE KITE RUNNER, CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR, and THE GREAT DEBATERS), I have a general idea of what should be nominated. Below are my personal favorites (not saying they'll be up for anything come nomination hour) for the year thus far:

BEST PICTURE

THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
ZODIAC
INTO THE WILD
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
AMERICAN GANGSTER

runners up: BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD, THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE, MICHAEL CLAYTON

BEST DIRECTOR

Andrew Doiminik (JESSE JAMES)
David Fincher (ZODIAC)
Sean Penn (INTO THE WILD)
Joel & Ethan Coen (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN)
Ridley Scott (AMERICAN GANGSTER)

runners up: Sidney Lumet (BEFORE THE DEVIL), Tony Gilroy (MICHAEL CLAYTON), Susanne Bier (THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE)

BEST ACTOR

Emile Hirsch (INTO THE WILD)
Benicio Del Toro (THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE)
Philip Seymour Hoffman (BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD)
Christian Bale (RESCUE DAWN)
Denzel Washington (AMERICAN GANGSTER)

runners up: Viggo Mortensen (EASTERN PROMISES), Samuel L. Jackson (BLACK SNAKE MOAN), Casey Affleck (JESSE JAMES and GONE BABY GONE), Brad Pitt (JESSE JAMES), Russell Crowe (AMERICAN GANGSTER and 3:10 TO YUMA) and Matt Damon (BOURNE ULTIMATUM)

*the number of exceptional leading male performances this year is utterly staggering.

BEST ACTRESS

Keri Russell (WAITRESS)
Halle Berry (THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE)
Cate Blanchett (I'M NOT THERE)
Katherine Heigel (KNOCKED UP)
Christina Ricci (BLACK SNAKE MOAN)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Steven Zaillian (AMERICAN GANGSTER)
Steve Knight (EASTERN PROMISES)
Tony Gilroy (MICHAEL CLAYTON)
Allan Loeb (THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE)
Kelly Masterson (BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Joel & Ethan Coen (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN)
Sean Penn (INTO THE WILD)
Andrew Dominik (THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD)
James Vanderbilt (ZODIAC)
Ben Affleck & Aaron Stockard (GONE BABY GONE)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Roger Deakins (THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD)
Roger Deakins (NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN)
Eric Gautier (INTO THE WILD)
Harris Savides (ZODIAC)
Larry Fong (300)