Calling My Shot

Place your bets, call your shots, and give your local bookie a ring ~ its Oscar time. So in the spirit of making you the reader think I know more than I really do I am going to pick the winners for this year. Mind you, I haven’t seen a majority of these films, but I will try to offer brief explanation to my picks. With out much more to do…the nominees

Best Actor in a Leading Role

• Philip Seymour Hoffman Capote


• Terrence Howard Hustle & Flow


• Heath Ledger Brokeback Mountain


• Joaquin Phoenix Walk The Line


• David Strathairn Good Night, And Good Luck

Phillip Seymour Hoffman has been doing a fantastic job in a number of movies over the last few years. He has gotten snubbed in the past and the judges know that he has, his year he is due, that is money.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

• Judi Dench Mrs. Henderson Presents


• Felicity Huffman Transamerica


• Keira Knightley Pride & Prejudice


• Charlize Theron North Country


• Reese Witherspoon Walk the Line

The Desperate Housewife isnt going to get it, and neither is the Monster Baller, Charlize Theron. This year will go to the Legally Blond Reese Witherspoon for her role in the tale of Johnny Cash. *I have not seen any of these movies thus far.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• George Clooney Syriana


• Matt Dillon Crash


• Paul Giamatti Cinderella Man


• Jake Gyllenhaal Brokeback Mountain


• William Hurt A History of Violence

Paul Giamatti chose a heck of a year to give a great performance in Sideways last year going up against Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, and Don Cheadle. He didn't even get nominated, so this year he will taste the snub, Matt Dillon is my choice. He gave a heck of a performance in Crash playing the role of a seemingly racist LAPD officer, and has earned the statue. Hmm, so far I have given the Oscar darling of 2006, Brokeback Mountain a doughnut thus far, shall we continue...?

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Amy Adams Junebug


• Catherine Keener Capote


• Frances McDormand North Country


• Rachel Weisz The Constant Gardener


• Michelle Williams Brokeback Mountain

This is a complete roll of the dice, and well why not the Constant Gardener getting a little somethin' somethin'?

Best Achievement in Directing

• George Clooney Good Night, and Good Luck.


• Paul Haggis Crash


• Ang Lee Brokeback Mountain


• Bennett Miller Capote


• Steven Spielberg Munich

Yup, Ang Lee is going to win this award for his work on Brokeback Mountain. For all the hype and praise this movie has received I don't see any other real competitor.

Movie of the Year

• Brokeback Mountain


• Capote


• Crash


• Good Night, and Good Luck.


• Munich

Oh, it hurts to do that because Crash really is a fantastic movie, and really is my *real* pick for the winner, but I see the Broke machine leaving with one of the large awards it was nominated for. There seemed to be two major players with this one, Brokeback Mountain and Crash, both which have received hype as of late making it seem like a two film race. Wouldn't it be funny if Good Night, and Good Luck won?

So there it is, let me know what you think if you comment before the awards start. If you post after, you can thank me for helping you make all that money with my predictions. Isn't there some sort of percetage involved? ;-)