My goal is to keep awards commentary to a minimum this year, so without further adieu, here are my (unexpectedly cynical) predictions for this week's upcoming nominees. Most of these I consider to be locks, but in filling in the remaining gaps, I found myself gravitating towards what seemed like the most cynically predictable choices Oscar would make any given year, a relative disappointment despite the fact that most of them are actually good in my estimation. Suffice to say that any instance in which I'm wrong (i.e. the complete disinclusion of WALL·E from the major lineup, a snub for Michelle Williams) will find myself incredibly happy to be so.

BEST PICTURE
Will be nominated: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Gran Torino, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire

Should be nominated: Wendy and Lucy, Rachel Getting Married, Speed Racer, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, WALL·E

BEST DIRECTOR

Will be nominated: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino), David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), Gus Van Sant (Milk)

Should be nominated: Gus Van Sant (Paranoid Park), Steven Spielberg (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), Kelly Reichardt (Wendy and Lucy), Larry and Andy Wachowski (Speed Racer), Andrew Stanton (WALL·E)

BEST ACTOR

Will be nominated: Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino), Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nison), Sean Penn (Milk), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Should be nominated: WALL·E (WALL·E), Sean Penn (Milk), Josh Brolin (W.), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), Guillaume Depardieu (The Duchess of Langeais)

BEST ACTRESS

Will be nominated: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Meryl Streep (Doubt), Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)

Should be nominated: Michelle Williams (Wendy and Lucy), Juliette Binoche (Flight of the Red Balloon), Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky), Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Meryl Streep (Doubt)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Will be nominated: Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

Should be nominated: Bill Irwin (Rachel Getting Married), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder), David Strathairn (My Blueberry Nights), Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Will be nominated: Penelope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona), Viola Davis (Doubt), Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler), Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Should be nominated: Emmanuelle Béart (The Witnesses), Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married), Debra Winger (Rachel Getting Married), Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler), Thandie Newton (RocknRolla)

Labels: awards, awards 08, oscar, oscar 09