Check out the Oscar should wins & will wins as picked by myself and other film writers and movie producers.
Here are my extended explanations that didn't fit onto the page:
LEADING ACTOR
Should win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
It is hardly worthy of discussion. Heck, even George Clooney has conceded to defeat. Day-Lewis consumes a meaty role and licks the bones clean, proving again his unparalleled dedication and talents.
LEADING ACTRESS
Should win: Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Will win: Julie Christie, Away from Her
Though Christie is sweetly fragile as a wife losing her marriage to dementia, Cotillard's brazen portrayal of a star constantly on the verge of destruction is mesmerizing.
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Should win: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Will win: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
I will have no complaints when Bardem wins for his bold interpretation of death incarnate and am disappointed that his costars were not nominated, but Affleck's desperate sycophant is so carefully nuanced that it deserves credit.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Should win: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Will win: Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
You never know where the Academy's sentiments will fall, but they should rest on Blanchett's transgendered shoulders after so effortlessly slipping into Bob Dylan's skin.
DIRECTING
Should win: Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Will win: Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Despite a pleasingly tough group of great contenders, the Coen Brothers stand out for their ability to direct a film that relies on physical subtleties and little dialogue -- not an easy feat.
BEST PICTURE
Should win: Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Will win: Joel & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Far more than a western shoot-'em-up, this dark film contemplates the value of life and the indiscriminate nature of death. Though There Will Be Blood is a laudable competitor, this meditative and affecting film makes a clean finish.