Oscar nom predictions

I started to exhaust myself by providing predictions for every category, then realized it (like the Oscars) was a stupid exercise (and one that everyone and their mother is doing). We all know Mirren, Whitaker, O'Toole, Murphy & Hudson, Little Miss Sunshine, The Departed and Babel will be up for the big prizes. You don't need me to contribute to that kind of media onanism (see AMPAS-approved photo at left). So here's a snapshot of tomorrow's quirks and blips: Cohen, the lady Gyllenhaal, Gosling, Arkin and Breslin will be up for acting; Meryl will too, but not for The Devil Wears Prada. Letters from Iwo Jima will rebound with a picture/director score; Dreamgirls will be left out of both. The director category will look remarkably different from the DGA: In addition to Eastwood, Cuaron will arrive and Greengrass will be back. Children of Men will pop up in at least five technical categories. The Departed will have the most nominations (I'm seeing eight). Still, none of these are true surprises ('cept for Meryl), so I'm going to go out on the shakiest of limbs: Bobby for picture, plus a script nod to Estevez, plus Laura Dern for Inland Empire. Deal with it, crackers.