oscar picks?

How about some Oscar picks? You know, I've been looking all day for a place to stream the oscars online, but no luck thus far. Not having a tv and living in the land of kilts and haggis is not boding well. Normally I wouldn't care, but as there are a bunch of really good movies nominated for oscars this year, I do wish I could watch. Oh well. Anyway, here they are -- not my predictions, mind you, but my picks. If all was right in the world, good and just and everybody could understand that I am always right, these would be the winners:

Best Picture: There Will Be Blood. I know that No Country For Old Men will probably win, but it shouldn't. There Will Be Blood is monumental, groundbreaking, epic -- I saw it a week ago and I'm still too speechless to even write up my thoughts on the thing. I need to see it again. Several times.

Best Director: If I were thinking diplomatically, I would say the Coen Brothers deserve this one, because their back-catalog is so strong on top of No Country, which is a brilliant little film. But I'm very torn, because P.T. Anderson has done such a stunning thing this year. I guess I'd give it to the Coens, and expect that Anderson's next film is going to be so undeniably fantastic that there will be no doubt he will win then. I should make the disclaimer that I have yet to see The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, so I can't speak about that nomination.

Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis, absolutely no question. Though I do have to say I was surprised by what a nuanced little performance George Clooney pulled off in Michael Clayton. Nothing compares to Lewis though. Seriously.

Best Actress: Ok, I've actually only seen Juno -- for some reason the movies with meaty roles for women rarely appeal to me. Not enough blood, maybe? Anyway, Ellen Page was great, but I'm not gonna make any pick in this category.

Supporting Actress: Ditto -- the only one I caught was Michael Clayton, and I wasn't particularly moved by Tilda Swinton's performance in that.

Supporting Actor: I am fairly certain Javier Bardem is going to win this one, but if all were right in the world, I have to say the award would go to Casey Affleck -- it was a more challenging role, and he totally slaughtered it. Don't get me wrong, Bardem is fantastic. I just think Affleck is more fantastic.

Cinematography: I feel very passionate about this one. I think that The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is hands down the most beautifully shot movie made in a very long time. It blew me away, and even though There Will Be Blood comes a close second for me in this category, there is no question in my mind that Jesse James deserves it.

Music (Score): Just a comment here that Jonny Greenwood was totally and completely robbed. I don't know what the controversy was, but his score for There Will Be Blood is easily the best score this year.

Music (Song): Once. Ok, I didn't see any of the other films, but that song in Once is so lovely, it should win regardless. I'm sure it's more lovely than the other songs nominated.

Sound Editing: There Will Be Blood. For the opening scene alone. It's not even a contest, really.

Adapted Screenplay: The Coen Brothers have made absolutely the most perfect adaptation of a novel to the screen ever. Seriously. They made No Country For Old Men look like it did in my head when I read the book. Perfect.

Original Screenplay: Juno, though I haven't seen The Savages. On a side note, how the hell did Lars and the Real Girl get nominated? That movie was bad, the writing was awful, it was barely watchable and then only because of moderately descent performances.

These are the only categories I want to comment on, because the others are full of movies I haven't watched. If all was good and right in the world. Hm, I want to go to the movies now.