So, I've just gotten back from looking at "The Film Experience" 's early Oscar predictions for 2009. Now, making predictions this early in the year is always a long-shot, because you never know what movies might pop up in the last few months of the year that currently don't have a trailer or poster to show. Let's remember, around this time in 2007, everyone had "Atonement" and "Reservation Road" on their lists, but not a soul even considered "No Country for Old Men", "There Will Be Blood", "Michael Clayton", or "Juno" until the very end of the year. In fact, "No Country" and "Blood" didn't jump onto people's radars until there trailers surfaced around October/November. Or more recently, in 2008, when NO ONE had "Slumdog Millionaire" on their predictions until its successful screenings at the Toronto Film Festival, all while touting "Revolutionary Road", "Changeling", and "Australia" as sure bets for Best Picture nominations.

Nevertheless, I've decided to try and make my own predictions, knowing full well that I'll probably end up laughing at these come November/December/Awards season. However, I do think that maybe I can do better than The Film Experience (don't get me wrong though, it's a FANTASTIC FANTASTIC SITE), starting with a few notable changes. All that faith in "Precious"? Gone. Benicio Del Toro for Best Actor for "The Wolf Man"? NOPE. So, without further adieu, these are Jbaker475's Ridiculously Early Oscar Predictions(no rankings):

Best Picture:

• Avatar
• The Lovely Bones
• Nine
• The Human Factor
• Shutter Island

Other contenders: Bright Star, Public Enemies (not likely), Los Abrazos Rotos, A Serious Man, Tree of Life (assuming the 2009 release sticks)

Best Director:

• James Cameron - Avatar
• Peter Jackson - The Lovely Bones
• Rob Marshall - Nine
• Clint Eastwood - The Human Factor
• Martin Scorcese - Shutter Island

Other contenders: Jane Campion - Bright Star, John Hillcoat - The Road, Pedro Almodovar - Los Abrazos Rotos, Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino, Terrence Malick - Tree of Life, the Coens - A Serious Man

Best Actor:

• Leonardo DiCaprio - Shutter Island
• Daniel Day-Lewis - Nine (never underestimate this man...EVER)
• Morgan Freeman - The Human Factor
• Christopher Plummer - The Last Station
• Mark Wahlberg??? - The Lovely Bones

Other Contenders: Depp - Public Enemies, Matt Damon - The Informant, Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker, Viggo Mortensen - The Road, Javier Bardem - Biutiful, Sam Worthington - Avatar

Best Actress:

• Saoirse Ronan - The Lovely Bones
• Emily Watson - Within the Whirlwind (if it comes out this year)
• Penelope Cruz - Los Abrazos Rotos
• Michelle Pfeiffer - Cheri
• Abbie Cornish - Bright Star

Other Contenders: Amy Adams - Julie and Julia, Audrey Tatou - Coco avant Chanel, Hilary Swank - Amelia, Helen Mirren - The Last Station, Gabbourey Sidibe - Precious, Rachel Weisz - Agora

Best Supporting Actor:

• Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones
• Matt Damon - The Human Factor
• Christopher Waltz - Inglourious Basterds
• Paul Scheider - Bright Star
• James McAvoy - The Last Station

Other Contenders: Alfred Molina - An Education, Mark Ruffalo - Shutter Island, Richard Kind - A Serious Man, Kodi Smit-McPhee - The Road, Bill Nighy - The Boat that Rocked, Christian Bale - Public Enemies

Best Supporting Actress:

• Meryl Streep - Julie and Julia
• Judi Dench - Nine (at least one of the Nine ladies is getting in...but which one!?)
• Emily Mortimer - Shutter Island
• Rachel Weisz - The Lovely Bones
• Michelle Williams - Shutter Island

Other Contenders: Mo'nique - Precious, Patricia Clarkson - Whatever Works, Marion Cotillard - Public Enemies, Kathy Bates - Cheri, Penelope Cruz - Nine, Nicole Kidman - Nine, Marion Cotillard - Nine, Leslie Mann - Funny People, Sigourney Weaver - Avatar

Well there they are. Feel free to comment, mock, praise, etc... And I'm sure we can all get together and laugh at these when the Golden Globe nominations come out. *sigh* Good times....