Best Actor is a really tough race this year.    All the nominees deserve to be included.  And there was really no one this year who was left out, as there can only be a small number of them and although I think Brad Pitt is good, not great, he didn't deserve to be included and was left off not as a snub but because it was not his year.

Leonardo DiCaprio should win.  The guy has been cheated before, losing to Jamie Foxx who won previously for "Ray."  Leo was at the top of his game in "The Aviator" and it pained me to see him lose that night.  But can this be his year ? I hope so.  "Blood Diamonds" is a movie who made us think and Leo's acting made us feel and want to see him win.    Ryan Gosling is really turning into a great actor, but his work in "Half Nelson" is not really strong enough to compete with Leo or veteran actor Peter O'Toole in "Venus."  Then you have Forest Whitacker's "The Last King of Scotland," which got him the great honor of a Golden Globe, but I think his performance doesn't come close to the great performance of Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness."  Will is strong and if Leo should lose it should only be to Will.   Though I really am rooting again this year for Leo.  He's earned it.  DiCaprio should be the Leading Actor of 2007

The Leading Actress  honor is Helen Mirren's.   "The Queen" was spectacular.  Someone recently told me they saw it on a plane and didn't really get into it because all of the actors looked so similar to the real royal family.  That may hurt the movie in my opinion.   Sometimes directors are too concerned with physical attributes in actors than their actual acting ability.  But Helen did an excellent job in the film and if she loses, it had better be to fellow Brit Dame Judi Dench, who was brilliant and scary in "Notes on a Scandal."  Dench has not won every award she's deserved but if she won, I would not be bothered.   The one who is in this category that does bother me is Penelope Cruz for "Volver."  She's pretty, she's good but not great and they need to save this category for the truly greats like nominees Kate Winslett "Little Children" and Meryl Streep for "The Devil wears Prada."  Rumor has had it for the last decade everyone feels Meryl's been the front runner in getting the award. All of her work is excellent but I am among the minority who hated this movie.   Meryl saves the film but doesn't deserve to beat out Helen or Judi just because of that.

Oustanding Supporting Actor will be Eddie Murphy.   Eddie is excellent in this film and I am afraid the release of his latest movie may harm his chances that Academy members may see him as a lightweight when watching that movie, which I won't name.  Don't be so short sighted people, the man deserves it for "Dreamgirls."  No one in this category even comes close.  Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed, Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine," both were good in their roles, no they were great, but don't come to the level Murphy does in his movie.  And Leo made his "Blood Diamonds" costar Djimon Hounso do his best work ever.   Remember this smoldering actor in "Gladiator" and "Amistad?"  Well, he's only improved in his work.   But no way ! It's Eddie's.

Give the Supporting Actress award, the night's first to Cate Blanchett.  Forget she just won one and give it to her.  Her work in "Bable" was good but "Notes on a Scandal" a very timely movie for Americans, was her best work ever.  The lady is just on fire and don't put the flame out yet.   Her costars are superb in their roles as well.  Adriana Barazza was good in "Babel" and was the only actor in that movie other than Blanchett who deserved to  receive a nomination, maybe the subject matter was a bit depressing.  Even Blanchett couldn't save the movie for me.   Jennifer Hudson for "Dreamgirls" is the favorite to win, probably will, but I don't think she deserves the Oscar over Blanchett and certainly not Blanchett's "Babel" costar Rinko Kikuchi who I did not like at all and rounding it out with another who is not Oscar worthy but could win is, Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine." 

Best Picture is a given.  Should be "The Queen" but I keep hearing rumors that "Babel" is getting a lot of buzz at many screenings.   Too dreary for me, but to each his own.  "Letters from Iwo Jima" is also being discussed among voters.   Eastwood's best work yet, I'd say.  And he's done much great work. 

Best Director is tough.  I think Martin Scorcese's work as director in "The Departed" is excellent but my sentimental favorite is Paul Greengrass for the most emotionally gripping movie of 2006 in my opinion, "United 93."  Universal went all out against the liberal critics who kepts saying, it's too soon to tell the story of Flight 93, which was brought down by American heroes on 9/11.   Get it ?   When you hear those words in one sentence American, heroes and 9/11 what is the problem ? 

Oscar should not be boring with Host Ellen Degeneres doing the honors.  But I hope that some of this year's winners will consider giving honor and thanks to the military men and women who are fighting in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters making all this possible for us.  Including my ability to write this very column without being punished or killed for having my own opinion.   I give honor and thanks to the troops in harms way today for being America's best.  I thank you.

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