The Reel Critic

Author: STEPHANIE DOSCH

Ah, the Academy Awards - an event where beautiful dresses, bad speeches and Hollywood politics come together for one unforgettable night. I will never forget Björk's stint as an egg-laying swan, Whoopie Goldberg's crass jokes about the color of her wind or the year "Titanic" won Best Picture and Helen Hunt won Best Actress. With Chris Rock hosting this year, the Oscars promise to be just as unforgettable as we have come to expect.

But the real show-stealers, the things people talk about for weeks leading up to the show, are the awards themselves. Everyone has their own opinion of who should win and why, and part of the fun of watching the ceremony is seeing if your predictions are correct. So without further ado, here are my own picks for Oscars in 2005.

Best Picture: "The Aviator"

If there's one thing I've learned from the past several years of Oscar-watching, it's that the best movies don't always win. "Sideways" and "Million Dollar Baby" may have been the best films of the year, but "The Aviator" has the luxe Hollywood showiness that brings home the statuettes. Plus it stars Leonardo DiCaprio, which seemed to work well for "Titanic."

Best Director: Clint Eastwood

Even if "The Aviator" wins Best Picture, a large sector of the Academy will recognize the directing powerhouse Clint Eastwood has become, as demonstrated by "Million Dollar Baby." Then again, Martin Scorsese could score some pity points for "The Aviator" since he has had five Best Director nominations and no wins.

Best Actor: Jamie Foxx

I think the world will be shocked if he doesn't win this award. It was hard to remember that we weren't actually watching Ray Charles on the screen - a truly phenomenal, once-in-a-lifetime performance.

Best Actress: Hilary Swank

A tougher category than the Best Actors', but after making her mark on Hollywood by winning Best Actress in 2000 for "Boys Don't Cry," and winning the Golden Globe for "Million Dollar Baby," Swank looks like a shoo-in. (Wow, two once-in-a-lifetime roles for her.) On the other hand, critics think Annette Bening's performance in "Being Julia" could give Swank a run for her money.

Best Supporting Actor/Actress: Thomas Haden Church/Cate Blanchett

Haden Church was the surprise comic foil in "Sideways," whereas Morgan Freeman has previously played many roles similar to his part in "Million Dollar Baby." Several critics like Virginia Madsen for Best Supporting Actress, but I think Cate Blanchett's heavy-handed portrayal of Katherine Hepburn will stand out to Academy members.

Best Original/Adapted Screenplay: Charlie Kaufman (The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)/Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor (Sideways)

It's time for Charlie Kaufman to win an Oscar, and I think the Academy will see that. Likewise, it will want to honor "Sideways" with one of the major awards, if not Best Picture or Best Director.

The 77th Annual Academy Awards air on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on ABC.