The day the Oscar nominations came out, I posted my predictions for who will win in each category and promised to repost the predictions a week before the Academy Awards broadcast. Well, here we are and here are my predictions once again. This time though, I have added a few comments about some of the picks. The picks are exactly the same as the last time even though some of them go against what most people are predicting. But I like to go with my initial gut instinct and that’s what I’ve done here.

Best Picture: The Departed - Of all my picks, this one has me the most worried as everyone seems to be picking Babel and there has even been some talk about an upset win for Little Miss Sunshine. But I’m still picking The Departed, partially because I believe it is finally Scorsese’s year and the Best Director usually wins Best Picture as well. Plus last year everyone (including myself) said that Brokeback Mountain was going to win and nobody picked Crash (despite the fact that I was hoping it would win as it was a better movie). Crash won and nobody seemed to see that coming. The Departed will be similar.

Actor in a Leading Role: Forest Whitaker -The Last King of Scotland - Almost a guarantee.

Actress in a Leading Role: Helen Mirren - The Queen - A definite guarantee.

Actor in a Supporting Role: Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls

Actress in a Supporting Role: Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls

Director: Martin Scorsese - The Departed

Original Screenplay: Babel - Guillermo Arriaga

Adapted Screenplay: The Departed - William Monahan

Cinematography: Laberinto del Fauno, El - Guillermo Navarro - Pan’s Labyrinth has garnered so much attention that I picked it for most of these, what I call “epic movie” categories.

Editing: Babel - Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione

Art Direction: Laberinto del Fauno, El

Costume Design: The Queen

Original Score: Laberinto del Fauno, El - Javier Navarrete

Original Song: Our Town - Cars - Randy Newman - When Dreamgirls has three songs nominated it seems like a lock to get a win, so I went out on a limb and predicted long-time Oscar favorite Randy Newman.

Makeup: Laberinto del Fauno, El - David Martí, Montse Ribé

Achievement in Sound: Flags of Our Fathers

Best Achievement in Sound Editing: Flags of Our Fathers

Visual Effects: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest

Best Animated Feature: Cars

Foreign Language Film: Laberinto del Fauno, El - (Mexico) - If it doesn’t win with so many other nominations, there is something wrong.

Best Documentary, Feature: Deliver Us from Evil - While An Inconvenient Truth has gotten the most attention because of Al Gore, I’ve heard better things about Deliver Us From Evil.

Best Documentary, Short Subject: Recycled Life

Best Short Film, Animated: Maestro

Best Short Film, Live Action: West Bank Story

So, there is my reposted predictions. I hope everyone enjoys the Oscars!.