t 80 years old, Oscar remains resilient, affectation-free, and fashionable. The world's most famous golden bald man has managed to stand strong, no matter the circumstances. During the Great Depression and the Second World War he gave joy to a beleaguered public and a ravaged celebrity class. Naked, small, and strong, Oscar has weathered strife without batting an eyelash (though, he may have alopecia). Unlike his fragile cousin, the Golden Globe, Oscar faced down the WGA strike without flinching. And now he prepares to once again go home with a bevy of strangers; it's almost Academy Awards night. With a look at who should, could, and will go home with the little man, here's your almost comprehensive (i.e. I haven't the slightest idea who will win Best Makeup) Oscar Preview. If it helps you with an office pool, I want a cut.

The headlining act is always Best Picture. It's the reason you endure hours of shaky speeches and overblown pomp. This year it's a two-horse contest. With a literary pedigree, a beautiful cast, and period strife aplenty, Atonement dresses itself up as a contender, but its critical lambasting isn't unfounded. Juno is the feel-good nominee, but quirky indie's don't win Best Picture awards (see Little Miss Sunshine). Also, Michael Clayton, though strong, was slotted in to fill out the ballot. No Country for Old Men or There Will be Blood will go home with the little man. The former should take it. Though Daniel Day Lewis's performance in the latter is the stuff of celluloid mythology, the film's hurried denouement failed to fully deliver on the promise of its oil-well build-up. Though the Coen Brothers' neo-Western, No Country…, put off certain viewers with a seemingly anti-climactic climax, it's still the better film.

Strangely, Best Director might prove a concession prize for the Best Picture loser; it has happened before. If No Country for Old Men wins the latter, then this prize will likely go to Paul Thomas Anderson for There Will be Blood; if it goes the other way, then the Coen Brothers better have a good onstage riff ready. In such a tight race it's the best have your cake… scenario (aka cop out).

Best Actor in a Leading Roll will go to Day Lewis. Viggo was great in Eastern Promises and the other nominees (Johnny Depp, George Clooney, and Tommy Lee Jones) are perennial crowd favourites, but Day Lewis's oil baron Mephistopheles will eat them alive. Incidentally, the omission of Casey Affleck for Gone Baby Gone and Ryan Gosling for Lars and the Real Girl is a travesty.