Oscar Predictions

From Duke's biggest night (that hurt, Carolina) to Hollywood's biggest night, it's quite a weekend to kick off spring break this year. But whether you're about to embark on a week of partying in Mexico, wandering around the LES, or lying prostrate in the Caribbean (guilty), Hollywood could really care less: the Oscars are on.

But will the world watch? Seeing as James Cameron's 3-D epic Avatar has made over $2.5 billion worldwide, one would assume as many people would tune in to see if self-proclaimed King of the World will hit Eminent Archon / Emperor / Almighty  status. Back in January, it looked like the coast to Best Picture & Director was iceberg-less for Cameron, but the rise of The Hurt Locker over the recent months has made the waters far more dangerous.

The Hurt Locker, the Iraq film that grossed $20 million (or 1/125th of Avatar's earnings), stormed back after the Golden Globes defeat, winning the PGA and DGA's top prizes. Director Kathryn Bigelow, Cameron's ex-wife, could very well hoist her ex's head, confirming the David-and-Goliath comparisons.

But the tide then took another, albeit slighter, turn. Controvertial negative campaigning directed towards The Hurt Locker, mostly done by the Los Angeles Times, and that whole producer-not-invited-to-Oscars scandal, have put the little Iraq engine that could back on par with it's blue-skinned behemoth rival. There's even talk that the two might cancel each other out, leaving the statue for Quentin Tarantino's Nazi-revenge guilty pleasure Inglourious Basterds. Generally speaking, however, it's between the former lovers, a story that all forms of media have clearly eaten up.

Acting wise, only one real race remains hot. If the Bigelow-Cameron battle mirrors David-Goliath, then Sandra Bullock-Meryl Streep is.... Ed Norton-Ben Stiller in Keeping the Faith? Luke-Han Solo for Princess Leia? Any conflict that happened in Coyote Ugly? (or, judging by their Critic's Choice antics, maybe a domestic dispute between Portia de Rossi & Ellen Degeneres?)

Across the other categories, surprises seem minimal. Best Original Screenplay and Cinematography could hinge on how voters feel about the top prize's victor (letting in Basterds or Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon, respectively) . Then again, who knows? There could be a few, unforeseen icebergs ahead.

Without further ado, the predictions:

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Waltz (alt. Woody Harrelson)

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique (alt. Anna Kendrick) **Recess Snub: Samantha Morton

Best Original Screenplay: Inglourious Basterds (alt. The Hurt Locker) **Recess Snub: (500) Days of Summer

Best Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air (alt. Precious & District 9)

Best Cinematography: Avatar (alt. The Hurt Locker & The White Ribbon)

Best Animated Feature: Up (alt. Coraline)

Best Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon (alt. A Prophet)

Best Documentary: The Cove (alt. Food, Inc.)

Best Song: "The Weary Kind" Crazy Heart

Best Score: Up Michael Giacchino

The 82nd Annual Academy Awards air tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.