Movie Dearest's Fearless Oscar Predictions 2009

This year's "Fearless Oscar Predictions" is brought to you by* the delectable creations found in Eleni's Oscar Season cookies! Above you'll find the five Best Actor edibles, which brings up the inevitable question, "Who would you rather nibble, Colin Firth or Jeremy Renner?" Now on to business ...

This year's predictions aren't quite so fearless as there are several sure things in the mix, including at least three of the four acting categories. Nevertheless, there are still plenty of tight races, including the expanded Best Picture field and the highly competitive Best Actress category (both envisioned in dessert form below).  And now, on to the predictions (click here for the complete list of nominees) ...

Best Picture: Despite recent scandals, The Hurt Locker should best its closest competition, Avatar.
Best Actor: An Oscar Bait role and previous losses will make Crazy Heart's Jeff Bridges this year's Kate Winslet.
Best Actress: It's a diva smack down, with The Blind Side's Sandra Bullock expected to come out on top.
Best Supporting Actor: There's no surer thing than Inglourious Basterds' Christoph Waltz ...
Best Supporting Actress: ... except Precious' Mo'Nique.
Best Director: It's pretty much a foregone conclusion now that Locker's Kathryn Bigelow will become the first female winner in this category.
Adapted Screenplay: Up in the Air's best chance for a win.
Original Screenplay: Another close call, between Locker and Basterds, with the edge going to the talkier Tarantino.
Cinematography: Probably the toughest race of all. Will say Avatar in a tech sweep, which will also include Art Direction, Sound Editing and Visual Effects ...
Film Editing and Sound Mixing: ... with Hurt Locker picking up a few too.

Costume Design: Royalty reigns here of late, so The Young Victoria will be victorious.
Original Score: Michael Giacchino's Up music is irresistible.
Original Song: Crazy Heart's "The Weary Kind" will continue its sweep of this category.
Makeup: Star Trek's first ever Oscar.
Animated Feature: Best Picture nominee Up should sail away with the prize.
Foreign Language Film: Last year's dark horse won, so I'm going out on a limb with Argentina's The Secret in Their Eyes.
Documentary Feature: The Cove elicits the right amount of righteous outrage ...
Documentary Short: ... as does China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province.
Animated Short: Wallace and Gromit's latest escapade, A Matter of Loaf and Death, will continue their hold on this category.
Live Action Short: The Door has the dramatic edge.

Who do you think will win at this year's Oscars? We'll find out this Sunday when ABC presents the 82nd Annual Academy Awards live from Los Angeles.

* Not really.