It’s that time of year again.  All the major studios have released their three-hour epics, triumphant biopics, and flashy studies in over-acting throughout the past few months hoping to snatch a little golden man named Oscar.

Nabbing one of these babies not only adds prestige to a studio, but means a substantial boost in revenue as well.  There’s something very enticing about seeing the words “Academy Award Winner!” as the glowing header of a DVD case at the video store.  Even if you were less than impressed by the hype or the trailers, those words mysteriously conjure thoughts of, “Ok, this movie must be good.”  It is because of that uncanny power of influence and prestige that the Academy Awards have come to mean everything in the film industry.

Even when the Academy gets it wrong, which happens with unsettling frequency, the endless hero-worship unfailingly ensues for the winners.  With that, I’d like to present my first ever Oscar Predictions for the The 81st Annual Academy Awards:

Note:  These picks were made Prior to the official nominations!

Best Actor

Sean Penn – “Milk”
The Academy loves biopics, particularly when the subject is a downtrodden, persecuted, polarizing figure. They also love Sean Penn. I don’t see them passing on Penn for this one, even for Clint Eastwood’s rumored last performance in “Grand Torino,” or for Mickey Rourke’s acclaimed turn as “The Wrestler.”

Best Actress

Kate Winslett – “Revolutionary Road”
Nominated for five Academy Awards but still without a win, Kate Winselt’s performance as April in Sam Mendes’ adaptation of a Richard Yates novel is good enough to finally nab the statuette.

Best Supporting Actor

Heath Ledger – “The Dark Knight”
Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker in the “The Dark Knight” is magnificent. Not only will Ledger join Peter Finch, the only posthumous Oscar winner, with the win, but this, the final and greatest performance of his life will undoubtedly go down as one of the best in cinema history. The other contenders aren’t even worth mentioning.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams – “Doubt”
Though “Doubt” surely won’t win any awards for best make-up, Amy Adams’ performance is sophisticated and gritty enough to win over the Academy voters. She’ll narrowly edge out Penelope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and Kate Winslet in “The Reader.”

Best Director

Danny Boyle – “Slumdog Millionaire”
Danny Boyle skillfully illustrates this gripping and moving tale of an impoverished Indian teen who makes it onto the the Hindi version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” The film has pleased critics and crowds alike, and has already won big at the Golden Globes. Boyle will beat out Sam Mendes for “Revolutionary Road,” Clint Eastwood for “Changling”, and David Fincher for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.”

Best Original Screenplay

“Wall-E”
It’s a great story in its own right, but the Academy will feel guilty leaving it out of the running for Best Picture and so will throw Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon a bone in the form of the Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

Best Adapted Screenplay

“Frost/Nixon”
Though this Peter Morgan adaptation of the seminal interview has gaping flaws and actually alters some of the real dialogue to no real favorable effect, it still packs a powerful punch sure to impact voters.

Best Animated Feature

“Wall-E”
The easiest choice of year. No other animated feature has come close to Wall-E’s commercial and critical success, with good reason. This post-apocalyptic, automaton fairy tale would be in the running for Best Picture if this category hadn’t been created.

Best Picture

“Revolutionary Road”
Sam Mendes’ bleak portrait of 1950s American suburbia has polarized the critics, but is the obvious choice for best picture. The Academy hates to take chances, and this is the safest pick for the top prize.