The Academy Award nominations are announced bright and early tomorrow morning, so here are my final, official predictions for the eight main categories. Underneath each, I've listed a group of "other contenders" to let you know what else is in the running, but don't worry, I'm not hedging my bets - if one of the "other contenders" gets nominated, then I was wrong. If I don't mention something at all, it doesn't mean it's out of the race entirely - it just means it will be a major surprise when it makes it in. Without further ado:

BEST PICTURE:
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Other contenders: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly; Into the Wild; American Gangster

Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, and There Will Be Blood can be considered as locked as you can get. Juno has the best box office out of anything and is a safe bet for the Big Indie Movie (this year's Little Miss Sunshine or Sideways, if you will). That leaves the fifth slot. I'm a huge personal proponent of Into the Wild, but it was finally time to let it go; I've always considered it to be the likely 6th or 7th choice, and it looks to end up that way here as well.

Many people are jumping on the Diving Bell and the Butterfly bandwagon thanks to its surprisingly strong showing in the Producers and Directors Guild nominations, but I think when it comes down to it, the Academy will go with what they know: an upscale, awards-baiting British film. Atonement. It's on shaky ground - it was snubbed in all those guild awards that Diving Bell did so well in - but I bet it makes it in. But hey, if I'm wrong and Into the Wild sneaks in, I'd be very happy.

BEST DIRECTOR:
Sidney Lumet, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Julian Schnabel,