The Collective Mind of the Birdbath Predicts the Oscars (2010 Edition)

Each year since 2000, I've hosted what I jokingly call "Mark's Oscar Birdbath"... it's just not right to call it an Oscar Pool when there's no money involved. I invite folks from throughout my life (past & present churches, high school friends, family, gamer buddies, etc.) to participate. (Don't be miffed if you weren't asked to join - what with the compiling of the Five & Dime reports and life in general, I don't want to get too big a crowd playing.)

This year, 23 folks are participating... and here's what THEY think will be the winners this year. (This is based on their entries - when the voting is tight, I'm listing multiple entries.)

• BEST PICTURE: Avatar
• BEST DIRECTOR: James Cameron
• BEST ACTOR: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
• BEST ACTRESS: Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
• BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)
• BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mo'Nique, (Precious)
• ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Inglorious Basterds
• ADAPATED SCREENPLAY: Precious OR Up in the Air
• CINEMATOGRAPHY: Avatar
• FILM EDITING: Avatar
• ART DIRECTION: Avatar
• COSTUME DESIGN: Nine
• ACHIEVEMENT IN ORIGINAL MUSIC: Up
• BEST ORIGINAL SONG: "The Weary Kind" (Crazy Heart)
• ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP: Star Trek
• ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING: Avatar OR Star Trek
• ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING: Avatar
• ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS: Avatar
• BEST ANIMNATED FEATURE: Up
• BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Das weisse Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte (Germany) OR Un prophète (France)
• BEST DOCUMENTARY: Food, Inc.
• BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT: The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
• BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT: Miracle Fish
• BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM: A Matter of Loaf & Death

Come back on Monday & see how the collective mind of "my friends" did this time around... and find out who won the Birdbath! A couple of "I'd like to thank the Academy"-ish kind of things to close this post out:

• Thanks to Steve Stigler & his buddies from high school (especially Chris Newcomb), who first introduced me to Oscar Pools and the musical stylings of Stephen Sondheim when we were students together at Baylor University
• Thanks to Matt Baldwin, whose website, Defective Yeti, is the one who makes it so darn easy for me to maintain the Birdbath