Does Oscar Have Any Big Surprises Up His Sleeve?

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The Oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow morning, and a few things are almost as certain as death, taxes and a sequel to Sherlock Holmes: The Blind Side’s Sandra Bullock, Crazy Heart’s Jeff Bridges, Precious: Based on a Novel by Sapphire’s Mo’Nique and Inglorious Basterd’s Christoph Waltz will continue their award-season domination with citations in their respective categories. And Avatar — now the biggest movie of all time, though somehow not quite the phenomenon that Titanic was 12 years ago (blockbusters need an A-list star or two to resonate in that way) — The Hurt Locker and Up in the Air will make the Best Picture line up.

But the Academy likes to throw curve balls, and every year there’s at least one nominee or one snub that leaves Oscar pundits scratching their heads and wondering, “What the…?” Remember Tommy Lee Jones’s surprise best actor nomination two years ago for In the Valley of Elah, a film that wasn’t even on anyone’s Oscar wish list?

Personally, I’d like to see Invictus, a highly overrated film that would have received a sound critical drubbing had it been directed by anyone other than Academy favorite Clint Eastwood, left out of the proceedings altogether. And I’d like The Hurt Locker’s Anthony Mackie, who was as pivotal to that film as Jeremy Renner, end up with a best supporting actor nod.

Who do you think will surprise us by sneaking in tomorrow morning? Who do you think should plan on making other plans on Oscar night, March 7?

Here are my personal predictions.

Best Picture An Education, Avatar, District 9, The Hangover, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, Invictus, Precious: Based on a Novel by Sapphire, Up, Up in the Air

Best Director Clint Eastwood (Invictus), James Cameron (Avatar), Jason Reitman (Up in the Air), Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds)

Best Actor Colin Firth (A Single Man), George Clooney (Up in the Air),  Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker), Morgan Freeman (Invictus)

Best Actress Carey Mulligan (An Education), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious: Based on a Novel by Sapphire), Helen Mirren (The Last Station), Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia), Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)

Best Supporting Actor Christian McKay (Me and Orson Welles), Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds), Christopher Plummer (The Last Station), Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones), Woody Harrelson (The Messenger)

Best Supporting Actress Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Melanie Laurent or Diane Kruger (Inglorious Basterds), Mo’Nique (Precious: Based on a Novel by Sapphire), Samantha Morton (The Messenger), Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air)