By Lisa Flores

Best Picture

Prediction – Brokeback Mountain

Personal Pick – Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain taught moviegoers that homosexuals can be something more than the tittering flamboyant stereotype – they can even be cowboys.

Best Director

Prediction – Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain

Personal Pick – George Clooney, Good Night, And Good Luck

Lee has already won the Director’s Guild Award, which almost insures an Oscar win. Besides, it’s always fun to root for the underdog.

Best Actor

Prediction – Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote

Personal Pick – Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain

Stand the two next to each other, shirtless, and Ledger wins hands down. Enough said.

Best Actress

Prediction – Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line

Personal Pick – Reese Witherspoon Walk the Line

Witherspoon is the clear choice, surrounded by less impressive performances in smaller movies.

Best Supporting Actor

Prediction – Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man

Personal Pick – Paul Giamatti, Cinderella Man.

Giamatti deserves the trophy after being snubbed last year for Sideways and even more unfairly ignored in 2000 for his role in Big Momma’s House.

Best Supporting Actress

Prediction – Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener

Personal Pick – Amy Adams, Junebug

In the closest of all the races, Weisz is favored, because she’s most well known. Adams gave the better performance, but doesn’t really have a chance.

Original Screenplay

Prediction – Crash

Personal Pick – Crash

Crash finally allowed writer/director Paul Haggis to flesh out all the simmering racial tension he already touched upon in his most famous effort, Walker, Texas Ranger.

(Chronicle Staff Photo)