The Oscar Scorecard Here’s how some pros, as well as fellow readers, think the races will shake out in five major Oscar categories. Wall Street Journal film critic Joe Morgenstern offers his take on who deserves to win, and who he thinks the Academy will actually pick. Readers’ picks are from a WSJ.com online poll; odds are offered by British betting and gambling company Ladbrokes, with the favorites in red. For more information on Ladbrokes odds, see bottom of chart. JOE MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Best Picture MORGENSTERN’S COMMENTS WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN Inspires reservations, Atonement which I share. The story 6:1 makes you feel good, then yanks you back from the brink of pleasure. Good work all the same.

Conventional wisdom has Juno it winning only by virtue 14:1 of a split vote. It could also win because people love it. I certainly do.

One of those movies you Michael want to care about deeply 33:1 Clayton but can only admire. George Clooney deserved his nomination, though.

Superb craftsmanship No Country and strong performances in 1:3 for Old the service of sententious- ness. For me the film keeps Men receding into an emotional distance.

Not a popular pick, to say There Will the least. What its detrac- 4:1 Be Blood tors pick on most is the over-the-top climax, a seri- ous flaw in a brilliant film.

JOE Best MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Actress MORGENSTERN’S COMMENTS WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN What a bizarre nomination, Cate unless it’s meant to reward 33:1 Blanchett a great actress for not being silly in a very silly ‘Elizabeth: The melodrama. Golden Age’

A win here would reward Julie a great actress for decades 1:2 Christie and dozens of marvelous performances. Including, I ‘Away From Her’ hasten to add, this one.

The singing is – mostly Marion – Piaf’s, but the acting 2:1 Cotillard is all her own, and it’s as ferociously passionate, in its ‘La Vie en Rose’ way, as Piaf’s singing.

Has she ever given less than Laura an admirable performance? 33:1 Linney She may not win this time, but her very restraint in this ‘The Savages’ role is cause for admiration.

Oh, boy. Oh, girl. What is Ellen there to say about someone 7:1 Page so young and so extrava- gantly gifted? This is one ‘Juno’ of the year’s two great performances

JOE MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Best Actor MORGENSTERN’S COMMENTS WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN He’s a real movie star, just George as everyone says, in a role 10:1 Clooney that gives him, and us, plenty to chew on, even if ‘Michael Clayton’ the film as a whole lacks elation.

A performance for the ages, Daniel by an actor who keeps us 1:12 Day-Lewis mesmerized by a character ‘There Will who may or may not have a Be Blood’ fully functional soul.

Thinking about Sweeney Johnny makes me smile – not at 9:1 Depp the barber’s ghoulish glee, but at the actor’s versatility. ‘Sweeney Is there anything he can’t Todd’ do well?

I’m weary of his patented Tommy world-weariness. Still, I 33:1 Lee Jones would have understood this nomination had it been for ‘In the Valley “No Country for Old Men.” of Elah’

Such presence, such power, Viggo such stillness and restraint. 20:1 Mortensen He may not go home with an Oscar, but he brings ‘Eastern honor to the actor’s art. Promises’

JOE JOE Supporting MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS Supporting MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Actor WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN Actress WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN Casey Affleck 10:1 Cate Blanchett 5:4 ‘The Assassination ‘I’m Not There’ of Jesse James’

Javier Bardem 1:12 Ruby Dee 3:1 ‘No Country ‘American Gangster’ for Old Men’

Philip Seymour 25:1 Saoirse Ronan 20:1 Hoffman ‘Atonement’ ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’

Hal Holbrook 14:1 Amy Ryan 2:1 ‘Into the Wild’ ‘Gone Baby Gone’

Tom Wilkinson 16:1 Tilda Swinton 8:1 ‘Michael Clayton’ ‘Michael Clayton’ The Oscar Scorecard Here’s how some pros, as well as fellow readers, think the races will shake out in five major Oscar categories. Wall Street Journal film critic Joe Morgenstern offers his take on who deserves to win, and who he thinks the Academy will actually pick. Readers’ picks are from a WSJ.com online poll; odds are offered by British betting and gambling company Ladbrokes, with the favorites in red. For more information on Ladbrokes odds, see bottom of chart. JOE MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Best Picture MORGENSTERN’S COMMENTS WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN Inspires reservations, Atonement which I share. The story 6:1 makes you feel good, then yanks you back from the brink of pleasure. Good work all the same.

Conventional wisdom has Juno it winning only by virtue 14:1 of a split vote. It could also win because people love it. I certainly do.

One of those movies you Michael want to care about deeply 33:1 Clayton but can only admire. George Clooney deserved his nomination, though.

Superb craftsmanship No Country and strong performances in 1:3 for Old the service of sententious- ness. For me the film keeps Men receding into an emotional distance.

Not a popular pick, to say There Will the least. What its detrac- 4:1 Be Blood tors pick on most is the over-the-top climax, a seri- ous flaw in a brilliant film.

JOE Best MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Actress MORGENSTERN’S COMMENTS WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN What a bizarre nomination, Cate unless it’s meant to reward 33:1 Blanchett a great actress for not being silly in a very silly ‘Elizabeth: The melodrama. Golden Age’

A win here would reward Julie a great actress for decades 1:2 Christie and dozens of marvelous performances. Including, I ‘Away From Her’ hasten to add, this one.

The singing is – mostly Marion – Piaf’s, but the acting 2:1 Cotillard is all her own, and it’s as ferociously passionate, in its ‘La Vie en Rose’ way, as Piaf’s singing.

Has she ever given less than Laura an admirable performance? 33:1 Linney She may not win this time, but her very restraint in this ‘The Savages’ role is cause for admiration.

Oh, boy. Oh, girl. What is Ellen there to say about someone 7:1 Page so young and so extrava- gantly gifted? This is one ‘Juno’ of the year’s two great performances

JOE MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Best Actor MORGENSTERN’S COMMENTS WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN He’s a real movie star, just George as everyone says, in a role 10:1 Clooney that gives him, and us, plenty to chew on, even if ‘Michael Clayton’ the film as a whole lacks elation.

A performance for the ages, Daniel by an actor who keeps us 1:12 Day-Lewis mesmerized by a character ‘There Will who may or may not have a Be Blood’ fully functional soul.

Thinking about Sweeney Johnny makes me smile – not at 9:1 Depp the barber’s ghoulish glee, but at the actor’s versatility. ‘Sweeney Is there anything he can’t Todd’ do well?

I’m weary of his patented Tommy world-weariness. Still, I 33:1 Lee Jones would have understood this nomination had it been for ‘In the Valley “No Country for Old Men.” of Elah’

Such presence, such power, Viggo such stillness and restraint. 20:1 Mortensen He may not go home with an Oscar, but he brings ‘Eastern honor to the actor’s art. Promises’

JOE JOE Supporting MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS Supporting MORGENSTERN YOUR PICKS SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL SHOULD WILL READER SHOULD WILL Actor WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN Actress WIN WIN PICKS ODDS WIN WIN Casey Affleck 10:1 Cate Blanchett 5:4 ‘The Assassination ‘I’m Not There’ of Jesse James’

Javier Bardem 1:12 Ruby Dee 3:1 ‘No Country ‘American Gangster’ for Old Men’

Philip Seymour 25:1 Saoirse Ronan 20:1 Hoffman ‘Atonement’ ‘Charlie Wilson’s War’

Hal Holbrook 14:1 Amy Ryan 2:1 ‘Into the Wild’ ‘Gone Baby Gone’

Tom Wilkinson 16:1 Tilda Swinton 8:1 ‘Michael Clayton’ ‘Michael Clayton’