The nominees are:

Casey Affleck in “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford”

Javier Bardem in “No Country for Old Men”

Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Charlie Wilson’s War”

Hal Holbrook in “Into the Wild”
Tom Wilkinson in “Michael Clayton”

Covert picks: Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men.” Bardem turns the role of a baleful hit man into doom incarnate. In every scene, he cranks the gauge from churning anxiety to inhuman terror.

Cate Blanchett in  Marchesa? I heard a rumor this week that the pregnant Cate was working with designers Georgina Chapman (Mrs. Harvey Weinstein) and Keren Craig on a dress. That usually doesn’t mean anything, since celebrities are known for changing their minds on the way into the limo.
Then I saw stylist Phillip Bloch’s Oscar fashion predictions and ta-da! He’d like to see Ms. Blanchett in Marchesa. So now I think it might be more than rumor.

In this photo, CB was wearing Balenciaga to the SAG Awards. She’s a double Oscar nominee for for best actress and best supporting actress. Even more exciting? She’ll be presenting with fellow baby-bumpee Nicole Kidman.
We’ll know soon enough what they’ll both be wearing. Check back here at 5:30 for actual fashions and awards predictions.

Have you planned your outfit for tomorrow night? Movie critics Colin Covert and Jeff Strickler, TV authority Neal Justin, and fashion commenter Sara Glassman (me!) will b watching and cheering/jeering at the Star Tribune.

Check here for the latest of our insightful expertise/couch commentary. Photos too, of course.

Looking for something to sip during the Oscar viewing?
Might I suggest an “I drink your milkshake” milkshake? Try this spiked version courtesy of Michael Chiarello. Hey, it’s a long night and you should probably take a sip every time some says (or types) that Daniel Day Lewis line.

Thank you, WGA! The stars,the awards, the gowns and Jon Stewart will all be assembled to find out the best of the best in the movie industry for the 2008 Academy Awards.

We’ll be liveblogging the red carpet action starting at 5:30 p.m. and through the awards…to the end. Sit at the computer on Sunday night? Yes! It will give you something to do during commercials…and live performances…and acceptance speeches. As usual, I will be cheering for the one movie I’ve seen–”Atonement.”

In the meantime, the Oscars’ fashion coordinator (huh?) is predicting Oscar dresses will be colorful and sparkly…I probably could have told you that much!