A month ago when nominations for this years Academy Awards (Oscars) were announced, I looked down the list of Best Picture nominees, “Babel,” “The Departed,” “Letters From Iwo Jima,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” and “The Queen,” and penciled a circle around “Babel” because it was far and away the best movie I have seen this year. The only problem with that is I had not seen “The Departed,” the only nominee from the list I had not seen.
Today, less than 24 hours before the Academy Awards show begins and after seeing all the best picture nominees, It’s still my opinion that “Babel” is the best movie of 2006 and should win the Oscar.
The odds to win for the other three movies to win Best Picture is “Little Miss Sunshine” at 17 to 10, “Letters from Iwo Jima” at 15 to 2 and “The Queen” at 20 to 1. If you have been following the Oscars as long as I have you will know the best doesn’t always win and especially when it comes to the major categories. However, when making my decision on what movie to bet on I will always go with what I think is the best. “The Departed”, the Martin Scorsese directed mob-flick at 1 to 2 odds is expected to win according to oddsmakers and I don’t think it will. Don’t be surprised if Scorsese wins for best director and “Babel” takes best picture. But stranger things have happened.
Bet on the Academy Awards at BetUS.com
Don’t count out “Little Miss Sunshine” from pulling off an upset at 17 to 10 odds. I have had my ear to the ground and have noticed Sunshine has picked up some momentum. There is plenty of chatter regarding this movie and that is a good thing. Voters talk and this movie are going to get some votes.
At 15 to 2 odds I think the movie least likely to take the prize is “Letters from Iwo Jima.” Letters is a brilliant movie showing the battle for Iwo Jima Island in World War II from a Japanese perspective and directed by Clint Eastwood. The movie is also a companion film to the non-nominated “Flags of Our Fathers,” also directed buy Eastwood. Letters will not win because foreign language films don’t usually take the big prize. If you didn’t know, the movie is in Japanese with English sub-titles. Oddsmakers give the movie “Queen” the least likely chance to win the award at 20 to 1 odds.
Odds to win the Oscar for the Best Motion Picture of the Year:
"Babel": 11 to 4
"The Departed": 1 to 2
"Letters from Iwo Jima": 15 to 2
"Little Miss Sunshine": 17 to 10
"The Queen": 20 to 1
