>... Best Actor should be interesting, as Redford will be in
>heavy contention. I doubt McQueen wins Director, he doesn't
>play the political awards-season game. I think screenplay is
>maybe the safest bet to win (has a black man ever won Best
>Screenplay before? That could be a "storyline" that could help
>its odds).
>
>

Geoffrey Fletcher won Best Adapted Screenplay for Precious.

So, that's not really an angle...if this was Best Original Screenplay, it would be.

But, since Fletcher already won, that would be a great "storyline" to go with.

Ridley returning to the WGA after going out in a blaze of glory as a ficore during the Writers Strike screams of "bad boy seeking redemption" *COULD* be a potential storyline...

Ridley going ficore: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-ridley8jan08,0,170282.story

even though he's since gone back and is a member of the WGA, I could see a few bringing this up....