An impoverished Indian boy looking to win a game show. A baby born old who ages into his youth. Scandal at a Catholic grade school. The assassination of a gay activist. A disgraced president confronted by a journalist.

These are just some of the plots at the center of Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony.

Handicapping the Oscars can be a fool's task because there are bound to be upsets. Will Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie be the first couple to win Oscars for acting on the same night? Will Slumdog Millionaire be the first primarily foreign-language film to become Best Picture? Will the telecast last longer than it takes the Earth to orbit the sun?

Come Monday, we'll either be saying "I told you so" or "Can you believe that?"

Until then, here are my predictions. Print out the PDF ballot to make your own picks and see how you fare as well.

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BEST PICTURE

Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Milk, The Reader, Frost/Nixon

Who should win: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a sprawling, Forrest Gump-like narrative about life, love and aging. Far from perfect, but the most epic of the entries.

Who will win: Slumdog Millionaire. It's already won a slew of awards, including best picture from the National Board of Review and the Golden Globes. The little film that could (it was initially planned as a DVD-only release) is on a roll.

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ACTOR

Richard Jenkins, The Visitor; Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Sean Penn, Milk; Frank Langella, Frost Nixon; Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Who should win: Rourke was the early favorite, having snagged a Golden Globe for his performance as a washed-up wrestler. The odds now seem to favor Penn for his impassioned performance as Harvey Milk - or perhaps Frank Langella for his acclaimed Richard Nixon.

Who will win: Mickey Rourke. Hollywood loves a comeback, and Rourke more than qualifies. Let's just hope his acceptance speech isn't a rambling, misogynistic mess.

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ACTRESS

Angelina Jolie, Changeling; Melissa Leo, Frozen River; Meryl Streep, Doubt; Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married; Kate Winslet, The Reader

Who should win: Kate Winslet. Five times an Oscar bridesmaid, never a bride.

Who will win: Winslet, but don't be surprised if Streep turns her 15th Oscar nomination into a victory.

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SUPPORTING ACTOR

Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt; Robert Downey Jr.,Tropic Thunder; Josh Brolin, Milk; Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight; Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

Who should win:The night's least-competitive category, with Ledger's tragic death making him a foregone conclusion for posthumous victory.

Who will win: Ledger, who commanded every scene he was in.

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SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams, Doubt; Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona; Viola Davis, Doubt; Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

Who should win: The toughest race. I favor Taraji P. Henson, who held Benjamin Button together with a quiet dignity that never overshadowed the story.

Who will win: Viola Davis. She made every second of her 10 min- utes on screen count - and did so opposite Meryl Streep.

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ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Wall-E; Kung Fu Panda; Bolt

Who should win: Kung Fu Panda. Quite simply one of the most entertaining movies of the year, and the vocal talent was spectacular.

Who will win: Wall-E. Nary a bad word was spoken about this semi-surreal Pixar tale of an earth loader that falls in love with another robot. Plus, adults were more captivated by it than kids, and they're the ones who vote.

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DIRECTOR

Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon; Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire; Gus Van Sant, Milk; Stephen Daldry, The Reader; David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Who should win: Gus Van Sant, who took a difficult subject (an assassinated politician) and made it a compelling film about human rights.

Who will win: Ron Howard. He's already won once in this category, and the academy loves nothing so much as consistency. That said, if Slumdog takes best picture, Boyle could take the directing prize.

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Oscar! Oscar!

The 81st annual Academy Awards ceremony, hosted by Hugh Jackman, begins at 6:30 p.m. on Denver's 7. The ceremony is also available live online at Oscars.com. Red carpet and more If you need to get in the mood, there are plenty of pre- and post-ceremony programs:

* Countdown to the Academy Awards: 1 p.m., TV Guide Network

* Countdown to the Academy Awards: 3 p.m., E!

* Live from the Red Carpet: 4 p.m., E!

* Evening at the Academy Awards: 4 p.m., Denver's 7

* Oscars Red Carpet: 6 p.m., Denver's 7

* E! Afterparty, 2009 Academy Awards: 9:30 p.m.

* Showbiz Tonight Oscar Coverage: 9 p.m. Headline News

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Party with Oscar

* What: The 18th annual Party with Oscar, hosted by the Denver Film Society. Watch the show in HD, hear live music and more.

* When, where: 5 p.m. Sunday, Starz Film Center, Ninth Street and Auraria Parkway.

* Tickets: $45; $40 for DFS members (includes food and two drink tickets). There's also a $20 "travel green" ticket for those who ride a bike (racks and security for bikes provided).

* Information: denverfilm.org

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Blog on: Mike Pearson will blog, starting at 6:30 p.m., during the ceremony. Find his Pop Culture blog on the Entertainment page at: RockyMountainNews.com

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