Kelly Jane Torrance's Oscar picks

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Best Picture

Heart says: "The Departed." My pick for best film of the year wasn't nominated -- the German film "The Lives of Others" is astonishing, but great foreign language films are rarely given the recognition they deserve. Still, I don't have to go down very far. Martin Scorsese's exploration of the many guises of evil was a serious but seriously engaging film.

Head says: For the first time in years, this is a real five-way race. My guess is that "The Departed" will eke out a victory over "Little Miss Sunshine."

Best Director

Heart says: Martin Scorsese, "The Departed." With no missteps and showing almost perfect judgment, "The Departed" is the culmination of a career exploring the American psyche.

Head says: Martin Scorsese, "The Departed." With eight nominations and no wins, it's about time.

Best Actor

Heart says: Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland." The great Peter O'Toole, after eight nominations, certainly deserves a win. And his shocking performance in "Venus" must have been difficult to pull off. But as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Mr. Whitaker accomplished the even trickier feat of showing us that a monster is also a man.