"Oscar wants to kill you and eat your eyes for Jujubees..."

This Sunday Oscar squeezes into his cumberbund and holds his breath.

The Hurt Locker's favorite status has been weakened by producer Nicholas Chartier being banned from the ceremony for sending campaigning emails to Oscar voters, asking them to get behind his movie, saying that “if everyone tells one or two of their friends, we will win and not a $500M film,” a violation of the Academy’s campaign rules. A recent Newsweek essay by Paul Reickhoff of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America also takes issue with the film.

But many voters had already turned in their ballots, so who the heck knows?

I'm standing by my original prediction of a rare split for director and picture between ex-spouses Kathryn Bigelow getting Best Director for Hurt Locker, with James Cameron getting Best Picture for Avatar.

Here's how the rest will play out:

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side (...how I wish it were Meryl Streep)

Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique, Precious

Up in the Air will get best adapted screenplay, Tarantino will get original for Inglourious Basterds.

The producers promise a leaner, less musically entrenched broadcast with lively hosts.

Here's hoping they deliver and we get at least a few fun surprises!