Other than not paying their writers, nothing gets big time Hollywood studios breathing harder than a tight Oscar race. Just as soon as their tireless (and bloodsucking) publicists start piecing together selling points for their own schlock, they start working on smear campaigns against their competitors.

Sure, November is a little early to tell exactly what opposing studios will think up in the smear department, but it's not too early to speculate.

[Radar's predictions after the jump!]

There Will be Blood: Described by the studio as "A story about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century Texas prospector," look for There Will Be Blood and all of those involved to be tied to another Texas family so in love with greed, religion, and oil. Michael Moore and George Clooney are Academy members ... and they vote. No statue for you!

Charlie Wilson's War: A movie with this many big names attached to it seems a shoo-in for some little golden men. But wait a second, what about those rumors of Tom Hanks and Phillip Seymour Hoffman making a double-meat sandwich with Julia Roberts? If true (and it's almost certainly not, but what the heck) the Academy—and the rest of America—is so staying away.

Atonement: An over-the-top romantic epic, this ultimate chick flick will make both men and women cry, though for different reasons. But what kind of archaic statement would the Academy be making if it awarded the story of a romance between a man and a woman? Hollywood hates to reward traditional values. Expect a whispering campaign designed to play to the cultural elite's staunch heterophobia.

American Gangster: Sure, it seems like a lock now, but wait until rival studios put out word that not only was Frank Lucas, the titular character portrayed by Denzel Washington, actually a harmless pot dealer from Paramus, New Jersey, instead of the Harlem heroin kingpin of the film, but that he wasn't even black. No chance!

The Kite Runner: A Middle East drama starring cute kids? Director Marc Forester should start walking to the podium now. But maybe not. With source material that three-fourths of the world has read, there will be ample opportunities to point out discrepancies between the two. Especially if Matt Drudge gets his hands on a copy.