The Oscars are almost here, and it’s time for me to make my predictions. Last year I made predictions in 13 categories, and went 12 for 13. Let’s see how I do this year!
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
WINNER – Avatar. Logic tells me to vote for The Hurt Locker, as it has won the majority of the awards leading up to the event, but something tells me that Avatar is going to pull off the upset and win. I still don’t believe enough people who are voting have seen The Hurt Locker, and the popularity of Avatar will rule. Unrelated – the best film, in my opinion, is Up, but it does not stand a chance.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
George Clooney for Up in the Air
Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker
WINNER – Jeff Bridges. The acting awards are pretty easy to call this year, as there are no major battles in each field. Bridges wins this one easily, as Clooney is probably his closest competitor, but Up In The Air has really faded from Oscar contention.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock for The Blind Side
Helen Mirren for The Last Station
Carey Mulligan for An Education
Gabourey Sidibe for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Meryl Streep for Julie & Julia
WINNER – Sandra Bullock. This year is Sandra’s year. Her closest competitor is Gabourey Sidibe, but I think they want to give it to Sandra more. It’s the old debate about promoting someone new or someone who has time in. This year the veteran will get the award, but I wouldn’t be surprised in the least of Sidibe wins.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon for Invictus
Woody Harrelson for The Messenger
Christopher Plummer for The Last Station
Stanley Tucci for The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds
WINNER – Christoph Waltz. This is the easiest award to pick. Waltz is a lock as SS officer Hans Landa. His quad-lingual performance is amazing, and he has won almost every award imaginable leading up to the Oscars.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz for Nine
Vera Farmiga for Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal for Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick for Up in the Air
Mo’Nique for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
WINNER – Mo’Nique. Another easy award to pick, as Mo’Nique has also won almost everything leading up to this event. This will be the award to justify all the nominations for Precious, even though people say that the film deserves to win more than just this award.
Best Achievement in Directing
Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker
James Cameron for Avatar
Lee Daniels for Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
Jason Reitman for Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino for Inglourious Basterds
WINNER – Kathryn Bigelow. For the first time a female will win Best Director at the Oscars. It’s a tough call for me, because the race is between Bigelow and Avatar, but I think this win will make up for The Hurt Locker losing Best Picture
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Inglourious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger: Alessandro Camon, Oren Moverman
A Serious Man: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Up: Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Thomas McCarthy
WINNER – Mark Boal. This battle is between The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds, but I’m giving the edge to Boal’s screenplay, not because I think that it is stronger (I actually like Basterds better), I just have a gut feeling about this.
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
District 9: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
In the Loop: Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire: Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
WINNER – Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner. This will be the only award of the night for Up In The Air, and it also won a WGA Award leading up to the Oscars, so my money is on Reitman and Turner
Best Achievement in Cinematography
The White Ribbon
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
WINNER – Avatar. Now that we are in the technical part of the Oscars, I’m predicting Avatar to win every technical award, no matter what the competition is, so I’m not going to give reasons why I’m picking Avatar in every category. Love or hate the film, Avatar is a technically magnificent film, and it will dominate the Oscars and be the big winner of the evening.
Best Achievement in Editing
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
WINNER – Avatar.
Best Achievement in Art Direction
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
WINNER – The Young Victoria. I’m biased, as I always think period films win this award, especially British period films, so I’m picking The Young Victoria.
Best Achievement in Costume Design
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
WINNER – The Young Victoria. See above (The Young Victoria has a higher profile than Bright Star)
Best Achievement in Makeup
WINNER – Star Trek. No denying that the film had amazing make-up, and it’s a little more flashy then the other two nominees, as the other films or more understated with their make-up.
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Fantastic Mr. Fox: Alexandre Desplat
The Hurt Locker: Marco Beltrami, Buck Sanders
WINNER – Michael Giacchino. I’ve seen four of the five movies that have been nominated, and far and away the best score is Up’s. This would be a major upset if it lost in my opinion.
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
Crazy Heart: T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham (“The Weary Kind”)
Faubourg 36: Reinhardt Wagner, Frank Thomas (“Loin de Paname”)
Nine: Maury Yeston (“Take It All”)
The Princess and the Frog: Randy Newman (“Almost There”)
The Princess and the Frog: Randy Newman (“Down in New Orleans”)
WINNER – T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham. No song in this category comes even close to The Weary Kind. I will turn off the Oscars if this song does not win.
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
WINNER – Avatar.
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
WINNER – Avatar.
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
WINNER – Avatar.
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
WINNER – Up. It’s the only one of the five to be nominated for Best Picture, and although The Fantastic Mr. Fox does have its supporters, Up should win this hands down. Did I also mention that I think Up is the best film of the year, and should win Best Picture (but won’t)
Best Documentary, Features
Burma VJ: Reporter i et lukket land
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
WINNER – The Cove. I’ve heard of three of the five nominees, but The Cove has the most buzz, and apparently it comes off like a thriller. This is the least educated guess I’m making out of any of my predictions, by I think that because The Cove has the highest profile, it will win.
NOTE – I did not give picks on Best Foreign Language Film, Best Documentary – Short, Best Short Film –Animated and Best Short Film – Live Action because I have hardly heard of any of the nominees, so I would just be guessing.
We’ll see how I do on Sunday night!
