Academy Award Predictions

Can't be a movie geek without making Last Minute Predictions. I am proud to say that I have seen almost all the films this year round missing only the following: Chasing Iceflows, No, Kon Tiki(Will be seeing it before the event) and the Gatekeepers. Of course pretty certain to not see most of the short films but did manage to see three of them this year.

Of the nominees I will start at the bottom and work my way at the top. Other than Animated Short film I will leave those out as I haven't seen any of them.

Orginial Screenplay:

I will admit that this may not win this year and is more of a hopeful but I have seen the films and this is by far in my opinion the best one. Wes Anderson is considered a favorite by the oscars and will be a very good way into the hearts of oscar goers. I do think that the others have a good shot but I still am plugging for Wes to make the plunge

Adapted Screenplay:

Argo in my opinion will be the big winner this year. It is sad that Ben Affleck kind of got snubbed at at the oscars. At the other awards ceramonies the film managed to pick up quite a bit of praise and is still one of the favored to win. I think that Lincoln has a good shot along with Life of Pi. Silver linings playbook and Beasts of the Southern Wild are in the rear in this catigory.

Visual Effects:

This is a hard one for me as all of the nominees are pretty spectacular. I think that the movie itself pulls about even with Avengers and the Hobbit but I think that it will get ahead as the academy will probably feel bad about it not winning a lot of the awards that it is up for. Please don't get me wrong the mix of colors and effects make this a wonderful film to keep in mind.

Sound Mixing:

I must admit I am not very good with this category. I am placing Argo in this slot as I feel it has a lot of action and events where sound mixing is a very important part of the process. This could still be anyone's game.

Sound Editing

Another Category I am unsure of but I do believe this will pull the win. I don't think this film will get much love this year and this award is the academy's opportunity to present it with some. There are multiple sound issues to consider with explosions and gun fire to try and balance it with the voices of the actors this is a struggle and I believe this is how it will go.

Animated Short Film:

I admit I still have not seen Head over Heels or Adam and Dog but this is still a very strong contender. This is probably one of the best short films Disney has produced on it's own without the Pixar Name. If you haven't seen this I recommend you do.

Production Design:

Well if I am correct this has to do more with the sets than anything else. Though many of the nominees are very good at this Les Miserables is in my opinion the best. They managed to capture the feeling of the broadway musical to the point where at times I almost felt I was watching it again in the theater. This is again one of my favorite films.

Original Song: 

This one is a no brainer. Skyfall has been built up and built up for this song and it has won nearly every award. The song does bring back a lot of the old feel I used to have when I was watching a bond film as the movie itself kind of fell back off of the Bourne Identity phase the series was going through during the last two installments.

Original Score:

The very fact that this film was nominated for original score when it should never have been even close to the award is the reason that I feel it will win. Someone really wants this film to succeed and I have a feeling that there are plenty of people pushing to have this variation of the original bond score to finally give the series its due. I don't pull for this one personally hoping for Anna Karenina but this is my predictions of what will will not what should win (That's coming later).

Makeup and Hairstyling:

I know Les Miserables is one of the favored to win in this category but I cannot do so. The Main character in that movie went through the entire movie looking younger instead of older and tired this is a failure as far as makeup is concerned. Peter Jackson does wonders finding makeup and effects staff and this film is no slouch in that department. The different beard styles of each dwarf the makeup on some of the various creatures to the birds nest in the brown wizard's hair this is a needed boost for this movie series.

Foreign Language Film:

This is hands down the front runner. I have not seen Kon Tiki or No yet so I cannot fully be an expert in this category but I do believe this will make it. It is a depressing film but very well acted and directed bringing attention and depth without any score and this takes doing. If you haven't seen it yet you definitely need to check this one out.

Film Editing:

I feel this film will get in on the editing basis improving hand over foot upon the Hurt Locker. The various scenes are spliced together quite well making it easy to follow and not making you sick too the stomach when seeing it.

Documentary Feature:

I have managed to watch all but one of the films this year and sadly I do think that the Gatekeepers has a shot of taking the top spot but I have not seen it so I can not declare for or against it. Searching for Sugar Man leads the pack that I have seen this year as excellent music and for an uplifting story that keeps you interested and informed for the entirety  This is a film that actually had me get up and buy this guy's two studio albums right after finishing it and this is a powerful move in its favor.

Best Director:

I believe that Spielberg is going to win this year. He hasn't won in a while and I believe that this is partially political and partially deserved. This film has been his baby for a while now and it is done very very well making it a must see. The Political reason is that I believe Argo was purposefully snubbed so that Lincoln could have a clear path to victory and if the academy promises they try to deliver.

Costume Design:

 There is no doubt in my mind that this will take home the design award. The other nominees are very good and Mirror Mirror is extremely imaginative but this film flows every well on the eyes and this is partly for the costumes involved. This movie was made for this award and I believe it will get what it was made for.

Cinematography:

I want to give this film some due. It is a well rounded cast and they work together exceptionally well. I am not an expert in this category so i could very well be wrong but I am hoping for it to win in this as I don't see it anywhere else.

Animated Feature:

There are others that I will be rooting for but I still feel this will take the win. I like Pixar and I think this is a great film but I feel it has fallen under their standard. I have believed that Pixar had a lock on this category for years and has a pull with the academy. I feel it took them taking with Cars 2 to get them out of the category giving them a chance to do something fun and giving other features a chance. Will the Pixar hold of the academy still stand strong? We shall find out tonight.

Supporting Actress:

I believe that Anne Hathaway is doing to take this home. It is too easy to call as the buzz around her is astounding. I do not necessarily agree with this as I believe that Samantha Barks did a much better job in the role both in acting and in singing. I also feel that Sally Field more deserved this award. I feel that the buzz factor is too strong with this one for it to go anywhere else. Don't get me wrong she did a good job with the role I just don't feel it is the best of the best.

Leading Actress:

Jennifer Lawrence is going to win this award. She did a great job with it and is a way better than the competition. The only think I can see happening is a political move to have Quvenzhane Wallis placed up for her age amongst other things to become a one of many firsts for the award. This is a far field but if it doesn't go to Jennifer you will see it going to Miss Wallis.

Supporting Actor:

Philip Seymour Hoffman did an excellent job in this film. I was bored by it and it was waaaay too long but still very good never the less. His character came across as believable and likable and it holds strong in this category. I would probably but either Robert De Niroo or Tommy Lee Jones as the next likely ones to take home this award should he flounder. I kind of hope this is the case as I really don't want to see this movie again.

Leading Actor:

No doubt in my mind that Daniel Day Lewis will take this home. He does an excellent job in the role and on top of that he has a ton of buzz and awards already in this category. At a long shot I will give the second possible to Denzel Washington for his wonderful performance in Flight but politically this time the cards are not in his favor.

Best Picture:

This film has too much momentum and buzz to be ignored (though the academy has tried). It has won best picture at many other award events including the globes and stands to be a contender for many more. Argo is excellent in almost every way and though it is not something that I consider the best picture overall it is still one of the best ones in the lineup. Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty also have a chance as the academy loves the director of Zero Dark Thirty and Lincoln is a spectacular film in its own right but I feel this will be the number one.


Well there you have it. I hope you all are ready to watch and enjoy the upcoming show before us. We shall see which way the die falls.