Best Motion Picture of the Year
Joe: I think The Artist is going to win most of the 10 categories that it was nominated for, including Best Picture. The film has won the equivalent of this award in other award shows over the past couple months. The casting, directing, black and white cinematography, etc. are all superb. It’s a great throwback to the early days of “talkies” and a seemingly unoriginal story was done in a tremendously effective way. The only real competition for this film is The Descendants.
ChrisO: The Artist obviously. It’s a silent film that’s good. The academy eats that up, all the other directors threw up their hands in defeat when they heard how good this movie was.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: The Descendants
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Jean Dujardin for The Artist – Joe and ChrisO
Joe: I think Jean Dujardin is going to win this award, mainly because he proved to be incredibly capable of mastering the lost art of silent cinema. He only speaks two words in the entire film, so his body and facial expressions had to help move the plot along. He proved to be up to the challenge.
ChrisO: Again, a good silent film trumps all. Dujardin could have been pulled off the street for all anyone cares. This is his to lose.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: George Clooney for The Descendants
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Joe: It has been 29 years since Meryl Streep, the greatest actress to work in Hollywood in the past three decades, has won an Oscar. She has had a record 17 nominations, but has only won twice. If she is going to end her losing streak, or if the Academy decides to stop taunting her, playing Margaret Thatcher would do the trick. Just as with every role that she has tackled since the late 1970s she is brilliant in the Iron Lady. Streep gets into costume, dons the appropriate accent and becomes immersed in the character.
ChrisO: Sorry Meryl, that spot on your awards shelf is going to get even dustier. It’s time another black woman won that trophy. This is a very unimpressive lineup and considering how highly rated The Help was in comparison to the other films. And how many less rape scenes it had than Dragon Tattoo. I’m all for Viola Davis on this one.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Meryl Streep. Never be surprised by Meryl Streep, she is a great actress.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
Jonah Hill for Moneyball
Joe: Warrior was the film that caused me to love Nick Nolte. He has been nominated twice before, but did not win. He is brilliant in Warrior, and is easily the best part of an already incredibly entertaining and well made film. He is perfect as the recovering alcoholic, who has been a questionable father to his two sons and must try to redeem himself. However, Max von Sydow and Christopher Plummer are brilliant actors, so it could be anyones guess.
ChrisO: This is also a really sad lineup. But Christopher Plummer playing a gay father can’t be passed up. Especially since he is probably the best aged actor out there. Everyone loves Plummer and no one else pops in this category.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Max Von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Joe: I think Berenice Bejo will win this award, for basically the same reason as the lead actor. She even takes things a step further, and does not utter a single word in the entire film.
ChrisO: If Viola doesn’t win it, the other black woman will. Jessica Chastain has my vote. But I really wouldn’t be surprised by Berenice Bejo at all.
BE SURPRISED BY: Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids. She won’t win but wouldn’t it be fantastic of the academy actually recognized a comedy?
Best Achievement in Directing
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist – Joe and ChrisO
Martin Scorsese for Hugo
Joe’s Prediction: I’m not familiar with Payne’s other work, but Allen, Malick, and Scorsese are all brilliant film makers. With that being said I think The Artist will get this award, assuming a film dominates the Academy Awards this year.
ChrisO: 90% of the time the film that wins best director also wins best picture. So this is a really safe bet.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Any of the other’s really. All solid directors.
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Joe: The Artist for this as well, even though Woody Allen is a wonderful writer and Bridesmaids was indeed hilariously funny.
ChrisO: This is a real hard one. Is it really good writing if there is no dialogue? Who knows, I vote for The Artist yet again.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Midnight in Paris : Woody Allen
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Joe: I never saw Moneyball or Hugo, was confused by Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy, and saw the other two films several months ago. With that being said I will go with The Descendants, since it seems to be immensely popular with stuffy critics and normal movie goers alike, and the story was realistic and emotional, brought to life by George Clooney, et al.
ChrisO: I’m going to have to go with The Descendants as well. The buzz coming off this film has made it a major contender, and the one most likely to knock out The Artist.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Moneyball : Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Joe’s Prediction: The four films I saw from this list were visually stunning in every regard. However, I’m going to War Horse on this one. Janusz Kaminski is a genius cinematographer and every single film he shoots for people, primarily Steven Spielberg, look beautiful. He even makes crappy movies at least look attractive. The outdoor shots, lighting, composition, and everything else looks beautiful in War Horse, and is one of the main reasons why it kept my attention, despite being relatively long.
ChrisO: All of these films are beautifully filmed but the one that takes it to a new level is Tree of Life. Terrence Malick has always had an eye for the surreal. Even if every one of his films is a confusing mash of images, they are the most beautiful images you’ve ever seen, somehow evoking emotions you never thought you had. His cinematographer has to be a very patient man.
DON’T BE SURPRISED BY: Any of the others except Dragon Tattoo.
Best Achievement in Editing
Joe: Didn’t see it, but I’m going to go with Hugo. I hear it is incredible and it bound to win a couple awards out of its 11 nominations.
ChrisO: I never get this one right. Kind of assumed Tree of Life would be in here but guess not. So I am going to have to go with Moneyball.
Best Achievement in Art Direction
Joe: I will go with War Horse for this as well. It was indeed a joy to look at.
ChrisO: Midnight in Paris should win something.
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
Joe: John Williams is probably the greatest film composer currently living. I suppose that is why he has two nominations this year. He and his orchestra are simply unbelievable and it is hard to image Spielberg’s films without the emotion, drama, and intensity that come from a Williams score. War Horse has got this for me as well. Janusz Kaminski and John Williams were responsible for my favorite parts of the film.
ChrisO: John William’s has two shots to win here. But I don’t think he will get it. The Artist is only a “silent” film because there is very little dialogue. Which means the rest is all music. But don’t be surprised if Williams wins.
Best Animated Feature Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico and Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango – ChrisO
ChrisO: With its very creative and quirky visual style, not to mention some very impressive voice acting, Rango is the only real contender in this category. Of course I haven’t seen three of them but Rango has my vote.
These are all the categories that we care about. Or that we have enough knowledge to actually make an educated guess on. Because seriously sound mixing and editing? What is that? And obviously The Muppets is going to win best song. Sorry for no documentary, we haven’t seen that or any of the shorts otherwise we would at least hazard a guess.
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