Academy Award Predictions (No. 1)
-Academy Award Predictions-
-(No. 1)-
-(No. 1)-
Well, the day is finally here. And no, I'm not just talking about the second trailer for Iron Man 2, which will make its debut on the Jimmy Kimmel Show and no doubt online shortly after. Keep an eye out for that, which will build up the anticipation for what will no doubt be summer's biggest movie. However, the debut of that trailer will be after the night's other big event, which is the 82nd Academy Award ceremony.
As described by Frank Capra, "The Oscar is the most valuable, but least expensive, item of world-wide public relations ever invented by any industry." It's a symbol of amazing achievement in the world of film and certainly an occasion to celebrate every year if you follow movies, though for whatever reason, we don't get off work the next day for it. No doubt that'll change someday as it becomes a nationally recognized holiday for recognizing excellence in the world of movies. Although this probably should've gone up earlier, it's been a busy week and honestly, I'm just adding my own predictions to an already overwhelmingly crowded field of predictions. However, I really enjoy trying to predict the Oscars and so I'm happy to make my choices here.
Now, I won't be picking in every category, because in some categories, such as Best Costume (seeing as how I haven't seen any of the films nominated), likewise with Documentary Short and others. I'll be putting down my honest prediction as to who I think will win and I'll also, just for the sake of fun, adding my own prediction as to who I think should win. I certainly won't be the most informed candidate because I didn't get a chance to see all of the movies in theatres and some of them have yet to arrive on DVD, but I have seen a majority of the films nominated for Best Picture and the performances within, so I feel pretty good about my choices tonight, which are, for your consideration:
Writing (Best Original Screenplay)
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The Messenger"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"
Who Will Win: "The Hurt Locker".
Who Should Win: Personally, my vote goes to Inglorious Basterds.
Writing (Best Adapted Screenplay)
As described by Frank Capra, "The Oscar is the most valuable, but least expensive, item of world-wide public relations ever invented by any industry." It's a symbol of amazing achievement in the world of film and certainly an occasion to celebrate every year if you follow movies, though for whatever reason, we don't get off work the next day for it. No doubt that'll change someday as it becomes a nationally recognized holiday for recognizing excellence in the world of movies. Although this probably should've gone up earlier, it's been a busy week and honestly, I'm just adding my own predictions to an already overwhelmingly crowded field of predictions. However, I really enjoy trying to predict the Oscars and so I'm happy to make my choices here.
Now, I won't be picking in every category, because in some categories, such as Best Costume (seeing as how I haven't seen any of the films nominated), likewise with Documentary Short and others. I'll be putting down my honest prediction as to who I think will win and I'll also, just for the sake of fun, adding my own prediction as to who I think should win. I certainly won't be the most informed candidate because I didn't get a chance to see all of the movies in theatres and some of them have yet to arrive on DVD, but I have seen a majority of the films nominated for Best Picture and the performances within, so I feel pretty good about my choices tonight, which are, for your consideration:
Writing (Best Original Screenplay)
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The Messenger"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"
Who Will Win: "The Hurt Locker".
Who Should Win: Personally, my vote goes to Inglorious Basterds.
Costume design
"Bright Star"
"Coco Before Chanel"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"Nine"
"The Young Victoria"
Writing (Best Adapted Screenplay)
"District 9"
"An Education"
"In the Loop"
"Precious"
"Up in the Air"
Who Will Win: "Up In The Air"
Who Should Win: "Up In The Air". Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner have written a very excellent script, dealing with a very pressing issue today, in a very impressive manner that deserves recognition.
"El Secreto de Sus Ojos"
"The Milk of Sorrow"
"Un Prophète"
"The White Ribbon"
Visual Effects
"Avatar"
"District 9"
"Star Trek"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar. There is literally no reason in the world why Avatar will not take this home. All due respect to Star Trek and District 9, the best graphics all year belonged to Avatar and they should take this one home easily.
Sound Mixing
"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
Who Will Win: Hurt Locker
Who Should Win: Avatar
Documentary short
"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Up"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
Art Direction
"Avatar"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"Nine"
"Sherlock Holmes"
"The Young Victoria"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
"Avatar"
"District 9"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Precious"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
Best Cinematography
"Avatar"
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The White Ribbon"
Who Will Win: Hurt Locker
Who Should Win: Inglorious Basterds.
Best Original Song
"Almost There" from "The Princess and the Frog"
"Down in New Orleans" from "The Princess and the Frog"
"Loin de Paname" from "Paris 36"
"Take it All" from "Nine"
"The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart"
Who Will Win: "The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart"
Who Should Win: After listening to all of the choices today, I have "The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart" as my pick too.
Best Original Score
"Avatar"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Sherlock Holmes"
"Up"
Who Will Win: "Avatar"
Who Should Win: "Up". Out of all the film scores released this year, it's Micheal Giacchino's score that is both heartfelt and whimsical that should take home the prize.
Make-Up
"Il Divo"
"Star Trek"
"The Young Victoria"
Best Animated Feature
"Up"
"Coraline"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Princess and the Frog"
"The Secret of Kells"
Who Will Win: "Up"
Who Should Win: I will take a moment here to discuss one of the bigger Oscar snubs this year in mentioning that the latest release from Hayao Miyazaki wasn't nominated with "Ponyo". Let me just make it simple for you, Academy - any year that Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli release a film, just nominate it. It's going to be in the top five animated features released that year. But, even it had been nominated, I still would've voted for Up. Just a great, great film that is rightfully nominated not just here, but in the running for Best Picture overall. If "Up" won Best Picture, I would be very happy.
Best Director
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
James Cameron, "Avatar"
Lee Daniels, "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"
Who Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow
Who Should Win: Kathryn Bigelow. Look for Kathryn Bigelow to become the first woman to take home the best directing honors. It's about time.
Best Supporting Actress
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"
Who Will Win: Mo'Nique.
Who Should Win: Having not seen all of the contenders this year, I don't really feel qualified to offer my opinion but Anna Kendrick has my vote out of the ones that I've seen.
Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
Who Will Win: Christoph Waltz
Who Should Win: Christoph Waltz was one of the best actors you'll see on screen this year, creating a memorable character from the beginning of Inglorious Basterds to the very end. I can't imagine anybody else getting this award.
Best Actress
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Who Will Win: Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side".
Who Should Win: I've heard amazing reviews for Carey Mulligan, but having not seen that film, I'll say the award will go to Sandra Bullock. Why? Because they can't give it to Meryl Streep again.
Best Actor
George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
Who Will Win: Jeff Bridges
Who Should Win:Jeff Bridges. Jeremy Renner did a great job in the Hurt Locker, it's hard to pick against Morgan Freeman's portrayal of Nelson Mandela, I've heard rave reviews of Colin Firth's performance and I really would love to see George Clooney pick up an award for his role, which I really do think is one of the best of the year. However, Jeff Bridges has been nominated so many times before that I doubt the Academy will pass him over again and nor should they. From what I've heard, an amazing performance.
Best Picture
This is clearly the biggest award of the night and it's going to be different this year as instead of the usual five, there are ten films to select from this year, which allows for not only the big blockbuster movie to get in but also some smaller films that might not have received recognition before. This rule change occurred in response due to the fact that the Dark Knight was inexplicably left out of the Best Picture race last year, resulting in some of the lowest ratings in history as feel-good movie Slumdog Millionaire won it instead. Slumdog Millionaire was a deserving winner, though. Who should win this year? If you've been noticing my selections throughout the blog, you'll see that I definitely think more of "Avatar" than I do of "Hurt Locker". While both are very good films, I enjoyed Avatar more, despite it being not the most original movie in the world, it was in a word: awesome. But, despite it being the highest grossing film of the year, one that obviously stroke a chord with audiences around the world, does that mean it deserves to be labeled the best? Let's not forget that that atrocity committed to film Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen was one of the biggest box office movies of last year, so box office success has little to do with whether it's one of the year's best. Which of these following films should have the right to place "Winner Of Best Picture" on their DVD in the future, to declare themselves the best in this years to come?
Nominees:
"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"Up in the Air"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Up"
"The Blind Side"
"District 9"
"An Education"
"A Serious Man"
Who Will Win: Avatar. I really think that the Academy will recognize Avatar this year and not just the geek in me speaking.
Who Should Win: Realistically, it's a two horse race. Avatar has swept a number of film awards though lately it's been the Hurt Locker gaining the most momentum in recent award shows, placing it as the front runner. My personal vote has the two front runners canceling themselves out and allowing "Up In The Air", one of my favorite films of the past year to gain the prize. However, I'll be very happy if (and hopefully when) Avatar takes home the top prize, finally giving science fiction movies a well deserved win in the Best Picture category. Then, with fantasy films getting their due with "Lord of the Rings" and science fiction hopefully this year, we can work hard towards getting a superhero film as best picture. One day...
Until then of course, it should still be a very exciting show at the 82nd Academy Awards. The only thing it'll be missing is Stan Lee, who makes a very compelling case for his own Oscar award in this video here. Stan Lee deserves an Oscar. Watch that video and see whether you don't agree. But for now, go enjoy the culmination of another great year of film and then check out the Iron Man 2 trailer after the show to see what, in my mind, should hopefully be a front runner for the Oscars in 2011.
P.S. - It could happen.
"An Education"
"In the Loop"
"Precious"
"Up in the Air"
Who Will Win: "Up In The Air"
Who Should Win: "Up In The Air". Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner have written a very excellent script, dealing with a very pressing issue today, in a very impressive manner that deserves recognition.
Best foreign-language film
"Ajami""El Secreto de Sus Ojos"
"The Milk of Sorrow"
"Un Prophète"
"The White Ribbon"
Visual Effects
"Avatar"
"District 9"
"Star Trek"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar. There is literally no reason in the world why Avatar will not take this home. All due respect to Star Trek and District 9, the best graphics all year belonged to Avatar and they should take this one home easily.
Sound Mixing
"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"
Who Will Win: Hurt Locker
Who Should Win: Avatar
Documentary short
"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"
"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner"
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant"
"Music by Prudence"
"Rabbit à la Berlin"
Best documentary feature
"Burma VJ"
"The Cove"
"Food, Inc."
"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers"
"Which Way Home"
"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Star Trek"
"Up"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
Art Direction
"Avatar"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"Nine"
"Sherlock Holmes"
"The Young Victoria"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
Short film, animated
"French Toast"
"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty"
"The Lady and the Reaper"
"Logorama"
"A Matter of Loaf and Death"
Short film, live action
"The Door"
"Instead of Abracadabra"
"Kavi"
"Miracle Fish"
"The New Tenants"
"Avatar"
"District 9"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Precious"
Who Will Win: Avatar
Who Should Win: Avatar
Best Cinematography
"Avatar"
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The White Ribbon"
Who Will Win: Hurt Locker
Who Should Win: Inglorious Basterds.
Best Original Song
"Almost There" from "The Princess and the Frog"
"Down in New Orleans" from "The Princess and the Frog"
"Loin de Paname" from "Paris 36"
"Take it All" from "Nine"
"The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart"
Who Will Win: "The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart"
Who Should Win: After listening to all of the choices today, I have "The Weary Kind (Theme from "Crazy Heart") from "Crazy Heart" as my pick too.
Best Original Score
"Avatar"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Sherlock Holmes"
"Up"
Who Will Win: "Avatar"
Who Should Win: "Up". Out of all the film scores released this year, it's Micheal Giacchino's score that is both heartfelt and whimsical that should take home the prize.
Make-Up
"Il Divo"
"Star Trek"
"The Young Victoria"
Best Animated Feature
"Up"
"Coraline"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Princess and the Frog"
"The Secret of Kells"
Who Will Win: "Up"
Who Should Win: I will take a moment here to discuss one of the bigger Oscar snubs this year in mentioning that the latest release from Hayao Miyazaki wasn't nominated with "Ponyo". Let me just make it simple for you, Academy - any year that Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli release a film, just nominate it. It's going to be in the top five animated features released that year. But, even it had been nominated, I still would've voted for Up. Just a great, great film that is rightfully nominated not just here, but in the running for Best Picture overall. If "Up" won Best Picture, I would be very happy.
Best Director
Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"
Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"
James Cameron, "Avatar"
Lee Daniels, "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"
Who Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow
Who Should Win: Kathryn Bigelow. Look for Kathryn Bigelow to become the first woman to take home the best directing honors. It's about time.
Best Supporting Actress
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"
Penelope Cruz, "Nine"
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"
Who Will Win: Mo'Nique.
Who Should Win: Having not seen all of the contenders this year, I don't really feel qualified to offer my opinion but Anna Kendrick has my vote out of the ones that I've seen.
Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, "Invictus"
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
Who Will Win: Christoph Waltz
Who Should Win: Christoph Waltz was one of the best actors you'll see on screen this year, creating a memorable character from the beginning of Inglorious Basterds to the very end. I can't imagine anybody else getting this award.
Best Actress
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"
Carey Mulligan, "An Education"
Who Will Win: Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side".
Who Should Win: I've heard amazing reviews for Carey Mulligan, but having not seen that film, I'll say the award will go to Sandra Bullock. Why? Because they can't give it to Meryl Streep again.
Best Actor
George Clooney, "Up in the Air"
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"
Colin Firth, "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
Who Will Win: Jeff Bridges
Who Should Win:Jeff Bridges. Jeremy Renner did a great job in the Hurt Locker, it's hard to pick against Morgan Freeman's portrayal of Nelson Mandela, I've heard rave reviews of Colin Firth's performance and I really would love to see George Clooney pick up an award for his role, which I really do think is one of the best of the year. However, Jeff Bridges has been nominated so many times before that I doubt the Academy will pass him over again and nor should they. From what I've heard, an amazing performance.
Best Picture
This is clearly the biggest award of the night and it's going to be different this year as instead of the usual five, there are ten films to select from this year, which allows for not only the big blockbuster movie to get in but also some smaller films that might not have received recognition before. This rule change occurred in response due to the fact that the Dark Knight was inexplicably left out of the Best Picture race last year, resulting in some of the lowest ratings in history as feel-good movie Slumdog Millionaire won it instead. Slumdog Millionaire was a deserving winner, though. Who should win this year? If you've been noticing my selections throughout the blog, you'll see that I definitely think more of "Avatar" than I do of "Hurt Locker". While both are very good films, I enjoyed Avatar more, despite it being not the most original movie in the world, it was in a word: awesome. But, despite it being the highest grossing film of the year, one that obviously stroke a chord with audiences around the world, does that mean it deserves to be labeled the best? Let's not forget that that atrocity committed to film Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen was one of the biggest box office movies of last year, so box office success has little to do with whether it's one of the year's best. Which of these following films should have the right to place "Winner Of Best Picture" on their DVD in the future, to declare themselves the best in this years to come?
Nominees:
"Avatar"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"Up in the Air"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"Up"
"The Blind Side"
"District 9"
"An Education"
"A Serious Man"
Who Will Win: Avatar. I really think that the Academy will recognize Avatar this year and not just the geek in me speaking.
Who Should Win: Realistically, it's a two horse race. Avatar has swept a number of film awards though lately it's been the Hurt Locker gaining the most momentum in recent award shows, placing it as the front runner. My personal vote has the two front runners canceling themselves out and allowing "Up In The Air", one of my favorite films of the past year to gain the prize. However, I'll be very happy if (and hopefully when) Avatar takes home the top prize, finally giving science fiction movies a well deserved win in the Best Picture category. Then, with fantasy films getting their due with "Lord of the Rings" and science fiction hopefully this year, we can work hard towards getting a superhero film as best picture. One day...
Until then of course, it should still be a very exciting show at the 82nd Academy Awards. The only thing it'll be missing is Stan Lee, who makes a very compelling case for his own Oscar award in this video here. Stan Lee deserves an Oscar. Watch that video and see whether you don't agree. But for now, go enjoy the culmination of another great year of film and then check out the Iron Man 2 trailer after the show to see what, in my mind, should hopefully be a front runner for the Oscars in 2011.
P.S. - It could happen.
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