In Hollywood, there is no bigger event than the Oscars. Each year, the Academy Awards captures everyone’s attention and imagination by collectively gathering the best and brightest of the former year in film and honoring them for their fine achievements. 2012 will be no exception as the competition is incredibly fierce in each category. Like fantasy football, it has also become a fan favorite to predict the winners and boldly declare who should win versus who will win. Every critic also has to throw there hat in the ring and give it a go as well, for the odds are actually better than winning any other form of lottery.
Being an avid film fan myself, and having taken the time to see the films nominated in the major categories, I thought this may be a fun time to try to play the Oscar-lottery and offer a few of my own predictions.
Jumping right in, here are the 10 main categories nominees and my predictions:
"The Help"
BEST PICTURE
“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer [Winner]
“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
“The Tree of Life” Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad and Dede Gardner
“War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
WHO WILL WIN: “The Help.” While critics are favoring “The Artist” to steal Oscar gold, it seems to have lost momentum in the wake of “The Help’s” mass popularity and appeal.
WHO SHOULD WIN: “The Help.” The film was truly everything one looks for in a best picture film. It had a story that grabbed our hearts. It made us laugh and cheer and yet remember that it spoke of a time that makes most of us ashamed to remember how badly we treated our fellow man. It also offered stunning performances from every member of the cast with scene-stealing performances at every turn. It is also a film that stuck with us and yet in a good way such that we wanted to see it again and recommend it to friends.
Brad Pitt "Moneyball"
Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir in “A Better Life”
George Clooney in “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin in “The Artist” [Winner]
Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”
WHO WILL WIN: Jean Dujardin. The momentum celebrating his performance carrying a film where he never speaks an audible word never stopped. He is likely to steal it from much bigger named stars.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Brad Pitt. It a rare year when Brad Pitt outshines just about every other actor there is. But this was Brad’s year. His performance in “Moneyball” was electrifying and captivating. He took a very downtrodden character and made him a hero – and we all cheered. He also managed to make us forget he was Brad Pitt, and instead we saw the character and that was even more astounding. Just a phenomenal performance and he deserves to win.
Jonah Hill "Moneyball"
Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn”
Jonah Hill in “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte in “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer in “Beginners” [Winner]
Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
WHO WILL WIN: Christopher Plummer. The industry loves him and his willingness to take on such an unconventional role earned him praise from everyone. Plus, it looked like he was having a ball doing it.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Jonah Hill. I may be in the minority on this one, but Jonah also took his performance to a whole new level in “Moneyball.” He made the role sympathetic and fascinating. The film would have suffered if we didn’t feel his emotional investment in each scene, and most of it was without words. Fantastic performance.
Viola Davis "The Help"
Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis in “The Help”
Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady” [Winner]
Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”
WHO WILL WIN: Viola Davis. She absolutely stole the film from everyone by her quiet performance of a woman long-suffering, yet with wonderful nobility. Her final walk at the end of the film sealed it. She earned the Oscar with each step.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Viola Davis. While Michelle Williams and Rooney Mara also turned in phenomenal performances and on any other year could have easily won, this year was jammed with so many mind-blowing performances. Really tough category.
Octavia Spencer "The Help"
Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain in “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer in “The Help” [Winner]
WHO WILL WIN: Octavia Spencer. Her memorable “pie” scene stands out above anything else and she is clearly favored to win.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Octavia Spencer. Chocolate pie infamy aside, her performance throughout the entire film of “The Help” glistened with pride, humor, and at times heart-breaking sympathy. Her ability to hold our attention and cheer throughout a film filled with stellar talent was outstanding. Plus, her impish grins are purely infectious.
"Hugo"
Cinematography
“The Artist” Guillaume Schiffman
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Jeff Cronenweth
“Hugo” Robert Richardson [Winner]
“The Tree of Life” Emmanuel Lubezki
“War Horse” Janusz Kaminski
WHO WILL WIN: “Hugo.” Robert Richardson simply out did himself and the entire film is a visual feast for the eyes and he will be rewarded for it.
WHO SHOULD WIN: “Hugo.” If you didn’t see the film, absolutely see it. It really is magnificent to behold.
"Hugo"
Directing
“The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius [Winner]
“The Descendants” Alexander Payne
“Hugo” Martin Scorsese
“Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen
“The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick
WHO WILL WIN: Martin Scorsese. His masterful direction of “Hugo” is a testament to film directing at its finest.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Martin Scorsese. We should be thanking him for creating such a work of art!
"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Film Editing
“The Artist” Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
“The Descendants” Kevin Tent
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall [Winner]
“Hugo” Thelma Schoonmaker
“Moneyball” Christopher Tellefsen
WHO WILL WIN: Thelma Schoonmaker. “Hugo” is a tremendous film and it glows from such fine technical achievement.
WHO SHOULD WIN: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall. By far “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” was the most complex film and it had such a huge amount of material to seamlessly integrate. The film editing was really something remarkable and deserves recognition.
"Hugo"
Visual Effects
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2″ Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
“Hugo” Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning [Winner]
“Real Steel” Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier
WHO WILL WIN: “Hugo.” The film was pure and simple a work of art and special effects played an important part in that process.
WHO SHOULD WIN: “Hugo.” The integration of the special effects into the realism of this magnificent story made each and every moment feel so real. That is a rare and special achievement.
"Moneyball"
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
“The Descendants” Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash [Winner]
“Hugo” Screenplay by John Logan
“The Ides of March” Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
“Moneyball” Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan
WHO WILL WIN: “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” Anyone who has read John LeCarre’s novels knows how difficult it was to condense and make sense out of his labyrinthine stories to such a degree that a movie audience could follow it.
WHO SHOULD WIN: “Moneyball.” I am still astounded by how compelling and fascinating I found this story. Not a sports fan, the technical aspects alone should have been mind-numbing. Yet due to the superb storytelling, I found myself fully invested in the characters and their impossible dream of playing the odds. I’m cheering for an upset in this category.
Win or lose, each of these films and the people nominated here deserve to be celebrated. They created worlds that we were delighted to be a part of and which we now avidly share with friends and family so that they too may enjoy these cinematic “gems.”
Now let us all watch with wonder and delight as the Oscar winners are unveiled for 2012!
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