…some kind of way out of here….

Here are my final predictions. Updated on 3/7 9 AM, lols. Now with commentary! I also added a line for who I would give the oscar to if it were entirely up to me on a few of these…

Lead actor
Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
I think it’s pretty obvious Jeff Bridges will win. He’s “America’s treasure” or whatever and he hasn’t won an oscar yet.
My winner: Colin Firth. COME on, A Single Man was his greatest performance EVER.

Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds
This dude is super scary. I look forward to seeing him in more movies this year.
My winner: Christoph Waltz

Lead Actress
Sandra Bullock in Blind Side
Ugh. It seems she’s got a lock on this unfortunately. I just don’t like her and most of her movies. I personally thought she looked sucky in this part from the trailers, but I haven’t seen the movie so whatever.
My winner: Carey Mulligan because 1) I actually want to see An Education 2) She was on the greatest episode of Doctor Who ever 3) I actually want to see An Education not because of #2

Supporting Actress
MoNique in Precious
I think she’s won every single award so far. I’m sure she deserves it but I haven’t seen Precious yet.
My winner: Would probably be Monique if I’d seen it but since I haven’t, Anna Kendrick.

Animated Feature
Up
I think it’s entirely possible with the voting system that a lot of categories could go entirely in wacky unexpected directions and Fantastic Mr Fox could beat Up, but it doesn’t seem THAT likely.
My winner: Up

Art Direction
Avatar
Avatar in some of these categories is kind of bizarre because it’s entirely CG. You have to wonder if the voters will embrace that an entirely CG piece is art directed just the same as one shot in a house. I think that if they do take the leap, it would be in this category.
My winner: Avatar

Cinematography
The Hurt Locker – Barry Ackroyd
This category was by far the most elusive. I just watched Hurt Locker last night and decided to pick that one. I was debating between that, Avatar, and White Ribbon. I’m not sure voters will go for Avatar since so much of the camera placement and shot construction relied upon the visual effects people – at this point, cinematography in a movie like Avatar is still a grey area. The White Ribbon won the ASC award, but that’s voted on by a bunch of cinematographers who have actually seen it. I think a more well known movie will get a lot of the vote from people who don’t really know good cinematography. However, I think it’s totally deserving to win.
My winner: The Hurt Locker

Costume Design
The Young Victoria
I haven’t seen ANY of the nominees, but period movies usually win this. The older the better
My winner: The Young Victoria

Directing
Katheryn Bigelow
I can see how Bigelow is getting so much attention and I do think this is her year entirely. Sure, James Cameron spent a fortune and a billion years of his time on Avatar and moved filmmaking to a whole nother level, but the craft of directing isn’t about that. It’s commendable, but I think the performances Bigelow got out of her relatively unknown-ish actors in Hurt Locker, and the realistic intensity she crafted, beats out the other films. And I loved Up in the Air, so it’s hard to skip over him for me, but HL was bad ass.
My Winner: Katheryn Bigelow

Documentary Feature
The Cove

Documentary Short
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

Film Editing
Avatar
I heard these editors on a live chat Avid held, and I think they might win it.

Foreign Film
El Secreto de Sus Ojos

Makeup
Star Trek

Original Score
Up – Michael Giacchino

Original Song
The Weary Kind

Picture of the Year
Hurt Locker
I can see what the hoopla over this film is about. I do think it most accurately captures what Oscar wants for “best picture” and I’ll be really surprised if anything beats it. Second place – Up in the Air.

Animated Short Film
A Matter of Loaf and Death

Live Action Short Film
The New Tenants

Sound Editing
Avatar
Come on, they had to create all those bizarre sound effects.

Sound Mixing
Hurt Locker
The sound on this movie scared the poop out of me. The end.

Visual Effects
Avatar
Really?

Adapted Screenplay
Up in the Air
I can’t imagine anything will beat this…

Original Screenplay
Inglourous Basterds

Filed under: Uncategorized on March 2nd, 2010