85th Academy Awards

Today's the big day! The night the stars and the creators of the movies come together to see who will be walking away (driven to their luxury hotel) with a little, golden Oscar and the academy award title.

And this year, I might even watch it live (if I find a way). I'm usually asleep, being in the UK, so I catch up on the gossip the next day, but this year I’m willing to sacrifice sleep to watch the ceremony.

A few years ago I had seen most of the big contenders, however this year I'm a falling a bit behind. Therefore instead of doing just predictions, because quite often I disagree with the winners (see the 2011 Best Director ‘incident’) I'm going to do a little ‘what I want to win’ and ‘what I think will win’ blog post.

So we're up to date, here is the tiny list of nominated films which I have actually seen.

Brave, Django Unchained, Hitchcock, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Mirror Mirror, Moonrise Kingdom, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, Skyfall, The Avengers, Wreck-It Ralph, Zero Dark Thirty.

As you can see, not an awful lot of the big ones to develop an unbiased opinion on the nominees. Regardless, I want to blog about it so here are my wants and predictions.

Best Picture (Amour, Argo, Beasts Of The Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables, Lincoln, Life Of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty)

Want: I’d love Zero Dark Thirty to win as I think I enjoyed it most out of what I’ve seen.
Prediction: Argo has got it in the bag.

Best Director (Michael Haneke – Amour, Ang Lee - Life of Pi, David O Russell - Silver Linings Playbook, Steven Spielberg – Lincoln, Benh Zeitlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild)

Want: I’ve only seen Life of Pi, which I think Ang Lee would be a worthy winner.
Prediction: I have a feeling Spielberg will get it.

Although I'd love Ben Affleck to defy the odds with the loophole

Best Actor (Daniel Day Lewis – Lincoln, Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook, Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables, Joaquin Phoenix - The Master, Denzel Washington – Flight)

Want: I’m still gutted I haven’t seen Lincoln, but I still want Daniel Day-Lewis to win from word of mouth and his BAFTA speech.
Prediction: Daniel Day-Lewis

Actress (Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty, Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook, Emmanuelle Riva – Amour, Quvenzhane Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild, Naomi Watts - The Impossible)

Want: Jessica Chastian
Prediction: Emmanuelle Riva

Supporting Actor (Alan Arkin – Argo, Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook, Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln, Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained, Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master)

Want: Christoph Waltz (for all the awards)
Prediction: Christoph Waltz

Supporting Actress (Amy Adams - The Master, Sally Field – Lincoln, Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables, Helen Hunt - The Sessions, Jacki Weaver - Silver Linings Playbook)

Want: Anne Hathaway
Prediction: Anne Hathaway

Original Screenplay (Amour - Michael Haneke, Django Unchained - Quentin Tarantino, Flight - John Gatins, Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, Zero Dark Thirty - Mark Boal)

Want: I'm still quite upset that Moonrise wasn't considered for more nominations, so I'd love to see Anderson and Coppola get this one. Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola - Moonrise Kingdom
Prediction: Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained

Adapted Screenplay (Argo - Chris Terrio, Beasts Of The Southern Wild - Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, Life Of Pi - David Magee, Lincoln - Tony Kushner, Silver Linings Playbook - David O Russell)

Want: The book that seemed impossible to adapt, Life of Pi.
Prediction: Silver Linings Playbook

Best Animated film (Brave, Frankenweenie, Paranorman, Pirates! Band of Misfits (UK title: Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists), Wreck-it Ralph)

Prediction: Brave
Want: So surprised by how much heart and magic was in Wreck-It Ralph, so I'd love it to win.

Best Foreign film (Amour, No, War witch, A Royal Affair, Kon-Tiki)

Want: Amour
Prediction: Amour

Best Original Score (Anna Karenina - Dario Marianelli, Argo - Alexandre Desplat, Life Of Pi - Mychael Danna, Lincoln - John Williams, Skyfall - Thomas Newman.)

Want: Lincoln - John Williams
Prediction: Lincoln - John Williams

Best Original Song (Before My Time (Chasing Ice), Everybody Needs A Best Friend (Ted), Pi's lullaby (Life Of Pi), Skyfall (Skyfall), Suddenly (Les Miserables)

Want: Skyfall
Prediction: Skyfall

I'm sure everyone disagrees with me, so I'd love to hear other predictions or choices for winners. Let me know!

I get so giddy at the thought of all these wonderful people being in one room. Say what you will about the awards being pretentious and wrong, they are so glamorous. Despite not seeing a lot of contenders, I am excited for the show, mostly because of who is performing and hosting.

I hope the fact that Seth MacFarlane is hosting means he just sings a lot.

Will you be watching the Oscars tonight?

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Oscar Nominations 2012

It's that time of the year again! Even though I haven't posted anything about awards for the last few weeks, I felt the need to blog and say something about the Academy Awards nomination.

This time last year I was overjoyed at the fact I had seen 8/10 Best Picture nominees but this year I find myself not being able to share a real opinion having only seen 2/9. But I'm still going to (irreverently) comment and * my choices to win...

Best Picture
The Artist*
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

- Ok so I know I haven't actually seen The Artist yet, but I want it to win. I've heard such great stuff about it, not just from critics, and it'll be glorious to see it win! As an unpopular opinion, the Best Pic category looks 75% decent. Hugo and The Tree of Life were beautiful and I'm sure War Horse, Midnight in Paris are too. Though, I have absolutely no idea what Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close is doing, seeing as it currently stands at a 48% on Rotten Tomatoes and 6.2 on imdb. I didn't think The Help was particularly Best Picture worthy either. What about 50/50, Drive, Shame and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo?


Best Director
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants - Alexander Payne
Hugo - Martin Scorsese *
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
The Tree of Life - Terrence Malick

-This looks a strong category! (But no Fincher?) Having only seen two, I can't really decide out of them all but know that each of these are definitely honourable. But for me, I want Marty to nab it. I adored Hugo and was very happy Martin won the Golden Globe.


Best Actor
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist*
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt - Moneyball

-I don't knowwww. I'm happy Oldman has been nominated which could be another unpopular opinion, but again, even though I haven't seen it, I like the idea of Jean Dujardin winning but it will be close with Clooney of course.


Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close


-I don't have a preference for Best Supporting Actor. I've only seen My Week With Marilyn from this list and even though I thought Branagh was excellent, it could really be anyone. From a friend I've heard Beginners is fantastic and Plummer's Golden Globe was agreed with. It'd be great if Jonah Hill won though- imagine!

Best Actress
Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn*

-Queen Meryl has it in the bag, but I'm still completely taken by Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe. She really got into the role and performed it well so she's my favourite. If Rooney Mara wins I might cry of happiness because she's adorable.

Best Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help


-Even though I haven't seen The Help, I feel Chastain's nomination would be better for Tree Of Life, but her role in The Help has had a lot of buzz around it. I like the idea of McCarthy being nominated, but not winning it. This one is going to be tough to call.

Best Animated Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2*
Puss in Boots*
Rango

-I'm gutted because each year, I've pretty much seen all of the nominations for animations but this year I've seen one. ONE. I'm appalled at myself and don't think Rango lives up to winning anyway. Heard good things about Chico & Rita, Panda and Puss and don't quite know what A Cat In Paris is. I'd be happy for Dreamworks to win so either of them two.



As for the rest, I will cry tears of joy if Man or Muppet wins best original song. For over a week now I haven't got a day without singing it in my head (sometimes out loud). Rio was very catchy though.

I feel like I've slacked with listening to film scores this year. Not one of the scores I've downloaded which I've liked from a film are nominated so I have no idea.


For the complete list of nominations, click here.


The nominations this year are a bit...meh. I mean, some are obvious winners such as The Artist and The Descendants. Hugo leads the list with 12 nominations so I really hope it does well.
Others are shocking. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close for starts and then Transformers 3 with 3 nominations? What is going on?!

No Ryan Gosling? Fassbender? Shame or Drive for Best Pic? Do the academy not want them both to attend the ceremony looking handsome in suits, etc? Ok, their good looks aside, their performances have been praised by critics but they're obviously too good for the academy..
Also very shocked there is nothing for Tilda Swinton in We Need To Talk About Kevin. Something's not quite right.


watch the Oscars hosted by Billy, as I'm quite a youngling, so I am very much looking forward to this!

The Academy Awards are on Feb 26th. Be sure to check back a few days after to see my thoughts on the event.

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