Time again for another Academy Awards show, and since it often moves at a snail's pace, I like to refer to it as 'Oscargo'. My annual Oscar picks blog will be about 60% leaner today as I have gotten 60% lazier in the past year and these blogs cut into my cheezie eating time. (I HATE it when I get orange powder between the keys.)
I'm expecting a pretty entertaining show since Billy Crystal is hosting (a significant upgrade over Eddie Murphy who was original going to host). I just hope that Billy doesn`t break a hip when he does his song-and-dance routine. He`s not getting any younger.
I`ve seen quite a few of the movies this year, which already gives me an advantage over most of the Academy members. The only movie of the best pic nominees I haven`t seen is Hugo. Why they are releasing it on DVD 2 days AFTER the big show is beyond me. Those fuckers!! Oops, I mean fuck%rs.
Okay, here goes:
Best pic: I would love to see Moneyball win. That is right up there with the greatest baseball movies of all time. But I`m going with The Artist. Not a movie I would want to sit through again, but I appreciate the risk they took and you know the Academy will like this homage to the old silent films.
Actor: I`d say it`s a toss up. I`ll go with Jean Dujardin for The Artist, but many are saying it was George Clooney`s finest performance in The Descendants and I wouldn`t be surprised if we saw an upset.
Actress: Viola Davis is the favorite for her great performance in The Help and as much as I`d like to see her win my ample gut is telling me that Meryl Streep will win her first Oscar since 1983. Hard to believe I know. I`d also be very excited to see Michelle Williams win for her great performance in My Week With Marilyn, but that would be a big upset.
Director: Gotta go with Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist, with Woody Allen for Midnight In Paris ready to pull an upset. If Terrence Malick wins for The Tree Of Life I`m going to change the channel.
Supp Actor: My inside sources (who`m I kidding, it`s IMDB) tell me that Christopher Plummer is a virtual lock to win. Gotta go with that but Kenneth Branagh could pull a big upset.
Supp Actress: This is the easiest one to pick. Octavia Spencer for The Help.
Docu Feature: I`ll go with Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory. Like most Academy member, I haven`t seen any of these movies either.
Docu short: I`ll pick The Tsunami & The Cherry Blossom because it has the best name.
Foreign Language: A Separation from Iran.
Animated Feature: Surprisingly no Rio or Cars 2. I would be shocked if Rango didn`t win for it`s brilliant homage to Clint Eastwood and the old westerns.
Cinematography: The Tree Of Life was brilliant visually, it just was ridiculously dull and made no sense. Hopefully this is the only Oscar it wins.
Makeup: Harry Potter & Deathly Hallows 2
Art Direction: The Artist
Orig Screenplay: I`d be surprised if it wasn`t Woody Allen for Midnight In Paris
Adapt Screenplay: Tough category but I`ll pick Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin for the great Moneyball. It deserves at least one award.
Anim Short: Eeny meeny...I`ll go with Wild Life
Live Action Short: The Shore
Visual Effects: With a $200 million budget, I`d say Transformers:Dark Of The Moon should be able to buy this award.
Costume Design: I`ll go with Anonymous for no particular reason.
Film Editing: The Artist
Sound Mix: Transformers
Sound Edit: Transformers
Original Score: Because it was a silent film, the score was such an integral part of what made The Artist work. That`s why it gets my pick.
Original Song: Disappointing that there are only 2 nominees, mainly because often one of the most exciting things about the Oscars is the music. Oh well, let`s go with Man Or Muppet even thought I haven`t heard either.
There you have it. Enjoy the show. Time for me to go make some popcorn and smother it with Heart-clogging butter.
