OSCARS 2013 (2012)

 

I love my movies and I adore Oscar day, as I have said previously (tongue firmly planted in cheek...maybe!) it is my religion.

 

And so the time is near, tomorrow in fact and as always I will try and predict who will win along with who I would prefer to win.

 

I said last year was the hardest to predict in some time, and this year it ranges from easy lock ins to seriously hard to decide categories.

 

Please see previous posts on this subject if you are new to my musings on The Golden Boy:

 

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/oscars-2012-2011.html 

 

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/oscars-2011.html 

 

http://www.reviews-vyv.blogspot.com.au/2010/03/oscars-2010-2009.html

 

The last link was my first post on the subject and a good background to my love of movies and Oscar.

 

So let's get down to the business at hand.

 

Best Picture: Argo

 

I have seen 6 of the 9 featured films this year and loved ALL of them. I have not seen Zero Dark Thirty, Amour or Argo.

 

However I really like Affeck's style of film making, it's the favourite and people love an underdog...he was not nominated for director.

 

Quite frankly, all are deserving, but if I am proven wrong I would love to see Life of Pi win or even Silver Linings Playbook - best films I've seen all year. But then Django is fabulous too, especially the first half of it which I deem masterpiece worthy.

 

While I am here, I will give a shout out to the astonishing Beasts of the Southern Wild...I only saw it this afternoon...a very unusual and wonderful little film, deserving to be on this list, but the honour for it will be in it's nomination.

 

Best Director: Steven Spielberg

 

Oh my, I am so divided here. It's between Ang Lee and Spielberg, from all I have read. People LOVE Spielberg...I don't but Lee directed an unfilmable book. My money is on Steven, but I bloody hope I am wrong!!!

 

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis

 

This is a lock in from casting and the first still we saw of him. Nothing more to say.

 

No one else stands a chance, despite fine performances.

 

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence

 

Despite strong competition from Jessica Chastain and Emmanuelle Riva. Jennifer killed this role, punching above her weight as the grieving widow in Silver Linings Playbook. She stole each scene from her fellow actors, including De Niro...now that ain't easy. I want her to win and I suspect she will win.

 

Best Supporting Actor: Robert De Niro

 

I really think Christoph Waltz should win, he carried Django and was outstanding, but De Niro was the best I have seen him in forever. He wants it, people love him and quite frankly he is deserving. Anyone in this category could win, they've all won before...it may well be the upset category, there is always one. But De Niro killed me in this...actually if i had my way it would be a tie, Waltz/De Niro...but the 'money' is on Bobby D.

 

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway

 

Again, this is a lock in, she will win and I want her to win. I am not ashamed to reveal my love of Anne Hathaway, great actress, amazing singer and I've never seen a dud performance from her. Plus she seems so very lovely. And she killed me in this, her single cut performance of I've Dreamed a Dream locked her in. Not even 30mins in she had me crying, and in a very small role, you never forgot Fantine throughout the entirety of Les Miserables. Outstanding.

 

Best Animated Feature Film: Wreck-it Ralph

 

I personally want to see Frankenweenie win, love Burton, but there is no buzz for it. The pundits are predicting Wreck-it Ralph and Brave, I've seen neither, but Wreck-it Ralph sounds good, so I'm picking it!

 

Best Foreign Film: Amour

 

Easiest bet of the night, nominated for best film, by the outstanding Michael Haneke, of whom I'm a fan. Go "Love".

 

Best Original Screenplay: Django Unchained

 

This is hard, I actually love the screenplay for Moonrise Kingdom more, but it and Flight have hardly been mentioned. The love is going to Amour, Quentin and Zero Dark Thirty. I'll go with Quentin...honestly have no idea who will win.

 

Best Adapted Screenplay: Argo

 

Usually goes with the Best Picture, and everyone is loving Argo, however don't count out Silver Linings Playbook or Life of Pi, I'd be happy to be proven wrong with either!

 

Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina

 

Anna Karenina looked the most beautiful. Whilst the costumes in Les Mis and Lincoln were authentic but I think Russian ball gowns will be winners.

 

Best Original Song: Skyfall from Skyfall

 

Don't bet against Adele, a lock in!

 

Best Original Score: Life of Pi

 

Stunning music that matched the stunning film, want it to win, believe it will win.

 

Best Documentary: Searching for Sugar Man

 

The only two that feature in my reading are Sugar Man and How to survive a plague, but I love the story of Sugar Man, so going with it.

 

Best Documentary (Short): Open Heart

 

About cardiac surgery for needy Rwandans...sounds likely!

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Hobbit

 

Pretty much locked in I would think!?!

 

Best Production Design: Les Miserables

 

Formerly Art Direction, this is a hard one this year, each film has outstanding set design and I have absolutely no idea. They are all worthy. I think it will come down to the Hobbit or Les MIs, going with the one the academy has favoured more. But it could go to Life of Pi...

 

Best Film Editing: Argo

 

Almost always goes with Best Picture, so Argo it is.

 

Best Cinematography: Life of Pi

 

Can't go past the most stunningly filmed, Life of Pi.

 

Best Sound Editing: Argo, and Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables

 

These usually go hand in hand unless a musical is involved and then the mixing always goes to the musical, so Les Mis it is. Will give the sound editing to Argo.

 

Best Visual Effect: Life of Pi

 

Locked in, if you haven't seen it, go and see it, you almost forget most of it is effects!!

 

Best Short Film (animated): Paperman

 

They all sound fabulous, Paperman is getting the buzz.

 

Best Short Film (Live Action): Henry

 

Again, they all sound great, the buzz is split between Henry, about dementia and Curfew, about suicide...going with Henry.

 

 

My best ever year was 20 predictions out of the 24 categories in 2009, although last year I hit 18, my second best result. I usually average around 15/16...so I wonder how I will go this year. Stay tuned for a follow up post later on in the week with fashion highlights, general loves and a bit of history.

 

Oh and while I am here, I am excited about Seth MacFarlane hosting...yes, he does potty humour and whilst I am sure there will be something contentious topics, he is also - maybe not as well -known as a Hollywood enthusiast, and is a great impersonator, especially in 30s/40s tunes. So I think (I hope) this will add more class than ummm ass (arse) this year...but I guess we will just have to wait and see...either way, he had better give us a classy song and dance number!!

 

So, who would you pick?

What films did you like this year?

What films do you think were forgotten?

 

Don't forget to pop some bubbles and enjoy The Oscars!!!