Leila's Post
Oscar time! Most Academy Awards are pretty straight forward- you know who pretty much has it in the bag before it even starts. But for once, in a long time, it's anyone's guess on who it belongs to. Below are my picks for the winners , and even these are tentative picks...
Best Actor
Most likely to win= Jeff Bridges ("Crazy Heart")
Dark Horse= Jeremy Renner ("The Hurt Locker")
I haven't see Crazy Heart yet, but I have seen The Hurt Locker, and if there is one to steal the spotlight from Jeff Bridges on Oscar night, it would be the complex performance by Jeremy Renner. However, Jeff Bridges has locked this one down. I won't be upset if he wins- this man really deserves it and has been overlooked for years. Not quite the Susan Lucci of the Oscars, but maybe close.
Best Supporting Actor
Most likely to win= Christoph Waltz ("Inglorious Basterds")
Dark Horse/ Should Win= um, yeah not that many other choices
Of all the categories this year, this is probably the most one-sided. Stanley Tucci made a convincing run as the creepy-neighbor- who-is-really-a- serial-killer in the somewhat decent but lackluster The Lovely Bones and would possibly be a dark horse, but no one chewed the scenery like Christoph Walz as a sadistic Nazi in Inglorious Basterds. If he didn't win, I might just give up the Academy Awards all together ... but don't quote me on that.
Best Actress
Most likely to win= Sandra Bullock ("The Blind Side")
Dark horse / should win=Carey Mulligan ("An Education")
All through the awards season, all people have heard is who is it going to be- Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep? While it's hard for someone to compete with Meryl Streep (much less Sandra Bullock), Carey Mulligan gave an amazing performance as the young and completely engaging Jenny in An Education, and the best lead performance for an actress. I hope when Oscar night arrives, and the envelope is opened , the Academy remembers this instead of going with popular opinion (aka Ms.Bullock).
Best Supporting Actress
Most likely to win = Mo'Nique ("Precious")
Dark horse/should win= Mo'Nique ("Precious")
I really enjoyed both performances by Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga in Up In The Air (Kendrick, especially, was the movie's highlight) but from everything I've heard (sorry, have not seen the movie yet), Mo'Nique's performance as the abusive mother in Precious was a powerhouse performance, and the award will be richly deserved.
Best Animated film
Most likely to win= Up
Dark horse= Fantastic Mr. Fox
Up was the critic's darling and fan favorite of the year for an animated movie (I mean, it IS up for Best Movie as well), so this one is a given. The only other movie that could overthrow it is the OTHER critics' darling for animated film: Fantastic Mr. Fox. If popular opinion does rule, Up has it in the bag.
Best Original Screenplay
Most Likely to Win= Mark Boal ("The Hurt Locker")
Dark horse/Should win= Quentin Tarantino ("Inglorious Basterds")
As much as I liked The Hurt Locker, no one can craft words to provide such great dialogue and imagery as Quentin Tarantino did for Inglorious Basterds. It's a great revenge story like no other .
Best Director
Most Likely to Win= It's a tie: James Cameron ("Avatar") or Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker")
Dark Horse = Quentin Tarantino ("Inglorious Basterds")
James Cameron did provide great visions in this movie....or should I say, his special effects team did? Hmmm food for thought, Academy voters. And come on, do we really want to see another narcissistic speech from Mr. "King of the World"? Give it to his ex-wife, who's Hurt Locker thrived under her care- the carefully planned shots and sequences. Both Ms. Bigelow and Quentin Tarantino did a better job, and didn't have to use a blue screen for most of their movies.
And of course, the big one....
Best Picture
Most likely to win= Avatar
Dark horse /Should Win= Hurt Locker or Inglorious Basterds
It has really been a tight race this year, and the front runners are Avatar (winning the Golden Globe for Best Picture) and The Hurt Locker (winning
many other awards). Needless to say, The Hurt Locker AND Inglorious Basterds had better acting, better dialogue, and a better storyline than Avatar. And let's face it- they are just better films all together.
Happy Oscar watching!
Scott's Post
It's the time of the year I look forward to, and when it is over, I am glad it is gone. Oscar season is exciting for me, but always proves to be frustrating at the same time. The snubs get to me, and the winners frustrate me, and yet, I never miss it. I decided instead of just remaining idle this year, I will put in my two cents, and give everyone a chance to respond how they see fit. If you agree, great, just let us know. If you disagree, good, it means you are thinking for yourself, and we welcome any feedback be it positive or negative.
Best Actor
Will Win: Jeff Bridges
Should Win: Jeff Bridges
I was totally blown away by this performance. Bridges as "Bad Blake", a down-on-his-luck country singer who finds love on the road, is in my opinion, easily the best lead performance of the year by a male. Bridges has been snubbed too many times, it won't happen this time. I think bridges has this one.
Supporting Actor
Will Win: Christoph Waltz
Should Win: Christoph Waltz
This one is, and should be, a lock. His performance in Inglourious Basterds is one for the ages. I think this performance, and this film will be talked about for many years to come.
Best Actress
Will Win: Sandra Bullock
Should Win: Gabourey Sidibe
Sure, Gabourey's role in Precious takes a certain type of actress, with a certain look. But should this detract from the first time professional actress's accomplishments in this film? I think not! She was absolutely wonderful as the illiterate teen trying to make a life for herself, despite a terrible mother. Her chances of winning this award are slim to none, and that's a shame.
Supporting Actress
Will Win: Mo'Nique
Should Win: Mo'Nique/Anna Kendrick
Mo'nique will win this easily, but I also believe Kendrick was equally as good in Up in the Air. If either won, it wouldn't hurt my feelings.
Best Animated Film
Will Win: Up
Should Win: Up
Up is not only the best animated film of the year, but one of the best films of the year all-around. The first twenty minutes of the film will melt the even the hardest heart. Up is in the bag, as Pixar films are every year. They continually produce the best animated films year after year.
Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
I will be royally pissed if The hurt Locker wins this. There is no competition here. Inglourious Basterds is one of the best screenplays of the last decade and if Tarentino wins no other award, he should win this one. The writing in this film is what makes us sit on the edge of our seat, laugh, cry, and cheer for the good guys. This is the award I am most passionate about this year, and I hope the Academy does the right thing here.
Best Director
Will Win: Kathryn Bigelow
Should Win: Quentin Tarentino
I am so afraid of seeing this award passed to Cameron again. I will not cry if Bigelow wins this as The Hurt Locker is a superbly directed masterpiece of a war film. However, I feel this should be Tarentino's year. Inglourious Basterds will be talked about way after The Hurt Locker is forgotten. Tarentino is the best director in the biz, and this, in my opinion, is his best direction.
Best Motion Picture:
Will Win: The Hurt Locker
Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
I believe The Hurt Locker will narrowly snatch this away from the grimy paws of Satan himself: James Cameron. That is all I have to say about Cameron. Inglourious Basterds in my humble opinion (hehe) is a superior film to The Hurt Locker, but again, I wouldn't shed tears if it won. It is after all a superb film and deserves it's awards.
Becky's Post
I love this time of year because I greatly enjoy speculating (and arguing with my fiance) about who is going to win which award. Of course, during these discussions, I rarely dare to mention James Cameron's name as Scott will then describe to me exactly why Cameron didn't deserve ANY of the awards he's EVER gotten. Lol, I kind of have to agree with him, but the discussion is a lot of fun, anyway. Sadly, though, Cameron will be mentioned, soon. Sorry, Scott.
Best Actor
Who Will Win: Jeff Bridges
Who Should Win: Jeff Bridges
I am in absolute agreement on this movie. While Crazy Heart was not the most original story on the market, Jeff Bridges’ performance in this movie was nothing short of genius. While Jeremy Renner’s performance in The Hurt Locker was brilliant, Bridges made us laugh and he made us cry, and he thoroughly deserves the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Supporting Actor
Who Will Win: Matt Damon/Christof Waltz
Who Should Win: Christof Waltz
I’ve been hearing a lot about Matt Damon winning this award lately, and, with all due respect to you, Matt, I hope this isn’t so. Christof Waltz in Inglourious Basterds was utterly amazing. He played a murderous Nazi sociopath in the movie and still managed to somehow be endearing. His performance was this side of genius and I’m really rooting for him on this one.
Best Actress
Who Will Win: Gabourey Sibide
Who Should Win: Gabourey Sibide
Okay, readers, you may disregard this section of my post. I haven’t seen any of these movies. However, from what I’ve heard, and from the small snippets I’ve seen of the movie, Gabourey Sibide wholeheartedly deserves this award. I’m just enamored of this girl. She is an incredible actress, and I’m hoping that over the coming months, Hollywood won’t try to “fix” her as Hollywood has been known to do…
Best Supporting Actress
Who Will Win: Mo’Nique
Who Should Win: Mo’Nique!!!
Of all the categories in this award show, I fancy this one as being the hardest to decide. Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick were both wonderful in Up In the Air and I don’t think it’s really possible to decide which one gave a better performance in the movie. Maggie Gyllenhaal was pure gold in Crazy Heart, and I do believe that if Mo’Nique wasn’t nominated here, Maggie would be the clear winner. However, Mo’Nique as the absolutely AWFUL mother of precious is going to be a piece of cinematic history.
Best Animated Film
Who Will Win: Up
Who Should Win: Up/Coraline
Pixar has a tendency to take over this category, and I must admit, it is usually deserved. In the case of Up, again, I think it’s deserved. However, I couldn’t decide between Up and Coraline for this one. Up is a sweet, witty, and beautiful movie. The characters – including the dodo-like bird, Kevin – are all endearing and acted just perfectly! On the other hand, Coraline is an incredible animated film that doesn’t really resemble any other animated film ever made. Thoroughly creepy and entertaining, Coraline definitely deserves the award as well, and I have to say, I wouldn’t be disappointed if either one of these movies wins the award.
Best Original Screenplay
Who Will Win: Inglourious Basterds
Who Should Win: Inglourious Basterds
Killin’ Naatzees and Hitler turned into hamburger. Nuff said.
Best Director
Who Will Win: James Cameron
Who Should Win: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds)/Katherine Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)/Lee Daniels (Precious)
Okay, this one is a crap shoot. I think James Cameron will win (sorry, Scott) merely because of the beauty of the movie and the fact that the movie was so expensive and took so long to make the Academy would feel remiss in not choosing it. I think that’s sad, but it’s perfectly possible. Quentin Tarantino, Katherine Bigelow, and Lee Daniels are definitely the deserving people in the group.
Best Motion Picture
Who Will Win: Avatar or The Hurt Locker
Who Should Win: Inglourious Basterds or The Hurt Locker
Okay, I am rooting for Inglourious Basterds all the way. This movie deserves it all the way, and I think Quentin Tarantino deserves it, too. However, if it comes down to The Hurt Locker and Avatar – as much as I LOVED Avatar – I hope The Hurt Locker wins just to teacher James Cameron a lesson. I don't know if anyone saw it, but recently, in an interview, Cameron hinted that if Katherine Bigelow won an award, it would be because she was a woman. Not because she's a fantastic director. I take offense to this! So, If Quentin Tarantino can't win this award, Gooooo Katherine!
Enjoy the Oscars, everyone. I know we will!!!!!
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