85th Academy Awards Final Predictions

Well folks, this is it! In just two short days the Oscars are back and I am here to give you the inside scoop on who will, and who should, take home the Oscar.

Best Picture- May as well start with the one on everybody's mind. There's a couple front-runners this year and some that look like they are but probably won't be.

9)- Les Miserables- Probably the biggest disappointment of 2012. Not that it was a terrible movie, don't get me wrong, but it was quite disappointing. Based on Hooper's work with The King's Speech I expected his stage-meets-silver screen-style to come to life brilliantly and was extremely disappointed by Hooper's sloppy and uncertain direction. One of 2012's movies with the most to lose- and it lost.

8)- Life of Pi- It only beats out Les Mis over it's sheer technical beauty, but Life of Pi falls flat. A visual masterpiece, however, it's weak performances (especially from lead Suraj Sharma in a very lead-heavy role) had me checking my watch and just waiting for something important to happen. All this being said, maybe it would've just been smarter for Ang Lee to have not adapted one of the most overrated novels ever.

7)- Argo- I'll get this out of the way quickly. It was good, not great. When you think about the movies that this will go down alongside if it does win Best Picture (which I hope it won't)- say The Godfather, Casablanca or On the Waterfront- it becomes a little more clear that while Argo is good, it's not "the stuff that dreams are made of." On the other hand, Ben Affleck has proved himself a director worth looking out for and his snub for Best       Director has not been taken lightly. Overall, a weak (acting) performance from Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin below his best and a script that completely underplays Canada's involvement and sacrifices historical catharsis for childish Hollywood drama has cost this my vote.

6)- Zero Dark Thirty- Another movie this year that I was quite underwhelmed by. Zero Dark Thirty is really more of a docu-drama than anything else and while I greatly admire Kathryn Bigelow's willingness to be controversial to tell a story, I find it just seems to be missing something. It's power is definitely in it's subtle, low-key style and both Bigelow and screenwriter/producer Mark Boal are great talents that will almost certainly go home award-less.

5)- Silver Linings Playbook- Not quite romantic comedy, but not quite drama either. David O Russell's expertly adapts this novel into a quirky, light-hearted film about rising above all the craziness of life to find something good.

4)- Django Unchained- Tarantino's back. Almost undoubtedly his best work since Pulp Fiction and just behind Reservoir Dogs for my favourite Tarantino pic. The combination of top-notch performances from Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L Jackson and one of Tarantino's most well-written scripts puts this black comedy (pun intended)/drama as one of the best of the year.

3)- Beasts of the Southern Wild- Probably the top indie movie of the year and a brilliant debut from director Benh Zeitlin. Thoroughly enjoyable, uplifting and with a fantastic performance from young actress Quvenzhane Wallis.

2)- Lincoln- Just because Spielberg has the touch of gold doesn't mean he should be taken for granted. Definitely his best work since Saving Private Ryan, and actually uses a very similar style to capture the tension of the period, Spielberg shows no signs of slowing down.

1)- Amour- A haunting picture of life, age and love. Michael Haneke's direction and sreenplay are simple and moving and are anchored by brilliant performances from Emmanuelle Riva, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Isabelle Hupert.

My Prediction- Lincoln
Possible Steal- Argo or Amour
My Vote- Lincoln or Amour

Notable Absence- Moonrise Kingdom- I'm still not over the fact the one of the few good movies to come out of 2012 received only one nomination.

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

And the Oscar goes to... everyone? Seriously though, all of these directors deserve the Oscar.

My Prediction- Steven Spielberg 'Lincoln'
Possible Steal- Ang Lee 'Life of Pi'
My Vote- Michael Haneke 'Amour' or Steven Spielberg 'Lincoln'

Notable Absence- Ben Affleck 'Argo'

Actor in a Leading Role- Daniel Day-Lewis ‘Lincoln’, Joaquin Phoenix ‘The Master’, Bradley Cooper ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, Hugh Jackman ‘Les Miserables’, Denzel Washington ‘Flight’

My Prediction- Daniel Day-Lewis 'Lincoln'
My Vote- Daniel Day-Lewis 'Lincoln' or Joaquin Phoenix 'The Master'

Notable Absence- John Hawkes 'The Sessions'

Actress in a Leading Role- Emmanuelle Riva ‘Amour’, Jennifer Lawrence 'Silver Linings Playbook', Quvenzhane Wallis ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’, Jessica Chastain ‘Zero Dark Thirty’, Naomi Watts ‘The Impossible’

My Prediction- Jennifer Lawrence 'Silver Linings Playbook'
Possible Steal- Emmanuelle Riva 'Amour'
My Vote- Emmanuelle Riva 'Amour'

Actor in a Supporting Role- Phillip Seymour Hoffman ‘The Master’, Tommy Lee Jones ‘Lincoln’, Christoph Waltz ‘Django Unchained’, Robert De Niro ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, Alan Arkin ‘Argo’

My Prediction- Tommy Lee Jones 'Lincoln'
Possible Steal- Christoph Waltz 'Django Unchained' or Phillip Seymour Hoffman 'The Master'
My Vote- Phillip Seymour Hoffman 'The Master'

Notable Absence- Leonardo DiCaprio 'Django Unchained'

Actress in a Supporting Role- Anne Hathaway ‘Les Miserables’, Sally Field ‘Lincoln’, Amy Adams ‘The Master’, Helen Hunt ‘The Sessions’, Jacki Weaver ‘Silver Linings Playbook’

My Prediction- Anne Hathaway 'Les Miserables'
My Vote- Anne Hathaway 'Les Miserables'

Notable Absence- Maggie Smith 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'

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

My Prediction- Quentin Tarantino 'Django Unchained'
Possible Steal- Michael Haneke 'Amour'
My Vote- Quentin Tarantino 'Django Unchained'

Adapted Screenplay- Tony Kushner 'Lincoln', David O Russell 'Silver Linings Playbook', Chris Terrio 'Argo', Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin 'Beasts of the Southern Wild', David Magee 'Life of Pi' 

My Prediction- Chris Terrio 'Argo'
Possible Steal- Tony Kushner 'Lincoln'
My Vote- Tony Kushner 'Lincoln'

Animated Feature Film- Brave, ParaNorman, Frankenweenie, The Pirates!, Wreck-It Ralph

My Prediction- Brave
Possible Steal- Frankenweenie
My Vote- Brave

Foreign Language Film- Amour (Austria), A Royal Affair (Denmark), War Witch (Canada), No (Chile), Kon-Tiki (Norway)

My Prediction- Amour
My Vote- Amour

Feature Documentary- Searching for Sugar Man, How to Survive a Plague, The Gatekeepers, The Invisible War, 5 Broken Cameras

My Prediction- Searching for Sugar Man
Possible Steal- How to Survive a Plague
My Vote- N/A (I'm ashamed to admit this is one category I let myself get behind in)

Short Subject Documentary- Inocente, Mondays at Racine, Kings Point, Redemption, Open Heart

My Prediction- Inocente
My Vote- N/A

Animated Short Film- Paperman, Head over Heels, Fresh Guacamole, Maggie Simpson: The Longest Daycare, Adam and Dog

My Prediction- Paperman
Possible Steal- Head Over Heels
My Vote- Paperman

Live Action Short Film- Death of a Shadow, Curfew, Henry, Asad, Buzkashi Boys

My Prediction- Curfew
Possible Steal- Death of a Shadow
My Vote- N/A

Cinematography- Claudio Miranda 'Life of Pi', Janusz Kaminski 'Lincoln', Seamus McGarvey 'Anna Karenina', Roger Deakins 'Skyfall', Robert Richardson 'Django Unchained'

My Prediction- Life of Pi 
Possible Steal- Lincoln
My Vote- Lincoln

Film Editing- William Goldenberg 'Argo', Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg 'Zero Dark Thirty', Michael Kahn 'Lincoln', Tim Squyres 'Life of Pi', Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers 'Silver Linings Playbook'

My Prediction- William Goldenberg 'Argo'

Possible Steal- Dylan Tichenor and William Goldenberg 'Zero Dark Thirty' or Michael Kahn 'Lincoln'

My Vote- William Goldenberg 'Argo'

Production Design- Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer 'Anna Karenina', Eve Stewart and Anna Lynch-Bright 'Les Miserables', David Gropman and Anna Pinnock 'Life of Pi', Rick Carter and Jim Erickson 'Lincoln', Dan Henna, Ra Vincent and Simon Bright 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'

My Prediction- Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer 'Anna Karenina'

Possible Steal- David Gropman and Anna Pinnock 'Life of Pi' or Eve Stewart and Anna Lynch-Bright 'Les Miserables'

My Vote- Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer 'Anna Karenina'

Costume Design- Jacqueline Durran 'Anna Karenina', Paco Delgado 'Les Miserables', Joanna Johnston 'Lincoln', Colleen Atwood 'Snow White and the Huntsman', Eiko Ishioka 'Mirror Mirror'

My Prediction- Jacqueline Durran 'Anna Karenina'
Possible Steal- Paco Delgado 'Les Miserables' or Joanna Johnston 'Lincoln'
My Vote- Jacqueline Durran 'Anna Karenina'

Makeup and Hairstyling- Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel 'Hitchcock', Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell 'Les Miserables', Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'

My Prediction- Lisa Westcott and Julie Dartnell 'Les Miserables'
My Vote- Howard Berger, Peter Montagna and Martin Samuel 'Hitchcock'

Sound Editing- Paul N J Ottosson 'Zero Dark Thirty', Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers 'Skyfall', Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn 'Argo', Wylie Stateman 'Django Unchained', Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton 'Life of Pi'

My Prediction- Paul N J Ottosson 'Zero Dark Thirty'
Possible Steal- Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers 'Skyfall'
My Vote- Paul N J Ottosson 'Zero Dark Thirty'

Sound Mixing- John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia 'Argo', Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes 'Les Miserables', Ron Bartlett, D M Hemphill and Drew Kunin 'Life of Pi', Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Ronald Judkins 'Lincoln', Scott Millan, Greg P Russell and Stuart Wilson 'Skyfall'

My Prediction- Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes 'Les Miserables'
Possible Steal- John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia 'Argo'
My Vote- John Reitz Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia 'Argo'

Original Score- John Williams 'Lincoln', Alexandre Desplat 'Argo', Mychael Danna 'Life of Pi', Dario Marianelli 'Anna Karenina', Thomas Newman 'Skyfall'

My Prediction- Mychael Danna 'Life of Pi'
Possible Steal- Alexandre Desplat 'Argo' or John Williams 'Lincoln'
My Vote- John Williams 'Lincoln'


Notable Absences- Jonny Greenwood 'The Master', Danny Elfman 'Frankenweenie'

Original Song- J Ralph "Before My Time" from ‘Chasing Ice’, Walter Murphy and Seth McFarlane "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from ‘Ted’, Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayshri "Pi’s Lullaby" from ‘Life of Pi’, Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth "Skyfall" from ‘Skyfall‘, Claude-Michel-Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil "Suddenly" from ‘Les Miserables’

My Prediction- Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth "Skyfall" from 'Skyfall'
Possible Steal- Claude-Michel Schonberg, Hebert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil "Suddenly" from 'Les Miserables'
My Vote- Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth "Skyfall" from 'Skyfall'

Notable Absences- Touch the Sky 'Brave', Learn Me Right 'Brave'

Visual Effects- Bill Westenhofer, Guillame Rocheron, Erik-Jan de Boer and Donald R Elliott 'Life of Pi', Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill 'Prometheus', Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Dan Sudick 'Marvel's The Avengers', Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Philip Brennan, Neil Corbould and Michael Dawson 'Snow White and the Huntsman', Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and R Christopher White 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'

My Prediction- Bill Westenhofer, Guillame Rocheron, Erik-Jan de Boer and Donald R Elliott 'Life of Pi'

Possible Steal- Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill 'Prometheus'

My Vote- Bill Westenhofer, Guillame Rocheron, Erik-Jan de Boer and Donald R Elliott 'Life of Pi'

Notable Absences- Cloud Atlas, The Dark Knight Rises

Final Tally

My Predictions- Lincoln- 4, Les Miserables- 3, Life of Pi- 3, Anna Karenina- 2, Argo- 2, 

My Votes- Lincoln- 6, Amour- 2, Anna Karenina- 2, Argo- 2