Sunday 24 February 2013

The Oscars 2013




The Oscars, formally known as the 85th Academy Awards, will be held tonight and I for one am very excited.  The show is going to be hosted by Seth MacFarlane who, if the nominations announcement was anything to go by, will be hilarious.  He discussed Amour being a better collaboration between Austria and Germany than their last co-production, Hitler.  Having the guts to make such a comment in a room full of Hollywood Jews, you have to give him props.  I loved the banter between him and Emma Stone and I think he had a good mix of satirical humour without crossing the line too far.  If Family Guy and Ted are any indication he is no stranger from making fun of celebrities and movies so I am looking forward to him hosting tonight.


I will be staying up till the early hours to watch it and my brothers and myself as usual have predicted who we think will win.  After the ceremony has aired I will update the post with the winners and we can see how many we got correct.  I think that everyone will be surprised if Argo does not take home Best Picture and if Daniel Day-Lewis does not get another Best Actor Oscar.  That said I think the Best Actress is more open than usual with the two main contenders being Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence with Emmanuelle Riva coming up from behind with her recent Bafta win.  Personally I like all three and think they all deserve it but I have been so impressed with Jessica Chastain over the past few years and she gave everything in her performance of Maya in Zero Dark Thirty.  Similarly it would be a crime if Anne Hathaway did not walk away with the Best Supporting Actress Oscar as she blew me away in Les Miserables.  I'd love to see Quentin Tarantino win another Oscar as he hasn't won since Pulp Fiction and based on past award shows he looks like the front runner.  A less likely desire of mine to come true is for John Williams to win again for Best Original Score but come on the man is a genius and has given us such iconic film music, there is a reason why he was nominated almost every single year in the 70s and 80s.

I do find it sad that all the controversy surrounding Zero Dark Thirty has taken the steam out of its Oscar hopes.  When the film was first released it was being praised and winning all sort of critic awards then the controversy regarding the scenes of torture have made it virtually impossible for it to be another success for Kathryn Bigelow at this years Oscars.  Having seen the film I do not really understand what the big deal is as I have seen more shocking scenes in other movies.  That said, the torture scenes are hard to watch and horrifying, as they should be, as torture is horrifying and therefore filmic representations of torture should reflect that.  I do not pretend to know much about American politics regarding these issues but I do find it hypocritical for the people involved to have the nerve to condemn Bigelow.  I may not know much but I am not an idiot, what do the Senators think was happening in Guantanamo Bay all those years, it was not exactly a holiday camp.  I have yet to see Argo but I do wonder if the film would have had such success if all the controversy had not drowned out any hope for Zero Dark Thirty.  It may not have made any difference in the long run as although I thought Zero Dark Thirty was great I did think The Hurt Locker (2008) was a better movie and Argo was Roger Ebert's film of the year.  I am looking forward to seeing Argo and I am sure I will love it and if it does win it will be a well deserved victory but I do wonder if things would be different if Zero Dark Thirty had not been overcome with controversy.    

Read on after the jump to check out the nominations and our predictions for who we think will take home the Oscar and be forever introduced as Academy Award Winner...





Best Motion Picture of the Year

Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

My Predicted Winner: Argo
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Lincoln
James' Predicted Winner: Lincoln


Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Bradley Cooper for Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables
Joaquin Pheonix for The Master
Denzel Washington for Flight

My Predicted Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
James' Predicted Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln


Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva or Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Naomi Watts for The Impossible

My Predicted Winner: Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
James' Predicted Winner: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook


Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Alan Arkin for Argo
Robert De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master
Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained

My Predicted Winner: Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained
James' Predicted Winner: Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln


Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams for The Master
Sally Field for Lincoln
Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables
Helen Hunt for The Sessions
Jacki Weaver for Silver Linings Playbook

My Predicted Winner: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables
James' Predicted Winner: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables


Best Achievement in Directing

Michael Haneke for Amour
Ang Lee for Life of Pi
David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook
Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild

My Predicted Winner: Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Ang Lee for Life of Pi
James' Predicted Winner: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln


Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

Michael Haneke for Amour
Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
John Gatins for Flight
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola for Moonrise Kingdom
Mark Boal for Zero Dark Thirty

My Predicted Winner: Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Mark Boal for Zero Dark Thirty
James' Predicted Winner: Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained


Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Chris Terrio for Argo
Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild
David Magee for Life of Pi
Tony Kushner for Lincoln
David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook

My Predicted Winner: David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook
Matthew's Predicted Winner: David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook
James' Predicted Winner: Tony Kushner for Lincoln


Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Brave
Frankeweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates!  In an Adventure with Scientists!
Wreck-It Ralph

My Predicted Winner: Brave
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Frankenweenie
James' Predicted Winner: Brave


Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

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

My Predicted Winner: Amour (Austria)
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Amour (Austria) 
James' Predicted Winner: Amour (Austria)


Best Achievement in Cinematography

Anna Karenina; Seamus McGarvey
Django Unchained; Robert Richardson 
Life of Pi; Claudio Miranda 
Lincoln; Janusz Kaminski 
Skyfall; Roger Deakins

My Predicted Winner: Life of Pi; Claudio Miranda
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Life of Pi; Claudio Miranda
James' Predicted Winner: Skyfall; Roger Deakins


Best Achievement in Editing

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

My Predicted Winner: Argo; William Goldenberg
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Zero Dark Thirty; William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor
James' Predicted Winner: Zero Dark Thirty; William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor


Best Achievement in Production Design

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

My Predicted Winner: Les Miserables; Eve Stewart and Anna Lynch-Robinson
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Les Miserables; Eve Stewart and Anna Lynch-Robinson
James' Predicted Winner: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Dan Hennah, Ra Vincent and Simon Bright


Best Achievement in Costume Design

Anna Karenina; Jacqueline Durran  
Les Miserables; Paco Delgado 
Lincoln; Joanna Johnston 
Mirror Mirror: The Untold Adventures of Snow White; Eiko Ishioka 
Snow White and the Huntsman; Colleen Atwood

My Predicted Winner: Anna Karenina; Jacqueline Durran
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Les Miserables; Paco Delgado
James' Predicted Winner: Les Miserables; Paco Delgado


Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling

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

My Predicted Winner: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Peter King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane
Matthew's Predicted Winner: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Peter King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane.
James' Predicted Winner: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Peter King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane.


Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

Anna Karenina; Dario Marianelli 
Argo; Alexandre Desplat 
Life of Pi; Mychael Danna 
Lincoln; John Williams 
Skyfall; Thomas Newman

My Predicted Winner: Life of Pi; Mychael Danna
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Lincoln; John Williams
James' Predicted Winner: Skyfall; Thomas Newman


Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

Chasing Ice; J. Ralph "Before My Time" 
Les Miserables; Alain Boubil, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer "Suddenly" 
Life of Pi; Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayshree "Pi's Lullaby" 
Skyfall; Adele and Paul Epworth "Skyfall" 
Ted; Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane "Everybody Needs a Best Friend

My Predicted Winner: Skyfall; Adele and Paul Epworth "Skyfall"
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Skyfall; Adele and Paul Epworth "Skyfall"
James' Predicted Winner: Skyfall; Adele and Paul Epworth "Skyfall"


Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

Argo; John T. Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia 
Les Miserables; Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes 
Life of Pi; Ron Bartlett, Doug Hemphill and Drew Kunin 
Lincoln; Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Ron Judkins 
Skyfall; Scott Millan, Greg P. Russell and Stuart Wilson

My Predicted Winner: Les Miserables; Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Les Miserables; Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes
James' Predicted Winner: Les Miserables; Andy Nelson, Mark Paterson and Simon Hayes


Best Achievement in Sound Editing

Argo; Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn 
Django Unchained; Wylie Stateman 
Life of Pi; Eugene Gearty and Philip Stockton 
Skyfall; Per Hallberg and Karen M. Baker 
Zero Dark Thirty; Paul N.J. Ottosson

My Predicted Winner: Skyfall; Per Hallberg and Karen M. Baker
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Argo; Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn
James' Predicted Winner: Argo; Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn


Best Achievement in Visual Effects

The Avengers; Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Daniel Sudick 
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton and Christopher White 
Life of Pi; Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik De Boer and Donald Elliott 
Prometheus; Richard Stammers, Trevor Wood, Charley Henley and Martin Hill
Snow White and the Huntsman; Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Phil Brennan, Neil Corbould and Michael Dawson

My Predicted Winner: Life of Pi; Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik De Boer and Donald Elliott
Matthew's Predicted Winner: The Avengers; Janek Sirrs, Jeff White, Guy Williams and Daniel Sudick
James' Predicted Winner: Life of Pi; Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik De Boer and Donald Elliott.


Best Documentary, Feature

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

My Predicted Winner: Searching for Sugar Man
Matthew's Predicted Winner: The Invisible War
James' Predicted Winner: Searching for Sugar Man


Best Documentary, Short Subject

Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays at Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

My Predicted Winner: Open Heart
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Mondays at Racine
James' Predicted Winner: Redemption


Best Short Film, Animated

Adam and Dog
Fresh Guacamole
Head Over Heels
Paperman
The Simpsons: The Longest Daycare

My Predicted Winner: Paperman
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Fresh Guacamole
James' Predicted Winner: The Simpsons: The Longest Daycare 


Best Short Film, Live Action

Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death of a Shadow
Henry

My Predicted Winner: Asad
Matthew's Predicted Winner: Curfew
James' Predicted Winner: Asad







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