Oscar Predictions 2011

Okay peeps. Here it is. My predictions for the major categories this year.  I do have to say that this year was INFINITELY more difficult to predict than last year.

Stay tuned tomorrow for my rundown of the fashion on the red carpet, the show, and all the surprises that are likely in store for us tomorrow evening.

Best Picture
The heartfelt, uplifting period piece vs. the contemporary cultural zeitgeist.  It's The King's Speech vs. The Social Network.  I loved both of these films (along with all the other nominated films this year - all are deserving movies).  Early on, it seemed like this was The Social Network's to lose.  But more recently, it seems that The King's Speech has made a late breakaway from the pack.  Personally, I would love to see The Social Network take it, but perhaps a movie with such an unlikeable protagonist won't sit well with the Academy voters.  Therefore, I predict that The King's Speech will have the last triumph.

Best Director
I am still a little miffed at the exclusion of Christopher Nolan from this category.  But the Academy's precious darlings, the Coen brothers, just had to be included, almost out of obligation.  Don't get me wrong, I thought True Grit was an excellent movie. I just don't think the Coen brothers deserve to be in this category.  But I digress. Even if Nolan was up for this award, my prediction would be that David Fincher (The Social Network) still wins.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
It's Colin Firth vs. Jeff Bridges again.  But, unlike last year, Firth will not be robbed of his well-deserved Oscar!  Colin Firth will definitely win this one.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Oh how I would LOVE for Annette Bening to win this one.  I loved The Kids Are All Right, and thought Bening was a godsend.  She has been nominated several times before, but has never taken home the gold.  This year, unfortunately, I think she will go home empty handed yet again.  The Oscar instead will go to the Natalie Portman for her brilliant, dark and twisted role in Black Swan.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
My bet is on Christian Bale.  His intense method acting and dedication to every role will resonate with the Academy.  He slimmed down to play a boxer-turned-crack-addict, only to completely lose himself in the role.  This is the kind of acting the Academy likes to reward. Although Geoffrey Rush could pull out an upset.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Many people say this is Melissa Leo's award to lose.  However, my money is on Hailee Steinfeld, for several reasons: 1) voters that liked The Fighter will likely split their votes between Leo and Amy Adams, essentially keeping both from winning, 2) Melissa Leo's self-congratulatory "For Your Consideration..." ads will leave a bad taste in most voters mouths.

Best Original Screenplay
Christopher Nolan's Inception is easily the most original and thoughtful movie I've seen in a long time.

Best Adapted Screenplay
No one, and I mean no one, can compete with Aaron Sorkin's outstanding dialogue and sharp wit in his screenplay for The Social Network.

Best Animated Movie
Anyone who bets against Pixar's Toy Story 3 is a nutjob.

Oscar Fashion

So, here we are. The Academy Awards are finished for 2010, and I must say that I enjoyed this year's ceremony more than I thought I would have. It was fun (um, helloooo NPH! totally did not see that coming, but thoroughly enjoyed his song and dance number).  And it was quite to the point.  There was not a lot of fluff that the ceremony has been bogged down in for years.  I mean, it even finished by 10pm! I went 19 for 24 in my predictions (not too shabby). In the major categories, I only missed Best Adapted Screenplay.

Okay, before I get to the fashion, I have a few things I want to get off my chest.  #1) To all those who seemingly loathe Sandra Bullock: Have you seen The Blind Side? She was terrific and gave a stellar performance! She totally deserved that award! As I said in my last post, I wish that Meryl Streep could've won, but thats not the reality.  Bullock gave a performance that was just as good as Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia. And, please, for the love of all that is holy, this was an award for ONE performance! It's not a lifetime achievement award! I know she's been in a lot of crap, but look at Jim Carrey's career for heaven's sake.  He was typecast as the dumb, irreverent comic, but went on to give stellar performances in both The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind! I still can't believe he wasn't nominated for those roles.  Anyway, my point is that Sandra Bullock was a legitimate contender in that race and I am happy for her and, to be honest, I got choked up during her acceptance speech. #2) Did anyone else notice that Farrah Fawcett and Bea Arthur were completely absent from the In Memoriam montage?  Does this make anyone else as livid as it made me?  Yes, they may have been primarily television stars, but Michael Jackson was certainly less of a movie actor than either of them were.  It's like a spit in the face of these two beloved and venerated actresses.  This was the only major flaw of the evening.  Okay, now that that is done, on to the dresses!

I've divided the dresses into three categories: Hits, Misses and Mehs. And they are presented in no particular order.

Hits

Sandra Bullock If I had to pick a favorite, I think I would go with Sandra's beautiful golden dress to complement her new golden statue!

Kate Winslet I think she can officially become a permanent member of my Hit List. I don't remember a dress of hers that I haven't liked.

Demi Moore Yes, I know the dress color was a tad too close to her skin tone, but I adored the style.

Jennifer Lopez Was it the cool off-to-the-side train, or the fact that her dress was studded with Swarovski crystals?

Elizabeth Banks

Queen Latifah

Penelope Cruz Everything about this dress is awesome, but I just love the color on her.

Helen Mirren Classy, as always

Misses

Sarah Jessica Parker ewwwww. Her horrible fake tan completely threw off the so-so yellow dress.

Diane Kruger Could possibly be the sequel to Bjork's infamous Swan dress from 2001?

Charlize Theron Umm, I think you have something on your boobs.

Maggie Gyllenhaal Don't know what it is, I'm just not a fan. Maybe the watercolor print?

Miley Cyrus just an ugly color and design. Plus, STOP SLOUCHING!

Kristen Stewart Just . . . awkward. As always.

Carey Mulligan You know, the dress is fine, it's the hair that throws it all off.

Mariah Carey Sorry, but your boobs are just too big for that dress. How do they not pop right out?

Meh

Cameron Diaz

Zoe Saldana LOVED the top half. I never knew purple and gold could go so well together, but the feathered bottom threw off the whole dress.

Sigourney Weaver

Rachel McAdams Again, not a fan of the watercolor prints. But this dress' style is much better than Maggie Gyllenhaal's

Anna Kendrick

Tina Fey Sorry, Tina. I love you, but leopard print is so not in. But I am digging the one shoulder strap.

Meryl Streep Way to pull off the white Meryl, I just wish there had been a tad more to the dress.

Vera Farmiga Liked the color, but it seems as if she was emerging from a seashell.

Oscars 2010

The Oscars are upon us!  One of my favorite nights of the year. It's like the gay man's Super Bowl.  I get so excited every year for this night.  The glitz, the glamour, the pomp and circumstance, all make me giddy as a schoolgirl.  Tomorrow I will have a rundown of my favorite dresses from the red carpet, but for now I give you my fearless predictions of the winners in all the major categories.

Best Picture
So pretty much this race is a toss-up between Avatar and The Hurt Locker. As I loved both of these movies, It's hard for me choose.  It really could go either way, which would be fine with me.  But, as The Hurt Locker has been winning more awards recently, my money is on The Hurt Locker.

Best Director
It's a showdown of the exes. The ex-husband James Cameron (Avatar) vs. the ex-wife Kathyrn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker).  But it's one of those years where a female has the first real shot of winning a Best Director statue, so I think the Academy will go with Kathryn Bigelow.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges is getting so much hype for his role in Crazy Heart that it's hard for me to pick anyone else in thise catergory.  As much as I would love Colin Firth to win it for A Single Man, I still think Jeff Bridges will take it.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Oh wow, what a race. Probably the least predictable acting category.  You've got first-time nominee Sandra Bullock vs. Oscar veteran Meryl Streep vs. new-comer Gabourey Sidibe.  My personal pick would be Meryl Streep for her spot-on portrayal of Julia Child in Julie & Julia, and for the fact that she is the most nominated actor in screen history (16 nominations!) but has only taken home two statues (and only one of those was for a Leading Role).  I think Streep needs more love from the Academy.  But she has America's sweetheart to contend with.  You know, I really did enjoy The Blind Side and thought Sandra Bullock did an amazing job.  This race is by far the hardest one for me to call, but I'm going with Sandra Bullock on this one (sorry, Meryl, much loves).

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Christoph Waltz will waltz away with this one (oh, please forgive me for that).  As much as I adore Stanley Tucci in pretty much everything (The Lovely Bones is no exception), Waltz's equally evil and charming role as a Nazi S.S. officer in Inglourious Basterds is impossible to ignore.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Mo'nique. Period.

Best Animated Film
Up. Period.

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
Could go to the writers of Up in the Air or the writers of Precious.  To be honest, I did not like Up in the Air, but it was well-written.  I still haven't seen Precious, but from what I hear, it is amazing.  Because I can't pass judgement on Precious, I'm going with Up in the Air on this one.

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
It's a hard choice. Quentin Tarantino is a master of screenplays.  Inglourious Basterds was no exception. But you've also got The Hurt Locker in the mix, which was masterfully written.  Also, Up had seriously the most heart-wrenching yet warm-spirited story I've seen in a while.  So it's a crapshoot.  I'm gonna take a wild stab and say the The Hurt Locker will win this one.

So, fellow bloggers, what do you think?  Do you think my predictions are solid?