After a very long absence attributed to working way too hard in my real life, it's time for me to offer my humble opinions on the Oscars being televised this Sunday, 2/26/12.
The Best Picture nominees this year offer something for every moviegoer and include: the artsy discussion-provoking The Tree of Life, the film baseball biopic Moneyball, the child-friendly, wonderfully fantastic Hugo, a unique perspective on the 60's as viewed through the eyes of The Help, the outstanding tribute to early films as depicted in The Artist, the wonder of literary time travel as seen in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, and then there's George Clooney in The Descendants (need I say more?). I did not see War Horse or Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. My favorites in this category include Hugo, Midnight in Paris, The Help, and The Artist. I believe The Artist will win Best Picture and Michel Hazanavicius of The Artist will win Best Director.
The Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress categories include outstanding performances by some of the finest actors to grace the silver screen. I had the most difficulty choosing between George Clooney and Jean Dujardin's performances in the Best Actor category. Having said that, here are my predictions:
Best Actor - Jean Dujardin
Best Actress - Viola Davis
Best Supporting Actor - Christopher Plummer
Best Supporting Actress - Octavia Spencer
Woody Allen deserves the Original Screenplay Oscar for his delightful romp through the streets of past and present-day literary Paris in Moonlight In Paris. The creative team of Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Nash will win the Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The Descendants.
This year, I finally feel qualified to give predictions in the Live Action Short, Animated Short, and Documentary Short films. My husband and I spent a full day last Saturday at the Independent Film Channel Center in NYC and saw all the nominated films in each category. If you are ever in NYC, please visit this wonderfully artsy movie house located in Greenwich Village (it has the most comfortable movie theater seats, including sofa-like seats with movable arm-rests, in case you feel like laying down to enjoy the movie).
Live Action Short: The Shore
Animated Short: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Documetary Short: Saving Face
I have a far greater appreciation for these categories since my visit to IFC Center, and I applaud all the independent filmmakers who make movies because of their passion for film, not necessarily for monetary gain. Most of these cinematic gems are never seen by the general public and it is a shame that cinemas don't pay more attention to promoting these types of films.
Other Oscar category predictions include:
Animated Feature Film: Rango
Art Direction: Hugo
Cinematography: The Tree of Life
Costume Design: Jane Eyre (when has a period piece not won this category?)
Documentary Feature: Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Film Editing: The Artist
Foreign Language Film: A Separation (Iran)
Makeup: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Music (Original Score): The Artist (even without music from Vertigo, this soundtrack is beautiful)
Music (Original Song): Man or Muppet
Sound Editing and Sound Mixing: Hugo
Visual Effects: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
So sit back, enjoy the Oscars on Sunday night, and please keep supporting and enjoying the movies!
Geri
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