My Oscar Picks aren’t going to be earth-shaking or reveal any special insights. These are simply my best guesses of who the Academy will award with Oscars. However, with 10 movies nominated for BEST PICTURE, anything can happen with a fragmented vote in that category.
BEST PICTURE: AVATAR
BEST DIRECTOR: James Cameron for AVATAR
BEST ACTOR: Jeff Bridges for CRAZY HEART
BEST ACTRESS: Sandra Bullock for THE BLIND SIDE
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Mo’Nique for PRECIOUS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christoph Waltz for INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
You could be right, George, but I think Kathryn Bigelow has a good chance at Best Director.
If I had a vote it might have gone to UP.
I vacillated between Bigelow and Cameron, Jeff. But, after I watch THE HURT LOCKER, I switched to Cameron. James Cameron knows how to tell a compelling story visually. Bigelow…not so much. If Kathryn Bigelow wins, it will be because of “political correctness” and not artistry.
I’m with you five out of six–but on that sixth one, I’m with Jeff. I think this might be one of those rare years when the winner of the Best Director Oscar did not direct the movie that wins the Best Picture Oscar. The thinking might be along the lines of, “Cameron’s already won an Oscar…and he can be a bit of an egomaniac…and we’ll give AVATAR a Best Picture Oscar…and maybe it’s time for a woman to win Best Director…and she happens to be the ex-Mrs. James Cameron…etc.”
You must have been reading my mind, Deb. I went through that whole “Cameron’s already won an Oscar” and “It’s time for a woman to win BEST DIRECTOR” logic. But, after seeing THE HURT LOCKER, I changed my mind. Cameron is a better director (whether he wins or not). Kathryn Bigelow will have to make a better movie than THE HURT LOCKER to convince me of her directing skills.
I think both of these deserve to win. One is a great feat of technological skill; the other made war more real than you’d have thought possible, plus included the psychological effects in a compelling way. And I would like to see a woman win-especially for a film that’s not a traditional Nora Ephron like endeavor.
Your analysis is sound, Patti. I was underwhelmed by THE HURT LOCKER. My review will appear here in a couple of days. Yes, I’d like to see a woman win BEST DIRECTOR, but I’d like to see her win it for a better movie than THE HURT LOCKER.
If you haven’t seen it, get the DVD of her first full-length movie, NEAR DARK (1987). I haven’t seen it in a long time but I really liked it.
Thanks for the tip on NEAR DARK, Jeff. I’ll track it down and watch it.
Haven’t seen a one and don’t care.
Jeff Meyerson and I loved UP, Bob. That’s a DVD you should check out.
I can’t believe even a cynic like Cap’n Bob wouldn’t like UP, George.
This is painfully awful to watch, even by usual Oscar standards.
When I watch the Academy Awards I want to at least see real movie stars, by which I do NOT mean Miley Cyrus or Zac Efron or Kristen Stewart & Taylor Lautner, who looked like deer in the headlights and spoke as if they’d never seen a teleprompter.
Pathetic.
And they wonder why viewership for the OSCARS is down, Jeff.
Didn’t watch it but saw resukts in morning paper. Obviously, AVATAR mis the film everyone loves to hate. It started with the SF fans and their cries of theft!, then the reviewers and their slamming the “weak plot” and “non-acting”. It never had a chance, even though it was a LOT of fun. They went with the meaningful film, I guess. Just like literary snobs would never think of iving a genre fiction book a prize.
Meanwhile the rain has stopped for the nonce, I’ve had a walk, figured out the intricacies of this laptop and amabout to go to lunch. Beautiful sunset last night. Supposed to be sunny tomorrow. Brisk wind now, but the ocean smells good and the gulls are crying in joy. Me too.
Sounds like you’re having a great time, Rick. Yes, I believe the Academy is prejudiced against science fiction movies. In my opinion, AVATAR was the best movie of the year. If you take AVATAR off the board, I’d go with UP or UP IN THE AIR. My review of THE HURT LOCKER appears tomorrow.
I didn’t watch much (not much interest), but promised my ex-housemate, who has been fighting off the flu, that I would get the rundown for her if she woke up again before I went to sleep. I was amused by Sandra Bullock’s mildly disgusted response to having won, which seemed appropriate.
Bill Crider and I found Sandra Bullock’s “acceptance speech” funny, Todd.
I must admit, Bigelow isn’t my favorite director either, but I do like NEAR DARK better than THE TERMINATOR, and don’t think I’ve seen another film by either as good, but I haven’t exhausted their body of work…nor do I expect to.
I’m tracking down NEAR DARK, Todd. I’ll let you know what I think of it after I watch it.
http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/movies/queen_of_the_world_jb0wP5Abv7plMDIYQiWLiP
Thanks for the link, Todd! I have to admit, Kathryn Bigelow looks great. It’s hard to believe she’s 58! And I never realized she was that TALL!
Yup, a very attractive woman. (I like tall. But I’m easy when it comes to women’s dimensions.) It occurs to me that the number of films that have taken after NEAR DARK since its release might make some of it seem more familiar than it might’ve otherwise. The relatively unexpurgated version of STRANGE DAYS is also interesting (not solely for Angela Bassett, but her presence does nothing to upset me).
I can only imagine what it was like to have James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow talking about their movies while they were married, Todd. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall for those conversations!