I figured given the awards smorgasbord that was this past weekend, it was time to offer another Oscar predictions update before I head off to Sundance (and the lack of time for this kinda fun it shall offer).
Frankly, this whole race is looking like it could turn into a (mostly) populist, underwhelming snoozefest. I really hope some sort of suspense finds its way into the race, because right now Avatar/Bigelow/Bridges/Streep/Waltz/Mo’Nique is looking like a pretty good bet for our winners – with “Avatar” (to “Locker”) & Streep (to – god help us – Bullock) slightly vulnerable… Though there is like seven weeks until Oscar night, so hopefully all that glitters doesn’t end up getting gold (aka, down with “Avatar”).
Here’s where I think we’re heading… Depressingly – to a 10 nomination count for “Avatar” en route to at least 6 wins:
BEST PICTURE
Avatar
Crazy Heart
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up In The Air
The rest of the categories after the jump…
BEST DIRECTOR**
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up In The Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious BasterdsBEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up In The Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt LockerBEST ACTRESS
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & JuliaBEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christian McKay, Me & Orson Welles
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious BasterdsBEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up In The Air
Anna Kendrick, Up In The Air
Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the novel by Sapphire
Julianne Moore, A Single ManBEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
(500) Days of Summer
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
A Serious Man
UpBEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Crazy Heart
District 9
An Education
Precious
Up In The AirBEST ANIMATED FILM
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
UpBEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Ajami (Israel)
Mother (Korea)
A Prophet (France)
Samson & Delilah (Australia)
The White Ribbon (Germany)BEST DOCUMENTARY
The Beaches of Agnes
Burma VJ
The Cove
Every Little Step
Food, IncBEST FILM EDITING
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up In The AirBEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
The White RibbonBEST ART DIRECTION
Avatar
Inglourious Basterds
Public Enemies
Sherlock Holmes
The Young VictoriaBEST COSTUME DESIGN
Bright Star
Inglourious Basterds
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young VictoriaBEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Avatar
The Informant!
Sherlock Homes
Star Trek
UpBEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Cinema Italiano” from “Nine”
“Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog”
“I See You” from “Avatar”
“(I Want To) Come Home” from “Everybody’s Fine”
“The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart”BEST MAKEUP
District 9
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Star TrekBEST SOUND EDITING
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
UpBEST SOUND MIXING
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the FallenBEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek
**-I initially accidentally had Clint Eastwood in there over James Cameron… ‘Twas not intended.
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