I've done this almost every year since I started blogging, so why stop now? I know we're all peeved at the Oscars this year for its insane amount of snubs, but whatever. Let's just look at what we're given. I'll be updating the list as the show goes on, giving my final thoughts on the actual winners, etc.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Will: The Tree of Life
Want: Hugo
Possible: The Artist
Actual: Hugo
Thoughts: Well... looks like Hugo is off to a good start. Despite Tree of Life being PURE cinematography, that kinda hurts losing this one. But still. At last the "want" of the list got it.
ART DIRECTION
Will: Harry Potter
Want: Harry Potter
Possible: Hugo
Actual: Hugo
Thoughts: BLASPHEMY. Stuart Craig has been a genius on the Harry Potter series. I think it's clear where the academy is biased to so far this year.
COSTUME DESIGN
Will: Jane Eyre
Want: Hugo
Possible: The Artist
Actual: The Artist
Thoughts: Not really surprised, since this is gonna be a Hugo/Artist sweep tonight.
BEST MAKE-UP
Will: The Iron Lady
Want: Harry Potter
Possible: Albert Nobbs
Actual: The Iron Lady
Thoughts: Yup. Figured.
BEST FOREIGN FILM (Guessing)
Will: A Separation
Want: ?
Possible: ?
Actual: A Separation
Thoughts: I really had no idea, but A Separation was the only one I'd even heard of, so that's why I put it. But... yay! Great speech, though.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Will: Octavia Spencer
Want: Jessica Chastain
Possible: Melissa McCarthy
Actual: Octavia Spencer
Thought: I'm just happy Melissa McCarthy didn't win. Nothing against her, and I loved her in the movie and in Gilmore Girls. But I could not have Bridesmaids winning over Harry Potter.
FILM EDITING
Will: The Artist
Want: Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Possible: Hugo
Actual: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Thoughts: Wow, way to go! I had a sinking suspicion it would win, but apparently even the editors didn't.
SOUND EDITING
Will: Hugo
Want: Drive
Possible: Dragon Tattoo
Actual: Hugo
Thoughts: And Hugo continues its wins. The speeches were funny, though.
SOUND MIXING
Will: Hugo
Want: Hugo
Possible: Transformers 3
Actual: Hugo
Thoughts: I think this is the first year I actually got both this and the previous right. Either I'm getting better or the Oscars were almost way too predictable this year.
BEST DOCUMENTARY (Guessing)
Will: Hell and Back Again
Want: ?
Possible: ?
Actual: Undefeated
Thoughts: I really had no idea here. Haven't seen or even heard of any of these this year. But I will say... RDJ and Paltrow were hilarious as presenters.
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Will: Rango
Want: Rango
Possible: Kung Fu Panda 2
Actual: Rango
Thoughts: There was practically no way this was going to lose. Chris Rock was also a funny presenter.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Will: Harry Potter
Want: Harry Potter
Possible: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Actual: Hugo
Thoughts: Anger. Rising. Quickly.
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Will: Christopher Plummer
Want: Christopher Plummer
Possible: Nick Nolte
Actual: Christopher Plummer
Thoughts: No surprise here. Charming speech.
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
Will: The Artist
Want: ?
Possible: Hugo
Actual: The Artist
Thoughts: There was no other choice. It's a silent film. The score is first and foremost its biggest emotional sell.
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
Will: Man or Muppets
Want: ?
Possible: Real in Rio
Actual: Man or Muppets
Thoughts: Good, since I didn't like Rio. But hey, where is Beardo's beard? That was weird.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY (I loathe this category this year)
Will: Hugo
Want: Harry Potter (I know, it's not there. Screw them!)
Possible: Tinker Tailor
Actual: The Descendants
Thoughts: Well... this one is actually surprising. It still should have gone to Harry Potter, though. Hell, I would have even taken Dragon Tattoo, which also got snubbed (and I'm not even a big fan of the material).
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Will: Midnight in Paris
Want: Midnight in Paris
Possible: A Separation
Actual: Midnight in Paris
Thoughts: Yes! I was going to riot if this lost.
LIVE ACTION SHORT (Guessing again)
Will: Raju
Want: ?
Possible: ?
Actual: The Shore
Thoughts: Yeah... I got nothin'.
DOCUMENTARY SHORT (Guessing again)
Will: Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Want: ?
Possible: ?
Actual: Saving Face
Thoughts: Again, got nothin'.
ANIMATED SHORT (Guessing again)
Will: La Luna
Want: ?
Possible: ?
Actual: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Thoughts: Sure. Sounds good to me.
BEST DIRECTOR
Will: Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Want: Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)
Possible: Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Actual: Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Thoughts: Yup. Hugo might have gotten the bulk of the awards tonight, but The Artist will get the two biggies... which is kind of weird, considering you would think the best film of the year would also have all of the best components that put it together. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
LEAD ACTOR
Will: Gary Oldman
Want: Gary Oldman
Possible: Jean Dujardin
Actual: Jean Dujardin
Thoughts: Of course, kinda suspected it. Gary Oldman was some wishful thinking.
LEAD ACTRESS
Will: Viola Davis
Want: Viola Davis
Possible: Meryl Streep
Actual: Meryl Streep
Thoughts: I'm not sure anyone saw this coming. Including Meryl Streep. Perhaps the academy was just tired of all the jokes. Congrats, Meryl.
BEST PICTURE
Will: The Artist
Want: Midnight in Paris
Possible: Hugo
Actual: The Artist
Thoughts: Indeed.
Well, you knew Potter would get pretty much skunked, didn't you? There's no love in the Academy for fantasy, horror, or science fiction. Films like Silence of the Lambs, which is more thriller than horror, are as close as they typically come. Return of the King was a straight aberration.
ReplyDeleteNo sci-fi? Hugo is basically steampunk and it raked in the awards. Granted, it's also Scorsese. Besides that, there was Star Wars, for which Harry Potter has actually surpassed in monetary scales and was almost just as big of a cultural phenomenon.
ReplyDeleteYeah, hooray for sci-fi. Two films in 36 years that won something other than SFX.
ReplyDeleteAnd Hugo is steampunk for what? A few minutes with the automaton? And that's if you really squint hard and wish it so.