SMALLS' OSCAR PREDICTIONS

Better early than never I always say!

 As a fan of film you can probably guess what I will be watching on February 26. That's right, The Oscars. Since it's fresh on my mind, I've decided to post my Oscar predictions for 2012. So let's delve right in, shall we?

We start out with the Best Song Category. Here are the Nominees

Real in Rio from Rio- I would be lying if I said this song wasn't infectious, because it definitely is. It's as infectious as a virus. I have not seen the film (yet), but luckily you can find the song on youtube. Watch at your own risk though, because there is a good chance you will catch the Rio rhythm.

* Man or Muppet from The Muppets- This song is my pick for the win. The song is pure comedy gold and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face, not to mention it features a brief cameo from Jim Parsons, better known to most as Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. Shame on The Oscars for deciding to opt out of having these songs perform live, I would have given just about anything to see Jim Parsons, Jason Segal and The Muppets on stage together. Oh well, I guess these days we can't have nice things.

Visual Effects
Harry Potter- I would without a doubt say that this film had the 2nd best visual effects of the year. I've always loved HP, and yes, I may be a little bit biased but if it weren't for another film being on the list HP would have easily nabbed the gold here. Simply magical.

Real Steel- I have not seen this one so I can't say what I though, that said the effects I witnessed in the trailer look good enough.

*Hugo- This film should get the award. The effects here were stunning and breathtaking, especially in 3D, where the film felt like a painting come to life. Hugo's effects made me believe in magic again and transported me back to my single digit years. Every where you look in this film there is immense, unbelievable depth and magic ....This film deserves best visual effects.

Rise of The Planet of The Apes- despite all the hype, I really wasn't wowed by the film or its visual effects. yes, they were cutting edge, but...I just couldn't fully get on board. I wouldn't be surprised if this won the award due to all the hype, but I still feel that Hugo deserves this one.

Transformers: Dark of The Moon- It was cool to get to see all my Autobot friends in glorious 3D. The visual effects sampled here are more than good, but still can't compare to other films on this list.


Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

*The Descendants- Right from the opening monologue I could tell that this screenplay was superbly written.

Hugo- Another great screenplay, easily second best of the year.

Ides of March- This one was pretty good.

Moneyball- Haven't seen it.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy- Haven't seen it


Animated Feature Film

Chico and Rita- I haven't seen this film. I can tell that it has stunning animation, and that's good, but the fact remains that it wasn't made in the U.S.A and that disqualifies it for me. Make a separate animated foreign film category if you must, but from now on please don't include foreign films in the best of categories.

A Cat in Paris- Another one with good animation that I haven't seen yet. The story looks really sloppy and wakward and it wasn't made in the U.S.A, so it's another one that shouldn't have been included in this list.

Kung Fu Panda 2- Haven't sen it yet.

Puss In Boots- Haven't seen it yet.

*Rango- Rango is a truly different animated film, and it gets a ton of bonus points for its uniqueness. Make no mistake, it's a very weird, awkward film, but I love it. It's the best animated film I have seen in a long, long time.


Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

The Artist- There's really not much of a screenplay here, the film is almost all silent and there are little to no title cards in the film. I'm sure there's lots of descriptions in the screenplay, but let's be honest here, words really are not the focus of a silent film, but instead the actor's/character's emotions and physical acting.

Bridesmaids- HAHAHA, NO! I could go on a VERY lengthy rant about why I COMPLETELY DETEST THIS STUPID LITTLE FILM (It's raunchy just for the sake of being raunchy, it's not really all that funny except for a few scenes, and the main character is a RAGING SELFISH BITCH), but I'll try to reel myself in. The screenplay is decent, but really nothing memeorable. It definitely did not deserve it's place in this category, I'd rather 50/50 have been nominated than this pile of dog feces.

Margin Call- I have not seen this one, yet. That said it definitely looks interesting.

*Midnight in Paris- This screenplay is just beautiful, very well crafted, but what else would you expect from Woody Allen?

A Separation- Haven't seen this one yet.


Sound Mixing (I won't be posting explanations in this one, just the film I hope will win)

*Hugo


Sound Editing (I won't be posting explanations in this one, just the film I hope will win)

*Drive


Art Direction (I won't be posting explanations in this one, just the film I hope will win)

*Hugo


Film Editing (I won't be posting explanations in this one, just the film I hope will win)

*Hugo


Cinematography

The Artist- Fantastic cinematography is on display here. The cinematography here is meant to capture the era of the silent movie, and it does so perfectly. I love the Black and White.

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo- Very bleak, dark colors that fit the super dark story to be found here. Overall, another great job.

*Hugo- The angles, shots, and cuts used in this film all help to add to the overwhelming magical feel that this cool little flick effortlessly emits.

The Tree of Life- Beautiful cinematography here, in fact the cinematography and images here are better than the story itself.

War Horse- Breathtaking images of the countryside and of a chaotic war field, and exquisite close ups of horses (one of my favorite animals) are all on display here. It's a fantastic job. Easily 2nd place here.


Costume Design

*The Artist- Simplistic but realistic, the costume design in The Artist is some of the best.

Hugo- The costume design here is like that of a fantastic play. It's easily 2nd best here.

Anonymous- I haven't seen this one.

Jane Eyre- I haven't seen this one.

W.E.- I haven't seen this one.


Makeup

Albert Nobbs- I haven't seen this one, but since the film is about Glenn Close having to look like man I imagine it's pretty tops.

*Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part Two- The war torn look of the characters and the always fantastic design of Voldemort are why I chose this one to win (that and it's the only film I actually saw in this category....so, not really fair, I know).

The Iron Lady- I haven't seen this one.


Music (Original Score)

The Adventures of Tintin- The music sampled here is very British, but also can have a fun quality to it at times. It's John Williams, so you know it's good.

*The Artist- The music here is simply fantastic. Simple yet magical. I can say from watching a few silent films that this score really does do the bygone days of film justice.

Hugo- Another fantastic score is on display here.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy- I haven't seen this one yet.

War Horse- The better John Williams score out of the two (at least, in my opinion). His score here swells and sweeps across the canvas like we'd expect it to, and it brings back memories of some of his best scoring work from the past. This is easily 2nd best here, and it killed me to give the win to The Artist, but that film deserves the win here.


Actress in a Supporting Role

*Berenice Bejo (The Artist)- Not only is she beautiful here, but she also captures the look of a girl in the '30s. She plays the optimistic and happy-go-lucky Peppy Miller, and she lights up the screen like it's nobodies business (not to mention she's a fantastic tap dancer). Let's hope she gets more American roles in the future.

Jessica Chastain (The Help)- This chick was in a lot of films this year, but my least favorite of hers has GOT to be The Help. She plays a somewhat stereotyped character (a common occurance in the film), and she kind of bugged me in this film. Sorry Jessica, I wish one of your other films had been nominated instead.

Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)- This girl has got chops. She was easily the best part of the other wise awful Bridesmaids. She plays Megan, the big hearted and spunky friend to Kristen Wiig's Annie. Always a joy to watch on screen, I'm still not completely convinced she deserved an Oscar nod though.

Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)-I haven't seen this one yet.

Octavia Spencer (The Help)- One of the best parts of this film, she plays the feisty black maid Minny Jackson. Her best scene is when she hand delivers a home made pie with a certain nasty ingredient to Bryce Dallas Howard's evil Hilly Holbrook. A complete joy to watch, and super loveable, she helps us stay invested in the film despite its numerous flaws.


Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)- I haven't seen this one yet.

Jonah Hill (Moneyball)- I haven't seen this one yet.

Nick Nolte (Warrior)- He puts on a surprisingly affecting and sad performance here as the recovering alcoholic dad who has been outcast by his sons, whom he works constantly for their love in the film. His best scene is easily when he finally can't take any more of his sons beratement and falls back into his old alcoholic habits, leading towards a touching and sad scene between father and son that had me on the edge of tears.

Christopher Plummer (Beginners)-I haven't seen this one yet.

*Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)- This actor has always been a great one, and he proves his worth once again in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. He plays the mute Renter who decides to help Oskar Schell in his quest to find which lock fits the key he believes his dad left him. Emotions pour out of him like a faucet, and all this without ever uttering a single syllable. Completely captivating, his performance here makes the film all the more great.


Actress in a Leading Role

Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)-I haven't seen this one yet.

Viola Davis (The Help)- She puts on a great performance here as the main black maid, Aibleen Clark. I honestly though that Octavia Spencer stood out the most in this film, but Viola Davis was still good, but I wouldn't call her memorable.

*Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)- This girl is completely fearless in this film, and I have to give her my immense respect. A newcomer to the business, the role of Lisbeth Salander is easily a breakout role for the young star. She has a few full frontal nude scenes in the film (Real bravery there), and also perfectly captures the character of Lisbeth, the gothy, abused, but also extremely smart and vengeful hacker. She is easily the strongest role in the film (it's fun to see her easily dominate Daniel Craig's Mikael Blomkvist in their budding relationship). She is one of the very few positive role models for girls as she takes full control of her sexuality (never letting it define who she is and never letting it control her), is super intelligent, and doesn't need a man to be empowered. Ronny Mara deserves the gold here, and if Viola Davis wins it, it's a true shame.

Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)- I haven't seen this one yet.

Michelle Williams- I haven't seen this one yet.


Actor in a Leading Role

Demian Bichir (A Better Life)- I haven't seen this one yet.

*George Cloony (The Descendents)- No surprise here. He easily captures the conflicting emotions of a man who has just been told that his wife will not come out of her coma and that she was also sleeping with another man. He is perfect in every scene he's in, especially the opening monologue he gives and also during the final goodbye he gives to his wife (a real tearjerker that perfectly captures his character). He deserves the gold here, and he'll probably get it.

Jean Dujardin (The Artist)- He does a pretty goo job here as silent movie star George Valentin, who loses his shit when he is unable (mainly due to his stubborn pride) to make the switch to talkies. He captures the character pretty well, but he's easily at his best when he's all smiles and enthusiasm. Even when he's spiraling down into depression he still emits an infectious charm, and that's why he works here (Oh, and he's also an excellent tap dancer).

Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy)- I'm a HUGE fan of Oldman, but I haven't seen this one yet.

Brad Pitt (Moneyball)- I've followed Brad Pitt's career pretty closely, but I have yet to see this film.


Directing

Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist)- You can tell this guy had great control over the aspects of production here, and that this was a personal project to him. He gets believable performances out of his actors, although I still felt that there was something left to be desired in Jean Dujardin's performance here.

*Alexander Payne (The Descendants)- He easily coaxes powerhouse, yet subtle and realistic performances out of the cast he is given. He also chose a fantastic location (Hawaii) to shoot. In other hands the story here could have gotten muddied and confusing, but he handles it masterfully and it never once gets overwhelming. Here is a man who is a master at balancing different aspects and elements , and boy does it show here.

Martin Scorcese (Hugo)- I LOVE Martin Scorsese. In his hands Hugo emerges as a film that is not just kiddie fodder or a 3D spectacle, but a magical film for all, from film enthusiast to little tyke.

Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)- Beautiful cinematography, engaging characters, and one helluva setting, Allen's love for Paris pours out of this film every second.

Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life)- Not so good with actors, but a master when dealing with imagery. The Tree of Life was a personal project for Malick, maybe a little too personal. Images clash, as do storylines, making for a film that can be hard to watch or make sense of at times.


Best Picture

The Artist- A simple little story, but one of big importance in the modern day. A silent film star spirals down into depression when he is unable to make the switch to talkies. Not only is it entertaining, but it's also historical. The film is beautifully designed, and perfectly captures the essence of what a silent film is and the era of the '30s (how cool is it to see an audience applauding but to be unable to hear the applause). Shot in glorious Black and White, The Artist is easily a modern classic that I'm sure will quickly prove timeless.


*The Descendents- The Descendants is the story of Hawaiian land baron Matt King (George Clooney) who learns that his wife will not be able to come out of the coma she's slipped into, and that she was also sleeping with another man behind his back. He must balance the tasks of finding a suitable second owner for the land (because he will lose possession of it in two years), of informing the family of his wife's imminent death, of traveling cross country with his two daughters (rebellious teen Alexandra King played to perfection by Shailene Woody and young Scottie King, played by Amara Miller) to confront the man with whom his wife was having an affair, and of having to adjust to the new role of single father. What follows is a touching, heartfelt story about the complexities of life, love, and loss. The Descendants is an extremely well rounded film that was ( at least in my opinion) easily the best film of 2011.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close- This was a truly phenomenal film. The story of a family torn apart by 9/11 and a young boy's search for meaning in a world that doesn't make sense any more is an epic, brilliant masterpiece. Thomas Horn as Oscar Schell is simply brilliant as the focal point of the story, a child with an unspecified learning disorder who, after finding a key left by his dad, sets out on a city wide search for the lock that goes with it. Tom Hanks is brilliant as Thomas Schell, Oskar's Father who is lost in the 9/11 attack, he inspired his son to think in different ways and now that he's gone it would appear that Oskar is unable to effectively cope with the tragedy. Sandra Bullock is brilliant (starting to see a trend here?) as Oskar's mother, Linda Schell, who seems out of place with the post 9/11 world and worries for her son. She brings a great deal of emotion to the role, and her and Oskar share some powerhouse scenes that are sure to tear most up. Max Von Sydow is extraordinary as the Mute Renter who helps Oskar along on his quest. The amount of emotions he conveys without saying a single word is amazing and proof positive that Sydow knows what he's doing. Every member of the cast (from leads to supporting to cameos) does a great job here, every role is well acted and there are no flat characters to be seen, the film is beautifully shot, and the story is a moving one. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close presents itself as a film about 9/11, but in reality it is really about a family unit broken by the tragedy and their efforts to rebuild what was lost in the smoke. The film doesn't offer many answers, and it doesn't shy away from its surprisingly dark themes (for example: Oskar begins to abuse himself shortly after 9/11) but the film is all the better for it. Don't listen to grouchy critics, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is easily the second best film in this category.

The Help- This film does NOT belong in the Best Picture Category. The Help is about Black and White relations in the south during the 1960's. An aspiring journalist, Skeeter Phelan (Played by Emma Roberts), sets out to make a book from the POV of the town's black maids. With help from ex-maid Minny (Octavia Spencer) and her friend Aibileen (Viola Davis) they set out to reveal the harsh working conditions that these maids must cope with every day. The acting in this film is probably the best thing about it, that said the film itself is set in a fantasy world, fails to accurately depict black/white relations, and the characters found within are heavily stereotyped and cliched. The Help is a film made by white people to make white people feel better about how they treated blacks in the 60s, and it is a very poor film for it. Maybe if they found a true story to base this film on instead of a fictional book (written by a white woman), I'd have given it a pass. As it is though, I can only reccommend it for the acting found within. (By the way, I myself am a 21 yr old white male)

Hugo- This may not be Martin Scorcese's best film, but it most definitely is his most magical. The setting of a busy train station is a fantastic one, the acting is pretty great, and the 3D is some of the best I've seen. The 3D here gives the film the look of a painting come to life, the depth sampled here is completely ridiculous, some settings seem to stretch on forever (like the archive that Hugo and Isabelle explore). The film is a technical marvel. The story here involves an orphan by the name of Hugo Cabret (Asa butterfield),Georges Melies (Ben Kingsley)who is an aging merchant with a secret; and Melies' grand daughter Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz). The film is about the history film, the joy of watching movies and reading books, and the thrill of a good mystery. As I've already said Hugo is a film that makes you believe in magic again, it also helps that Sacha Baron Cohen is cast to perfection as the bumbling and sad Station Inspector.

Midnight in Paris- Yet another great film from Woody Allen, this time he puts his love for one of the most beautiful cities on Earth, Paris, up on the big screen for all to see. The story here is of Gil (played perfectly by Owen Wilson), who is on a vacation to Paris with his annoying fiance Inez (played by Rachel Mc"booty"adams). Gil longs for the Paris of the roaring 20's and after a semi-drunk waltz through the street he gets his whisk as an old fashioned car whisks him away to his dream destination. The story is simple but sweet, Owen Wilson gives what will probably go down as his best performance, and Rachel Mcadam's booty does a fine performance as well. The real star here, make no mistake about it, is Paris herself. The film could act as a 90 minutes long ad for the city of love. The cinematography is breathtaking, I can't wait to buy this baby on blu-ray. The film's theme about Nostalgia isn't as strong as it could be, but Midnight in Paris is still a strong, beautiful film.

Moneyball- I haven't seen this one yet.

The Tree of Life- Many people claim this film to be unwatchable, and I agree. It's a miracle I was able to make it through this film, although I was constantly squirming in my seat. They say that Tree of Life was a personal project for Malick, I think maybe a bit too personal. When a director gets too attached to a certain project everything becomes blurry and the opinions of others are ignored, which is what I'm sure happened here. The first 30 minutes and last 20 are a symphony of seemingly unrelated images, the part in-between follows the life of one American family in the 50's , focusing mainly on a mother (Jessica Chastain), a father (Brad Pitt), and one of their sons (when young played by Hunter McCacken, when an adult played by Sean Penn although he barely appears in this film) who goes through a worldly crisis as he tries to make sense of this world, who he is, and how he fits into it all. As I said before, the film can be hair-rippingly impossible to make much sense of, and it's bound to turn many off due to it's overt religious themes. That said, while I'm not a fan of the film I do think it's neat.


War Horse- War Horse is the story of a boy and his horse, torn away from each other by the hardships of war. War Horse is a film that was made to explicitly tug at your heartstrings, and it does this with an alarming precision and skill. If you don't like films that try their hardest to make you shed a tear, then War Horse is not the film for you. I like films that are sentimental, and while I didn't cry (I don't cry easily) I definitely got choked up at the last scene. War Horse is by no means a perfect film, and while it does lose it's way in the first half it successfully finds a firm footing during the second and manages to deliver the goods we all were expecting. It's just fantastic to see both Spielberg and Williams back together again, weaving their own special brand of magic that only they can weave.


SO there you have it, my complete Oscar list. It took me at least a week to write this list, so i hoped you enjoyed it. Till then this is your ghost host with the most most saying I'll see you all on Oscar Sunday!