2013 Oscar Predictions

2013 Oscar Predictions

Who's taking home the gold next Sunday?

Courtesy of Indie Wire

Best Picture

Predicted Winner: Argo

Having won the PGA, DGA, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Critics' Choice, Argo seems to be the unchallenged winner. Lincoln has the most nominations, and seeing Affleck didn't get the director nod, it could pull out a win, but it's doubtful.

AJ's rankings:

1. Django Unchained

2. Lincoln

3. Argo

4. Beasts of the Southern Wild

5. Silver Linings Playbook

6. Amour

7. Zero Dark Thirty

8. Life of Pi

9. Les Misérables

Should have been nominated: The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Hunger Games, The Impossible, Looper

Best Director

Predicted Winner: Steven Spielberg, Lincoln

I'm as surprised as everyone else that Affleck wasn't nominated. There's no guarantee who will win this one, although I'm pretty sure the Academy will take this chance to give Spielberg his first Oscar in 14 years. David O. Russell has a decent shot as well, as this was a personal project that the Academy apparently loved, giving it 8 nominations.

AJ's rankings:

1. Spielberg, Lincoln

2. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

3. Lee, Life of Pi

4. Haneke, Amour

5. Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Should have been nominated: Affleck, Argo. Tarantino, Django Unchained. Ross, The Hunger Games.

There were a lot of sad faces when Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and Hooper (Les Misérables) weren't nominated, but let me say publicly that I agree with the Academy's decision here. 

Best Actor

Predicted Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Day-Lewis should be ready to give a pretty good speech on Sunday, as his win is almost guaranteed. I would love to see Bradley Cooper win for Silver Linings Playbook, but the actor who should and will win is Daniel Day-Lewis.

AJ's rankings: 

1. Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

2. Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

3. Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables

I have yet to see The Master and Flight, so I can't rank Phoenix's or Washington's performances.

Best Actress

Predicted Winner: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

A five-way tie, if there ever was one. There could be anyone's name in that envelope on Sunday. Jennifer Lawrence is the safe bet, and I'd be thrilled for her to win. I do argue that Naomi Watts gave a better performance in The Impossible, but her win is unlikely. Jessica Chastain is also in the running, but she should've won for The Help last year, and I hope the Academy doesn't try to make up for their mistake by giving her an undeserved win this year. 

AJ's rankings:

1. Naomi Watts, The Impossible

2. Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

3. Quevanzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

4. Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

5. Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Should have been nominated: Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games. Noomi Rapace, Prometheus. (Women in sci-fi are so often over-looked).

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Winner: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Having won the BAFTA and Golden Globe, I'm banking on Christoph to take this home. Tommy Lee Jones won the SAG, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman got the Critics' Choice, so they each have a shot, too. Academy members may want to give De Niro a career-achievement award now that they have a chance in this category.

AJ's rankings:

1. Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

2. Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

3. Alan Arkin, Argo

4. Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook

Again, I didn't see The Master, sorry Phillip.

Should have been nominated: Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Tom Holland, The Impossible. Woody Harrelson, The Hunger Games. Javier Bardem, Skyfall. Pierce Gagnon, Looper. Bruce Willis, Looper. Bryan Cranston, Argo. Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild. Russell Crowe, Les Misérables. Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained. Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained. Michael Fassbender, Prometheus. 

In case you couldn't tell, it was an amazing year for supporting male performances. And we have a category with 5 previous winners, which is a shame. We could've had five deserving newcomers to the category.

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Winner: Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

The very talented Anne Hathaway is a week away from holding a gold statuette. 

AJ's rankings:

1. Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

2. Sally Field, Lincoln

3. Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook

I really should see The Master...sorry Amy Adams. I didn't see The Sessions either. Forgive me, Helen Hunt. 

Should have been nominated: Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises. Judi Dench, Skyfall. Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Kerry Washington, Django Unchained. Amanda Seyfried, Les Misérables.

Best Original Screenplay

Predicted Winner: Tarantino, Django Unchained

The Academy gave Mark Boal some love in 2009 for The Hurt Locker, beating Tarantino out for Inglourious Basterds. This year, it seems it will be the other way around, as Tarantino grabbed the screenplay award at the Globes, the BAFTAs and the Critics' Choice.

AJ's rankings:

1. Tarantino, Django Unchained

2. Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom

3. Haneke, Amour

4. Boal, Zero Dark Thirty

Also nominated: John Gatins, Flight

Should have been nominated: Rian Johnson, Looper. 

Best Adapted Screenplay

Predicted Winner: David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

This could very well go to Argo or Lincoln, but I think your best bet would be on Silver Linings Playbook. 

AJ's rankings: 

1. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

2. Kushner, Lincoln

3. Alibar & Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

4. Terrio, Argo

5. Magee, Life of Pi

Should have been nominated: Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Here are the rest of my predictions, without lengthy commentary.
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Best Animated Movie

Predicted Winner: Wreck-It Ralph

Should Win: ParaNorman

Should have been nominated: Rise of The Guardians

Best Foreign Film

Predicted Winner: Amour

Best Visual Effects

Predicted Winner: Life of Pi

Should Win: Prometheus
Should have been nominated: The Impossible

Best Cinematography

Predicted Winner: Life of Pi

Should Win: Skyfall

Should have been nominated: The Impossible, The Dark Knight Rises

Best Film Editing

Predicted Winner: Argo

Should Win: Argo

Should have been nominated: The Impossible, Django Unchained

Best Production Design (Art Direction)

Predicted Winner: Life of Pi

Should Win: Les Misérables

Should have been nominated: The Hunger Games, Prometheus

Best Costume Design

Predicted Winner: Anna Karenina

Should Win: Anna Karenina (I haven't even seen it, but from what I've seen of the costumes, it should win)

Should have been nominated: The Hunger Games

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Predicted Winner: Les Misérables

Should Win: The Hobbit

Should have been nominated: The Hunger Games, Prometheus

Best Sound Mixing

Predicted Winner: Skyfall

Should Win: Skyfall

Should have been nominated: The Hunger Games, The Impossible, Looper

Best Sound Editing

Predicted Winner: Skyfall

Should Win: Skyfall

Should have been nominated: The Hunger Games, The Impossible, Looper

Best Score

Predicted Winner: Lincoln

Should Win: Lincoln

Should have been nominated: The Hunger Games, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Song

Predicted Winner: Skyfall (Adele)

Should Win: ANYBODY BUT ADELE (Sorry, I just really have a thing against Adele)

Should have been nominated: Eyes Open (Taylor Swift, The Hunger Games). Abraham's Daughter (Arcade Fire, The Hunger Games).

Tallied predictions:

Life of Pi: 3

Lincoln: 3

Skyfall: 3

Argo: 2

Django Unchained: 2

Les Misérables: 2

Silver Linings Playbook: 2

Amour: 1

Anna Karenina: 1

Wreck-It Ralph: 1

Number of nominations The Hunger Games should have gotten: 12

Number of nominations The Impossible should have gotten (excluding Best Actress): 7

Number of nominations Looper should have gotten: 5

Number of nominations The Perks of Being a Wallflower should have gotten: 4