The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will hand out the Academy Awards on Sunday, February 24, 2013.
Here are my predictions:
Best Motion Picture Predicted Winner:
- Argo – This inspirational, true-life take on an incredible tale of courage and perseverance seems to have the most positive buzz among the press. It has also dominated the major categories at the Golden Globes, SAGs, DGAs, PGAs and BAFTA Awards. The snub for Ben Affleck in the Best Director category has seemed to help propel this film forward.
Best Motion Picture Possible Upset:
- Lincoln – This epic tale also has a small chance to take the top prize, as it made a strong showing with the number of Academy Award nominations. This upset is very slim though, as Argo is the
more likely winner.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Predicted Winner:
- Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln – A two-time Academy Award winner in this category, Day-Lewis has the most critical momentum and the most number of other honours for this role for him to take the top honor in this category.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Possible Upset:
- Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables – Jackman is a very charismatic presence in Hollywood and has generated a lot of positive buzz around a heartfelt performance that shows off his skills as an actor and singer. Jackman though is not very likely to win over Day-Lewis.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Predicted Winner:
- Emmanuelle Riva for Amour – As the oldest person ever to be nominated in this category, Riva has garnered a considerable amount of praise for her sensitive portrayal of a women
in her declining years including the BAFTA award for Best Actress.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Possible Upset:
- Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook – Lawrence is a huge rising star in Hollywood and has generated lots of positive buzz for her performance. She is definitely the “It” girl in Hollywood and has a very strong chance of taking home this award.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Predicted Winner:
- Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained – This category is going to very close to predict with all the nominees being previous Oscar winners. Though most film critics are going with Robert De Niro, I will still have to go with Waltz for his portrayal of a menacing bounty hunter. He also has already picked up the Golden Globe and the BAFTA in this category and is well-respected in Hollywood.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Possible Upset:
- Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln – Lee Jones is also very well liked and respected as an actor. His performance also has generated a lot of acclaim including a SAG award in this same category.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Predicted Winner:
- Anne Hathaway for Les Misérables – Hathaway has generated the most positive buzz and acclaim for a performance where she shows off her talents as an actress and singer. She is also very well liked in Hollywood and is by far the favorite to win in this category.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Possible Upset:
- Sally Field for Lincoln – Field has also received a lot of positive attention for her performance and is very well liked and respected in Hollywood. She has already won two Oscars and people like a comeback story. It is though very unlikely that she will win over Hathaway in this category.
Best Achievement in Directing Predicted Winner:
- Michael Haneke for Amour – With Affleck and Bigelow out of the picture, the winner is likely going to be Haneke for directing for what many consider to be the best picture of the last year even though it is a foreign language film.
Best Achievement in Directing Possible Upset:
- Steven Spielberg for Lincoln – The veteran filmmaker is one of the most successful and accomplished directors of all-time and has the name clout with voters. He is also a two-time winner in this category. As Affleck has taken home most of the other major prizes in this category, this one is harder to predict with even Ang Lee having a shot for Life of Pi, as Lee is also a previous winner in this category.
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Predicted Winner:
- Amour: Michael Haneke – This is really a close call; I will have to give a slight lead to Haneke for his screenplay for Amour, considered to be one of the best films of last year.

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen Possible Upset:
- Django Unchained: Quentin Tarantino – A previous winner in this category, Tarantino also has a really good shot at winning, having already won the BAFTA and Golden Globe for this screenplay. Tarantino also has the name recognition factor.
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Predicted Winner:
- Argo: Chris Terrio – This category is also going to be really close. Though, I will have to go with the screenplay for Argo, which has already won a Writers Guild Award. Argo is very popular amongst award voters and has garnered more buzz due to Affleck’s snub in the Best Director category.
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published Nominees:
- Silver Linings Playbook: David O. Russell – Russell also has a really strong chance of winning in this category, having already won the BAFTA and Independent Spirit Award. The film
also has a lot of positive buzz.
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year Predicted Winner:
- Brave – Out of all the animated films this past year, this film has generated the most acclaim and accolades, including the Golden Globe and the BAFTA in this category. Brave was also the highest grossing animated film at the box office this past year.
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year Possible Upset:
- Wreck-It Ralph – This film also has a shot in this category, as it also has had a lot of positive press and was a big draw at the box office this past year.
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Predicted Winner:
- Amour (Austria) – This film is almost a sure bet in this category. Out of all the foreign language films this year, this one has garnered the most awards, including the Golden Globe
and the BAFTA, acclaim and positive press.
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Possible Upset:
- A Royal Affair (Denmark) – Though all the nominations were strong candidates, I will have to go with this costume period drama for a distant second place. Note: None of the films, including this one, really stand a chance against Amour in this category.
Best Documentary, Feature Predicted Winner:
- Searching for Sugar Man – Out of all the Documentary Features, this film is the most crowd pleasing and has the most positive buzz, It has already won the BAFTA in this category, as well as Producers and Writers Guild awards.
Best Documentary, Feature Possible Upset:
- The Invisible War – All the other contenders in this category deal with more somber subject matters and are all excellent films in their one right, making this category hard to call. I will have to go with this feature as a possible upset, as the film deals with the disturbing subject of sexual assaults of female personnel in the military. Though 5 Broken Cameras, The Gatekeepers, and How to Survive a Plague all also stand a chance of winning.

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song Predicted Winner:
- “Skyfall” from Skyfall: Adele, Paul Epworth – This was a huge film this year and the song was one of the many highlights. The song has already won a number of major awards and is also co-written and sung by Adele, who is extremely popular.
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song Possible Upset:
Like this:
Like Loading...
Posted in Academy Awards, Movies, Pop Culture
Tags: 5 Broken Cameras, A Royal Affair, Academy Award, academy award nominations, academy award winner, Academy Awards, Adele, Ang Lee, Anne Hathaway, Argo, bafta award, bafta awards, Brave, Chris Terrio, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Day-Lewis, David O Russell, Django Unchained, Emmanuelle Riva, Entertainment, How to Survive a Plague, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Michael Haneke, Oscar, Oscars, Quentin Tarantino, Sally Field, Searching for Sugar Man, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall, Steven Spielberg, Suddenly, The Gatekeepers, The Invisible War, Tommy Lee Jones, Wreck-It-Ralph
The Academy of Motion Picture Sciences will announce their nominations for the 2012 Academy Awards on Thursday, January 10, 2013.
Here are my 2012 Oscar nomination predictions (in order of probability) along with the actual nominations in blue:
Best Picture
Predicted Nominations:
- Argo
- Zero Dark Thirty
- Lincoln
- Silver Linings Playbook
- Les Misérables
If Six Nominations:
If Seven Nominations:
If Eight Nominations:
If Nine Nominations:
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
If Ten Nominations:
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Other Possible Contenders:
- The Master
- Amour
- The Dark Knight Rises
- Skyfall
Other Note-Worthy Films:
- The Sessions

- Flight
- The Impossible
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Hitchcock
- Promised Land
- The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
- The Hunger Games
Best Director
Predicted Nominations:
- Ben Affleck, Argo
- Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
- Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
- David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

- Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Other Possible Contenders:
- Tom Hooper, Les Misérables
- Michael Haneke, Amour
- Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
- Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master
- Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom
Other Note-Worthy Directors:
- Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Ben Lewin, The Sessions
- Sam Mendes, Skyfall
- Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises
- Gus Vant Sant, Promised Land
- Robert Zemeckis, Flight

- Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- John Madden, The Exotic Marigold Hotel
- Lasse Hallström, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
- Joe Wright, Anna Karenina
- Juan Antonio Bavona, The Impossible
- Sacha Gervasi, Hitchcock
Best Actor
Predicted Nominations:
- Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
- John Hawkes, The Sessions
- Denzel Washington, Flight
- Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
- Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables
Other Possible Contenders:
- Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
- Richard Gere, Arbitrage
- Denis Lavant, Holy Motors
- Anthony Hopkins, Hitchcock
Other Note-Worthy Performances:
- Jean-Louis Trintignant, Amour
- Jamie Foxx, Django Unchained
- Ben Affleck, Argo
- Daniel Craig, Skyfall
- Matthew McConaughey, Killer Joe
- Suraj Sharma, Life of Pi
- Matt Damon, Promised Land
- Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson
- Christian Bale, The Dark Knight Rises
- Jack Black, Bernie
- Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen & The Impossible

- Jake Gyllenhaal, End of Watch
Best Actress
Predicted Nominations:
- Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
- Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
- Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
- Naomi Watts, The Impossible
- Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Other Possible Contenders:
- Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
- Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea
- Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Other Note-Worthy Performances:
- Keira Knightley, Anna Karenina
- Laura Linney, Hyde Park on Hudson
- Deanie Yip, A Simple Life
- Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
- Maggie Smith, Quartet
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Smashed
- Meryl Streep, Hope Springs
- Emily Blunt, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
- Emayatzy Corinealdi, Middle of Nowhere
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominations:
- Alan Arkin, Argo
- Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
- Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

- Javier Bardem, Skyfall
- Robert DeNiro, Silver Linings Playbook
Other Possible Contenders:
- Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
- Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
- William H. Macy, The Sessions
- Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike
Other Note-Worthy Performances:
- Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained
- Jason Clarke, Zero Dark Thirty
- Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Eddie Redmayne, Les Misérables
- John Goodman, Flight or Argo

- Hal Holbrook, Promised Land
- Russell Crowe, Les Misérables
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominations:
- Sally Field, Lincoln
- Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
- Helen Hunt, The Sessions
- Amy Adams, The Master
- Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Other Possible Contenders:
- Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
- Ann Dowd, Compliance
- Samantha Barks, Les Misérables

- Judi Dench, Skyfall
Other Note-Worthy Performances:
- Jennifer Ehle, Zero Dark Thirty
- Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Pauline Collins, Quartet
- Kelly Reilly, Flight
- Kerry Washington, Django Unchained
- Helena Bonham Carter, Les Misérables
- Frances McDormand, Promised Land
- Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominations:
- Chris Terrio, Argo
- Tony Kushner, Lincoln
- David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook

- David Magee, Life of Pi
- Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Other Possible Contenders:
- Lucy Alibar & Ben Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Ben Lewin, The Sessions
- Ol Parker, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
- William Nicholson, Les Miserables
Other Note-Worthy Adapted Screenplays:
- Tom Stoppard, Anna Karenina
- Jose Rivera, On The Road
- Jacques Audiard & Thomas Bidegain, Rust and Bone
- Christopher & Jonathan Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises
- Judd Apatow, This is 40
- John Logan, Patrick Marber, Neal Purvis & Robert Wade, Skyfall

- John J. McLaughlin, Hitchcock
- Simon Beaufoy, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
- Ronald Harwood, Quartet
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominations:
- Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty
- Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
- Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master
- Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola, Moonrise Kingdom
- Rian Johnson, Looper
Other Possible Contenders:
- Michael Haneke, Amour
- John Gatins, Flight
- Olivier Nakache & Eric Toledano, The Intouchables

- Ava DuVernay, Middle of Nowhere
- Reid Carolin, Magic Mike
Other Note-Worthy Original Screenplays:
- Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths
- Matt Damon & John Krasinski, Promised Land
- Sergio G. Sanchez, The Impossible
- Dan Fogelman, The Guilt Trip
- Sarah Polley, Take This Waltz
- Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard, The Cabin in the Woods
Best Animated Feature
Predicted Nominations:
- Brave
- Frankenweenie

- ParaNorman
- Wreck-It Ralph
- Rise of the Guardians
Other Possible Contenders:
- Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
- The Painting (Le Tableau)
- From Up on Poppy Hill
- The Rabbi’s Cat
- Hotel Transylvania
- A Liar’s Autobiography – The Untrue Story of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman
Other Note-Worthy Animated Films:
- Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
- The Pirates! Band of Misfits
- Zarafa

- Ice Age: Continental Drift
Best Foreign Language Film
Predicted Nominations:
- Amour
- The Intouchables
- A Royal Affair
- Kon-Tiki
- No
Other Possible Contenders:
- War Witch
- Sister
- The Deep
- Beyond the Hills

Other Note-Worthy Foreign Films:
- Rust and Bone
- I Wish
- The Kid with a Bike
- Once Upon A Time in Anatolia
- Holy Motors
- Tabu
- The Loneliest Planet
- The Turin Horse
- Oslo, August 31st
- Lore
- Our Children
- Barbara
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominations:
- Searching for Sugar Man
- The Gatekeepers
- How to Survive a Plague
- The Invisible War
- This is Not a Film
Other Possible Contenders:
- The Imposter
- Detropia
- The Waiting Room
- Bully
- Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God
- Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry
- The House I Live In
- Chasing Ice
- Ethel

- 5 Broken Cameras
Other Note-Worthy Documentaries:
- The Queen of Versailles
- The Central Park Five
- Samsara
- West of Memphis
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominations:
- Skyfall, Skyfall
- Suddenly, Les Misérables
- Learn Me Right, Brave
- From Here to the Moon and Back, Joyful Noise
- Abraham’s Daughter, The Hunger Games

Other Possible Contenders:
- Still Alive, Paul Williams Still Alive
- For You, Act of Valor
- Not Running Anymore, Stand Up Guys
- Touch the Sky, Brave
- Ancora Qui, Django Unchained
Other Note-Worthy Songs:
- Safe & Sound, The Hunger Games
- Dull Tool, This is 40
- Breath of Life, Snow White and the Huntman
- Strange Love, Frankenweenie
- When Can I See You Again, Wreck-It Ralph
- Still Dream, Rise of the Guardians
Like this:
Like Loading...
Posted in Academy Awards, Movies
Tags: 5 Broken Cameras, A Liar's Autobiography - The Untrue Story of Monty Python's Graham Chapman, A Simple Life, Abraham's Daughter, Academy Award, Academy Awards, Act of Valor, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, Alan Arkin, Amour, Amy Adams, Ancora Qui, Ang Lee, Ann Dowd, Anna Karenina, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Hopkins, Arbitrage, Argo, Ava DuVernay, Awards, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Ben Affleck, Ben Lewin, Ben Zeitlin, Benh Zeitlin, Bernie, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Animated Feature, Best Director, Best Documentary Feature, Best Original Screenplay, Best Original Song, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Bill Murray, Bradley Cooper, Brave, Breath of Life, Bully, Chasing Ice, Chris Terrio, Christian Bale, Christoph Waltz, Christopher Nolan, Compliance, Dan Fogelman, Daniel Craig, Daniel Day-Lewis, David Magee, David O Russell, Deanie Yip, Denis Lavant, Denzel Washington, Detropia, Django Unchained, Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, Drew Goddard, Dull Tool, Dwight Henry, Eddie Redmayne, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Emily Blunt, Emma Watson, Emmanuelle Riva, End of Watch, Eric Toledano, Ethel, Ewan McGregor, Ezra Miller, Films, Flight, For You, Frances McDormand, Frankenweenie, From Here to the Moon and Back, From Up on Poppy Hill, Gus Vant Sant, Hal Holbrook, Helen Hunt, Helen Mirren, Helena Bonham Carter, Hitchcock, Holy Motors, Hope Springs, Hotel Transylvania, How to Survive a Plague, Hugh Jackman, Hyde Park on Hudson, Ice Age: Continental Drift, Jack Black, Jacques Audiard, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Jason Clarke, Javier Bardem, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jennifer Ehle, Jennifer Lawrence, JESSICA CHASTAIN, Joaquin Phoenix, Joe Wright, John Gatins, John Goodman, John Hawkes, John J. McLaughlin, John Krasinski, John Logan, John Madden, Jonathan Nolan, Jose Rivera, Joss Whedon, Joyful Noise, Juan Antonio Bavona, Judd Apatow, Judi Dench, Kathryn Bigelow, Keira Knightley, Kelly Reilly, Kerry Washington, Killer Joe, Killing Them Softly, Lasse Hallström, Laura Linney, Learn Me Right, Leonardo DiCaprio, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Looper, Lucy Alibar, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, Maggie Smith, Magic Mike, Marion Cotillard, Mark Boal, Martin McDonagh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Matt Damon, Matthew McConaughey, Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God, Meryl Streep, Michael Haneke, Middle of Nowhere, Moonrise Kingdom, Movies, Naomi Watts, Neal Purvis, Nicole Kidman, Not Running Anymore, Ol Parker, Olivier Nakache, On The Road, Oscar, Oscars, ParaNorman, Patrick Marber, Paul Thomas Anderson, Paul Williams Still Alive, Pauline Collins, Peter Jackson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Promised Land, Quartet, Quentin Tarantino, Quvenzhane Wallis, Rachel Weisz, Reid Carolin, Rian Johnson, Richard Gere, Rise of the Guardians, Robert DeNiro, Robert Wade, Robert Zemeckis, Roman Coppola, Ronald Harwood, Russell Crowe, Rust and Bone, Sacha Gervasi, Safe & Sound, Sally Field, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Sam Mendes, Samantha Barks, Samsara, Samuel L. Jackson, Sarah Polley, Searching for Sugar Man, Sergio G. Sanchez, Seven Psychopaths, Silver Linings Playbook, Simon Beaufoy, Skyfall, Smashed, Snow White and the Huntman, Stand Up Guys, Stephen Chbosky, Steven Spielberg, Still Alive, Still Dream, Strange Love, Suddenly, Suraj Sharma, Take This Waltz, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Cabin in the Woods, The Central Park Five, The Dark Knight Rises, The Deep Blue Sea, The Gatekeepers, The Guilt Trip, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The House I Live In, The Hunger Games, The Impossible, The Imposter, The Intouchables, The Invisible War, The Lorax, The Master, The Painting (Le Tableau), The Paperboy, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Pirates: Band of Misfits, The Queen of Versailles, The Rabbi's Cat, The Sessions, The Waiting Room, This Is 40, This Is Not A Film, Thomas Bidegain, Tom Hooper, Tom Stoppard, Tommy Lee Jones, Tony Kushner, Touch the Sky, Wes Anderson, West of Memphis, When Can I See You Again, William H. Macy, William Nicholson, Wreck-It-Ralph, Zarafa, Zero Dark Thirty