Oscar Nominations are In

The Oscar Nominations came out today which will put in motion to of my annual events. One pull out every Entertainment Weekly, People, and US since 1992 as my coffee table display and Second have my photo again taken at the Oscar display that they put up every year. As far back as 1986, when I remember falling asleep to Marlee Matlin winning her Oscar for “Children of a Lesser God.” have I been an Oscar junkie. I can tell you who wore what on the red carpet in what year and have in the past been able name all Academy Award winners for Best Actress in a row, though I always get messed up on Katharine Hepburn's double win. I still remember as a child for Christmas asking my sister Julie for this dishy book called “Inside Oscar” which I still have, though it's torn and tattered and I think missing a year or two but something I still read to this day. I usually try to see every nominee in at least the Best Actress category because really that's the top category but still will watch a film just because it's been nominated in a major category. I say that because everyone always tries to get me to see a film because it was nominated under special effects, or makeup otherwise known as the plot less action movie.

So even though they've been on line all day here are the nominations with a few of my thoughts.

Best motion picture of the year
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“The King’s Speech”
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3″
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”

This category is really between two films “The Kings Speech” and “The Social Network.” The Social Network has won every major critics award for Best Film but The Kings Speech feels like a Best Picture movie.

Achievement in directing
Darren Aronofsky - “Black Swan”
David O. Russell - “The Fighter”
Tom Hooper - “The King’s Speech”
David Fincher - “The Social Network”
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen - “True Grit”

I'm going with David Fincher on this one. This film could have easily been something that we could have seen on the USA Network and he made it feel like a film classic.

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”
Jeff Bridges in “True Grit”
Jesse Eisenberg in “The Social Network”
Colin Firth in “The King’s Speech”
James Franco in “127 Hours”

Colin Firth has this one in the bag. He's likeable, been around for years, and is in a film that's been nominated a bunch of times.

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right”
Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence in “Winter’s Bone”
Natalie Portman in “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”

At this point it's between Annette and Natalie for the win. I think Natalie is in a film that might bother people and turn off voters though Annette's performance is so low key. The SAG Award this weekend will help decide who's leading.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Christian Bale in “The Fighter”
John Hawkes in “Winter’s Bone”
Jeremy Renner in “The Town”
Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right”
Geoffrey Rush in “The King’s Speech”

Unless another tape of Christian Bale ranting is released from now to the awards this is his to win.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Adams in “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter in “The King’s Speech”
Melissa Leo in “The Fighter”
Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit”
Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”

This is a tough one. I've hard amazing things about Jacki Weaver as an evil mother who pushes her children into a world of crime and there was a lot of pulling for her to be nominated. In fact I heard more buzz about her then any of the others. However I'm going to go with Amy Adams as the Oscars likes to award the young actress here and Amy has proven her worth in other films (Junebug, Doubt, Enchanted.)

Best animated feature film of the year
“How to Train Your Dragon”
“The Illusionist”
“Toy Story 3″ (Walt Disney), Lee Unkrich

And this is why Toy Story 3 won't take home a best picture Oscar as it will win here.

Achievement in art direction
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″
“Inception”
“The King’s Speech”
“True Grit”

At this point I'm going in between Alice in Wonderland and Inception.

Achievement in cinematography
“Black Swan”
“Inception”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
“True Grit”

I think Black Swan might win this one.

Achievement in costume design
“Alice in Wonderland”
“I Am Love”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Tempest”
“True Grit”

They always give it to the period piece so I say Alice in Wonderland has this in the bag.

Best documentary feature
“Exit through the Gift Shop”
“Gasland”
“Inside Job”
“Restrepo”
“Waste Land”

Best documentary short subject
“Killing in the Name”
“Poster Girl”
“Strangers No More”
“Sun Come Up”
“The Warriors of Qiugang"

For the documentary awards I wait to find out which ones are about the holocaust then I just go with that one. It never fails me.

Achievement in film editing
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“The King’s Speech”
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”

Usually the winner of this category wins best picture. I'm going with “The Social Network” as this film is all about the editing.

Best foreign language film of the year
“Biutiful”
“Dogtooth”
“In a Better World”
“Incendies”
“Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)”

Since more people probably saw Biutiful since Javier Bardem was nominated I think this is the one to beat.

Achievement in makeup
“Barney’s Version”
“The Way Back”
“The Wolfman”
As an honor to the old MGM Horror films I say The Wolfman will win this.
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
“How to Train Your Dragon”
“Inception” (Warner Bros.)
“The King’s Speech”
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network” (Sony Pictures Releasing)

I'm going to go with The Kings Speech for now.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
“Coming Home” from “Country Strong”
“I See the Light” from “Tangled” (Walt Disney),
“If I Rise” from “127 Hours”
“We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″ (Walt Disney), Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

No Cher!!!!!! I think the song from Tangled was nice and Alan Menken is known for writing one or two Oscar winning songs.

Best animated short film
“Day & Night”
“The Gruffalo”
“Let’s Pollute”
“The Lost Thing”
“Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)”

Day & Night is Pixar so I have a feeling they've got it.

Best live action short film
“The Confession”
“The Crush”
“God of Love”
“Na Wewe”
“Wish 143″

At this point I'm going with God of Love.

Achievement in sound editing
“Inception”
“Toy Story 3″
“Tron: Legacy”
“True Grit”
“Unstoppable”

I think Inception is going to win this one.

Achievement in sound mixing
“Inception”
“The King’s Speech”
“Salt”
“The Social Network”
“True Grit”

I think The Social Network might have this one too.

Achievement in visual effects
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1″
“Hereafter”
“Inception”
“Iron Man 2″

Inception for turning our dreams into reality.

Adapted screenplay
“127 Hours”
“The Social Network”
“Toy Story 3″
“True Grit”
“Winter’s Bone”

Without a doubt “The Social Network.

Original screenplay
“Another Year”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“The King’s Speech”

Here again I think it's going to be The Kings Speech.

Only time will tell and closer to the events will I have my reevaluated Oscar guesses but until then anyone want to help me unload the truck of Oscar memorabilia I've kept though out the years.

StevenD