Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Oscar season is that the nominees aren't being announced on a Tuesday morning. For the first time that I can remember (I don't care enough to Google the answer), the nods will come on a Thursday morning instead. But, that really doesn't matter to anyone - myself included - so why would I choose to start out my story that way? Who knows? I certainly don't. In any event, I'm psyched to hear who will be nominated this year. Unlike 2011, which arguably was a lame year for film (The Artist was a nice movie, but Best Picture?) 2012 was a standout. As a matter of fact, if you put any of the following films - Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Les Miserables, and Lincoln - in the race last year they probably would've handily unseated the French silent film for the top prize. But, enough of "what ifs." Let me get to my predictions for the Oscar nods. I'll come right out and say this: it'd make my day if John Goodman earned a nod for Argo in the supporting actor category and was joined there by Moonrise Kingdom's Bruce Willis. Both actors have been terribly underrated since they burst onto the scene in the Teddy Ruxpin decade. Fingers crossed. In any event, let's get to it.... Because you really want to read another bloggers Oscar predictions, yes?
Best Picture
Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Moonrise Kingdom
Zero Dark Thirty
Silver Linings Playbook
Jawdrop Potential: I'm banking on ten nominees this year, but if it's eight or nine, look for Django and/or Beasts to get left off. Dark Knight Rises would be the shock here along with The Master, though and I highly doubt it ousts either Tarantino's film or Beasts.
Best Actor
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
John Hawkes, The Session
Denzel Washington, Flight
Jawdrop Potential: Hugh Jackman gets omitted for Richard Gere's portrayal in Arbitrage or Jean-Louis Trintignant in Amour.
Best Actress
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings
Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Jawdrop Potential: Meryl Streep for Hope Springs or Marion Cotillard of Rust and Bone slides in over Wallis.
Best Supporting Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
John Goodman, Argo
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Jawdrop Potential: Russell Crowe for Les Miserables. He was panned by some but I dug him. And if Djangoturns off some people DiCaprio may be left off but after getting snubbed for J. Edgar last year something tells me that won't happen. I can see Alan Arkin easily get nominated over Goodman for Argo but I'm hoping he won't. Robert De Niro will likely slide into one of the Django spots in my prediction but I'm going with my gut anyway. I also think it's possible Hoffman gets left off for Skyfall's Bardem.
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, The Master
Judi Dench, Skyfall
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Jawdrop potential: Samantha Barks getting a nod for Les Miserables. I'm putting Dench here because Skyfall was so much more than another "Bond movie," and it should earn a significant nod of appreciation. Ann Dowd for Compliance could slip in here in that spot.
Best Director:
Ben Affleck, Argo
Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Jawdrop potential: My gut tells me previous Oscar winners will get left off. Les Mis helmer Tom Hooper might and ditto for Ang Lee (Life of Pi). It's possible they won't. I just think Tarantino and Anderson may get their due - especially the latter. Michael Haneke for Amour or Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master could slide into one of the spots, too.