The 84th Academy Awards are fast approaching. Although most are picking The Artist to take the big awards, sometimes the Academy can surprise us. Check out our Oscar predictions after the jump.
For categories we pretend to know something about we’ve picked a ‘predicted winner’, ‘possible spoiler’, and the one that ‘we’re cheering for’. For the smaller/lesser known categories we’ve just picked a winner based on industry awards and the fine art of guessing. See our picks for all the categories below.
Best Picture:
“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
“The Help”
“Hugo”
“Midnight in Paris”
“Moneyball”
“The Tree of Life”
“War Horse”
Predicted winner: The Artist
Possible spoiler: Hugo
We’re cheering for: Hugo
Best Directing:
Michael Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”
Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”
Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”
Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”
Predicted winner: Michel Hazanavicius
Possible spoiler: Martin Scorsese
We’re cheering for: Martin Scorsese
Best Actress:
Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis, “The Help”
Rooney Mara, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams, “My Week with Marilyn”
Predicted winner: Viola Davis
Possible spoiler: Meryl Streep
We’re cheering for: Viola Davis
Best Actor:
Demian Bichir, “A Better Life”
George Clooney, “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
Gary Oldman, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”
Predicted winner: Jean Dujardin
Possible spoiler: George Clooney
We’re cheering for: Gary Oldman
Best Supporting Actress:
Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain, “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer, “The Help”
Predicted winner: Octavia Spencer
Possible spoiler: Bernice Bejo
We’re cheering for: Jessica Chastain/Bernice Bejo
Best Supporting Actor:
Kenneth Branagh, “My Week with Marilyn”
Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte, “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Max von Sydow, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Predicted winner: Christopher Plummer
Possible spoiler: Nic Nolte
We’re cheering for: Christopher Plummer
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, “The Descendants”
John Logan, “Hugo”
George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, “The Ides of March”
Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin; story by Stan Chervin, “Moneyball”
Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan, ”Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Predicted winner: The Descendants
Possible spoiler: Moneyball
We’re cheering for: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best Original Screenplay:
Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig, “Bridesmaids”
J.C. Chandor, “Margin Call”
Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”
Asghar Farhadi, “A Separation”
Predicted winner:Midnight in Paris
Possible spoiler: The Artist
We’re cheering for: A Separation
Best Foreign Language Film:
“Bullhead” (Belgium)
“Footnote” (Israel)
“In Darkness” (Poland)
“Monsieur Lazhar” (Canada)
“A Separation” (Iran)
Predicted winner: A Separation
Possible spoiler: In Darkness
We’re cheering for: A Separation
Best Animated Feature Film
“A Cat in Paris”
“Chico & Rita”
“Kung Fu Panda 2″
“Puss in Boots”
“Rango”
Predicted winner: Rango
Possible spoiler: Chico & Rita
We’re cheering for: A Cat in Paris
Best Art Direction:
“The Artist”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″
“Hugo”
“Midnight in Paris”
“War Horse”
Predicted winner: Hugo
Possible spoiler: Midnight in Paris
We’re cheering for: Harry Potter
Best Cinematography:
“The Artist”
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
“Hugo”
“The Tree of Life”
“War Horse”
Predicted winner: The Tree of Life
Possible spoiler: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
We’re cheering for: The Tree of Life
Best Sound Mixing:
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
“Hugo”
“Moneyball”
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
“War Horse”
Predicted winner: War Horse
Possible spoiler: Hugo
We’re cheering for: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Sound Editing:
“Drive”
“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
“Hugo”
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
“War Horse”
Predicted winner: Hugo
We’re cheering for: Drive
Best Original Score:
“The Adventures of Tintin,” John Williams
“The Artist,” Ludovic Bource
“Hugo,” Howard Shore
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” Alberto Iglesias
“War Horse,” John Williams
Predicted winner: The Artist
Possible spoiler: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
We’re cheering for: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best Original Song:
“Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets,” Bret McKenzie
“Real in Rio” from “Rio,” Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown and Siedah Garrett.
Predicted winner: Bret McKenize
We’re cheering for: Go Kiwi Go!!!!!!!!!!
Best Costume:
“Anonymous”
“The Artist”
“Hugo”
“Jane Eyre”
“W.E”
Predicted winner: Hugo
Possible spoiler: Anonymous
We’re cheering for: Jane Eyre
Best Visual Effects
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″
“Hugo”
“Real Steel”
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
Predicted winner: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Possible spoiler: Hugo
We’re cheering for: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Best Documentary Feature:
“Hell and Back Again”
“If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front”
“Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory”
“Pina”
“Undefeated”
Predicted winner: Paradise Lost 3
Possible spoiler: Hell and Back Again
We’re cheering for: Pina
Best Documentary (short subject):
“The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement”
“God is the Bigger Elvis”
“Incident in New Baghdad”
“Saving Face”
“The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom”
Predicted winner:The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Best Film Editing:
“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
“Hugo”
“Moneyball”
Predicted winner: The Descendants
Possible spoiler: The Artist
We’re cheering for: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Makeup:
“Albert Nobbs”
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2″
“The Iron Lady”
Predicted winner: The Iron Lady
We’re cheering for: Harry Potter
Best Animated Short Film:
“Dimanche/Sunday”
“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore”
“La Luna”
“A Morning Stroll”
“Wild Life”
Predicted winner: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Best Live Action Short Film:
“Pentecost”
“Raju”
“The Shore”
“Time Freak”
“Tuba Atlantic”
Predicted winner: The Shore
Do you agree or disagree with the picks? Please voice your opinions in the comments!
Hey Sam. Great picks. As expected, we differ in the screenplay categories. Also, interestingly, you went for The Descendants for editing (one of the hardest categories to predict, I think). I never saw A Cat in Paris, but glad to hear you liked it. I am a big RANGO fan. I have the same fears as you. I think it is all going to be very predictable – but we’ll see what happens.
I didn’t really like RANGO that much and A CAT IN PARIS was the only other one I’ve seen from the nominees. I went for THE DESCENDANTS based on their ACE award win, as it is often that film which takes the Oscar. I’m still hoping for an upset somewhere!