The 84th Annual Academy Awards presentation will be held at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood on Sunday, February 26, 2012. The Oscars, as the ceremony is better known, will be televised in the United States by ABC and to more than 200 countries around the world. The host is Eddie Murphy.
Although the ceremony comprises more than 20 awards, this article will focus on eight, trying to gather the expert's early assessments while keeping in mind that intangibles are an intrinsic part of predicting, and that the earlier predictions are launched, the more volatile they are.
Keep in mind that these are not the official nominees, yet.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Potential nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay include:
- Lee Hall and Richard Curtis (War Horse).
- Eric Roth (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close).
- George Clooney and Grant Henslov (The Ides of March).
- Steven Zaillian(The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).
- Cristopher Hampton (A Dangerous Method).
Predicted winner: Lee Hall and Richard Curtis. The play was a gigantic success. The adaptation to the film should be, too. The cinematography work, around World War I, is what gives this production the technical edge.
Best Original Screenplay
Potential nominees for Best Original Screenplay include:
- Dustin Lance Black (J. Edgar).
- Abi Morgan and Michael Hirst (The Iron Lady).
- Steve McQueen (Shame).
- Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris).
- Mike Mills (Beginners).
Predicted winner: Dustin Lance Black. True stories are always popular in the film industry. The screenplay is solid, flowless, and has a twist. Very attractive for voters.
Best Supporting Actor
Potential nominees for Best Supporting Actor include:
- Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Ides of March).
- Cristopher Plummer (Beginners).
- Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method).
- Albert Brooks (Drive).
- Niels Arestrup (War Horse).
Predicted winner: Viggo Mortensen. Superb performance in the difficult and intriguing role of Sigmund Freud. Mortensen is due for worldwide recognition.
Best Supporting Actress
Potential nominees for Best Supporting Actress include:
- Vanessa Redgrave (Coriolanus).
- Kate Winslet (Carnage).
- Viola Davis (The Help).
- Judi Dench (J. Edgar).
- Sandra Bullock (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close).
Predicted winner: Viola Davis. A movie about a black maid and... it doesn't matter. Davis' acting is so good that the movie could've been about trigonometry and still win. Easy guess!
Best Actor
Potential nominees for Best Actor include:
- George Clooney (The Descendants).
- Viggo Mortensen (A Dangerous Method).
- Ryan Goslin (Drive).
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50).
- Leonardo DiCaprio (J. Edgar).
Predicted winner: George Clooney. It's his performance in The Descendants what turns this film into an emotional roller coaster. Laughable at times, pitiful at others, Clooney will impress voters.
Best Actress
Potential nominees for Best Actress include:
- Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs).
- Jeniffer Garner (Butter).
- Keira Nightley (A Dangerous Method).
- Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia).
- Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady).
Predicted winner: Keira Nightley. In the words of film critic Michael Hogan, from Moviefone, "Knightley explodes onto the screen with a violent bout of shrieking, writhing, and jaw-jutting contorting that makes Regan from 'The Exorcist' look like Maria von Trapp." Enough said.
Best Director
Potential nominees for Best Director include:
- Steven Spielberg (War Horse).
- George Clooney (The Ides of March).
- David Cronenberg (A Dangerous Method) .
- Clint Eastwood (J. Edgar)
- David Fincher (The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo).
Predicted winner: David Cronenberg. Even speculations need consistency. If we're predicting Clooney to take the Best Actor award, it would nearly impossible that he also gets the Oscar for Best Director. Besides, Cronenberg is overdue for the nomination and the award.
Best Picture
Potential nominees for Best Picture include:
- The Ides of March.
- J. Edgar.
- 50/50.
- War Horse.
- The Tree of Life.
- A Dangerous Method.
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
- Midnight in Paris.
- The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.
- The Descendants.
Predicted winner: War Horse. A Steven Spielberg's masterpiece. Outstanding cinematography, touching performances, great message, beautiful score, and the potential to be a blockbuster. It will get tough competition from Clooney's The Ides of March, because of its political content.
Read more about the 2012 Oscars in George Clooney: Hoping for another Oscar in 2012 and Sandra Bullock wants another Oscar in 2012.
Sources:
The Guardian (accessed October 4, 2011).
Moviefone (accessed October 4, 2011).
International Movie Database (accesed October 4, 2011).
Roberto Porta - My penchant for writing began at an early age. At 8, I already entertained my older siblings with full adventure, action, and other ...
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