Happy last Friday of February… or as we cinephiles call it, the start of Oscar weekend! As usual, the Oscars will be televised live this Sunday by ABC and in more than 225 countries worldwide from 8:30-11:30 p.m., ET.
I’m a bit bummed out that the James Bond tribute won’t be featuring all of the Bond actors after all, that’s been something I’ve been anticipating. I mean, wouldn’t that be cool?! But I guess that’s too good to be true. I guess we’ll have Adele singing the Oscar-nominated theme song Skyfall and I believe Dame Shirley Bassey will also make an appearance (yay!) Not sure what she’ll be singing though, but I’m sure it’ll be phenomenal! Oh, did you know that the cast of The Avengers will be on hand to present? Apparently that’s what it said on the Oscar blog.
Now, it’s been sort of tradition (well, only since a couple of years ago) that I’d post my winner predictions in the major categories. I haven’t seen ALL of the films nominated, but heck this is just for fun, so who’s gonna stop me! 😀
- Best Picture: ARGO
- Best Director: Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)
- Best Actor: Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln)
- Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
- Best Supporting Actor: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)
- Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)
- Best Animated Feature: Brave
- Best Original Screenplay: Moonrise Kingdom
- Best Adapted Screenplay: ARGO
- Best Foreign Language Film: Amour
- Best Song: Skyfall
- Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina
- Best Cinematography: Life of Pi
Most of my predictions are basically just gut instinct so we’ll see how I’d fare, ahah. This year I’m rooting for ARGO, that’s the film I chose for the LAMB Devours the Oscars Series.
Click the banner below to read why I think ARGO deserves to win Best Picture!
For sure I’ll be tuning in and live blogging Sunday night. Good thing I’ve asked my boss to take Monday off as I’ll be so tired and my brain will be filled with film stuff to concentrate on work anyway.
So now, on to the links! These are some awesome Oscar-related posts you should check out if you haven’t already:
Paula and Aurora are currently hosting a spectacular 31-Days-of-Oscar blogathon and this week Paula posted her random Oscar predictions. See if her picks match yours.
On a related note, Michael @ It Rains…You Get Wet participated in that blogathon by posting what he calls Oscar’s misjudgments… Recasting Oscar’s Picks of the 1990s. See what he’d righteously overturn within each of the decades he’s been watching movies, starting with the 1980s and later he’ll be posting his picks for the 2000s.
Another entry to the 31 Days of Oscar deals with the ever-so-fascinating topic of Oscar Curse… Is it for real? Well head out to check out Iba‘s post on I Luv Cinema and decide for yourself.
I don’t know how he does it but Josh @ Classicblanca has taken it upon himself to RANK all 85 Best Picture Oscar Winners since 1929 (honoring films in 1927 and 1928). Check out which films made his top 10 and which number the first Oscar-winning-film Wings falls on his list!
Speaking of Best Picture Oscars, there’s always one of those Best Pictures that people deem as ‘non deserving.’ That somehow it had robbed another more well-deserved nominee. Well, Ryan @ The Matinee ruminates over the year HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY won Best Picture over CITIZEN KANE in his Battle Born post.
Now, some moviegoers care about the award shows and some don’t even bother with them (I know my pal Ted is nodding profusely). Well, Dan @ Public Transportation Snob recently appeared on The Film Pasture’s Podcast discussing if the Oscar still matters.
Now, on top of the industry awards, some bloggers have been posting their own awards in various categories. Andrew @ Encore Entertainment just posted his picks of top ensemble cast in 2012, Very interesting list since I had just posted the question on best and worst casting of the year.
Now, last but certainly not least… Keith @ Keith and the Movies has been posting reviews of films nominated for Oscar this year (or contain Oscar-nominated performances). He apparently found nothing objectionable about Michael Haneke’s Amour, giving it a full 5 stars. Find out why in his Amour review.
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Well that’s it for the Oscar links. Thoughts on this weekend’s ceremony and/or my predictions?
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
Great stuff here, Ruth. And thank you very kindly for the shout-out [btw, I began with the 70s — yeah, I old ;-)]. Paula, Aurora, and Kellee’s blogathon has been nothing short of stellar. So many great things in this event, yours included.
I agree with almost all of your predictions. Oh, and go ARGO! Even though I want ‘Brave’ to take the animation prize, I don’t think The Academy wants to give another to Pixar (even if they deserve it). It was a stronger than usual year in animation, reflected with the nominees in the category. I think ‘ParaNorman’ or ‘Wreck-It-Ralph’ will take it home. I’d love to be wrong on this, though.
I think they’ll award Mark Boal for original screenplay (‘Zero Dark Thirty’). I think they want to placate those complaining that they didn’t nominate Kathryn Bigelow for director. And yeah, Claudio Miranda for ‘Life of Pi’, or perhaps Roger Deakins for ‘Skyfall’. And if Oscar doesn’t come Adele and Paul Epworth’s way for ‘Skyfall’, oh are they going to hear it from me, you, and everyone else in the world ;-).
Thanks, Ruth :D.
Oh I should fix that, somehow I didn’t see the 70s post, sorry ’bout that. Yes the blogathon is stellar indeed, kudos to those ladies and all of you who participated. Mine isn’t going up until next week, so stay tuned 😀
You might be right on non-Pixar feature winning Best Animation. I haven’t seen the two you mentioned so I guess I can’t say. I LOVE Brave so much, it deserved the win IMO.
I personally would like Deakins to win, I mean it’s his 10th nom! Ahah yeah, Fogs, you, I and a bunch of other Bond fans would NOT be happy if Skyfall doesn’t win 😀
I humbly bow and say “Thank you my friend” for the inclusion.
I think our Oscar picks pretty much mirror each other. I picked Lawrence for Best Actress but that’s a category ripe with intrigue!
Great post and great links Ruth!
And I humbly say, you’re most welcome! 😀 Great reviews Keith and you’ve timed them well. A category ripe with intrigue… I like the sound of that. I do like surprises at awards, though I doubt it’ll happen on the Best Actor category 😉
You’re right. There are three undeniable sure-things come Sunday night – Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Foreign Film. I could see a few surprises in the other categories. We shall see.
So you think Anne Hathaway is a sure bet for Best Supporting Actress then? I just predicted it as she’s been winning so many others. But I haven’t seen her performance to judge.
I have to say she’s really , really good and I’m not the biggest Hathaway fan. Some seem to think she was serenading Oscar voters with her performance. I just thought she was wonderful. My only gripe – it was a pretty small role in a much bigger movie.
Here are all of my predictions if interested. Please don’t bet your house on them though! I’ve been wrong MANY times before 🙂
http://keithandthemovies.com/2013/02/22/oscar-time-wholl-win-who-should-win/
Great post, Ruth! I think your predictions are spot on. And $10 says Shirley Bassey is on tap to sing the theme from Goldfinger in a Bond anniversary tribute… I hope you’re right about the Argo win – definitely my fav movie this year. Hope if that happens, Ben Affleck keeps the acceptance speech classy.
Hi Janet! I’m usually bad at predicting things, though last year I did quite well. I did predict The King’s Speech win and very glad it happened! Oh I’d LOVE to hear Dame Bassey sing Goldfinger, though I also love Moonraker too. Amen on ARGO and Affleck, hope my prediction came true 😀
Thanks for the link, Ruth! I think your Oscar predictions look pretty solid, barring any crazy surprises. So is Brosnan going to miss the Bond tribute? If so, that’s too bad.
My pleasure Dan!
I haven’t read about Brosnan, I just heard rumor that he’s the ‘hold up.’ What gives?? I thought it’s Connery who’s unavailable. Such a bummer as I’d love to see all of ’em up there, especially Dalton of course 😉
That would just be geek heaven, I reckon. All the Bonds? Man…..
I know! I was sooo looking forward to Oscar this year because of it.
Some awesome links to very worthy posts around the blogosphere. Thanks for that!
As for the predictions, I have to say I agree with most of your choices except for Original Screenplay which will go to Amour.
Alas I haven’t seen Amour yet so I can’t refute your theory Niels. I guess we’ll see about that.
Cool post! So excited for Oscar night, Ruth!
Me too Fernando! I’ll be live blogging too, as I’ve been doing in the past 2 years 😀
Ooh, that´s cool!
Wow I didn’t even know this weekend is the Oscars until I saw your post here, LOL. I just don’t care for all these awards crap to the rich and famous people.
Ahah, yeah I know Ted, this is for OTHER film lovers who do give a damn about the Oscars.
Good picks.
Thanks.
I reckon you’ve picked some strong choices there Ruth, I wouldn’t be surprised to see most of those come off. It’s a pretty open year in most categories this year, looking forward to finally find out the winners. Seems to have had loads of hype this year.
Thanks Chris! Well, the suspense is almost over. I’m staying up late tonight to watch the telecast.
Woah I was sure all of Bond actors will be there! 😦 I hope some surprises will happen during Oscar night, there are too many locks this year, for me even one lock is enough to make the ceremony boring if it’s in one of the last categories. Well, at least Clooney and Dujardin will be there 😛
I was so sure as well Sati, this is quite disappointing. Ahah yeah, at least there’ll be Clooney and Dujardin, especially the latter introducing all the Best Actress nominees!
I’m disappointed in myself. Usually I’m caught up with Oscar nominees by now, but this year I’m so far behind it’s ridiculous. I probably havent even seen half of the BP nominees 😦 So I really have no horse in that race, though I did really love Beasts.
In animation, I would prefer Pixar didnt take it this year. I’d really really like to see Wreck-It Ralph take that.
I haven’t seen all of the Best Picture noms either. I was gonna watch Wreck-It-Ralph last night but it’s only available to purchase! I guess I’m not gonna be upset if Brave doesn’t win, but I so do love that movie.
I just hope Seth MacFarlane does a better job than the last few years’ hosts have done…..
Well he can’t be worse, can he, ahah.
Thanks again for including me, Ruth! Can’t wait for the big night! 😀
Are you gonna be live blogging Josh?
No, but I’m sure I’ll tweet about it. 🙂
I definitely agree with you on the Actor and Actress nominations, though I’m hoping for an Emmanuelle Riva win all the same 🙂 I can’t wait to see Adele perform, I’ve been playing Skyfall for quite a while now, haha! I still think Best Picture could go anyway.
Havent seen Amour yet but sounds like Riva’s performance is one to watch. Yeah Skyfall theme is one of my fave Bond themes!
That Bond tribute would have been nice. I was hoping Denzel would win Best actor but your prediction would be far more accurate. I think you’ve hit nail right on the head with your guesses.
Well who knows maybe Denzel’s win would be the surprise of the nite. Both hv gotten Oscars before tho.
whoa…everyone is talking about the oscar…judging from your links. I haven’t been visiting a lot of thoae blogs lately…been too busy and can only viait some.
you higly regard Argo, I really should watch the movie…hopefully somewhere this year.
Have a bice weekend Ruth 🙂
I realize you’ve been super busy lately Nov, sorry to hear about your job. Praying you’d get another job soon.
ARGO is very good indeed, hope you get a chance to see that when it’s out in Indo.
Thank you Ruth 🙂
I have more free time now 😉
It was already out in Indonesia but I missed it…I missed a lot of movies lately 😦 I will make sure I DO NOT miss Startrek…I must watch that one no matter how busy I am.
I already have Argo now…just need to find time or the mood to see it 😉
Yeah Star Trek is one of my most-anticipated movies in the next few months! You should see ARGO though, I’m so glad it won. I might rent it again when it’s out on rental.
Hope all is well Nov, are you job hunting now?
I will probably be too tired to watch the Oscars after this 78-hour work week! I haven’t even seen Argo yet and it does look like it will win Best Picture. My vote would be on Django Unchained though.
Oh boy, 78 hours?! Aiyah, I don’t know how you do it Castor. Haven’t seen Django but I think I’d be upset if that won over Argo.
Hi, Ruth and company:
Outside of ‘Brave’ in the animated department, I’ll pass on any predictions. Really don’t see much of anything close to ‘The Last Detail’, ‘All That Jazz’, ‘The Last Waltz’ or ‘Godfather II’ in terms of quality of actors, writing or story telling.
Can’t think of a better time to open up and enjoy my complete series DVD sets of ‘Crime Story’ with Dennis Farina, Stephen Lang and Anthony Denison. And Stephen J. Cannell’s ‘Wiseguy’ with Ken Wahl, Jonathan Banks and Kevin Spacey as recurring bad guy, Mel Profit.
Hello Jack! I’d love to see BRAVE winning too. Ahah, I don’t blame you for watching other fave series instead of the Oscars. I was the same way too but now that I’ve started blogging, I quite enjoy live blogging during the event 😀
Thanks for the LL Ruth. You’re awesome. I am crap at making predictions so I just stay away from them full stop. But I will be flipping back and forth to the show, especially geeked to see Adele perform. But honestly that is enough for me. Always so much filler fo the awards, you know? Which is strange because I contributed to TWO Oscar related blogging events, eh?
Shoot I forgot there is no more Downton so maybe I will just leave it on mute and allow myself time to catch up on all the blogging I have been putting off.
You’re welcome Iba, that was an awesome idea for an Oscar post!
I still haven’t got around to catching up on Downton, but will do so when I’m done with Spooks. I’ve been on an Richard Armitage fix this weekend, ahah.
Ahh – he’s lovely 🙂
He is indeed! I couldn’t get enough and finally did a post on him today. Check it out and opine 😀
Just finished opining 🙂
You did pretty damn good on the predictions there Ruth! I took the plunge and put a bit of money on them this year can cam out £3 up which is better than losing at all I guess!