Oscars Day!

Here are my should win predictions, not my who will win predictions.

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

I know if Matthew Goode was my partner and he died I’d be all messed up too. I also hook up with Nic Hoult. Tom Ford, you got some good taste. But in all seriousness, Firth’s performance was painstakingly full of sorrow and agony, it left me stunned. Crazy Heart did nothing for me.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Matt Damon in “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

I actually haven’t seen The Messenger, or Invictus, or the Lovely Bones. But from the core of my being Woody seems like the best choice.

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Gabourey is a first time actress and she loves herself some Justin Timberlake. She oozes awesomeness.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Mo’Nique is the only one in the running as far as I’m concerned.

Best animated feature film of the year
“Coraline” (Focus Features)
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (20th Century Fox)
“The Princess and the Frog” (Walt Disney)
“The Secret of Kells” (GKIDS)
“Up” (Walt Disney)

I didn’t see any of these. And I don’t think anything has a chance, but Up and Fox. But Up is up for best pic, so whatever.

Achievement in cinematography
“Avatar” Mauro Fiore
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
“The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
“Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
“The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Black and white beautiful photography. If something as ugly as the Hurt Locker wins, I give up on ever having good cinematography.

Achievement in costume design
“Bright Star” Janet Patterson
“Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
“Nine” Colleen Atwood
“The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

I’ve seen all these except Coco. OMG who am I? Anyways, The Young Victoria wins by far. Loved Rupert Friend’s plaid pants.

Achievement in directing
“Avatar” James Cameron
“The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
“Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
“Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

That lady is going to beat up all those boys and steal the trophy if she doesn’t win like she so rightly deserves. Even though she is shattering my dreams, I give her props. She had relations with James Cameron, eeewww.

Best documentary feature
“Burma VJ” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
“The Cove” (Roadside Attractions)
“Food, Inc.” (Magnolia Pictures)
“The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” A Kovno Communications Production
“Which Way Home” A Mr. Mudd Production

As a doc editor and a projectionist at a doc festival I haven’t seen ANY of these. I just picked one I heard lots about. Hehehe, just like the Academy members.

Achievement in film editing
“Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
“District 9″ Julian Clarke
“The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
“Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz

As an editor I think these selections are balls. But I pick Hurt Locker, because it was edited by a CalArts alum, one of my prospective grad schools.

Best foreign language film of the year
“Ajami” Israel
“El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
“The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
“Un Prophète” France
“The White Ribbon” Germany

JUST GIVE IT THE OSCAR, if i see this trailer one more time! At least, I didn’t have to build the 9 reel film for Sundance.

Best motion picture of the year
“Avatar” (20th Century Fox)
“The Blind Side” (Warner Bros.)
“District 9″ (Sony Pictures Releasing)
“An Education” (Sony Pictures Classics)
“The Hurt Locker” (Summit Entertainment)
“Inglourious Basterds” (The Weinstein Company)
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
“A Serious Man” (Focus Features)
“Up” (Walt Disney)
“Up in the Air” (Paramount in association with Cold Spring Pictures and DW Studios)

Sure, I only saw 4 of the films this year. BUT JESUS, if it were still at 5 nominees I would’ve only missed one. This is utter b-s. As for my choice on best film. I saw A Serious Man alone on a Wednesday night. Skipping my swedish lesson to see it. The print was all scratched up and there were 4 of us in the theater. I walked out of there astounded. Hurt Locker didn’t do that to me. Plus, I see A Serious Man as a new breed of Race Film. Bring back the Jewish film tradition, Coens!

Torah Torah Torah!