Will The Social Network win everything including 'Best Animated Feature'... or does anything else have a look-in...?

What a crazy thing to try to predict. You can have the best film in the world as far as audiences are concerned but it can be a left-field outsider who suddenly scoops a category or two. This year does not have an instant overall winner. That's a good thing. I think we'll see The King's Speech being featured, but I am reluctant to put any money on it winning anything much for the fact that The Social Network and Black Swan are hungry predators on the list. Of course, the Academy does not have any nationalistic tendencies, so I don't expect there to be an exclusion of British actors and film makers from picking up any shiny figurines.

Yeah right.

So, for what it's worth, here is my non-exhaustive run-down of categories and my tips for winners.

I wonder what's in this year's goodies bag? Colin Firth, can you let us know? It may be the only thing you bring home? :.(

Best Picture

Black Swan, Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin, Producers
The Fighter - David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg, Producers
Inception - Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan, Producers
The Kids Are All Right - Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray, Producers
The King's Speech - Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin, Producers
127 Hours - Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson, Producers
The Social Network - Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceàn Chaffin, Producers
Toy Story 3 - Darla K. Anderson, Producer
True Grit - Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
Winter's Bone - Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Producers

I would like it to be The King's Speech. However, knowing how difficult this one is to judge, can I hedge my bets with Winter's Bone or Black Swan? You're pushing me, eh? Black Swan.

Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem in Biutiful
Jeff Bridges in True Grit
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network
Colin Firth in The King's Speech
James Franco in 127 Hours

Again, I would put Colin Firth on the top of my list, but feel it may go to Jesse Eisenberg for his portrayal of Zuckerberg in The Social Network. Does he deserve it? Nah.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Christian Bale in The Fighter
John Hawkes in Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner in The Town
Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right
Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech

I've not seen The Fighter, but it sounds like something I need to. Christian Bale is an actor that I feel gets forgotten in terms of his actual performance capability, perhaps because he's not really given the chance (or wants it?) - but does get top tent pole productions. So I will tip him for this one.

Actress in a Leading Role

Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman in Black Swan
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine

Portman for me in Black Swan. Kidman – Rabbit Hole? Im still trying to recover from Birth, so no go. I dont understand how Birth, a waste of everyone's time, got 6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I nearly walked out. Any case, if I'm wrong, it will be going to Jennifer Lawrence for Winter's Bone. In the thriller Black Swan, Natalie Portman shows that her abilities have certainly matured over the years.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams in The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech
Melissa Leo in The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit
Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom

I think Amy Adams and Melissa Leo will need to fight it out. Put that on the DVD bonus features.

Animated Feature Film

How to Train Your Dragon - Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
The Illusionist - Sylvain Chomet
Toy Story 3 - Lee Unkrich

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed How to Train Your Dragon. Not just the animation, but the characters. It was mainstream, but had its moments of originality in artistic style and character development. So for the characters created, I vote for it.

"I vote for you, Inception. You are like a beautiful woman with no personality. I keep a picture of you, but you have nothing to say to me when meeting you"

Art Direction

Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit

There's so much to be said for and against Inception. I should love it and be obsessed with it. I should be talking wildly about it still. I should be collecting sketch cards and movie posters and reading the making-of book, and the DVD should be in my collection. I don't do any of that for this film. It felt like The Matrix meets Wild Palms, but left me without that same toe-curling excitement (The Matrix did it for me). I vote for you, Inception. You are like a beautiful woman with no personality. I keep a picture of you, but you have nothing to say to me when meeting you.

Cinematography

Black Swan - Matthew Libatique
Inception - Wally Pfister
The King's Speech - Danny Cohen
The Social Network - Jeff Cronenweth
True Grit - Roger Deakins

Bugger. This is hard. Black Swan - no, Inception - no, The King's Speech. The Social Network will get it. 'WTF?' you cry – because it's Hollywood, I say.

Music (Original Score)

How to Train Your Dragon - John Powell
Inception - Hans Zimmer
The King's Speech - Alexandre Desplat
127 Hours - A.R. Rahman
The Social Network - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

I can't say the music for these films left me wanting to buy the soundtrack for any of them. I note that Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) helped to score The Social Network. That won't do it. I'll opt for Inception and Mr Zimmer.

Visual Effects

Alice in Wonderland - Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi
Hereafter - Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell
Inception - Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb
Iron Man 2 - Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

Inception. I might even put money on it.

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

127 Hours - Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
The Social Network - Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
Toy Story 3 - Screenplay by Michael Arndt; Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
True Grit - Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Winter's Bone - Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

Guessing. Finger waving over list and lands on – oh, Winter's Bone. If Danny Boyle gets it with 127 Hours I would be very happy, but I stick with Winter's Bone.

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Another Year - Written by Mike Leigh
The Fighter - Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson; Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
Inception - Written by Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right - Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
The King's Speech - Screenplay by David Seidler

If The King's Speech does not get this, I'll eat my press pass to the Oscars. Oh, I don't get one this year? Maybe next year?

I will come back to this and see just how wrong I am. I know I will be wrong on some, heck, maybe all of them - but it will be interesting to see just how different the results are. Perhaps you may like to agree or disagree with these choices. Tell us why...

IMDb

Related:
The top ten most undeserved Oscars of the last 20 years

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