An Amateur's Oscar Picks!

Hollywood's golden night is just 24 hours away; the Oscar race is about to cross the finish line. And as Hollywood Blvd. rolls out the red carpet and lines the street in front of Kodak Theatre with bleachers for fans lucky enough to get within inches of Hollywood royalty, these questions are on everyone's mind: Does early favored-to-win The Social Network have a chance at beating The King's Speech's late surge in popularity for Best Picture? Will Annette Bening score an upset and take home the statuette for Best Actress rather than front-runner Natalie Portman? Will Melissa Leo's controversial campaign ads cost her a Best Supporting Actress win? And can anybody beat Colin Firth for Best Actor?

With that, here are my promised Oscar win predictions for the top eight categories:
*Predictions are bolded.

BEST PICTURE
The Social Network
The King's Speech
Inception
The Fighter
Toy Story 3
Black Swan
True Grit
The Kids Are All Right
127 Hours
Winter's Bone

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

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

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)
Christian Bale (The Fighter)
John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)
Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)

BEST DIRECTOR
David O. Russell (The Fighter)
Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
David Fincher (The Social Network)
Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
Joel & Ethan Coen (True Grit)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)
Joel & Ethan Coen (True Grit)
Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours)
Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3)
Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini (Winter's Bone)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
David Seidler (The King's Speech)
Christopher Nolan (Inception)
Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are All Right)
Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (The Fighter)
Mike Leigh (Another Year)

Tune in to watch James Franco & Anne Hathaway co-host Hollywood's biggest night, the 83rd Academy Awards this Sunday, February 27 at 5pm PST. Good luck to all the nominees and here's to another year of Reel Reviews!

Oscar Nominee Kudos :) & Snubs :(

And so the Road to Oscar begins with the 83rd Academy Award Nominees! Looks like my predictions were spot on in almost all of the categories with few exceptions including Biutiful's Javier Bardem, Winter's Bone nominee John Hawkes, and Animal Kingdom's Jacki Weaver.

Congratulations are in order for The King's Speech which nabbed 12 nominations, more than any other Best Picture nominee. I salute thee! Cheers to my favorite film of the year!

And of course, like every year, the Academy pisses off moviegoers when it neglects to recognize popular talent. It's usually a blessing the average enthusiast can't vote (I'd curse the heavens if kudos were given to Robin Hood or Knight and Day) but maybe this year polling the public wouldn't have been such a bad thing. Below the list of Oscar nods in the Top 8 categories is my Top 10 list of most shameful snubs (Don't cry Mr. Nolan, we all thought you were a shoo-in too!).

BEST PICTURE

The Social Network

The King's Speech

Inception

The Fighter

Toy Story 3

Black Swan

True Grit

The Kids Are All Right

127 Hours

Winter's Bone

BEST ACTOR

Jeff Bridges (True Grit)

James Franco (127 Hours)

Colin Firth (The King's Speech)

Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)

Javier Bardem (Biutiful)

BEST ACTRESS

Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)

Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)

Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)

Christian Bale (The Fighter)

John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)

Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right)

Jeremy Renner (The Town)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Melissa Leo (The Fighter)

Amy Adams (The Fighter)

Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)

Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)

Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)

BEST DIRECTOR

David O. Russell (The Fighter)

Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)

David Fincher (The Social Network)

Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)

Joel & Ethan Coen (True Grit)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)

Joel & Ethan Coen (True Grit)

Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours)

Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3)

Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini (Winter's Bone)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

David Seidler (The King's Speech)

Christopher Nolan (Inception)

Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are All Right)

Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (The Fighter)

Mike Leigh (Another Year)

AN AMATEUR'S TOP 10 OSCAR SNUBS (in order of most shameful!):

1. Christopher Nolan (Inception) - Best Director

2. Julianne Moore (The Kids Are All Right) - Best Actress

3. Robert Duvall (Get Low) - Best Actor

4. Mila Kunis (Black Swan) - Best Supporting Actress

5. Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) - Best Supporting Actor

6. Ben Affleck (The Town) - Best Director

7. Aaron Eckhart (Rabbit Hole) - Best Actor

8. Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine) - Best Actor

9. Danny Boyle (127 Hours) - Best Director

10. Despicable Me - Best Animated Film

The week before the Academy Awards on February 27, I'll be predicting the winners so be sure to check back in with this Amateur in February. Until then, au revoir!

An Amateur's Oscar Nom Picks!

Ladies and Gents it's that time of year again... the Academy Award nominations!! Just like last year, I will play Oscarologist and try to predict the nominees before the official 5:30AM PST announcement tomorrow, January 25. And yes, for those who have asked (and need not have), I will be setting my alarm to watch the broadcast live from the Academy headquarter's Samuel Goldwyn Theatre.

Without further adieu, I give you An Amateur's Oscar Nominations to the Top 8 categories*:

*Predictions based on Globe, SAG, and Broadcast Film Critics Association nods

BEST PICTURE

The Social Network

The King's Speech

Inception

The Fighter

Toy Story 3

Black Swan

True Grit

The Kids Are All Right

The Town

Winter's Bone*

*Other 10th Slot Possibles: 127 Hours, Blue Valentine, Rabbit Hole

BEST ACTOR

Jeff Bridges (True Grit)

James Franco (127 Hours)

Colin Firth (The King's Speech)

Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)

Robert Duvall (Get Low)*

*Other 5th Slot Possibles: Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter), Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine), Aaron Eckhart (Rabbit Hole)

BEST ACTRESS

Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)

Natalie Portman (Black Swan)

Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)

Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)*

*Other 5th Slot Possibles: Julianne Moore (The Kids Are All Right), Halle Berry (Frankie & Alice)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)

Christian Bale (The Fighter)

Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)

Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right)

Jeremy Renner (The Town)*

*Other 5th Slot Possibles: Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Sam Rockwell (Conviction)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Melissa Leo (The Fighter)

Amy Adams (The Fighter)

Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)

Mila Kunis (Black Swan)

Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)

BEST DIRECTOR

Christopher Nolan (Inception)

Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)

David Fincher (The Social Network)

Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)

Joel & Ethan Coen (True Grit)*

*Other 5th Slot Possibles: David O. Russell (The Fighter), Danny Boyle (127 Hours), Ben Affleck (The Town)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)

Joel & Ethan Coen (True Grit)

Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours)

Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3)

Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini (Winter's Bone)*

*Other 5th Slot Possibles: David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole), Ben Affleck, Peter Craig & Aaron Stockard (The Town)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

David Seidler (The King's Speech)

Christopher Nolan (Inception)

Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are All Right)

Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson (The Fighter)

Mike Leigh (Another Year)*

*Other 5th Slot Possible: Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz & John McLaughlin (Black Swan)

Did this Amateur choose wisely?? Check back in tomorrow to see! Now it's off to bed... I have a 5:30 wake up call!

Here's Looking to You, Oscar.

I've been getting serious grief from readers that my last blog was on The Town. My apologies, indeed, but did you really want to read reviews of The Tourist, How Do You Know, Yogi Bear, and Little Fockers? I didn't think so. Yes, it's been a chilly winter at the box office but there's no time to pout because AWARD SEASON IS HERE, PEOPLE!!!! With the Critics' Choice Awards and the Golden Globes in one weekend, the race to Oscar is heating up! Last night was the Golden Globes - the nominees and winners gave enthusiasts a small taste of possible Academy Award contenders (actual Academy Award nominees will be announced Tuesday, January 25th at 5:30AM PST). Below are the winners and, of course, my commentary for a few of them.

Best Motion Picture - Drama

WINNER: The Social Network

*You might want to "friend request" The Social Network because there's a very good chance it will win Best Motion Picture at the Academy Awards if nominated. Though there are no Avatar-esque films to sweep the ballot this year, The Social Network did take home four Globes last night... will Hollywood Academy voters also be starry-eyed for this film?

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

WINNER: The Kids Are All Right

*Read my blog and you'll know why this modern family indie flick has a fighting chance to take home the gold on February 27 if nominated. Annette Bening was awarded the Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and her prize was well deserved portraying part of a lesbian couple who tries to keep her family together when her children track down their sperm donor.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

WINNER: Colin Firth for The King's Speech

*Finally!! This was a long-overdue win for Colin Firth who shined and was shunned in last year's A Single Man. Now that Firth's secured the Globe, maybe he will get his hands on Oscar? If not Firth, hopefully the Academy will salute The King's Speech for Best Motion Picture. It would be a well deserved win!

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama

WINNER: Natalie Portman for Black Swan

*Now that she's displaying a Globe on her mantel, next up is sure to be an Oscar for her vulnerable portrayal as a possessed and obsessed ballerina. The Best Actress category for the Academy Awards is sure to be a tight race with Portman in the lead. With a ring on her finger, a bun in the oven, and an Oscar on the horizon, 2011 could be Portman's best year yet.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

WINNER: Paul Giamatti for Barney's Version

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Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy

WINNER: Annette Bening for The Kids Are All Right

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Christian Bale for The Fighter

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

WINNER: Melissa Leo for The Fighter

Best Director - Motion Picture

WINNER: David Fincher for The Social Network

*In a movie that curiously didn't star Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fight Club, Seven), David Fincher took home the prized Globe and beat out once favored to win, Christopher Nolan. Best to stick to the Batman franchise, Mr. Nolan. At least Nolan got to small talk with Guy Pearce (Momento) and Christian Bale (The Dark Knight) at the Globes and there's always the Oscars!

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture

WINNER: The Social Network: Aaron Sorkin

*Since the Globes only has one category for Best Screenplay, I'd like to think The Social Network won for Best Adapted Screenplay and Christopher Nolan's Inception will take the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Then all's fair in love and war, right?

Best Original Song - Motion Picture

WINNER: Burlesque: Diane Warren ("You Haven't Seen The Last of Me")

*Congrats to songwriter Diane Warren for her Globe win. Ms. Warren you can thank Burlesque for resurrecting your once promising career. Sorry that's not a compliment. My sudden interest in this lackluster category will peak if country sweetheart Carrie Underwood performs "There's A Place for Us" (Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader), should it be nominated for an Oscar.

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

WINNER: The Social Network: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross

Best Animated Film

WINNER: Toy Story 3

*Was there any doubt Disney/Pixar's final installment of the Toy Story franchise that made grown men cry would win in this category? I think not. Though How To Train Your Dragon boosted 3-D sales, let's be thankful the Academy didn't add a Best 3-D Motion Picture to it's award line-up. What would be nominated? Jackass 3D? Piranha 3D? Step Up 3D? What started as a cinematic revolution certainly ended in 3-D fatigue. Thanks a lot, James Cameron.

Best Foreign Language Film

WINNER: In a Better World (Denmark)

On January 19, Reel Reviews will turn ONE!! In celebration, I will play Oscarologist and post my picks for the 83rd Academy Award nominees so stay tuned! And thank you to all my readers who have loyally read and provided feedback on Reel Reviews over the past 365 days! Cheers to you and here's to another 365 days! :)