Oscar Predictions
This year, Oscar predictions are a bit more difficult than usual because the past year was filled with the type of films the Academy loves: historical dramas, biopics and musicals. Fortunately, these were also some of the year’s best films.
The exclusion of both Ben Affleck (“Argo”) and Kathryn Bigelow (“Zero Dark Thirty”) for the Best Director Category, and the Academy once again passing over Leonardo DiCaprio for an acting nomination caused some controversy after the nominations for the 2013 Oscars were announced.
In spite of the controversy, the Academy has provided enough options for us to pick some worthy winners.
The Oscars will be aired Sunday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m.
Best Picture Nominees:
- Argo
- Django Unchained
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Silver Linings Playbook
- Lincoln
- Life of Pi
- Amour
- Zero Dark Thirty
- Les Miserables
Who should win:
Argo—Ben Affleck’s dramatization of the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, which saw 52 Americans held hostage for 444 days, had everything a commercially and critically successful film should have: drama, suspense, satire, humor, well-developed characters and a socially relevant story.
Best Actor Nominees:
- Bradley Cooper
- Daniel Day Lewis
- Hugh Jackman
- Denzel Washington
- Joaquin Pheonix
Who should win:
Daniel Day Lewis for “Lincoln” - One of the most difficult things for an actor to do may be to portray someone whom everyone knows. But Day-Lewis immerses himself completely in the role, giving a complex, sympathetic and accurate portrayal of Abraham Lincoln with all of his flaws and humanity.
Best Actress Nominees:
- Jessica Chastain
- Jennifer Lawrence
- Naomi Watts
- Emmanuelle Riva
- Quvenzhane Wallis
Who should win:
Jennifer Lawrence for “Silver Linings Playbook” - Lawrence gave one of the year’s most endearing performances as an eccentric young widow coping with the loss of her husband. She brought vibrancy and humor to every scene, while still portraying a vulnerable and lost young woman.
Best Director Nominees:
- Michael Haneke - Amour
- Benh Zeitlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Ang Lee - Life of Pi
- Steven Spielberg - Lincoln
- David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook
Who should win:
Steven Spielberg for “Lincoln” - With his sympathetic portrait of the last four months of Abraham Lincoln’s life, Spielberg managed to captivate audiences even while dealing with the dryness of congressional processes. Many directors have tried to make thrilling historical dramas, but most of them fall short. Lincoln didn’t.