Hollywood’s most glamorous night, the Academy Awards, is just around the corner, and the usual Oscar predictions are abuzz. With so many categories, the night is sure to be full of surprises. In order to help you pick the winners, we at Her Campus Mizzou put together our own Oscar ballot. Our picks are in bold. Find out if we’re right by watching as Billy Crystal hosts the award show live 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26!
Best Picture
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse
The Academy evidently decided that 10 nominations in this category was too many and five was too few, so nine films received nominations this year. The Artist, a favorite among critics, was a refreshingly different film that I think will come out on top. However, both Hugo, which has the most overall nominations, and The Descendants, which snagged the Golden Globe, have a good shot, too. Still other critics are arguing that the summer hit and Academy-friendly film The Help might have enough support to take home the top honor. This is the last category and a total free-for-all; make sure you stay tuned in all the way until the end!
Directing
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
I believe French film director Hazanavicius has the edge in this category despite being pitted against Oscar regulars Scorsese and Allen. Yet there’s always a chance that Payne or Scorsese could end up giving an acceptance speech. Scorsese’s Raging Bull didn’t win an Oscar, and its superiority to Hugo makes me doubt Hugo’s chances. Allen will likely see his win in the Best Original Screenplay category.
Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Hollywood’s longtime heartthrob George Clooney will most likely have another Oscar statue to put alongside his Actor in a Supporting Role statue for 2005’s Syriana. In The Descendants, Clooney gives a moving performance as a father trying to keep his family together. He also has enough backing in Hollywood to get the votes needed. I would be equally as excited if the talented Gary Oldman, who many of you might know as Harry Potter’s Sirus Black and Batman’s Officer Gordon, won for his praised performance as George Smiley in this year’s spy film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Sadly, one of my favorite actors, Leonardo DiCaprio, did not snag his fourth Oscar nod for Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar.
Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Although Meryl Streep has been nominated for the Academy Award an astonishing 17 times, the last time she won was 29 years ago. Her performance in The Iron Lady was received with rave reviews, even though the movie itself fell short of many critics’ expectation. The film helped further cement her title as the greatest living actress. Viola Davis, fresh off a win at the SAG Awards, has the best shot at upsetting Streep. As unlikely as it is, it would certainly be fun to see Williams win an Oscar, a feat Marilyn Monroe never accomplished, for her turn as the iconic blond bombshell.
Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Plummer is almost a certain winner in this category thanks to his performance in The Beginners as a gay man who comes out to his son at the age of 75. Plummer, 82, is best known for his role as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. This would be Plummer’s first Oscar and would certainly recognize his remarkable career.
Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Spencer will most likely be placing an Oscar alongside her new Golden Globe statue for her feisty performance in The Help. But don’t quite count out Spencer’s costar Chastain or surprise nominee McCarthy for her hilarious performances in Bridesmaids. How fun would it be to see McCarthy win? After all she somehow managed to make pooping in a sink laugh-out-loud funny. It would have been nice to see Shailene Woodley at least nominated for her role in The Descendants after as proving she is a much better actress than her role in Secret Life of the American Teenager shows.
Animated Feature Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico and Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Year after year, Pixar takes home the statue for Animated Feature Film. But with Cars 2 a total bust, Pixar’s out, and this category is anyone’s game. That being said, the two front-runners are Rango and Chico and Rita. I’m going to have to go with Rango on this one because the title character is voiced by Johnny Depp and the movie managed to pick up a few other awards this season. Surprisingly, Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin was left out of this category even though it won the Golden Globe equivalent. Too bad, Steven, too bad!