My Oscar Pics!!!

Ahh!! Oscar time! A special evening where the entire the world (and by that I mean the people who aren't watching HBO or The Walking Dead on AMC) gets to see all the snubs, surprises, and ego stroking that Hollywood has to offer. And that's just in Jolie and Pitt's limo on the way to the ceremony.

In all seriousness, even though the Oscars have become tedious and their choice of hosts uninspired (Billy Crystal when you could have had Kermit? FAIL) I'll still tune in. Why? On the off chance that I might see an upset victory, an atypical acceptance speech, or even a moment of actual humor. I'm usually disappointed on all three levels, but like Charlie Brown I keep coming back to kick the ball even though I know Lucy is going to grab it away at the last second. At least I won't have to watch the corpse formally known as James Franco, Frankenstein his way through a half assed hosting job.

But I digress.

The real purpose of this article is to provide my own personal Oscar picks. Furthermore, in keeping with tradition I will also state not only who will win but who should win. As you can imagine the two are too often mutually exclusive. I've limited my selections to the following categories: picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, and director. So without further ado....

BEST ACTOR NOMINEES:

Brad Pitt for Moneyball

George Clooney for The Descendants

Gary Oldman for Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Demian Bichir for A Better Life

Jean Dujardin for The Artist

WHO WILL WIN: George Clooney. It's a tight race between him and Dujardin but based on the fact that 80% of the races tend to be popularity contests anyway I say Clooney edges out Dujardin. Just barely.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Gary Oldman. His restrained, reserved, and calculating depiction of George Smiley was simply fantastic. Oldman is more of an actor than Clooney or Pitt will ever hope to be and the fact that he's never received an Oscar nod before this year is a shame.

BEST ACTRESS NOMINEES:

Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs

Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady

Viola Davis for The Help

Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

WHO WILL WIN: Viola Davis. Her performance in last year's The Help was a revelation and she is the clear front runner although 17 time Oscar nominee Streep is right in her rear window. Look for Davis to become only the second African American to win the award for Best Actress.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Rooney Mara. Outside of Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood I can't think of a performance in recent memory where an actor or actress invested themselves so completely at every single level--physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. However, this being her first nomination and being so young it probably won't happen.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR NOMINEES:

Kenneth Branaugh for My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill for Moneyball

Nick Nolte for Warrior

Christopher Plummer for Beginners

Max Von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

WHO WILL WIN: Christopher Plummer. The 81 year old veteran actor, who was also brilliant in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, unquestionably will take home the gold. Not only is he the front runner, but he's got nostalgia and the public on his side.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Christopher Plummer. His portrayal of an elderly man who comes out of the closet to his son shortly before his death carried the film. Plummer's interaction with Ewan MacGregor was simply brilliant.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS NOMINEES:

Berenice Bejo for The Artist

Jessica Chastain for The Help

Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer for The Help

WHO WILL WIN: Melissa McCarthy. This is actually my upset pick of the night. Call me crazy but I just have a feeling that the Emmy winning star of television show "Mike and Molly" will hijack a gold statue here. Her performance in Bridesmaids was about the only redeeming thing from the most overrated movie of 2011.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Octavia Spencer. Again another top notch performance beside Viola Davis. Her tenacity and humor was something to admire and even better to watch.

BEST DIRECTOR NOMINEES:

Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris

Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist

Martin Scorcese for Hugo

Alexander Payne for The Descendants

Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life

WHO WILL WIN: Martin Scorcese. Most think that it's an even toss between Marty and Hazanavicius, but I think the old Goodfella will squeak out his second Academy Award win in the directing category.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Martin Scorcese. As interesting as The Artist was, it was a silent film. Hugo was a much more challenging film to put together based on the fact that it centered around two actors that were children, and from a set perspective it was mesmerising. Marty squeezed all of he could out of the film and added the pulp. I just don't see that beating a silent film.

BEST PICTURE NOMINEES:

The Artist

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Moneyball

The Descendants

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

The Tree of Life

Warhorse

WHO WILL WIN: The Artist. Take this one to the bank. Like last year's The King's Speech this is a film that could be made in any era and since the Academy's trend is to reward non-big name movies the golden statue, I think the same will hold true on Sunday night.

WHO SHOULD WIN: Warrior. Yes I know it is not nominated but this is my blog and this is where I get to extend the digit that is right next to my index finger towards the Academy. I think it's a travesty that Warrior, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy are not nominated in the best picture category. They are all excellent films that I think got jipped. Warrior worked at every level. It was a modern day Rocky with excellent performances, a fantastic script, great fight scenes and a riveting ending. Shame on you Academy.

Well that's my picks folks! Tune in next week for my thoughts on the ceremony.