Here’s who I think will win this Sunday at the 84th annual Academy Awards. Brace yourself.
My pick for winner is in BOLD.
BEST PICTURE:
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse
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
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
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
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Bérénice Bejo-The Art ist
Jessica Chastain-The Help
Melissa McCarthy-Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer-Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer-The Help
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
ART DIRECTION
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
COSTUME DESIGN
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.
DIRECTING
Michel Hazanavicius-The Artist
Alexander Payne-The Descendants
Martin Scorsese-Hugo
Woody Allen-Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick-The Tree of Life
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated
DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
FILM EDITING
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Bullhead-Belgium
Footnote-Israel
In Darkness-Poland
Monsieur Lazhar-Canada
A Separation-Iran
MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
The Iron Lady
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)
The Adventures of Tintin-John Williams
The Artist-Ludovic Bource
Hugo-Howard Shore
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy-Alberto Iglesias
War Horse-John Williams
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Man or Muppet”-The Muppets
“Real in Rio”-Rio
SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life
SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)
Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic
SOUND EDITING
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
SOUND MIXING
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
The Descendants-Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Hugo-Screenplay by John Logan
The Ides of March-Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
Moneyball-Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin; Story by Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy-Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
The Artist-Written by Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids-Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
Margin Call-Written by J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris-Written by Woody Allen
A Separation-Written by Asghar Farhadi