My Oscar Picks

Here's my quick picks for tonight's Academy awards. Although I don't agree on a handful of the nominations (The Descendants is so overrated), I look forward to these awards every year. They're kind of like my own little Super Bowl, but I am slowly losing faith in the nominations and the show itself. Let's hope the return of Billy Crystal can kick some much needed enthusiasm and entertainment in to the awards. Below I have included my actual picks and then my choices for what I'd actually like to see win. 

Best Motion Picture of the Year:
The Artist CORRECT

The Descendants

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 

The Help 

Hugo 

Midnight in Paris 

Moneyball 

The Tree of Life 

War Horse 

My Oscar Pick: The Artist- Damn. I wish the Best Picture category wouldn't be so predictable every year. And, why is Extremely Loud and Incredible Close even nominated... ugh.

My Personal Pick: Midnight in Paris- my favorite movie of 2011

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:

Demián Bichir for A Better Life 

George Clooney for The Descendants

Jean Dujardin for The Artist CORRECT

Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Brad Pitt for Moneyball

My Oscar Pick: Jean Dujardin- because The Artist is going to win nearly everything

My Personal Pick: Brad Pitt- just give him an Oscar already... it's about time

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:

Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs 

Viola Davis for The Help 

Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 

Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady 

Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn

My Oscar Pick: Viola Davis

My Personal Pick: Viola Davis- as said in my review of The Help, she earned it and deserves it

ACTUAL: MERYL STREEP (STOP ACTING ALREADY! LET OTHERS WIN!)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn 

Jonah Hill for Moneyball 

Nick Nolte for Warrior 

Christopher Plummer for Beginners CORRECT

Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

My Oscar Pick: Christopher Plummer- and he does deserve it but...

My Personal Pick: This one's insanely close, but I have to pick Nick Nolte for Warrior, a completely overlooked movie this awards season. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:

Bérénice Bejo for The Artist 

Jessica Chastain for The Help 

Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids 

Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs 

Octavia Spencer for The Help CORRECT

My Oscar Pick: Octavia Spencer, hands down 

My Personal Pick: Just like Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer deserves it

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

The Artist

Bridesmaids

Margin Call

Midnight in Paris CORRECT

A Separation

My Oscar Pick: Midnight in Paris

My Personal Pick: Midnight in Paris- the only award my favorite movie will walk away with...sigh

Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay

The Descendants CORRECT

Hugo 

The Ides of March

Moneyball 

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

My Oscar Pick: The Descendants, and I completely disagree

My Personal Pick: Moneyball- incredible dialogue and an engaging story out of a seemingly uninteresting idea

Best Directing:

Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris 

Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist CORRECT

Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life 

Alexander Payne for The Descendants 

Martin Scorsese for Hugo

My Oscar Pick: Michel Hazanavicius

My Personal Pick: Martin Scorcese- Hugo was incredible, and he tried something completely new and it worked wondrously 

Best Animated Feature:
A Cat in Paris 

Chico & Rita 

Kung Fu Panda 2 

Puss in Boots 

Rango CORRECT

My Oscar Pick: Rango 

My Personal Pick: Rango- although I didn't enjoy the story, the animation alone is worth the award

Best Foreign Language Film:

Bullhead 

Footnote 

In Darkness 

Monsieur Lazhar 

A Separation CORRECT

My Oscar Pick: A Separation

My Personal Pick: N/A as I haven't see any of them

As for the Rest:
Documentary: Pina ACTUAL: Undefeated

Cinematography: The Tree of Life ACTUAL: Hugo

Editing: The Artist ACTUAL: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Art Direction: The Artist ACTUAL: Hugo

Costume Design: The Artist CORRECT

Makeup: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part II ACTUAL: The Iron Lady

Original Score: The Artist CORRECT

Original Song: The Muppets CORRECT

Sound Mixing: Transformers: Dark of the Moon ACTUAL: Hugo

Sound Editing: Transformers: Dark of the Moon ACTUAL: Hugo

Visual Effects: Rise of the Planet of the Apes ACTUAL: Hugo

Documentary, short: The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom ACTUAL: Saving Face

Short Film, animated: La Luna ACTUAL:  The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Short Film, live action: Time Freak ACTUAL: The Shore

OVERALL: 12/24- 50%... shit...