Academy Award Talk: Week 1

So, with the Academy Award nominations being announced on January 24, and the awards show being televised on February 26, this blog will be doing some commentary on the possible nominations and, subsequently, potential winners in the weeks to come. This week, I'm going to list out my initial predictions for the main six awards. If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments box. Because of the rule change in the Best Picture category, I'm estimating eight nominees at this time. Things listed as "locks" are the ones I think are certain.


Best Picture:

• The Artist (lock)
• The Descendants
• The Help (lock)
• Hugo (lock)
• The Ides of March
• Midnight in Paris
• Moneyball
• War Horse

Best Actor:

• George Clooney in The Descendants (lock)
• Leonardo DiCaprio in J. Edgar (lock)
• Jean Dujardin in The Artist
• Ryan Gosling in The Ides of March
• Brad Pitt in Moneyball (lock)

Best Actress:

• Glenn Close in Albert Nobbs
• Viola Davis in The Help (lock)
• Rooney Mara in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
• Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady (lock)
• Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn (lock)

Best Supporting Actor:

• Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn
• Albert Brooks in Drive
• Jonah Hill in Moneyball
• Viggo Mortensen in A Dangerous Method
• Christopher Plummer in Beginners (lock)

Best Supporting Actress:

• Berenice Bejo in The Artist
• Jessica Chastain in The Help (lock)
• Carey Mulligan in Shame
• Octavia Spencer in The Help (lock)
• Shailene Woodley in The Descendants

Best Director:

• Woody Allen -- Midnight in Paris
• George Clooney -- The Ides of March (lock)
• Michel Hazavicinius -- The Artist (lock)
• Martin Scorsese -- Hugo (lock)
• Steven Spielberg -- War Horse

So, the movies included in my predictions are:

• The Artist (four awards)
• The Help (four awards)
• The Descendants (three awards)
• The Ides of March (three awards)
• Moneyball (three awards)
• Hugo (two awards)
• Midnight in Paris (two awards)
• My Week With Marilyn (two awards)
• War Horse (two awards)
• A Dangerous Method (one award)
• Albert Nobbs (one award)
• Beginners (one award)
• Drive (one award)
• The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (one award)
• The Iron Lady (one award)
• J. Edgar (one award)
• Shame (one award)