And the award goes to?...

It's that time of year again when every member of the movie industry clamors for the copper and tin alloy cast, copper, nickel, silver, and gold plated statue of a non-proportioned man with a sword standing on a movie reel.

 

With the Oscars right around the corner, it’s time that this reviewer takes a look at what is to be expected of this year’s celluloid super bowl. For each category I will be offering my take on who I feel should win as well as stating who I think will actually win.

BEST ACTOR
Nominees: Javier Bardem for “Biutiful,” Jeff Bridges for “True Grit,” Jesse Eisenburg for “The Social Network,” Colin Firth for “The King’s Speech,” James Franco for “127 Hours”
Who should win:
This is a serious toss up considering who these actors are and the roles that they’ve been nominated for. If I had things my way, the win would go to Franco. The man delivered a stunning performance in “127 Hours” that even Aron Ralston (the man Franco portrayed) stated that the film was as close to a documentary you can get with it still being a drama. Furthermore, Franco is currently working on a PhD in English from Yale, has an MFA from Columbia University along with a few other degrees. This isn’t even touching the fact that he also recently released a book and will be hosting this year’s Oscars. If there was an Oscar for Most Awesome Dude of the Year, it would have to go to Franco. However, he probably won’t win.
As a side note, it is nice to see Jesse Eisenburg be recognized by the mainstream film industry for being more than “that other guy we use that’s kind of like Michael Cera.” He’s played far deeper roles than his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Network,” but this is his first mainstream dramatic role. He has a good future, and if you could win based on prior performances that didn’t make more than 10 million dollars in the box office, then Eisenburg would stand a chance.
Who will (probably) win:
Other than Eisenburg and Franco, the other three nominees are a bit more familiar with the Oscar scene, having been nominees in the past. Both Bardem and Bridges have even won Oscars previously.
With that being said, the favorite going in to the awards show is Colin Firth who has already won this year’s Best Actor-Drama Golden Globe for “The King’s Speech”. Though it could be a toss up among these three, the smart bet would be on Firth for a win.

 

BEST ACTRESS    
Nominees: Annette Bening for “The Kids Are All Right,” Nicole Kidman for “Rabbit Hole,” Jennifer Lawrence for “Winter’s Bone,” Natalie Portman for “Black Swan,” Michelle Williams for “Blue Valentine”
Who should win:
Natalie Portman. She is my one and only pick for this award and with good reason. Anyone who takes the time to read about what this actress did to prepare for this role can see how committed she is to her art. Being a ballerina in her childhood, she did have a bit of prior experience. However, putting in the daily regimen that she did for the year leading up to the production of “Black Swan” says a lot about her dedication as an actress. She gave emotion and realism to the part and gave it its spark. She came off as innocent while still being able to as convey the aggression needed for the role. Few can do what she was able to accomplish.
Who will (probably) win:
Natalie Portman. This is one Oscar that isn’t very debatable. Sure we might be surprised, it happens every now and then. But honestly, on sheer hype alone Portman has this in the bag. Publicity goes a long way in Hollywood, how else would Kim Kardashian have a career? But for once the publicity is worth it.  It’s a case where you look at all of the other nominees and think, “What movie is she nominated for again?”  This pick is an easy one; I’ll be highly shocked if I’m wrong on this.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Nominees: “Black Swan,” “Inception,” “The King’s Speech,” “The Social Network,” “True Grit”

Who should win:
It’s one of those awards often forgotten by the audience and is usually pretty lucky if it makes it onto broadcast. It’s the element of motion picture that makes them what they are. There are a number of possibilities as to who will win in this category.  All of them have a little bit different look and feel. But if it was my choice the Oscar would go to “The Social Network.” The pure picture alone tells a story and you can’t ask for more out of a film’s look. It conveys a tone of prestigious grittiness that really sets the tone for the story that’s being told. I also admire this film for bringing the use of RED Digital Cinema cameras into the mainstream. This making it the first film shown in theaters shot in 4K (4096×2160 pixels) film resolution. Keep in mind that most films are only shot and shown in 2K, making this film and innovation in depth of clarity.
Who will (probably) win:
I have a feeling that we may have an Oscar sweep this year. It won’t be anything like “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” with its 11 wins. But based on current expectations, most of the awards will go to either “Black Swan” or “The King’s Speech.” Both films are deserving of the title, but because of how different these films are, it’s hard to say what the Academy will choose. However my personal preference is not with either.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Nominees: “How to Train Your Dragon,” “The Illusionist” (not the 2006 film starring Edward Norton), “Toy Story 3”
Who should win:
It is my belief that “The Illusionist” should take this one home. No, I have not seen this film, but it would be nice to see a foreign animated feature take this one away. Or perhaps “How to Train Your Dragon” should be the one to take this home. It was a fun film that was a bit different than what we usually get these days in the world of animation. But…
Who will (probably) win:
“Toy Story 3,” it’s a yearly tradition to give this award to Pixar. No matter what title they produce they have won this category every year going back to 2007. Furthermore, out of the nine total (it’s a fairly new category) Best Animation awards given, Pixar has won five of them. The fact that this film is nominated for the big prize of Best Picture shows just how high of a regard the Academy has for it. Yes, I like the movie and I don’t mean to bash it by any means considering that the Toy Story franchise was a big part of my childhood. But I’m just tired of Pixar being the only name in animation that we ever hear about.

BEST MOTION PICTURE
Nominees: “127 Hours,” “Black Swan,” “The Fighter,” “Inception,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “The King’s Speech,” “The Social Network,” “Toy Story 3,” “True Grit,” “Winter’s Bone”
Who should win:
The big one that every movie clamors for, Best Picture. We have everything from the comedy of “The Kids Are All Right,” to the third animated film of all time to be nominated for this award in “Toy Story 3.” We also have a few bio-pics thrown in for good measure in “The King’s Speech,” “127 Hours” and “The Social Network.” After considering all of my choices, I can only come to one conclusion and as much of a proponent of Christopher Nolan’s work; it is not “Inception.” My pick is “Black Swan,” not for the sake of getting on the bandwagon, but simply because this film was superb and something different. We see a lot of dramas win this one at the Oscars and this one will be no different, but I can’t remember the last time that a winner that is also a psycho-sexual thriller based around a classic ballet. The story keeps you guessing, the look is very fitting, the acting is brilliant and with all of the other elements that went into making this film, it adds up to one good movie.
Who will (probably) win:
“The King’s Speech.” Based on its acclaim and its interesting subject matter, it is completely possible for this film to win. I guarantee that it will be either this or “Black Swan,” and really I think the latter will win. But for the sake of argument, you can’t doubt the possibility of a bio-pic about King George VI and his stuttering problem winning it in the end. I put the film in simple terms, but it is much more than that. This film is inspirational, features an amazing ensemble cast and delves deep into the human spirit.  This one is tough to call.
Speculation aside, this looks to be a great award show. Whether I’m right or not we’ll have to see for ourselves. You can catch the 83rd Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, February 27 at 5:00 on ABC.  •

The Mainstream is a student publication of Umpqua Community College.