The Oscars - who *should* win

IMHO. Any of these that differ from my predictions and manage to upset will greatly lessen the sting of being wrong about the winners.

Best Picture
I'm going to go Argo. I'd be okay with Silver Linings, Lincoln, or Zero Dark Thirty winning. I think it was a year of several very good films, with none really being outstanding.

Best Director
I feel like I have a hard time judging a first time director, because I have no other works of his to compare it to. So while Beasts of the Southern Wild really impressed me with its adherence to a vision, I think I'd probably give it to either Spielberg or Russell. Spielberg is doing his best in years, Russell has been consistently good, and this is his best to date. I'm going Russell.

Best Actor
I really kind of want to give it to Cooper. I don't like him - his whole Hangover thing really annoys me, but I think his performance here was great and I think it is probably the best thing he will ever do. It is unfair, then, that he is going up against a clairvoyant medium. It has to be Day Lewis. He's just so good. 

Best Supporting Actor
Robert DeNiro. Christoph is good, but his role echoes his role in Basterds - just flipped morally, and while Tommy Lee Jones is really excellent in Lincoln, his character felt a little thin to me.

Best Actress
Jennifer Lawrence.

Best Supporting Actress
Helen Hunt.

Best Animated Feature
In many ways, I liked ParaNorman better. But while its animation was more inspired in parts, it was also rougher in others. Frankenweenie was more consistent. And I did love the Burton for kids template. So, Frankenweenie.

Cinematography
Skyfall - Roger Deakins.

Best Adapted Screenplay
“Lincoln” Screenplay by Tony Kushner

Best Original Screenplay
Zero Dark Thirty. I was going to go Django, but... do they go on original scripts? Or what made it into the film? Because as I said before, I thought the last act of Django had some structural issues. But I bet I would have loved the director's cut/original screenplay. But. Based on the scripts of the finished products? I think Zero Dark Thirty was a pretty remarkable achievement.

Costume Design
Okay - I LOVE Eiko Ishioka's work. I cannot BELIEVE she wasn't up for The Fall. She did Varekai, which is my favorite Cirque production. Although I'm not sure Mirror Mirror was her very best work. But I'd certainly count out Lincoln and Les Mis. I do like Colleen Atwood (and this), but she gets tons of recognition. Which leaves Anna. Beautiful work. Hmmmm...... Considering it is posthumous.... I think that tips it for me to Anna. (The Fall still should have won.)

Best Documentary Feature
ummm.... dunno.

Best Documentary (Short Subject)
Ditto. 

Film Editing
“Silver Linings Playbook” Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers
 
Best Foreign Language Film
Don't know. I want to see No and A Royal Affair, but have not yet. 

Makeup
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” - Peter Swords King, Rick Findlater and Tami Lane

Best Original Score
“Argo” Alexandre Desplat

Best Original Song
“Skyfall” from “Skyfall”- Music and Lyric by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth
Honestly - not my favorite Bond theme OR Adele song, but better than the alternatives. This category coulda been better! Ladies From Tampa!

Production Design
“Anna Karenina”- Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer

Best Animated Short Film
“Adam and Dog” Minkyu Lee. Although Paperman is fab, too.

Best Live Action Short Film
? Need to see Curfew apparently.

Sound Editing
Without having had a chance to go back and watch the sound videos I posted earlier (here for some overlap): “Skyfall” Per Hallberg and Karen Baker Landers

Sound Mixing
Ditto: “Argo” John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Jose Antonio Garcia

Achievement in visual effects
I'm still mad at the Hobbit for not being better. And the 3-D made some of the effects look janky. The tiger seems like quite the achievement, so I'm okay with Pi. Otherwise, like half of the Avengers was effects. But, Pi. I think.