By Mark Johnson
On Feb. 24, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will hold its 85th annual Oscar celebration. The red carpet will be walked by award nominees and other celebrities, big splashy musical numbers will be performed, the fashion police will out in full force, and heartfelt acceptance speeches will be given. Oh yeah, and at, some point in the evening, the awards will be distributed. Yet, amid the pomp and glory, this year’s awards’ ceremony promises more of the same.Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this year’s award nominees is the absence of any major blockbuster films in the Best Picture category. Three of the top grossing films of 2012, “The Avengers,” “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Skyfall” were completely shut out of the major categories.
“Skyfall” managed to garner nominations in the categories of Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Original Score, and Original Song, while “The Avengers,” the highest grossing film of 2012 and third all time, eked out a single nomination for Visual Effects. “The Dark Knight Rises,” 2012’s second highest grossing film failed to receive a single nomination.
Many have argued that genre films such as those mentioned simply don’t hold the same weight and respect of more serious-minded, adult fare. That argument hardly seems valid given the fact that each of the those films received a higher score among critics on Rotten Tomatoes than many of the Best Picture Nominees such as “Lincoln,” “Les Miserables” and “Silver Linings Playbook.” For the uninitiated, the Rotten Tomatoes website features all things film-related, including reviews from both critics and viewers.
With so little in the way of surprises among the nominees, could it be that the Academy is holding back some big shockers for awards night? That hardly seems likely considering the Academy’s reputation for play-it-safe nominees and winners over the years.
However, this should not detract from the bevy of talent and skill which is bountifully represented among this year’s nominees. On the contrary, the wealth of excellent performances and craftsmanship is an embarrassment of film riches. Below is my list of predictions for the major categories at this year’s Oscars.
Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables”Hands down, Hathaway is the runaway favorite in this category, and she should be. Her performance, for which she performed her own singing, has been known to move some audiences to tears. Hathaway more than proved her versatility in the role of the sympathetic Fantine.
Best Supporting Actor: Robert De Niro, “Silver Linings Playbook”
This category could turn out to be the surprise of the night. My money is on De Niro as he displays a wit and vulnerability in his role as Bradley Cooper’s beleaguered father in “Playbook.” Still, don’t be too shocked if Christoph Waltz of “Django Unchained” pulls off a major upset.
Best Actress: Jessica Chastain: “Zero Dark Thirty”
This should be no contest as Chastain gives one of the best film performances of the year as the brooding, driven CIA agent determined to hunt down Osama Bin Laden. Her biggest competition will be Jennifer Lawrence as the quirky love interest in “Silver Linings Playbook.”
Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”
As Abraham Lincoln, Lewis gives a grounded, heartfelt, yet commanding performance. Watching his steady-at-the-wheel take on Honest Abe was a true joy to watch. Anyone who doubts the versatility of Lewis should check out his two other Oscar-winning turns in “My Left Foot” and “There Will Be Blood.”
Best Director: Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”Seriously, Spielberg probably had this one in the bag from the moment he got the cameras rolling on this film. This is a master filmmaker who reminded us last year with “War Horse” that he hadn’t lost a step. He still hasn’t. “Lincoln” is an exquisitely made film, beautifully shot by cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, also nominated.
Best Picture: “Lincoln”
This is interesting. Two months ago, I would have said that “Lincoln” would be the Best Picture, no question. However, “Argo” has been receiving a great deal of acclaim this awards season, and deservedly so. Both films deal with crucial points in American history. Speaking of history, it is seldom the case that the Academy splits the ticket between film and director. However, with recent momentum behind it, “Argo” could pull off the night’s biggest upset.
This year’s Oscar Ceremony will be telecast on ABC at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb 24. For a complete list of nominees as well as a history of the Academy Awards, go to www.oscars.org. If you are interested in reading reviews and other movie related items visit www.rottentomatoes.com.