My 2013 Oscar Predictions

Tonight is the biggest night in Hollywood as stars converge in Kodak Theater for the 85^th Academy Awards. Last year was a very good year in films and the battle for tonight would validate the selected few who will get to win the Oscars and have their name written in the Oscar history book. With that being said, the competition is as stiff as last year when Meryl Streep and Viola Davis battled it out for the Best Actress category with the former winning her third statuette.

As for this year, like what I’ve been doing for the last couple of years – I’d be presenting my predictions / thoughts in certain categories with the THINK  and WANT format or Think / Want / Should Win format or Winner / Spoiler blah blah.

Here they are…

Best Picture

THINK / WANT / SHOULD - Argo is arguably the one to beat tonight with its unprecedented accolades left and right. The Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and the BAFTA hailed it as their Best Picture and I cannot imagine the Academy not following through and not recognizing the film despite the controversial snub of its director Ben Affleck.

SPOILER: If the Academy will snub this film just to be different, the award may go to Lincoln or Life Of Pi.

Best Director

With Ben Affleck getting no love from the Academy, I’ve this feeling that the Oscar will go to either Steven Spielberg or Ang Lee – both are previous winners. With this, I think it’ll be Steven Spielberg simply because I kinda think that (on a personal level) Spielberg’s direction was much better than the Life Of Pi of Ang Lee.

SPOILER: Ang Lee for Life Of Pi

Best Actor (LOCKED)

Think / Want / Should / No Spoiler: British actor Daniel Day Lewis is one of the favorites of the Academy having won two Oscars already. With his beyond impressive portrayal of Abe Lincoln, DDL could easily walk away with his third win – a well deserved win at that.

Best Actress

Now this is one of the most awaited categories of the night. Everybody thought Jennifer Lawrence had this already in the bag until Emmanuelle Riva’s name pops in and even snatching the BAFTA from JLaw. This could be a very interesting upset if the Silver Linings Playbook actress will go home empty handed after tonight.

THINK: Jennifer Lawrence – given the that American voters dominates the Academy, I should think that JLaw will get this.

WANT and SHOULD  /SPOILER: Emmanuelle Riva – her moving portrayal in Amour is beyond. This is her first nomination and was touted to be the oldest to get the nod for this category. Not for sentimental reason because Miss Riva’s 86 but because I believe that she actually deserved it more than Jennifer.

Best Supporting Actress (LOCKED)

No one – as in no one can beat Anne Hathaway tonight. Her portrayal of the ever so distraught Fantine in Les Misérables is perfection. The dynamic of her emotions as she sings the theme of the song has sealed her Oscar destiny. It’ll be such a shocker if Sally Field would snatch this one from her.

Best Supporting Actor

 You cannot go wrong with Christoph Waltz when it comes to being cynical and all and Tommy Lee Jones have proven her worth a long time ago. I should think that it’s only between them and I’m betting towards Waltz winning this. Atleast I think the Academy have voted for him

SPOILER: Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln

Best Original Screenplay

Think / Want / Should – Amour

Best Writing Adapted Screnplay

Think / Want  - Lincoln

Should – Argo

Best Animated Feature

Think / Should / Want – Brave

Best Editing

Think/ Should/ Want – Argo

Best Original Score

Think/ Should/ Want – Life Of Pi

Best Original Song

Think/ Should / Want  - Adele for Skyfall

Best Visual Effects

Think/ Should/ Want – Life Of Pi

Best Sound Editing

Think/ Should/ Want – Life Of Pi

Best Foreign Film

Think/ Should/ Want – Amour

Best Production Design

Think/ Should/ Want – Les Miserables

Best Make Up And Hair

Think/ Should/ Want – Les Miserables

Best Costume Design

Think/ Should/ Want – Les Miserables

I have not watched the short film / documentary categories so I opted to leave them alone! I hope the deserving winners would win tonight! ‘till next year! 

Water For Elephants Film Review

Robinson Galleria, Cinema 7 P171

Director: Francis Lawrence

Starring : Reese Whiterspoon, Robert Pattinson, Christoph Waltz

I actually have not read the book version of this film so prior to watching this film; I do not have the slightest idea about it. I just thought that its trailer look promising and I love the leading actors in it.

Water for Elephants is about the young Cornell Veterinary undergrad Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson) who found himself in the midst of the Circus world as the inhouse veterinarian and fell in love with Marlena (Reese Whiterspoon) , the wife of the circus’s owner August (Christoph Waltz) who gave him special treatment but is greed for money and is cruel to his crew.

Jacob and Marlena had the same passion for animals and their love ensues until August suspect them having an affair. The two escape by jumping off the circus's train but August easily discovered them. Marlena appeared in her last show as August’s wife and Benzini’s Circus star attraction when that fateful fight ensues that would change hers and Jacob’s life forever.

I thought Christoph Waltz was amazing as the villain August and was very much effective as the cruel Circus head master. His acting here reminds me of his award- winning Col. Hans Landa portrayal in Inglorious Basterds. He’s got that subtle darkness in him that lures you to hate him terribly. Pattinson was rather disconnected into this film. I didn’t feel enough emotion from him, there was too -much “Edward Cullen-ish” in his acting which isn’t good at all. Reese on the other hand kinda disappoint as the circus’ star attraction. For a short period of time, how could someone be so inlove with a perfect stranger???? Moreover, there was no chemistry between Reese and Robert at all. I also thought that the dialogues were a bit off.

However, the cinematography and the musical score are to die for. The scenery are exquisitely shot and the music was perfectly rendered. It thought the whole film was trying to be melancholic but failed into that category and leaves the audience into deep thinking – what the heck was that???!!!!

I’ll give it a 5/10 ratings.

- paddylast