The Fighter
Inception
The Kids are All Right
127 Hours
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone
Score: 9/10 (predicted The Town instead of Winter's Bone). Not too surprising a lineup, when all is said and done. Winter's Bone was warming up en route to nomination morning, while The Town was cooling down with the exception of Jeremy Renner.
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
David O. Russell (The Fighter)
Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
David Fincher (The Social Network)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (True Grit)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Nolan instead of the Coens). The Academy members really don't like Christopher Nolan, do they? Snubbed yet again. How can anyone who directed something like Inception not be nominated? Oh well.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Annette Bening (The Kids are All Right)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Steinfeld instead of Williams). Much deserved nod for Williams. I always knew that putting Steinfeld here was risky, though I was hoping the Academy would put her in the right category.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Javier Bardem (Biutiful)
Jeff Bridges (True Grit)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
James Franco (127 Hours)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Wahlberg instead of Bardem). Looks like the campaign of Sean Penn and Julia Roberts for Bardem worked. I predicted the Duvall snub but not for him. Sad to see the brilliant work of Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine overlooked.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)
Score: 3/5 (predicted Kunis and Manville instead of Steinfeld and Weaver). The Academy decided to commit category fraud and place Steinfeld here, though I don't really mind. Now she can easily win this category on Oscar night (though I personally prefer either Adams to Leo). Glad to see Weaver among the nominees.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christian Bale (The Fighter)
John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)
Mark Ruffalo (The Kids are All Right)
Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Garfield instead of Hawkes). The Academy seems to really dig Winter's Bone. I was hoping to see Garfield here, but Hawkes's performance IS deserving of notice so no complaints about that not-quite-surprising nom (given the SAG nod earlier).
Original Screenplay
Mike Leigh (Another Year)
Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy (The Fighter)
Christopher Nolan (Inception)
Lisa Chodolenko, Stuart Blumberg (The Kids are All Right)
David Seidler (The King's Speech)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Black Swan instead of Another Year). Leigh fans can rejoice; his film wasn't entirely overlooked. But its nom came at the expense of Black Swan.
Adapted Screenplay
Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours)
Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)
Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3)
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (True Grit)
Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini (Winter's Bone)
Score: 5/5.
Best Animated Feature Film
Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon)
Sylvain Chomet (The Illusionist)
Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3)
Score: 2/3 (predicted Tangled instead of The Illusionist). Interesting, that Tangled wasn't able to get a spot in this category.
Best Documentary Feature
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Gasland
Inside Job
Restrepo
Waste Land
Score: 4/5 (predicted Waiting for Superman instead of Waste Land). That snub for Waiting for Superman was quite the shocker, considering how much it's been buzzed.
Best Foreign Language Film
Outside the Law (Algeria)
Incendies (Canada)
In a Better World (Denmark)
Dogtooth (Greece)
Biutiful (Mexico)
Score: 4/5 (predicted South Africa instead of Algeria). I should have picked up on the buzz on Algeria's entry, but the South African film seemed a much surer bet.
Achievement in Art Direction
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit
Score: 4/5 (predicted Black Swan instead of Alice in Wonderland). Should have known they'd go for the wacky Alice world. Black Swan was probably too simple and contemporary for the voters.
Achievement in Cinematography
Matthew Libatique (Black Swan)
Wally Pfister (Inception)
Danny Cohen (The King's Speech)
Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network)
Roger Deakins (True Grit)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I instead of The Social Network).
Achievement in Costume Design
Colleen Atwood (Alice in Wonderland)
Antonella Cannarozzi (I Am Love)
Jenny Beavan (The King's Speech)
Sandy Powell (The Tempest)
Mary Zophres (True Grit)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Black Swan instead of I Am Love).
Achievement in Film Editing
Andrew Weisblum (Black Swan)
Pamela Martin (The Fighter)
Tariq Anwar (The King's Speech)
Jon Harris (127 Hours)
Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall (The Social Network)
Score: 3/5 (predicted Inception and True Grit instead of The Fighter and 127 Hours).
Achievement in Makeup
Barney's Version
The Way Back
The Wolfman
Score: 1/3 (predicted Black Swan and The Tempest instead of Barney's Version and The Way Back). Always an unpredictable category where random films can pop up.
Achievement in Music (Original Score)
John Powell (How to Train Your Dragon)
Hans Zimmer (Inception)
Alexander Desplat (The King's Speech)
A.R. Rachman (127 Hours)
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross (The Social Network)
Score: 4/5 (predicted TRON Legacy instead of How to Train Your Dragon). The nom for Daft Punk was wishful thinking, I know.
Achievement in Music (Original Song)
"If I Rise" (127 Hours)
"Coming Home" (Country Strong)
"I See the Light" (Tangled)
"We Belong Together" (Toy Story 3)
Score: 3/4 (predicted five, with "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" and "Me and Tennessee" instead of "Coming Home"). Sorry, no Cher on Oscar night.
Achievement in Sound Editing
Inception
Toy Story 3
TRON Legacy
True Grit
Unstoppable
Score: 4/5 (predicted Iron Man 2 instead of Unstoppable). Should have known that a critically well-received actioner would get notice here. Should have spread the net wider. Though 4/5 is good for me in this category.
Achievement in Sound Mixing
Inception
The King's Speech
Salt
The Social Network
True Grit
Score: 3/5 (predicted Black Swan and TRON Legacy instead of The King's Speech and Salt). I don't think anyone expected that nom for Salt, but I should have seen the King's Speech nom coming.
Achievement in Visual Effects
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Hereafter
Inception
Iron Man 2
Score: 4/5 (predicted TRON Legacy instead of Hereafter). Sure, the young Jeff Bridges was kinda unnatural, but how can they not nominate TRON Legacy for every other nifty visual in that film? Injustice.
Short Film (Animated)
"Day & Night"
"The Gruffalo"
"Let's Pollute"
"The Lost Thing"
"Madagascar, a Journey Diary"
No predictions.
Short Film (Live Action)
"The Confession"
"The Crush"
"God of Love"
"Na Wewe"
"Wish 143"
No predictions.
Documentary (Short Subject)
"Killing in the Name"
"Poster Girl"
"Strangers No More"
"Sun Come Up"
"The Warriors of Qiugang"
No predictions.
The Kids are All Right
127 Hours
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone
Score: 9/10 (predicted The Town instead of Winter's Bone). Not too surprising a lineup, when all is said and done. Winter's Bone was warming up en route to nomination morning, while The Town was cooling down with the exception of Jeremy Renner.
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
David O. Russell (The Fighter)
Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
David Fincher (The Social Network)
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (True Grit)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Nolan instead of the Coens). The Academy members really don't like Christopher Nolan, do they? Snubbed yet again. How can anyone who directed something like Inception not be nominated? Oh well.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Annette Bening (The Kids are All Right)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Steinfeld instead of Williams). Much deserved nod for Williams. I always knew that putting Steinfeld here was risky, though I was hoping the Academy would put her in the right category.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Javier Bardem (Biutiful)
Jeff Bridges (True Grit)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
James Franco (127 Hours)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Wahlberg instead of Bardem). Looks like the campaign of Sean Penn and Julia Roberts for Bardem worked. I predicted the Duvall snub but not for him. Sad to see the brilliant work of Ryan Gosling for Blue Valentine overlooked.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)
Score: 3/5 (predicted Kunis and Manville instead of Steinfeld and Weaver). The Academy decided to commit category fraud and place Steinfeld here, though I don't really mind. Now she can easily win this category on Oscar night (though I personally prefer either Adams to Leo). Glad to see Weaver among the nominees.
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christian Bale (The Fighter)
John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)
Mark Ruffalo (The Kids are All Right)
Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Garfield instead of Hawkes). The Academy seems to really dig Winter's Bone. I was hoping to see Garfield here, but Hawkes's performance IS deserving of notice so no complaints about that not-quite-surprising nom (given the SAG nod earlier).
Original Screenplay
Mike Leigh (Another Year)
Eric Johnson, Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy (The Fighter)
Christopher Nolan (Inception)
Lisa Chodolenko, Stuart Blumberg (The Kids are All Right)
David Seidler (The King's Speech)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Black Swan instead of Another Year). Leigh fans can rejoice; his film wasn't entirely overlooked. But its nom came at the expense of Black Swan.
Adapted Screenplay
Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours)
Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)
Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3)
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (True Grit)
Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini (Winter's Bone)
Score: 5/5.
Best Animated Feature Film
Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon)
Sylvain Chomet (The Illusionist)
Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3)
Score: 2/3 (predicted Tangled instead of The Illusionist). Interesting, that Tangled wasn't able to get a spot in this category.
Best Documentary Feature
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Gasland
Inside Job
Restrepo
Waste Land
Score: 4/5 (predicted Waiting for Superman instead of Waste Land). That snub for Waiting for Superman was quite the shocker, considering how much it's been buzzed.
Best Foreign Language Film
Outside the Law (Algeria)
Incendies (Canada)
In a Better World (Denmark)
Dogtooth (Greece)
Biutiful (Mexico)
Score: 4/5 (predicted South Africa instead of Algeria). I should have picked up on the buzz on Algeria's entry, but the South African film seemed a much surer bet.
Achievement in Art Direction
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Inception
The King's Speech
True Grit
Score: 4/5 (predicted Black Swan instead of Alice in Wonderland). Should have known they'd go for the wacky Alice world. Black Swan was probably too simple and contemporary for the voters.
Achievement in Cinematography
Matthew Libatique (Black Swan)
Wally Pfister (Inception)
Danny Cohen (The King's Speech)
Jeff Cronenweth (The Social Network)
Roger Deakins (True Grit)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I instead of The Social Network).
Achievement in Costume Design
Colleen Atwood (Alice in Wonderland)
Antonella Cannarozzi (I Am Love)
Jenny Beavan (The King's Speech)
Sandy Powell (The Tempest)
Mary Zophres (True Grit)
Score: 4/5 (predicted Black Swan instead of I Am Love).
Achievement in Film Editing
Andrew Weisblum (Black Swan)
Pamela Martin (The Fighter)
Tariq Anwar (The King's Speech)
Jon Harris (127 Hours)
Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall (The Social Network)
Score: 3/5 (predicted Inception and True Grit instead of The Fighter and 127 Hours).
Achievement in Makeup
Barney's Version
The Way Back
The Wolfman
Score: 1/3 (predicted Black Swan and The Tempest instead of Barney's Version and The Way Back). Always an unpredictable category where random films can pop up.
Achievement in Music (Original Score)
John Powell (How to Train Your Dragon)
Hans Zimmer (Inception)
Alexander Desplat (The King's Speech)
A.R. Rachman (127 Hours)
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross (The Social Network)
Score: 4/5 (predicted TRON Legacy instead of How to Train Your Dragon). The nom for Daft Punk was wishful thinking, I know.
Achievement in Music (Original Song)
"If I Rise" (127 Hours)
"Coming Home" (Country Strong)
"I See the Light" (Tangled)
"We Belong Together" (Toy Story 3)
Score: 3/4 (predicted five, with "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" and "Me and Tennessee" instead of "Coming Home"). Sorry, no Cher on Oscar night.
Achievement in Sound Editing
Inception
Toy Story 3
TRON Legacy
True Grit
Unstoppable
Score: 4/5 (predicted Iron Man 2 instead of Unstoppable). Should have known that a critically well-received actioner would get notice here. Should have spread the net wider. Though 4/5 is good for me in this category.
Achievement in Sound Mixing
Inception
The King's Speech
Salt
The Social Network
True Grit
Score: 3/5 (predicted Black Swan and TRON Legacy instead of The King's Speech and Salt). I don't think anyone expected that nom for Salt, but I should have seen the King's Speech nom coming.
Achievement in Visual Effects
Alice in Wonderland
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Hereafter
Inception
Iron Man 2
Score: 4/5 (predicted TRON Legacy instead of Hereafter). Sure, the young Jeff Bridges was kinda unnatural, but how can they not nominate TRON Legacy for every other nifty visual in that film? Injustice.
Short Film (Animated)
"Day & Night"
"The Gruffalo"
"Let's Pollute"
"The Lost Thing"
"Madagascar, a Journey Diary"
No predictions.
Short Film (Live Action)
"The Confession"
"The Crush"
"God of Love"
"Na Wewe"
"Wish 143"
No predictions.
Documentary (Short Subject)
"Killing in the Name"
"Poster Girl"
"Strangers No More"
"Sun Come Up"
"The Warriors of Qiugang"
No predictions.
