The 85th Academy Awards

By Natasha Tsakiris

It’s Hollywood’s biggest night in cinema, a night where a little gold statue named Oscar is all it takes to catapult your career in film forever: the Academy Awards. It is the Mecca for all film connoisseurs and lovers and the showdown for which actors and films were truly the best of the year.

The 85^th Academy Awards may still be less than two months away but funny man and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, who will be hosting this year, announced the list of nominees alongside Gangster Squad’s Emma Stone.

With less than two months away until the big day, we present to you the list of the elite few who nabbed a coveted nomination. Are you shocked? Who do you think will win? The clock is ticking, so check out these films quick before Oscar night!

 

BEST PICTURE

Lincoln
Argo
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Amour
Django Unchained
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
Beasts of the Southern Wild

OTD Pick: A tie between “Lincoln” and “Les Misérables”, but there’s always the underdog “Beasts of the Southern Wild”, which could be this year’s “Slumdog Millionaire”.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

OTD Pick: At age nine, Quvenzhané Wallis is the youngest nominee of all time, while Emmanuelle Riva is the oldest at 85. Both are solid contenders in this category.

 

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln
Denzel Washington, Flight
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

OTD Pick: Joaquin Phoenix, however Daniel Day Lewis fully embodies President Abraham Lincoln so this will be a close race.

 

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Jackie Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Amy Adams, The Master

OTD Pick: This is Anne Hathaway’s year. Becoming somewhat of a method actor for this role, Anne gives a bone chilling, strong performance as her character Fantine. She has come a long way from The Princess Diaries films.

 

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, the Master
Robert de Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Alan Arkin, Argo
Tommy Lee jones, Lincoln

OTD Pick: All the nominees in this category have won before, so it could be anyone’s game, but there can only be one winner so OTD’s pick is…Philip Seymour Hoffman

 

BEST DIRECTOR

David O’Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Michael Haneke, Amour
Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

OTD Pick: Steven Spielberg is the Academy’s choice, and while “Lincoln” is an epic film, Michael Haneke should win after the beautiful love story of an elderly couple.

 

BEST FOREIGN FILM

“Amour”, Austria
“No”, Chile
“War Witch”, Canada
“A Royal Affair”, Denmark
“Kon-Tiki”, Norway

OTD Pick: Winner of 2012 Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or award and, most recently, Golden Globe Award, “Amour” should and will win.

 

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Frankenweenie
The Pirates
Wreck-it Ralph
Paranorman
Brave

OTD Pick: “Brave”, a story of heart, family and being true to yourself, there’s no stopping Princess Merida.

 BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Flight
Zero Dark Thirty
Django Unchained
Amour
Moonrise Kingdom

OTD Pick: Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” is unique, witty and charming, and with an A-lister cast, this is a must watch before the Oscars.

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Argo
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Life of Pi

OTD Pick: “Argo” is a riveting story about a secret operation to get back six fugitive American diplomatic personnel out of revolutionary Iran artfully directed by Ben Affleck.

 

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Before My Time” from Chasing Ice
“Everybody Needs A Best Friend” from Ted
“Pi’s Lullaby” from Life of Pi
“Skyfall” from Skyfall
“Suddenly” from Les Misérables

OTD Pick: Adele’s “Skyfall” is the perfect theme to “Skyfall” and undoubtedly encompasses’ everything Bond is.

The entire nomination list can be viewed here: http://oscar.go.com/nominees