So, to preface our discussion of the Best Picture nominees, we're briefly going to remind you that the process for voting and determining Best Picture nominees changed last year. Remember in 2009 how the Academy changed the number of nominees from 5 to 10 in large part because Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight didn't get nominated in 2008? Well after two years of having 10 nominees the Academy decided maybe they were watering down the category by letting in a set number of 10.
So last year they changed the process to where there can be anywhere between 5 and 10 nominees in the Best Picture category, but now to get nominated your film MUST receive a minimum of 5% of all first-place votes. That's why last year there were 9 nominees - there weren't that many movies that EVERYONE loved, so a larger amount of films got first-place votes. Could that happen again this year? What do you think, Sarah?
Sarah: I do think that this will be the case this year. While there were some great movies in the theatres this year, there were only 9 that we could see that deserve to be in the running for Best Picture.
The first one that we have on our list is Argo. Argo rocked. There's just no way around it. There was action and suspense to a movie that could have easily been extremely boring and dated. Between the acting, directing and script I think that this one will be a sure thing. I might even go as far as to say this one could be the winner. (Our review of Argo)
A: One of the movies that will give Argo a run for its money is going to be Zero Dark Thirty. Another tense, wonderfully acted movie with a strong script and it looks great. Once this one came out it quickly jumped to the front of the pack. (Our review of Zero Dark Thirty)
S: Lincoln will be another one that has made a lot of commotion this year and will most certainly have a spot in the top. While this wasn't one of our favorites this year, we can still see where this one caught all the attention of the critics. This movie has pedigree in Hollywood. (Our review of Lincoln)
A: Another film that has a pretty good pedigree behind it, and one led by some top-notch performances that I think will carry it to a Best Picture nom, is Silver Linings Playbook. It's funny, it's quirky, it has a golden cast and David O. Russell behind the camera. I'd be very surprised if this isn't one of the nominees. (Our review of Silver Linings Playbook)
S: Les Miserables was one that has gotten some mixed reviews over the past couple of weeks. While I loved it, some people had problems with the live singing aspect to the whole thing. I still think that it was an ingenious way to do things and for that alone I think it will be a Best Picture nominee. (Our review of Les Miserables)
A: Speaking of genius, this next one might be a bit of a question mark because of its content, but I have to believe that Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained will get a Best Picture nom. It's fantastic all around, led by great performances by Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson. Tarantino's script is one of his sharpest and funniest, but the content might rub some people the wrong way. Still, I think this gets in based on its many merits. (Our review of Django Unchained)
S: Moonrise Kingdom was one that came out and was a little below the radar but as soon as people heard more about how good it was a hit. It's phenomenal cast mixed with strange humor was a delightful change of pace. If you haven't had a change to see this one yet, do it! Especially if it nabs a spot with the other Best Picture nominees. (Our review of Moonrise Kingdom)
A: I know we're already over the 5 nominee mark, which might surprise some, but I think my next prediction will surprise some people even more. I wholeheartedly believe the Skyfall will be the first James Bond film to get nominated for Best Picture. The entire idea of expanding the nominees was to get movies like this in the Best Picture race. Skyfall has it all - a great cast, an Oscar-winning Director in Sam Mendes (American Beauty), a 9-time Oscar nominated cinematographer in Roger Deakins, it has arguably my favorite score of the year...it's just exactly what the general public and, I bet, a large number of Academy voters would vote for. (Our review of Skyfall)
S: Last but not least we have Life of Pi by Ang Lee. This two hour movie was a visual masterpiece. And while I was not a big fan, it is extremely impressive that they were able to bring this to the big screen since it really is a movie starring one person and a tiger who decidedly does not talk throughout the whole thing. (Our review of Life of Pi)
So there you have it. Our list for the big one! It's been a great year in the movies and if any of these movies come near you get out and see them!
A: And if you so choose, listed below the photo are all of our predictions for every single Oscar category except for the short film ones (because no one sees those except the voters anyway, amiright?)
BEST PICTURE
Argo
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Les Miserables
Silver Linings Playbook
Moonrise Kingdom
Life of Pi
Django Unchained
Skyfall
BEST DIRECTOR
Ben Affleck, Argo
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
BEST LEAD ACTOR
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
BEST LEAD ACTRESS
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Alan Arkin, Argo
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Sally Field, Lincoln
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Rian Johnson, Looper
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola, Moonrise Kingdom
Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Chris Terrio, Argo
Tony Kushner, Lincoln
Stephen Chbosky, Perks of Being a Wildflower
David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
David Magee, Life of Pi
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Janusz Kaminski, Lincoln
Claudio Miranda, Life of Pi
Roger Deakings, Skyfall
Wally Pfister, The Dark Knight Rises
Greig Fraser, Zero Dark Thirty
BEST EDITING
Michael Kahn, Lincoln
William Goldenberg, Argo
William Goldenberg & Dylan Tichenor, Zero Dark Thirty
Leslie Jones & Peter McNulty, The Master
Stuart Baird, Skyfall
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Arthur Max, Prometheus
Eve Stewart, Les Miserables
Nathan Crowley & Kevin Kavanaugh, The Dark Knight Rises
Rick Carter, Lincoln
Sarah Greenwood, Anna Karenina
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Sharen Davis, Django Unchained
Jacqueline Durran, Anna Karenina
Paco Delgado, Les Miserables
Joanna Johnston, Lincoln
Jacqueline West, Argo
BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING
Lincoln
Les Miserables
Looper
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Life of Pi
Cloud Atlas
The Avengers
The Dark Knight Rises
Prometheus
BEST SOUND MIXING
The Dark Knight Rises
Zero Dark Thirty
The Avengers
Django Unchained
Prometheus
BEST SOUND EDITING
The Dark Knight Rises
Zero Dark Thirty
The Avengers
Django Unchained
Prometheus
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
John Williams, Lincoln
Hans Zimmer, The Dark Knight Rises
Mychael Danna, Life of Pi
Howard Shore, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Thomas Newman, Skyfall
BEST SONG
"Skyfall" by Adele, Skyfall
"100 Black Coffins" by Rick Ross, Django Unchained
"Learn Me Right" by Mumford & Sons with Birdy, Brave
"When Can I See You Again?" by Owl City, Wreck-It Ralph
"Abraham's Daughter" by Arcade Fire, The Hunger Games
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
Wreck-It Ralph
Rise of the Guardians
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Amour
The Intouchables
A Royal Affair
Kon-Tiki
Beyond the Hills
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Bully
This Is Not a Film
Searching For Sugar Man
The Gatekeepers
5 Broken Cameras
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