Less than two weeks away, the 82nd Annual Academy Awards are looming nearer and nearer, and the race is now in full swing, just about coming in to its home stretch. After this past weekends BAFTA awards, more and more things have started to come into focus about the Oscars, and while a few things are still up in the air (and no, that was not a pun) I think it's a good idea to spend a day speaking about the safe bets come March 7th.
There are a few things that are pretty much locks by now, and if a surprise came, I'd personally be so shocked I don't know what I'd do. One of the big ones that seems to have been locked in place for some time is Christoph Waltz for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Inglourious Basterds. As well, after what I thought to be a fairly shocking win at the BAFTAs this past weekend, Mo'Nique has the Best Supporting Actress race tied up for Precious. Now, while the BAFTAs were telling in some areas, I do not think that the wins of Colin Firth or Carey Mulligan in Best Actor and Best Actress really add that much to the Oscar discussion. As far as I'm concerned, Jeff Bridges should already have the Best Actor Oscar engraved and that speech ready come March 7th for Crazy Heart. Though, Best Actress is a little more dicey, and perhaps Mulligan's win may spice up the Oscars in that category.
Moving on, how about some tech awards? I do believe that Best Visual Effects has been hooked, lined, and sinkered since the first trailer for Avatar premiered, and now that the film is as big as it is, District 9 and Star Trek do not stand a chance. As for Best Original Song, T Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham had better be ready to get up on stage and accept the award for "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart, cause seriously, this category this year is so one-sided, this is the only song that really gels with the Academy's tastes in this category. Of course, Best Original Score has been locked up for nearly as long as Visual Effects. Michael Giacchino will finally bring home his deserved Oscar for the score for Up, after being overlooked in this category so many times before, and even after conducting the Oscar orchestra last year, I think it's time that one of my favorite film composers win.
As for Screenplay, Original Screenplay is a toss up really at the moment, but after big wins at the Critic's Choice, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and WGA, there is no way that Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner's screenplay for Up in the Air wont win Best Adapted Screenplay come Oscar night. This is good for Reitman, especially considering the fact that Best Director has already been decided. The Academy has ignored women in the directing category for too long, with only 4 women ever being nominated. After bringing home the Critic's Choice, the BAFTA, and the DGA Award, Kathryn Bigelow will beat out her ex James Cameron for her work on The Hurt Locker. There is really no debating it, Cameron got his glory at the Globes, not to mention he has the higest grossing film of all-time, the guy shouldn't be hurting when his name isn't called on Oscar night, and seriously, I think Tarantino and Reitman are already expecting this so they'll just be happy with potential Screenplay wins, though Tarantino is locked in an intense duel with Mark Boal for The Hurt Locker.
So that's that, the only awards that I believe to be firmly locked into place. While some might claim that The Hurt Locker has essentially already won Best Picture, I still believe that this category, along with many others, is still Up in the Air (and yes, that was a pun). But that's another discussion for another time. Till next week and another edition of Oscar Watch, enjoy and relish in the anticipation for the Oscars.
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