Mark's 2013 Oscar Predictions

Less than a week away from Hollywood's biggest night! Most of the biggest names from the film industry will be gathered to celebrate and honor some of the best movies and the men and women who brought them to life. It's never an easy task to predict the movies, directors, actors, and actresses who will be honored with nominations let alone predict who will take home the famous golden statue at the end of the night. This year I am even more unsure than usual on who the big winners will be since I wasn't able to see many of this years top nominated films.

With that being said, I couldn't see not dedicating my movie post today towards this Sunday's big award show. Using my movie critic intuition and based on clips I've seen and movie reviews I've read I still think I have a pretty good idea what names are going to be waiting to be read off the golden envelopes. I'll list all the nominated names for the major categories and I'll Bold my pick for the winner and give you a brief explanation behind my pick. I of course welcome any comments on my predictions, would love to hear your predictions, and hope we can have some great discussions. So here goes!!

Best Picture

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

So I really can see the Academy going in a few different directions here and to be honest. While out of all these films listed the one I wanted to go see more than any other was "Zero Dark Thirty", something tells me that "Argo" will be one taking home the Best Picture prize. Already snagging the Golden Globe and the BAFTA awards for best picture, all signs are pointing at "Argo" to be the winner this Sunday.

Best Actor

• Bradly Cooper - The Silver Linings Playbook
• Denzel Washington - Flight
• Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables
• Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln 
• Joaquin Phoenix - The Master

Nothing is ever sure when it comes to the Oscar awards and many wonderful actors have not been honored with an award for breath taking performances in the past. I still don't see how this award can not be put in the hands of Daniel Day-Lewis as he completely transformed himself into Abraham Lincoln. Just watching a short clip of his performance gives me chills and reminds me how truly gifted of an actor he is.

Best Actress

• Naomi Watts - The Impossible 
• Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty
• Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
• Quvenzhane Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Emmanuella Riva - Amour 

If there is one category this year that I will be shocked if my prediction is wrong, it's that Jessica Chastain will receive her first and very well deserved Academy Award for her performance in "Zero Dark Thirty". Again, merely watching a few minutes of her emotional performance playing a CIA operative behind the decade long hunt for the world's most notorious terrorist is enough to prove that she deserves the golden statue. I have no doubt the other actresses in this category gave wonderful performances in their respected films but this is one year where they should say with pride, "It was an honor to be nominated and to loose to Jessica Chastain."

Best Supporting Actor

• Christoph Waltz - Django Unchained
• Alan Arkin - Argo
• Phillip Seymour Hoffman - The Master
• Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln
• Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook 

What a list of fine actors this is huh? All of which have previously won an Oscar award.  Christoph Waltz is probably not a name many of you know but hes an extraordinary actor. I've heard a lot of different opinions about "Django Unchained" but one thing always stays the same - the praise for Waltz's performance. After seeing him in "Inglorious Bastards", I can easily see his talents once again stealing the show and, bringing him the well deserved praise, and possibly another Academy Award.

Best Supporting Actress

• Amy Adams - The Master
• Sally Field - Lincoln 
• Helen Hunt - The Sessions
• Anne Hathaway - Le Miserables
• Jacki Weaver - Silver Linings Playbook

Anne Hathaway could just as easily be nominated in this category for her role as Selena Kyle in "The Dark Knight Rises" to be honest with all of you. She has established herself as one of today's most versatile and talented actresses. Not to mention, her spectacular singing voice adds to her already immense level of talent. My prediction here is that Hathaway should and will walk away with her first Academy award.

Best Director 

• Ang Lee - Life of Pi
• Michael Haneke -Amour
• Benh Zeitlin - Beasts of the Southern Wild
• David O Russel - The Silver Linings Playbook
• Steven Spielberg - Lincoln

This is another difficult category to predict. Obviously, my long time readers know my admiration for Mr. Spielberg and to see him be honored with another Oscar would be a true delight. He's really the only household name on this list and I must say I was surprised that Ben Affleck (Argo), Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises), and Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) were not on this list. Still, my sentimental pick and my best guess still bring me back to Spielberg to claim his third Academy Award for his stellar directing.

The 85th Academy Awards air this Sunday, February 24th, at 7pm on ABC.