Cody's 2011 Oscar Predictions

This is my 4th annual Oscar Predictions, and it was another snoozer of a year. I had a hard time coming up with a top 10, but like last year I predict what I think will win not what I want to win.

Beat Picture- The Artist. I think the Weinstein Machine is in full effect on this one, and mixed with the Hollywood nostalgia, I think this is a shoe in. I haven't seen Midnight In Paris or War Horse, and have no interest in The Help & Extremely Corny. I also realized that now that the Academy went to 5+ films for Best Picture format, a Sandra Bullock film has been nominated in consecutive years. I liked The Artist and the only other nominations I liked more were Moneyball and Tree of Life. Ignored: I can name 10 films I liked better than Hugo but the top two films ignored are A Separation and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

Best Actor- Jean Dujardin. This was hard to pick and I think he does a phenomenal job in The Artist. I think Clooney and Pitt cancel each other out and Dujardin's performance will come off as more of a challenge to the voters. I wouldn't be shocked if the dark horse Gary Oldman walked away with it. Ignored: Michael Fassbender for Shame. I still don't understand why he was left out. Brad Pitt for Tree of Life.

Best Actress- Meryl Streep. Why not, but hefty competition with a woman playing a man, a famous starlet, and a maid in the 60's. I really hope Rooney Mara wins. Ignored: Michelle Williams for Meeks Cutoff, she plays a better frontier wife than Marilyn Monroe.

Supporting Actor- Christopher Plummer. They have been trying to give this guy an Oscar for 10 years now, and without any stiff competition, he grandfathers this one. This is usually the strongest category, but weak this year because of all the omissions. I did like Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn Ignored: Albert Brooks for Drive (The best part of the film) John Lithgow for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Hunter McCracken for Tree of Life and Alan Rickman for Harry Potter.

Supporting Actress- Octavia Spencer. This movie has to win something I guess. Ignored: Carey Mulligan for Shame.

Directing- Michel Hazanavicius. Hard category this year and I think they give it to the new guy. I really wish Malick would win this, but the Academy likes to give awards to people who show up, this goes for Woody too. Remember I haven't seen Midnight In Paris, so besides Tree of Life, the Artist is the best film nominated. Ignored: I think Hugo is Marty's worst film since New York, New York and all of the attention this film is getting is baffling to me. Bennet Miller for Moneyball and Tomas Alfredson for Tinker Tailor not getting nod is a crime.

Original Screenplay- Michel Hazanavicius. I am worried that he wins for this they may not give him the Best Director award. I really hope Asghar Farhadi wins for A Separation. It is one of the best screenplay's I have seen in years, and I will jump for joy if he wins. Ignored: Terry for Tree of Life.

Adapted Screenplay- Alexander Payne. This is a shame because I liked the film, but thought it is Paynes worst film, he needs Jim Taylor back. I am pulling for Moneyball and Tinker Tailor, but Sorkin won his last year. Ignored: Dragon Tattoo, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Harry Potter, Carnage

Cinematography- The Artist. It's Black and White!, but that hasn't made much of a difference recently. Tattoo and Hugo looked great, but I'm really pulling for Tree of Life. Ignored: The Way Back, Meeks, Drive,Tinker Tailor.

Editing- The Artist. I think it will win best picture, so I automatically choose it for editing. Ignored: Tinker, Apes,Harry Potter, Tree of Life and most of all A Separation.

Foreign Film- A Separation. This was one of the best films of the year and if it doesn't win, then I will hurt people. Great acting all around and the Screenplay is so convoluted that it has a thriller aspect to it. A Must see!!!!

Best Animated- Rango. I haven't seen any of these and now that I'm a father this may be the last year this happens.

Documentary Feature- Paradise Lost 3. This is a personal pick(which I try and stay away from) but this trilogy helped free three innocent men and I hope the Academy takes that into consideration. Ignored: Bill Cunningham New York.

Doc. Short- The Barber of Birmingham. It's about Civil Rights

Animated Short- The Fantastic Flying Books. Clever title.

Live Action Short- Tuba Atlantic. It's about death.

Art Direction, Costume Design, and Make-Up- The Artist, Jane Eyre, and Albert Nobbs. 1920's Hollywood, Period Piece, women looking like men.

Sound Editing, Mixing and Visual Effects- Hugo and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Only wins for Hugo and Apes looked pretty good.

Best Song and Score- Muppets and The Artist. Muppets win because they aren't exactly a Mop or a Puppet. The Artist would be a guaranteed win if they didn't sample the great Bernard Herrmann's Vertigo soundtrack, but not sure if the Academy cares,but it really pissed me off that they did it. John Williams probably cancels himself out with two nominations.

That's it! The above picture is from an exhibit celebrating the Great Stanley Kubrick in Paris I went to last year. Let's hope Terrance Malick can have one too this year.

Cody's 2010 Oscar Predictions

My 3rd Annual Oscar predictions is here!!!! This year is a better quality of film, but it seems to be a bit tricky this year, just like every year. This is what I think will win, not what I want to win, here we go.

Best Picture- The King's Speech. I would have said The Social Network is a shoe in a month ago, but the Weinstein Machine is working overtime and it feels like Shakespeare In Love and The English Patient all over again. I liked The King's Speech, but I think it's the 6th best film nominated. Ignored: I can't really think of anything that was left out. There are still some films I haven't seen, but with 10 nomination the Academy did pretty good this year.

Best Actor-Colin Firth. I smell make up Oscar all over this one. Firth was very good in this film, but between having a speech impediment and his performance in A Single Man last year the award is his. I was glad that Jeff Bridges and Jesse Eisenberg got nominated and I really hope Bridges wins, but he won't. Ignored: Again can't really think of anyone, pretty weak category this year.

Best Actress-Natalie Portman. The strongest this category has been in years too bad it's a year too late and Sandra Bullock has the same amount of Oscars as Stanley Kubrick! I think Portman gives one her best performances ever, and now that she is pregnant the statue is hers. Ignored: I don't know.

Best Supporting Actor- Christian Bale. Every year this is the best category with the most talent, maybe this should go up to ten nominations. Bale was great and lets all hope for a freak out on stage. Ignored: Andrew Garfield and (gulp) Justin Timberlake for The Social Network. Matt Damon and Josh Brolin for True Grit. The biggest snub and second best supporting performance is Vincent Cassel in Black Swan. Portman and Cassel made that boat float.

Beat Supporting Actress-Melissa Leo. Even though she has been self sabotaging lately I think she squeaks this one out. I think her only real competition is Hailee Steinfeld and if Mrs.Tim Burton wins I will be pissed. Ignored: All of the sisters from The Fighter and Barbara Hershey and Mila Kunis from Black Swan.

Best Director-David Fincher. Fincher finally gets his Oscar and it's about time!! It's a shame his film won't get Best Picture and again the Weinsteins get a statue while their directors are left out in the cold. Ignored: Banksy!

Original Screenplay-The King's Speech. Not a strong category this year, probably because nobody seems to be writing and Hollywood isn't buying original screenplays nowadays. The Fighter is a good film, but just a newer version of Rocky. I think Inception would have a chance if it wasn't against the Oscar favorite and if didn't seem like a sequel to Flatliners. Ignored: Black Swan, it's nominated for every other category why not screen play?

Adapted Screenplay- The Social Network. Better than Original Screenplay nominations this year, and Aaron Sorkin really deserves this one. I think it is very hard to write a good contemporary history screenplay that works, and every once in awhile you get a All The President's Men or The Insider. I don't think any screenplay this year touches The Social Network, and it's the best thing about the movie. Ignored: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1. Every year a Harry Potter film comes out they ignore it. It can't be easy turning a 600 page book into a 2 hour film that keeps everyone happy.

Cinematography-The Social Network. This is very hard because The Academy is never consistent on this one. The King's Speech could win and it shouldn't have been nominated, every other film belongs. The King's Speech may win because they link this to Best Picture and not to photography, but sometimes they do. I don't know, I'm rooting for the Roger Deakins western flick.

Editing-The Kings Speech. If this film wins editing then it wins Best Picture. I think it's a toss up between this and The Social Network.Ignored: Inception and True Grit.

Foreign Film-Biutiful. I haven't seen any of the nominated films and I picked this because it has a nomination in another category.

Best Animated-Toy Story 3. What a waste of time, shouldn't this be given during the Science Awards at the local Arby's?

Art Direction,Costume Design,and Make Up-The King's Speech and The Wolfman. The Kings Speech is a period piece(instant win) and The Wolfmans got nards,ehh I mean make up monster effects. Ignored: Black Swan

Sound Editing,Mixing, and Visual Effects-Inception. Duhhhh!!!!! Ignored: Black Swan and The Social Network! Unstoppable and Iron Man 2 shouldn't exist in this world.

Score-The Social Network. I want Trent Reznor to have as many Oscars as Sandra Bullock! I wouldn't mind Inception winning.

Song-Toy Story 3.Some years this is a nice category, but this year it's just dreadful. Now that the Academy likes Randy Newman he will win 12 Oscars. Ignored: Any song from Get Him To The Greek is better than this crap.

Documentary-Restrepo. The happiest I will get on Oscar night is if Exit Through The Gift Shop wins. I think it will lose for one reason, the Academy is frightened of what Banksy will do if he wins. Too bad, because it's one of the best films of the year.

Doc Short-Killing In The Name. It's about terrorism,weddings, and religion. Nuff said.

Short Film-Wish 143. Terminally ill patient wants to lose his virginity. Nuff Nuff said. Ignored: A Man Of His Word,or will this count towards next year Timmy?

Animated Short Film-The Gruffalo. It has star power and that's my only reason.

Okay that's it, please give me feed back, I love it!!!

Cody's 2009 Oscar Predictions

Welcome to my 2nd annual Oscar Predictions. 2009 was a little better than 2008, but not by much. This what I think will win, not what I want to win.

Best Picture- Avatar. This is a shame, but Avatar will win just for the effort and the industry needs this. I think Inglourious Basterds is by far the best film of the year and will come in second place which means nothing. Up and The Hurt Locker are the only really good films nominated this year. Ignored: It's already ridiculous the Academy went to 10 nominations this year and they still couldn't get it right. Moon, The Road, and Fantastic Mr. Fox are better than 8 of the nominations and I rather read stereo instructions for 2 hours than ever watch The Blind Side.

Best Actor- Jeff Bridges. This seems like a slam dunk win for Bridges, but I was happy to see Jeremy Renner nominated. Ignored: Rockwell for Moon and Viggo for The Road! Robbed, Robbed, Robbed! I tell ya! I also liked Matt Damon in The Informant!

Best Actress-Sandra Bullock. I think I just puked in my mouth a little. Looks like Erin Brockovich wins again, what a weak catagory. Ignored: Can't think of anything.

Best Supporting Actor- Christoph Waltz. Nothing touches this performance, nothing! Best performance of the year by far! Ignored: Anthony Mackie and Ralph Fiennes in The Hurt Locker. Michael Fassbender and about 4 others in Basterds.

Best Supporting Actress- Monique. Haven't seen this film, but she will win. I also thought Vera Farmiga was really good in Up In The Air. Ignored: Diane Kruger and Melanie Laurent for Basterds.

Best Director- Quentin Tarantino. I hope the Acadamy relizes this catagory is for directing actors and not spectacles. Everyone is good in Basterds and no one is good in Avatar. I wouldn't be super pissed if Bigelow wins, but QT is the best director of the year. Ignored: Duncan Jones for Moon and John Hillcoat for The Road. I am still in shock that these films were shut out this year.

Original Screenplay-Inglourious Basterds. The one category that there is always justice, I think this is a sure thing. I was happy with Up being nominated. Ignored: MOON!

Adapted Screenplay-Precious. This should be a strong catagory this year, but nominating the wrong films made it weak. Ignored: Harry Potter, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Road. All of these films are better than the nominated ones.

Cinematography- The White Ribbon. You ever play roulette? Always bet on Black and White! This is yet another weak catagory because the wrong films were nominated. Christian Berger's photography is breath taking and easily the best looking film of the year, but if Lord Of The Rings can win then anything can win. Ignored: A Serious Man, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Where The Wild Things Are, shall I go on? 80% of the films relesed this year look better than Harry Potter and Avatar.

Editing-Avatar. If you win editing then it's a 90% chance you win Best Picture, but Basterds and Hurt Locker deserve it more. Ignored:Moon, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Up, and The Road.

Foreign Film- White Ribbon. If you are nominated for another catagory you win.

Best Animated- Up. Same as above. Up and Mr. Fox were two of the best films this year.

Art Direction, Make Up and Costume Design-The Young Victoria. The title says it all. Ignored: Where The Wild Thigs Are.

Sound Editing,Mixing, and Visual Effects-Avatar. SLAM Freaking Dunk!

Score-Avatar. Ignored: Where The Wild Things Are, Moon, and Black Dynamite.

Song- The Weary Kind-Crazy Heart. T-Bone!

Documentary- Burma VJ. Food Inc was ok and I did enjoy The Most Dangerous Man, but Burma is what the Acadamy looks for in a Doc.

Doc.Short-Rabbit a la Berlin- It's about The Berlin Wall, That's Oscar gold next to Nazi films.

Short Film-Kavi. It takes place in India and after Slumdog these films are right behind Nazi's and The Berlin Wall.

Short Animated- A Matter Of Loaf and Death. Two Words, Wallace & Gromit!

Well thats it! Please send some feed back and let's hope I did better than last year.

R.I.P. Karl Malden

Karl Malden one of Hollywood's greatest character actors died on July 1st at the age of 97. The way he carried himself and also the way he looked always brought realism to his characters, and the films he was in. Malden was born in Chicago in 1912 and in High School was a big Basketball star. He broke his nose several times playing the great game, and thats how he got his signature nose. He started acting in the late '30's on Broadway, but WWII broke that up for awhile. He returned to acting in the late forties and had small roles in some great Noir films like Boomerang and Kiss of Death. Malden, Marlon Brando, and Elia Kazan became good friends on Broadway and in 1947 they stared and directed in A Streetcar Named Desire. Streetcar was a huge success and Kazan reunited them for a 1951 film version,which Malden won the Oscar for best supporting actor. In 1954 Kazan,Brando, and Malden collaborated for On The Waterfront,which Malden's portrayal of Father Barry was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Other highlights of Malden's career are Kazan's Baby Doll(56). A abusive father in Fear Strikes Out(57) with Anthony Perkins. The Warden in Birdman Of Alcatraz(62) with Burt Lancaster. A has-been gambler in The Cincinnati Kid(65) with Steve McQueen. And General Omar Bradley in Patton(70) with George C. Scott,which was his last great film role. In the 70's to 2000 he did television movies and series, with The Streets Of San Francisco(72-77) being his most successful.


ALSO R.I.P. Harve Presnell

He started off as a song and dance man in the early 60's and had some big roles in The Unsinkable Molly Brown(64) and Paint Your Wagon(69). He released a few albums with his singing and has done many TV and film supporting roles throughout the years. The reason I mentioned him here was because of his flawless performance in the movie Fargo(96). Presnell's portrayal of the cheap, angry, and basic hard ass Wade Gustafson is one of many highlights in a great film. Every time he was on screen their was a smile on my face. He was 75.

Cody's 2008 Oscar Predictions

These are my 2008 Oscar picks. This is what I think will win, not what I want to win.I will give my opinion on my favorites of the year.

Best Picture-Slumdog Millionaire. I haven't seen The Reader yet, but I have seen everything else. It's a shame because Slumdog is a average film and the worse of the nominations. IGNORED: Doubt, The Wrestler, Wall-E, and Revolutionary Road are far superior films than anything nominated.

Best Actor-Mickey Rourke. I think Sean Penn has a chance, but the Academy likes comebacks more than gays. I haven't seen the Visitor, but Mick gives the best performance of the nominated and of the year. IGNORED: The Academy hates Leo for some reason, and his performance in Revolutionary Road is his best since The Aviator. Josh Brolin was also great in W.

Best Actress- Meryl Streep. The only two films I have seen in this category were Doubt and Rachel Getting Married. Hathaway does a great job, but Streep gives one of the best performances of her career. Streep makes Doubt a great movie and hopefully she will win. IGNORED: Kate Winslet got nominated for the wrong film. Her performance in Revolutionary Road was the only performance this year that rivaled Streeps.

Best Supporting Actor- Heath Ledger. Every year this is the best catagory, and this year is no different. I loved every performance, but thought Hoffman, Shannon and Ledger were all equally great in their own way. When he died a year ago I said Ledger would win before seeing the film. I saw the film and he did a great job. IGNORED: Comedy is hard and I would like to have seen Adam Scott get a nomination for Step Brothers or Clooney for Burn After Reading.

Best Supporting Actress- Viola Davis. Everyone did a good job in this catagory, but Viola, Tomei, and Amy Adams were the stand outs for the nominations. I will be happy if any of these ladies would win. IGNORED: One of the best performances of the year was Rosemarie DeWitt in Rachel Getting Married. She is amazing and got hosed!

Best Director- Danny Boyle. This is probably the weakest catagory of the year. The only one who deserves the award that was nominated is Gus Van Sant for Milk. The Academy is a year too late for Fincher. IGNORED: Pick one: Aronofsky for The Wrestler, John Patrick Shanley for Doubt, Sam Mendes for Rev.Road, Coens for Burn, McKay for Step Brothers, Andrew Stanton for Wall-E, Nolan for Dark Knight, Demme for Rachel Getting Married, and hell even Favreau for Iron Man. These are better than what was nominated.

Original Screenplay- Milk. This movie has to win something. I prefer Wall-E and will be happy if it does win. Milk and Wall-E are the only films nominated that I have seen and Wall-E is one of the best screenplays of the year. IGNORED:The comedies again Step Brothers, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, etc and the Wrestler.

Adapted Screenplay-Slumdog Millionaire. I really hope Doubt wins this catagory because it is the best screenplay of the year. IGNORED: Revolutionary Road is probably the 2nd best script of the year. It is a shame how this film got shut out.

Best Cinematography- The Reader. This is the second weakest catagory of the year. I haven't seen The Reader, but it's Deakins and it's WWII and you know it looks good. I haven't seen The Changeling, but The Dark Knight is my second pick in this weak crop of films. IGNORED: Dean Semler for Appaloosa, Harris Savides for Milk, Colin Watkinson for The Fall and Roger Deakins for Doubt and Revolutionary Road. Deakins is the best Cinematographer in films right now. He had 2 films nominated last year and lost and got ignored twice this year and still has a film up for nomination.

Editing- Slumdog Millionaire. Usually, but not always, whatever wins editing wins Best Picture. I am pulling for The Dark Knight, but I think Milk deserves it also. IGNORED: Same stuff I've been saying Revolutionary Road,Doubt, The Wrestler, etc. I also think Man On Wire and Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 needed to be in there.

Art Direction- Revolutionary Road. Sadly this may be the only award this film will win. The Duchess may also win because it takes place in the times of powdered wigs. IGNORED: Appaloosa, Doubt, Milk and mostly The Fall.

Costumes- The Duchess. Same as above. Powdered Wigs and Ball Dresses always win.

Make-Up- Benjamin Button. Easy, nothing else came close this year.

Original Score-Wall-E. Slumdog and Ben Button have a good chance too. IGNORED: The Dark Knight, the best score of the year.

Best Song-Jai-Ho. The end dance scene in Slumdog is one of the best parts of the film. It's the only time the audience is allowed to be happy. IGNORED: Boats and Ho's and Sweet Child Of Mine both from Step Brothers. I also loved Little Person by Jon Brion and Deanna Story from Synecdoche, New York.

Sound- Wall-E. Wall-E is almost a silent film so sound carries the movie. Dark Knight has a chance, but it will just plain be wrong if Wall-E loses. Nothing sound wise can touch this film this year.

Sound Editing- Wall-E. Same as above. All Hail Ben Burtt!

Visual Effects- Benjamin Button. This film is ground breaking, everything else this year is in Ben Button's shadow. Not once does the aging process look ridicules. The Visual Effects is the sole reason Brad Pitt was nominated for best actor, because his appearance is the only thing that changed during the entire movie.

Animated Film- Wall-E. I haven't seen Panda or Bolt, but they weren't nominated for best screenplay so this one is in the bag.

Foreign Film- Waltz With Bashir. I haven't seen any of these nominated films. I have heard good things about Bashir and nothing about the others.

Documentary Film- Man On Wire. Man On Wire is a amazing film and I hope it wins. I haven't seen the other nominated films, but look out for Trouble The Water. It's about Katrina and may get a few votes. IGNORED: Harvard Beats Yale 29-29, best Doc. of the year.

Documentary Short Film- The Witness From The Balcony Of Room 306. Haven't seen any of these, and Room 306 is about the assassination of MLK. Winner. IGNORED: Renke Slate

Short Film Animated- Presto. Why not. This Way up is my 2nd choice.

Short Live Action- Speilzeugland. One word:Nazi's. Nuff said. IGNORED: Straight and Narrow

Thats it. If you got this far then I am proud of you and thank you for your patience.