2011 Oscar Predictions

After a brutal upset last year, I feel confident I'm on the pole for this year's race, ready to strike for the win. Only time, and Helena Bonham Carter's hair can tell for sure.

Short Film (Animated): The Gruffalo, Jakob Schuh and Max Lang

Documentary (Feature): Exit through the Gift Shop, Banksy and Jaimie D'Cruz

Short Film (Live Action): The Confession, Tanel Toom

Documentary (Short Subject): Killing in the Name,

Film Editing: 127 Hours, Jon Harris

Actor in a Leading Role: Colin Firth, The King's Speech

Sound Editing: Inception, Richard King

Actor in a Supporting Role: Christian Bale, The Fighter

Foreign Language Film: Biutiful, Mexico

Actress in a Leading Role: Natalie Portman, Black Swan

Sound Mixing: Inception, Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo and Ed Novick

Makeup: Barney's Version, Adrien Morot

Actress in a Supporting Role: Melissa Leo, The Fighter

Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 3, Lee Unkrich

Music (Original Score): The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Visual Effects: Iron Man 2, Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick

Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland, Production Design: Robert Stromberg, Set Decoration: Karen O'Hara

Writing (Adapted Screenplay): The Social Network, Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin

Music (Original Song): Coming Home (from "Country Strong"), Music and Lyric by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey

Cinematography: Inception, Wally Pfister

Costume Design: Alice In Wonderland, Colleen Atwood

Writing (Original Screenplay): The King's Speech, Screenplay by David Seidler

Best Picture: The Social Network, Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin

Directing: The Social Network, David Fincher

brandbowl

another Superbowl has come and gone. wings were plattered, beer was tapped and couches were overutilized. at the end of it all, we have winners, losers and a few too many people getting hit in the head with refreshments.

my winners:

#3: Motorola Xoom (Empower the People). Sure, it's a take on Apple's 1984 and the tablet is being slated to sell for $800 (yowzers), but it's beautifully shot and would even make non-tech savvy curmudgeon grandparents interested.

#2: VW (The Force & Black Beetle). Had a tie on this one. Darth may have won out, but I'd seen it for a week prior to the Superbowl air, thus taking away some of the freshness. And Beetle gets in there not only for cleverness, but also for soundtracking Black Betty. Huge win.

#1: Chrysler (Imported from Detroit). Those who know me well, know that I have been a huge fan of the Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler commercial rebranding. Though I could have used a little less Eminem schmalztiness, I never tire of the strong images, deliberate slow motions, and moving voiceovers.