For the past two years, I've been 7 out of 8 in these major categories. Well, here goes...
Best Picture
127 Hours
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone
Winner: The Social Network (doesn't lead the overall nominations total, but it has won virtually all of the awards to date)
Best Actor
Javier Bardem in Biutiful (won Oscar in 2007 for No Country For Old Men, third nomination overall)
Jeff Bridges in True Grit (won Best Actor last year, won't be a repeat)
Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network (film will win enough awards without him winning)
Colin Firth in The King's Speech (Nominee last year in this category and I expect him to take it home)
James Franco in 127 Hours (First time in a while that the show's co-host is also a nominee)
Winner: Colin Firth (He has won numerous awards to date. It's a strong performance)
Best Actress
Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right (Fourth overall nomination, but she'll come up empty-handed again)
Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole (Won Oscar for Best Actress in 2002 for The Hours)
Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone (Who's this?)
Natalie Portman in Black Swan (Plays a ballerina who goes nuts-perfect Oscar fodder)
Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine (Second nomination for Heath Ledger's former squeeze and mother of his child)
Winner: Natalie Portman (Her role has Oscar written all over it- and now she'll be taken seriously until people see Thor)
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale in The Fighter (Plays crackhead brother of main character-steals the film and by the way also plays Batman)
John Hawkes in Winter's Bone (Who is this? Had to look him up and I don't recognize him, but I do recognize some movies he was in)
Jeremy Renner in The Town (Nominated last year for Best Actor, plays a tough guy from Boston like Bale does.)
Mark Ruffalo in The Kids Are All Right (He will play Dr. Bruce Banner in the upcoming Avengers movie and Bale of course plays Batman. What does this mean? Nothing)
Geoffrey Rush in The King's Speech (Fourth overall nomination for previous Best Actor winner for 1996's Shine)
Winner: Christian Bale (A scene stealing performance and he has an addiction in the film, which tends to lead to Oscar)
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams in The Fighter (I think her performance was better than Melissa Leo's and more multi-dimensional, but I'm here to pick the winner and she won't be it-Third overall nomination)
Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech (Firth and Rush are getting more publicity-Second nomination)
Melissa Leo in The Fighter (Second nomination overall. Has won Golden Globe)
Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit (Is 15 and in her first major role. I'm going to go against her winning)
Jacki Weaver in Animal Kingdom (She was an Emmy winner on the show 227 all those years ago....um, sorry that's Jackee, not this actress. I never heard of this actress either. Is this the Independent Spirit Awards or the Oscars?)
Winner: Melissa Leo (Her performance is the flashiest and it is a fine one, which is garnering attention and awards galore)
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen for True Grit
David Fincher for The Social Network
Tom Hooper for The King's Speech
David O. Russell for The Fighter
Winner: David Fincher (Second nomination and notice Christopher Nolan not nominated for Inception)
Best Original Screenplay
Another Year
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
Winner: The Kids Are All Right (Story of a lesbian couple raising children. Nolan won't win even as a consolation prize despite it being a film of real originality. It may have confused too many voters)
Best Adapted Screenplay
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone
Winner: The Social Network by Aaron Sorkin (The script is what makes the film special. It has an ear for smart, witty dialogue)
