We’re popping the popcorn and getting our best formal wear ready for Sunday’s big Academy Awards extravaganza. (Yes, darlings, we don full tux-and-tails at our Oscar viewing party.)
Earlier in the week we shared some great queer flicks that didn’t get nominated by the Academy. Today Queerty whiz kids Dan Avery and Evan Mulvihill look at the films that did get nominated in the six major categories (Best Actress/Actor, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Director and Best Film) plus a few others they felt like weighing in on.
Are our boys right on the money or way off base? Place your bets in the comments section!
FIRST UP: Best Actor!
Photo: Columbia Pictures
Best Actor: Demián Bichir (A Better Life), George Clooney (The Descendants), Jean Dujardin (The Artist) Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
Dan: None of these are huge flashy pictures, but I’m gonna say Clooney gets the Oscar. In fact, I think the Academy would give him Best Supporting Actress and Best Full Frontal if it could. But I want Dujardin to win—even though we don’t get to hear his sexy French accent in The Artist.
Evan: I want Jean Dujardin to win, too. He can totally tie me up in a Paris dungeon and have his way with me. Sure, I’d allow Pitt and Clooney to do that too, but Monsieur Dujardin would do it best.
NEXT: Best Actress
Photo: Fox Searchlight
Best Actress: Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs), Viola Davis (The Help), Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady), Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)
Dan: Who do I think will win? Viola David (for the feel-good role) or Meryl Streep (’cause she’s Meryl Streep). Who do I want to win? Anyone but Michelle Williams. I’d rather watch Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino in Norma Jean & Marilyn three times in a row than sit through My Week with Marilyn again.
Evan: This one is a toughie—I love all these bitches! Meryl and Glenn will probably battle it out for the statue, which is okay. I mean how can any self-respecting gay man not worship them? But my personal pick is underdog Rooney Mara, because she freaking killed it in Dragon Tattoo. I went into that movie having seen all of the Swedish versions and—while I thought Noomi Rapace was pretty good—Mara did the brooding bisexual punk chick thing to perfection. #TeamRooney
Photo: The Weinstein Company
NEXT: Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Marilyn, Jonah Hill (Moneyball ), Nick Nolte (Warrior), Christopher Plummer (Beginners), Max von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close)
Evan: I know I’m totally pandering to the one queer character in this category, but it should be Plummer. You gotta love the guy for playing an older gay man who comes out of the closet, puts on a purple shirt, pops some ecstasy and parties like it’s 1999. And the Academy will too.
Dan: Not to be a Debbie Downer, Ev, but this one is Plummer’s to lose: He’s already won a slew of awards for the role and he’s a beloved thespian in his golden years who’s never won an Oscar.
NEXT: Best Supporting Actress
Photo: Focus Features
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Best Supporting Actress: Bérénice Bejo (The Artist), Jessica Chastain (The Help), Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs), Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Evan: Who am I rooting for? Melissa McCarthy! Girlfriend was hilarious in Bridesmaids. Beyond funny. And have you seen her in the outtakes? They’re even better than the real thing! Who will win? Who cares?
Dan: I’m not sure why the Weinsteins didn’t submit Bejo for Best Actress consideration. She’s in The Artist as much as Jean Dujardin, who’s up for Best Actor, and she’d have a better shot in that category. I think this one’s no contest: The Help‘s Octavia Spencer probably has her acceptance speech memorized and number of tear drops calculated already.
NEXT: Best Costumes
Photo: The Weinstein Company
Best Costume Design: Anonymous, The Artist, Hugo, Jane Eyre, W.E.
Dan: The Artist really did an amazing job with period costumes and will probably get the Oscar, which I’m okay with. It would be awesome if W.E. nailed it, though, so a Madonna movie could be an Oscar winner for something other than Best Original Song.
Evan: I’m throwing W.E. a bone here: Madonna got robbed in Best Song and the movie’s stunning outfits were designed by legit fashion hot-shot Arianne Phillips. Hugo also had flawless early 20th-century duds, but W.E.’s were freakin’ Parisian haute couture. You can’t beat that.
NEXT: Best Original Song
Photo: The Weinstein Company
Best Original Song: “Man or Muppet” (The Muppets), “Real in Rio” (Rio)
Evan: My vote’s with “Real in Rio.” Those are some cute-ass birds—and the song just makes me happy. JTBC (just to be clear), “Real in Rio” is not on the level of “Under the Sea,” though I see some similarities in their expository exultation of exotic ensembles.
Dan: I just don’t understand why there are only two nominees in this category. All those movies that came out last year and they couldn’t fine a few more decent songs? Is this to make up for all the damn Best Picture nominees? Also, I’m still livid that Madonna didn’t get “Masterpiece” to qualify in this category. Girl, what were you thinking?!? Not that I particularly like it—I just love it when Madge gives grandiose acceptance speeches in her clipped faux-British accent. Of the actual nominees, though, I gotta go with “Man or Muppet.” I mean, it’s the Muppets! Don’t you wanna see Kermit and Piggy accept the award?
NEXT: Best Director
Photo: Walt Disney Pictures
Best Director: Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris), Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist), Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life), Alexander Payne (The Descendants), Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Evan: If the Academy wants to do like the Golden Globes and stroke Martin Scorsese’s oversized ego, so be it. But let’s throw this one to Malick, why not? He’s only got one Oscar, so far but it’s for Best Cinematography (Days of Heaven) and happened in 1979. Dude makes a picture like every 20 years and they’re always gorgeously abstruse—something Hollywood hardly ever does anymore. And of course Malick was brilliant to cast the beautiful Brad Pitt in the lead role.
Dan: Hazanavicius should and will win. And then maybe I’ll learn how to pronounce his name.
NEXT: Best Picture
Photo: The Weinstein Company
Best Picture: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo,
Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life
Evan: Why are there so many damn nominees in this category? I am a fan of limited options—I f**king freak out at Costco. For me it’s between War Horse and Hugo for the win. But I’m gonna pick Hugo because War Horse was way too long—and in real life Joey totally would’ve gotten killed at some point. A horse can’t just traipse all over WWI Europe and not get shot or break a leg. It just wouldn’t happen.
Dan: Personally, I’d love to see Hugo win too—or The Artist. They’re actually quite similar: both illustrate a fascinating chapter in cinematic history in a way that’s informative, engaging and entertaining. But I think the award will probably go to The Descendants, a.k.a First-World Problems or The Help, a.k.a White People Solve Racism. If there’s anything Academy voters love, it’s indulging their own self-centeredness.
Photo: Touchstone Pictures
DenverBarbie
The Academy is more about politics than performance, but if they surprise us and get it all right this year-
-Dujardin will take best actor.
-Viola Davis can add another trophy to her collection, as “Best Actress” is a no-brainer. (Though I am with Evan, Rooney Mara really gave Girl with the Dragon Tattoo hell.) Meryl Streep’s performance was ok, but not enough to save that horridly flawed Thatcher biopic.
-No contest for “Best Supporting Actor,” Christopher Plummer is truly the only option.
-Again, totally with Evan on “Best Supporting Actress.” (We may be cinematic soul mates… Who is your all-time favorite director? Movie?) I love funny girl Melissa McCarthy! But the Academy doesn’t have such a soft spot for existential female comedies. Octavia Spencer will probably bag this statue, and it is deserved.
-I haven’t seen many pictures in the costume category, but I’m going to play the same nasty Academy game I hounded them for- I’m rooting for anyone but Madonna. Sorry, boys.
-Finally, “Man or Muppet” for “Best Song.” I love me some Miss Piggy, and Jim Parsons did a couple versus on that one. (Always support family!)
Spike
Google this past weekends LA Times article regarding the Acadamy’s majority demgraphic, that
being, white, male and 66 years old, no point in discussing who should or should not win
as it pertains to the movie going public. It’s just an infomercial for the entertainment
industry anyways. Just a matter of time before it becomes a reality show.
Hephaestion
Above all, Jean DuJardin deserves the Best Actor Oscar. He carried “The Artist.” It would not be the masterpiece it is without his brilliant performance.
Evan Mulvihill
@DenverBarbie: Twinsies!
loafersguy
Ok, I’ll have a go.
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin.
Deserves to win and will win. Brought out the heart and soul of his character with virtually no spoken dialogue AND had to learn how to tap dance. Can’t beat that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2s9ZlenQm8
Best Actress: Viola Davis
Should have won for “Doubt” and will win here. Her only real competition of course is Meryl Streep, but I don’t think “The Iron Lady” is a strong enough picture to carry her across the finish line this year.
Best Supporting Actor:
Christopher Plummer
Should win and will win. I’m hoping that he’ll sing “Something Good” from “The Sound Of Music” during his acceptance speech.
Best Supporting Actress:
Octavia Spencer
Should win and will win. She’s won all the other awards up to now and Sunday night will be no exception.
Best Director:
Michel Hazanavicius for “The Artist”
Best Costume Design:
“The Artist”
Best Original Song:
“Man Or Muppet”
And finally, for Best Picture:
“The Artist”
Okama
I’d really love to see Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close take the Oscar, but I’m not fanciful enough to think that will actually happen. The Oscars are, after all, a popularity contest, and that movie did not get enough popularity to win. I’d definitely settle for Hugo, or maybe The Tree of Life, both really great movies as well.
Basch
AHHH fuckkk Hugo that movie was painful to watch. The message and everything was great, but it was terribly boring and I can’t believe it was billed as a family movie. Any kids who can sit through that deserve a prize. It should have been a short film and left at that.
Price Waterhouse
This will finally be Clooney’s year for best actor.
drums
Beginners should win everything forever. But since the Christopher Plummer nom is the only big one associated with it, I hope he gets it.
Tom
Since hollywood loves movies about itself The Artist will win Best Picture, Actor and Director, and possibly Art Direction. And I will win my pool.
Jim
I would absolutely love to see Rooney Mara win best actress. She is a new face and absolutely made that movie. I still need to check out the Swedish version.