This Sunday is Hollywood’s biggest night, so ere are my picks for Sunday’s Oscars.  And, just because I can’t help it, I’m also including whom I really would have voted for if the nominations were better.  I’ve skipped the animated short, live action short, foreign, and documentary categories since I know nothing about anything in those categories.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Artist – Written by Michel Hazanavicius

Bridesmaids – Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig

Margin Call – Written by J.C. Chandor

Midnight in Paris – Written by Woody Allen

A Separation – Written by Asghar Farhadi

My pick: Bridesmaids
Who I would have picked if I could have: Source Code

I honestly didn’t see any of these movies, but from what I have heard and seen in previews, Bridesmaids is well worth seeing, so it would have my vote.  However, Source should have been nominated and won easily.  Most of the best movies I saw this year were adapted in some form, but Source Code was one of the most original movies I’ve seen in a long time.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants – Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

Hugo – Screenplay by John Logan

The Ides of March – Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon

Moneyball – Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin and Story by Stan Chervin

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan

My pick: Moneyball
Who I would have picked if I could have: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Moneyball was a great movie.  I love sports movies, even if this one was less about sports than the business of sports.  The dialogue and jokes were great beginning to end.  I think this is as good a time as any to point out what a complete sham the Oscars are.  That Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 was not nominated for a single award is proof that these awards really mean nothing.  I will try not to say that over and over again.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson

Hugo – Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning

Real Steel – Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg

Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett

Transformers: Dark of the Moon – Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

My pick: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Well, this proves that occasionally they get the nominations right (though Hugo shouldn’t have been nominated over Thor).  Transformers has been robbed twice before, in 2007 by The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and in 2009 by Avatar (though 2009 is much less a travesty than 2007).  This is the year.  Aside from Hugo the other nominees all had excellent affects, but none of the scale of Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

BEST SOUND MIXING

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson

Hugo – Tom Fleischman and John Midgley

Moneyball – Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick

Transformers: Dark of the Moon – Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin

War Horse – Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

My pick: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

This one doesn’t need any explanation.

BEST SOUND EDITING

Drive – Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Ren Klyce

Hugo – Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty

Transformers: Dark of the Moon – Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl

War Horse – Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

My pick: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Again, this one doesn’t need any explanation.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Man or Muppet – The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie

Real in Rio – Rio, Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos and Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

My pick: Man or Muppet

I think there were some other worthy songs from the Muppets, but this is the one I remember most.  I can’t think of any others songs that stand out from last year, and although I just saw Rio recently, I don’t even remember Real in Rio.  Apparently Iridescent by Linkin Park isn’t considered original.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Adventures of Tintin – John Williams

The Artist – Ludovic Bource

Hugo – Howard Shore

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Alberto Iglesias

War Horse – John Williams

My pick: The Adventures of Tintin
Who I would have picked if I could have: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

John Williams is always going to be nominated for these awards, and since I hated War Horse, I’d have to vote for The Adventures of Tintin.  Of course, Transformers: Dark of the Moon had a wonderful soundtrack, but then nobody cares about the really good movies.

MAKEUP

Albert Nobbs – Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – Nick Dudman, Amanda Knight and Lisa Tomblin

The Iron Lady – Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

My pick: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The makeup in the Harry Potter movies has always been amazing, and they have never won in this category.  They have been so badly snubbed by the Academy, at least give them this long overdue and highly deserved award.

BEST FILM EDITING

The Artist – Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius

The Descendants – Kevin Tent

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

Hugo – Thelma Schoonmaker

Moneyball – Christopher Tellefsen

My pick: Moneyball
Who I would have picked if I could have: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

One of the great things about Moneyball is how well they cut together actual game footage with new footage shot for the movie.  Of course, Transformers: Dark of the Moon was better.

DIRECTING

The Artist – Michel Hazanavicius

The Descendants – Alexander Payne

Hugo – Martin Scorsese

Midnight in Paris – Woody Allen

The Tree of Life – Terrence Malick

My pick: I have no idea.
Who I would have picked if I could have: Transformers: Dark of the Moon – Michael Bay

Lets face it.  No matter how good these movies he makes are, no one is ever going to give Michael Bay an Oscar because he makes movies that people love and not ones that people vote for.  Nonetheless, I’d vote for him.

COSTUME DESIGN

Anonymous – Lisy Christl

The Artist – Mark Bridges

Hugo – Sandy Powell

Jane Eyre – Michael O’Connor

W.E. – Arianne Phillips

My pick: I have no idea.
Who I would have picked if I could have: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

If you’ve seen any Harry Potter movie, you don’t need me to explain this one.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

The Artist – Guillaume Schiffman

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Jeff Cronenweth

Hugo – Robert Richardson

The Tree of Life – Emmanuel Lubezki

War Horse – Janusz Kaminski

My pick: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Who I would have picked if I could have: Transformers: Dark of the Moon

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was absolutely amazing in every way, and got snubbed in some key categories, most notably, Best Picture.  I really hope it wins.

ART DIRECTION

The Artist – Production Design: Laurence Bennett and Set Decoration: Robert Gould

Harry Potter and the Deat hly Hallows, Part 2 – Production Design: Stuart Craig and Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan

Hugo – Production Design: Dante Ferretti and Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo

Midnight in Paris – Production Design: Anne Seibel and Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil

War Horse – Production Design: Rick Carter and Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

My pick: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

There was simply no part of this movie I would change (accept maybe the scene on the bridge at the end).  This movie was brilliant, and this one it has a real chance to win.

Animated Feature Film

A Cat in Paris – Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli

Chico & Rita – Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal

Kung Fu Panda 2 – Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Puss in Boots – Chris Miller

Rango – Gore Verbinski

My pick: Puss in Boots

I think Puss in Boots winning this award is a foregone conclusion.  However, Shrek won Best Animated Feature and then Shrek 2 was nominated for the award.  Neither of the last two Shrek movies was even nominated.  I can see some voters looking at this as an extension of those and thus not being worthy of their votes.  I hope I’m wrong about this.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Bérénice Bejo – The Artist

Jessica Chastain – The Help

Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer – The Help

My pick: I don’t even recognize any of the names.
Who I would have picked if I could have: Evanna Lynch – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Luna Lovegood’s part in this movie may not have been as big as some others, but it was of key importance, and Evanna Lynch played her perfectly in each and every scene for the past four movies.  I would vote for her, but sadly, I think few others would.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

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

My pick: Rooney Mara – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Who I would have picked if I could have: Emma Watson – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

I would vote for Emma Watson if she were nominated, but it would have to be for the amazing work in eight movies.  Rooney Mara gave the performance of the year in The Girl with the Draggon Tattoo.  Sadly, either Meryl Streep or Glenn Close is going to win, because they always do.  Since Meryl Streep has won before, and Glenn Close has never won, my guess is she will, but she is the wrong choice.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Kenneth Branagh – My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill – Moneyball

Nick Nolte – Warrior

Christopher Plummer – Beginners

Max von Sydow – Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

My pick: Jonah Hill – Moneyball
Who I would have picked if I could have: Alan Rickman – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

First let me say that Jonah Hill was amazing in Moneyball, and I really hope he wins.  Having said that, the lack of at least a nomination for Alan Rickman’s performance as Severus Snape is perhaps the most egregious snub in the history of awards.  The Oscars truly are a joke, and such horrible decisions detract from every deserving win and nomination.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Demián Bichir – A Better Life

George Clooney – The Descendants

Jean Dujardin – The Artist

Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Brad Pitt – Moneyball

My pick: Brad Pitt – Moneyball
Who I would have picked if I could have: Dan Radcliffe – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Let’s face it.  This one is either going to Clooney or Oldman.  I can’t really argue against Gary Oldman, though I didn’t really like the movie.  Brad Pitt would have my vote.  Perhaps it’s not as egregious as Alan Rickman’s snub, but Dan Radcliffe deserved at least a nomination.

BEST PICTURE

The Artist – Thomas Langmann, Producer

The Descendants – Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close – Scott Rudin, Producer

The Help – Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers

Hugo – Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers

Midnight in Paris – Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers

Moneyball – Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers

The Tree of Life – Nominees to be determined

War Horse – Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

My pick: Moneyball
Who I would have picked if I could have: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Moneyball was a great movie and deserving, but clearly the Academy missed the boat on the most deserving movie.  Deathly Hallows, Part 2 was deserving in it’s own right, but having previously given the final Lord of the Rings film the awards when all three deserved it, the Academy was clearly showing their bias.  The Academy Awards become less relevant with each passing year.

Thanks for reading!