Oscar reax part deux

Continuing from where I left off with Oscar ...

Best Original Screenplay
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Asghar Farhadi, A Separation

Clearly this is a two-film race between two odes to the past: The Artist and Midnight in Paris. I'm leaning toward The Artist because it has the ingenious factor going for it, and I think the overall affection for the film will carry the day.
 
Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Jim Rash, and Nat Faxon, The Descendants
John Logan, Hugo
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, and Beau Willimon, The Ides of March
Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zaillian, Moneyball
Peter Straughan and Bridget O’Connor, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

 Here's another two-film race, between The Descendants and Moneyball. Moneyball has a good shot because it has two A-list writers adapting a book that people said couldn't be a movie. Still, The Desecendants seems to be better liked to me, and it's a more emotional piece. Emotionalism tends to carry the day.


Best Animated Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango 

So Pixar gets snubbed for the first time in this category. but that wasn't a great surprise. Does Cars 2 deserve all the scorn it got? No. Does it merit an Oscar nomination? No. I'm willing to bet it's better than the two nominated DreamWorks sequels, but Rango's quirkiness gives it an edge. I'm at a disadvantage in this category because I haven't seen A Cat in Paris or Chico & Rita. Then again, few people have.


Best Foreign Language Film
Bullhead (Belgium)
Monsieur Lazhar (Canada)
A Separation (Iran)
Footnote (Israel)
In Darkness (Poland)

A Separation has all kinds of acclaim, so that's my best guess.


Best Cinematography
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse


OK, OK, so A  lot of people didn't "get" Tree of Life. But no matter how much that film makes you feel like saying "Derp," if you deny the cinematography, you are willfully blind. Hugo's lush 3D photography could take the prize, though.

Art Direction
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
War Horse

The Artist could win in a sweep. but I think Dante Ferretti's electorate, resplendent sets for Hugo will stick the most with viewers.


Costume Design
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Hey, the film directed by Madonna got nominated! (rolls eyes). Most likely The Artist (again).


Documentary Feature
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated


I'm guessing the movie that helped free murder suspects from prison (Paradise Lost 3) gets the nod.



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 

Hugo or The Artist. I lean toward Hugo, which is flashier.

Makeup
Albert Nobbs, Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston, and Matthew W. Mungle
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk, and Yolanda Toussieng 
The Iron Lady, Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

Hey Harry. here's your Oscar!

Music (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

Most likely The Artist (again), although I could see Hugo taking this too.

Music (Original Song)
“Man or Muppet” from The Muppets, Bret McKenzie
“Real in Rio” from Rio, Sergio Mendes, Carlinhos Brown, and Siedah Garrett

Sheeeez. Sometimes I think this category ought to go the way of Best Dance Direction.  Muppets easy.



Sound Editing
Drive
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Sound Mixing
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Monyeball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

These tend to be hard to predict. Hell, The Ghost and the Darkness won this award. I'll guess Hugo for both, since it's a Best Picture nominee. BTW, why couldn't Super 8 have been nominated instead of the robots?



Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

It took forever for the Academy to recognize an animated film could be a Best Picture nominee; I'm not sure why people seriously thought Andy Serkis would get a nomination for motion capture work. However, an Oscar for the people who helped turn him into an ape? It's been done before (King Kong), it can be done again.