While I will now predict an Oscar for Star Trek, it’s not the kind they’ll put on the box…
MAKEUP
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria
Will Win: Star Trek
Should Win: Star Trek
Although it doesn’t always go this way, the more obvious work is the surer winner. Here, Eric Bana is transformed and that green chick is, like, totally green.
Seriously, I didn’t recognize him. Or Winona Ryder. I have nothing to add except to say that you should totally go see Il Divo.
COSTUME DESIGN
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria
Will Win: The Young Victoria
Should Win: The Young Victoria
First off, how bad would it be if Coco Before Chanel *didn’t* get nominated for Best Costume Design? Anyhoo, period pieces, especially the frilly ones, tend to have the edge here.
Having no costume preferences whatsoever this year, I’m just going to go with the flow.
ART DIRECTION
Avatar
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria
Will Win: Avatar
Should Win: Avatar
Kind of a technical award, right? Avatar.
Avatar won this award for me before they even left the base. Amazing.
ORIGINAL SCORE
Avatar
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up
Will Win: Up
Should Win: Sherlock Holmes
BFCA, BAFTA, and the Globes, at least, agree on Up.
Granted, the Avatar score was strong (I even liked the way it called back the Aliens soundtrack from time to time), but I really liked how Hans Zimmer incorporated Irish folk elements into an otherwise straightforward action score on Holmes.
ORIGINAL SONG
The Princess and the Frog: “Almost There”
The Princess and the Frog: “Down in New Orleans”
Paris 36: “Loin de Paname”
Nine: “Take It All”
Crazy Heart: “The Weary Kind”
Will Win: “The Weary Kind”
Should Win: “The Weary Kind”
Golden Globes and BFCA agree, and I’m expecting a little of the Jeff Bridges love to rub off here as well.
I haven’t actually heard any of the other songs, but I like this one! Whole soundtrack’s actually pretty good.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Ajami – Israel
The Milk of Sorrow – Peru
A Prophet – France
The Secret in Their Eyes – Argentina
The White Ribbon – Germany
Will Win: The White Ribbon
Should Win: Um…
If Sin Nombre or Summer Hours were in the running, it might be a tighter race, but the acclaim lavished on The White Ribbon so far is considerable, although you might want to consider A Prophet a spoiler.
Enough about me, what do you think should win for Foreign Language Film? (Yeah, I haven’t seen any of these.)
In our next installment: If only there were a clear front-runner for Best Visual Effects. I just don’t know.
[...] I liked The King’s Speech’s costume design more or less than any of these others so, like last year, I’m willing to go with the [...]