As Seth MacFarlane dusts off his best Tommy Lee Jones straight face and rules out only his most offensive jokes in preparation to host the Oscars, one question still remains: Who will go home with their own Academy Award? Here are a few thoughts and predictions about the upcoming event.
Best Picture:
In an array of films as varied as they come, one theme echoes throughout:
America.
Whether it’s the good or the bad of the United States of America, 2012 emphasized this country’s roots in several beautifully complex cinematic experiences.
But while Lincoln’s serious tone has lost some lackluster appeal in the final days of awards season, and Zero Dark Thirty’s political relevance has become too controversial for the arts world get involved, Argo has remained a strong critical and box office success.
A captivating and exciting depiction of CIA operative Tony Mendez’s successful strategy to rescue six US diplomats during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, Argo incorporates expert direction, incredibly powerful and captivating acting and true cinematic excitement. While it would be nice to see the Academy acknowledge Zero Dark Thirty as the groundbreaking film it is and ignore its surrounding inflated controversy, the politics of this industry keep any wish of that at bay. Regardless, the ridiculous exclusion of Ben Affleck as a Best Director contender will be compensated for with the highest honor bestowed upon his film.
Should/Will win: Argo
Best Actor:
While all of the nominees for best actor undoubtedly put their best foot forward in their range of roles, it’s Mr. Daniel “My Left Foot” Day-Lewis who has edged out the competition and proven to be the favorite among all audiences alike. While Joaquin Phoenix of The Master and Hugh Jackman of Les Miserables gave remarkably impressive performances — the former finding religious refuge in a trivial world and the latter incorporating his complex emotions into live singing — it takes the superhuman talent of Day-Lewis to impeccably portray one of the most important figures of a country foreign to his own.
As America’s beloved sixteenth President in Lincoln, Day-Lewis gave a performance for the ages as he transformed emotionally and physically, revealing a credible nature to even the most personal interactions of Abraham Lincoln’s life. On Oscar night, it will be Day-Lewis making history of his own, as he becomes the first actor to win Best Actor in a Leading Role three times. Who knows, maybe he’ll even don a top hat for the occasion.
Should/Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis
Best Actress:
Out of all the categories, Best Actress seems like the biggest toss-up this year. From Naomi Watts’ heart-wrenching portrayal in The Impossible as a vacationing mother in Thailand struggling to find her family during the 2004 tsunami disaster, to Quvenzhané Wallis’ ever-transcendent performance as Hushpuppy in the emotional Beasts of the Southern Wild, the five nominees are all nothing if not incredibly deserving. But the race seems to be a consistent three-way tie between Emmanuelle Riva, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jessica Chastain, with each of these leading ladies interchanging leadership weekly. However, as proven with Meryl Streep’s win over crowd favorite Viola Davis last year, it isn’t always the nominee with the most “pre-Oscar” awards that takes home a golden statue of their own. Following this trend, Emmanuelle Riva, who has only won the BAFTA for her exceptional work as a passionate musician slowly losing her most basic abilities in Amour, seems the most likely to connect with the overwhelmingly elderly population that make up the Academy voters. She also showcases the drama and despair that Academy voters pine for. Despite her critical stardom in France, Riva’s relative anonymity in America proves to be her greatest weakness among her equally talented competitors, Lawrence and Chastain. While many argue that Chastain’s character in Zero Dark Thirty lacks the depth needed to secure the leading actress award, the fact that she can single-handedly carry the film depicting our country’s most recently vital history, often with no more than a chillingly detached expression, speaks for itself. Yet, while the chameleonic talent Chastain has showcased in the past year is hard for Academy members to ignore, the “feel-good” quality of Jennifer Lawrence’s Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook may appeal to more voters as well. As Tiffany, Lawrence perfectly and believably navigates through insecurities, mental psychosis, heartwarming charm and even sports analysis, often outshining her much more seasoned counterparts. With Hollywood king Harvey Weinstein on her side, her magnetic charisma will edge out her opponents come Oscar night, just hopefully not Hunger Games style.
Should win: Jessica Chastain, Will win: Jennifer Lawrence
Best Supporting Actor:
With all of the nominees for Best Supporting Actor vying for not their first, but their second golden man, a clear favorite has not been established, as the variety of this season’s awards have been allotted almost equally among the actors. While Phillip Seymour Hoffman undoubtedly gives an extremely praiseworthy performance as the leader of a Scientology-esque group in The Master, the two most profound portrayals are that of Tommy Lee Jones and Robert De Niro in Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook, respectively. As Pat Sr., De Niro sheds his “Raging Bull” exterior and instead casts a poignant light upon the emotionally delicate relationship between father and son, moving audiences across the board. However, it is Jones’s equally impressive take as radical Republican congressional leader Thaddeus Stevens that lends great empathy and sincerity to the abolitionist movement among all viewers. His emotional bravado is so captivating that it feels as if Stevens has risen again. For everyone’s sake, let’s just hope he brings a smile.
Should win: Robert De Niro, Will win: Tommy Lee Jones
Best Supporting Actress:
While it would be far easier for the Academy to save about fifteen minutes and just give this award to Anne Hathaway now, they undoubtedly must recognize the variety of tremendous performances among Helen Hunt, Amy Adams, and Jacki Weaver. However, Hathaway’s only real (and by real, I mean only slightly more than non-existent) competition comes in the form of Sally Fields’s portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln in Lincoln. While her dramatic capacity encompasses both the courage and fragility of the First Lady, it cannot compare to the sheer hopelessness Hathaway lends herself to in Les Miserables. Her testament to the shamelessly teary-eyed solo, her complete nutritional deprivation, and even a buzz cut solidify her place on top. She dreamed a dream, and that dream to grace the Oscar Stage will come true on Oscar night.
Should/Will win: Anne Hathaway
Tune in to the 85th Academy Awards, hosted by Seth MacFarlane, on February 24 at 7pm on ABC!
