2012 Oscar Preview And Picks

The Oscars will be handed out this week, and this year could be one of the more interesting Academy Awards shows in quite a while.

First, Billy Crystal is back as the host, and he has always done well there. This is such a turn events after last years laughable, and disastrous choices of Anne Hathaway and James Franco. After they hacked up the stage for 3 hours last year, this year we needed someone with real ability to handle this lasrge undertaking. Many kudos.

And second, 2011 was an interesting year at the movies. There was no clear winner with the critics and the fans. There was no Titanic, or even last years The King's Speech that seemed a lock. So this year the field is wide open in virtually all categories.

After seeing 140 movies last year, I will give you three pics from each of the five major categories. I will give you the Academy's pic on who they will choose (prediction.) Then I will give you my personal favorite pick, and then who really should win the Oscar. So here goes!

Best Picture

The Academy - Hugo will win. Hollywood loves this movie endlessly, and I really don't know why. Yes, it's a nice movie and technically well done. But I feel this is entirely overrated. So many nominations. Martin Scorsese directed. Too big of a temptation for them to pass up.

My Favorite - Moneyball. This is a great movie that was so far beyond what it should have been. Great performances, and a surprisingly deep story line. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill were terrific.

What Should Win - The Artist. The black and white silent movie that tells a fantastic story with no dialogue. Performances, amazing photography and music. Cutting edge stuff.

Best Actor

The Academy - George Clooney in The Descendants. This is a good movie, and he is really good here. The awards show circuit has eaten this up so far. This is a very good performance, but not Oscar worthy with the field he's up against.

My Favorite - Brad Pitt in Moneyball. Pitt has never looked more comfortable and been better than this. I think he is in every single scene of this movie. Stellar performance, career best. It's now or never for Pitt.

What Should Win - Jean Dujardin in The Artist is on par with Pitt , but in a very different role. Both are magnificent.

Best Actress

The Academy - Viola Davis in The Help. She is wonderful, and it's a role that she really made powerful. Big movie, well reviewed and Hollywood loves this picture.

My Favorite - Michelle Williams in My Week With Marilyn. She is brilliant in her depiction of Marilyn Monroe in every regard. Tough part is, you have to actually look like Monroe, and she does. Simply great!

What Should Win - Michelle Williams. With all due respect to the field, this is the runaway best performance from an actress this year. And it's not even close.

Best Supporting Actor

The Academy - Christopher Plummer for Beginners. He is 80 years old, and has been great for years in countless movies. He is great here too. Last chance probably, he will win.

My Favorite - Nick Nolte for Warrior. In a movie that had very little box office success, he was stellar as a broken down father to two MMA fighting sons. Really gritty stuff. Completely believable.

Who Should Win - Nolte. Overall, this is a relatively weak field this year, and it could be his moment.

Best Supporting Actress

The Academy - Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids. She is very funny in this comedy. And the academy I think is just dying to branch out and give credence to the new era of raunchy comedies that make them so much money. It would help legitimize the genre if she wins. Hollywood loves her too.

My Favorite - Berenice Bejo in The Artist. She is absolutely fantastic in this role as the up and coming movie star in the early 1930's. This role was very challenging and she makes it look easy. Plus, I'm not so sure it would be possible to more likable on camera.

Who Should Win - Octavia Spencer in The Help. She was brilliant in her supporting role, and really energized a good movie, and gave it another direction when it needed one.

Feel free to e-mail me your thoughts scott@wqmx.com