LITTLE ROCK — It’s game time again. Here are my Oscar picks, as well as the picks of our panel of especially interested Oscar watchers. (Some of these people - we’re not naming names - supplement their incomes by making Oscar picks.)
We’re picking what we think will win, not what we think ought to win. Check back next week to see how we’ve done. And no gambling, please.
(For my thoughts on the vagaries of Oscar voting, see Sunday’s Style section.)
Our panel: Sam Blair, retired Central High School college counselor, our resident armchair critic and a frequent contributor to our Blood, Dirt & Angels blog. Jennifer Boulden, a self described “Oscar blogaholic,” who posts the occasional online film review here or there but luckily is still employed by the Fort Smith Convention and Visitors Bureau, where she’s obsessed with True Grit to quite certainly an unhealthy degree. Danny-Joe Crofford, the producer of The Show With No Name on KABZ-FM, 103.7, “The Buzz” and the Blood, Dirt & Angels strength and conditioning coach. Travis Eddings, Fayetteville-based contributor to Popcorn Alley. Jeff LeMaster, editor of this newspaper’s zoned editions and frequent contributor to Arkansas Life and Sync. Joe Riddle of North Little Rock, a film geek and copy editor at this newspaper. Jay Russell, formerly of North Little Rock, also a film geek now living in Los Angeles. Blake Rutherford, chief of staff to the attorney general of Arkansas and a moviegoer.
BEST PICTURE
The nominees are: 127 Hours, Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Kids Are All Right, The King’s Speech, The Social Network, Toy Story 3, True Grit, Winter’s Bone
Blair: The King’s Speech Boulden: The King’s Speech Crofford: The King’s Speech Eddings: The Social Network LeMaster: The Social Network Riddle: The King’s Speech Russell: The King’s Speech Rutherford: The King’s Speech Martin: The Social Network
DIRECTOR
The nominees are: Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan; David Fincher, The Social Network; Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech; Coen Brothers, True Grit; David O. Russell, The Fighter
Blair: Fincher Boulden: Fincher Crofford: Hooper Eddings: Fincher LeMaster: Fincher Riddle: Fincher Russell: Hooper Rutherford: Fincher Martin: Fincher
ACTRESS
The nominees are: Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right; Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole; Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone; Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine; Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Blair: Portman Boulden: Portman Crofford: Portman Eddings: Portman LeMaster: Portman Riddle: Bening Russell: Portman Rutherford: Portman Martin: Lawrence
ACTOR
The nominees are: Jeff Bridges, True Grit; Javier Bardem, Biutiful; Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network; Colin Firth, The King’s Speech; James Franco, 127 Hours
Blair: Firth Boulden: Firth Crofford: Firth Eddings: Firth LeMaster: Firth Riddle: Firth Russell: Firth Rutherford: Firth Martin: Firth
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
The nominees are: Amy Adams, The Fighter; Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech; Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom; Melissa Leo, The Fighter; Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Blair: Steinfeld Boulden: Leo Crofford: Leo Eddings: Steinfeld LeMaster: Bonham Carter Riddle: Weaver Russell: Leo Rutherford: Leo Martin: Steinfeld
SUPPORTING ACTOR
The nominees are: Christian Bale, The Fighter; John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone; Jeremy Renner, The Town; Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right; Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech
Blair: Bale Boulden: Bale Crofford: Bale Eddings: Bale LeMaster: Bale Riddle: Rush Russell: Bale Rutherford:Bale Martin: Bale
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The nominees are: Another Year, written by Mike Leigh; The Fighter, written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, story by Keith Dorrington, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson; Inception, written by Christopher Nolan; The Kids Are All Right, written by Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg; The King’s Speech, screenplay by David Seidler
Blair: The King’s Speech Boulden: The King’s Speech Crofford: The King’s Speech Eddings: The King’s Speech LeMaster: The Kids Are All Right Riddle: The King’s Speech Russell: The King’s Speech Rutherford: The King’s Speech Martin: The King’s Speech
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The nominees are: 127 Hours, screenplay by Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy; The Social Network, screenplay by Aaron Sorkin; ToyStory 3, screenplay by Michael Arnd, story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich; True Grit, written for the screen by Joel and Ethan Coen; Winter’s Bone, adapted for the screen by Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini
Blair: The Social Network Boulden: The Social Network Crofford: The Social Network Eddings: The Social Network LeMaster: True Grit Riddle: The Social Network Russell: The Social Network Rutherford: The Social Network Martin: The Social Network
ANIMATED FEATURE
The nominees are: How to Train Your Dragon, The Illusionist, Toy Story 3
Blair: Toy Story 3 Boulden: Toy Story 3 Crofford: Toy Story 3 Eddings: Toy Story 3 LeMaster: Toy Story 3 Riddle: Toy Story 3 Russell: Toy Story 3 Rutherford: Toy Story 3 Martin: The Illusionist
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The nominees are: Black Swan, Matthew Libatique; Inception, Wally Pfister; The King’s Speech, Danny Cohen; The Social Network, Jeff Cronenweth; True Grit, Roger Deakins
Blair: Deakins Boulden: Deakins Crofford: Deakins Eddings: Deakins LeMaster: Deakins Riddle: Deakins Russell: Pfister Rutherford: Deakins Martin: Deakins
Documentary (Feature)
The nominees are: Exit Through the Gift Shop, Banksy and Jaimie D’Cruz; Gasland, Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic; Inside Job, Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs; Restrepo, Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger; Waste Land, Lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley
Blair: Inside Job Boulden: Exit Through the Gift Shop Crofford: Inside Job Eddings: Exit Through the Gift Shop LeMaster: Exit Through the Gift Shop Riddle: Inside Job Russell: Inside Job Rutherford: Inside Job Martin: Inside Job E-mail:
MovieStyle, Pages 33 on 02/25/2011