Staff writer Tyler Simpson gives his early Oscar predictions
Now that it is mid-September, it's time to be on the lookout for films that grab the attention of the Academy. But while predicting Oscar nominations can be tricky, it's even trickier to predict which films will be likely candidates when they haven't been released yet. So why do it anyway? Because it's a great way to help build up the hype for the Oscar season and for the actual films as well. So it's time to keep our Oscar eyes open and see what's out there.
Already Out
"Moonrise Kingdom"
"Moonrise Kingdom" was the sleeper hit of the summer, but its status as a likely Best Picture nominee remains questionable with many upcoming films like "The Master" and "Les Misérables" also in the competition. So why would it be nominated? This movie happens to be Wes Anderson's best project since "The Royal Tenenbaums," centering on a romance between two preteens who won audiences over. For its cast and the set design alone, this film definitely deserves some recognition.
"Beasts of the Southern Wild"
"Beasts of the Southern Wild" is definitely one of the bigger films to pay close attention to since it has already received some prestigious awards, such as the Camera d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival and Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Benh Zeitlin will be the director from out of nowhere to compete for the Best Director category, and Quvenzhané Wallis will be the little actress from nowhere in the Best Actress category.
"The Avengers"
If you're thinking it's a certain Best Picture nominee, then you seriously need to come back to reality. The only categories "The Avengers" will most likely take home are the technical categories, including Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Editing. However, given the impressiveness of the screenplay that showed a sense of humanity among all the chaos and explosion, Joss Whedon could snag a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination.
"The Dark Knight Rises"
I know people will be saying, "Oh, but 'The Dark Knight' was much better and wasn't nominated for Best Picture, so why would 'The Dark Knight Rises' ever be nominated?" Well, it is possible the Academy will recognize what director Christopher Nolan has done with his "Dark Knight" trilogy — if not for Best Picture, then probably in the technical categories. After all, Peter Jackson's achievement with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy was partially the reason why "Return of the King" won Best Picture.
Coming Out
"Django Unchained"
Quentin Tarantino is always someone to look out for during the Oscar season. After the success of "Inglorious Basterds," Tarantino looks to get the Academy's attention again with his upcoming film "Django Unchained," a film that will no doubt be brutal, disturbing, absurd and controversial in the usual Tarantino fashion.
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"
Peter Jackson's celebrated "Lord of the Rings" trilogy earned a total of 30 nominations, winning 17 of them, due in large part to "The Return of the King." For the upcoming prequel series, "The Hobbit," Jackson has reassembled most of the creative team behind the original trilogy and "An Unexpected Journey" promises to be a visually stunning experience; the only thing that could hurt its Oscar chances is its comparably lighter material.
"Lincoln"
Daniel Day-Lewis has already established himself as one of the greatest actors alive with roles in films like "Gangs of New York" and "There Will Be Blood." So how can he grab yet another nomination at the Academy Awards? How about teaming him up with one of the most celebrated directors alive, Steven Spielberg? This movie probably won't just snag a Best Actor nomination for Day-Lewis, but maybe even a Best Picture nomination with its juicy supporting cast, too.
"Won't Back Down"
Viola Davis definitely needs to step it up after her surprising loss to Meryl Streep during the last Oscar race. Working from her nominated performance for "The Help," Davis will no doubt give a powerful performance as a teacher leading a crusade to reform an inner-city school.
"Argo"
As history has shown us, the Academy has shown some deep love for films that are directed by actors (this one is directed by Ben Affleck). Take into account the following films, all of which have won numerous awards: "Dances with Wolves," "Ordinary People" and "Million Dollar Baby," among others. Plus, Affleck has displayed notable skill in directing with "Gone Baby Gone" and "The Town." While he didn't get much attention for those films from the Academy, the third time could be the charm.