Independent Spirit Award nominations!

I automatically assume The Master wasn't eligible because of its high budget. Check out the nominees!

BEST FEATURE

• Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Bernie
• Keep the Lights On
• Moonrise Kingdom
• Silver Linings Playbook

BEST DIRECTOR

• Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom
• Julia Loktev, The Loneliest Planet
• David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
• Ira Sachs, Keep the Lights On
• Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

BEST SCREENPLAY

• Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola, Moonrise Kingdom
• Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks
• Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths
• David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
• Ira Sachs, Keep the Lights On

Life of Pi (2012)- When visuals go ahead of writing.

I am going to sound like a cheap rehash of many reviews of this film. First off, I will explain the film. Then I will praise the visuals, but shun the writing, which was done by David Magee.

Best Actress predictions (11/24/12)

I wouldn't be doing these if there wasn't something big, like a change in the race. Yet, there is.

1. Jessica Chastain for 'Zero Dark Thirty'
Oscars have a tough relationship with relevancy. 'The Hurt Locker' was relevant to the time, and it won. 'The Social Network' was REALLY relevant, yet it lost. I think the Academy will side with relevancy this time, and give the prize to Chassy, because it is so challenging. Also, some Oscars voters assumedly watch 'Homeland', with Carrie Mathison having striking parallels to Jessica's character.

2. Jennifer Lawrence for 'Silver Linings Playbook'
As this film's chances are failing, so is the film's heavyweight. Jennifer Lawrence is too young of a best actress contender to win, judging from the fact that the Academy is 70% white old male. Emphasis on the OLD.

3. Quevenzhane Wallis for 'Beasts of the Southern Wild'
A select few love this independent film, and they will easily vote for the 6-year old Wallis. I don't intend to sound like a internet dweeb, but younger hipsters eat this film up, and Wallis with it. Also, Wallis has been doing some nice publicity for the film, but no SAG really hurts.

4. Emanuelle Riva for 'Amour'
Since this foreign film is predicted to win, and even be a Best Picture nominee, Emanuelle Riva is going to ride along with it. Since the Academy is 70% old white males, they will easily vote for Riva's performance that will hit close to home. Also, since there will most likely be room for one french performance, it will be Riva's, not Cotillard's difficult portrayal of an amputee.

5. Naomi Watts for 'The Impossible'
'The Impossible' is a film with growing momentum, with big sponsorship by Angelina Jolie. With this added boost, Watts will probably be nominated, kicking out Cotillard in the nominee spot.

Lincoln (2012)- Spielberg cares more about Lincoln instead of the audience.

Lincoln, the latest from Steven Spielberg, is the retelling of the last year of Abraham Lincoln's life, and his struggle to pass the 13th amendment.

Argo loses its lead to 'Les Mis', Anne Hathaway WILL win Best Supporting Actress.

'Les Mis' had its first screening today in the Big Apple, and to say it was overwhelming is an understatement.

Tweets across the interwebs report 'standing ovations', and a rather spectacular 'I Dreamed a Dream', sung by a skinny Catwoman. The acting in the film is allegedly described as 'superb', and Anne Hathaway as the runaway leader. Since Jessica Chastain is going lead for 'Zero Dark Thirty', Catwoman is going to have very little competition. And since the acting is great, the actors branch will give this the BP nom, and maybe even the win.

Since this film is a musical, and very epic, the Acadeny is clamoring for both, since both have been missing from the BP lineup for awhile. The win for the film could also change the way studios treat their releases due to the tides of independent films like 'Slumdog', 'Hurt Locker', 'King's Speech'...

Tom Hooper will also do well with the directors branch, since he was a previous winner in 2010. The art direction and the costume design will also be victors. It's been awhile since a film has swept the Oscars, and this will be it.

On the bright side for me, 'The Master', will probably win 2 Oscars, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (Hoffman). Maybe it could win Best Actor.

What will be this year's 'Extremely Loud'?

I was initially excited for Joe Wright's Anna Karenina, but unexciting clips and mediocre reviews made me lose interest.

But, there are two highly positive and influential reviews that could shake up the whole race. Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post and AO Scott of the New York Times both gave it 5/5. I would assume Scott will campaign for it come December at the New York Film Critics Circle, and maybe even for the Golden Globes.

Anna Karenina will probably do well with the BAFTA, a la Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Does this mean Karenina will be a Best Picture nominee? No, but don't count it out.

Extremely Loud was mostly ignored last year, except at the Critics Choice Awards. So maybe even this year, it's the critics that count, not the Guilds.

Best Picture Predictions (11/11/12)

BEST PICTURE:

1. Argo

Yes, Argo. This film was my favorite of the year as of three weeks ago, but I am going to give that spot to The Dark Knight Rises or Skyfall. However, this film is an ultimate crowdpleaser, and the Academy will embrace it because its a true story. Also, it has some of the sharpest writing of 2012.

2. Silver Linings Playbook

This film was #1 on my last predictions, but now it is fallen. The film will be difficult to embrace due to the fact that it deals with mental illness, and the cast is predominantly young. The young voters will vote for it, but its chances are still ever-slipping.

3. Lincoln

This film just came out, and it is being very well loved by many. The film also has one of the best performances of the year, with Daniel Day-Lewis. The older voters will love it, and it is also based off a true story

4. Les Miserables

It's Tom Hooper making his return to film, and it's big. This movie is guaranteed to be divisive, since it is more like an opera than a musical. This is probably a case where the film is 'too big to fail'.

5. Life of Pi

Remember the last time the Academy embraced a PG, 3D movie? Yeah, it was called Hugo, and it was last year. The CGI in the film is gorgeous, and probably irresistible to the voters. I'm pretty sure that the novel was also read by many in the Academy.

6. The Master

The Master. I'm still dying to see it. Those who voted for The Tree of Life last year will vote for this one, and it also features stunning acting by Joaquin Phoenix. This one is also a bonafide winner for Best Original Screenplay. This one probably benefits from the new Academy voting system, just like Tree did last year.

7. Zero Dark Thirty

Sony has a lot of faith in this one, and everyone knows it. The trailer reviews is infinite praise, and the film is also Kathryn Bigelow's return to work. This film also benefits from the 'true story' aspect, and those who voted for The Hurt Locker will follow through with this one.

8. Beasts of the Southern Wild

This one is going to make it in, barely. Critics who have seen it and said that it was 'best of the year' changed their mind after The Master. There's still an audience for this one, but no SAG can really hurt.

Skyfall (2012): M and James share a Bond-ing moment, and there's alwaysa 'Silva' lining.

Sam Mendes, Academy award winner for 'American Beauty' brings us his latest, the masterfully crafted 'Skyfall', which pulsates with a modern color palette and rambunctiously controlled energy.