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.

Best Screenplay (Original and Adapted) predictions.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
1. The Master
Yes, my obession with PT Anderson's latest will thrive. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association will give it the prize, which will boost it's chances. The film is very divisive, but those who love it, LOVE it.

2. Django Unchained
The main thing hindering Tarantino is the fact that he already won for Pulp Fiction. Dually noted, one of the main things helping him is the fact that he's the guy that wrote Pulp Fiction. Also, the film won a Hollywood Film Award prize, if that is saying anything.

3. Zero Dark Thirty
Chassy is praising the script, saying its the best script she has ever read. I don't think she read Sunset Boulevard.... Anyways, this film will appeal to the same Hurt Locker fans, and Sony/Annapurna have been intentionally adjusting the release date. They know they have something special on their hands.

4. Amour
It's a foreign film, and a great one. The last great foreign film was A Separation, which managed to nab a nomination. This will appeal to the same crowd, and more.. or Amour?

5. Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson last got a nomination 11 years ago with his masterful Royal Tenenbaums. He's well overdo for a nom, and will get it.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
1. Argo
Ben Affleck's Argo is the frontrunner in many categories right now, and Weinstein might have overstayed his welcome. Also, Terrio's script is razor sharp and undeniably memorable.

2. Silver Linings Playbook
Next month this film could be the frontrunner, but right now it is where it is at... Critics are loving it, and so are audiences, but will this film's topic bid well with the Academy?

3. Lincoln
Two names: Spielberg and Tony Kushner. You can figure out its popularity by itself.

4. Life of Pi
Give praise to David Magee for adapting a very difficult script out of the impossibly difficult Life of Pi. This will be treated like 127 Hours.

5. Beasts of the Southern Wild
This film feels so unabashedly original, it will get a screenplay nomination just because it exists. I have problems with the script, but a victory for this film could redefine independent film forever. No joke.

The cycle must continue, I will repeat my predictions, and add reviews for coming films like Flight, Skyfall, Lincoln, and Life of Pi.

Best Actress predictions

BEST ACTRESS:

1. J. Law for Silver Linings Playbook.
She's young. They're in love. I mean 'They' as in the Academy. She basically was the main reason Winter's Bone got the nomination for Best Picture. Silver Linings is a crowd pleaser, and being the main star of The Hunger Games is only going to help her.

2. Marion Cotillard for Rust and Bone
Since Missy C has been a winner of Best Actress before, for a French film. Isn't Rust and Bone a French film? This year's Best Actress pickings have been reasonable slim, and her nomination is  near lock. Also, being a French goddess and being in The Dark Knight Rises is only going to help her.

3. Quevenzhane Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild
The best thing of Wallis' performance is that she was a natural Southern. She was born for the role. It was so unusual to see something so human in such a fantasy. The only thing limiting her nomination is her SAG ineligibility.

4. Emanuelle Riva for Amour
The old farts in the Academy will vote for her for what she's done (Hiroshima mon amour). The others will vote for her because she has an amazing performance in this foreign film. The main thing limiting her is the fact that the film is foreign. That probably could limit Marion Cotillard.

5. Tie between Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) and Naomi Watts (The Impossible)
JC is one of the stars that's taking Hollywood by storm, who can do art-house and blockbuster with ease. Zero Dark Thirty looks to be both. The film has yet to be seen, but Annapurna Productions and Sony has faith in the film. Naomi Watts has been praised for many performances, but has only nabbed one nomination, all the way back in 2003. So Chassy is only getting more popular, and Watts is losing her footing. However, The Impossible is a disaster true story tale, which will appeal to all members. Zero Dark Thirty is definitely going to get some controversy for its themes. However, it will appeal to those who voted for The Hurt Locker. I am conflicted.

Screenplay nomination predictions due tomorrow.