84th Academy Awards: My Predictions [UPDATE: Winners!]

Finally. awards season 2011/2012 is soon coming to an end via 'the biggest night in Hollywood'; Academy Awards. Penghargaan akbar yang tahun ini sudah ke-84 kalinya diadakan akan ditayangkan 26 Februari mendatang (27 Februari di WIB). Entah mengapa, dengan film dan penampilan menarik, kejutan hingga kekecewaan, I found this year is harder to predict, kalau mau dibandingkan dengan taun lalu. Walaupun sejumlah nominasi sudah agak terlihat jelas siapa yang akan menang, beberapa nominasi sampai sekarang pun masih menjadi misteri (I'm looking at you, Best Actress). Bahkan hingga detik-detik terakhir, dengan mulai dibacakan pula pemenang award-award dari industri perfilman lainnya, menebak-nebak buah manggis ini pun jadi semakin rancu. But at the end of the day, after that night, life goes on. We'll be concentrating on our lives (and next year's Oscar) again. So, whoever wins, I salute & congratulate you. But before that, let's make a fun out of it and start predicting. [UPDATE for WINNERS!]

* for full list of nominations, go here...

[UPDATE]

As expected, The Artist won the coveted Best Picture, along with Best Director, Actor, Costume and Score, rounding up to 5 Oscars. Artist won Best Picture without winning either Editing and Screenplay, I guess it doesn't happen often. Same number goes to Hugo who picked up some of surprise wins in a few categories. Moneyball & War Horse who got multiple nominations walked away empty handed (as expected, anyway).

Surprise wins including Meryl Streep snatching Best Actress, beating Viola Davis; Dragon Tattoo unexpectedly winning Editing (makin the first film winning only Editing since Bullitt and making Kirk Baxter / Angus Wall winning back-to-back since 1935/1936); Hugo taking Cinematography and Visual Effects which I personally think Tree of Life & Apes deserved it more.

Another deserved wins including A Separation winning Foreign (thank God, Academy got it right this time) and The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore winning Short Animation, a great film!

I was so out of touch this year, but I think it's a great thing; this year's Oscar has so many surprises. Who says this year's Oscar is boring?

BEST PICTURE

WINNER: THE ARTIST

BEST DIRECTOR

WINNER: MICHEL HAZANAVICIUS (THE ARTIST)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

WINNER: JEAN DUJARDIN (THE ARTIST)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

WINNER: CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER (BEGINNERS)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

WINNER: MERYL STREEP (THE IRON LADY)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

WINNER: OCTAVIA SPENCER (THE HELP)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

WINNER: THE DESCENDANTS

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

WINNER: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

WINNER: RANGO

BEST FOREIGN FILM

WINNER: A SEPARATION

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

WINNER: UNDEFEATED

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

WINNER: HUGO

BEST FILM EDITING

WINNER: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

THE ARTIST

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

WINNER: MAN OR MUPPET

BEST ART DIRECTION

WINNER: HUGO

BEST MAKEUP

WINNER: THE IRON LADY

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

WINNER: THE ARTIST

BEST SOUND EDITING

WINNER: HUGO

BEST SOUND MIXING

WINNER: HUGO

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

WINNER: HUGO

BEST SHORT FILM - DOCUMENTER: SAVING FACE
BEST SHORT FILM - ANIMATION: THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE
BEST SHORT FILM - LIVE ACTION: THE SHORE