Predicting the 2011 Oscar Nominees

Teaching a Film Studies course this semester, I figure why not have 16 high school students do what I've been doing for years - predicting the Oscar nominees? Based on tomorrow's results, they will be divided into 5 categories based on how well they predicted, then they receive bonus points for correct answers. But, if any can beat my score, they'll be awarded a mega ton of bonus points - pretty awesome.

Before I continue with my predicitons, I'd just like to say that most of the time, I think the release of the nominees is more exciting than the one who wins the award - I sometimes think that by that time, when the Oscars come around (finally) it's mostly all set in stone for the big categories. I WANT SOME UPSETS, MAN.

Anyways, here are my predicitons for all the categories:

BEST PICTURE

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

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky for BLACK SWAN
Danny Boyle for 127 HOURS
David Fincher for THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Tom Hooper for THE KING'S SPEECH
Christopher Nolan for INCEPTION

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges in TRUE GRIT
Jesse Eisenberg in THE SOCIAL NETWORK
Colin Firth in THE KING'S SPEECH
James Franco in 127 HOURS
Ryan Gosling in BLUE VALENTINE

BEST ACTRESS
Annette Bening in THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Nicole Kidman in RABBIT HOLE
Jennifer Lawrence in WINTER'S BONE
Natalie Portman in BLACK SWAN
Michelle Williams in BLUE VALENTINE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale in THE FIGHTER
Andrew Garfield in THE SOCIAL NETWORK
John Hawkes in WINTER'S BONE
Jeremy Renner in THE TOWN
Geoffrey Rush in THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams in THE FIGHTER
Helena Bonham Carter in THE KING'S SPEECH
Mila Kunis in BLACK SWAN
Melissa Leo in THE FIGHTER
Jacki Weaver in ANIMAL KINGDOM

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Stuart Blumberg & Lisa Cholodenko for THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Sofia Coppola for SOMEWHERE

Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz & John J. McLaughlin for BLACK SWAN

Mike Leigh for ANOTHER YEAR

David Speidler for THE KING'S SPEECH

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Ben Affleck, Peter Craig & Aaron Stockhard for THE TOWN
Michael Arndt for TOY STORY 3
Joel & Ethan Coen for TRUE GRIT
Debra Granik, Anne Rosellini & Daniel Woodrell for WINTER'S BONE
Aaron Sorkin for THE SOCIAL NETWORK

BEST ART DIRECTION
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
INCEPTION
THE KING'S SPEECH
SHUTTER ISLAND
TRON: LEGACY

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
for TRUE GRIT
for THE SOCIAL NETWORK
for BLACK SWAN
for HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART I
for INCEPTION

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
THE KING'S SPEECH
THE TEMPEST
TRUE GRIT
SECRETARIAT

BEST FILM EDITING
THE FIGHTER
INCEPTION
THE KING'S SPEECH
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
THE TOWN

BEST MAKEUP
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
BLACK SWAN
LET ME IN

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
THE KING'S SPEECH
INCEPTION
NEVER LET ME GO
THE SOCIAL NETWORK
TOY STORY 3

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
127 HOURS - "If I Rise"
BURLESQUE - "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me"
TANGLED - "I See the Light"
TOY STORY 3 - "We Belong Together"
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN - "Shine"

BEST SOUND MIXING
BLACK SWAN
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
INCEPTION
IRON MAN 2
TRON: LEGACY

BEST SOUND EDITING
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
INCEPTION
IRON MAN 2
TRON: LEGACY
TRUE GRIT

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART I
INCEPTION
IRON MAN 2
TRON: LEGACY

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
INSIDE JOB
PRECIOUS LIFE
THE TILLMAN STORY
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN
WASTELAND

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE ATHLETE
BITIFUL
I AM LOVE
IN A BETTER WORLD
OUTSIDE THE LAW

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

How to Train a Dragon

The Illusionist

Toy Story 3