Oscar Talk (FINAL PREDICTIONS): Editing/Cinematography/Visual Effects

So, on with the final predictions. Need I do a preamble? 

Visual Effects

Is it an upset that I keep expecting Scott Pilgrim vs the World to turn up here? I don’t think so. Yes, I still don’t get why AMPAS felt the need to narrow down the field twice, because now two films will be left with the memory of being so close and yet so far which is really unnecessary when you think of it. I suppose Inception will rule it here – it wouldn’t be my number one, but I’m fine with it. What else can I do?

       

Predictions: Alice in Wonderland / Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows / Inception / Scott Pilgrim vs the World / TRON Legacy

Cinematography

I want to think of saying – no guts, no glory – and predict the very deserving Shutter Island as a nominee here. But, I’m torn. With the way the race keeps shaping up it’s just looking terribly dismal for it and it looks like we’re going to be getting an insular bunch of nominees. I suppose any chance of it getting nominated will be eviscerated by either Black Swan or The Social Network. Not that I have anything against the photography in either, but I just sort of wish that they’d remember Shutter Island even if not the popular child at the party. I suppose the three central nominees will be The King’s Speech, True Grit and Inception. Honestly, I’m not feeling the Inception love here – but I’m digressing, this is prediction time (not opinion time). Will Deakins’ win? I have no idea....dare I say I don’t even care?

Predictions: Black Swan / Inception / The King’s Speech / The Social Network / True Grit Alternate: Shutter Island / Never Let Me Go / Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

        

Editing

Ah, the most boring category. Not because there wasn’t fine editing this year – but because it seems we’ll not be getting any surprising deserving nods (ala The Bourne Ultimatum) but the generic five best director nods. I don’t know, I just don’t know what they’ll do because the editing nods do match the directing nods, almost always (except when they’ll surprise us and don’t). I want to think that True Grit is a candidate, in their books at least, but I could only see it replacing - in theory - Inception or The King’s Speech. The former probably won’t miss here and the former should not, if it has hopes of glory. But then, maybe The King’s Speech will end up being snubbed big-time (like Atonement). The thing is, Atonement showed up at a total ZERO guilds and The King’s Speech seems to have a semblance of support, so even though a snub would not be terribly shocking, I don’t see it – not for this one at least. And, The Ghost Writer? It should be a logical inclusion – heck it should be a logical inclusion in many places. I’m not even going to touch on Rabbit Hole – blood under the bridge. I’ll go original and suggest Black Swan will be snubbed – ha.

Predictions: The Fighter / Inception / The King’s Speech / The Social Network / True Grit Alternates: Black Swan / Winter’s Bone

           

What do you think of madness? Any predictions?