OSCAR PICKS!

All right... a little late at making picks this year... but here we go nonetheless...

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Who will win: Melissa Leo

Who I want to win: Hailee Steinfeld

There's no question that "The Fighter" had some great performances on both side of the gender spectrum. Melissa Leo is great, as well as Amy Adams, Mark Wahlberg, and of course, Christian Bale. Having said that, Hailee Steinfeld's breakout performance in "True Grit" is one of the best, if not the best, performance by an actress this year. She shows some great promise for her future acting career. Still, Melissa Leo has a lot of legs this year and will win it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Who will win: Christian Bale

Who I want to win: Christian Bale

Having "The Fighter" take home both supporting acting awards this year truly says something about the depth of characters in the film. Geoffrey Rush is remarkable in "The King's Speech", but with all the buzz surrounding Bale, there is no doubt in my mind that he will not leave empty handed.

BEST ACTRESS

Who will win: Natalie Portman

Who I want to win: Natalie Portman

This is probably the easiest award of the year. Although it would be nice to see Annette Benning take home the award after failing to win it in previous years, there is not a soul who can take this away from Portman. She truly transformed her life to take on this role, and her hard work and dedication shine through. These are too easy so far.

BEST ACTOR

Who will win: Colin Firth

Who I want to win: James Franco

There were a lot of strong performances in this category this year. James Franco's turn as trapped hiker Aron Ralston in "127 Hours", is the standout performance of the year. Without Franco's acting, this movie falls apart at the seams. Yet, Colin Firth has a ton of steam and there is no doubt that he will win. I prefer Franco's desperation act to a stuttering Firth. Ta ta today, Junior!

BEST DIRECTOR

Who will win: Tom Hooper

Who I want to win: The Coen Brothers

I'm still bitter over Christopher Nolan being snubbed this year. It's inexcusable. There is no way that "The King's Speech" is a better directed film than "Inception". One is held together by the acting (King), while the other is held together by the utter genius of the man in charge (Inception.) Like I said, this will be a bitter award and Tom Hooper will go from not deserving to be nominated, to winning it outright. Blah.

BEST PICTURE

Who will win: The King's Speech

Who I want to win: INCEPTION

I have no shame in saying that INCEPTION was my favorite movie of the year. From start to finish, it's the most original, intriguing, and well executed film of the year. Also the most entertaining and thought provoking. Yet The King's Speech will win because that's how these things work. It's got all the pre-oscar awards in its pocket, and all signs point to it taking home the most gold this year. Whatever. There's always next year.

Some quick ones here:

Best animated film: Toy Story will win as the sky is blue.

Cinematography: True Grit. Amazing, amazing camera work.

Editing: Social Network will win. The editing make this movie pop.

Score: Hans Zimmer SHOULD win for inception.... but social network will win. Blah.

Original Screenplay: I'm going to pick Christopher Nolan for INCEPTION here... but I think The King's Speech might steal it.

Adapted Screenplay: I wish the Coen's had a chance, but Aaron Sorkin will get it for "Social Network."

TOP FIVE OF 2010

Another year of films has come and gone. I haven't done a list of this sort since the days of Backstage Pass (56 pride!!) so let's roll through the BS and get right into it. Here are my top 5 films of 2010. (minor note: I have not seen Black Swan yet... therefor, there is no need to go crazy on me for not including it. Although, even without having seen it, I will award it some kind of honorary degree for greatest sex scene of the year. I'm looking at you Mila and Natalie. Hey now. Winky face.)

5) Shutter Island

This film is definitely going to be looked over this year. It's a shame, but it's rare for a film released at the very start of the movie calendar year to receive any such recognition come award season.

I've watched this film about a half dozen times so far. With each viewing, my appreciation only increases. Martin Scorsese's psychological thriller, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is simultaneously chilling, emotional, powerful, and thought provoking. The screen is peppered with beautiful imagery and cinematography, that you can't helped but get pulled in to its sense of time and space.

More things I love about it: pretty much all of the performances. All vary in complexity, but my two favorites belong to Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams. Even though Williams plays a bit part, her performance carries the most emotional impact and displays the overall subtle creepiness felt throughout the film. I also love all of the nightmare's that Leo's character has to endure each and every night. Hands down this is a beautiful film to watch unfold and it's also one that benefits from multiple viewings.

4) Toy Story 3

Let it be known... this film made me fight back tears. Prior to its releases, I was definitely a tad skeptical about a third film. Yes, everything Pixar makes is miles above the care and quality of 90% of the films out there, but the thought of Andy growing up and going to college had me a little on edge. Lo and behold, there was no reason to fret. Toy Story 3 proves yet again that the geniuses at Pixar are some of the best story tellers of this generation.

The one scene that stands out the most when I think of this film definitely has to be the one in which our plastic heroines lock hands as they're heading for certain doom. I don't think I've witnessed a more intense scene in an animated movie.... ever. Mufasa getting killed in the Lion King doesn't even come close. Toy Story 3 is as hilarious as it is heart warming. This is why is definitely deserves to be on this list. Wall-E is still my number 1 Pixar film, but this one comes close.

3) 127 Hours

James Franco, you should probably win some kind of award for this. Hell, even if it's a Kid's Choice Award, I'll be happy for you.

Without a doubt, this is one of the most claustrophobic and thrilling movies I've seen in a long time. We all know the story by now: Hiker Aron Ralston goes on a trek in the middle of nowhere, gets stuck in a crevice for five days, and has to cut off his own arm to survive. The film (based on the inspiring true story) is somehow able to tell an engaging story with its principal actor trapped in the same space for an hour in a half. Without the performance from Franco, this movie would not be nearly as engaging. In the end, it's really a story about how precious life really is, and how one single person can do incredible things when faced with absolute death.

The film also works so well because the viewer automatically puts themselves in the situation as it unfolds. What would you do in his shoes? Could you bring yourself to saw off your own arm with a dull knife? What kind of regrets would you have if you had to face a fate like this? Would you have told that girl you were sorry? That you loved her? That you should have lived life a little more fully? These are the questions I pondered during this film and it makes one man's personal story all the more personal to each and every one of us. Also, let's just call the real Aron Ralston a complete badass with balls the size of bowling balls and move on.

2) True Grit

If Jeff Bridges didn't win the oscar last year, he would be taking it home this year. Maybe he'll repeat, who knows? However, the Academy can be funny sometimes and will probably not go for Bridges. This, coupled with the buzz surrounding Colin Firth, spells out no two-fer for the Dude.

It should be noted that I have somewhat of a Coen bias. I hold mostly all of what they create in high esteem (barring intolerable cruelty, and the ladykillers, naturally). True Grit is just a miraculous film to behold. It's full of brilliant performances (the most notable coming from newcomer Hailee Steinfeld), as well as a superb script that demands that you listen intently to every word coming out of each character's mouth. I read somewhere that the Coen's rarely ever allow an actor to go off script, and you can plainly tell here because the words are so perfectly spoken, delivered, and purposeful that if they do not win the oscar for best Adapted Screenplay, then the Academy is full of blithering idiots.

1) Inception

This is everything I want in a movie. There is so much to love about this film that I am not going to even try writing a coherent paragraph or two. List spewing, activate!

I love every single action set piece. The film takes your typical caper type shoot out/chase scene film and flips it upside down (sometimes literally). The last hour in a half is so beautifully realized and executed that one can't help but appreciate everything it must have took to put this film from pre to post. This film is the brain child of Christopher Nolan, and I'm going to jump out and say that if his movies were his children, this would definitely be the one he chose to take out for ice cream all of the time. He remains one of the most influential and creative auteurs of our time.

It has to be mentioned that the score by Hans Zimmer is fantastic. Every note, every crescendo, adds to the environment and compliments the film in every way that a musical score can.

I also love Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I feel that this film has cemented him as one of the coolest fucking actors working in Hollywood today.

There's too much to love about this movie. I could honestly watch is 100 times and never get bored. It won't win for best film of the year, but in my mind there is no more obvious choice.

There you have it. What would you put in there?