And the Oscar Goes too....

Tonight is Oscar Night and here are my predictions to really the 6 categories anyone really cares about.  

BEST PICTURE

Nominees

The Artist

The Descendants

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

The Help

Money Ball

War Horse

The Tree of Life.  

Prediction -  Hugo

BEST ACTOR

Nominees

Demain Bichir:A Better Life

George Clooney:The Descendants

Jean Dujardin:The Artist

Gary Oldman:Tinker Tailer Solider Spy

Brad Pitt:Money Ball

Prediction - George Clooney

BEST ACTRESS

Nominees

Glenn Close:Albert Nobbs

Viola Davis:The Help

Rooney Mara:The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Meryl Streep:The Iron Lady

Michelle Williams:My Week With Marilyn

Prediction - Meryl Streep

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Nominees

Kenneth Branagh:My Week With Marilyn

Jonah Hill:Money Ball

Nick Nolte:Warrior

Christopher Plummer:Beginners

Max Von Sydow:Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Prediction - Nick Nolte

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Nominees

Berenice Bejo:The Artist

Jessica Chastain:The Help

Melissa McCarthy:Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer:Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer:The Help

Prediction - Octavia Spencer

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Nominees

A Cat in Paris

Chico & Rita

Kung Fu Panda 2

Puss in Boots

Rango

Prediction - Kung Fu Panda 2

Movies in Review

Thursday night I got MoneyBall, the story about the Oakland A’s and how they went about building a team on rag tag players using different ways of analyzing them then just scouts and big names.  I’m normally not a big Brad Pitt fan but he and Jonah Hill did really good here.  It was fun kind of being teleported back in time to the 2002 season and the highlights and stories that were brought back up.  Side story bar of Brad Pitt’s character with his daughter helps the job performance in the big leagues hit home somewhat.

3.5 Stars / 5

Friday night I went with Warrior.  This is about 2 brothers who in different routes get into a HUGE UFC tournament.  One is a teacher who needs to make extra money on the side and the other is an ex-marine.  Both Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton were great in each role.  They have their conflicts to overcome in the ring and out and eventually they square off in the octagon.  Nick Nolte as their father nails it too.  A gruff hard nose dad who trained them in wrestling and is now alone in life until Hardy comes knocking on the door.  Really good all the way throughout the whole movie; definitely recommend it!

4 Stars / 5

I ended up taking Brayden to Alvin and the Chipmunks:Shipwrecked a couple weeks ago.  The 3^rd live action Chipmunk movie.  He liked it, which is all that matters…it was ok.  It probably ends the Chipmunk movie career of Jason Lee.  He’s done his 3.  The first one is really the best of the bunch as it should be in this type of film franchise.  The 2^nd and 3^rd felt forced in the whole story of them both, just like they were reaching on what they could do, and maybe (as it should be) this is more fantasy based and like the cartoon then what it would be like in live action and life.  But as I said, he enjoyed it, and I’m sure the dvd will be rented in the household when it comes out.

1 Star / 5

Some other movie tidbits –

Apparently Red Tails (Which I really want to see!) is George Lucas’s last big movie, he’s retiring, unless Indiana Jones 5 is a go. 

Golden Globes were Sunday and Meryl Streep won Best Actress for Iron Lady.  I think she’s won or has been nominated the last 5 years it seems from Mamma Mia, Devil Wears Prada and Julie and Julia.  I’m sure I’m missing one or 2 there too.

George Clooney won best actor for the Descendents, want to see that one too.