By: Jarred Braxton and Stacey Axler<\/p>\n
The 84th Academy Awards ceremony is less than a month away and the film industry\u2019s finest are excited to celebrate another remarkable year in moviemaking.<\/p>\n
A broad collection of films ranging from the visually gorgeous to a sharply designed but silent film has taken the attention of the best of the movie business. Comedian Billy Crystal is returning to host the festivities and honor the finest film achievements of 2011.<\/p>\n
The curiosity of who will win what is rich with debate and wonder. But for the moment, Stacey and Jarred will take a moment to throw their hats into the fire and debate who will win the acting categories as well as Best Director and Best Picture. The projected winner is the nominee with the most momentum going into the Oscars.<\/p>\n
The nominees for Best Actress in a Supporting Role are:<\/p>\n
\u2022Berenice Bejo, \u201cThe Artist\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Jessica Chastain, \u201cThe Help\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Melissa McCarthy, \u201cBridesmaids\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Janet McTeer, \u201cAlbert Nobbs\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Octavia Spencer, \u201cThe Help\u201d<\/p>\n
Projected winner: Octavia Spencer, \u201cThe Help\u201d<\/p>\n
Stacey\u2019s Pick: Octavia Spencer, \u201cThe Help\u201d: Without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable characters on the silver screen for 2011 was Octavia Spencer\u2019s portrayal of Minnie Jackson in \u201cThe Help.\u201d\u00a0 Spunky, feisty, and full of tough love and energy, Spencer\u2019s characterization of Minnie provides both comic relief and emotional integrity, which definitely complements the film as a whole.\u00a0 Spencer easily lit up the screen in every scene she was in, and as a result, deserves the Oscar.<\/p>\n
Jarred\u2019s Pick: Octavia Spencer, \u201cThe Help\u201d: Spencer\u2019s performance as the spunky and strong-willed housemaid Minny was absolutely awesome in Tate Taylor\u2019s period piece. Spencer has been the favorite and frontrunner in the category before the nominations were out and she deserved every accolade possible for her astounding role.<\/p>\n
The nominees for Best Actor in a Supporting Role are:<\/p>\n
\u2022Kenneth Branagh, \u201cMy Week With Marilyn\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Jonah Hill, \u201cMoneyball\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Nick Nolte, \u201cWarrior\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Christopher Plummer, \u201cBeginners\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Max von Sydow, \u201cExtremely Loud and Incredibly Close\u201d<\/p>\n
Projected winner: Christopher Plummer, \u201cBeginners\u201d<\/p>\n
Stacey\u2019s Pick: Christopher Plummer, \u201cBeginners\u201d: Christopher Plummer definitely deserves the Oscar for his portrayal of Hal, a father dying of terminal cancer in the film \u201cBeginners.\u201d\u00a0 Plummer portrays his character as both poignant and amusing, and that is often a fine line to tread in any film.\u00a0 In the movie, Hal comes out of the closet after his wifeGeorgiadies, and embarks in a relationship with a much younger man named Andy.\u00a0 Plummer aptly portrays an dying man\u2019s renewed love of life and the appreciation of the little time people have on Earth.<\/p>\n
Jarred\u2019s Pick: Nick Nolte, \u201cWarrior\u201d: Nolte\u2019s depth and conviction in the highly underrated \u201cWarrior\u201d won me over instantly. His role as a recovering alcoholic deadbeat dad to two MMA fighters was incredibly wrenching and moving and he is my favorite to win this category.<\/p>\n
The nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role are:<\/p>\n
\u2022Glenn Close, \u201cAlbert Nobbs\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Viola Davis, \u201cThe Help\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Rooney Mara, \u201cThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Meryl Streep, \u201cThe Iron Lady\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Michelle Williams, \u201cMy Week With Marilyn\u201d<\/p>\n
Projected winner: Viola Davis, \u201cThe Help\u201d \/ Meryl Streep, \u201cThe Iron Lady\u201d<\/p>\n
Stacey\u2019s Pick: Rooney Mara, \u201cThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo\u201d: If anyone has spoken to me directly since winter break, I\u2019m sure I have managed to talk about how much I loved Rooney Mara in \u201cThe Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.\u201d\u00a0 Having only seen Mara in an episode of \u201cLaw and Order\u201d and in a small role in \u201cThe Social Network\u201d (2010), I was a little skeptical at first that Mara could portray the character Lisbeth Salander in the film\u2014an antisocial computer hacker who can destroy anyone who crosses her path.\u00a0 Mara makes her character both shockingly vicious and extremely likeable\u2014when I saw the film, people in the audience were literally cheering when Salander enacts her brutal revenge on her sadistic counselor.\u00a0 Mara overshadowed fellow lead in the film Daniel Craig, and she definitely stands out from the other Oscar contendors for Best Actress.\u00a0 The award will probably go to Meryl Streep for her role in \u201cThe Iron Lady,\u201d but Mara deserves the accolade for her masterful characterization work.<\/p>\n
Jarred\u2019s Pick: Viola Davis, \u201cThe Help\u201d: Davis\u2019 Aibileen was the rock that held the characters together in \u201cThe Help\u201d and Davis was entirely sublime in the role of this amazing and strong woman who was the first to take a chance in a climate that wasn\u2019t exactly ready for change. Her performance was the best of the year in my book.<\/p>\n
The nominees for Best Actor in a Leading Role are:<\/p>\n
\u2022Demian Bichir, \u201cA Better Life\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022George Clooney, \u201cThe Descendants\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Jean Dujardin, \u201cThe Artist\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Gary Oldman, \u201cTinker Tailor Soldier Spy\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Brad Pitt, \u201cMoneyball\u201d<\/p>\n
Projected winner: George Clooney, \u201cThe Descendants\u201d<\/p>\n
Stacey\u2019s Pick: Jean Dujardin, \u201cThe Artist\u201d: In my opinion, it is very hard to look at any actor in the film industry today and call that actor a leading man.\u00a0 Dujardin shows that he is a true leading man throughout the film. He has the whole package: he is suave, handsome, charming and expressive throughout his nearly 100 minutes of screen time.\u00a0 With only one word of spoken dialogue, Dujardin captivates the audience from start to finish.<\/p>\n
Jarred\u2019s Pick: George Clooney, \u201cThe Descendants\u201d: Clooney was entirely down to earth in \u201cThe Descendants\u201d as a man who is trying to keep everything together when the world looks like it is falling apart. He plays Matt King, a man who is torn between endless personally ethical dilemmas. Clooney just wouldn\u2019t stop tugging at the heartstrings of the audience and he should be the favorite for Best Actor.<\/p>\n
The nominees for Best Directing are:<\/p>\n
\u2022Woody Allen, \u201cMidnight inParis\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Michel Hazanavicius, \u201cThe Artist\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Terrence Malick, \u201cThe Tree of Life\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Alexander Payne, \u201cThe Descendants\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022Martin Scorsese, \u201cHugo\u201d<\/p>\n
Projected winner: Michel Hazanavicius, \u201cThe Artist\u201d<\/p>\n
Stacey\u2019s Pick: Michel Hazanavicius, \u201cThe Artist\u201d: Michel Hazanavicius is, hands down, the best director for any film that released in 2011.\u00a0 Every single executive choice he made for the film in terms of cinematography, editing, character work, meshed together to create one of the best films I have ever seen.\u00a0 \u201cThe Artist\u201d was both timeless, but also new and refreshing\u2014a tribute to oldHollywoodbut a window in the film industry of today, and element that really made the film stand out.\u00a0 This is the first Hazanavicius film I have ever viewed, and I sincerely hope to see more of this wonderful director in the future.<\/p>\n
Jarred\u2019s Pick: Michel Hazanavicius, \u201cThe Artist\u201d: \u201cThe Artist\u201d is Hazanavicius\u2019 gorgeous love letter to the era of silent cinema and his masterpiece proves that a film without words and color can still deliver a knockout blow to the hearts and minds of the modern day moviegoer. Hazanavicius came out of nowhere and is on the verge of taking home an Academy Award for a first class job on his artistic silent film.<\/p>\n
The nine films nominated for Best Picture are:<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cThe Artist\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cThe Descendants\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cExtremely Loud and Incredibly Close\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cThe Help\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cHugo\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cMidnight inParis\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cMoneyball\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cThe Tree of Life\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2022\u201cWar Horse\u201d<\/p>\n
Projected winner: \u201cThe Artist\u201d<\/p>\n
Stacey\u2019s Pick: \u201cThe Artist\u201d: When I heard a few months ago that a silent, black and white film was coming out in theatres, I thought \u201cwell, that\u2019s interesting\u2026\u201d\u00a0 My dismissive attitude towards the film quickly ebbed away when I actually watched the film.\u00a0 While silent\u00a0 and black and white, the film pays homage to the era of cinema (the silent movies) that slowly lost footing after the invention and rise in popularity of \u201ctalking movies.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 The storyline is extremely lucid, easy to follow, and poignant\u2014as it follows a silent film star\u2019s descent from popularity and fame into a broken shadow of his former leading man persona.\u00a0 With great characters, a\u00a0 captivating plot, wonderful visual effects, and a great soundtrack, \u201cThe Artist\u201d as a whole is the best film of the past year and deserves this recognition.<\/p>\n
Jarred\u2019s Pick: \u201cThe Artist\u201d: The last time a silent film in black and white won Best Picture at the Academy Awards was in 1928 for \u201cWings,\u201d and that was also the first Academy Award winner for Best Picture. 84 years later, I predict history to be made and to repeat itself because \u201cThe Artist\u201d looks primed to take the movie industry\u2019s biggest honor as it has taken the industry and the audience everywhere by storm.<\/p>\n
The 84th Academy Awards are on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. on ABC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"