A little while back, I wrote a piece about what to expect from the crazy time of Oscar season. I told people to look out for a few films, but the truth was, no one really knew what films were going to be good. Now, as January is here and the Golden Globe nominations are out, I can still proudly say that I have no idea what is going to happen. Nonetheless, here are my annual Oscar predictions. Keep in mind, these are the films and the people that I think will take home the gold, and not necessarily what or who I think deserves to win.

Best Picture:

 Predicted Nominations 

–The Descendants (Alexander Payne)

-The Artist (Michael Hazanavicius)

-War Horse (Steven Spielberg)

-Hugo (Martin Scorsese)

-The Ides of March (George Clooney)

-Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen)

-Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (David Fincher)

-The Tree of Life (Terrance Malick)

-The Skin I Live in (Pedro Almadovar)

My Prediction

For the first time in several years, I can confidently say that there is no true standout when I think of potential Best Pictures. While there is no shortage of big time directors on this list, it seems as if no single film has gotten any serious momentum thus far. That being said, I believe that Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” will take home the victory Oscar night. Universal acclaim is incredibly important when it comes to the an Oscar victory, and that is something that this film has over any other. A.O. Scott, lauded film critic for the New York Times, has already called “The Descendants” as one of his favorite films of the year, which may not seem like much, but its something that generates momentum. I wouldn’t be surprised if “The Artist” took home the golden boy, but in my mind, the film is far too lightweight of a contender. The good news is that the race is still wide open, so perhaps a film like “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” could “cop” a nomination, as it has picked up some steam over the past couple weeks.

Best Actor

George Clooney (The Descendants)

Jean Dujardin (The Artist)

Brad Pitt (Moneyball)

Michael Fassbender (Shame)

Leonardo DiCaprio (J.Edgar)

When I did this prediction segment last year, I called this award the most predictable out of all the Oscar segments. The reason I said this is because it is always a front-runner, a powerhouse performance that takes home the gold. The problem is that this year, there is no “Wow, he will win” performance. My best guess is George Clooney, because he gives a performance that is remarkable in in its realism. The Academy often gets criticized for its appeal to the powerhouse, and I think that this year it will be a statement to support the opposite.

Best Actress

Meryl Streep (Iron Lady)

Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn)

Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin)

Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)

Viola Davis (The Help)

Do I even have to write this? Meryl Streep is winning this. She is too legendary and her performance is sublime . In a wonderful year of performances for Actresses, its hard to imagine that Streep wouldn’t take it home. Michelle Williams has the best chance to knock her off, but that’s a long shot.

*****

These are only a handful of predictions for the upcoming Oscar race. Late January is when these nominations come out, and you guys should be smart enough to know that the Golden Globes do not mean anything for the Oscar race. As we saw last year, the race can be wide-open right up until the envelope is opened on that fateful night. This is only the beginning of my extensive Oscar coverage, so stay tuned.