a blog about a lot of things

Best Director Most likely winner :     Steven Spielberg   for Lincoln. Leaving out Ben Affleck, Kathryn Bigelow and Quentin Tarantino pretty much made this Spielberg's to lose. And doesn't reflect too well on the Academy either. Backup Pick :    David O. Russell for  Silver Linings Playbook. The production company of Weinstein have been campaigning hard for this and it's a good film with the acting performances set up well. The thing about best director is it's the easiest award to give to someone the academy likes because it's ambiguous and the academy doesn't really love Russell. Most deserving :      Michel Haneke for  Amour. Haneke has the most carefully crafted film here. All in all it is definitely his film in every scene. His presence is all around the film and it is an excellent film. If they give it for the greatest impact a director has on the film, this is it. Best Adapted Screenplay Most likely winner :   Lincoln  from  Tony

Best Actor Most Likely Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln. As sure a thing as you can get. Definite thing for Day-Lewis to pick up a record-breaking third Best Actor statue. And deservedly so. He is completely in character (as always) as the President who wants to do the right thing and end slavery and also stop the war, as well as dealing with his family life also. Backup Pick: Bradley Cooper as Patrizio 'Pat Jr.' Solitano in Silver Linings Playbook. Since I'm pretty sure Day-Lewis had this locked, I'm used this space to say how impressed I am with Bradley Cooper because I didn't know he was a serious actor. His performance of a person with bipolar disorder trying to get back his life (in a somewhat deluded attempt) is completely convincing, perhaps especially so because of the equal measures of hopefulness mixed in with the sad moments. Most Deserving (My Pick):  Daniel Day-Lewis  as Abraham Lincoln in  Lincoln. I can see no