Weisswurst Festival : The Road to the Oscars

Really? Really? 

Those were my thoughts when the Oscar nominations were announced this morning. I knew what I was seeing but I did not believe it.  How on earth did Ava DuVernay not pick up a Best Director nomination? How in the world did David Oyelowo not pick up a Best Actor nomination? Can someone tell me how the best reviewed film only walked away with two nominations? What? Not to mention no women were nominated in the writing categories. Somehow, Gillian Flynn amazing script was not good enough. It is amazing how much the Academy differs from the Critics. I am so disappointed in the Academy.

There were some good news that came out today.  I was pleased that The Grand Budapest Hotel picked up 9 nominations. Arguably one of my favorite films that came out last year. I have yet to see Whiplash and Birdman but hell yeah to their nominations. They are two films that I am dying to check out. I am peeved that David did not get nominated but some lovely men got nominated this year. No matter how much I love Eddie and Benedict ,I think Michael Keaton is the favorite to win Best Actor.  If that happens, this 80's baby will be happy. I will also be happy if Julianne Moore picks up Best Actress this year. It has been a long time coming.

I was shocked that Lego Movie did not get nominated for Best Animated Feature. I did not see that coming.  On the plus side Everything is Awesome is nominated for Best Original song. Do you know what that means? That means The Lonely Island and Tegan & Sara will be performing live. I also get to see Common and John legend perform Glory. I am thrilled that How To Train Your Dragon 2 picked up a nomination. That movie had me crying like a newborn baby. I called Lauren Dern's nomination for Wild. I am so happy that Marion Cotillard snuck in there for Best Actress. I admit, I am shocked that Gone Girl did not get more love. A thought it would at least pick up Best Picture and Best Director nominations.

It seems that Netflix is closing in on films as well. The streaming service picked up a nomination for Virunga. Now I am torn between wanting Citizenfour to win or Virunga. I have not seen Citizenfour yet because I am already a paranoid person. I feel that won't be good for my psyche. Congrats to Laura Poitras.

I may not be happy with all the nominations but it is going to be a good show. Tune in on February 22 for the 87th Academy Awards. I am sure that Neil Patrick Harris will deliver as host. 

Showtime: The Oscars are Here

The red carpet has been rolled out. The reporters are honing in their interviewing skills. Hundred of fans are lined up eager to get a glimpse of their favorite stars.  In a short few hours, the biggest award show will begin. Yes, the time has arrived for the Oscars. As an avid film enthusiast the Oscars are a definite highlight for me. In my humble opinion, 2013 was an excellent year for films. I predict that Gravity and 12 Years a Slave will be the biggest winners tonight. Make sure you check out my blog tomorrow for the full rundown of tonight's show. In the meantime, here are my final predictions for tonight.

Best Picture
Will/Should Win: 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: American Hustle

The Best Picture race is really between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity. The reason I choose American Hustle as the film that could win is because I believe the Academy adored the film. There is a possibility that this film will walk away with the grand prize. I hope not but it is a possibility.

Best Director
Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity
Should Win:Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: David O.Russell for American Hustle

Best Actor
Will Win: Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club
Should Win: Chiwetel Ejofor for 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Leonardo DiCaprio for Wolf of Wall Street

Matthew has been a roll this entire award season. Even though, I will be happy if he won I am rooting for Chiwetel. There is a possibility that Leonardo could sneak up and win this award. If he does, it will be a long time coming.

Best Actress
Will/Should Win: Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine
Could Win: Judi Dench for Philomena

Best Supporting Actor
Will/ Should Win: Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club
Could Win: Michael Fassbender for 12 Years a Slave

Best Supporting Actress
Will/Should Win: Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle

I will be beside myself if Lupita does not win this award. If she does not win I hope June Squibb wins for her amazing performance in Nebraska.

Best Original Screenplay
Will/ Should Win: Spike Jonze for Her
Could Win: Eric Singer, David O. Russel for American Hustle

Best Adapted Screenplay
Will/Should Win: John Ridley for 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Steve Coogan for Philomena

Mid-Term Box Office Update

It has happened, summer is beginning to wind down. I want to wish a happy belated Independence Day for all my visitors from Liberia, United States and Canada.  If you need to know what movies are coming out for the remainder of the summer check out my Summer Movie Guide. Now that it is August is upon us, we are almost through the summer movie season. Like each season there are hits and misses. Bare with me as I breakdown what has been hot and what has not been this summer.

The summer box office started off with a bang with the highly anticipated  Iron Man 3. Iron Man 3 is the highest grossing film of the summer and has surpassed the grosses of its predecessors with a red hot gross of $407 million at the US box office. Third highest grossing film of the summer is the Superman reboot  Man of Steel which has grossed a spectacular $286 million at the box office. I don't think anyone is surprised that two superhero movies are two of the highest grossing films of the summer.. The Wolverine opened over the weekend and grossed over $55 million at the box office. It was not a spectacular opening but I feel that it may still have life in it.

Besides superheroes this summer has belonged to the kids. Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University are bona fide hits at the box-office. Despicable Me 2 has surpassed  Man of Steel over the weekend and is the second highest grossing film of the summer with an outstanding $306 million. Monsters University was another solid hit for Pixar, grossing $255 million at the US box office. The other animated films Epic  and Turbo may not have been huge blockbusters but they have performed solidly at the box office.  It will be interesting to see how Planes and Smurfs 2 pane out next month. 

Sequels and adaptations also had an incredible summer. The sixth installment of the Fast & Furious grossed $237 million at the US box office. Rounding out the top ten films of the summer are Star Trek Into Darkness, World War Z, The Great Gatsby and The Heat. One of the biggest surprises of the summer was  the success of the film Now You See Me. That film surpassed all predictions and has grossed $114 million to date. After two weekends I am certain the horror hit The Conjuring will end its run in the top ten highest grossing films of the summer. Not surprising Adam Sandler earned another his 14th $100 million grossing film with Grown Ups 2. Interestingly, there was no indie hit this summer. There have been a few pictures that have done well at the box office but no runaway hit. It will be interesting to see if Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine becomes the first indie hit of the summer.

Not everything has come up smelling like roses this summer. The summer has belong to the superheroes and the kids, a lot of summer blockbusters have been left to the wolves. One of the biggest misfires this summer was the Will Smith vehicle After Earth. The film crashed and burnt at the box office, collecting an underwhelming $60 million. I don't think this film's performance has anything to do with a dimming star power of Will Smith. I am positive with the right material people will pay big bucks to see him on the big screen. This summer has also seen Johnny Depp have a box office disappointment with the big budgeted The Lone Ranger. Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx struck out with White House Down and much to my despair Pacific Rim did not draw the big bucks(don't know why, it was amazing).Then there was the final installment of Hangover that grossed a disappointing $111 million. I wished that they had never made Hangover into a series. They should have left it as a comedic classic. Another misfire this summer was Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn vehicle The Internship.


Disclaimer: All of my figures come from Box Office Mojo. These figures only take into consideration how much the films grossed as of this past weekend. 

Summer Movie Guide

It's becoming a bit of  tradition  for me to unveil my summer movie guide around this time. Now that the first summer movie blockbuster is playing why not know what the summer has in store. Let me know what movies you are most looking forward to. 

May

• Iron Man 3- Now Playing
• The Iceman (Limited Release)- Now Playing
• The Great Gatsby- May 10

• Tyler Perry Presents Peeples- May 10
• Star Trek: Into Darkness- May 17
• Epic- May 24
• Now You See Me- May 31
• Fast and the Furious 6- May 24
• Hangover 3- May 24
• Before Midnight (Limited Release)-May 24
• The Kings of Summer (Limited Release)-May 31
• The East ( Limited Release)- May 31
• After Earth- May 31

June

• The Internship- June 7
• The Purge- June 7
• Much Ado About Nothing( Limited Release)- June 7
• Man of Steel- June 14
• This is the End- June 12
• The Bling Ring( Limited Release)- June 14
• Monsters University- June 21
• World War Z- June 21
• The Heat- June 28
• White House Down- June 28

July

• Despicable Me 2- July 3
• The Lone Ranger- July 3
• The Way, Way Back( Limited Release)- July 5
• Grown Ups 2- July 12
• Pacific Rim- July 12  :)
• Turbo- July 17
• The Conjuring- July 19
• R.I.P.D- July 19
• Red 2- July 19
• The Wolverine- July 26
• Blue Jasmine( Limited Release)- July 26
• Fruitvale Station( Limited Release)- July 26
• The Smurfs 2- July 31

August

• 300: Rise of An Empire- August 2
• The Spectacular Now( Limited Release)- August 2
• 2 Guns- August 2
• Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters- August 7
• Elysium- August 9
• We're the Millers- August 9
• I Give it a Year( Limited Release)- August 9
• Lovelace( Limited Release)- August 9
• Planes- August 9
• Kick-Ass 2- August 16
• Paranoia- August 16
• The To Do List- August 16
• Austenland (Limited Release)- August 23
• The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones- August 23
• The World's End- August 23
• Drinking Buddies( Limited Release)- August 23
• One Direction: This is Us- August 30

King's Guide: Final Predictions for the Oscars 2013

Well the Oscars are this Sunday. I am actually excited to see all the shenanigans Seth MacFarlane gets up to.    I am excited to see what everyone will be wearing and whether or not we are going to have memorable acceptance speeches. I have composed a list of  my final predictions. There will be no clear winner for this year, several films will pick up multiple awards. I have tallied that Les Miserables should pick up the most wins for the night. Let me know what you predictions are. Make sure to check back on Monday for a full rundown of the big night.

Best Picture
Will Win: Argo
Could Win: Lincoln

Best  Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Will Win: Daniel Day- Lewis for Lincoln
Could Win: Joaquin Phoenix for The Master

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Will Win: Emmanuelle Riva for Amour
Could Win: Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Will Win: Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln
Could Win: Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained or Robert De Niro for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Will Win: Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables
Could Win: Sally Field for Lincoln or Jacki Weaver for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Achievement in Directing
Will Win: Steven Spielberg for Lincoln
Could Win: David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
Could Win: Mark Boal for Zero Dark Thirty

Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Win: Chris Terrio for Argo
Could Win: David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Animated Film
Will Win: Brave
Could Win: Wreck-It Ralph

Best Foreign Language Film
Will Win: Amour
Could Win: A Royal Affair

Best Cinematography
Will Win: Life of Pi
Could Win: Skyfall

Best Achievement in Editing
Will Win: Argo
Could Win: Zero Dark Thirty

Best Production Design
Will Win: Les Miserables
Could Win: Life of Pi

Best Achievement in Costume Design
Will Win: Anna Karenina
Could Win: Les Miserables

Best Achievement in Makeup
Will Win: Les Miserables
Could Win: The Hobbit

Best Original Score
Will Win: Life of Pi
Could Win: Skyfall

Best Original Song
Will Win: "Skyfall" for Skyfall 
Could Win: "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" for Ted

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
Will Win: Les Miserables
Could Win: Skyfall

Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Will Win: Skyfall
Could Win: Zero Dark Thirty

Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Will Win: Life of Pi
Could Win: The Hobbit

Best Documentary
Will Win: Searching for Sugar Man
Could Win: The Gatekeepers

Best Documentary, Short Subject
Will Win: Open Heart
Could Win: Inocente

Best Short Film, Animated
Will Win: Paperman
Could Win: The Simpsons- The Longest Daycare

Best Short Film, Live Action
Will Win: Curfew
Could Win: Death of a Shadow

Final Predictions

Unlike previous years the 85th Academy Award nominations will be announced prior to the airing of both the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Those awards are always great indicators for which films will be nominated for the Oscars. Now most analysts have to look at what films were awarded by critics and what was nominated for the other big awards. Here are my predictions for big eight.

Best Picture
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Argo
Life of Pi
Silver Linings Playbook
Les Miserables
Django Unchained
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Moonrise Kingdom
Wild Cards: The Master, Skyfall and Flight

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow- Zero Dark Thirty
Steven Spielberg- Lincoln
Ben Affleck- Argo
Ang Lee- Life of Pi
Quentin Tarantino- Django Unchained
Wild Cards: David O. Russel- Silver Linings Playbook, Tom Hooper- Les Miserables, Paul Thomas Anderson-The Master and Benh Zeitlin-Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Actor
Daniel Day Lewis- Lincoln
Denzel Washington- Flight
Bradley Cooper- Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman- Les Miserables
Joaquin Phoenix- The Master
Wild Cards: John Hawkes- The Sessions

Best Actress
Jennifer Lawrence- Silver Linings Playbook
Jessica Chastain- Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard: Rust & Bone
Emannuelle Riva- Amour
Naomi Watts- The Impossible
Wild Cards: Quvenzhane Wallis- Beasts of the Southern Wild, Rachel Weisz- Deep Blue Sea

Best Supporting Actor
Tommy Lee Jones- Lincoln
Leonardo DiCaprio- Django Unchained
Phillip Seymour Hoffman- The Master
Alan Arkin-Argo
Robert De Niro- Silver Linings Playbook
Wild Cards: Christopher Waltz- Django Unchained, Javier Bardem- Skyfall, Matthew McConoughey- Magic Mike

Best Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway- Les Miserables
Sally Field- Lincoln
Amy Adams- The Master
Helen Hunt- The Sessions
Nicole Kidman- The Paperboy
Wild Cards: Maggie Smith- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Ann Dowd- Compliance

Best Original Screenplay
Mark Boal- Zero Dark Thirty
Rian Johnson- Looper
Wes Anderson, Roman Coopola-Moonrise Kingdom
Quentin Tarantino- Django Unchained
 John Gatins-Flight,
Wild Cards:Michael Haneke- Amour

Best Adapted Screenplay
Tony Kushner- Lincoln
Chris Terrio- Argo
David O. Russel- Silver Linings Playbook
David Magee- Life of Pi
Stephen Chbosky- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Wild Cards: Benh Zeitlin & Lucy Alibar- Beasts of the Southern Wild, Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan- The Dark Knight Rises

Moonrise Kingdom

Starring: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Written by: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Rating: 4/5 Unicorns

Two twelve years old( Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) fall in love and run away as a violent storm approaches the tiny island. A various authorities including the local sheriff(Bruce Willis), Khaki Scout Leader(Edward Norton) and the girls lawyer parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) try to track them down.

Moonrise Kingdom was one of the most original films I have seen in a longtime. I have not quite seen anything like it before. It was quirky, whimsical and endearing comedy. It  had one of the best narratives I have seen all year. The screenplay is fantastic and I truly believe Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola are the frontrunners for Best Original Screenplay. Wes Anderson directing style is purely unique in this film. I was fascinated by his directing choices. There would be a scene that at first I thought I didn't like then two seconds later I was completely enamored with it. It takes awhile to digest. The acting ensemble is out of this world. Two young leads are absolutely fantastic. They bring the innocence and intensity of first love to the screen brilliantly.

Moonrise Kingdom is not a film for everybody. The humor in the film is offbeat and the characters are quite eccentric. I admit that it is not my cup of tea but I recognize it as being a great film. It really is a rare gem of a film and I appreciate that. I think it is one of Wes Anderson's  best pictures. Once award season is over this film will be thoroughly decorated.

Silver Linings Playbook

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham and Anupam Kher
Directed and Written by: David O. Russell
Rating: 5/5 Unicorns

After seeing his wife in the shower with another man Pat Solatano( Bradley Cooper) has a mental breakdown. It turns out that he has been suffering from bipolar disorder. As part of a plea bargain he spends eight months in a Baltimore mental institution and his wife receives a restraining order against him. He returns home to live with his Eagles loving father(Robert De Niro) and his devoted mother( Jackie Weaver). Pat is convinced that if he rebuilds his life that his wife will come back to him. He meets Tiffany( Jennifer Lawrence), a recent young widow who gives him much needed direction.

Silver Linings Playbook was spectacular. I absolutely loved this movie from start to finish. The entire cast gives tremendous performances. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed by Bradley Cooper's portrayal of Pat Solatano. It shows what can happen when an actor is given great material to work with. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be recognized for this groundbreaking performance. His chemistry with Jennifer Lawrence was explosive which was quite fitting for their characters. Jennifer Lawrence once again delivers a strong performance. She commands the screen, you can't keep your eyes off her. This girl will be going places, sometimes I forget she is 22 years old. She holds her own against the fabulous Robert De Niro and Jackie Weaver, which is difficult to do because both of them are so incredible in this film. Robert De Niro is on top of his game in his portrayal of a father who is struggling to form a connection with his son. You see the levels of guilt, hope and frustration he has with his son's situation.  The scene when he opens up to Pat was just beautiful. It was brilliant seeing Chris Tucker on the screen again. Overall one of the best acting ensembles this year.

What I love so much about this movie is one second you are laughing your butt off and the next you are wiping tears from your eyes. The change of emotion that can occur in one single scene is unprecedented  Somehow David O. Russel makes it work. It is a smart, funny, extremely well written  and charming film. Make sure you check out this film, I thoroughly recommend that you do.

The Race Begins

Now that the Thanksgiving festivities have drawn to a close, the race has officially began for the 2013 Award Season. If you go to any official film website, you will see several For Your Consideration ads. No one is more excited about award season than your own personal amateur film critic.As usual I am a little behind on viewing Oscar contenders but it is my goal to view as many films before the reveal of the  Oscar nominations. Brace yourself for several reviews coming in the next two months.

Several Oscar hopefuls made their way to multiplexes over the long weekend. Giving them plenty of time to be screened for the academy. Life of Pi is performing better than expected and Silver Linings Playbook has been enjoying a good expansion. Both films have received the all important stamped of  approval by critics and it appears that the audiences are warm to them as well. Much to my delight Flight is showing strong legs at the Box office and the Oscar favorite Lincoln is doing spectacular at the box office as well.

 Over the weekend the highly anticipated Les Miserables was screened for the first time in New York City. The response was electric. Audience members gave the film a standing ovation and there were tears all around. The film has officially become a Frontrunner for  Best Picture and Anne Hathaway has officially entered the race as the Frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress. Prior to the screening over the weekend Lincoln, Argo and The Silver Linings Playbook were the Frontrunners. I have a funny feeling that this Award season will be as eventful as ever. Make sure you keep your eyes open for my upcoming posts because there will be tons of Oscar goodies coming your way.

Flight

Starring: Denzel Washington, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Tamara Tunie and Melissa Leo
Written by: John Gatins
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Rating: 4.5/5 Unicorns

It is still very early on in the Oscar race but I have a sneaking suspicion that Denzel Washington will get a nomination for Flight, his performance was a real tour de force. I was not prepared to be knocked out of my seat by his performance but he was riveting. That is how you carry a film. Hands down one of his best performances in his career and the best performance by an actor I have seen all year. It  is still early on in the race but Denzel cannot be unrecognized for this phenomenal performance.

Flight follows the investigation into the miraculous landing of a flight  that was piloted by Whip Whitaker ( Denzel Washington), an alcoholic and cocaine addict. The impending plane crash in the beginning of film was terrifying. I want to point out that this is not an action flick but a character driven work of art. I cannot recall witnessing such a raw character as Whip Whitaker. He was so flawed but you felt deeply for him. You wanted him to make it and that is what is so incredible about this film. You go on this insane journey with him as he battles his personal demons. The movie is deep but at the same time hilarious a lot like life. John Goodman is hysterical in this film and Bruce Greenwood continues to be one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. The scenes he had with Denzel and Don Cheadle were just perfection. I strongly recommend that you check out Flight. It will be a film that you will be talking about for days maybe even months.

Oscar Watch: Best Picture

Any film enthusiast knows the autumn is the beginning of award season. This is the time when the studios releases Academy Award hopefuls. Coming to a cinema near you are three films that I cannot wait to digest  These films are all early contenders for the Best Picture trophy at this year's Oscars. When the ceremony takes place we will see if these films make the final cut.

1.Life of Pi

2.Silver Linings Playbook




  3.Anna Karenina

Beasts Of The Southern Wild Trailer

Here is the trailer for the highly anticipated Grand Jury Prize Winning (Sundance Film Festival) and Official Selection: Un Certain Regard (Festival De Cannes) film Beasts of The Southern Wild. The cinematography of this film looks mesmerizing and the trailer left me speechless. Definitely an early contender for the Oscars next year. Here is the website for the film http://beastsofthesouthernwild.com/.

King's Guide: Summer Movie Preview

We are in May which is  the beginning of the Summer Movie Season. This is the trickiest time of the year for studio executives. This is the time when the studios release super expensive summer blockbusters that they hope won't bust. This year will see an unprecedented number of prequels, sequels and reboots. Some of the films released this summer will flop, others will be disappointments and a rare few will be box office surprises. After having  a disappointing month(April) at the box office, the Summer 2012 season is more than welcome. Wrath of The Titans and American Reunion both under performed. Not to mention of slew of lackluster releases as well. One of the highlights last month was Think Like A Man. Talk about exceeding expectations. Leading up to the Summer Movie Season, The Hunger Games and Dr. Seuss' The Lorax were the two biggest films of the year and both of them were box office smashes.  

I predict that  the three biggest films of the summer will be The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man. Now with the numbers coming out that The Avengers topped $200 million this weekend in the US box office, it is already a bigger hit than the people in the industry predicted. It will be interesting to see if The Dark Knight Rises has a bigger opening weekend. I am curious to see how Battleship fares at the US Box office. I know that is doing well oversees but I am not sure if it will be successful here. I don't necessarily think it will bomb but I am not sure about its performance. Overall I think that fair number of films will be successful this summer. Below I have composed a list of films that will be released Summer 2012.

May

• The Avengers
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel( Limited Release)
• Dark Shadows
• Battleship
• The Dictator
• Hopefully this will perform more like Borat than Bruno
• What to Expect When You Are Expecting
• Moonrise Kingdom
• Men in Black III
• Will the public still be interested in seeing the men in black suit up one more time? Is Will Smith still the most bankable actor? I think the audience will come and Will Smith is still Will Smith. 

June

• Brave
• Snow White and the Huntsman
• Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
• Prometheus
• I am so excited about this film I have lost the ability to think. Now the question is will this film have massive appeal? 
• Rock of Ages
• G.I. Joe: Retaliation
• Can The Rock and Bruce Willis revive this franchise? Looking at the trailer I think that is a strong possibility. 
• Magic Mike
• This movie will be the test to see if Channing Tatum is a true box office draw. He has been on fire this year with The Vow and 21 Jump Street. It opens the same day as his other vehicle G.I. Joe which means it has no chance at opening first at the box office. With the amount of eye candy in this film I don't see why it will have a problem getting an audience. 
• Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection
• Ted
• Beasts of the Southern Wild( Limited Release)

July

• The Amazing Spider-Man
• Ice Age: Continental Drift
• The Dark Knight Rises
• The Watch
• Savages

August

• Total Recall
• The Bourne Legacy
• The reboot starring the fabulous Jeremy Renner
• The Expendables 2
• Sparkle
• Premium Rush

Bold and the Fabulous: King's Oscar Predictions

Tomorrow marks the climax of the award season; the 84th Academy Awards Nominations will be revealed. I admit that I have not been following the award circuit this year like I have in previous years Since I have not been too up to date I will only be predicting the big six categories. I believe that the silent film The Artist will have  the most nominations followed by The Descendants. There won't be too many surprises this year.

Best Picture:
The Artist
The Descendants
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Help
The Tree of Life
Alternatives: War Horse; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; Drive and Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy
Notes: There will be between Five to Ten films nominated for Best Picture. The top six are guaranteed to be nominated. I have a feeling that there will be seven films nominated for Best Picture.


Best Director:
Woody Allen- Midnight in Paris
David Fincher-The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo
Martin Scorsese- Hugo
Alexander Payne- The Descendants
Martin Hanazavicius- The Artist
Alternatives: Steven Spielberg- War Horse, Terrence Malick- The Tree of Life, Steve McQueen- Shame


Best Actor
George Clooney- The Descendants
Brad Pitt- Moneyball
Michael Fassbender- Shame
Gary Oldman- Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy
Jean Dujardin- The Artist
Alternatives: Leonardo DiCaprio- J. Edgar

Best Actress
Viola Davis- The Help
Meryl Streep- The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams- My Week with Marilyn
Tilda Swinton- We Need to Talk About Kevin
Glenn Close- Albert Nobbs
Alternatives: Rooney Mara- The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, Charlize Theron- Young Adult


Best Supporting Actor
Christopher Plummer- Beginners
Albert Brooks- Drive
Jonah Hill- Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh- My Week with Marilyn
Nick Nolte- Warrior
Notes: I am certain that this will be the final list for Best Supporting Actor.

Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer- The Help
Jessica Chastain- The Help
Melissa McCarthy- Bridesmaids
Berenice Bejo- The Artist
Shaileen Woodley- The Descendants
Alternatives: Carey Mulligan- Drive/Shame