Click above for an audio feature of Catherine Scott, Charissa Ng and Zachary Drucker discussing the Oscars.
In preparation for the upcoming 82nd Academy Awards (March 7, 8:30 p.m. on ABC), Executive Arts Editor Catherine Scott, Movies Editor Charissa Ng and Assistant Arts Editor and one of the Bad Samaritans Zach Drucker sat down to discuss their Oscar predictions.
Actress in a Supporting Role
Catherine Scott: I think we all agree that Mo'Nique for "Precious" (2009) is going to win, but probably my favorite supporting performance besides Mo'Nique was Anna Kendrick for "Up in the Air."
Zach Drucker: I think Mo'Nique will win as well. I definitely feel like Vera Farmiga [also from "Up in the Air"] deserves it. It wasn't as hard of a role to play as Mo'Nique's was because she didn't really have to immerse herself in this role … She's played that similar character before, like in "The Departed" (2006). But she was excellent playing off George Clooney, and being the seductress in the movie.
Charissa Ng: I agree. I really enjoyed Vera Farmiga in "Up in the Air" and I think that, for Anna Kendrick, it's just the honor of being nominated.
CS: With "Up in the Air," it's got such a strong acting cast, but, like Zach said, the roles really weren't that difficult to play. One thing I did love about Vera was that you couldn't tell that there were two women that she was playing.
ZD: With some of the other nominees like Maggie Gyllenhaal ["Crazy Heart"], for example, I didn't really love the role she was given. It's a big sob story for her in this one.
CN: What else is new?
CS: I think the pool of female roles for this year, both leading and supporting, was incredibly weak. Did either of you see "Nine?"
Actor in a Supporting Role
CS: Christoph Waltz did a really good job in "Inglourious Basterds."
ZD: I think he's the favorite, but he's also our consensus.
CN: I walked out of that movie being like, "He needs to win Best Supporting Actor."
CS: I'm glad he's getting the attention he deserves and not Brad Pitt.
ZD: [Waltz] was really sinister in that movie. Quentin Tarantino is just a master of creating these kinds of villainous characters.
CN: He spoke three or four languages.
CS: And he speaks them fluently and naturally. He's definitely the shoe-in. The only one that I have a problem with is Matt Damon for "Invictus." It was half biopic, half sports movie, so everything they did was clichéd.
ZD: I think Woody Harrelson ["The Messenger"] — I never saw the movie, but I've heard really good things about him in that role. But, to me, if you're going to nominate him, you've got to nominate him for "Zombieland."
CS: Definitely! I think "The Messenger" is a hard sell because "The Hurt Locker" is getting so much attention that it's hard to sell two war movies in one year.
Actress in a Leading Role
CS: This is one of the exciting ones. A lot of people are saying Sandra Bullock ["The Blind Side"], which is a big surprise for this year, but it could also go to Meryl Streep ["Julie and Julia"].
CN: To be honest, I was a little frustrated when I saw that she was nominated. It's gotten to a point where it's just because she's Meryl Streep. Granted, she's a phenomenal actress. I think she did a great job with the role [of Julia Child], but I don't think there was anything new.
CS: Yeah, I fell asleep during "Julie and Julia." My theory about Meryl Streep, why she hasn't won in a while, is because she's consistently good. And the reason that Sandra Bullock, I think, is pulling ahead is because she surprised people. People don't expect that from her. Meryl Streep, if she did a poor job, it would be a big surprise.
CN: It's kind of like when Reese Witherspoon won for "Walk the Line" (2005). I liked the film, but I think that people didn't expect it, and t–hat's why she won.
ZD: I think the Southern belle character definitely sells. I don't like Sandra Bullock. Once you do "Miss Congeniality" (2000), you shouldn't be taken seriously in Hollywood.
CN: You always have to start from somewhere!
ZD: I know, but this is her year, right? She made "The Blind Side" the same year she made "All About Steve."
CN: And Carey Mulligan ["An Education"]...
CS: She got a lot of accolades — same thing with Gabourey Sidibe of "Precious." They just peaked too soon; they hit the indie circuit. "Precious" was at Sundance all the way back in January of 2009, and same thing with "An Education." The accolades came in, but "The Blind Side" hit this summer, and it's been Sandra Bullock building and building.
Actor in a Leading Role
CS: I was so happy Jeremy Renner ["The Hurt Locker"] was nominated. It's hard to get the audience to believe that you don't care if that bomb's gonna blow up and kill you.
CN: Some of my favorite characters are the guys you want to hate, but you really like their characters. Although, I do have to say, I'm a sucker for British actors. So, Colin Firth ["A Single Man"] — I personally thought that that was his best performance in a film.
ZD: He hasn't been better in "Bridget Jones's Diary" (2001) or something like that?
CS: He wasn't good in "Mamma Mia!" (2008), Charissa?
CN: Fine! I think he did an incredible job with the role. He played this character where his partner had just passed away, and he was tender and funny.
ZD: I wanted to touch on snubs for this category. One is Matt Damon for "The Informant!" I thought he was excellent. He put on all this weight and played a bumbling idiot character. Another snub was "District 9…"
CS: …Like Sharlto Copley! If you look at interviews with Neill Blomkamp, the director, a lot of Sharlto's scenes were improvised. He just blew me away.
ZD: The problem is there are only five nominees.
CN: You could take George Clooney out.
CS: The thing about George Clooney is that that character is what people perceive George Clooney to be.
ZD: Well, I think that one of the hardest roles to do in Hollywood is to portray somebody who's just like you, but that's also where actors really excel.
CS: It's a consensus that Jeff Bridges is gonna win. Bridges is undeniably amazing and overdue for an Oscar. That plays into it a lot at the Academy.
ZD: At the same time, they love movies like this where it's focused on one character; it's almost a biopic.
CS: Plus, he sings!
ZD: It's like "Ray" (2004). It's a drugged out genius. I think he nailed it, and it's a side of Bridges that we've never really seen before. And we've seen him in "The Big Lebowski" (1998). So actually, we have seen him as a druggie.
Best Picture
CS: I think "The Hurt Locker" deserves to win, but I could see "Avatar" winning, and I could see "Inglourious Basterds" winning.
CN: I think "The Hurt Locker" was an incredible movie. It was touching; it was poignant. "Avatar" in terms of a film: innovation was amazing, but the story sucked.
CS: If you can spend $300 million on a movie, you can hire a script writer for $100,000.
ZD: Here's my take on "Avatar:" The story is nothing new.
CS: It's "Pocahontas" (1995).
ZD: Right. Not a great storyline. Visually spectacular. At the same time, I've seen the show "Planet Earth," and it's as aesthetically amazing, and that's real. If I had to cast my vote right now, I would do "Up in the Air."
CS: Let's talk about some of the outliers. Let's talk about "The Blind Side" getting nominated.
ZD: This was just a holiday, feel good, happy-go-lucky movie that has no business being the Best Picture.
CS: I will say, I enjoyed it more than "Avatar."
ZD: The fact that it's a true story is a big deal for me, and I think that's one of the reasons why "Precious" was not as powerful.
CS: But many would argue that there are girls like Precious, and that's a true story for all of them. That movie just hammers you over the head with how horrible life is for some.
CN: "An Education," I'm glad it was nominated. It's a really interesting coming of age story. It was an interesting take on showing how this girl can gallivant around Paris and, when it comes down to it, reality sets in.
CS: Let's talk about "Inglourious Basterds."
ZD: I think it had all of these elements of Quentin Tarantino that I love: the gore, the artistic ability, the opening scene. Yet, I actually was kind of disgusted how this rewriting of such a tragic event could go over so easily with critics and viewers.
CS: I think it's supposed to be like, "Yeah! Shoot Hitler in the face!" But I didn't buy the revisionist thing either.
ZD: But I happened to like the movie; I thought the rewriting was Tarantino's style.
CS: Okay, we'll finish it up: "Hurt Locker." This was my favorite movie of the year. There was no political statement. It was just, "This is war. And these are men in war."
CN: I really liked the relationship between the two guys. I couldn't tell if they hated each other, even when they were fighting.
CS: Something that was so beautiful about that scene was that I would have never understood the dynamics of that scene, as a woman. But [director] Kathryn Bigelow somehow does.
