Team Scene's Oscar predictions

January and February is awards season, yes, but the pinnacle is the Oscars, a night of star-studded  glitz and glam, when the finest in film are given the honour of being awarded a coveted 13-inch gold man to take home.
The 84th Academy Awards take place on Sunday February 26 (catch it live on Dubai TV channel Fox at 4am Dubai-time on February 27) – and, don’t worry, we’ll have everything covered for you post-event. But for now, here’s who  we think will (or should) win...

Best Supporting Actress

1. Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids
2. Bérénice Bejo – The Artist
3. Jessica Chastain – The Help
4. Octavia Spencer – The Help
5. Janet McTeer – Albert Nobbs

Scene predicts

Farah I have a feeling that The Academy won’t be awarding Melissa for her so-funny-it-hurts role in Bridesmaids, but in my dream world she would totally win. (Although, in my dream world we’d also be besties, so it may be skewed).
Gemma As much as I would love to see Melissa win for Bridesmaids (her Fight Club-themed bachelorette party idea gets me every time), I think Octavia’s a
dead cert here.
Lucy Octavia Spencer – I’m seeing her having some kind of Jennifer Hudson-esque transformation any day now.
Nyree My pick is Octavia, I think she has it in the bag (although The Artist’s Bérénice could sneak in silently and trump her).

Best Supporting Actor

1. Kenneth Branagh – My Week With Marilyn
2. Max Von Sydow – Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close
3. Nick Nolte – Warrior
4. Christopher Plummer – Beginners
5. Jonah Hill – Moneyball

Jonah Hill is the only first-timer – and while all five have been widely accepted as deserving, it’s 82-year-old Christopher Plummer (Captain Von Trapp) who’s the firm favourite.

Scene predicts

Farah Jonah Hill – I’m a huge  fan of comedy Jonah, but I loved that he showed off a more serious side when he stared beside Brad  in this flick.
Gemma The hills are aliiiive, with the sound of Christopher Plummer (deservedly) winning!
Lucy Kenneth Branagh – he is amazing as Olivier.
Nyree Nick Nolte, 70, was amazing in Warrior – he captured regret and remorse perfectly and  so he’s my choice, but I think the fact the film was about MMA and cage fighting will deter the highbrow Academy.

Best Actress

1. Glenn Close – Albert Nobbs
2. Viola Davis – The Help
3. Rooney Mara – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
4. Meryl Streep – The Iron Lady
5. Michelle Williams – My Week With Marilyn

Glenn Close has never one won, Meryl’s bagged two (and been nominated for 17) and Rooney Mara has never been in to win. Most people are putting their money on Meryl, with Michelle a close second.

Scene predicts

Farah After reading, and becoming totally hooked on the novels by Stieg Larsson, I’m delighted that Rooney Mara did the role of Lisbeth justice. Plus, if they were giving out Oscars for dramatic transformations, she deserves it: she’s unrecognisable from The Social Network.
Gemma I love Meryl, but if she wins I’ll be livid. And much as I’d like Michelle to win, I think the gong will go to Viola Davis, who is just plain awesome in everything she does!
Lucy It’s got to be between the two scarily true-to-life historical portrayal roles – Meryl and Michelle – but I think Michelle Williams will nail it as she was just perfect in that film. Meryl should get a separate award for her hairdo, however.
Nyree For me it’s a straight tie between Glenn Close for her oddly sweet and completely transformative role in Albert  Nobbs and Meryl Streep for  actually sounding and looking  like Maggie Thatcher (and she hasn’t actually won an Oscar  since 1983, remember).

Best Actor

1. Martin Scorsese – Hugo
2. Brad Pitt – Moneyball
3. Gary Oldman – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
4. George Clooney – The Descendants
5. Jean Dujardin – The Artist
6. Demián Bichir – A Better Life

This is a very tough one to call and is considered one of the strongest categories this year: Oldman’s never won and was incredible in Tinker, Tailor; George’s performance in The Descendants is said to be the best thing about the film and Jean Dujardin tells a whole story without saying anything in The Artist. The only surprise is Mexican actor Bichir’s nod for his role as a Mexican labourer living in LA in  A Better Life – few predicted it, but no one’s denying that he deserves it.

Scene predicts

Farah Gary Oldman – um, have you seen him in Tinker? He is sensational. Besides, it’s about time the man took home an Oscar – I’ve loved him since Leon.
Gemma OMG! A Clooney/Pitt Oscar-off – this is gossip gold! I’ve got to say though, I think Gary Oldman will triumph – that was one heck of an understated performance from him in TTSS.
Lucy George Clooney – he rocks in this movie, and will totally make you cry. But, I would really love for Gary Oldman to win, even though he’s not quite as hot as ol’ Georgie boy.
Nyree I think Jean Dujardin’s wordless performance had the most chops, although I do think Michael Fassbender should have been in the running for his performance in Shame. And isn’t it interesting that Leo was snubbed for J. Edgar?

Best Director

1. Terrence Malick – The Tree Of Life
2. Michel Hazanavicius – The Artist
3. Alexander Payne – The Descendants
4. Woody Allen – Midnight In Paris
5. Martin Scorsese - Hugo

Scorsese is very likely to win this – his seventh nomination for Best Director – however, Woody Allen may win his third and Hazanavicius is the most ground-breaking in the category.

Farah I loved Hugo, and after his Golden Globe nod, I’m hoping the Oscar will be Martin’s too.
Gemma I think Terry Malick’s the numero uno man, here. ‘Man’ being the operative – no women noms? Way to go, Hollywood.
Lucy Michel Hazanavicius will probably get it for The Artist, the Academy love an arty flick.
Nyree Martin – Hugo was magical, and one of the best uses of 3D (bar Avatar) that I’ve ever seen.

Best Picture

1. The Tree Of Life
2. Midnight In Paris
3. Moneyball
4. War Horse
5. The Help
6. Hugo
7. The Descendants
8. The Artist
9. Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close

There are two comedies (the last to win was Shakespeare In Love in 1998), two films set in France, and it’s the first time in 83 years a silent film is in: this category is a boomer.

Scene predicts

Farah I was totally torn between The Descendants and Midnight In Paris, but I think this time Hawaii will triumph over France.
Gemma Honestly, The Artist would be a ground-breaking choice to win, but the Oscars are not about breaking ground, T-town likes to play it safe, so The Descendants is my pick – great film.
Lucy Hugo – it’s brilliant in every way, and Martin Scorsese needs another award for his under-stairs cupboard or something.
Nyree I’m surprised the critically panned Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close was nominated, but not that cinema stories The Artist and Hugo were – they’re my picks. I’m too torn to choose one.