LOS ANGELES — AP movie writers Christy Lemire and David Germain prefer to disagree, but they’re in harmony on the top prizes for Sunday’s show. Here are their picks in the top six categories:
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BEST PICTURE — Nominees: “Amour,” ‘’Argo,” ‘’Beasts of the Southern Wild,” ‘’Django Unchained,” ‘’Les Miserables,” ‘’Life of Pi,” ‘’Lincoln,” ‘’Silver Linings Playbook.”
LEMIRE: “Argo,” Ben Affleck’s film, has steadily and deservedly has been racking up key prizes leading to the big night and has unstoppable momentum. Plus “Argo” is a sure thing because it seamlessly blends Hollywood satire with thrilling action, and this industry loves to honor itself for teasing itself.
BEST DIRECTOR — Nominees: Michael Haneke, “Amour”; Benh Zeitlin, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”; Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”; Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”; David O. Russell, “Silver Linings Playbook.”
GERMAIN: We’ll never know what might have happened if not for the surprise directing snubs that included Ben Affleck for “Argo” and Kathryn Bigelow for “Zero Dark Thirty.” A Spielberg win puts him in rare company, tying him with Frank Capra and William Wyler, who each won three directing Oscars, and putting him just behind record-holder John Ford, who won four. His third directing trophy will be an awfully nice consolation prize.
BEST ACTOR — Nominees: Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook”; Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”; Hugh Jackman, “Les Miserables”; Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master”; Denzel Washington, “Flight.”
LEMIRE: From the first moment you see Daniel Day-Lewis on screen as the revered 16th president, it’s clear he’s destined to win the best-actor Oscar. Day-Lewis will make some history of his own by becoming the first person ever to win the Academy Award for best actor three times.
BEST ACTRESS — Nominees: Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”; Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”; Emmanuelle Riva, “Amour”; Quvenzhane Wallis, “Beasts of the Southern Wild”; Naomi Watts, “The Impossible.”
GERMAIN: This is such a close call between Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence, who plays one of the most endearing damaged souls to hit the big-screen in ages. Chastain is extraordinary in extraordinary circumstances; Lawrence is extraordinary in ordinary circumstances. The latter is harder and Lawrence not only manages that, but also outshines a remarkable cast that includes Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR — Nominees: Alan Arkin, “Argo”; Robert De Niro, “Silver Linings Playbook”; Philip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master”; Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”; Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained.”
GERMAIN: The big Oscar certainty: supporting actor goes to a previous Oscar winner. All five nominees have won and Robert De Niro has won twice. Jones has mastered the art of playing noble curmudgeons and should join De Niro as a two-time Oscar winner.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS — Nominees: Amy Adams, “The Master”; Sally Field, “Lincoln”; Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables”; Helen Hunt, “The Sessions”; Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook.”
LEMIRE: It sounds so cynical to suggest that if you cut all your hair off, lose a bunch of weight and play a prostitute, you’re guaranteed to win an Academy Award. But Anne Hathaway does indeed do all of this — and she sings! It’s not subtle, but it’s effective, and it’s the reason she’ll win.
