The Edge of the Frame

Despite all of the detriments and shenanigans that have occupied (and in some instances, plagued) my life over the last few months, including those that have almost precluded me from even getting to watch the Oscars this year, I’d never miss the chance to offer up my official predictions. Check out what I think will take home the gold, as well as the cliched (but effective) spiel of what could possibly win, what I think should win and what wasn’t even nominated but definitely should have.

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BEST PICTURE

WILL WIN: “12 Years a Slave”
COULD WIN: “Gravity”
SHOULD WIN: “12 Years a Slave”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Inside Llewyn Davis” AND “Short Term 12”

BEST DIRECTOR

WILL WIN: Alfonso Cuaron – “Gravity”
COULD WIN: Steve McQueen – “12 Years a Slave”
SHOULD WIN: Steve McQueen – “12 Years a Slave”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: Paul Greengrass – “Captain Phillips”

BEST ACTOR in a LEADING ROLE

WILL WIN: Matthew McConaughey – “Dallas Buyers Club”
COULD WIN: Leonardo DiCaprio – “The Wolf of Wall Street”
SHOULD WIN: Leonardo DiCaprio – “The Wolf of Wall Street”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: Tom Hanks – “Captain Phillips” AND Oscar Isaac – “Inside Llewyn Davis”

BEST ACTRESS in a LEADING ROLE

WILL WIN: Cate Blanchett – “Blue Jasmine”
COULD WIN: Judi Dench – “Philomena”
SHOULD WIN: Cate Blanchett – “Blue Jasmine”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: Brie Larson – “Short Term 12”

BEST ACTOR in a SUPPORTING ROLE

WILL WIN: Jared Leto – “Dallas Buyers Club”
COULD WIN: Barkhad Abdi – “Captain Phillips”
SHOULD WIN: Michael Fassbender – “12 Years a Slave”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: James Franco – “Spring Breakers”

BEST ACTRESS in a SUPPORTING ROLE

WILL WIN: Lupita Nyong’o – “12 Years a Slave”
COULD WIN: Jennifer Lawrence – “American Hustle”
SHOULD WIN: Lupita Nyong’o – “12 Years a Slave”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE – N/A (Again, I think this category is fantastic)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

WILL WIN: “Her”
COULD WIN: “American Hustle”
SHOULD WIN: “Her”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Inside Llewyn Davis”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

WILL WIN: “12 Years a Slave”
COULD WIN: “Philomena”
SHOULD WIN: “12 Years a Slave”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: N/A (I full agree with these nominations)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

WILL WIN: “Frozen”
COULD WIN: “The Wind Rises”
SHOULD WIN: “The Wind Rises”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: N/A (Unfortunately, I just don’t care too much about this category. No offense, animators)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

WILL WIN: “20 Feet From Stardom”
COULD WIN: “The Act of Killing”
SHOULD WIN: “The Act of Killing”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Blackfish”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

WILL WIN: “The Hunt”
COULD WIN: “The Great Beauty”
SHOULD WIN: “The Hunt”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: N/A (just haven’t paid enough attention to this category, this year)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

WILL WIN: “Gravity”
COULD WIN: “Inside Llewyn Davis”
SHOULD WIN: “Inside Llewyn Davis”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “12 Years a Slave”

BEST EDITING

WILL WIN: “Captain Phillips”
COULD WIN: “Gravity”
SHOULD WIN: “Captain Phillips”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “The Place Beyond the Pines”

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

WILL WIN: “The Great Gatsby”
COULD WIN: “12 Years a Slave”
SHOULD WIN: “Her”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Inside Llewyn Davis”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

WILL WIN: “The Great Gatsby”
COULD WIN: “American Hustle”
SHOULD WIN: “American Hustle”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “42”

BEST SOUND MIXING

WILL WIN: “Gravity”
COULD WIN: “Captain Phillips”
SHOULD WIN: “Inside Llewyn Davis”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Stoker”

BEST SOUND EDITING

WILL WIN: “Gravity”
COULD WIN: “All is Lost”
SHOULD WIN: “Gravity”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Star Trek: Into Darkness”

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

WILL WIN: “Gravity”
COULD WIN: N/A
SHOULD WIN: “Gravity”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Oblivion”

BEST MAKE-UP EFFECTS

WILL WIN: “Dallas Buyers Club”
COULD WIN: “Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa”
SHOULD WIN: “Dallas Buyers Club”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “12 Years a Slave”

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

WILL WIN: “Let It Go” from “Frozen”
COULD WIN: “Happy” from “Despicable Me”
SHOULD WIN: “The Moon Song” from “Her”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “Young and Beautiful” from “The Great Gatsby”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

WILL WIN: “Gravity”
COULD WIN: “Philomena”
SHOULD WIN: “Her”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “12 Years a Slave”

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

WILL WIN: “Get a Horse”
COULD WIN: “Feral”
SHOULD WIN: “N/A”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “N/A”

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

WILL WIN: “Helium”
COULD WIN: “The Voorman Problem”
SHOULD WIN: “N/A”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “N/A”

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

WILL WIN: “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life”
COULD WIN: “Facing Fear”
SHOULD WIN: “N/A”
SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE: “N/A”

Happy Oscar Day, everyone!