With the 84th Annual Academy Awards coming up this weekend, it’s time for Fat Guy Kevin Carr to offer his predictions. Use them as you see fit, but if you win an Oscar pool, be sure to send him a cut of your winnings. As with each year, here’s a list of the nominees, along with a prediction of who will win and who he thinks should win.
Best Motion Picture of the Year
The Artist: Thomas Langmann
The Descendants: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close: Scott Rudin
The Help: Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan
Hugo: Graham King, Martin Scorsese
Midnight in Paris: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum
Moneyball: Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt
The Tree of Life: Sarah Green, Bill Pohlad, Dede Gardner, Grant Hill
War Horse: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy
Who will win – The Help
Who should win – Hugo
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Demián Bichir for A Better Life
George Clooney for The Descendants
Jean Dujardin for The Artist
Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt for Moneyball
Who will win – George Clooney
Who should win – Gary Oldman
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis for The Help
Rooney Mara for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn
Who will win – Meryl Streep
Who should win – Rooney Mara
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill for Moneyball
Nick Nolte for Warrior
Christopher Plummer for Beginners
Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Who will win – Christopher Plummer
Who should win – Christopher Plummer
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Bérénice Bejo for The Artist
Jessica Chastain for The Help
Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer for The Help
Who will win – Octavia Spencer
Who should win – Octavia Spencer
Best Achievement in Directing
Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris
Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist
Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life
Alexander Payne for The Descendants
Martin Scorsese for Hugo
Who will win – Terrence Malick
Who should win – Martin Scorsese
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
The Artist: Michel Hazanavicius
Bridesmaids: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo
Margin Call: J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen
A Separation: Asghar Farhadi
Who will win – Midnight in Paris
Who should win – Margin Call
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
The Descendants: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Hugo: John Logan
The Ides of March: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon
Moneyball: Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Bridget O’Connor, Peter Straughan
Who will win – Moneyball
Who should win – The Ides of March
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Who will win – Rango
Who should win – Kung Fu Panda 2
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
Bullhead: Michael R. Roskam (Belgium)
Footnote: Joseph Cedar (Israel)
In Darkness: Agnieszka Holland (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar: Philippe Falardeau (Canada)
A Separation: Asghar Farhadi (Iran)
Who will win – A Separation
Who should win – A Separation
Best Achievement in Cinematography
The Artist: Guillaume Schiffman
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Jeff Cronenweth
Hugo: Robert Richardson
The Tree of Life: Emmanuel Lubezki
War Horse: Janusz Kaminski
Who will win – The Tree of Life
Who should win – Hugo
Best Achievement in Editing
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Who will win – The Artist
Who should win – Hugo
Best Achievement in Art Direction
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
Who will win – The Artist
Who should win – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Best Achievement in Costume Design
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.
Who will win – Jane Eyre
Who should win – Hugo
Best Achievement in Makeup
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Iron Lady
Who will win – Albert Nobbs
Who should win – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score
The Adventures of Tintin: John Williams
The Artist: Ludovic Bource
Hugo: Howard Shore
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: Alberto Iglesias
War Horse: John Williams
Who will win – The Artist
Who should win – War Horse
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song
“Man or Muppet” from The Muppets
“Real in Rio” from Rio
Who will win – “Real in Rio”
Who should win – “Man or Muppet”
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Who will win – Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Who should win – Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Who will win – Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Who should win – Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Who will win – Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Who should win – Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Best Short Film, Animated
Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life
Who will win – The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Who should win – La Luna
Best Short Film, Live Action
Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic
Who will win – The Shore
Who should win – Time Freak
Editor’s Note: The Documentary categories (feature-length and short) have been left out due to the fact that not all films were available for screening purposes.