2013 Oscar Picks

(PHOTO: Cinemark Movie Theaters in Moosic, Pennsylvania)

In case you have not heard, this Sunday night is the Academy Awards! Everyone from the editors of Mediaite to Nate Silver is predicting who will prevail in each of the major categories of the Oscars. For the first time in this blog, I will give my readers the chance to say "wow, you were dead wrong about your predictions" by making specific predictions. Of the films in contention, I have seen in theaters "Lincoln," "Argo," "Zero Dark Thirty," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Les Miserables," and "Django Unchained" - allof which were very, very good, in my view.  I am excited for this year's award ceremony since I was a fan of all of these great films and the actors and actresses in these movies. I am also incredibly excited for Seth MacFarlane hosting too as I am a big fan of "Family Guy." Hopefully, he won't be a Lettermanesque flop (1994) but will instead be a Jon Stewartesque  audience favorite (2006 and 2008). It should be a terrific show on Sunday. So here are my Oscar picks - both who and what I would like to see win and who and what I think will win:

Who/what I want to win:

Best Picture - "Silver Linings Playbook"

Best Director - David Russell ("Silver Linings Playbook")

Best Lead Actress - Jessica Chastain ("Zero Dark Thirty")

Best Lead Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis ("Lincoln")

Best Supporting Actor - Christopher Walz ("Django Unchained")

Best Supporting Actress - Anne Hathaway ("Les Miserables")

Who/what I think will win:

Best Picture -"Argo"

Best Director - Stephen Spielberg ("Lincoln")

Best Lead Actress - Jennifer Lawrence ("Silver Linings Playbook")

Best Lead Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Supporting Actor - Christopher Walz

Best Supporting Actress - Anne Hathaway 

If any of these films or actors or actresses or directors won, I would be satisfied. However, for a myriad of reasons I am rooting for "Silver Linings Playbook" for an upset Best Picture win: 1) it contains an inspiring and beautiful message about the vital issue of mental illness - a topic I care deeply about, 2) it features a stellar cast composed of spectacular acting by Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and the venerable Robert DeNiro, among others, 3) it is set in my state, Pennsylvania, in the beautiful and legendary Philadelphia suburbs and it incorporates aspects of PA culture and values - including the reverent and impassioned spirit of Eagles fans, and 4) everyone wakes up happy at the end on my birthday: December 29th. The movie, at its core, teaches us that no matter what ailments, troubles, or debilitations befall you, you can pick yourself up, turn around your life, move on, and be successful. All it takes is a little bit of hard work and a little bit of love. Perhaps that message is a bit corny but it is one we should always keep in mind. For that, I am rooting for "Silver Linings Playbook." Good luck to all nominated!