We are once again right in the middle of awards season. The Golden Globes were this last weekend. And the Oscars are about 5 weeks away. The Oscar Nominations come out this Tuesday the 24th of January. So this is the time of year when I like to get together with my coworker Jackie and talk about what we think will be nominated. What we hope is nominated. I basically like to pretend that we are members of the Academy putting in our votes for the various Oscar categories. We are sadly without our moderator Miss Ess from the last couple of years. If you are feeling nostalgic for last years Oscars, here is our Oscar nomination predictions for 2010 blog from last year. So it will be just Jackie and I this year. We both see a ton of movies every year and of course have our opinions about what are favorite films and performances were.

Are you ready. Here we go...

Brad:
Jackie! Are you ready for this? I seriously can't believe it is already time for this. I have been trying to catch up the last couple of weeks and see all the movies that I need to see. I am still a bit behind. But I saw Tin Tin on Sunday and just saw Young Adult last week. So I am almost there. We should start off first by talking about the host. I was happy that Brett Ratner resigned from the show. I was really not looking forward to a show produced by him. I had come to accept Eddie Murphy as the host. But after he dropped out too I was really hoping for some interesting choices. I think the show should always be hosted by a comedian. Last year just didn't really work. I still think Tina Fey and Jimmy Fallon would be great together. But we are getting Billy Crystal this year. I actually think he did a great job in years past as the host. So I think it will be a fun show again. Maybe not as edgy as I had hoped. But it is the Oscars. I expect him to come out on a horse wearing a Hawaiian Shirt with a baseball bat and maybe a dragon tattoo. Maybe dressed up as a maid or a bridesmaid. But maybe he will surprise us all with some amazing material and jokes. I am looking forward to the show as always. Regardless of who the host is. Jackie...Thoughts on the host. Are you hoping for a When Harry Met Sally reunion on stage. Or maybe he could come out with Carol Kane in their makeup from The Princess Bride.

That it was nominated for Best Foreign Language film at the Oscars has a double meaning, because the Greek film Dogtooth reinvents word meanings, too. From the first lines, we hear the three grown up children (in all senses young adults) absorbing a notion that a “sea” is a chair, and that carbine is a “beautiful white bird.” These substitute meanings of common words come from their parents, a bespectacled father (played by Christos Stergioglou) and worrisome mother (Michelle Valley)—who together have quarantined their children from the outside world on a spacious compound with a swimming pool. With no idea of what lurks beyond the tall fencing, these children buy everything they’re told by their parents wholesale. That is—they are promised—until the day their dogtooth falls out, which will be the indication that they’re fit for the sordid world beyond. Dogteeth don’t just fall out, but they don’t know that. Just as they don’t know what a “pussy” or a “zombie” is. They only know what is conveyed to them, and what’s conveyed is protective code, lies, fables and overly simplistic notions.

Leading Actor:  Colin Firth -- The King's Speech
Cinematography: Wally Pfister -- Inception
Foreign Language Film: In a Better World -- Denmark
Sound Editing: Richard King -- Inception
Supporting Actor: Christian Bale -- The Fighter
Costume Design: Colleen Atwood -- Alice in Wonderland
Makeup: Rick Baker & Dave Elsey -- The Wolfman
Sound Mixing: Lora Hirschberg, Gary A. Rizzo & Ed Novick -- Inception
Leading Actress: Natalie Portman -- Black Swan
Directing: Tom Hooper -- The King's Speech
Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross -- The Social Network
Visual Effects: Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley & Peter Bebb -- Inception
Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo -- The Fighter
Documentary Feature:  Charles Ferguson  -- Inside Job
Original Song: “We Belong Together” from Toy Story 3 -- Randy Newman
Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin -- The Social Network
Animated Feature: Lee Unkrich -- Toy Story 3
Documentary Short:  Kirk Simon -- Strangers No More
Animated Short Film: Shaun Tan & Andrew Ruhemann -- The Lost Thing
Original Screenplay: David Seidler -- The King's Speech
Art Direction: Robert Stromberg & Karen O'Hara -- Alice in Wonderland
Film Editing: Angus Wall & Kirk Baxter -- The Social Network
Live Action Short Film: Luke Matheny -- God of Love
Best Picture: The King's Speech

Leading Actor

• Javier Bardem -- Biutiful (Roadside Attractions)
• Jeff Bridges -- True Grit (Paramount)
• Jesse Eisenberg -- The Social Network (Sony Pictures Releasing)
• Colin Firth -- The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company)
• James Franco -- 127 Hours (Fox Searchlight)

I just watched Restrepo, the documentary film from Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington about soldiers in Afghanistan. It was an engrossing and remarkable film. It’s nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature. It’s available on DVD.

I love film, all kinds, and I see a lot of movies in a year . . . but still, I probably won’t watch the Oscars. Why not? I sort of just don’t feel invited.

Look at this year’s Best Picture Nominees:

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone