2013 Oscar Predictions

With the Super Bowl of awards season just three short days away, I decided to throw my hat in the ring, once again, by giving my 2013 Oscar Predictions. Although the 85th annual Academy Awards finally air on Sunday February 24th at 7pm, I've spent the past few months tracking each of these 10 major races and their wide array of likely outcomes. Some of these categories have been locked up for a long time coming, while others have been running in ever-changing races that are sure to result in some photo finishes. Either way, here are my 2013 Oscar Predictions:

Best Picture - Argo

After stunning us all by sweeping everything from the BAFTA's to your mother's kitchen floor, Argo went from being trapped in Lincoln's shadow to the undisputed frontrunner in the Academy Award's Best Picture race. Barring a long shot by Steven Spielberg's biopic, Argo has set itself up as the safest bet in a crowded nine-picture field.

Best Director - Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)

Assuming enough Academy members don't rebel and cast write-in votes for the snubbed, but extremely deserving, Ben Affleck, I think it's almost a foregone conclusion that Steven Spielberg will walk away from the evening with his third Best Director win from the Academy. While some may view Ang Lee (Life of Pi) as a darkhorse contender, truth be told, this race has Spielberg's name all over it. 

Best Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

In a race that appears to have been decided the moment Daniel Day-Lewis signed on to play Abraham Lincoln a little over two years ago, you might as well take all of your life savings and possessions and go to Vegas with this pick. Clearly etched in stone, Daniel Day-Lewis carries this year's most nominated film, Lincoln, squarely on his shoulders.

Best Actress - Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)

This year's Best Actress race has felt like an open battle all along. After receiving an amazing reception at its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, Silver Linings Playbook star Jennifer Lawrence instantly went to the front of the line. However, Zero Dark Thirty's Jessica Chastain burst onto the scene in late December making this competition a lot more interesting. Less than two months later and Chastain's flavor has soured, but Amour's 85 year old Emmanuelle Riva (who celebrates her 86th birthday on Oscar night) has gained an enormous amount of steam placing her right in the thick of things. But caught in a very tight race, I still believe that Lawrence has the slight edge over the rest of the field.

Best Supporting Actor - Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Much like the Best Actress race, the Best Supporting Actor category has prognosticators all over the world scratching their heads and rethinking their careers. Although most people have thrown in the towel on Alan Arkin's (Argo) chances of winning, this is still anyone's game. Based on such a lofty number of nominations, I am giving the advantage to Lincoln's own Tommy Lee Jones by the smallest of margins. Admittedly, I'd much rather see a win for a more deserving contender such as Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained), I sense that Jones could be the benefactor of a widely regarded and completely well acted film.

Best Supporting Actress - Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables)

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past two months, you should know by now that the Best Supporting Actress category has been spoken for since we first heard Anne Hathaway's heartbreaking rendition of Les Miserables' "I Dreamed a Dream". Standing out in a field that's clearly a step below her, Hathaway joins Daniel Day-Lewis in the "sure-thing" ranks. Here's another race that feels all too pre-determined, and the winner is ... Anne Hathaway.

My other 2013 Oscar Picks:

Best Original Screenplay - Amour

Best Adapted Screenplay - Argo

Best Foreign Language Film - Amour

Best Animated Feature Film - Wreck-It Ralph

*** Here are my selections, but feel free to comment below and chime in with your own picks. Also remember to sign up for my FREE OSCAR POOL that will give a free $25 Regal Gift Card to the winner.