The Bright Review predicts 2012 Academy Award winners

I have made my final predictions for the winners of the 84th annual Academy Awards. These are not necessarily the ones I think should win, but I’m trying to think like the Academy. It’s unfortunate these awards are so political. That’s just how it is, though. Here they are:

Best Picture: “The Artist”

It seems to be a no-brainer this year for Best Picture. “The Artist” is too fun, too creative and too clever to lose. This is the kind of movie that the Academy wants to see win: a movie celebrating an important era in cinema. Look for “The Artist” to be the big winner.

Best Director: Michael Hazanavicius, “The Artist”

Although Martin Scorsese deserves a great deal of respect for “Hugo,” Michael Hazanavicius will probably pull through because he won the Directors Guild Award this year. That usually means an Oscar as well. That’s not to say he doesn’t deserve the award. Anyone who watches “The Artist” knows a great deal of time and exertion went into making that movie.

Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”

I thought George Clooney was a definite win and there’s still a very good possibility that he could win this award. I just think the man taking home the Oscar is going to be the winner of the Screen Actors Guild Award, Jean Dujardin. Those two, like the Director’s Guild Award and Best Director, go hand in hand. Clooney deserves some serious credit for his performance in “The Descendants.” I’m still rooting for him.

Best Actress: Viola Davis, “The Help”

As great as Meryl Streep was in “Iron Lady,” I still think the Academy will give this award to Viola Davis. It’s because she’s a newbie. Who wouldn’t want to see her go on stage? Meryl Streep already has two awards. Yet, this is another category that is kind of up in the air.

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”

This is pretty much a shoo-in. He won the Screen Actors Guild Award and he won the Golden Globe. His performance in “Beginners” was astounding and definitely the kind of role to which the Academy will award a win.

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, “The Help”

Octavia Spencer’s role in “The Help” was hilarious, fun and lovable. This is why she won the Screen Actors Guild award and the Golden Globe, and is why she’ll probably win the Oscar.

Best Screenplay: Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”

Woody Allen’s genius work in “Midnight in Paris” is too charming to lose. It’s very possible that “The Artist” could also win this, too. However, I think the Academy would have a hard time giving the Best Screenplay award to a screenplay that had two or three lines of dialogue.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, “The Descendants”

This will be the one big win for “The Descendants.” One fun fact about this movie is the woman who wrote the book, Kaui Hart Hemmings, is the next-door neighbor of my grandfather.

Here are my predicted winners in all of the other categories. Please take into consideration I have only seen some of the documentaries and short films. You can never really predict those anyway.

Best Animated Feature: “Rango“

Best Art Direction: “Hugo”

Best Cinematography: “The Tree of Life”

Best Costume Design: “The Artist”

Best Film Editing: “The Artist”

Best Make-up: “The Iron Lady”

Best Music: “The Artist”

Best Song: “Man or Muppet” from The Muppets

Best Sound Editing: “Hugo”

Best Sound Mixing: “Hugo”

Best Visual Effects: “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”

Best Foreign Film: “A Separation”

Best Documentary Feature: “Paradise Lost 3″

Best Animated Short Film: “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore“

Best Live Action Short Film: “Tuba Atlantic”

Best Documentary Short Subject: “Saving Face”