The votes are in!

Although Academy members have until February 22nd to get their votes in, I have already made my picks for this year’s Oscars. I have been betting with a friend from high school for many, many years now (I won’t admit how many!) and last night was our annual “Oscar dinner”. I am usually pretty confident with my choices but this year it could go the way of the King’s Speech or the way of the Social Network. Either direction is possible! My bets were heavily King’s Speech; my friends were the Social Network. We will have to wait until February 27th to see who has chosen most wisely this year.

My Oscar choices:

Best Film: King’s Speech
Actor: Colin Firth
Actress: Natalie Portman
Supporting Actor: Christian Bale
Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo
Original Screenplay: King’s Speech (Inception won the WGA award and could easily take this one).
Adapted Screenplay: Social Network
Directing: King’s Speech
Art Direction: King’s Speech
Cinematography: True Grit
Costume: King’s Speech
Editing: King’s Speech
Make-Up: Wolfman
Original Score: Social Network
Original Song: Coming Home (Country Strong)
Sound Editing: Inception
Sound Mixing: Inception
Visual Effects: Inception
Animated Film: Toy Story 3
Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop
Foreign Language: Biutiful

Fortunately, many of the Oscar nominated films are still in the theaters so you can experience them on the big screen. However, if you miss them, many are coming out on DVD in the coming months:
127 Hours: March 1
Black Swan: March 29
Tangled: March 29
The Fighter: March 15
Hereafter: March 15
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one: April 15
King’s Speech: April 19
Rabbit Hole: April 19th

Oscar nominated films that are already available at HBPL:
Social Network
Inception
Toy Story 3
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Alice in Wonderland
How to Train your Dragon
Salt
Restrepo (currently on order)
The Kids are Alright
Winter’s Bone
The Town
Animal Kingdom

The glitz and the glamour are just a few weeks away so get your ballots, get your friends, get your snacks organized and that champagne on ice! Hooray for Hollywood!