Here are my Oscar predictions in BOLD*** for 2012. The Academy Awards will be handed out this Sunday, February 26th.
BEST PICTURE
“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer*** (Predicted Winner)
“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined
“War Horse” Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers
DIRECTING
“The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius*** (Predicted Winner)
“The Descendants” Alexander Payne
“Hugo” Martin Scorsese
“Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen
“The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick
ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Demin Bichir in “A Better Life”
George Clooney in “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”*** (Predicted Winner)
Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy“
Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill in “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte in “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer in “Beginners”*** (Predicted Winner) 
Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs“
Viola Davis in “The Help”*** (Predicted Winner)
Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Benice Bejo in “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain in “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer in “The Help”*** (Predicted Winner)
WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
“The Descendants” Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash*** (Predicted Winner)
“Hugo” Screenplay by John Logan
“The Ides of March” Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
“Moneyball” Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” Screenplay by Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
“The Artist” Written by Michel Hazanavicius
“Bridesmaids” Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
“Margin Call” Written by J.C. Chandor
“Midnight in Paris” Written by Woody Allen*** (Predicted Winner)
“A Separation” Written by Asghar Farhadi
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
“Bullhead” Belgium
“Footnote” Israel
“In Darkness” Poland
“Monsieur Lazhar” Canada
“A Separation” Iran *** (Predicted Winner)
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
“A Cat in Paris ” Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli”
Chico & Rita “Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
“Kung Fu Panda 2″ Jennifer Yuh Nelson
“Puss in Boots” Chris Miller
“Rango” Gore Verbinski*** (Predicted Winner)
MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
“Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets” Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie*** (Predicted Winner)
“Real in Rio”from “Rio” Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett
