Tim Russell’s Oscar Predictions 2010

Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges

At first I thought George Clooney had the edge on this one but as the award season rolled on I thought Jeff Bridges moved ahead and, after seeing “Crazy Heart”, I have to say it’s Jeff Bridges Turn to take the Oscar.

Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”

George Clooney in “Up in the Air”

Colin Firth in “A Single Man”

Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”

Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

This is a total lock for Christoph Waltz. He was phenomenal as the SS Colonel, Hans Landa. I must say all the others in this category were Oscar worthy this year, but it’s a “waltz” for Waltz.

Matt Damon in “Invictus”

Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”

Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”

Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”

Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Meryl Streep as Julia Child

Early in the year my favorite here was Gabourey Sidibe , then Meryl Streep’s turn as Julia Child was so nuanced, I thought, nope it’s time for Meryl to collect number 3, then Sandra Bullock started winning every award and is now the front runner. I’m going out on a limb and predict a win for for my close personal friend (at least in my eyes) Meryl.

Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”

Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”

Carey Mulligan in “An Education”

Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role

Monique in Precious

This is another easy pick; Monique had one of the most powerful performances of the year in “Precious” and will easily win here.

Penélope Cruz in “Nine”

Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”

Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”

Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”

Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Kathryn Bigelow

A battle of the former spouses here, James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were married between 1989 and 1991, and amicably divorced. I think Kathryn will become the first woman to win Best Director.

“Avatar” James Cameron

“The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow

“Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels

“Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

The Hurt Locker

“Avatar” is the most successful film of all time, but I think that James Cameron will have to be satisfied with that and the Oscar goes to “The Hurt Locker”.

 “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers

“The Blind Side” Gil Netter, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson, Producers

“District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers

“An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers

“The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Nicolas Chartier and Greg Shapiro, Producers

“Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer

“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers

“A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers

“Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer

“Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

This is a battle between “The Hurt Locker” and theTwin Cities own Coen Brothers “A Serious Man”, with the darkhorse being another Minnesotan, Bloomington’s Pete Doctor for “Up”. I’m going to give this one to the Coen Brothers, not only for the complex, funny, multilayered script, but for the wisdom to create the character “Detective #1″, undoubtedly the onlytime I will appear in an Oscar Best Picture nominated film, thank you boys.

I would love to see “In the Loop” get this one. It’s a very funny acid tongued look at the back stabbing world of politics, but this will go to “Up in the Air”.

Here are some of my predictions for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, which will air on Sunday, Jan. 31, on CBS.I will be tweeting throughout the production on Sunday join me on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/wcco830

RECORD OF THE YEAR
“Halo,” Beyoncé Knowles
“I Gotta Feeling,” Black Eyed Peas
“Use Somebody,” Kings Of Leon
“Poker Face,” Lady Gaga
“You Belong With Me,” Taylor Swift
The Black Eyed Peas should and will win with this download monster. They were the house band at the 2006 Grammy post show party I attended at the Staples Center and are an amazing act in person.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
“I Am … Sasha Fierce,” Beyoncé Knowles
“The E.N.D.,” Black Eyed Peas
“The Fame,” Lady Gaga
“Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King,” Dave Matthews Band
“Fearless,” Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift will probably win completing her AMA, and MTV Video, Grammy TRIFECTA, but if singing talent has any influence it should be Beyonce Knowles.

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Poker Face,” Lady Gaga
“Pretty Wings,” Maxwell
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It),” Beyoncé Knowles
“Use Somebody,” Kings of Leon
“You Belong With Me,” Taylor Swift
Can anyone deny the impact of “Single Ladies” (see Justin Timberlake in tights on SNL)? It’s Beyonce all the way.

NEW ARTIST
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings
I think the Ting Tings could win, two people with a quirky sound, but Zac Brown Band has unparalled musicianship and will take this one.

FEMALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
“Hometown Glory,” Adele
“Halo,” Beyoncé Knowles
“Hot N Cold,” Katy Perry
“Sober,” Pink
“You Belong With Me,” Taylor Swift
I think Beyonce will take home the prize again, but Pink’s “Sober” is the dark horse here.

MALE POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
“This Time,” John Legend
“Love You,” Maxwell
“Make It Mine,” Jason Mraz
“If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” Seal
“All About the Love Again,” Stevie Wonder
Maxweell is the biggest underappreciated talent around and brobably should win, but if anyone say John Legend’s “Hope for Haiti” Telethon appearance I think they would agree that he will be the winner.

ROCK ALBUM
“Black Ice,” AC/DC
“Live From Madison Square Garden,” Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood
“21st Century Breakdown,” Green Day
“Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King,” Dave Matthews Band
“No Line on the Horizon,” U2
Green Day won the year I went to the Grammys so they are my sentimental favorites, but I’m afraid that U2 will take this one in spite of mixed reviews for “No Line on the Horizon”.

CONTEMPORARY R&B ALBUM
“I Am . . . Sasha Fierce,” Beyoncé Knowles
“Intuition,” Jamie Foxx
“The Introduction of Marcus Cooper,” Pleasure P
“Ready,” Trey Songz
“Thr33 Ringz,” T-Pain
It’s a big night for Beyonce as she takes this one, in spite of the title, maybe I’m just tired of the “Project Runway”over use of the word Fierce.

COUNTRY ALBUM
“The Foundation,” Zac Brown Band
“Twang,” George Strait
“Fearless,” Taylor Swift
“Defying Gravity,” Keith Urban
“Call Me Crazy,” Lee Ann Womack
No-Brainer here, Taylor Swift can do no wrong this year, and her monster sales figures have spoken.

I Saw “Crazy Heart” this week, you seen the plotline many times before,  Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician, but Bridges gives a real Oscar worthy performance proving his Golden Globe win was no fluke, plus he can really sing. The Soundtrack CD came out on Tuesday, it should sell well. Crazy Heart is showing at the Uptown Theater in Minneapolis. I recommend it.

There’s a new movie filming this winter in Minnesota, “The Convincer” is a great script by filmaker Jill Sprecher and her sister Karen, sometimes referred to as “The Coen Sisters”, a nod to their clever and quirky scripts. I’m going to audition for the role of a midwest insurance claims adjuster. Wish me luck.

You seen the plotline many times before, Bad Blake ( Bridges) is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who’s had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can’t help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal), a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician, but Jeff Bridges delivers an Oscar worthy performance, his Golden Globe win was well deserved. Now showing at the Uptown Theater in Minneapolis. The CD soundtrack was released on Tuesday the 19th.

I think it’s impossible to list the top 10 movies when you see about 125 of them in any given year: so many great foreign films, so many fine documentaries, so many brilliant small independent films that people will never get a chance to see without a DVD release, but nevertheless, I’ve put together a top 10 list with the addition of some Honorable Mentions.

All things considered, I would have to put “Up in The Air” as the best film of the year, for timeliness; the story of an agent of downsizing, George Clooney, a road warrior, has it all, humor, great acting from Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick.

At Number 2 it’s the Coen Brothers very personal remembrance of St. Louis Park’s Jewish Community circa 1967, “A Serious Man”. It’s entertaining, darkly humorous, and provocative, in the way it will have you discussing the meaning of it all, and well acted by a brilliant cast of character actors. I say this in spite of the fact that my appearance as “Detective 1″ could have sabotaged the whole project.

Number 3 on my list would be the latest from Pixar, “Up”. It’s a touching , entertaining film for the whole family, with an animated four minute segment at the beginning of the film that illustrates the love story between the Balloons Salesman, voiced by Ed Asner, and his life long love, that moved me more than any other movie moment this year.

Number 4 is “Precious”, not the feel-good movie of the year, but a reminder of the power of the human spirit in overcoming monumental obstacles. Gaborey Sidibe is amazing as Precious, an possible Oscar winning performance from a novice actor. Monique, the comedian, is anything but comedic in her turn as Precious’ disturbingly evil mother, another sure to be Oscar nominee.

Number 5 goes to a comedy, “The Hangover”, a very funny “R” rated; bad things can happen in Vegas story, with brilliant timing from a talented cast including “The Office’s” Ed Helms, Zach Galifianikis, and Bradley Cooper.

Number 6 is a little seen British film called “In the Loop”, a brilliant script involving backroom shenanigans between the Brits and the U.S. in the run up to the Iraqi invasion. It’s an acid tongued mashup of TV’s “The Office” and “The West Wing”.

“Star Trek”, from J.J. Abrams, is my number 7 pick. It’s a great “re-imagining” of the “Star Trek” franchise with a clever story line and fine special effects. It says a lot that you don’t have to be a Trekkie to enjoy this one, a credit to the talented cast and director.

At number 8, “The Hurt Locker” from director Katherine Bigelow. This is perhaps the best war movie I’ve ever seen. Jeremy Renner is a revelation as an IED bomb detonation expert. He’s fearless and unpredictable, and the combat footage is amazingly effective.

Number 9 goes to “Avatar”, not because of the storyline which has been done before; a mighty power trying to eliminate an indigenous population (the Naveen) in a quest for a rare commodity, but because of the 3-D “performance capture acting” and imaginative world that James Cameron creates. You’ve never seen anything like these visuals before.

My number 10 film of the year is Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”, a hand drawn 3D animation, in the classic Disney style the captures the sights an sound of New Orleans and the Cajun Bayou backwaters in a funny, raucous, toe-tapping fairytale that all ages will appreciate.

Honorable mentions go to:

“Julie and Julia”. Meryl Streep should get an Oscar nod for bringing Julia Child back to life. Her stunning portrayal, and touching love story with her acting partner Stanley Tucci, as Julia’s husband, makes this film a delight for foodies and non-foodies alike.

“This is It”, the documentary of Michael Jackson’s preparation for what was to be his final tour, is a thrilling reminder of what and amazing talent, personal issues aside, Jackson was. He’s in charge, in command, and totally  engaged in what would have been the concert of the decade. We see, in the rehearsal footage, that as a live performer, he’s was gracious, generous, and in fine form, even just days before his death.

I really enjoyed the documentary “It Might Get Loud” from Oscar winning film maker ( “An Inconvenient Truth”) Davis Guggenheim. This is a story about three legendary guitarists and their love affair with the guitar. Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, The Edge from U2, and Jack White from The White Stripes are all featured in archival footage, and together, jamming with their beloved guitars.

“Paranormal Activity” deserves credit for moving the Horror Genre back from torture porn (the Saw franchise) to a very real fear of the unknown. The hyper-realistic home video style, with two unknown actors, gives you a visceral reaction to things that go bump in the night.

For a similar reason I think “District 9′ was one of the most effective movies of the year. An unknown South African cast and great special effects give this reminder of the dangers of Segregation a power that stays with you long after leaving the theater. Hats off to first time director Neill Blomkamp.

And finally, a nod to local filmmaker Patrick Coyle whose award winning “Into Temptation” did sold out Box Office business in the Twin Cities, where it was filmed last year. Great script and performances by Jeremy Sisto as a priest in crisis mode, and Kristin Chenowith as a troubled prostitute. It’s well worth a look on DVD.

Thanks for tuning into “The Morning News with Dave Lee” for my entertainment reports, I look forward to your next visit in 2010.

WCCO Entertainment Editor, Tim Russell, was joined by Norah Jones and Martin Sheen, along with singer Madeleine Peyroux, this week on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” at The Town Hall on W. 43rd in Times Square in New York City. The “Blizzard of 09? hit just after the show, stranding the us in the city for an extra two days. There are worse places to be stranded. Here’s Tim’s video of the weekend, including an interview with Norah and Martin.

For years I have supplied voiceovers for Radio and TV commercials, and some animation. Please check out my new Demonstration reel.

Here is a featurette on the making of the Coen Brothers’ new movie, ‘ A Serious Man”. My little scene as “Detective 1″ is featured at the 1:52-2:08 mark of the 3 minute clip. It was fun to see the behind the scene moments with these tow talented filmmakers.

Harry Smith with Tim Russell and actor Sue Scott

This past weekend Harry Smith of the CBS “Early Morning Show” joined  WCCO Entertainment Editor Tim Russell of the “Morning News with Dave Lee” and the “Royal Academy Of Radio Acting” for a night. Harry performed flawlessly in “The Lives of the Cowboys”, even warbling a cowboy tune.  He also negotiated through a script replete with tongue twisters and the word Piscacadawadaquadimoggin.

Why would he subject himself to such treatment? It fulfills an opportunity to check off an item on a “Bucket List” of dream jobs he created for the “Early Morning Show”. His adventure will be told on that CBS show Thursday morning, October 29th, 2009.
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Harry was a great guest and his film crew and producer Eric Salzman couldn’t have been nicer.