In our third day of presenting our predictions for all of the categories for the 82nd Oscar nominations on Tuesday morning, February 2, 2010, we are taking a look at the Best Director category along with the two sound awards (Sound Mixing and Sound Editing).

Our next edition, releasing tomorrow, will feature Best Animated Film, Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design.

Best Director

Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker (Unanimous)
Neill Blomkamp – District 9 (Unanimous)
James Cameron – Avatar (Unanimous)
Jason Reitman – Up in the Air (Unanimous)
Quentin Tarantino – Inglourious Basterds (Unanimous)

Note: Third of only four categories we are in complete agreement on.

Comments

Wesley Lovell: You can’t really go wrong with this list. We all seem to be predicting that the usual DGA replacement will be Neill Blomkamp taking out Lee Daniels. Almost every year, there’s a surprise foreign director nominee (Mike Leigh, Pedro Almodovar, etc), so Blomkamp fits the description, but I could easily see Michael Haneke as the replacement. Bigelow, Cameron and Tarantino seem locked into place and Reitman is a Hollywood child, so I don’t see why he shouldn’t carry through as well. Alternate Prediction: Michael Haneke – The White Ribbon
Peter J. Patrick: Neill Blomkamp is a bit iffy, but neither Clint Eastwood (Invictus) nor Lee Daniels (Precious), the two most obvious fifth slot contenders have really done anything special.
Tripp Burton: There are four people almost sure to show up on this list: Bigelow, Cameron, Reitman and Tarantino. As for the fifth slot, it is a complete crapshoot with a lot of directors competing here. I suspect Neill Blomkamp will sneak into the fifth slot for his directorial debut, but Lee Daniels or the fading Clint Eastwood could be just as likely. I could also see a complete darkhorse, without a Best Picture nomination, to show up a la Fernando Meirelles in 2003 or Mike Leigh in 2004. Who would that be? Sin Nombre’s Cary Fukunaga would be my most educated guess. Alternate Prediction: Lee Daniels – Precious
Wes Huizar: Alternate Prediction: Lee Daniels – Precious

Best Sound Mixing

Avatar (Unanimous)
District 9 (Unanimous)
The Hurt Locker (Unanimous)
Inglourious Basterds (Peter, Tripp)
Star Trek (Wesley, Wes)
Up (Unanimous)

Comments

Wesley Lovell: This group loves its aural pleasures and usually that means big, boisterous and attention-drawing. So while Avatar, District 9 and The Hurt Locker, each with their fair share of explosions, should easily get in, there’s only one seriously popular film in that list and it’s a critical success. Last year, they inducted Wanted into their category “hall of fame”, so might we see something super popular, but awful? I admit our list skews highly popular, which isn’t a bad thing, but could master of loud (not necessarily good loud) Michael Bay sneak Transformers in? It’s quite possible…he managed a Cinema Audio Society nomination, but they can only be counted on for three to four slots to carry over. The only musical contender, Nine, isn’t likely to make it through now that it’s collapsed and Crazy Heart isn’t loud enough, so they will have to go for popular instead. With so many strong contenders, Up seems to have the weakest chances of all of these. Alternate Prediction: Inglourious Basterds
Tripp Burton: This sound category is usually more generous to prestige pictures and major Best Picture candidates, so The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds should appear on this list. Avatar and District 9 are the most well-respected action films of the year, which should push them here, and Pixar shows up in this category every year lately, so Up is in. Alternate Prediction: Star Trek
Wes Huizar: Alternate Prediction: Inglourious Basterds

Best Sound Editing

Avatar (Unanimous)
District 9 (Unanimous)
The Hurt Locker (Wesley)
Star Trek (Unanimous)
Terminator Salvation (Tripp)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Wes)
Up (Wesley, Peter, Tripp)
Watchmen (Peter, Wes)

Comments

Wesley Lovell: This is the one category that favors Up more than any others. The Sound branch has been incredibly supportive of Pixar’s work. They also love the sound of explosions, so Transformers earns another boost here, but I think with the highly popular sci-fi entries Avatar, District 9 and Star Trek, Transformers seems like fluff, but other than Up, I think the final pick will go to The Hurt Locker. Best Pictures contenders with interesting sound design or explosions get consideration here more frequently than not and while there are already a few contenders in this list, why not make it a full slate with The Hurt Locker. Alternate Prediction: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Tripp Burton: This category tends to go for the big blockbusters more than its counterpart, so look Terminator and Star Trek to show up here. Pixar always does well here, so Up is in, and Avatar and District 9 should be no-brainers by now. Alternate Prediction: Watchmen
Wes Huizar: Alternate Prediction: Up