Final Oscar Predictions

I have very little to say about these predictions at this point. I'm burnt out to be honest. Of course, I still have lingering doubts about many of the categories. The screenplay categories are far from settled. The actress category is pretty darn close. The animated category can really swing in any direction. Most surprisingly of all, best director, which usually rides along with best picture, is now all up in the air. But at this very late point in the season, all thinking and analysis and logic can be thrown out the window. I'll just watch the show and enjoy whatever it throws at me. In the meantime, here's my guesswork just for kicks: 

Best Picture

Argo

Alternate: Silver Linings Playbook

Best Actress

Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook)
Alternate: Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)

Best Actor

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

Alternate: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)

Best Supporting Actress

Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)
Alternate: Sally Field (Lincoln)

  

Best Supporting Actor

Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook)
Alternate: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Best Director

Ang Lee (Life of Pi)
Alternate: Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)

Best Original Screenplay

Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty)

Alternate: Michael Haneke (Amour)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Chris Terrio (Argo)
Alternate: Tony Kushner (Lincoln)

Best Animated Film 

Brave

Alternate: Frankenweenie

Best Foreign Language Film

Amour (Austria)

Alternate: War Witch (Canada)

Best Documentary

Searching for Sugar Man 
Alternate: The Gatekeepers

Best Editing

William Goldenberg (Argo)

Alternate: William Goldenberg, Dylan Tichenor (Zero Dark Thirty)

Best Cinematography

Claudio Miranda (Life of Pi)

Alternate: Roger Deakins (Skyfall)

Best Production Design

Sarah Greenwood, Katy Spencer (Anna Karenina)
Alternate: Rick Carter, Jim Erickson (Lincoln)

Best Costume Design

Jacqueline Durran (Anna Karenina)

Alternate: Paco Delgado (Les Miserables)

Best Visual Effects

Life of Pi

Alternate: Prometheus

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Les Miserables
Alternate: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Best Original Score

Mychael Danna (Life of Pi)
Alternate: Dario Marianelli (Anna Karenina)

Best Sound Mixing

Les Miserables

Alternate: Life of Pi

Best Sound Editing

Life of Pi

Alternate: Skyfall

Best Live Action Short Film

Curfew
Alternate: Buzkashi Boys

Best Animated Short Film

Paperman
Alternate: Adam and Dog

Best Documentary Short Film

Mondays at Racine
Alternate: Inocente

Final Tally

Life of Pi: 5

Argo: 3

Les Miserables: 3

Anna Karenina: 2

Silver Linings Playbook: 2

Amour: 1

Brave: 1

Curfew: 1

Lincoln: 1

Mondays at Racine: 1

Paperman: 1

Searching For Sugar Man: 1

Zero Dark Thirty: 1