Ladies and Gentlemen, having seen an unusually high number of the year’s Oscar movies, I do hereby submit my picks for 4 of Sunday’s major awards.  In full disclosure, I haven’t yet seen The Fighter, Winter’s Bone, True Grit, or The King’s Speech (though we may get one of those in this weekend before the big show), but still, 60% of the nominees is pretty impressive for the Noahs!

Best Picture – Toy Story 3.  I know, it has no shot of actually winning.  But for my money, it was the best film of the year, and I stand by it.  In all likelihood The King’s Speech or The Social Network will win, and TS3 will nab the best Animated Film award.  (Of the two actual frontrunners, I have to go with The Social Network; it was a well-written, well-acted, fast-paced movie about something current and relevant, whereas The King’s Speech just looks like typical awards bait.)

Best Actor – Jesse Eisenberg.  I didn’t see most of the other flicks in this category, but I did thing James Franco was pretty damn good in 127 Hours.  Still, Jesse’s character had more depth.

Best Actress – Natalie Portman.  She was amazing in Black Swan, pure and simple.  Annette Bening just didn’t blow me away in The Kids Are All Right.

Best Director – David Fincher.  A movie about computer programming could have been horrifically boring, but Fincher made it play really well.  Whether or not the movie takes the top prize, Fincher should win Best Director.