my fearless Oscar nod predictions (minus shorts)

Best Picture

1. The Artist

2. The Descendants

3.The Help

4. Hugo

5. Midnight in Paris

6. War Horse

7. Bridesmaids

Best Actor

1. George Clooney -- The Descendants

2. Jean Dujardin -- The Artist

3. Brad Pitt -- Moneyball

4. Leonardo DiCaprio -- J. Edgar

5. Michael Fassbender -- Shame

Best Actress

1. Viola Davis -- The Help

2. Meryl Streep -- The Iron Lady

3. Michelle Williams -- My Week with Marilyn

4. Tilda Swinton -- We Need to Talk About Kevin

5. Glenn Close -- Albert Nobbs

Best Supporting Actor

1. Christopher Plummer -- Beginners

2. Kenneth Branagh -- My Week with Marilyn

3. Jonah Hill -- Moneyball

4. Albert Brooks -- Drive

5. Andy Serkis -- Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Supporting Actress

1. Octavia Spencer -- The Help

2. Berenice Bejo -- The Artist

3. Jessica Chastain -- The Help

4. Melissa McCarthy -- Bridesmaids

5. Janet McTeer -- Albert Nobbs

Best Director

1. Michel Hazanavicius -- The Artist

2. Martin Scorcese -- Hugo

3. Alexander Payne -- The Descendants

4. Woody Allen -- Midnight in Paris

5. Steven Spielberg -- War Horse

Best Original Screenplay

1. Woody Allen -- Midnight in Paris

2. Michel Hazanavicius -- The Artist

3. Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig -- Bridesmaids

4. Diablo Cody -- Young Adult

5. Will Reiser -- 50/50

Best Adapted Screenplay

1. Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin -- Moneyball
2. Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash -- The Descendants

3. Tate Taylor -- The Help

4. John Logan -- Hugo

5. Steven Zaillian -- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best Animated Film

1. Rango

2. The Adventures of Tintin

3. Puss in Boots

Best Foreign Film

1. A Separation

2. The Skin I Live In

3. Pina

4. The Kid with a Bike

5. Le Havre

Best Documentary Film

1. George Harrison: Living in the Material World

2. Project Nim

3. Senna

4. Buck

5. Cave of Forgotten Dreams

Best Original Song

1. "The Living Proof" -- The Help

2. "Hello, Hello" -- Gnomeo & Juliet

3. "Masterpiece" -- W.E.

4. "Life's a Happy Song" -- The Muppets

5. "Lay Your Head Down" -- Albert Nobbs

Best Original Score

1. Ludovic Bource -- The Artist

2. Howard Shore -- Hugo

3. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross -- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

4. John Williams -- War Horse

5. Cliff Martinez -- Drive

Cinematography

1. The Artist

2. Hugo

3. War Horse

4. The Three of Life

5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Art Direction

1. The Artist

2. Hugo

3. Drive

4. War Horse

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

Costume Design

1. Mark Brides -- The Artist

2. Sandy Powell -- Hugo

3. Michael O'Connor -- Jane Eyre

4. Jill Taylor -- My Week with Marilyn

5. Sharen Davis -- The Help

Make-up

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

2. The Iron Lady

3. My Week with Marilyn

4. The Artist

5. Hugo

Visual Effects

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

2. Hugo

3. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

4. War Horse

5. Super 8

Sound

1. Hugo

2. War Horse

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

4. The Artist

5. The Tree of Life