Oscar Favorites, Underdogs and Potential Snubs - ABC5 News Des Moines, IA

Oscar Favorites, Underdogs and Potential Snubs

By: Jason Rantala

@jarantala

jrantala@myabc5.com

We're just a few days away from Oscar Sunday.

There are clear favorites this year and others that are not so clear.

For this year's Academy Awards, you've got the favorites, like Argo, which emerged just months ago ahead of Lincoln.

"Two months ago, if you had said anything other than Lincoln, you were insane," said Fleur Cinema Manager Jon Peterson.

Peterson says Lincoln Director Steven Spielberg should be a shoe in for Best Director, Daniel Day Lewis should win Best Actor and he says Jennifer Lawrence will probably win Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook.

After that, winners seem less certain.

Awards like Best Supporting Actor are completely up in the air.

It could go to Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained, or it could go anyone off an extensive list that includes Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, or Alan Arkin.

"I think that's kind of a five-sided coin, just flip it, who knows where it's going to land," said Peterson.

As for snubs, Peterson believes Ang Lee should win Best Director for Life of Pi, but wont.

"So much of what makes that movie great is what he did, versus Lincoln, where I could have probably directed Daniel Day Lewis and be nominated for an Oscar," said Peterson.

As for underdogs that could sneak up and win, look to Silver Linings Playbook, Life of Pi and Beasts of the Southern Wild to possibly bring in the awards.

But like every year, Peterson says several lesser known films will likely get snubbed, in favor of other, more established films, actors and directors.

"There's so many great movies out there that kind of go unnoticed," said Peterson.