The results are in, but the epic struggle between man and machine continues.
In last months Oscar prediction article, entitled Oscars 2008: Who SHOULD Win and Who WILL Win, I pitted my warm-blooded contrarian human brain against the cold hard logic of computer calculated statistics to see who could more accurately pick Academy winners.
I suppose I could have used them to help cure cancer or solve world hunger, but this was much more fun.
So how did I do? Well, the battle between neurons and networks was a hard-fought one, with both sides taking heavy casualties. In the end, after the smoke is cleared, one thing is certain: there's still hope for all mankind.
The Academy Award Winners for 2008:
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
The Winner:
Daniel Day-Lewis. Score one for the home team!
The Statistics Picked:
George Clooney
Michael Clayton
I picked:
Daniel Day-Lewis
There Will Be Blood
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The Winner:
Javier Bardem. This was a no-brainer, and well deserved, Friend-o.
The Statistics Picked:
Javier Bardem
No Country for Old Men
I Picked:
Javier Bardem
No Country for Old Men
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
The Winner:
Marion Cotillard. Who knew? This one threw off both me and the machine.
The Statistics Picked:
Cate Blanchett
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
I Picked:
Ellen Page
Juno
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The Winner
Tilda Swinton. Once again, both the machine and I were wrong. Apparently, just like in life, neither one of us can understand women.
The Statistics Picked:
Ruby Dee
American Gangster
I Picked:
Amy Ryan
Gone Baby Gone
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
The Winner:
Ratatouille.
In Brad Bird We Trust.
The Statistics Picked:
Ratatouille
I Picked:
Ratatouille
ART DIRECTION
The Winner:
Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The Machine actually picked this one originally, but kicked it out at the last minute because the Oscars usually snub "dark" movies.
The Statistics Picked:
There Will Be Blood
I Picked:
The Golden Compass
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Winner:
There Will Be Blood. I had such high hopes. Strangely enough, had the machine won in the art direction category, it would have won here as well.
The Statistics Picked:
Whoever wins the Art Direction Award.
I Picked:
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
COSTUME DESIGN
The Winner:
Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Gee, a period piece? Big surprise there.
The Statistics Picked:
Elizabeth: The Golden Age
I Picked:
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
DIRECTING
The Winner:
No Country for Old Men. Viva Los Hermanos Coen!
The Statistic Picked:
Tony Gilroy
Michael Clayton
I Picked:
Ethan & Joel Coen
No Country for Old Men
BEST PICTURE
The Winner:
No Country For Old Men. The Coens continue their award rampage, much to my glee (I still think Juno should have won more awards, though)
The Statistics Picked:
No Country For Old Men
I Picked:
Juno
VISUAL EFFECTS
The Winner:
The Golden Compass. Since I picked "none" on this one (on principle alone), I was pretty sure I was going to be wrong.
The Statistics Picked:
Transformers
I Picked:
None (and I still think none deserve it)
WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
The Winner:
Diablo Cody for Juno. Thank God. If this didn't win original script, the universe would have no doubt swallowed itself whole.
The Statistics Picked:
Diablo Cody
Juno
I Picked:
Diablo Cody
Juno
The Final Results:
It's a tie! Both the machine and I ended up with a total score of 5-7, proving once and for all that neither of us are perfect, but when the nuclear apocalypse comes and the machines self-evolve and take over the planet, a few of us scrappy humans might just survive to overthrow them after all.
How did you do? Did you clean up at the office pool, or are you going to be wearing a dress to work this week? Post a comment below and let us know!
The results are in, but the epic struggle between man and machine continues.
