Kim Perez Hults didn’t see "Life of Pi," but she had enough faith in Ang Lee to make him her pick for best director in the Star-Advertiser’s 2013 Oscarama contest.
That gamble, and a second one putting a check mark next to Christoph Waltz’s name in the supporting actor category, paid off as the 29-year-old Kailua resident turned in one of only six entries to correctly call the top six categories — and the cinematography tiebreaker — in the contest. She will receive $200, four Consolidated Theatres movie passes and a $40 gift certificate to Wahoo’s Fish Taco.
A total of 1,027 entries were submitted. The top three winners were chosen in a random drawing from the six clean sheets. Mary Cuyno of Aiea won second place and will receive $100 and four movie passes. Dane Kuriyama, in third place, will get $50 and two movie passes.
"I’m a big movie fan," said Hults, who works at a college admissions office and is also an Academy Awards devotee. "I remember watching it with my parents and doing an impromptu vote of who we thought would win. It was an exciting thing to do."
She said she didn’t see most of this year’s Oscar-nominated movies. "I went with my gut" in making her Oscarama picks but also consulted with friends and family members.
Best picture winner "Argo" is one film Hults did see. "I thought it was a great film, and it was kind of disappointing that Ben Affleck was not nominated for director," she said. "I loved ‘Silver Linings Playbook.’ It was the cutest film, and I loved the chemistry between the two actors. I also really liked ‘Django Unchained.’ It was a little wild and out there, and my husband loved it for all the gore."
Cuyno, 64, watched the telecast while visiting friends in Las Vegas. "I’m so excited! I knew who I voted for, and I was looking at the winners," said Cuyno, a retired nurse.
She said she saw seven of the nine best-picture films. "I loved ‘Argo’ and ‘Zero Dark Thirty,’" she said.
Kuriyama, 22, is a finance student at Kapiolani Community College.
