The Oscar Narrative: Final Oscar Predictions - Best Costume Design and Production Design

Best Costume Design
Will Win/Should Win - The Great Gatsby
Could Win - American Hustle or The Invisible Woman
Commentary - Most people have counted out The Invisible Woman, but it is the type of classic costuming has done well in the past. And the flashy threads of American Hustle could be popular. But The Great Gatsby is a truly visual film (not the best film of the year by any means, but visually compelling), and much of the flash that showcases the excess of the 1920's is seen in bright costumes. I expect it to take this one and...

Best Production Design
Will Win/Should Win - The Great Gatsby
Could Win - Gravity and 12 Years a Slave
Commentary - ...this one. The sets were also fantastic in Gatsby. The old South art direction could score a win for 12 Years, and the recreation of space and a believable space station could rope in Gravity as a duel win with Visual Effects (think Hugo and Avatar). But in the end, I think that Gatsby will win both, kind of like an Alice in Wonderland situation, where voters forgot about their dislike of the film as a whole, and focused on what truly is/was superior production design and costumes.