So, the
Academy have just announced the Oscar nominations for this year with the help
of the lovely Jennifer Lawrence but, as predicted, there were
notable snubs for 2011's big hitters, Ryan Gosling and Michael
Fassbender, as well as the absence of animation heavywights, Pixar. There was no place for acclaimed documentaries like Project Nim or Senna either, and no sign of my beloved Carey Mulligan. But enough negativity; lets take a look at who was included shall we...
BEST PICTURE
Nominations:
The Artist
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Moneyball
War Horse
The Tree of Life
The Descendants
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Moneyball
War Horse
The Tree of Life
My winner: The Artist
Predicted winner: The Artist
Thoughts: Some good, if not great film choices here (bar The Artist and The Tree of Life). War Horse shouldn't be anywhere near this category and neither should Moneyball, but what about inexplicable inclusion of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close? Yeah, I've never heard of it either.
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BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
George Clooney (The Descendants)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
George Clooney (The Descendants)
Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
My winner:
Predicted winner:
Thoughts: A mixed, but strong selection here with notable turns from Pitt and Oldman, even if some the films themselves weren't amazing. Clooney feel like the favourite after his Golden Globe success, but faces stiff competition from Dujardin and even a sterling effort from Brad Pitt.
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Nominations:
Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
Nick Nolte (Warrior)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)
Jonah Hill (Moneyball)
Nick Nolte (Warrior)
Christopher Plummer (Beginners)
Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)
My winner: Nick Nolte
Predicted winner: Christopher Plummer
Thoughts: Perhaps the fiercest category of the lot with some very strong performances here. Both Hill and Branagh are solid, but Nick Nolte was superb in Warrior and is probably not getting the credit he deserves. However, as per his Golden Globe win, Christopher Plummer seems odds on.
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Nominations:
Glenn
Close (Albert Nobbs)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)
Viola Davis (The Help)
Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo)
Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)
My winner: Rooney Mara
Predicted winner: Meryl Streep
Thoughts: This has to be my least favourite category as being a fan of Williams, I was vastly underwhelmed by her role in My Week With Marilyn. Similarly, Streep's Thatcher isn't the most popular of sorts, but most likely to win. Rooney Mara, for me, was the most appealing so she gets my (some say outrageous) vote.
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING
ROLE
Nominations:
Berenice
Bejo (The Artist)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)
Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Jessica Chastain (The Help)
Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids)
Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)
Octavia Spencer (The Help)
My winner: Berenice Bejo
Predicted winner: Octavia Spencer
Thoughts: There's a distinct lack of Carey Mulligan here (predominantly for Shame, but also for a subtle effort in Drive) and I'm not happy. There's also an interesting nomination for Chastain who was superb in Take Shelter and just as good in The Tree of Life, but it recognised for The Help. My most likeable choice is Bejo in the fantastic The Artist, though.
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WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
Woody
Allen (Midnight in Paris)
JC Chandor (Margin Call)
Asghar Farhadi (A Separation)
Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids)
JC Chandor (Margin Call)
Asghar Farhadi (A Separation)
Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo (Bridesmaids)
My winner: Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Predicted winner: Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris)
Thoughts: The surprise for me is how Bridesmaids is present; not only because it's a mainstream comedy, but for the fact it's a funny, albeit average film. Nice to see Margin Call here but again, The Artist steals it for me, even though Woody Allen could swipe it.
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Nominations:
Alexander
Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash (The Descendants)
John Logan (Hugo)
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon (The Ides of March)
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian (Moneyball)
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
John Logan (Hugo)
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon (The Ides of March)
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian (Moneyball)
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
My winner: Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian (Moneyball)
Predicted winner: Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn (Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy)
Thoughts: A good collection, but Aaron Sorkin has a slick, well written film in Moneyball, but the panel might opt for the Brit ensemble thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, even though it was hit-and-miss with audiences, including myself.
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Nominations:
Woody
Allen (Midnight in Paris)
Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life)
Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist)
Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life)
Alexander Payne (The Descendants)
Martin Scorsese (Hugo)
My winner: Terrence Malick (The Tree of Life)
Predicted winner: Any one of them
Thoughts: All worthy contenders and, in truth, I can see any one of these directors walking away with the prize. Malick is probably the outsider, even though The Tree of Life is a fantastically made film, but Scorsese will almost certainly be battling it out with Hazanavicius and Allen.
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Nominations:
A
Cat In Paris
Chico
& Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
My winner: Rango/Chico & Rita
Predicted winner: Rango
Thoughts: The lack of Pixar's presence is the big shock (or is it after Cars 2?). Rango is a wonderfully dark, quirky and beautifully animated movie, which has winner written all over it. Saying that, Chico & Rita is a lovingly made and charming foreign film.
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Nominations:
The
Artist
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
My winner: The Tree of Life
Predicted winner: War Horse/The Tree of Life
Thoughts: I didn't enjoy War Horse, but the thing I took from it was the battle scenes and visual scale of it. Having said that, Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life is a thing of sheer beauty, so therefore gets my vote.
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Drive
Shame
Shame
Senna
The Skin I Live In
Take Shelter
Submarine
Tyrannosaur
Melancholia
50/50
The Skin I Live In
Take Shelter
Submarine
Tyrannosaur
Melancholia
50/50
Thoughts: Pretty self explanatory here. The worst ones left out are Drive and Senna, which I rate extremely highly and it's also a shame to see British flicks Submarine and Tyrannosaur forgotten as well. Oh, one final word: Shame.
