Also, goood job everybody
Academy award nominations were announced a few weeks ago but i was too lazy to post about them until now. Well here we are. Like all years, some are good. some are bad. some surprises. but some choices are just like WHAT THE FUCK!
Let's start with the big one. Best Picture. For those who didn't know, the Academy did a convoluted process of making it anywhere between 5 and 10 nominees. A film needs to get at least 5% of the vote to be nominated. We got 9
I predicted 8 nominations. The Artist, Descendants, The Help, Hugo, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, and War Horse. Let's see how I did.
The Artist (97%)
The Descendants (90%)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (45%)
The Help (76%)
Hugo (93%)
Midnight in Paris (93%)
Moneyball (94%)
Tree of Life (84%)
War Horse (77%)
What Surprised Me: Most of these were expected. The 2 that surprised me were Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Tree of Life. Both had little prior award recognition and look at Extremely Loud's rotten tomatoes score. 45%. Jack-ass 3D got better reviews. It's now one of the worst reviewed film to receive a best picture nomination. As for Tree of Life, I loved it but it's shocking that such a polarizing film would get a nomination.
Who was snubbed: Despite my prediction, Dragon tattoo was not nominated. I wasnt expecting any of these but other snubs include Margin Call, Take Shelter, Shame, 50/50, Warrior and the underrated Contagion. But the real snub here is DRIVE! I didn't expect it to get nominated but it should have.
Who Will win: The Artist. A few months ago, it seemed like The Descendants was top dog but The Artist is sweeping all of the award shows and has 10 Oscar nominations. Hugo is runner up right now.
Btw, Congrats to John Goodman (The Artist, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Viola Davis (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help), Jessica Chastain (The Help, The Tree of Life) and Brad Pitt (Moneyball, Tree of Life). You were all 2 Best picture nominees.
Best Director
Continuing with the old trend, only 5 people get nominated for Best Director despite 9 best picture nominations. They are
Terrence Mallick- The Tree of Life
Martin Scorcese- Hugo
What Surprised Me: 4 of my 5 predictions were correct. I did NOT in any way shape or form expect Mallick to get nominated. The Best Picture nom was shocking enough. But Best Director too? That means Tree of Life is actually a contender for both awards. In my predictions blog , I said that the film was probably "too...Malicky to really win over the Academy." and "ultimately too polarizing to get a Best Picture nomination." I guess I was wrong.
Who was snubbed: I predicted Fincher for Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and although I loved Tree of Life, I'd take Fincher over Mallick any day. Bennet Miller and Tate Taylor weren't nominated for their oscar nominated films Moneyball and The Help respectively. But obviously, the biggest snub was Nicolas Winding Refn for Drive
Who Will win: Michel Hazanvicius for The Artist
Best Actor
One of the most famed categories with plenty of strong contenders this year. But like always only 5 made the cut. and frankly, its shocking.
Demian Bichir- A Better Life
George Clooney- The Descendants
Jean Dujardin- The Artist
Gary Oldman- Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt- Moneyball
Who surprised me: Demian Bichir and Gary Oldman. Bichir didn't have much recognition besides a surprise SAG nomination. I recently saw A Better Life however and I must say, the nomination is well deserved. Bichir executes his performane with flawless subletly and class. I'm happy to see 52 year old Gary Oldman finally get nominated but It's shocking since he wasn't nominated at the SAGS, Golden Globes or Critics Choice.
Who Was Snubbed: I had predicted Michael Fassbender (Shame) and Leonardo Dicaprio (J. Edgar) to be nominated instead of Bichir and Oldman. It's funny how everyone (myself included) thought that Dicaprio would finally win an Oscar for J. Edgar but instead he wasn't even nominated. Also recently saw Take Shelter and Michael Shannon was phenomenal. Other snubs include Ryan Gosling's underrated performance in Drive, Joseph Gordon Levitt's multi-dimensional performance in 50/50 and Woody Harrelson's dirty cop performance in Rampart.
Who Will win: Dujardin for The Artist. He's got a SAG award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe. His only competition is George Clooney who won the Critic's Choice award and the golden globe for Best Actor- Drama (Dujardin won for Musical or comedy). Brad Pitt has a small chance of pulling an upset win.
Best Actress
These are pretty good nominees but it still feels incomplete...doesn't it?
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
What Surprised Me: Rooney Mara for Dragon Tattoo. Her only other major nomination was a Golden Globe. That said, she deserves it. It sucks that it had to be at the expense of Ms. Swinton though.
Who Was Snubbed: As I said above, Tilda Swinton. She could be the first actress in history to be nominated at the Baftas, Golden Globes, SAG, and Critics Choice to not recieve a Oscar nomination. I was certain that she would be nominated. Also Kirsten Dunst for Melancholia and Elizabeth Olsen for Martha Marcy May Marlene.
Who will win: This is a close match. Davis has the SAG. Streep has the BAFTA and Golden Globe. Williams could be a potential upset. I thnk it'll be going to Davis and it's well deserved.
Also congrats to Glenn Close for her first nomination in 22 years.
Best Supporting Actor
This one surprised me. I got 4/5 predictions right but i can't believe the prediction that I got wrong wasn't nominated.
Kenneth Branagh- My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill- Moneyball
Nick Nolte- Warrior
Christopher Plummer- Beginners
Max Von Sydow- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
What Surprised Me: Max Von Sydow. It's weird. When I first posted about him in my predictions blog, I said "His odds of being nominated are near definite. Odds of winning? Less likely." By Januay 4th, I said "Not being nominated at the Brodcast film critics, Golden Globes, or Screen Actors Guild makes me doubt Sydow's chances. Too bad." on January 17th, one week before the Oscars annonucement, I said " Not nominated at the Baftas either. Tough luck. I really though this would be his year." Well I was wrong. It is his year. His first nomination since 1987. I ranked him as 12th most likely in my predictions blog. Did not expect this. Swinton get's nominated at SAG, BFCA, Golden Globes, and BAFTAS but isn't nominated at the Oscars. Sydow is nominated at nothing but gets Oscar nomination.Weird
Who was Snubbed: ALBERT BROOKS FOR DRIVE! Albert Brooks dominates the role, becomes his character. It's fucking bullshit that he wasn't nominated for Drive. Ridiculous. Albert Brooks has gotten 28 nominations for his performance. Max Von Sydow has 5 (including the Oscar). Also, Ben Kingsley was magnetic in Hugo and Andy Serkis was groundbreaking in Rise of the Planet of the apes. Also Patton Oswalt for Young Adult and John Hawkes for Martha, Marcy, May, Marlen.
Who will Win: Christopher Plummer for Beginners. With Albert Brooks out of the picture, there is no competition.
Best Supporting Actress
All 5 of my predictions were correct.
Berenice Bejo- The Artist
Jessica Chastain- The Help
Melissa McCarthy- Bridesmaids
.jpg)
Janet Mcteer- Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer- The Help
What Surprised Me: Nothing. All of my predictions were correct
Who was Snubbed: Shailene Woodley for the Descendants, Carey Mulligan for Shame. Also in my personal opinion, Jessica Chastain gave better performances in The Tree of Life and Take shelter.
Who will win: Octavia Spencer for The Help. Like Plummer, there is no competition.
Best Orignal Screenplay
The Artist- Michel Hazanvicius
Bridesmaids- Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo
Margin Call- J.C. Chandor
Midnight in Paris- Woody Allen
A Seperation- Asghar Farhadi
What Surprised Me: Margin Call but I'm glad that the film got nominated. It's brilliant but very underrated. The recogniton is well deserved
Who was snubbed: 50/50, Beginners, Warrior, Contagon, Take Shelter, Shame, Young Adult, Win Win, Source Code
Who will win: Midnight in Paris. It's winning at most award shows though the Artist has a good chance of winning as well. Woody Allen last won an Oscar 25 years ago for Hannah and Her Sisters. I think the Academy is reading to give him another one.Best Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants- Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, & Jim Rash
Hugo- John Logan
The Ides of March- George Clooney, Grant Heslov, & Beau Willimon
Moneyball- Steve Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin (screenplay), and Stan Chervin (Story)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy- Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan
What Surprised Me: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Ides of March
Who was Snubbed: Drive, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Who will win: Moneyball. Its not an easy task to take a book about Sabermetrics and turn it into a movie that anyone can enjoy.
Update, nevermind. It looks like The Descendants will win.
Best Animated Feature Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
What Surprised Me: A Cat in Paris and Chico & Rita. Have you heard of those films? Me neither. They're foreign.
Who was Snubbed: Winnie the Pooh. Cars 2 is the first pixar movie since the category's inception to not be nominated. Also, despite it's Golden globe win, The Adventures of Tintin was not nominated because the Oscars don't consider Motion capture to be animated. Really? Fuck you, Academy.
Who will win: Rango. Tintin would have won if it were nominated.
Best Film Editing
You might be thinking "who cares about film editing?" Well you should care. Film editing is key for the Oscars. Since 1981, EVERY film that has won best Picture was also nominated for Best film editing. That's why Brokeback Mountain, despite it's acclaim, did not win Best Picture in 2006. It wasn't nominated for Best Film Editing and Crash was.
The Artist- Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants- Kevin Tent
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- Angus Wall and Kirk Baxter
Hugo- Thelma Schoonmaker
Moneyball- Christopher Tellefsen
What Surprised Me: N/A
Who was Snubbed: Drive, Contagion
Who will win: The Artist
This also determines that the Best Picture race is between The Artist, The Descendants, and Hugo. Dragon Tattoo was not nominated for Best Picture and Moneyball was not nominated for Best Director so they won't win.
Best Sound Editing
Drive- Lon Bender, Victor Ray Ennis
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- Ren Klyce
Hugo- Eugene Gearty, Philip Stockton
Transformers: Dark of the Moon- Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn
War Horse- Richard Hymns, Gary Rydstrom
I think it would be awesome if Drive won this award that way I could call Drive an "Academy Award Winning movie" but it'll probably go to Hugo. Also just saying Transformers 3 got THREE nominations. all technical but still. Transformers 3 gets more recognition then Drive? REALLY?
Best Foreign Language Film
Bullhead- Michael R. Roskam (Belgium)
Footnote- Joseph Cedar (Israel)
In Darkness- Agnieszka Holland (Poland)
Monsieur Lazhar- Philippe Falardeau (Canada, spoken in French)
A Seperation- Asghar Farhadi (Iran)
Who was Snubbed: Click here to see all of the snubbed films
Who will win: A Seperation. not only did it win the Golden Globe, it's the only one of the 5 to have even been nominated at the Golden Globes. In addition, it's the only one that people have heard of. oh and it has a screenplay nomination.
Best Original Score
Congrats to Steven Spielberg for having 2 of his films nominated in the same category. And to John Williams for being nominated twice.
The Adventures of Tintin- John Williams
The Artist- Ludovic Bource
Hugo- Howard Shore
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy- Alberto Iglesias
War Horse- John Williams (his 41st nomination).
Who Will win: The Artist. It's a silent film and thus the music is all the sound we get. Thus making the music quite essential to the picture and i will say that the score is excellent.
Who was snubbed: How the hell was Trent Reznor not nominated for The girl with the dragon tattoo? Listen to this:
Humongous snub. He just won last year for The Social Network (also a David Fincher film) and deserves to win again. Shame.
Also Drive, which was inelgible for a nomination anyways
Skip to 1:55. The first 2 minutes are 80s pop songs. The pop songs are great but the score itself by Cliff Martinez is absolutely phenomenal.
And let's not forget Contagion's creepy techno soundtrack also by Cliff Martinez
And David Wingo's haunting melodies for Take Shelter (DONT READ YOUTUBE COMMENTS!!!)
