The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their nominations for the 2012 Oscars a few weeks ago, and the Oscars will be handed out a little over a month from now. Here is the list of nominees in the major awards categories as well as who I want to win and who I think will win for each one.
Writing: Adapted Screenplay
The Descendents
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Who I want to win: Moneyball
They made a baseball movie that focused on statistics and still maintained its cool. And, it had very little actual baseball in it. That’s an award winning accomplishment.
Who I think will win: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
It’s an adaptation of a complicated spy novel that captured the tone of the middle part of the Cold War. It’s technically well done, even if I found it technically dull.
Writing: Original Screenplay
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation
Who I want to win: The Artist
You might be saying, “But there’s no talking in that movie!” There’s still a nice story being told, and it’s one of the most original movies to come out in a long while. We need more bold films like this.
Who I think will win: Midnight in Paris
Woody Allen should clear space on his mantle right now. This award is his. When people are calling Midnight in Paris ‘the best Woody Allen movie since Annie Hall’, that means it’s pretty good.
Animated Feature Film
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Who I want to win: The Adventures of Tintin, wait…
The best animated film of the year wasn’t nominated. How The Adventures of Tintin failed to receive a nomination is beyond me. Given that oversight, I would go with Puss in Boots, mostly because Puss looks like my cat, and that alone makes me laugh.
Who I think will win: Rango
Why not? The first two films in the category I’ve never heard about, and Puss in Boots has a story that is a bit too flawed. Rango is a safe pick for the Academy. Plus, they get to hand Johnny Depp and award. I was disappointed that there’s no Pixar film on this list this year until I remembered this year’s Pixar movie was Cars 2.
Cinematography
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Who I want to win: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
There are some great, even iconic, shots in War Horse, but the quality isn’t top-notch throughout the film. The Artist and Hugo do some good things too, and each of those films deserves the nomination. But, every frame of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo crackles with energy. Every single frame pops off the screen. Give that one the gold.
Who I think will win: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
It looks too good. It shouldn’t be ignored.
Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Who I want to win: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
The visual effects gurus at WETA did an amazing job with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Watch that movie again and consider that none of the apes were real. Each one was a motion-capture character that was digitally enhanced. Amazing.
Who I think will win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Battle for Hogwarts might win this category. It’s impressive how seamlessly they’ve integrated the effects in this film. It looks very, very good. This might also be a way to cap off a series that has pushed special effects technology for the past decade. Don’t discount Hugo either. The automaton, old Paris, and cinematic history scenes are impressive and could earn some votes.
And seriously, how did Real Steel make it here? The robots were sort of cool, but c’mon.
Film Editing
The Artist
The Descendents
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Who I want to win: Moneyball
This is a baseball movie about a general manager of a team who used statistics rebuild the lineup. I can’t imagine how this worked, but it did. Much of the film’s success comes from the way it was edited. It maintains a quick pace and never lingers too long on the boring stuff.
Who I think will win: Hugo
Another category that is tough to call. The only one I would rule out is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. That film has too many rough edges. They clearly shot a whole lot of film and had to trim much of it to get a 170-minute cut. I’m going with Hugo for the Scorsese factor.
Art Direction
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
Who I want to win: War Horse
Just because it’s set in World War One. There are some big scenes in that film, and every frame is packed with period perfect detail.
Who I think will win: The Artist
The film captures the look and feel of 1920s Los Angeles perfectly. It’s a great looking film, which I think the Academy will like.
Costume Design
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.
Who I want to win: The Artist
While watching this film, I kept thinking that we needed more 1920s and 30s stylistic influence in the here and now. The guys wore dapper clothes, and all the women were beautiful. Screw the retro 1980s style that is trying to break out again in modern society. Let’s go real old school and wear well-cut suits and fedoras and have all the women in cute bobbed haircuts, summer dresses and fur. That reaction alone says that The Artist needs this award.
Who I think will win: Hugo
This category is a tough call. Any one of these can take the crown; they all look great.
Makeup
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Iron Lady
Who I want to win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
I want this film to win something.
Who I think will win: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow Part 2
I think it will win something.
Music: Original Score
The Adventure of Tintin
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
Who I want to win: The Adventures of Tintin
It’s the only one of these nominations whose score I can sort of remember.
Who I think will win: No idea
It’s hard to predict a winner when I have no recollection of anything in the category.
Music: Original Song
‘Man or Muppet’ from The Muppets
‘Real in Rio’ from Rio
Only two songs received enough Academy votes to be nominated in this category this year. I know Madonna recorded an original song for her directorial effort W.E., but it didn’t get nominated. How bad must that song be?
Who I want to win: ‘Man or Muppet’ from The Muppets
An Oscar for The Muppets? Yes, please! Plus, we might get a Muppets acceptance speech.
Who I think will win: ‘Man or Muppet’ from The Muppets
Because the Academy knows there would be a riot if this went the other way.
Sound Editing
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Who I want to win: Transformers: Dark of the Moon
I watched this movie again a few nights ago and was blown away by the sound. Often, there is so much chaos going on onscreen that you need every bit of feedback you can get to keep up. The sound editing in the movie goes a long way to helping the viewer keep up with the action.
Who I think will win: Transformers: Dark of the Moon
The other films are good, but the more subdued sound editing in Drive, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Hugo doesn’t measure up to the over the top craziness that is Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Sound Mixing
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Who I want to win: Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Again, the sound in this film goes a long way to making it enjoyable.
Who I think will win: War Horse
Seldom do these two categories produce the same winner. I really liked how rich and detailed the sound was in War Horse.
I will refrain from picking the foreign film, documentary, and short film categories since I know nothing about them. That, and you’re probably bored to tears by now and are ready to find something else to look at on the internet. Might I humbly recommend browsing the blog a little bit longer.
There you have them, my thoughts on the 2012 Academy Awards nominees. What do you think about my picks? What are yours? Let me know in the comments below.
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