2012 Oscar Picks ~ Cinemavens

Written by Nolan.

These days, practically everyone who watched a movie during the year has to put in their two cents about the Oscars. So although this may not be the most original article ever written, I do relish the opportunity to offer my thoughts and predictions for this year's nominees. Writing a bit about the Academy Award nominations gives me a chance to heap praise on the movies I loved and rag on those films that should have been straight to DVD releases. It’s the best time of the year for movie nerds.

I love a good Spielberg yarn, but his Best Picture nominee "War Horse" is destined to be a black mark on his resume. "War Horse” and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" have moved beyond the realm of so-called "tear-jerkers" and instead should be labeled "tears-forcibly-removed-with-a-vicegripers." Both films are almost comically sentimental. "The Help" resides in the same vein but offers a more interesting story, screenplay, and performances to make it at least enjoyable, if not nomination worthy. If I could pick three far worthier films? Those would be "Drive," "Shame," and "A Separation."

Ultimately, all signs point towards "The Artist" coming away with the statue, and I certainly don't have a problem with that. Watch out for underdog candidates "Hugo" (which has the most overall nominations) and "The Descendants" (which won the Golden Globe for Best Drama). "Moneyball," and "The Tree of Life" can be considered extreme dark horse candidates. "The Help," "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "War Horse," and "Midnight in Paris" don't have a prayer.

Perhaps the category with the fiercest competition this year is that of Best Actress. I feel that each of the five nominees, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Glenn Close, Michelle Williams, and Rooney Mara, offered a praiseworthy performance in 2011. Still, I would throw out the entirety of the category as it currently stands and insert five completely different leading ladies, as their performances were even better. These would be: Tilda Swinton in "We Need to Talk About Kevin," Elizabeth Olsen in "Martha Marcy May Marlene," Kirsten Dunst in "Melancholia," Kristen Wiig in "Bridesmaids," and Juliette Binoche in "Certified Copy." Tilda Swinton's absence is especially egregious.

On the masculine side of lead performances, only the acting of Demian Bichir in "A Better Life" left me unsatisfied out of the five nominees. He should be swiftly replaced with Michael Fassbender for his portrayal of a sex addict in "Shame." It is an infinitely more demanding and powerful performance. On awards night, look for either George Clooney for "The Descendants" or Jean Dujardin for "The Artist" to be holding the Oscar.

As a side note, a couple actors were nominated for the wrong performance, perhaps due to a pair of typographical errors by the Academy. Brad Pitt for "Moneyball?" Jessica Chastain for "The Help?" Neither performance was the best that each actor had to offer this year. Their best work came in "The Tree of Life," particularly Pitt's portrayal of "Mr. O'Brien." He superbly balances director Terrence Malick's vision of fatherhood in a performance that is equal parts uplifting and menacing. Chastain was nearly as excellent as "Mrs. O'Brien," providing an angelic grace to the mother role.

If I were to pick a "most snubbed film" for this year's nominations, that dubious honor would doubtless go to Nicolas Winding Refn's "Drive." This stylish and atmospheric picture was a critical darling and one of my favorite films of the year, yet it was shut out in all but one minor category (sound mixing). "Drive" should have been nominated for Best Picture, while Refn and Albert Brooks should have been nominated for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. Ryan Gosling, a 2011 acting powerhouse, could have been considered for Best Actor, and the film itself could easily have been nominated for cinematography and editing. In the end, however, "Drive" was barely an afterthought to the Academy members.

Also curious was the lack of recognition among both the Oscars and other major award shows for "Martha Marcy May Marlene." The film is similar in tone and quality to last year's "Winter's Bone," which saw multiple nominations, including a Best Picture nod. Both movies feature a brilliant lead performance by a bright young actress (Elizabeth Olsen in the case of "Martha Marcy" and Jennifer Lawrence in the case of "Winter's Bone") and strong acting by John Hawkes (playing comparable characters in the two films). Perhaps it is these very similarities that caused "Martha Marcy" to be left high and dry.

In the end the Oscars are nothing to get excited about, yet I seem to look forward to them with eager anticipation each year. I suppose there is a certain allure to the uncovering of the "best picture" and "best performances" of the year, along with all the hype that precedes it. Though the choices are ultimately meaningless, the intrigue that surrounds the picks and omissions offer an enjoyable distraction for cinephiles. Here's my picks and predictions for this year: