2012 Oscar Breakdown
This is the first time in ages that I haven't been making a concerted effort to see the probable Oscar nominees. Let's see if it made a difference in the percentage of them I'd seen. Major categories only, of course. I saw 15/39 for 38%, which is my worst percentage for the last half decade. I still reserve the right to act like I know what I'm talking about for the rest of this post. So there!
Best Picture - Saw 5/9.
Films below the line did not get a Best Director nod.
The Artist
The Descendants
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
The Tree of Life
----
Moneyball
War Horse
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Interestingly, four of these films came out last summer instead of in the usual 2-3 months at the end of the year. Two of them, The Tree of Life and The Help, will therefore not be crossed off because they closed ages ago. I have little interest in War Horse and zero interest in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
Fun thought - if Hugo wins, I believe it will be the first 3D film to take home the Best Picture statue.
My preference - As much as I'd like a movie about the Oakland Athletics to win Best Picture, I have to admit that Moneyball is not as good as any of the films I saw. The Artist is the best of them.
My pick - The Artist
Best Director - Saw 4/5.
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants - Alexander Payne
Hugo - Martin Scorsese
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
The Tree of Life - Terrence Malick
I'm unhappy that I missed The Tree of Life, as I normally like Malick, but I have nobody to blame but myself since it played for roughly two months. Oh well.
My preference - All four of the movies I saw were excellent. I'll go with The Artist solely because it was my preference for Best Picture as well. I know, I know, "a foolish consistency..."
My pick - The Artist, Michael Hazanavicius.
Actor in a Leading Role - Saw 3/5.
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
I fully intend to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. This is literally the first time I've ever heard of A Better Life. Did it even play Cleveland?
My preference - Listen, Brad Pitt has had a number of stronger parts than the one he plays in Moneyball, but if the A's can't win a World Series, the least I can hope for is that Pitt picks up the statue for his portrayal of A's General Manager Billy Beane.
My pick - George Clooney was amazing in The Descendants.
Actress in a Leading Role - Saw 0/5.
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
For the second year in a row I haven't seen a single one of these and almost assuredly won't. Sorry ladies. I'd never even heard of Albert Nobbs, and I have little to no interest in The Iron Lady. The Help closed long ago.
Also, can we just rename this category to "The Meryl Streep Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role?"
My preference - None.
My pick - Hm. Can I say "not Meryl Streep"? Probably Rooney Mara, I guess.
Actor in a Supporting Role - Saw 1/5.
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
I hadn't heard of Beginners. Based on the previews Warrior looked like a crappy sports movie, so I'm shocked that an Oscar nod came out of it.
My preference - Jonah Hill. Come on fake Paul Podesta!
My pick - Jonah Hill was actually pretty good.
Actress in a Supporting Role - Saw 1/5.
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
My preference - Bejo, since she's the only one I saw.
My pick - I think it'd be hilarious if Melissa McCarthy won for simultaneously being the sanest and least attractive of the Bridesmaids (or so I'm told).
Best Animated Picture - Saw 1/5.
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Pixar learns it isn't invincible after all. Maybe their next film will not be a weakly rehashed sequel (although the previews for The Brave aren't that promising). Rango actually looked interesting and I'm sorry I missed it. Puss in Boots look absolutely terrible and I'm not at all sorry that I missed it. I've never heard of the French films, but I'll check them out.
My preference - Kung Fu Panda 2 is actually a very, very strong movie. Great plot, great voice acting, not too cliched.
My pick - This year if Jack Black put all his money on Pixar he lost!
The only movie on this list that I haven't seen that I intend to is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and maybe the two unknown animated contenders, so that percentage isn't going to get much higher. I'm comfortable with this.
Best Picture - Saw 5/9.
Films below the line did not get a Best Director nod.
The Artist
The Descendants
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
The Tree of Life
----
Moneyball
War Horse
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Interestingly, four of these films came out last summer instead of in the usual 2-3 months at the end of the year. Two of them, The Tree of Life and The Help, will therefore not be crossed off because they closed ages ago. I have little interest in War Horse and zero interest in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
Fun thought - if Hugo wins, I believe it will be the first 3D film to take home the Best Picture statue.
My preference - As much as I'd like a movie about the Oakland Athletics to win Best Picture, I have to admit that Moneyball is not as good as any of the films I saw. The Artist is the best of them.
My pick - The Artist
Best Director - Saw 4/5.
The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius
The Descendants - Alexander Payne
Hugo - Martin Scorsese
Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen
The Tree of Life - Terrence Malick
I'm unhappy that I missed The Tree of Life, as I normally like Malick, but I have nobody to blame but myself since it played for roughly two months. Oh well.
My preference - All four of the movies I saw were excellent. I'll go with The Artist solely because it was my preference for Best Picture as well. I know, I know, "a foolish consistency..."
My pick - The Artist, Michael Hazanavicius.
Actor in a Leading Role - Saw 3/5.
Demián Bichir - A Better Life
George Clooney - The Descendants
Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt - Moneyball
I fully intend to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. This is literally the first time I've ever heard of A Better Life. Did it even play Cleveland?
My preference - Listen, Brad Pitt has had a number of stronger parts than the one he plays in Moneyball, but if the A's can't win a World Series, the least I can hope for is that Pitt picks up the statue for his portrayal of A's General Manager Billy Beane.
My pick - George Clooney was amazing in The Descendants.
Actress in a Leading Role - Saw 0/5.
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
For the second year in a row I haven't seen a single one of these and almost assuredly won't. Sorry ladies. I'd never even heard of Albert Nobbs, and I have little to no interest in The Iron Lady. The Help closed long ago.
Also, can we just rename this category to "The Meryl Streep Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role?"
My preference - None.
My pick - Hm. Can I say "not Meryl Streep"? Probably Rooney Mara, I guess.
Actor in a Supporting Role - Saw 1/5.
Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Nick Nolte - Warrior
Christopher Plummer - Beginners
Max von Sydow - Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
I hadn't heard of Beginners. Based on the previews Warrior looked like a crappy sports movie, so I'm shocked that an Oscar nod came out of it.
My preference - Jonah Hill. Come on fake Paul Podesta!
My pick - Jonah Hill was actually pretty good.
Actress in a Supporting Role - Saw 1/5.
Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
My preference - Bejo, since she's the only one I saw.
My pick - I think it'd be hilarious if Melissa McCarthy won for simultaneously being the sanest and least attractive of the Bridesmaids (or so I'm told).
Best Animated Picture - Saw 1/5.
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Pixar learns it isn't invincible after all. Maybe their next film will not be a weakly rehashed sequel (although the previews for The Brave aren't that promising). Rango actually looked interesting and I'm sorry I missed it. Puss in Boots look absolutely terrible and I'm not at all sorry that I missed it. I've never heard of the French films, but I'll check them out.
My preference - Kung Fu Panda 2 is actually a very, very strong movie. Great plot, great voice acting, not too cliched.
My pick - This year if Jack Black put all his money on Pixar he lost!
The only movie on this list that I haven't seen that I intend to is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and maybe the two unknown animated contenders, so that percentage isn't going to get much higher. I'm comfortable with this.