The Oscars (2012)

And now for something entirely different: I depart from film reviews to tell you, in my 100th post, my views on the 2012 Academy Awards. Let's simply go through the major categories:

Best Original Screenplay: I would give it to Midnight in Paris or Bridesmaids, but I think it will be given to The Artist which will probably sweep this year's ceremony.

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants should take home the glory, but I think it will go to Hugo. That said, all are worthy in my opinion.

Best Supporting Actress: Everything seems to be pretty much wrapped up for Octavia Spencer who played Minny in the crowd-pleasing The Help. It was not my favorite supporting performance--I would definitely give that to rival actress Jessica Chastain, also from The Help, or Berenice Bejo of The Artist, who I believe is being unfairly overlooked. In my opinion the Academy will always tend to vote for racial reasons if they can, and in Spencer they found a prime candidate. Her work was good, but the fact that she was in the film that she was, dealing with the conflicts she did, and because of the shit-pie hilarity she will add an Oscar to her already impressive list of awards. One actress I do feel missed out this year was the lovely Carey Mulligan who could easily have earned her nod from either Shame or Drive.

Best Supporting Actor: This is the category that I know least about having only seen two of the five films for which the actors were nominated. Therefore I go only on hearsay, and I hear people saying that Christopher Plummer is who to place money on. Of the two performances that I have seen, Kenneth Branagh and Jonah Hill, Branagh would of course be my choice. His work as Sir Laurence Olivier was scene-stealing--and he was playing opposite Michelle Williams so that says something. Three performances left out were those by Albert Brooks, Ben Kingsley and Alan Rickman.

Best Actress: Frankly I don't think any of the five nominees are deserving of this year's Oscar. It isn't that they were bad performances at all, but the best actress was flat out snubbed. Tilda Swinton in We Need to Talk About Kevin was incredible as a mother dealing with the aftermath of her homicidal teen's massacre. A more challenging role dealt with more expertly would be hard to find. Of those nominated, however, I would love to see Viola Davis take home the prize. She was rooked out of her award for Doubt, but that won't be the reason that she wins. Before the nominations I expected the fight to be down to her and Swinton, but how her competition is Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. Although the latter was incredible,  Davis is such a careful actress who lives and breathes her role. She needs more chances like The Help to show the world what she can really do because this woman is the next face of acting. For a brief stint it seemed inevitable that Streep would nab her third Oscar, but the results of the SAG have thrown everything askew.

Best Actor: This category is by far the most exciting and the toughest to call. We all know that it will be down to George Clooney in The Descendants and his French counterpart, Jean Dujardin for The Artist. Honestly, I have no idea. Dujardin took home his award at the SAG, but it is undeniable that Clooney was outstanding. I would personally be perfectly happy with either, but I think I would be happier with Clooney. So much about his performance touched my heart. The notable actor left out was Michael Fassbender whose performance in Shame was probably just too shocking. Instead he was replaced with the complete curve-ball, Demian Bichir. I am glad Gary Oldman has finally gotten the recognition he deserved; he is one of the most overlooked actors in Hollywood.

Best Director: If The Artist keeps up this momentum for the next two weeks, which I predict it will, Michel Hazanavicius will take home the gold. Martin Scorsese could be the upset of the evening. Those art-house lovers like myself would of course say Terrence Mallick's work was so new and exciting it would be a shame for it not to get the recognition it deserves, but being nominated is enough, I think. As in Best Picture, Drive was snubbed and I am pissed about it. Thank God for the BAFTA's.

Best Picture: This pretty much follows the Directing category. It's far more interesting to talk about the nominees than to discuss the winners, though. The Academy is now experimenting by allowing anywhere between five and ten films to be chosen. This year the magic number was nine, and that is ridiculous. The mysterious ninth was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close which was almost universally panned by critics. I would be fine with it being selected had I not felt that there were other films that were better. As it happens, Shame, Drive, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2, Albert Nobbs, and Martha Marcy May Marlene can all feel as though the were deliberately overlooked. Nine was the magic number, I think, simply so that it could be shown that it was possible. They easily could have filled that last spot (the last two if you take out Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), but the Academy instead chose to be shocking and that is not would this award ceremony should be about. I find it infuriating to see great films being left out simply to make a point--and a stupid one at that. But back to the winners: The Artist will probably win, though I wish The Descendants would. However, in twenty years The Tree of Life will be considered the masterpiece of the decade.

I look forward to this year's ceremony and I hope you do too. Happy watching!