Oscar Nominations 2012: My Thoughts

Wow! This was a surprising morning. I would have guessed the "same old, same old" and it turned out to be one of the most interesting. The nominations went much more along the lines of my own personal preferences for the year as well, so I'm happy about that.

First off: the most shocking was Best Director.  Kathryn Bigelow's snub wins the award for the one-I-would-have-staked-my-life-on nomination (not unlike Albert Brooks in Drive last year). It has, of course, killed Zero Dark Thirty's chances at Best Picture. Lincoln has essentially won Best Picture and Best Director as of a few minutes ago...! I ALSO would have staked my life on a Best Director nomination for Ben Affleck (although I'm the only one who wasn't in love with Argo).  Affleck must be in a coma right now! When the DGA nominations came out, I said I would love to see David O. Russell get in and one of the others bumped... which looks like what happened to Tom Hooper. And I must say I DIDN'T like the way Les Miserables was directed.

I've been making bets all morning that Emmanuelle Riva will win Best Actress over Jessica Chastain.  My thinking is Amour and Zero Dark Thirty BOTH got 5 nominations, however this translates to: Amour's stock just hit the roof and Zero Dark Thirty's stock just PLUMMETED. And even though I didn't love Amour (pun!), I acknowledge that Emmauelle Riva did a helluva job.

Beasts of the Southern Wild's nominations elude me, especially quite frankly screenplay. I mean, c'mon! It will have to be happy with its nominations: no wins seem likely.

Jees, Leonardo DiCaprio can't get arrested at the Oscars!

I would have liked to see more nominations for Moonrise Kingdom, but at least it got screenplay.

First Oscar nomination for Robert DeNiro since Cape Fear (1991)!

Skyfall didn't get the "big" nominations (acting/picture, etc.) but with 5 nominations it is the most nominated James Bond film of all-time (The Spy Who Loved Me [1977] got 3 nominations).

I haven't done the research, but I believe that Silver Linings Playbook is the first film to be nominated in all 6 of the top categories since Reds (1981). I'll get back to you on that! [UPDATE: Yup, I was right... Silver Linings is indeed the first film since Reds to be nominated in ALL six major categories].

I was right that Lincoln would get the most nominations (12) [per my predix yesterday] but did not see Life of Pi's 11 nominations as #2 most nominated....

I thought the Seth/Emma patter during the nominations was ugh, by the way. I didn't like Seth's bitchy gag about directing, but must admit I laughed at his comment that adapted screenplay involved copy-and-pasting from MS Word to Final Draft...!

What Film Will Get the Most Oscar Nominations?

Tomorrow morning at 5:30ish AM PST (the official site says 5:30 but it's traditionally been 5:38), the Oscar nominations will be announced.  It's time for the annual parlor game: What is your guess for the film that will get the most nominations? Last year it was HUGO (with 11 nominations), besting eventual Best Picture winner THE ARTIST (that got 10 nominations).

This year is unusual because it appears that it's only a two pony race and neither is (arguably) Best Picture frontrunner ZERO DARK THIRTY:

It seems it's either LINCOLN or LES MISERABLES.  LES MIZ has a one-nod bump with a possible Best Song nominations but only has two acting nominations likely to LINCOLN's likely three.   It seems like LINCOLN has this.  I really want to buck the obvious and go LES MIZ but I will give it to LINCOLN for my predix this year.

Maybe the "game" this year should instead be what will be #3? Here we have a long list: ARGO, DJANGO UNCHAINED, ZERO DARK THIRTY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, LIFE OF PI (which will have that F/X nomination to make up for no acting nominations), SKYFALL (which could theoretically nab nominations for Bardem and Judi Dench-- how I would LOVE to see Dench get in there... go SKYFALL!!!).  My guess here would be: ZERO DARK THIRTY... guess it has to be, with ARGO a close #4.

What is the #1 acting nomination I'd like to see tomorrow morning?: Bradley Cooper Best Actor for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (and unfortunately it's not a sure thing at all). As for "crafts" noms: SKYFALL for Best Cinematography and THE SESSIONS for Editing (longshot, for sure).

Can't wait for the nominations! Go Bond!

One Line Review's Top Ten Movies and Noteworthy Achievements 2012

TOP TEN 2012 (alphabetical)
Django Unchained (d. Quentin Tarantino)
Frankenweenie (d. Tim Burton)
Moonrise Kingdom (d. Wes Anderson)
Prometheus (d. Ridley Scott)
The Raid: Redemption (d. Gareth Evans)
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
(d. Lorene Scafaria)
The Sessions (d. Ben Lewin)
Silver Linings Playbook (d. David O. Russell)
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2
(d. Bill Condon)
Zero Dark Thirty (d. Kathryn Bigeow)

NOTEWORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS

Best Film:
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Best Actor:

Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook

Best Actress:
Noomi Rapace in Prometheus

Best Supporting Actor:
Leonardo DiCaprio in Django Unchained

Best Supporting Actress:
Sally Field in Lincoln

Best Original Screenplay:
Lorene Scafaria for Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Best Adapted Screenplay:
David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook

Best Director:
Wes Anderson for Moonrise Kingdom

Honorable Mentions:

Best Film: Moonrise Kingdom; Silver Linings Playbook.

Best Actor: Jack Black in Bernie; Steve Carell in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World; Mark Duplass in Your Sister's Sister; Hugh Jackman in Les Miserables; Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln; John Hawkes in The Sessions; Joaquin Phoenix in The Master.

Best Actress: Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty; Judi Dench in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel; Helen Hunt in The Sessions; Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook; Emmanuelle Riva in Amour; Naomi Watts in The Impossible.

Best Supporting Actor: Larry David in The Three Stooges; Robert DeNiro in Silver Linings Playbook; Ezra Miller in The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Martin Sheen in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World; Michael Sheen in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2; Christoph Waltz in Django Unchained.

Best Supporting Actress: Charlize Theron in Prometheus.

Best Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola for Moonrise Kingdom; Rian Johnson for Looper; Ben Lewin for The Sessions.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Tony Kushner for Lincoln; Chris Terrio for Argo.

Best Director: David O. Russell for Silver Linings Playbook; Lorene Scafaria for Seeking a Friend for the End of the World.