A Quick Tip by julianleft

Just when I thought the Oscars could rise up to the occasion of having a great year filled with good movies to choose from... Unfortunately they did it again. Only this time, ten times worse. The Academy Awards deserves waves of hatred after what they just pulled. Nominations that don't even make sense from a logical perspective. Almost entirely disappointed... They should really consider changing their name from Oscars to Snubfest. Preposterous. Let's take a more in-detail look at all the categories.

BEST PICTURE

Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

The Predicted Winner:  Lincoln
The Dark Horse: Silver Linings Playbook
The Obvious Snub: The Master
Conclusion: I don't know what happened with this one right here. The absence of "The Master" leaves a salty taste in my mouth. They could have just added it without taking anyone out. 
BEST DIRECTOR

Ang Lee for "Life of Pi"
Benh Zeitlin for "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook"
Michael Haneke for "Amour"
Steven Spielberg for "Lincoln"

The Predicted Winner: David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook"
The Dark Horse: Ang Lee for "Life of Pi"
The Obvious Snub: Ben Affleck for "Argo", Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty", Paul Thomas Anderson for "The Master", and Tom Hooper for "Les Miserables"
Conclusion: This is the most-talked category of the year. Not exactly because there are a lot of obvious snubs but because the category itself doesn't make sense. If I can understand the absence of Anderson or Hooper, I can't comprehend the Affleck/Bigelow snub. It doesn't even make sense since their direction is basically what held these films in such high praise this year. It's just mind-boggling. One of the worst decisions ever.
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Bradley Cooper in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln"
Denzel Washington in "Flight"
Hugh Jackman in "Les Miserables"
Joaquin Phoenix in "The Master"

The Predicted Winner: Joaquin Phoenix in "The Master"
The Dark Horse: Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln"
The Obvious Snub: John Hawkes in "The Sessions"
Conclusion: I somehow expected for Denzel to make the cut. But I never thought it would be John Hawkes. I always had a feeling they'll give the kick to Hugh Jackman. As for the winner, I'm still on team Phoenix even though I realize the chances are slim.
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty"
Emmanuelle Riva in "Amour"
Naomi Watts in "The Impossible"
Quevenzhane Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild"

The Predicted Winner: Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty"
The Dark Horse: Jennifer Lawrence in "Silver Linings Playbook"
The Obvious Snub: None.
Conclusion: As you can see, I don't have any problems with this category. I'm already convinced that this is a Jessica/Jennifer fight. I would have loved to see Marion Cotillard in there.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Alan Arkin in "Argo"
Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained"
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "The Master"
Robert De Niro in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Tommy Lee Jones in "Lincoln"

The Predicted Winner: Tommy Lee Jones in "Lincoln"
The Dark Horse: Philip Seymour Hoffman in "The Master"
The Obvious Snub: Leonardo DiCaprio in "Django Unchained"
Conclusion: This is again one of the worst snubs this year. Nominating Waltz for a rehash of Landa in Django Unchained over a far more cryptic and suave performance by Leo makes no sense to me... I'm hoping Hoffman would win but again, slim chances. The only way he could win is if the Academy will give Daniel Day-Lewis the Oscar. 
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Anne Hathaway in "Les Miserables"
Amy Adams in "The Master"
Helen Hunt in "The Sessions"
Jacki Weaver in "Silver Linings Playbook"
Sally Field in "Lincoln"

The Predicted Winner: Anne Hathaway in "Les Miserables"
The Dark Horse: None.
The Obvious Snub: Anyone instead of Jacki Weaver.
Conclusion: This category shouldn't even be an argument since Anne Hathaway is a favorite ever since the french revolution. But seeing Jacki Weaver in there for... nothing?! makes me cringe.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Chris Terrio for "Argo"
David Magee for "Life of Pi"
David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook"
Lucy Alibar & Benh Zeitlin for "Beasts of the Southern Wild"
Tony Kushner for "Lincoln"

The Predicted Winner: Tony Kushner for "Lincoln"
The Dark Horse: Chris Terrio for "Argo"
The Obvious Snub: None.
Conclusion: As expected. Nailed all of this.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

John Gatins for "Flight"
Mark Boal for "Zero Dark Thirty"
Michael Haneke for "Amour"
Quentin Tarantino for "Django Unchained"
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola for "Moonrise Kingdom"

The Predicted Winner: Mark Boal for "Zero Dark Thirty"
The Dark Horse: Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola for "Moonrise Kingdom"
The Obvious Snub: Paul Thomas Anderson for "The Master"
Conclusion: Such a shame. Flight over The Master for best original screenplay... What a joke.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-it-Ralph

The Predicted Winner: Frankenweenie
The Dark Horse: None.
The Obvious Snub: ?The Painting, From Up on Poppy Hill?
Conclusion: This year they forgot all the artsy animations right? 
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

A Royal Affair (Denmark)
Amour (Austria)
Kon-Tiki (Norway)
No (Chile)
War Witch (Canada)

The Predicted Winner: Amour (Austria)
The Dark Horse: None.
The Obvious Snub: Beyond the Hills (Romania) 
Conclusion: Call me a patriot but I believe Cristian Mungiu's fine work on Beyond the Hills should have been awarded with a nomination considering the mess they did in 2007 with "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days". And this particular category still makes no sense because I can't understand how movies like The Intouchables or Holy Motors did not get in.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Claudio Miranda for "Life of Pi"
Janusz Kaminski for "Lincoln"
Robert Richardson for "Django Unchained"
Roger Deakins for "Skyfall"
Seamus McGarvey for "Anna Karenina"

The Predicted Winner: Claudio Miranda for "Life of Pi"
The Dark Horse: Roger Deakins for "Skyfall"
The Obvious Snub: Mihai Malaimare Jr. for "The Master"
Conclusion: They could have easily taken Richardson out for his work in Django and place Malaimare in there. His work on The Master has been subject of praise the whole year. Missing an event like this makes the Academy look less and less professional. Also, Danny Cohen for his work in "Les Miserables" could have easily been in Seamus McGarvey's place.
BEST FILM EDITING

Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

The Predicted Winner: Zero Dark Thirty
The Dark Horse: Lincoln
The Obvious Snub: Les Miserables, The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall
Conclusion: Another fuck-up. Silver Linings Playbook gets a pass for best film editing. I'm sorry but has anyone forgot what film editing actually means?
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Anna Karenina
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Predicted Winner: Les Miserables
The Dark Horse: Lincoln
The Obvious Snub: None.
Conclusion: This is a mindless one but I think Django deserved some more recognition. Or even... The Dark Knight Rises?
BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Anna Karenina
Les Miserables
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman

The Predicted Winner: Anna Karenina
The Dark Horse: Les Miserables
The Obvious Snub: A Royal Affair
Conclusion: Good gracious God. You place Snow White instead of A Royal Affair? How is that even possible? 
BEST SOUND EDITING

Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Skyfall 
Zero Dark Thirty

The Predicted Winner: Zero Dark Thirty
The Dark Horse: Skyfall
The Obvious Snub: None.
Conclusion: No issues here my friends.
BEST SOUND MIXING

Argo
Les Miserables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

The Predicted Winner: Les Miserables
The Dark Horse: Life of Pi
The Obvious Snub: None?
Conclusion: I would add this though. If you nominate Argo for sound mixing then you damn well may consider Zero Dark Thirty or Anna Karenina before it.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Life of Pi
Prometheus
Snow White and the Huntsman
The Avengers
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Predicted Winner: Prometheus
The Dark Horse: Life of Pi
The Obvious Snub: The Dark Knight Rises
Conclusion: Snow White and the Huntsman? Hahahaha... I hope they'll award Prometheus. At least that. I'm actually more excited for this award than for most of the other bizarre categories. 
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Alexandre Desplay for "Argo"
Dario Marianelli for "Anna Karenina"
John Williams for "Lincoln"
Mychael Danna for "Life of Pi"
Thomas Newman for "Skyfall"

The Predicted Winner: Mychael Danna for "Life of Pi"
The Dark Horse: Dario Marianelli for "Anna Karenina"
The Obvious Snub: Jonny Greenwood for "The Master"
Conclusion: Another situation where I don't get it. You have Moonrise Kingdom and Zero Dark Thirty next to Desplat's name and your choice is Argo? And Skyfall instead of The Master? Why?
BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice"
"Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted"
"Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi"
"Skyfall" from "Skyfall"
"Suddenly" from "Les Miserables"

The Predicted Winner: Suddenly
The Dark Horse: Skyfall
The Obvious Snub: I guess none.
Conclusion: No Django Unchained song but the song from Ted. Well I guess this shouldn't be a surprise since the song of the year is apparently "Call Me Maybe".
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Hitchcock
Les Miserables
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Predicted Winner: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Dark Horse: Hitchcock... or Les Miserables. Like anyone cares?
The Obvious Snub: Not really.
Conclusion: Lincoln?



I guess this is it. What a memorable year...