The Best of the Best 2012
The Oscar nominees have been announced, so if you’re looking for a good movie to watch don’t look farther than this playlist. Check out the nomination info and trailers below then vote for your favorite.
Up for Best Picture (in alphabetical order) are:
The bonds of love are tested in the dusk of a cultivated life.
Emmanuelle Riva, at 85-years, is the oldest ever nominee for Best Actress at the 85th Academy Awards. The numbers are in her favor. Director Michael Haneke also gets a chance at taking any of the titles Best Directing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Foreign Language Film.
Read my review for Amour here.
A based-on-reality undercover op to free American hostages from Revolutionary Iran.
Best Supporting Actor might go to Alan Arkin, and the group got nods for Best Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Original Score. Affleck seems to have done a great job with this one, despite his absence in the nominations for Best Director, one of the biggest shocks of this season.
Life in South Louisiana in the not-so-distant future.
9-year old Quvenzhané Wallis is also up for Best Actress for Beasts. This year we see Wallis, the youngest nominee ever, up against Riva, the oldest. I, for one, hope she pulls it off. Director Benh Zeitlin deserves huge credit for getting the nomination for Best Director with his first feature film ever. Beasts is also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Read my review for Beasts of the Southern Wild here.
Slavery, bounty-hunters, and the wild west…Tarantino style.
Christoph Waltz gets a nod (over Samuel L. Jackson) for Best Supporting Actor while Tarantino is up for Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Editing with his highest grossing film ever. Poor Leo.
Film adaptation of the classic novel by Victor Hugo, set in Revolutionary France.
Les Miserables has huge potential to dominate this year’s Awards with 8 nominations. Hugh Jackman for Best Actor, Anne Hathaway for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Original Song, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing and Best Production Design. What do you think about Hathaway?
Learning, humility, and survival amidst mind-blowing cinematographic beauty.
Les Miserables might be miserable in the face of this contender, with an overwhelming 11 nominations. Ang Lee takes one for Best Directing and Life of Pi is nominated also for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, and Best Original Song. While flying under the radar at the box office, this one might be worth a screening.
Politics and humanity with a Lincoln-as-hero approach to history.
Forget 11, Mr. Lee, Spielberg and Lincoln have 12, the most nominations this year for any single film. Steven Spielberg for Best Directing and Daniel Day-Lewis for Best Actor (and he’s already won twice!). Tommy Lee Jones for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Sally Field for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, as well as Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing.
Not-your-average love story.
Jennifer Lawrence is considered a favorite for Best Actress after her win at the Golden Globes, however Silver Linings Playbook hosted an incredible cast that was not overlooked. Bradley Cooper is nominated for his first Academy Award as Best Actor, Robert De Niro his 7th nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Jacki Weaver for Best Supporting Actress, David O. Russell for Best Directing, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
Mission Accomplished? A portrayal of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden.
Jessica Chastain has a nomination for Best Actress and the film got nods for Best Original Screenplay, Best Sound Editing, and Best Film Editing. Let’s see if “all publicity is good publicity” in this film’s chance for scoring Best Picture.
These films are as good as any this year, but which of them deserves to take home the Oscar? Watch them all then vote for your favorite on our Academy Award Winner survey.
- Christy from your SynopsiTV team
