my dream oscar picks

Sometimes they are pretty lame, but I guess I'm a sucker for the Oscars every year. Here are some of my favorite films and performances of the year I would have nominated.  Some were overlooked and hopefully some will get some recognition tonight.




BEST PICTURE

A Separation


I'm really glad this tense and powerfully understated and acted film has gotten so much acclaim.  There is so much moral ambiguity in its collision of two contemporary families in Iran.

others on my ballot (if 10 nominees):

The Artist
Beginners
The Descendants
Drive
Margaret
Midnight in Paris
Shame
Weekend
Young Adult



BEST DIRECTOR

Nicolas Winding Refrn, Drive


He seems a bit smug in interviews (I guess all good directors are) but I admire the cool control he had over Drive.  He rejected common action film tropes of today's noisy blockbusters and delivered an entertaining and aesthetically beautiful neo-noir.

others on my ballot:

Asghar Farhadi, A Separation
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Steve McQueen, Shame
Alexander Payne, The Descendants




BEST ACTOR

Michael Fasssbender, Shame

Though I think all of the leading men nominated this year were quite good, it's sad Fassbender was overlooked for his mesmerizing performance as a sex addict.

the rest of my ballot:

George Clooney, The Descendants
Tom Cullen, Weekend
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Ryan Gosling, Drive



BEST ACTRESS

Charlize Theron, Young Adult

Mavis may have been too unlikable for the Academy's tastes but I thought Theron's performance was both uniquely detailed and fearless.


the rest of my ballot:

Viola Davis, The Help
Yoon Jeong-hee, Poetry
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Anna Paquin, Margaret


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christopher Plummer, Beginners

I pretty much cried throughout Beginners because of Plummer's sensitive and dignified turn as a newly-out gay men in his final years.  Here's hoping he wins a deserving Oscar tonight.

the rest of my ballot:

Albert Brooks, Drive
John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Patton Oswalt, Young Adult
Brad Pitt, The Tree of Life



BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

J. Smith-Cameron, Margaret

Unfortunately the release of Margaret was botched, so no one really got the chance to see it but I loved J. Smith-Cameron as the neurotic theater actress and single mother of a restless and callous teenager.

also on my ballot:

Sareh Bayat, A Separation
Jeannie Berlin, Margaret
Mary Page-Keller, Beginners
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants