Oscar-nomics: Best Original Screenplay

In my opinion, original screenplay must be the harder of the two screenplays. I mean to adapt another person's material must be difficult, but to come up with new material entirely on your own,  just find that to be amazing. Needless to say, we get a lot of that with this batch of nominees. I am sad that the great 50/50 and Win Win, the little indie that could, were left off the list. That being said, there are some likes and dislikes with this list, but lets get into that later. Here are the nominees:

The Artist: Michel Hazanavicius
Now many are quick to call foul on this for not having a true screenplay, but I say otherwise. The true story written here is filled with such a design that it needn't have a screenplay, which is good since that is the films intention. Its a well appointed story with many great plot twists and suspense as well as humor that makes even the most jam-packed screenplays seem empty by comparison. That being said, it really is the acting, directing and editing that truly shine in this film, and the Academy generally go for witty and sharp humor/dialogue in a screenplay, so I think this will come up short. In the case of a sweep, which I am not buying into, it might have a chance at taking this, but for now runner-up it shall be.

Bridesmaids: Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo
Now, I might be in the minority, but I think this doesn't deserve to be here. While I found the film to be ok, I didn't see it as Oscar-ly and just saw it as a crude, very dark screenplay that I felt never truly resolved itself in the end. Now I am not surprised by the nomination, it was a long time coming, I was just hoping that the Academy would have gone for something less, well crude. I will take solace that this won't win for the fact that it has only one other nomination, for McCarthy. Again, I didn't hate the film, I just don't think its Academy material.

Margin Call: J.C. Chandor
I am extremely surprised by this nomination, it kind of came out of nowhere. It gained some Indie momentum, but not as much as Win Win or 50/50 for me to consider it in the mix. While I have yet to see the film, it does look like something the Academy might go for (a suspenseful business film filled with what must be some clever writing about the collapse of the stock exchange). That being said, it doesn't stand a chance. Not only is it the film's sole nomination, it has, as I said earlier, gained no momentum to even campaign an upset, the nomination is the reward.

Midnight in Paris: Woody Allen
This was arguably my favorite screenplay of the year. Not only is great with its 20's dialogue, but also meshing it with modern day dialogue is brilliant and effortless. It is also quite witty and rather sharp. My favorite sequences of the year was Corey Stoll's well written Hemingway (ANOTHER MAN ROBBED!!!). I am happy to say that, unless the Artist gets more love than I am predicting, this is your winner. Woody may hate awards, but awards love Woody. Everything is going his way and if he takes the Writer's Guild, which I am assuming he will, I think that will further assure the win (note: I know the Artist was ineligible and the nomination was a long time coming, but I just can't see it taking this one).

A Separation: Asghar Farhadi
I am a sucker for international films that tell a story that is not only unique in its own right, but also mixes in their nationality's culture as well (Y Tu Mama Tambien quickly comes to mind). That being said, A Separation is a welcomed surprise, I am happy it was able to get in while 50/50 and Win Win have not. While I have not seen it (yet), I have this on my list of most anticipated, so to see it in here clearly shows two things: A) the film is loved by the Academy and B) the screenplay is fantastic. I know B might sound like a bias opinion, but foreign films rarely crack through. Unless you are a world renowned Foreign director/writer (ie Pedro Almodovar), or you film is quite fantastic (ie Y Tu Mama Tambien/Cidade de Deus), foreign films generally never make it. That being said, unless your a big named foreign film writer, you equally almost never win. Still, good for Farhadi on getting the nomination, it is well earned.

Winner: Midnight in Paris
Runner-up: The Artist

Should Win: Midnight in Paris
Should've been Nominated: Win Win

Reason Why it Should Win:

 

(This is probably the only time I'm doing this, but I mean this gives us both great dialogue and strong acting)

 

Oscar-nomics: Supporting Actress Prediction

While I have had my complaints about most categories thus far, I am slightly less annoyed with this one (a little change of pace, less hate or at least an attempt on my part). There have been many strong female performances this year, one of which I thought stood out amongst the list. While I do think there was a major snub, the performance wasn't gaining momentum, so oh well. My major problem is right actress, wrong movie, and its pretty obvious when you think about it. I will go into this more later, but for now lets talk about the other nominees:

Bérénice Bejo: The Artist
I like this nomination, she does a great job in the film as a fan and possible love interest to Jean Dujardin in the film. Having had an already built rapport between the two and the director, her acting is quite fluid. She brings a level of charm and quirkiness to the role, while also being able to bring some emotional depth to the more dramatic scenes. She is the perfect match for Jean Dujardin, and is a strong contender, but has gained little momentum towards a win. It is possible that she could get picked up with a possible Artist Sweep, but for now I'm predicting she will be on the outside looking in.

Jessica Chastain: The Help
This is my favorite nominee, but not my favorite nomination. While I do feel she did fine work in The Help, she did even better work in the Tree of Life. I think that had she gained momentum for the latter film, she would've gained serious momentum for a win for a couple of reasons, many of which more than likely hurt her chances now. For starters, had she received a nomination for the Tree of Life, we would be seeing two films showcasing her range as an actress. She would also not need to worry about vote-splitting, which in this situation would hurt her more than Octavia Spencer for the same film. Since they share most of there screen time together, you already see the other actress' performance through their oscar nomination. So, with that in mind, this nomination puts her more in a severe disadvantage so while I want her to win, it is just not in the cards.

Melissa McCarthy: Bridesmaids
While I didn't care for the film all that much outside of McCarthy's performance, I don't think it was a nomination worthy performance. While we do see some true comedic chops, something you don't see enough of, I don't think this was something that should've gained awards attention. I think this was just a performance that was put in the right situation of awards momentum to get her pass to the Kodak. That being said, I really would put her in the bottom half of this list in terms of actually winning. The nomination is truly the award here.

Janet Mcteer: Albert Nobbs
This is something where I felt like she would be what I call "awards filler." Not to belittle her performance, she really dives into the skin of a transgender and truly makes the performance her own. The fact of the matter is that she has little to no chance on winning. While the film received a few other nominations, it was not a terribly well liked film and will more than likely end up empty-handed. Also, the performance has gained little momentum, like several other of her fellow nominees, so the nomination is the reward.


Indeed, no one has quite topped:















Octavia Spencer: The Help
Personally, I wouldn't have picked this performance as a winner, but its hard to bet against it at this point. She has won the Critic's Choice, Golden Globe and SAG so the Oscar is a forgone conclusion at this point. It is deserving, she shows a lot of range with this performance, showing true emotions in the tense scenes while also giving the show some comic relief moments. Its a deserving performance, not my first pick, but nonetheless ladies and gentlemen, I give you your Oscar winner here.



Will Win: Octavia Spencer The Help
Runner-up: Berenice Bejo The Artist

Should win: Jessica Chastain The Help (Even though it should be for Tree of Life)
Should've been nominated: Carey Mulligan Shame

Oscar-nomics: Writers Guild Nominations

And now we conclude our triple header with the Writer's Guild Nominations, which were made today so I feel less lazy about this one. If you are a Steve Zaillian fan, then you are in luck. Adapted Screenplay isn't terribly surprising, rather safe in my opinion. I am happy with the love Girl with the Dragon Tattoo getting some more love, if it achieves a Directors Guild Nomination I think its Oscar chances are higher than many have felt it had. Documentary is rather surprising, no love for Bill Cunningham or Project Nim, though I still see them as safe bets. Could Senna be the one to beat? Its not on the shortlist, but its getting much love, so I think its possible. Original Screenplay is fantastic, in my opinion. Even though I didn't care for Bridesmaids that much, the other films have every right to be here. Yes, I have not yet seen 50/50 or Young Adult, but from what I have heard, they are deserving, especially since they are small films. Midnight in Paris was also expected but I am very happy with it being nominated, especially when strong contenders as the Artist (silent as it may be, every film has a screenplay), was snubbed, though this is likely due to it being ineligible (as many films, including last years King Speech, often are). The MVP, and I mean making me ecstatic beyond measurements, is for Win Win. Thomas McCarthy has been due for some love, he did get nominated for an Oscar for UP's screenplay, but Win Win is such a wonderful film, it deserves all the love it can get. I see it probably getting swapped out for the Artist in the long run, but hey a man can be hopeful, right? Here are the nominations listed below, with my picks italicized:

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

50/50, Written by Will Reiser; Summit Entertainment

Bridesmaids, Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig; Universal Studios

Midnight in Paris, Written by Woody Allen; Sony Pictures Classics (This is the one with the best chances of a nomination, let alone a win)

Win Win, Screenplay by Tom McCarthy; Story by Tom McCarthy & Joe Tiboni; Fox Searchlight

Young Adult, Written by Diablo Cody; Paramount Pictures

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash; Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemming; Fox Searchlight (sadly, but hey Hugo or maybe Moneyball could pull ahead)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian; Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, originally published by Norstedts; Columbia Pictures

The Help, Screenplay by Tate Taylor; Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett; DreamWorks Pictures

Hugo, Screenplay by John Logan; Based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick; Paramount Pictures

Moneyball, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin; Story by Stan Chervin; Based on the book by Michael Lewis; Columbia Pictures

DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY

Better This World, Written by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega; Loteria Films

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front, Written by Marshall Curry and Matthew Hamachek; Oscilloscope Pictures

Nostalgia for the Light, Written by Patricio Guzmán; Icarus Films

Pina, Screenplay by Wim Wenders; Sundance Selects

Position Among the Stars, Script by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich, Leonard Retel Helmrich; HBO Films

Senna, Written by Manish Pandey; Producers Distribution Agency     (Because I said so)         

Oscar-nomics: Producer's Guild Nominations

Sorry for the laziness in my postings. I will rectify this today with a bunch of Guild updates. Figured I would start with the Producer's Guild, since its kind of old. We have the usual Suspects of The Artist, The Descendants and Hugo as well as personal favorites (though Hugo is included on this part, I wanted the usual suspects section to have some more weight) of Midnight in Paris and Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I am glad Moneyball is getting love, even though I have yet to see it. I am surprised by the love Bridesmaids is getting, but  I don't see it lasting. The Help and Ides of March aren't exactly thrilling choices, in my opinion, since such films as Drive or, dare I say, Tree of Life getting shut out, oh well. As for the Animation, I'm putting it as a Tintin  vs. Rango with other filler films to fill in the nominations list (I'm not trying to sound mean, but this year was a weak year for Animation). Documentary is filling out as I was expecting it to, I'm holding true to Project Nim and Bill Cunningham as the contenders, but we shall see. here is the list below:

Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of the Year Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures:

THE ARTIST
Producer: Thomas Langmann

BRIDESMAIDS
Producers: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, Clayton Townsend

THE DESCENDANTS
Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO 
Producers: Ceán Chaffin, Scott Rudin

THE HELPProducers: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Brunson Green

HUGO 
Producers: Graham King, Martin Scorsese

THE IDES OF MARCH 
Producers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Brian Oliver

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS 
Producers: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum

MONEYBALL
Producers: Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt

WAR HORSE 
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

The Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year Award in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTINProducers: Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

CARS 2 
Producer: Denise Ream

KUNG FU PANDA 2
Producer: Melissa Cobb

PUSS IN BOOTS 
Producers: Joe M. Aguilar, Latifa Ouaou

RANGO
Producers: John B. Carls, Gore Verbinski

The Producers Guild of America Producer of the Year Award in Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST

Producers: Michael Rapaport, Edward Parks (*additional producers eligibility pending arbitration completion)

BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK

Producer: Philip Gefter

PROJECT NIM

Producer: Simon Chinn

SENNA

Producer: James Gay-Rees

THE UNION

Producers: Cameron Crowe, Michelle Panek

Oscar-nomics: Screen Actors Guild Nominations

Well, the Screen Actors Guild nominations have been announced, and I am more disappointed in the nominations. whether they be snubs (Albert Brooks for Drive) or a nomination for the wrong film (while she was good in the Help, Jessica Chastain was better in Tree of Life). The Best Actor Category is the only real strong race, in my opinion, and they even left out Michael Fassbender for Shame, which again is dissapointing, as well as Michael Shannon for Take Shelter. I guess I was just hopeful that SAG would think to keep an open mind for these performances, guess I was a little too hopeful. If there was one nomination I was ecstatic about, it has to be Midnight in Paris for Best Cast, very well deserved in my opinion. Still, one can't think this only makes The Artist and the Descendants the clear frontrunners now.
The list to me seems a bit too safe, even with the inclusion of Bridesmaids for cast and Melissa McCarthy (the main reason I somewhat liked the film). I can't say I very much agree with Bridesmaids being up for Best Cast really, but I am happy something unconventional got in. Here is the list below:

Outstanding Performance By A Cast In A Motion Picture

The Artist (The Weinstein Company)
Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
The Descendents (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
The Help (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
Midnight in Paris (Sony Pictures Classics)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir / Carlos Galindo - “A Better Life” (Summit Entertainment)
George Clooney / Matt King - "The Descendants” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Leonardo Dicaprio / J. Edgar Hoover - "J. Edgar" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jean Dujardin / George - "The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)
Brad Pitt / Billy Beane - "Moneyball" (Columbia Pictures)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Glenn Close  / Albert Nobbs - "Albert Nobbs” (Roadside Attractions)
Viola Davis / Aibileen Clark - “The Help” (Dreamworks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
Meryl Streep / Margaret Thatcher - “The Iron Lady” (The Weinstein Company)
Tilda Swinton / Eva - “We Need To Talk About Kevin” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)
Michelle Williams / Marilyn Monroe - “My Week With Marilyn” (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh / Sir Laurence Olivier - “My Week With Marilyn” (The Weinstein Company)
Armie Hammer / Clyde Tolson - "J. Edgar" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Jonah Hill / Peter Brand - "Moneyball" (Columbia Pictures)
Nick Nolte / Paddy Conlon - “Warrior” (Lionsgate)
Christopher Plummer / Hal - “Beginners” (Focus Features)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo / Peppy - "The Artist" (The Weinstein Company)
Jessica Chastain / Celia Foote - “The Help” (Dreamworks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
Melissa Mccarthy / Megan - “Bridesmaids” (Universal Pictures)
Janet Mcteer / Hubert Page - "Albert Nobbs” (Roadside Attractions)
Octavia Spencer / Minny Jackson - “The Help” (Dreamworks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)


Tomorrow, the Golden Globes will be announced, fingers crossed I don't get any more upset...