# Oscar season 2012 has begun! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 5, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118 "2012-12-05T20:38:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/21 "2012-12-11T22:29:52Z")
The Academy likes to give Oscars to beautiful actresses who make themselves look horrible, so I’m guessing Anne Hathaway will at least be nominated for her role in _Les Misérables._ ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/22 "2012-12-11T22:32:37Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > The Academy likes to give Oscars to beautiful actresses who make themselves look horrible, so I’m guessing Anne Hathaway will at least be nominated for her role in _Les Misérables._ She’s being discussed as a possible lock to win Best Supporting Actress. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/23 "2012-12-12T01:25:19Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > She’s being discussed as a possible lock to win Best Supporting Actress. But if she wins it’ll ONLY be because she’s a beautiful actress who made herself look horrible. :rolleyes: Here, in spoiler tags, are the nominees for the Critics’ Choice Awards (from the The Broadcast Film Critics Association). They have lots and lots and lots of categories. [spoiler]NOMINATIONS FOR THE 18th ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS BEST PICTURE Argo Beasts of the Southern Wild Django Unchained Les Misérables Life of Pi Lincoln The Master Moonrise Kingdom Silver Linings Playbook Zero Dark Thirty BEST ACTOR Bradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook” Daniel Day-Lewis – “Lincoln” John Hawkes – “The Sessions” Hugh Jackman – “Les Misérables” Joaquin Phoenix – “The Master” Denzel Washington – “Flight” BEST ACTRESS Jessica Chastain – “Zero Dark Thirty” Marion Cotillard – “Rust and Bone” Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook” Emmanuelle Riva – “Amour” Quvenzhané Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Naomi Watts – “The Impossible” BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Alan Arkin – “Argo” Javier Bardem – “Skyfall” Robert De Niro – “Silver Linings Playbook” Philip Seymour Hoffman – “The Master” Tommy Lee Jones – “Lincoln” Matthew McConaughey – “Magic Mike” BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Amy Adams – “The Master” Judi Dench – “Skyfall” Ann Dowd – “Compliance” Sally Field – “Lincoln” Anne Hathaway – “Les Misérables” Helen Hunt – “The Sessions” BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS Elle Fanning – “Ginger & Rosa” Kara Hayward – “Moonrise Kingdom” Tom Holland – “The Impossible” Logan Lerman – “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” Suraj Sharma – “Life of Pi” Quvenzhané Wallis – “Beasts of the Southern Wild” BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE Argo The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Les Misérables Lincoln Moonrise Kingdom Silver Linings Playbook BEST DIRECTOR Ben Affleck – “Argo” Kathryn Bigelow – “Zero Dark Thirty” Tom Hooper – “Les Misérables” Ang Lee – “Life of Pi” David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook” Steven Spielberg – “Lincoln” BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Quentin Tarantino – “Django Unchained” John Gatins – “Flight” Rian Johnson – “Looper” Paul Thomas Anderson – “The Master” Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola – “Moonrise Kingdom” Mark Boal – “Zero Dark Thirty” BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Chris Terrio – “Argo” David Magee – “Life of Pi” Tony Kushner – “Lincoln” Stephen Chbosky – “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” David O. Russell – “Silver Linings Playbook” BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY “Les Misérables” – Danny Cohen “Life of Pi” – Claudio Miranda “Lincoln” – Janusz Kaminski “The Master” – Mihai Malaimare Jr. “Skyfall” – Roger Deakins BEST ART DIRECTION “Anna Karenina” – Sarah Greenwood/Production Designer; Katie Spencer/Set Decorator “The Hobbit” – Dan Hennah/Production Designer; Ra Vincent & Simon Bright/Set Decorators “Les Misérables” – Eve Stewart/Production Designer; Anna Lynch-Robinson/Set Decorator “Life of Pi” – David Gropman/Production Designer; Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator “Lincoln” – Rick Carter/Production Designer; Jim Erickson/Set Decorator BEST EDITING “Argo” – William Goldenberg “Les Misérables” – Melanie Ann Oliver and Chris Dickens “Life of Pi” – Tim Squyres “Lincoln” – Michael Kahn “Zero Dark Thirty” – William Goldenberg and Dylan Tichenor BEST COSTUME DESIGN “Anna Karenina” – Jacqueline Durran “Cloud Atlas” – Kym Barrett and Pierre-Yves Gayraud “The Hobbit” – Bob Buck, Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor “Les Misérables” – Paco Delgado “Lincoln” – Joanna Johnston BEST MAKEUP Cloud Atlas The Hobbit Les Misérables Lincoln BEST VISUAL EFFECTS The Avengers Cloud Atlas The Dark Knight Rises The Hobbit Life of Pi BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Brave Frankenweenie Madagascar 3 ParaNorman Rise of the Guardians Wreck-It Ralph BEST ACTION MOVIE The Avengers The Dark Knight Rises Looper Skyfall BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE Christian Bale – “The Dark Knight Rises” Daniel Craig – “Skyfall” Robert Downey Jr. – “The Avengers” Joseph Gordon-Levitt – “Looper” Jake Gyllenhaal – “End of Watch” BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE Emily Blunt – “Looper” Gina Carano – “Haywire” Judi Dench – “Skyfall” Anne Hathaway – “The Dark Knight Rises” Jennifer Lawrence – “The Hunger Games” BEST COMEDY Bernie Silver Linings Playbook Ted This Is 40 21 Jump Street BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY Jack Black – “Bernie” Bradley Cooper – “Silver Linings Playbook” Paul Rudd – “This Is 40” Channing Tatum – “21 Jump Street” Mark Wahlberg – “Ted” BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY Mila Kunis – “Ted” Jennifer Lawrence – “Silver Linings Playbook” Shirley MacLaine – “Bernie” Leslie Mann – “This Is 40” Rebel Wilson – “Pitch Perfect” BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE The Cabin in the Woods Looper Prometheus BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Amour The Intouchables A Royal Affair Rust and Bone BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Bully The Central Park Five The Imposter The Queen of Versailles Searching for Sugar Man West of Memphis BEST SONG “For You” – performed by Keith Urban/written by Monty Powell & Keith Urban – Act of Valor “Learn Me Right” – performed by Birdy with Mumford & Sons/written by Mumford & Sons – Brave “Skyfall” – performed by Adele/written by Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth – Skyfall “Still Alive” – performed by Paul Williams/written by Paul Williams – Paul Williams Still Alive “Suddenly” – performed by Hugh Jackman/written by Claude-Michel Schonberg & Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer – Les Misérables BEST SCORE “Argo” – Alexandre Desplat “Life of Pi” – Mychael Danna “Lincoln” – John Williams “The Master” – Jonny Greenwood “Moonrise Kingdom” – Alexandre Desplat[/spoiler]Besides the love for Moonrise Kingdom and Bernie, I was very happy to see Gina Carano for **Haywire** and Jake Gyllenhaal for **End of Watch** in there. Plus, they did what AMPAS was too chickenshit to do, nominate **The Central Park Five** and **West of Memphis**. Here are the nominations for the St. Louis Film Critics. I have quibbles with some things left out, but mostly, they fucking rock! [spoiler]ST. LOUIS FILM CRITICS AWARD 2012 Nominations BEST FILM Argo Django Unchained Life of Pi Lincoln Moonrise Kingdom Zero Dark Thirty BEST DIRECTOR Ben Affleck (Argo) Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom) Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained) Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild) Ang Lee (Life of Pi) BEST ACTOR Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained) John Hawkes (The Sessions) Joaquin Phoenix (The Master) Denzel Washington (Flight) BEST ACTRESS Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) Helen Mirren (Hitchcock) Aubrey Plaza (Safety Not Guaranteed) Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Alan Arkin (Argo) John Goodman (Argo) Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln) William H. Macy (The Sessions) Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) Bruce Willis (Moonrise Kingdom) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Amy Adams (The Master) Ann Dowd (Compliance) Sally Field (Lincoln) Anne Hathaway (Les Miserables) Helen Hunt (The Sessions) Emma Watson (Perks of Being A Wallflower) BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY The Cabin in the Woods (Josh Whedon and Drew Goddard) Django Unchained (Quentin Tarantino) Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola) Seven Psychopaths (Martin McDonagh) Zero Dark Thirty (Mark Boal ) BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Argo (Chris Terrio) Beasts of the Southern Wild (Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin) Life of Pi (David Magee) Lincoln (Tony Kushner) The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky) Silver Linings Playbook (David O. Russell) BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Beasts of the Southern Wild (Ben Richardson) Cloud Atlas (Frank Griebe and John Toll) Django Unchained (Robert Richardson) Life of Pi (Claudio Miranda) The Master (Mihai Malaimare Jr.) Skyfall (Roger Deakins) BEST VISUAL EFFECTS The Avengers Cloud Atlas Life of Pi Prometheus Snow White and the Huntsman BEST MUSIC SCORE/SOUNDTRACK Beasts of the Southern Wild Cloud Atlas The Dark Knight Rises Django Unchained Moonrise Kingdom Not Fade Away BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM The Fairy Headhunters Holy Motors The Intouchables The Kid With A Bike BEST DOCUMENTARY Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry Bully How To Survive A Plague Jiro Dreams of Sushi Searching for Sugar Man BEST ANIMATED FILM Brave Frankenweenie ParaNorman Rise of the Guardians Wreck-It Ralph BEST COMEDY The Cabin in the Woods Moonrise Kingdom Seven Psychopaths Ted Wreck-It Ralph BEST ARTHOUSE OR FESTIVAL FILM Bernie Compliance The Fairy Safety Not Guaranteed Sleepwalk with Me Take This Waltz BEST SCENE Beasts of the Southern Wild - The hurricane (and Wink shooting at it) Django Unchained - The “bag head” bag/mask problems scene Flight - The plane crash Hitchcock - Anthony Hopkins in lobby conducting to music/audience’s reaction during “Psycho” shower scene The Impossible - Opening tsunami scene The Master - The first “processing” questioning scene between Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/24 "2012-12-12T05:14:18Z")
The Screen Actors Guild nominations come out tomorrow. Would someone else please post the nominations? I’ll be at work all day and going to the movies tomorrow night, so I won’t know the nominations until late in the evening. Boo. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/25 "2012-12-12T07:27:37Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > The Screen Actors Guild nominations come out tomorrow. Would someone else please post the nominations? I’ll be at work all day and going to the movies tomorrow night, so I won’t know the nominations until late in the evening. Boo. Will do. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/26 "2012-12-12T17:33:22Z")
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role BRADLEY COOPER / Pat – “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company) DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln – “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures) JOHN HAWKES / Mark – “THE SESSIONS” (Fox Searchlight) HUGH JACKMAN / Jean Valjean – “LES MISÉRABLES” (Universal Pictures) DENZEL WASHINGTON / Whip Whitaker – “FLIGHT” (Paramount Pictures) Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role JESSICA CHASTAIN / Maya – “ZERO DARK THIRTY” (Columbia Pictures) MARION COTILLARD / Stephanie – “RUST AND BONE” (Sony Pictures Classics) JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany – “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company) HELEN MIRREN / Alma Reville – “HITCHCOCK” (Fox Searchlight) NAOMI WATTS / Maria – “THE IMPOSSIBLE” (Summit Entertainment) Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel – “ARGO” (Warner Bros. Pictures) JAVIER BARDEM / Silva – “SKYFALL” (Columbia Pictures) ROBERT DE NIRO / Pat, Sr. – “SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK” (The Weinstein Company) PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN / Lancaster Dodd – “THE MASTER” (The Weinstein Company) TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens – “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures) Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role SALLY FIELD / Mary Todd Lincoln – “LINCOLN” (Touchstone Pictures) ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine – “LES MISÉRABLES” (Universal Pictures) HELEN HUNT / Cheryl – “THE SESSIONS” (Fox Searchlight) NICOLE KIDMAN / Charlotte Bless – “THE PAPERBOY” (Millennium Entertainment) MAGGIE SMITH / Muriel Donnelly – “THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL” (Fox Searchlight) Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture ARGO (Warner Bros. Pictures) BEN AFFLECK / Tony Mendez ALAN ARKIN / Lester Siegel KERRY BISHÉ / Kathy Stafford KYLE CHANDLER / Hamilton Jordan RORY COCHRANE / Lee Schatz BRYAN CRANSTON / Jack O’Donnell CHRISTOPHER DENHAM / Mark Lijek TATE DONOVAN / Bob Anders CLEA DUVALL / Cora Lijek VICTOR GARBER / Ken Taylor JOHN GOODMAN / John Chambers SCOOT McNAIRY / Joe Stafford CHRIS MESSINA / Malinov THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (Fox Searchlight) JUDI DENCH / Evelyn Greenslade CELIA IMRIE / Madge Hardcastle BILL NIGHY / Douglas Ainslie DEV PATEL / Sonny Kapoor RONALD PICKUP / Norman Cousins MAGGIE SMITH / Muriel Donnelly TOM WILKINSON / Graham Dashwood PENELOPE WILTON / Jean Ainslie LES MISÉRABLES (Universal Pictures) ISABELLE ALLEN / Young Cosette SAMANTHA BARKS / Eponine SACHA BARON COHEN / Thénardier HELENA BONHAM CARTER / Madame Thénardier RUSSELL CROWE / Javert ANNE HATHAWAY / Fantine DANIEL HUTTLESTONE / Gavroche HUGH JACKMAN / Jean Valjean EDDIE REDMAYNE / Marius AMANDA SEYFRIED / Cosette AARON TVEIT / Enjolras COLM WILKINSON / Bishop LINCOLN (Touchstone Pictures) DANIEL DAY-LEWIS / Abraham Lincoln SALLY FIELD / Mary Todd Lincoln JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT / Robert Todd Lincoln HAL HOLBROOK / Preston Blair TOMMY LEE JONES / Thaddeus Stevens JAMES SPADER / W.N. Bilbo DAVID STRATHAIRN / William Seward SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (The Weinstein Company) BRADLEY COOPER / Pat ROBERT DE NIRO / Pat, Sr. ANUPAM KHER / Dr. Cliff Patel JENNIFER LAWRENCE / Tiffany CHRIS TUCKER / Danny JACKI WEAVER / Dolores ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/27 "2012-12-12T17:37:51Z")
SAG Observations 9 of the 10 Supporting nominees are former Oscar winners. Strange that the LINCOLN ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/28 "2012-12-12T17:43:50Z")
SAG Observations 9 of the 10 Supporting nominees are former Oscar winners. Strange that the LINCOLN ensemble list is missing a few notable actors in high-profile roles: Gloria Reuben, Tim Blake Nelson, Lee Pace, and John Hawkes (who’s in the lead Actor category for another film) in particular, though you can add Jared Harris and Jackie Earle Haley to that list easily. Did SAG get to see DJANGO in time? Two of its players are lead contenders in Supporting but both are MIA here. I suspect Kidman is in because of name recognition, since nobody is talking about THE PAPERBOY at all (or at least, not in a good way). Ditto Mirren. Though Best Ensemble is not the same as Best Pic, some people equate the two, which puts ZERO DARK THIRTY at a possible disadvantage. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/29 "2012-12-12T18:04:37Z")
Oh, and one other thing–SAG clearly really didn’t like THE MASTER, leaving Phoenix (my vote for Best Actor) and Adams in the dust. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/30 "2012-12-12T19:10:04Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Strange that the LINCOLN ensemble list is missing a few notable actors in high-profile roles: Gloria Reuben, Tim Blake Nelson, Lee Pace, and John Hawkes (who’s in the lead Actor category for another film) in particular, though you can add Jared Harris and Jackie Earle Haley to that list easily. The rule regarding ensembles is that the only people who are eligible for them are the actors who received their own solo credit card at either the beginning or the end of the movie. If you’re grouped with another person, too bad. So Spader gets in, but the two guys that he shares almost every scene with (Nelson and Hawkes) don’t. I understand that you can’t include every single person actor in the movie, but there’s got to be a better way to do it, as it always leads to some really bizarre-looking ensembles. In 2010, Josh Pence was included as part of the **Social Network** ensemble, even thought we never even saw his face in the movie. (He “played” one of the Winklevoss twins, but Armie Hammer’s face was digitally pasted over Pence’s.) Last year, the **Midnight in Paris** ensemble included one-scene wonder Adrien Brody but not Corey Stoll, whom a lot of people thought was the highlight of the movie as Hemingway. Such a weird rule. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/31 "2012-12-12T19:25:04Z")
> [@Rollo\_Tomasi](#): > > The rule regarding ensembles is that the only people who are eligible for them are the actors who received their own solo credit card at either the beginning or the end of the movie. If you’re grouped with another person, too bad. So Spader gets in, but the two guys that he shares almost every scene with (Nelson and Hawkes) don’t. > > I understand that you can’t include every single person actor in the movie, but there’s got to be a better way to do it, as it always leads to some really bizarre-looking ensembles. In 2010, Josh Pence was included as part of the **Social Network** ensemble, even thought we never even saw his face in the movie. (He “played” one of the Winklevoss twins, but Armie Hammer’s face was digitally pasted over Pence’s.) Last year, the **Midnight in Paris** ensemble included one-scene wonder Adrien Brody but not Corey Stoll, whom a lot of people thought was the highlight of the movie as Hemingway. > > Such a weird rule. Yes, I agree and I suppose for arbitration purposes, it’s clear and easy, but it also leads to greater injustices. I remember that THE AVIATOR gave SAG nods to glorified cameos Jude Law and Gwen Stefani because they got those same single title cards. Of course, with a cast as large as LINCOLN’s, they could rarely indulge that requirement, at the expense of some deserving players. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/32 "2012-12-12T21:37:33Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > Oh, and one other thing–SAG clearly really didn’t like THE MASTER, leaving Phoenix (my vote for Best Actor) and Adams in the dust. Yes, I suspect he didn’t do himself any favors with his comments about awards season being “bullshit”. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/33 "2012-12-13T06:10:05Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > I suspect Kidman is in because of name recognition, since nobody is talking about THE PAPERBOY at all (or at least, not in a good way). Ditto Mirren. I was very pleased to see both names on the SAG list. You saying they only got in because of “name recognition” is as offensive as talk about “awards bait” movies. Seriously, have you SEEN either movie? Both performances absolutely deserve recognition and I’m glad they got some big time recognition. Maggie Smith was by far the best thing about **The Best Exotic Marigold Hote** l (well, Tom Wilkinson too) in an ensemble cast full of great British actors. The movie itself was a trifle but fun, and a bit deeper than might have been expected. And boo on anyone who is dissing **The Paperboy**. I loved it. It’s overbaked Southern Gothic Melodrama at its absolute finest (and I mean all of that as high praise, not snark), and so what if some people don’t like that kind of thing. Not everything is for everybody. It has a big old “Kick Me” sign on its back partially because of who directed it (Lee Daniels), partially because of who stars in it (besides Kidman, there’s Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron and John Cusack) and who produced it (Pedro Almodovar), and partially because it’s, well, an overbaked Southern Melodrama, with sex and violence galore. My attitude is, and? I liked it for exactly what it was. It’s playing again later this month at the Gene Siskel Film Center (a place not known for showing really bad movies) and I’m going to see it a 2nd time. One big reason is to see Nicole Kidman’s performance again. Her role is not at all sympathetic. For most of the film she’s a dimbulb and you want to slap some sense into her, but it’s a character that has more complex depth than you think. Charlotte Bless is unlike any other character Kidman has ever played. So, good on SAG to recognize another of Kidman’s brave performances. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/34 "2012-12-13T06:27:05Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Yes of course, but his character was very very much a prosecutor. If you see the movie you’ll understand what I mean. He takes his job as a prosecutor extremely seriously. Hilariously seriously. Shucks, he’s no more relentless than that inspector from Less Miss-Ur-Ablas. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/35 "2012-12-13T20:06:02Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I was very pleased to see both names on the SAG list. You saying they only got in because of “name recognition” is as offensive as talk about “awards bait” movies. Seriously, have you SEEN either movie? Both performances absolutely deserve recognition and I’m glad they got some big time recognition. Maggie Smith was by far the best thing about **The Best Exotic Marigold Hote** l (well, Tom Wilkinson too) in an ensemble cast full of great British actors. The movie itself was a trifle but fun, and a bit deeper than might have been expected. > > And boo on anyone who is dissing **The Paperboy**. I loved it. It’s overbaked Southern Gothic Melodrama at its absolute finest (and I mean all of that as high praise, not snark), and so what if some people don’t like that kind of thing. Not everything is for everybody. It has a big old “Kick Me” sign on its back partially because of who directed it (Lee Daniels), partially because of who stars in it (besides Kidman, there’s Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron and John Cusack) and who produced it (Pedro Almodovar), and partially because it’s, well, an overbaked Southern Melodrama, with sex and violence galore. My attitude is, and? I liked it for exactly what it was. It’s playing again later this month at the Gene Siskel Film Center (a place not known for showing really bad movies) and I’m going to see it a 2nd time. One big reason is to see Nicole Kidman’s performance again. Her role is not at all sympathetic. For most of the film she’s a dimbulb and you want to slap some sense into her, but it’s a character that has more complex depth than you think. Charlotte Bless is unlike any other character Kidman has ever played. > > So, good on SAG to recognize another of Kidman’s brave performances. No offense intended; I work in the film festival circuit now so I know plenty of people who have seen the Kidman pic and don’t know _anybody_ who had a nice word to say about the film. Given the absence of Adams or Weaver (among others), the selection seems on paper an obvious beneficiary of name recognition (today’s Golden Globe nod notwithstanding). I could be wrong, of course, but that phenomenon _does_ exist you know–Meryl Streep (great actress as she is) has been on the receiving end of it with Oscar for years. Propping up familiar names in unremarkable parts (Mirren over Riva, Weisz, or Wilson) is usually a product of laziness and unadventurous thinking, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/36 "2012-12-13T20:12:44Z")
1. BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA a. ARGO Warner Bros. Pictures, GK Films, Smokehouse Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures b. DJANGO UNCHAINED The Weinstein Company, Columbia Pictures; The Weinstein Company/Sony Pictures Releasing c. LIFE OF PI Fox 2000 Pictures; Twentieth Century Fox d. LINCOLN DreamWorks Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox; Touchstone Pictures e. ZERO DARK THIRTY Columbia Pictures and Annapurna Pictures; Sony Pictures Releasing 2. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA a. JESSICA CHASTAIN ZERO DARK THIRTY b. MARION COTILLARD RUST AND BONE c. HELEN MIRREN HITCHCOCK d. NAOMI WATTS THE IMPOSSIBLE e. RACHEL WEISZ THE DEEP BLUE SEA 3. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA a. DANIEL DAY-LEWIS LINCOLN b. RICHARD GERE ARBITRAGE c. JOHN HAWKES THE SESSIONS d. JOAQUIN PHOENIX THE MASTER e. DENZEL WASHINGTON FLIGHT 4. BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL a. THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL – Blueprint Pictures/Participant Media; Fox Searchlight Pictures b. LES MISERABLES – Universal Pictures, A Working Title Films/Cameron Mackintosh Productions; Universal Pictures c. MOONRISE KINGDOM – Indian Paintbrush; Focus Features d. SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN – CBS Films; CBS Films e. SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK – The Weinstein Company; The Weinstein Company 5. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL a. EMILY BLUNT SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN b. JUDI DENCH THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL c. JENNIFER LAWRENCE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK d. MAGGIE SMITH QUARTET e. MERYL STREEP HOPE SPRINGS 6. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL a. JACK BLACK BERNIE b. BRADLEY COOPER SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK c. HUGH JACKMAN LES MISERABLES d. EWAN MCGREGOR SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN e. BILL MURRAY HYDE PARK ON HUDSON 7. BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM a. BRAVE Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures b. FRANKENWEENIE Walt Disney Pictures; Walt Disney Pictures c. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA Columbia Pictures / Sony Pictures Animation; Sony Pictures Releasing d. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS DreamWorks Animation LLC; Paramount Pictures e. WRECK-IT RALPH Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios; Walt Disney Pictures 8. BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM a. AMOUR (AUSTRIA) Les Films Du Losange, X Filme Creative Pool, Wega Film; Sony Pictures Classics b. A ROYAL AFFAIR (DENMARK) (En kongelig affære) Zentropa Entertainment; Magnolia Pictures c. THE INTOUCHABLES (FRANCE) (Les Intouchables) The Weinsten Company, Quad Productions, Gaumont, TF1 Films Production, Ten Films, Chaocorp; The Weinstein Company d. KON-TIKI (NORWAY/UK/DENMARK) Nordisk Film Production, Recorded Picture Company e. RUST AND BONE (FRANCE) (De rouille et d’os) 9. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE a. AMY ADAMS THE MASTER b. SALLY FIELD LINCOLN c. ANNE HATHAWAY LES MISERABLES d. HELEN HUNT THE SESSIONS e. NICOLE KIDMAN THE PAPERBOY 10. BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE a. ALAN ARKIN ARGO b. LEONARDO DICAPRIO DJANGO UNCHAINED c. PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN THE MASTER d. TOMMY LEE JONES LINCOLN e. CHRISTOPH WALTZ DJANGO UNCHAINED 11. BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE a. BEN AFFLECK ARGO b. KATHRYN BIGELOW ZERO DARK THIRTY c. ANG LEE LIFE OF PI d. STEVEN SPIELBERG LINCOLN e. QUENTIN TARANTINO DJANGO UNCHAINED 12. BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE a. MARK BOAL ZERO DARK THIRTY b. TONY KUSHNER LINCOLN c. DAVID O. RUSSELL SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK d. QUENTIN TARANTINO DJANGO UNCHAINED e. CHRIS TERRIO ARGO 13. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE a. MYCHAEL DANNA LIFE OF PI b. ALEXANDRE DESPLAT ARGO c. DARIO MARIANELLI ANNA KARENINA d. TOM TYKWER, CLOUD ATLAS JOHNNY KLIMEK, REINHOLD HEIL e. JOHN WILLIAMS LINCOLN 14. BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE a. ―FOR YOU‖ — ACT OF VALOR Music by: Monty Powell, Keith Urban Lyrics by: Monty Powell, Keith Urban b. ―NOT RUNNING ANYMORE‖ — STAND UP GUYS Music by: Jon Bon Jovi Lyrics by: Jon Bon Jovi c. ―SAFE & SOUND‖ — THE HUNGER GAMES Music by: Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, T Bone Burnett Lyrics by: Taylor Swift, John Paul White, Joy Williams, T Bone Burnett d. ―SKYFALL‖ — SKYFALL Music by: Adele, Paul Epworth Lyrics by: Adele, Paul Epworth e. ―SUDDENLY‖ — LES MISERABLES Music by: Claude-Michel Schonberg Lyrics by: Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/37 "2012-12-13T20:16:46Z")
I’m very interested in seeing what happens with **Django Unchained** ’s supporting actors. It seems like Leonardo DiCaprio was initially the one that a lot of people were predicting (villain, playing against type, never won). But then Christoph Waltz came in and starting landing in first or second place for a lot of the critics prizes (with a handful of citations for DiCaprio). SAG and the Golden Globes didn’t offer any insight, since they were both shut out for the former and they both made it for the latter. Could they split the vote and both lose our? Or could both of them make it in (a pretty rare occurrence for supporting actors in recent years)? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/38 "2012-12-13T20:30:13Z")
Golden Globe Tallies 7 LINCOLN 5 ARGO, DJANGO UNCHAINED 4 LES MISERABLES, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, ZERO DARK THIRTY 3 LIFE OF PI, THE MASTER, SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN With the Drama/Comedy-Musical split, it gives more room for nominees, so fewer conspicuous names missing, though no love for the AMOUR cast or BEASTS in any capacity. I haven’t seen THE IMPOSSIBLE yet but Ewan seemed well-positioned to score a Supporting nod there. His best chance for attention was with the HPFA (which he got, but for lead of another film), so with dueling DJANGO’s and De Niro MIA, the Supporting Actor race will be a very interesting one indeed. I think the best hope THE SESSIONS had for a nod outside of the acting categories was also here (because of the split) so getting unseated by DJANGO doesn’t bode as well for it. Jack Black was great fun in BERNIE so he’s a welcome addition. Of the 5 screenplays nominated, 4 are adaptations and one (Quentin’s) original. That gives room for the Anderson boys (Paul Thomas and Wes) who are absent here despite some mention of their films (though not enough, IMHO). I don’t even recognize any of the other song nominees. SKYFALL is likely the first Bond film to get an Oscar nod since the Roger Moore era, but no song has ever won before. I haven’t seen Les Miz (obviously) so don’t know how that song plays, but it seems likely to fall between those two. Sorry to see PARANORMAN couldn’t even make the cut; it’s the film whose animation I enjoyed the most this year (probably because it’s old school) though I suspect it will fare better with AMPAS ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/39 "2012-12-13T20:40:51Z")
> [@Rollo\_Tomasi](#): > > I’m very interested in seeing what happens with **Django Unchained** ’s supporting actors. It seems like Leonardo DiCaprio was initially the one that a lot of people were predicting (villain, playing against type, never won). But then Christoph Waltz came in and starting landing in first or second place for a lot of the critics prizes (with a handful of citations for DiCaprio). SAG and the Golden Globes didn’t offer any insight, since they were both shut out for the former and they both made it for the latter. Could they split the vote and both lose our? Or could both of them make it in (a pretty rare occurrence for supporting actors in recent years)? I’m just grateful Bardem wasn’t included. A fine actor in an undernourished part that has no real business being in contention. But I’m still amazed that Arkin’s getting traction in a part that he could do in his sleep (though I find the entire film underwhelming and the adulation OTT). I’d rather see Goodman there, though there’s not much of a better case for him. This category is usually an embarrassment of riches when it comes to viable performances, so who emerges victorious for DJANGO (if any) will be fun to see. Haven’t seen the film so can’t say personally, but columnist Dave Poland is openly campaigning for Samuel L. Jackson from the same film, so who knows? I think that could make the ultimate winner unpredictable too–it’s been 18 years since Jones won, 31 since De Niro did (though he has 2 Oscars already). A real interesting mix. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118/40 "2012-12-13T20:59:16Z")
> [@MovieMogul](#): > > I’m just grateful Bardem wasn’t included. A fine actor in an undernourished part that has no real business being in contention. But I’m still amazed that Arkin’s getting traction in a part that he could do in his sleep (though I find the entire film underwhelming and the adulation OTT). I’d rather see Goodman there, though there’s not much of a better case for him. Oh, I am so with you on both of these points (although I like **Argo** overall more than you do). Arkin’s status as a near-lock is an absolute head-scratcher. Scoot McNairy was the MVP from that movie for me, but really, no one is even within shouting distance of being worthy of a nomination. And while Bardem is good, doesn’t it feel like we’ve been seeing that character and performance a lot lately from a bunch of different movies? The theatrical, chatty, just-this-side-of-campy villain? I’m thinking of Guy Pearce in **Lawless** and Tom **Hollander** in Hanna, for other recent examples. Like I said, Bardem is fine, but I’m not really seeing anything that makes him stand out from that crowd. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-season-2012-has-begun/643118.md?page=3)