Will he be a winner once again?

An unusual year with more famous names than I can remember, two inexplicable omissions (‘Senna’ and Tilda Swinton) and a silent movie which could sweep the board. Talking of omissions congratulations to Mrs ‘Marquee Mark’ for her work on Coriolanus. As good a film of a shakespeare play as I’ve seen which could easily have been nominated in up to three categories. So here are the nominations followed by my two euros worth…..

Best Film. War Horse, The Artist, Moneyball, The Descendants, The Tree of Life, Midnight in Paris, The Help, Hugo, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

In a strong field my film of the year is ‘The Artist’.

Best Director. The Artist, The Descendants, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, The Tree of Life.

I’d give it to Michel Hazavanicus for ‘The Artist’. Having said that Hazavanicus speaks French so don’t be surprised if home grown Scorcese is chosen for the worthy but soporific ‘Hugo’.

Best Actor. Demian Bichir, George Clooney, Jean Dujardin, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt.

My money’s going on Jean Dujardin for his compelling silent performance in ‘The Artist’. However as he’s another French speaker and George Clooney isn’t it could go to Clooney who in any event was as good as I’ve seen him in ‘The Descendants’.

Best Actress. Glenn Close, Viola Davis, Rooney Mara, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams.

A category of impersonators…. Michelle Williams in ‘My Week with Marilyn’ looked the part but without Marilyn’s appeal. Rooney Mara as the punk hacker in ‘Dragon Tattoo’ was brilliant but an exact replica of Noomy Rapace in the Danish original. Viola Davis as the put upon black maid in ‘The Help’ was good but it’s a well trodden path……

….and then there’s Meryl! The resemblance was uncanny. I thought I was having a nightmare. She didn’t give us an insight into Maggie’s persona in the way Helen Mirren did in “The Queen” but as the script was a fantasy it hardly mattered. Dennis was an angel, Carol was caring and Mark was her rock. I was just waiting for Pinochet to turn up as Father Christmas. Anyway her mimicry was genius so she deserves the Oscar and one last chorus of ‘Maggie Maggie Maggie Out Out Out’ would be a fitting finale.

Best Supporting Actor. Kenneth Branagh, Jonah Hill, Nick Nolte. Christopher Plummer, Max Von Sydow.

Talking of impersonators……. Kenneth Branagh did a brilliant Lawrence Olivier in ‘My Week with Marilyn’ but the part was small. So I’d go for Christopher Plummer in ‘Beginners’ for his funny and moving performance as the terminally ill father who shocks his son by finding solace with a young gay lover.

Best Supporting Actress. Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, Melissa McCarthy, Janet McTeer, Octavia Spencer.

I’m going for Berenice Bejo for her sparkling performance in ‘The Artist’ but won’t be too surprised if it goes to Octavia Spencer the maid who cooked THE pie in ‘The Help’!

Best Animation. A Cat in Paris, Chico and Rita, Kung Fu Panda 2, Rango, Puss in Boots.

Rango!

Best Cinematography. The Artist, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, The Tree of Life, War Horse.

Emmanuel Lubezki for the super-stylish ‘Tree of Life’.

Best art direction. The Artist, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows 2, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, War Horse.

For the scale and craftsmanship I’d go for ‘Hugo’ .

Best Original Screenplay. The Artist, Bridesmaid, Margin Call, Midnight in Paris, A Separation.

‘The Artist’ . A story perfectly told without dialogue. Woody Allen could be in with a shout for ‘Midnight in Paris’.

Best Adapted screenplay. The Descendants, Hugo, Ides of March, Moneyball, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

My two favourites were ‘The Descendants’ and ‘The Ides of March’. One with Clooney the actor the other with him as actor/director. I’d go for the very watchable ‘Descendants’ by a nose.

Best costume Design. Anonymous, The Artist, Hugo, Jane Eyre, W.E.

A toss up between the costume drama ‘Anonymous’ (‘Shakespeare’ was really the Earl of Oxford!) and the batty ‘W.E’ where Madonna found a new twist on the Edward and Mrs Simpson story by adding a Russian janitor! The Americans like English costume drama so possibly ‘Anonymous’.

Best Film Editing. The Artist, The Descendants, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, Moneyball.

‘Hugo’ for it’s scale and the magnificent train crash.

Best Visual Effects. Harry Potter, Hugo, Real Steel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Transformers.

I’m torn between ‘Hugo’ and ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’. Probably ‘Hugo’ again for the train crash.

Best Sound Editing. Drive, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, Transformers, War Horse.

I’d go for ‘Drive’. It deserved more nominations.

Best Sound Mixing. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, Moneyball, Transformers, War Horse.

The very stylish ‘Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ .

Best Make-up. Albert Nobbs, Harry Potter, The Iron lady.

‘The Iron Lady’ The resemblance was uncanny.

Original Music. Adventures of Tintin, The Artist, Hugo, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse.

‘The Artist’.