Oscars Preview: The Other Awards

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
"Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
"The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
"Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

WILL WIN: The Descendants
SHOULD WIN: Hugo
COMMENT: Tinker Tailor and Moneyball probably don't do their source material justice.

Writing (Original Screenplay)
"The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
"Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
"Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
"Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
"A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi

WILL WIN: Midnight in Paris
SHOULD WIN: Margin Call
BIGGEST SNUB: 50/50

I refuse to believe that a movie with no dialogue can win. That leaves us with Woody Allen most likely taking home an award for a somewhat movie that strays into cookie-cutter territory. I’d like to put in a word for Margin Call – I thought the prose was electric. Jeremy Irons’ first scene was the best thing anyone wrote this year.

The Pixar Award for Best Animated Feature Film
"A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
"Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
"Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
"Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
"Rango" Gore Verbinski

WILL WIN: A Cat in Paris
SHOULD WIN: None
BIGGEST SNUB: Cars 2

This award was created because Pixar kept getting the shaft. Now that Pixar looks like it’s been Disnefied into genial blandness, this category becomes an albatross. The only way an embarrassed Hollywood can save it is to give it to the French.


Cinematography
"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
"Hugo" Robert Richardson
"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

WILL WIN: Hugo
SHOULD WIN: Hugo

I figure it should be all the more obvious that Hugo was the most impressive piece of visual art, whereas The Artist is the better movie.


Music (Original Score)
"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
"The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams
WILL WIN: The Artist
SHOULD WIN: Tree of Life

OK, so it’s not fair that Tree of Life’s score is actually just lesser known classical music. Lacrimosa was a find; best stuff I heard this year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmnYqKl1LzE

Music (Original Song)
"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets"
"Real in Rio" from "Rio"

WILL WIN: Man or Muppet
SHOULD WIN: Removing this award
The nature of the music in movies business has changed. Movies are vehicles to sell existing singles. Let’s stop pretending.

Documentary (Feature) / Propaganda Film
"Hell and Back Again" Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
"If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
"Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
"Pina" Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
"Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

WILL WIN: No idea
SHOULD WIN: No idea
BIGGEST SNUB: The Interrupters

I’m admittedly intrigued by the notion of a documentary trilogy…but then again, I guess that’s what Ken Burns does x10. The people who made Hoop Dreams, and who got nothing, made The Interrupters so they should get something, even if it’s not that good.

The George Lucas “Non-Art Movies” Visual Effects AWARD
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Real Steel"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Transformers: Dark of the Moon"

WILL WIN: Hugo
SHOULD WIN: Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Hugo will win to up its award total, and not without merit. But strictly on the terms of the category, Michael Bay’s the reigning king of this award, it’s just that everyone hates him for being so unapologetic about it.