The 84th Academy Awards are upon us once again, and who needs the opinion of professional film critics when you have the opinions of The Daily Cardinal? We have compiled our predictions on who will win many of the major award categories, as well as a list of our favorite films of the year.
Best Picture
The divisions of last year's Best Picture debat is absent this year, with critics and audiences of all ages putting their vote squarely behind "The Artist" for the night's highest honor. "The Descendants" was the early frontrunner for much of the early fall last year, but ultimately fell out of favor, instead likely to end up with a few smaller awards as consolation. "Hugo" was a hit with audiences and many critics, and stands as the best chance to overthrow "The Artist" for the golden boy. "The Help" was another audience favorite this year, but likely won't gain enough traction with the average voting demographic of the Academy (old white dudes) to have a real shot at snagging a win. "Midnight in Paris" stands out as the best piece of output from Woody Allen in decades and certainly won a place in my heart, but is unlikely to win. Meanwhile, "Moneyball" and "War Horse" were both great films, but neither attracted enough buzz to propel them to the front of the race. "Tree of Life" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" will be left in the dust. -David Cottrell
Best Director
This year's Best Director field can be seen as either diverse or not diverse at all. Consider the fact three of the five nominees are over the age of 68, male, and have multiple nominations and or wins to their name. Woody Allen and Terrence Malick will probably not show up to the awards show, sending a pretty strong message to the Academy and awards enthusiasts alike. Regardless, considering anyone other than French director Michel Hazanavicius for his work "The Artist" would be a mistake, albeit Martin Scorsese for his adaptation of the children's novel "Hugo," also an ode to the early days of cinema. Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris" features some handsome direction and a great ensemble. Yet, of all of the nominees, Terrence Malick deserves the most recognition for his mysterious and allegorical "The Tree of Life." Hazenavicius may take home the golden statue, but Malick is way above everyone's heads here, and all of the other nominees probably know it. -Ethan Safran
Best Actress
This year's Best Actress contest is looking close: it is anyone's guess whether the winner will be Viola Davis for her performance in "The Help" or Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady." This is the 17th Academy Award nomination for Streep-she is an incredible actress and does a great job in her role, but the award may be given to one of the up-and-comers for the purpose of giving them their chance in the spotlight.
If Viola Davis does take the crown, however, it needn't be viewed as a concession prize. David's performance in "The Help" was moving, and arguably made the film the success that it is. Not to mention, if Davis wins this year, she will be the second African-American ever to win in this category after Halle Berry. Both Davis and Streep have gained a similar amount of attention with critics so far, with Davis taking home the SAG Award and the Critics Choice award while Streep got the BAFTA and the Golden Globe. We think that either of these actresses deserve to take home the award, and are by far the stand-outs in their category. -Riley Beggin
Best Actor
While George Clooney is always a favorite contender for Best Actor, and his performance in "The Descendants" does not leave one wanting, the dragging plot of the movie looms heavily over his delivery and knocks him out of the running for many of us. However, the Academy may take a different view of his melancholy performance.
But who can take his place? Enter hunky Frenchman Jean Dujardin from "The Artist." His charming smile and smooth moves could make any woman's heart tap dance right in time with his shiny shoes. The best part is, he woos the audience without ever saying a word. Rather than relying on a well-delivered line to latch onto a place in the memories of viewers, Dujardin gives an enduring performance that pays homage to both the silent film industry and acting in its most basic form-before words got in the way. With the hype surrounding the film in general, he may be very likely to sweep the category. -Jaime Brackeen
Best Supporting Actor
Octavia Spencer is likely to be the winner of Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Minny Jackson in "The Help." If the litany of awards that she has won in the pre-Oscar season is any indication, it looks like the path is clear for Spencer-she carried home the SAG, the Golden Globe, the BAFTA and the Critics Choice this year. Her co-star, Jessica Chastain, has nearly no chance, however. The only other nominee that might be able to rival Spencer is Bérénice Bejo for her performance as an old-time Hollywood extra who falls in love with a silent film star in "The Artist." However, if she took home the award it would be a huge Oscar shock. There is not a ton of hype around "Albert Nobbs," and it doesn't seem likely that Janet McTeer has a chance at winning and Melissa McCarthy's performance in "Bridesmaids" is entertaining to say the least, but isn't likely to take home the Oscar. -Riley Beggin
Best Supporting Actress
If there is one category that is a virtual slam-dunk for a nominee, it is this one. Christopher Plummer will and should win for work in the excellent film "Beginners." Plummer is the anchor of the film, giving a performance with such nuance and humility that one cannot help but to become emotionally invested in the heartfelt character that he portrays. Plummer, at the age of 82 years old, would be the oldest actor to win an Academy Award. Oddly enough, Swedish actor Max von Sydow, nominated for his performance in "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," is eight months older than Plummer and turns 83 in April. While the category is altogether composed of solid performances, the Academy likes to reward individuals in their older years, and considering Christopher Plummer's career stretches all the way back to 1965's Best Picture winner "The Sound of Music," you could consider it his year regardless of his excellent performance. -Ethan Safran
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay is often a contentious category, as what particularly should be awarded in an adapted script is very much a matter of opinion. Should a script be awarded more for fidelity in bringing the source material to screen, inventiveness taking the story in new directions, technical precision in writing craft, or even just the ultimate appeal of the final product? The values the Academy seems to look for very from year to year and with the surrounding set of circumstances. This year it seems a win for "The Descendants", written by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, is the most likely scenario. An early pick for Best Picture that has since lost much of its momentum, the Academy will likely see a win for Adapted Screenplay as a suitable alternative for handing any of the big awards to "The Descendants". The film relies much more on its script than "Hugo", which makes extensive use of visual effects and had a few narrative problems of its own. "Moneyball" had perhaps the most difficult source material to adapt for the screen and flows with the snappy Aaron Sorkin dialogue that the Academy loves. Although the film lacks the momentum and public adoration that Sorkin's script for "The Social Network" had when it won the category last year, it's the best choice for an upset winner over "The Descendents". "Ides of March", a valiant adaptation of the play "Farragut North" that nevertheless failed to garner any other nominations, and "Tinker, Taylor, Solider Spy", an interesting script that suffered from an abundance of understatement and a lack of clarity seem to be the honorable mentions here. -David Cottrell
The Daily Cardinal Arts staff's top 10 picks of the year:
1. "Drive"
Nicolas Winding Refn's sunshine neo-noir masterpiece "Drive" will forever be remembered as one of the beloved cult films that the Oscars forgot and we here at the Daily Cardinal are proud to declare it our favorite film of 2011. Eerily echoing the precise destiny of David Fincher's cult-favorite "Fight Club" a decade ago, "Drive" received a single Oscar nomination-Best Sound Editing. But there's just so much to love about "Drive."
Refn's direction and Newton Thomas Sigel's cinematography coalesce into an aesthetically beautiful film, in which every single shot feels so well composed it could be a work of art in and of itself. Gosling's now-infamous elevator head-stomping sequence is sure to live on as one of the most memorable and unconventional cinematic moments of 2011. Listening to the sounds of gruesome carnage under Gosling's boot, the film's sound-editing nomination seems entirely justified and its place in cult-film fandom surely cemented. -David Cottrell
2. "Midnight in Paris"
With a star-studded cast, romantic backdrop and poignant message, it is no wonder that "Midnight in Paris" grabbed our attention as well as those of the Oscar board. What most stuck out to us with this film, however, is that it is perhaps the writer and director Woody Allen's greatest accomplishment of the last 20 years.
The story, starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams fleshes out the theme that nostalgia is bittersweet and that fully living out the present bears the true weight of happiness.
Allen's work in "Midnight in Paris" is truly remarkable-his witty and charming humor is present in all of the character's words, and he manages to acknowledge his cynical side without succumbing to it entirely. The romantic, mysterious feel to the film seems to be a celebration of sorts, a comeback for the writer/director who has lost his sparkle as of late. Regardless of what it garners at the Academy Awards, it deserves it's number two spot on our Top 10. -Riley Beggin
3. "Ides of March"
"The Ides of March" was the film that we unanimously agreed got snubbed at this year's Academy Awards. Although it was certainly lacking in some technical departments, it was excellent in it's deft writing, performance and directing.
Directed and written in part by actor George Clooney, the film certainly can be dubbed an "actor's film," in that the cinematography is relatively unengaging. However, Clooney's directing provides an excellent platform for the actors in the film, who come through in flying colors. Performances from Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti and Clooney himself help gives the film true multi-faceted emotion and flair. It is true intelligent filmmaking, landing a spot in our top five picks. And let's be honest-who wouldn't want to see Clooney and Gosling together on the silver screen? -Riley Beggin
4. "Hugo"
"Hugo" marks a first for acclaimed director Martin Scorsese, as the film is a departure from the director's track record of gangster movies that feature at times scenes of startling, brutal violence. "Hugo" is both the director's first children's movie and his first film to employ 3D, a still dubious technological advancement that some deem to be nothing more than a technological gimmick that raises ticket prices. Yet Scorsese uses the technology to great effect, as the 3D allows the viewer to become submerged into the story. The movie's craft is practically impeccable, as its art direction, cinematography, sound design, and overall production values contribute greatly to the film's strengths. "Hugo" is simply a magical and transcending experience, a voyage to cinema's roots stretching back to the early 20th century in which the true mavericks were experimenting with the new medium. It is one of Scorsese's best films to date. Bravo. -Ethan Safran
5. "Take Shelter"
Michael Shannon's performance as Curtis LaForche, a family-man construction worker in rural Ohio plagued by nightmares of an impending apocalyptic storm, in "Take Shelter" is utterly riveting on a scale scarcely seen these days, especially from such an under-the-radar actor. Curtis becomes obsessed with building a storm shelter in his family's backyard, even at the cost of their present well being.
Director Jeff Nichols subtly crafted "Take Shelter" to instill a pitch-perfect concoction of personal drama and impending dread of the unknown and capture a man's descent into uncertain madness that will keep you guessing and engaged until the movie's white-knuckled culmination. The final twenty minutes of "Take Shelter" are absolutely spellbinding and will leave you thoroughly unsettled. -David Cottrell
6. "The Artist"
An air of nostalgia permeates this tribute to the silent film industry and envelopes the audience in the trappings of another era. Perhaps it is the glamour and social revolutionary activity of the Roaring ‘20s that has me, in turn, roaring over this film, but there is just something about the exaggerated smiles and breathless expressions delivered over the clacking of tap shoes that makes me want to shout "swell!" while watching "The Artist" (though perhaps a written sign would be more appropriate). -Jaime Brackeen
7. "Tree of Life"
If there is one movie this year that deserves recognition for its sense of ambition and singularity, it is Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life. The film, which probably belongs in an art museum rather than a multiplex, features a 20-minute sequence that chronicles the universe's history from the big bang to the present. And all this centered around a family in Texas in the 1950s, featuring an abusive father figure, played by Brad Pitt, and a loving mother, played by Jessica Chastain. It relies more on emotions than story, and it's probably unlike anything you've ever seen. -Ethan Safran
8. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" has a lot to measure up to. With a internationally best-selling novel and incredibly popular Swedish film of the same nature at it's back, it is no wonder that it got overlooked for the most part at this year's Academy Awards. However, we believe that the film's dark, mysterious and brutal tones are deftly carried out and perfectly catering to what the literary fans longed for in a film. Additionally, the no-holds-barred performance of Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander blew us away and grabbed the film a spot on our Top 10. -Riley Beggin
9. "The Guard"
"The Guard" is a unique blend of dark Irish humor, murder mystery, and action flick. Brendan Gleeson plays a member of the Garda (Irish police) fond of unconventional methods, like dropping acid picked from the pockets of a car accident victim, forced to work alongside an FBI agent (Don Cheedle) investigating a humongous shipment of cocaine expected to be smuggled through a rural country port.
The surprising repartee between Gleeson and Cheadle crosses all boundaries of political correctness and makes this movie a guilty pleasure to watch. "The Guard" certainly wasn't the most successful Irish independent film of all time for nothing. -David Cottrell
10. "Bridesmaids"
What this movie lacks in groundbreaking artistic depth, it makes up for with pure, unadulterated comedy. A little romance, some high-speed chases (okay, so it's no "Drive"), major props to Milwaukee and a lot of laughs make this movie fun to watch, but the main reason it gets a spot on our Top 10 list is because of the writing of Saturday Night Live star Kristen Wiig. Funny females are unfortunately still a rarity in the industry, but Wiig proves a cast of double-X chromosomes can appeal to men and women alike.-Jaime Brackeen
