If My Name Was Oscar...

While I love watching the Oscars, and also don't necessarily care if they reward films/actors that I don't particularly deem worthy of being recognized, it's not secret that the Academy can, occasionally, be a bit out of touch or just flat out wrong. So, here is where I set my record straight and show who I would vote for if I was a member of the Academy.

Now, the people I reward may not be the winner tonight and, hell, they might not even be nominated, But if I was in total control of the big show, this is how it'd go. Just four quick notes though:

1) The nominees are in rank order, as in from my second choice (after the winner) to the fifth.
2) I did not see any foreign films this year, unfortunately, so that category is absent.
3) I only saw two documentaries this year and don't really find either of them worthy of the award, so that category is absent as well.
4) I only have a winner, no nominees, for Best Hair & Makeup due to it being an extremely weak field, in my opinion.

So, check out who I'd vote for and let me know if you agree or not:

BEST PICTURE: Check out my Top 10 of 2012

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE: Joaquin Pheonix, The Master

Is it normal to root against your pick for the best actor of the year? Yes, Phoenix is an incredibly pretentious actor and I don't believe that somebody should win an award that they don't put any value into. But, regardless of politics, I think it's clear that Phoenix gave not only the best performance of the year but also one of the best performances in years. Phoenix's transformation into this character is terrifying yet fascinating. He's put everything- his heart, his soul and even his body- into this performance and watching him is unlike anything I've seen in a film  in a long time. To me, picking Phoenix was a no brainer.
The other nominees: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln; John Hawkes, The Sessions; Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables; Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

In Silver Linings Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence is given a rather difficult task. She must show a full range of emotions. She's got to be dramatic, hilarious, sexy, abrasive, rude and depressed, all of which she captures perfectly, proving that she is one of the most talented young women working in Hollywood today, and is interested in much more challenging roles than many of her peers. From the moment she appears, Lawrence dominates the screen and steals the film- a difficult task to do in a movie with a cast as impressive as Silver Linings Playbook. Lawrence's performance in Silver Linings Playbook is one that we'll be talking about for years to come.
The other nominees: Helen Hunt, The Sessions; Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty; Anne Dowd, Compliance; Keira Knightley, Anna Karenina

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Best Supporting Actor was a stacked category this year and I changed my pick for this year almost a dozen times. But, after lots of consideration, I feel safe in saying that Philip Seymour Hoffman is the most deserving of the title. Hoffman is one of the finest actors working today, and he constantly transforms into different characters. In The Master he, essentially, plays two parts- the charismatic leader of a cult, and a fragile, insecure man who constantly fears that his followers will catch on to his rouse. It's an incredible performance.
The other nominees: Tom Hanks, Cloud Atlas; Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained; Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

It's the role that had Oscar buzz from the moment we heard Hathaway sing that first note in the trailer dating back to June. Hathaway's Fantine is the most memorable thing about the musical epic, despite only appearing in a small portion of it. In one long shot, Hathaway sings a beautiful and devastating song. It's one of the most powerful sequences of the year, and a career defining performance for an actress with an already impressive resumé and many more years of work to come. Often Oscar bait performances come off as overblown. Not this time. Believe the hype- Hathaway deserves the award that she is, inevitably, going to win.
The other nominees: Brit Marling, Sound of My Voice; Amy Adams, The Master; Jennifer Ehle, Zero Dark Thirty; Samantha Barks, Les Miserables

BEST DIRECTOR: Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty

In my humble opinion, a director is only worthy of being called the Best Director of the Year when he or she has created a film that feels distinct and makes us realize that nobody else could have crafted it like they did. As if Bigelow didn't already earn herself a spot in cinema history, Zero Dark Thirty is a depiction of one of the most significant events of the past decade and her film will be a reference both for this generation and generations to come, much like how All The President's Men did for Watergate. On top of that, it's just an all around well made film, one overflowing with intensity and suspense. In her first film following her historic win at the Academy Awards, Bigelow doesn't just live up to the standard she set for herself: she surpasses it.
The other nominees: Andy & Lana Wachoswki and Tom Twyker, Cloud Atlas; Ang Lee, Life of Pi; Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master; Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom

After the jump, my picks for everything from screenplay to special effects to original score...



BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, The Cabin in the Woods
It was a weak year for original screenplays, but The Cabin in the Woods stood out as being one of the zaniest scripts of the year and, by far and away, the best horror film since Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson reinvented the slasher with Scream.
The other nominees: Looper; Moonrise Kingdom; Django Unchained; Magic Mike

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
While the original screenplays of the year were somewhat lacking, the list of great adapted screenplays was stacked with worthy candidates. While I was very close to giving it to Lincoln, for not compromising it's political content for the sake of appealing to the widest audience possible, I found it impossible to not give it to the immensely lovable Silver Linings Playbook.
The other nominees: Lincoln; The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Cloud Atlas; The Sessions

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Roger Deakins, Skyfall 
By far the best looking film of the year was Skyfall. It's refreshing to see a blockbuster film take it's cinematography so seriously.
The other nominees: Anna Karenina; Life of Pi; The Master; Django Unchained

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Adam Stockhausen, Moonrise Kingdom
I'm still in shock that Moonrise Kingdom was snubbed in this category. The sets for this film were incredible, giving off a distinct style that was stylized and not distracting in the slightest.
The other nominees: Anna Karenina; Les Miserables; Life of Pi; Lincoln

BEST FILM EDITING: Alexander Berner, Cloud Atlas
Taking six different stories and seamlessly weaving them together is a task that sounds almost impossible on paper. The editing for Cloud Atlas is absolutely brilliant, with so many sequences that left me floored in the way they were executed. For a reference, take a look at the sequence that jumps between a futuristic shootout with a foot chase on a slave ship and see how these wildly different moments synch up perfectly. Or the opening sequence, which sets up all six of the stories within minutes. Brilliant work.
The other nominees: Argo; Looper; Zero Dark Thirty; Life of Pi

BEST SOUND EDITING: Wylie Stateman, Django Unchained
Truthfully, my knowledge on this field (as well as sound mixing) is somewhat limited. But the sound effects during the shootouts were noticeable, so Django it is.
The other nominees: Skyfall; Life of Pi; Zero Dark Thirty; End of Watch

BEST SOUND MIXING: Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson and Mark Paterson, Les Miserables
For one thing, musicals tend to win this category. For another, it really is impressive that this film was recorded live. So, there is that.
The other nominees: Django Unchained; Skyfall; Life of Pi; Zero Dark Thirty

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP: Prometheus
A relatively dull category this year. So much so that I couldn't think of more than one film to make eligible. I disliked Prometheus and didn't want to award it with anything, but the makeup was quite effective.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Sharen Davis, Django Unchained
The costumes in Django Unchained are important to the film's plot, and each character has a distinct appearance which helps them to stand out from the rest.
The other nominees: Anna Karenina; Les Miserables; Lincoln; Moonrise Kingdom

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Cloud Atlas
What a stunning film from a visual standpoint, and the fact that the movie is technically an independent film only impresses me more. I mean, what was the Academy thinking? I dare anybody to watch the film and not be wowed by the special effects.
The other nominees: Prometheus; Life of Pi; The Avengers; Ted

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: "Who Did That to You?" by John Legend from Django Unchained
A great song that was unjustly snubbed. The song sums up the theme of the film while also being catchy and showcasing John Legend's wonderful vocals. I'm happy Adele will be winning, as "Skyfall" is a great song, but "Who Did That to You?" is miles beyond any other song from a film this year.
The other nominees: "Skyfall"

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild
The score for Beasts of the Southern Wild is one that both hits you emotionally as you watch the film and stays with you long after it ends. It's one of the best scores of the year in what was a somewhat boring field. I'm surprised that the Academy would snub it.
The other nominees: Cloud Atlas; The Master; Anna Karenina;  Lincoln

BEST ANIMATED FILM: Wreck-it-Ralph
Granted, it's one of the only two animated films I've seen this year (the other being the godawful Lorax) but Wreck-it-Ralph is one of the best animated films I've seen since Toy Story 3 and manages to truly appeal to all ages and demographics. It's funny, sad, and with a great message for kids. What more can I ask for?

Make sure you follow me on Twitter for my live tweeting of the Academy Awards tonight at 8 ET. And thanks for reading!