Hollywood Commentary: Oscar 2012 Snubs

Oscar Snubs

Usually, I'm pretty satisfied with the Academy's choices. Sure, there are a couple of snubs, but I'm usually fine with them. However, this year is completely ridiculous. In a year filled with excellent performances, the Academy didn't nominate the best actors. In a year filled with a lot of great movies, the Academy overlooked all of them. Where to begin?

Original score: Cliff Martinez wasn't nominated for Drive? Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross weren't nominated for Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? The 2 best scores of the year, filled with icy synths and ominous melodies, were snubbed.

Original song: Madonna's song "Masterpiece" for the film W.E. is excellent, and it won "Best Song" at the Golden Globes. Mary J. Blige's song "The Living Proof" for The Help is arguably the best film song of the year. Really? Rio and The Muppets had better songs? I don't think so.

*Special Plug-Ins for Drive and Martha Marcy May Marlene* - I think both Drive and Martha Marcy May Marlene should have been nominated for best editing and best cinematography. Both films are almost flawless from a technical standpoint. Both are interestingly and beautifully shot and seamlessly put together. 

Screenplays: Diablo Cody's hilariously dark and deep script for Young Adult didn't get nominated for best original screenplay. Hossein Amini's quiet and brilliant script for Drive wasn't nominated for best adapted screenplay. 

Best supporting actress: I can't believe that Shailene Woodley wasn't nominated for The Descendants. She really elevated all of her material. And it would've been great if Carey Mulligan got nominated for either Drive or Shame. She really displayed her range with both films.

Best supporting actor: No Albert Brooks?! Seriously? The best supporting actor of the year was left out. He completely changed his onscreen persona from the hilarious jokester to the terrifying madman. I thought he was a lock. Also, what about Armie Hammer? He gave the most impressive performance in J. Edgar and really had excellent chemistry with Leonardo. Too bad he was overlooked so many times. And let's give special recognition to Andy Serkis. He was absolutely amazing in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. When will the Academy recognize motion capture performances?

Best Actress: Three excellent actresses were left out: Charlize Theron, Kirsten Dunst, and Elizabeth Olsen. Charlize gave a fearless performance in Young Adult. She really sold each joke and let them sting. Kirsten Dunst gave the best performance of her career in Melancholia. The way each fake smile is able to devastate the audience is jaw-dropping. And lastly, Elizabeth Olsen. The newest star in Hollywood. Her turn in Martha Marcy May Marlene was my favorite female performance of the year. The complete confusion and hysteria on her placid face is flawless.

Best Director: I really wish Nicolas Winding Refn was recognized for his amazing work in Drive. I think the best directorial effort of the year, for the sheer brilliance and depth of this cool movie. I would have also been happy if Sean Durkin was nominated. With Martha Marcy May Marlene being his first film ever, I think he did a fantastic job at making an original and haunting movie. And let's not forget Lars Von Trier. Melancholia is one of the most ambitious films of the year, and Von Trier turned Melancholia into a gorgeous masterpiece. 

Best Picture: There are 9 best picture contenders this year. So many films could have filled the 10th spot: Bridesmaids- The best comedy of the year, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- the most enticing thriller of the year, Shame- the most controversial movie of the year, and Drive- the best film of the year. There are a couple of films in this crop that don't really deserve to be best picture contenders. But let's not mention them.

Best Actor: I have saved the Best Actor category for last because this was the most baffling to me. First of all, Leonardo DiCaprio was excellent in J. Edgar. He really transformed himself for the role. I feel bad for his Oscar past. Next, this was never even considered for a second, but Chris Evans should have received consideration for Puncture. This was one of the finest performances I've seen all year. As a drug addicted lawyer, he made me feel completely sympathetic for a complex character. Then we have Ryan Gosling. This was the year of Ryan Gosling. His performances in Drive, The Ides of March, and Crazy Stupid Love were all brilliant. How he didn't get a single nomination is beyond me. And lastly, Michael Fassbender. Michael Fassbender gave excellent performances in X-Men: First Class, Jane Eyre, and A Dangerous Method. However, his performance in Shame as a sex addict was without a doubt the best performance by an actor this year, male or female. He literally bared it all, and to be snubbed? I'm completely dumbfounded.

Wrap Up: So I don't want to sound like a complete grump. Many of the nominations this year were well deserved. I'm glad for films like Hugo, The Artist, The Help, The Descendants, and Bridesmaids. They are excellent films. However, the amount of snubs this year was unacceptable. I can't wait for the actual ceremony. This year is a tough year. Really tough. The competition will be intense, and it's going to be an insanely close year.