Everyone knows that the award ceremony has become a little contrived, serious heartbreaking and or true stories are most likely to receive the nods, and if you’re a straight actor playing a homosexual or a lesbian, you are bound to get a nomination. Although films like Milk, Monster and A Single Man were worthy of their praise, this year’s Albert Nobbs is shockingly poor. Glen Close plays a man so she can work and survive in Nineteenth Century Ireland, it is one of the most unconvincing and contrived films I have ever seen, you watch and think everyone knows she is woman, the Nineteenth Century Irish were not stupid or blind. However the normally strong actress received a nomination for Leading Actress which she unfortunately doesn’t deserve. The Help is another example from this year, on paper it should be a classic about the power struggle of black nannies in the nineteen sixties American South. Disappointingly the performances are also unconvincing and naive - however it is more watchable than Albert Nobbs.
You probably have realized by now I’m not overly impressed with the Oscar nominations this year, in the past twelve months there has been beautifully stunning films which have been ignored, but why?
It seems only the films released just after Christmas are getting any attention, this is normally the rule of thumb and this is damaging the awards, people in Hollywood seem to suffer from short memories. This whole planned or releasing films just after Christmas in time for the Oscars was noted in the Christopher Guess humorous mockumentary, ‘For Your Consideration.‘ A spoof about a film, ‘Home For Purin’ in production which is a drama set in the mid nineteen-forties American South. In the film is it suggested ‘Home For Purin’ has been put forward for an academy award nominee without even being finished yet, it is obvious from the scenes we see that ‘Home For Purin’ is rubbish.
Although I was disappointed with the Oscars 2012 nominations the British Baftas was much more reflective of the year and genuinely had better nominations - which is refreshing. I feel the Brits have a better taste and expect more, perhaps that's why so many outstanding British films are being produced.
However some films were missing and I have come up with the Reels 2012, a group of twelve categories with the nominations below, these will be films you will want to see, and you will not be disappointed.
The nominations are below.
The winners will be announced on Sunday 26th February 2012 at 12 noon, the same day as the Oscars. No glitz and glamor for the Reels but they have integrity.
Reels Film of 2012 Bridesmaids Drive Moneyball Shame The Skin I Live In | Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy The Artist The Guard Tyrannosaur |
Reels Director of 2012 Lars Von Trier - Melancholia Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive Steve McQueen - Shame Tomas Alfredson - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Reels British Film of 2012 Attack The Block - Joe Cornish Kill List - Ben Wheatley Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Tomas Alfredson Tyrannosaur - Paddy Considene Weekend - Andrew Haigh Reels Film Not In English Language 2012 A Separation (Iran) I Saw The Devil (South Korea) Incendies (Canada) The Skin I Live In (Spain) The Troll Hunter (Norway) Reels Documentary of 2012 Bill Cunningham, New York George Harrison: Living In The Material World Project Nim Senna Reels Animation Film of 2012 Arriety Arthur Christmas Chico & Rita Reels Leading Male of 2012 Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Michael Fassbender - Shame Peter Mullan - Tyrannosaur Ralph Fiennes - Coriolanus Ryan Gosling - Drive Reels Leading Female of 2012 Kirsten Dunst -Melancholia Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady Mia Wasikowska - Jane Eyre Olivia Colman - Tyrannosaur Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin Reels Supporting Actor of 2012 Albert Brooks - Drive Eddie Marsan - Tyrannosaur Jonah Hill - Moneyball Mark Strong - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Zachary Quinto - Margin Call Reels Supporting Actress of 2012 Berenice Bejo - The Artist Carey Mulligan - Shame Cate Blanchett - Hanna Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids Vanessa Redgrave - Coriolanus Reels Music Score of 2012 Alberto Iglesias - Tinker Tailor Sailor Spy Cliff Martinez - Drive The Chemical Brothers - Hanna Jonsi - We Bought A Zoo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Reels Overpraised Film of 2012 Albert Nobbs The Help Potiche |