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2012 was not, for me, one of the better years for movies. In fact, until Beasts of the Southern Wild came along, I was bemoaning, for the first time ever, whether I would be able to come up with a satisfactory list for movies of the year. But things did start improving in the late summer until my fears started to abate a bit.
For my reviews on the following, please check out my blog at http://howardcasner.blogspot.com/
At any rate:
BEST FILM
Beasts of the Southern Wild
The remainder in alphabetical order:
Amour
Django Unchained
Holy Motors
Les Miserables
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Raid: The Redemption
The Road
Rust and Bone
Seven Psychopaths
Honorable mention: First a special shout out for the best romantic comedy of the year Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same. But also, I also enjoyed Dark Horse, Compliance, Bernie and The Innkeepers.
BEST DIRECTOR
Michael Hanake – Amour
Remainder in alphabetical order:
Jacques Audiard – Rust and Bone
Leos Carax – Holy Motors
Gareth Evans – Raid: The Redemption
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Honorable mention: Tom Hooper for Les Miserables; Sam Mendes for Skyfall; Martin McDonagh for Seven Psychopaths
BEST ACTOR
Denis Levant – Holy Motors
Remainder in alphabetical order:
John Hawkes – The Sessions
Mads Mikkelsen – The Hunt and A Royal Affair
Matthias Schoenaerts – Rust and Bone
Jean-Louis Trintignant – Amour
Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained
Honorable mention: First, a note: I realize that Daniel Day-Lewis isn’t on the list. I thought he did an excellent job as Lincoln, but I just didn’t find his performance and the movie that exciting, so I have him in honorable mention. I also include here; Sam Rockwell for Seven Psychopaths; Anthony Hopkins for Hitchcock; Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy for The Intouchables; Hugh Jackman for Les Miserables; Joaquin Phoenix for The Master; Toby Jones for Berberian Sound Studio.
BEST ACTRESS
Rachel Weisz – The Deep Blue Sea
Remainder in alphabetical order:
Marion Cottillard – Rust and Bone
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Helen Mirren – Hitchcock
Emmanuelle Riva – Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Honorable mention: Nina Hoss for Barbara
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Alan Arkin – Argo
Remainder in alphabetical order:
Roberto Benigni – To Rome With Love
Dwight Henry – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Leonardo DiCaprio – Django Unchained
Ezra Miller – The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln
Honorable mention: Robert de Niro for Silver Linings Playbook; Javier Bardem for Skyfall; Richard Jenkins for Cabin in the Wood; Jason Clarke for Zero Dark Thirty.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Ann Dowd – Compliance
Remainder in alphabetical order:
Jeannie Berlin – Margaret
Pauline Collins – Quartet
Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables
Edith Scob – Holy Motors
Maggie Smith – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel/Quartet
Honorable mention: Helen Hunt for The Sessions; Nicole Kidman for The Paperboy; Jacki Weaver for Silver Linings Playbook; Isabelle Huppert for Amour; Shirley McClaine for Bernie
BEST SCREENPLAY
Martin McDonagh – Seven Psychopaths
Remainder in alphabetical order:
Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild’
Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain – Rust and Bone
Leos Carax – Holy Motors
Stephen Chbosky – The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Michael Haneke – Amour
Honorable mention: Madeleine Olnek for Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same; Todd Solondz for Dark Horse; Skip Hollandsworth and Richard Linklater for Bernie
Finally, I always do a set of awards for ensemble:
BEST ENSEMBLE
Seven Psychopaths
Remainder in alphabetic order:
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Hitchcock
The Perks of Being a Wall Flower
Quarter
1. Agree on “Beasts”
2. Was surprised DDL was an also-ran.
3. Am realizing I'm clearly going to have to see “Holy Motors”.
Thanks for reading. Yes, I suppose Day Lewis is a surprise and I debated it, but Lincoln just didn't connect with me as much as others. Holy Motors is something to see. My friend who went with me haaaaaaated it, but I loved it and so did a large number of my fellow movie goers. Let me know what you think of it when you see it.