Oscars 2011: Who Should Win

Ah, it’s almost Oscar time yet again, which means upsets, shoo-in’s, and an academy still refusing to nominate all the right people. Listen – the people and films that win Academy Awards are deserving. They’re good people and make good products. But…Saving Private Ryan getting beat out by Shakespeare in Love? Or Springsteen’s The Wrestler not getting a nomination for best song? How about Christopher Nolan failing to earn a nomination for best director after making critically adored films, one after another?

This year is no different, as one glaring mistake was made, and could be made worse, by the academy voters – 12 nominations for The King’s Speech. That’s a movie that is well acted, well made, and an inspiring and great story that is just put together right. It’s terrific. But what pushes it over the edge? What pushes it past being a great movie and turns it into an Oscar juggernaut? Furthermore…will anyone…remember this movie in two years? It’s already edged out some movies and actors in numerous categories, but it could be really devastating if it pushes The Social Network aside in the major categories. That film is a complete game-changer, a movie of this generation, and one that was even better acted, made, and put together. It really would be a shame if the academy didn’t realize this in time. No offense to The King’s Speech here, but it’s not the best choice.

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With that aside, here’s 12 major categories and their nominees. Winners are bolded/highlighted, as well as the runner-up for each.

*** NOTE – it’s not who I think will win, it’s who I think should win. ***

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Actor in a Leading Role:

• Javier Bardem – Biutiful
• Jeff Bridges – True Grit
• Jesse Eisenberg – The Social Network
  
• Colin Firth – The King’s Speech **WINNER**
  
• James Franco – 127 Hours *RUNNER-UP*
  

Actress in a Leading Role:

• Annette Bening – The Kids Are All Right
• Nicole Kidman – Rabbit Hole
• Jennifer Lawrence – Winter’s Bone *RUNNER-UP*
• Natalie Portman – Black Swan **WINNER**
• Michelle Williams – Blue Valentine

Actor in a Supporting Role:

• Christian Bale – The Fighter **WINNER**
• John Hawkes – Winter’s Bone
• Jeremy Renner – The Town *RUNNER-UP*
• Mark Ruffalo – The Kids Are All Right
• Geoffrey Rush – The King’s Speech

Actress in a Supporting Role:

• Amy Adams – The Fighter
• Helena Bonham Carter – The King’s Speech
• Melissa Leo – The Fighter **WINNER**
• Hailee Steinfeld – True Grit *RUNNER-UP*
• Jacki Weaver – Animal Kingdom

Animated Feature Film:

• How to Train Your Dragon – Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
• The Illusionist – Sylvain Chomet
• Toy Story 3 – Lee Unkrich **WINNER**

Directing:

• Darren Aronofsky – Black Swan *RUNNER-UP*
• David O. Russell – The Fighter
• Tom Hooper – The King’s Speech
• David Fincher – The Social Network **WINNER**
• Joel Coen and Ethan Coen – True Grit

Music (Original Score):

• John Powell – How to Train Your Dragon
• Hans Zimmer – Inception *RUNNER-UP*
• Alexandre Desplat – The King’s Speech
• A.R. Rahman – 127 Hours
• Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross  – The Social Network **WINNER**

Music (Original Song):

• “Coming Home” by Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey – Country Strong
• “I See the Light” by Alan Menken; Lyric by Glenn Slater – Tangled
• “If I Rise” A.R. Rahman; Lyric by Dido and Rollo Armstrong – 127 Hours *RUNNER-UP*
• “We Belong Together” by Randy Newman – Toy Story 3 **WINNER**

Visual Effects:

• Ken Ralston, David Schaub, Carey Villegas and Sean Phillips – Alice in Wonderland
• Tim Burke, John Richardson, Christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi – Harry Potter 7: Part I *RUNNER-UP*
• Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojansky and Joe Farrell – Hereafter
• Paul Franklin, Chris Corbould, Andrew Lockley and Peter Bebb – Inception **WINNER**
• Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick – Iron Man 2

Writing (Adapted Screenplay):

• 127 Hours – Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy *RUNNER-UP*
• The Social Network – Aaron Sorkin **WINNER**
• Toy Story 3 – John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
• True Grit – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
• Winter’s Bone – Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

Writing (Original Screenplay):

• Another Year – Mike Leigh
• The Fighter – Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
• Inception – Christopher Nolan **WINNER**
• The Kids Are All Right – Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
• The King’s Speech – David Seidler *RUNNER-UP*

and…finally…

Best Picture:

• BLACK SWAN – Mike Medavoy, Brian Oliver and Scott Franklin
• THE FIGHTER – David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Mark Wahlberg
• INCEPTION – Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan *RUNNER-UP*
• THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT – Gary Gilbert, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte and Celine Rattray
• THE KING’S SPEECH – Iain Canning, Emile Sherman and Gareth Unwin
• 127 HOURS – Christian Colson, Danny Boyle and John Smithson *RUNNER-UP II*
• THE SOCIAL NETWORK – Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, Michael De Luca and Ceán Chaffin **WINNER**
• TOY STORY 3 – Darla K. Anderson
• TRUE GRIT – Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen
• WINTER’S BONE – Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin

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My Oscar Tally by Movie**

• Black Swan – (1) Best Lead Actress
• The Fighter – (2) Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress
• The King’s Speech – (1) – Best Lead Actor
• Inception – (2) Visual Effects, Writing (Original Screenplay)
• Toy Story 3 – (2) Animated Feature Film, Music (Original Song)
• The Social Network – (4) Best Director, Music (Original Score), Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Best Picture

My Runner-Up Tally by Movie*

• 127 Hours – (4) Best Lead Actor, Music (Original Song), Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Best Picture
• Black Swan – (1) Best Director
• Harry Potter – (1) Visual Effects
• Inception – (2) Music (Original Score), Best Picture
• The King’s Speech – (1) Writing (Original Screenplay)
• The Town – (1) Best Supporting Actor
• True Grit – (1) Best Supporting Actress
• Winter’s Bone – (1) Best Lead Actress