Oscar History
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 Index | Dir | Actress | Actor | Supp ActressSupp Actor | Foreign | Screenplays | Visual | Aural | Animation

84th Oscars. The Oscar Contenders of 2011
THE NOMINATIONS ARE HERE. WE HAVE NINE BEST PICTURE NOMINEES
(Currently ranked by nomination tally while we settle in...)

 

Will & Did Win: THE ARTIST
Should Win: THE ARTIST
Spoiler: THE DESCENDANTS or THE HELP with both managed to keep conversation humming till the last
Wild Card In Terms of Trophy Pull: HUGO (a handful of techs or none?)

Reader's Rank (Polling Closed) 1. THE ARTIST (36%) 2. THE TREE OF LIFE (19%) 3. HUGO (12%) 4. three way tie between MONEYBALL, THE DESCENDANTS, and THE HELP (6% each) 7. tie between MIDNIGHT IN PARIS and EXTREMELY LOUD (5% each) 9. WAR HORSE (1%)

Nathaniel's Rank  1. THE ARTIST 2. MONEYBALL (top ten list) 3. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS 4. THE TREE OF LIFE (honorable mentions) 5. THE HELP 6. HUGO 7. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE 8 (tie) WAR HORSE & THE DESCENDANTS

Box Office Rank: 1. THE HELP 2. WAR HORSE 3. THE DESCENDANTS 4. MONEYBALL 5. HUGO 6. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS 7. EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE 8. THE ARTIST 9. THE TREE OF LIFE

 

HUGO
Martin Scorsese
Paramount
Nov 23rd
Graham King, Martin Scorsese
11 Oscar Noms / 5 Wins

Prev Best Pic Prizes: 
NBR 

THE ARTIST
Michel Hazanavicius
Weinstein Co.
Nov 23rd
Thomas Langmann
10 Oscar Noms / 5 Wins

Prev Best Pic Prizes: GlobesNYFCC, PGA,  BFCA, Spirit, and many critics wins 

MONEYBALL
Bennett Miller
Sony | Columbia
Sept 23rd
Michael de Luca, Rachel Horovitz, Brad Pitt
6 Nominations / 0 Wins

Prev Best Pic Prizes:
none

 

WAR HORSE
Steven Spielberg
Disney | Touchstone
Dec 25th 
Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy 
6 Nominations / 0 Wins

Prev Best Pic Prizes:
none

 

THE DESCENDANTS
Alexander Payne
Fox Searchlight
Nov 16th
Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
5 Nominations / 1 Win

Prev Best Pic Prizes: Globes LAFCA, and several critics wins 

  

Scorsese's rich love of cinema is easy to relate to and feel inspired by. But do its plentiful nominations indicate true winners passion?

"Hugo" related
Review
RT: 94% | BO: $67+

Still waiting to truly catch on with audiences but the campaign is tremendous, the movie is great, and it's a love letter to the very thing the Oscars celebrate. 

"Artist" related
Review | Top Ten List
RT: 95% | B0: $28+

It feels like the kind of movie that never make anymore: a smart accessible mainstream drama for adults with a     true movie star shining bright throughout.

"Moneyball" Related
Review Top Ten List
RT: 95% | BO: $75+

It's purposely retro feel has sparked both hatred ("schmaltz-a-thon") and weepy passion. But in a year with Hugo and The Artist might there be just too many movies about old movies?

"War Horse" related
 Stage vs. Screen
RT: 77% | BO: $78+

 

More loved that we could have imagined given modest proportions and a small but growing contingent that doesn't think it's up to Payne standards. But it sticks out like crazy in this retro field. Can it win if all the nostalgia splits the vote?

"Descendants" related
 Review 
RT: 90% | BO: $76+ 

 

 

Who got snubbed? With such a wide spread of support (nine nominees!) virtually everything with traction made it. The only arguable shut outs based on guild or precursor support were Dragon Tattoo, Bridesmaids, and Drive.

 

 

THE HELP
Tate Taylor
Dreamworks / Touchstone
Aug 10th
Brunson Green, Chris Colombus, Michael Barnathan
4 Nominations / 1 Win

Prev Best Pic Prizes: 
BFCC, Image

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Woody Allen
Sony Pictures Classics
May 20th
Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum
4 Nominations / 1 Win

Prev Best Pic Prizes:
none

 

THE TREE OF LIFE
Terrence Malick
Fox Searchlight
May 27th
Nominees TBA 
3 Nominations / 0 wins

Prev Best Pic Prizes:
 Gotham, Cannes, OFCS and several critics wins

 

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE
Stephen Daldry
Dec 25th
Scott Rudin
2 NominationS / 0 Wins

Prev Best Pic Prizes:
none

 

  The only true blockbuster in the mix this year and right in Oscar's period drama message movie wheelhouse. The low nomination tally is surprising but the acting branch is a formidable voting block

more on The Help
Review | Favorites
 RT:75% | BO: $169+

 

It was a talking point all summer and into the fall becoming Woody Allen's third Best Picture. (Only Annie Hall and Hannah and Her Sisters made it before). 

"Midnight" related
 Honorable Mention
RT: 93% | BO: $56+

 

 

Malick's personal mystical epic about a 50s family, the afterlife and the creation of world is divisive but its fan feel just religious about it. Hallowed be the name of Terrence Malick.

"Tree of Life" related
Honorable Mention
RT:84% | BO: $13

Proving once again that after World War II and biopic mimicry acting there is nothing Oscar loves quite as much as Stephen Daldry films. He's 3/4 with directing nominations for his career and 3/4 with Best Pictures.

more on Extremely Loud
 RT: 48% | BO: $30+