84th Academy Awards (My Picks)

Let me start off by saying, There is always frustration with whatever the turn out is for the Oscar nominations each year. About a week ago,  the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for the 84th Academy Awards. Every year there are nominations expected, nominations not expected, and nominations not wanted. While few of the categories I agree with, there are some changes I would make. 50/50, Drive, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo are three of many movies I felt got snubbed while Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close somehow pushed it's way in where it didn't belong. Here is a list of some of the nominations along with my list of the nominations that should have been. Let me know what you think of this years' Oscar nominations as well as my picks.

Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Help"
"Moneyball"
"War Horse"
"The Tree of Life"

Best Picture (My Picks)
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"50/50"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Drive"
"Moneyball"
"The Help"
"The Tree of Life"


Best Actor
Demian Bichir, "A Better Life"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Gary Oldman, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Best Actor (My Picks)
Ryan Gosling, "Drive"
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Michael Fassbender, "Shame"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"


Best Actress
Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"

Best Actress (My Picks)
Charlize Theron, "Young Adult"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn"


Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Best Supporting Actor (My Picks)
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week With Marilyn"
Jonah Hill, "Moneyball"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Max Von Sydow, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Best Supporting Actress (My Picks)
Berenice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Best Director
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Alexander Payne, "The Descendants"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Best Director (My Picks)
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Nicolas Winding Refn, "Drive"
Terrence Malick, "The Tree of Life"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"

Best Original Screenplay
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
JC Chandor, "Margin Call"
Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

Best Original Screenplay (My Picks)
Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Diablo Cody, "Young Adult"
Asghar Farhadi, "A Separation"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"


Best Adapted Screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
John Logan, "Hugo"
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"

Best Adapted Screenplay (My Picks)
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxton, Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
John Logan, "Hugo"
Will Reiser, "50/50"
Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian, "Moneyball"
Bridget O'Connor, Peter Straughn, "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy"