So - that's that. The nominations for the 84th Academy Awards have finally been announced.
I'll leave it to the professionals to wade through the rights and wrongs of the various categories - but I have a few thoughts though...
Hugely disappointed that MELANCHOLIA - one of my favourites from last year - didn't get nominated at all. Hell, even REAL STEEL and KUNG FU PANDA 2 snagged one mention apiece. DRIVE, a very impressive flick, managed to grab just a solitary nom...for sound editing. What about Albert Brooks' superb performance in that movie...or Ryan Gosling's? Trent Reznor's excellent score for THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO? Zip.
But that's the way it goes. Some you win, some you lose...most you never even get a nomination for. By the way, it was curious that Spielberg was denied a Best Director nom for WAR HORSE. I'm not a huge fan of the film but the Academy traditionally falls for Steven in this category.
Bright spots: good to see Academy love for Terrance Malick. Rooney Mara getting nominated for her sterling work in DRAGON TATTOO. RANGO's nod in the Best Animated Film category.
I'll do proper predictions closer to the time but I suspect that, come the night of February 26th, THE ARTIST will clean up. It's a good film and its retro celebration of silent movies will undoubtedly strike a chord with the Academy's voters.
And talking of looking back and the Oscars...
