Oscar Nominations 2012: Surprises and Snubs

This morning's nominations were a mixed bag of the absolutely predictable (my jaw would've hit the floor if The Artist and Hugo weren't swimming in nods) and some pleasant surprises (Rooney Mara, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, to name a few).  I think on the whole, though, and based on the films I've seen this year, I'm a little more satisfied with these nominations than I was with the Golden Globes.  Even with fewer slots for nominations, it feels like the spectrum of films being included has widened, and a few dark horses sneaked into the race.

Surprises

*Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids:  This performance has never screamed "Oscars" to me, but you know what?  It should.  These awards are supposed to be about rewarding people who perform at the very top of their game, and McCarthy did exactly that.  Just because her game happens to be outrageous, gross-out comedy rather than heavy drama doesn't mean she didn't give a hell of a performance.  I don't think she has the momentum behind her to take this award from Octavia Spencer, but I would love to see a shocker in this category come Oscar night.

*Jonah Hill in Moneyball:  Not necessarily surprising given the critical acclaim that has followed him since the film's release, but I'd like to assert my agreement with this nod.  Hill was, for me, one of the few compelling features of Moneyball, a film that on the whole was boring and a little too sure of itself.  If we must award this Brad Pitt vehicle, I'd like to see it in the form of an award for Jonah Hill as Supporting Actor.

*Rooney Mara in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo:  This is the nomination that shocked me probably most of all.  Yes, Mara gives an absolutely amazing performance, but it's in a gritty David Fincher film that barely squeaks by with an R-rating, and just doesn't seem to fit with the other nominees.  I love that she'll be going up against heavyweights like Meryl Streep and Viola Davis (the two women currently leading the flock) and the long-overdue Michelle Williams, but I don't think she'll win this one.  That said, I think it really says something about the Academy and what they're trying to do this year by branching out--and hey, I bet Rooney Mara isn't complaining.

*Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo, Best Original Screenplay for Bridesmaids:  Another nomination where I'll make the case for not discounting comedy simply because it's comedy.  This one was a little more predictable given the significantly smaller number of original scripts in the race compared with the overcrowded Adapted Screenplay race, but it's a fun addition nonetheless.

*Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, Best Picture:  This film has risen and fallen in terms of buzz all year long.  It was an early contender with a lot of festival attention, then the chatter faded as the release was delayed again and again, and now it seems to be back on the map, despite a shutout at the Golden Globes.  I haven't seen this one yet, but it is an adaptation of one of my all-time favorite novels, so my hopes are very high. 

Snubs

*Ryan Gosling:  I was really pulling for Gosling to get a nod for any one of the excellent performances he gave in 2011, but given his dual loss at the Golden Globes, my hopes weren't high.  Sure enough, he missed out on both acting categories.  The upside, though, is that this will push him to keep striving for better, and hopefully we'll see him in the Oscars race again soon.

*Leonardo DiCaprio:  This is one dude who has got to be pissed he got up early to check the nominations.  The Best Actor award was supposed to finally be his this year, and he was thwarted again.  Can we all just agree that he gets a nomination next year for Great Gatsby, no matter how good or bad it is?

*The Ides of March:  Yes, this film slipped into the one category it unquestionably belongs: Best Original Screenplay.  But it should have been in the running for Direction and Best Picture as well.  I've been championing this film since it's release, and so it was a disappointment to see the Oscar voters leave it out.

*David Fincher:  I find it amazing this man doesn't yet have an Academy Award.  Maybe he and DiCaprio need to make a movie together to overcome their respective dry spells.  Make it happen, Hollywood.

*50/50:  Will Reiser's screenplay deserved a nomination, at the very least.  I also would have happily accepted a surprise nod for JGL.