It's Oscar Time

Academy Awards Nominees:

Best Picture

•“The Artist” Thomas Langmann, Producer
•“The Descendants” Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
•“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” Scott Rudin, Producer
•“The Help” Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
•“Hugo” Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
•“Midnight in Paris” Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
•“Moneyball” Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
•“The Tree of Life” Nominees to be determined
•“War Horse“ Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

Directing

•“The Artist” Michel Hazanavicius
•“The Descendants” Alexander Payne
•“Hugo” Martin Scorsese
•“Midnight in Paris” Woody Allen
•“The Tree of Life” Terrence Malick

Actor in a Leading Role

•Demián Bichir in “A Better Life”
•George Clooney in “The Descendants”
•Jean Dujardin in “The Artist”
•Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
•Brad Pitt in “Moneyball”

Actress in a Leading Role

•Glenn Close in “Albert Nobbs”
•Viola Davis in “The Help”
•Rooney Mara in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
•Meryl Streep in “The Iron Lady”
•Michelle Williams in “My Week with Marilyn”

Actor in a Supporting Role

•Kenneth Branagh in “My Week with Marilyn”
•Jonah Hill in “Moneyball”
•Nick Nolte in “Warrior”
•Christopher Plummer in “Beginners”
•Max von Sydow in “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Actress in a Supporting Role

•Bérénice Bejo in “The Artist”
•Jessica Chastain in “The Help”
•Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids”
•Janet McTeer in “Albert Nobbs”
•Octavia Spencer in “The Help”

Animated Feature Film

•“A Cat in Paris” Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
•“Chico & Rita” Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
•“Kung Fu Panda 2″ Jennifer Yuh Nelson
•“Puss in Boots” Chris Miller
•“Rango” Gore Verbinski

First of all I have to see 'Warrior' now if Nick Nolte got a nomination. Happy to see Melissa McCarthy get her nod for the great comedic work she did in 'Bridesmaids'. It means there will be attention to the fact that comedy should really have it's own category. If animated features get an Oscar then comedies should also. Arguably, a good comedy is often the most difficult kind of movie to get right.

How about an 'ensemble cast' Oscar. Both 'Bridesmaids' and 'The Help' had casts that were nearly perfect in the story they were telling. I am not a fan of Kristen Whig but with all those other great women around her she was great.

Who got cheated?

Michael Fassbender – 'Shame'

Woody Harrelson – 'Rampart'

Kirsten Dunst – 'Melancholia'

Elizabeth Olsen – 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'

What do you think?