2012 Oscar Nominations

The time has finally come, the mother of all award-shows.  Or the most boring of award shows, in my opinion.  But I do love seeing who's nominated.  This year, pretty predictable, but some nice choices. Here they are:

Best Picture

The Artist

The Descendants

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

The Tree of Life

War Horse

Actress in a Leading Role

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

Actor in a Leading Role

Demián Bichir A Better Life

George Clooney The Descendants

Jean Dujardin The Artist

Gary Oldman Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Brad Pitt Moneyball

Actor in a Supporting Role

Kenneth Branagh My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill Moneyball

Nick Nolte Warrior

Christopher Plummer Beginners

Max von Sydow Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Actress in a Supporting Role

Bérénice Bejo The Artist

Jessica Chastain The Help

Melissa McCarthy Bridesmaids

Janet McTeer Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer The Help

Animated Feature Film

A Cat in Paris

Chico & Rita

Kung Fu Panda 2

Puss in Boots

Rango

Directing

The Artist Michel Hazanavicius

The Descendants Alexander Payne

Hugo Martin Scorsese

Midnight in Paris Woody Allen

The Tree of Life Terrence Malick

Art Direction

The Artist Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan

Hugo Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo

Midnight in Paris Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil

War Horse Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography

The Artist Guillaume Schiffman

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Jeff Cronenweth

Hugo Robert Richardson

The Tree of Life Emmanuel Lubezki

War Horse Janusz Kaminski

Documentary (Feature)

Hell and Back Again

If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory

Pina

Undefeated

Documentary (Short Subject)

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement

God Is the Bigger Elvis

Incident in New Baghdad

Saving Face

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

Foreign Language Film

Bullhead

Footnote

In Darkness

Monsieur Lazhar

A Separation

Short Film (Animated)

Dimanche/Sunday

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

La Luna

A Morning Stroll

Wild Life

Short Film (Live Action)

Pentecost

Raju

The Shore

Time Freak

Tuba Atlantic

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

The Descendants Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

Hugo Screenplay by John Logan

The Ides of March Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon

Moneyball Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

Writing (Original Screenplay)

The Artist Written by Michel Hazanavicius

Bridesmaids Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig

Margin Call Written by J.C. Chandor

Midnight in Paris Written by Woody Allen

A Separation Written by Asghar Farhadi

As I mentioned earlier, quite predictable.  Let's start with the good ones, try to stay positive right?  Gary Oldman recieved his first Oscar nomination, ever! Can you believe it? He is one of the best actors around, it's about time!  Melissa McCarthy! Yes, that is fabulous!  All the love for The Help is great, but how was Tate Taylor, the director not nominated?  No RyGos!? Drive, Ides of March, Crazy, Stupid Love, NOTHING! I think we need to protest.  Nothing for Shame?  How did Michael Fassbender not get nominated?  Oh and Harry Potter didn't get any big categories, which is awful, since it was their last chance.  And can we talk about this Hugo nonsense.  I love Martin Scorsese, he is one of my favorite directors, but he should not be making childrens movies, and most certainly should not be getting nominated for them.  And yet that movie is leading nominations, how does that even make sense?

What do you guys think about the nominations?

Or are you done with the award season?