2011-2012 Oscar Predictions

Accurately guessed: 66 of 106

All movie categories, listed from most likely to least likely for nomination, as I see them. These are NOT my personal opinions on what should be nominated in each category, just the movies I feel are most likely to earn nominations in the coming Oscars. Just to warn you, I do believe there are several acclaimed movies that will be largely ignored: Melancholia, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and The Ides Of March being a few examples.

The Jeff S.C. Acting Awards - 2011

Though I have never officially posted online any sort of award winners of my own, every year for the past several years I have compiled my own personal lists of incredible performances that I felt deserved recognition. This year, I have decided that though I have not yet seen all potential candidates for these awards, I would post my own critical awards. No nominees here, just five awards going out to the single strongest performances in each of the following categories:

Top 50 Directors: Part V (#10-1)

10. Francis Ford Coppola

The greatest director of the '70s. Period. He only directed four movies during that decade, and can you guess which ones they are? The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now. An easy argument could be made that they are the four greatest movies of the '70s, and all of which could easily find their way near the top of an all-time greatest movies list. In short, he only needed those four to make it onto this list, and his position here is richly deserved.

Favorite movies:
- The Godfather
- The Godfather Part II
- The Conversation
- Apocalypse Now

Top 50 Directors: Part IV (#20-11)

20. Robert Altman

The king of ensemble comedy-dramas, Altman's ability to seamlessly blend multitudes of intricate story-lines into one cohesive whole is parallel to none. Sometimes multiple viewings are necessary to completely grasp the depth of his movies, so don't write them off if you didn't find them appealing at first look.

Favorite movies:
- Gosford Park
- Nashville
- M*A*S*H

A Separation

A Separation

Directed by Asghar Farhadi

Contrary to my preconceived notion that the focal point would be solely based on the separation/divorce of its main characters, A Separation surprised me as it strayed from this generic caste and plunged itself into a deep, stirring portrait of humility, desperation, and moral dilemma.

Top 50 Directors: Part III (#30-21)

30. Danny Boyle

One of the most diverse of any active director, Danny Boyle has tackled sci-fi, horror, comedy, and drama, never faltering. Coming off of several critical success, including Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours (which ranks among my favorite movies of the past decade), he shows no sign of slowing down, and I'll be anxious to see what he can do next.

Favorite movies:
- 127 Hours
- Slumdog Millionaire
- Trainspotting

Top 50 Directors: Part II (#40-31)

40. Guillermo Del Toro

Another stylistic director, Guillermo Del Toro's flair and his incredible use of vibrant colors and contrast always make for a spectacular viewing experience. Definitely one of my favorite "fantasy" directors (even more than Peter Jackson, so don't hold your breath waiting for him to show up on this list).

Favorite movies:
- Pan's Labyrinth
- Cronos
- The Devil's Backbone

Top 50 Directors: Part I (#50-41)

Unlike actors, directors need to do much less to impress me. For an actor, their part in a movie could be as little as showing up at scheduled times and repeating lines that they've memorized off of a piece of paper. But for directors (especially great directors) the entire film, from the lighting and imagery to capturing the exact desired emotion put forth by their actors -- every detail must be scrutinized.

Because of this, I'm casting aside my usual "must have seen five of their movies" rule, and replacing it with three:

1. To show their talent/potential.

2. To show their range.

3. To show their consistency.

I had hoped that I could include more unconventional directors on this list (e.g. Alejandro Jodorowsky and Sergei Parajanov), but I found myself only admiring 1 or maybe 2 of their films, so many directors like this have been discarded -- though I do plan on releasing an honorable mentions list at some point in the future which would theoretically contain more goofball directors like that.

And now, the list:

Five reasons why Albert Brooks should (and probably will) get an Oscar nomination for 'Drive'

Because I truly, madly, deeply have nothing better to do with my time than to make 600-word blog posts about Oscars, here are my top 5 reasons why Albert Brooks should/would/could/might/will/possibly get an Oscar nomination for 'Drive'.