EDITORIAL: Final 2012 Awards Tracker and 2013 Oscar reactions
(Image: gossipcop.com)
Another year and another awards season are in the books. As always, I enjoy seeing what movies end up showered with praise and which ones were not. Last night's exceeding long Oscar show results from the 85th Academy Awards are in and the final scores on my "2012 Awards Tracker" are updated below.
For the second year in a row, I've found a real value to tracking who and what has won what from the build-up of the smaller awards all the way up to last night's final winners. I find that the "tea leaves" and trends really shine through for a great many categories. That said, Oscar still bucked a few trends and tossed a few favorites aside in their winners.
Here are my final tallies and personal reactions from last night's winners and losers from the categories that have had prior awards. A few categories (mostly the minor film stuff like Live Action Short and Animated Short), didn't have award data to track, so they didn't make the analysis. I'm happy my dartboard guesses landed on those winners from the obscure categories!
As for my own official predictions and prognosticating (seen here), I correctly guessed 19 of the 24 winners. That's an improvement from my 17 of 24 from last year. I'll gladly take it. In 2014, I hope to crack 20. Thanks to all who followed the awards season, my Oscar prediction articles, and all of my reviews. Enjoy the 2013 movie slate and I'll definitely do this again next year!
Bold = Oscar winner
BEST PICTURE
Reaction: Ever since Argo won at the Golden Globes and Ben Affleck was snubbed by the Oscar nominations announced that same December week, the momentum for his third directorial effort never stopped. I didn't have much doubt that Argo would win. It joins Oscar history as rare case where the Best Picture winner didn't have its director nominated for Best Director. The last film to achieve that was Driving Miss Daisy and it's only happened two other times in 85 years. This is a solid and statement win for Ben Affleck. He now owns more Oscars than Matt Damon after sharing that stage 15 years ago for Good Will Hunting. Also, Argo made producer George Clooney a two-time Oscar winner.
13- Argo (FFCC, HFCS, NFCS, OFCC, Online, PFCS, SD, STL, CC, Globe, PGA, BAFTA, Oscar)
10- Zero Dark Thirty (NY, NBR, DC, AAFCA, AWFJ, BOS, AUS, CHI, NYFCO, UFCA)
4- Amour (Cannes, LA, NSFC, London)
3- Silver Linings Playbook (DFCS, Satellite, Spirit)
2- Lincoln (DFW, NT)
2- The Master (SF, KC)
1- Life of Pi (LV)
BEST DIRECTOR
Reaction: Ang Lee should thank his lucky stars that the two names ahead of him on this Awards Tracker weren't there. While he did a masterful job with Life of Pi, he would have had the bronze medal podium spot if Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow were in on the race. Affleck likely would have won, setting him up with the likes of Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, and Mel Gibson and double-duty Oscar winners on the same film. Still, go ahead and give the proper kudos to Ang Lee. He is so good at whatever genre he tackles. I'm glad he beat Steven Spielberg last night.
11- Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty (NY, NBR, DC, AWFJ, BOS, CHI, DFW, NEV, NYFCO, PFCS, SF)
10- Ben Affleck, Argo (FFCC, HFCS, NEV, OFCC, SD, STL, CC, Globe, DGA, BAFTA)
4- Ang Lee, Life of Pi (LV, London, KC, Oscar)
3- Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master (AUS, LA, Online)
3- David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook (DFCS, Satellite, Spirit)
1- Michael Haneke, Amour (NSFC)
1- Steven Spielberg, Lincoln (NT)
1- Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom (UFCA)
BEST ACTOR
Reaction: This was one of the few no-doubters of the night. With this win, Daniel Day-Lewis becomes the only man in Oscar history to win three Best Actor awards. Under ten actors/actresses at all have even three total Oscars. He has three lead winners. At a soon-to-be 56 years old, he's got time and the talent to tie and pass Katharine Hepburn's Oscar record of four acting wins. Say what you will about Lincoln overall, his performance was head-and-shoulders above the other nominees. Sorry, Joaquin, Bradley, Hugh, and Denzel. You all didn't have a chance.
23- Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln (NY, DC, AWFJ, BOS, CHI, DFW, DFCS, FFCC, HFCS, LV, NYFCO, OFCC, Online, PFCS, SD, STL, NT, NFCS, CC, Globe, KC, BAFTA, Oscar)
5- Joaquin Phoenix, The Master (AUS, LA, SF, UFCA, London)
2- Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook (NBR, Satellite)
2- John Hawkes, The Sessions (NEV, Spirit)
1- Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables (Globe)
BEST ACTRESS
Reaction: Though the Awards Tracker data suggest that the leading contender won, Best Actress was one of the big mysteries of the night. Much recent sentiment was skewing to honoring Emannuelle Riva for Amour. Jessica Chastain, who I thought deserved the award, was a victim of the frozen post-release buzz for Zero Dark Thirty. Hollywood loves a young and bright star, and few are hotter right now than Jennifer Lawrence. While Silver Linings Playbook wasn't "her" film, per se, she will be the lightning rod people remember.
14- Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook (AUS, DFCS, HFCS, LV, LA, NEV, Satellite, UFCA. NT, Globe, KC, SAG, Spirit, Oscar)
12- Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty (NBR, DC, AWFJ, CHI, DFW, FFCC, OFCC, Online, PFCS, STL, CC, Globe)
7- Emannuelle Riva, Amour (BOS, LA, NYFCO, SF, NFCS, London, BAFTA)
1- Michelle Williams, Take This Waltz (SD)
1- Helen Hunt, The Sessions (NFCS)
1- Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea (NY)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Reaction: The first award of the night gave the evening one of the biggest surprises. Christoph Waltz's hot streak knows no end. Two Tarantino movies, two nominations, two Oscars! From his upset win at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, he reels in the Oscar in the most decorated field of nominees every assembled (all men were previous Oscar winners, De Niro was multiple). Hollywood truly love him. If I were him, I wouldn't make a film with anyone else but Quentin Tarantino. I hope, in losing, that this wasn't Tommy Lee Jones's last bite at the apple. He's too good not to come back. I thought his nice change-of-pace in Hope Springs might have tipped the scale his way last night.
10- Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master (DC, AWFJ, CHI, FFCC, OFCC, Online, PFCS, CC, London, KC)
8- Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln (DFW, HFCS, LV, NEV, NYFCO, SF, NT, SAG)
6- Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained (AUS, SD, STL, Globe, BAFTA, Oscar)
3- Matthew McConaughey, Bernie and Magic Mike (NY, NFCS, Spirit)
2- Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild (LA, UFCA)
1- Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook (DFCS)
1- Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained (NBR)
1- Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (BOS)
1- Javier Bardem, Skyfall (Satellite)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Reaction: Like Daniel Day-Lewis's win, this one too was a forgone conclusion. This was Anne Hathaway's moment and the right role for her to show her talents. Hollywood and the Academy voters always seem to anoint the next young ingenue in this category. All it took was one great song on close-up in Les Miserables and she had us all. Hate her fake flattery or shock (as I do) or not, she deserved this one. We'll see how she capitalizes this win for her upcoming career in the coming years.
20- Anne Hathway, Les Miserables (DC, AWFJ, AUS, FFCC, HFCS, LV, NYFCO, OFCC, Online, PFCS, Satellite, UFCA, NT, CC, Globe, London, KC, SAG, BAFTA, Oscar)
4- Sally Field, Lincoln (NY, DFW, BOS, NEV)
3- Amy Adams, The Master (CHI, LA, NFCS)
3- Helen Hunt, The Sessions (SF, STL, Spirit)
2- Ann Dowd, Compliance (NBR, STL)
1- Emma Watson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (SD)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Reaction: Welcome back, Quentin Tarantino. It had been a long time since 1995's Pulp Fiction for the boy-genius to win an Oscar from him peers. Like Waltz, he's been riding the upset momentum since his surprise Golden Globe win (in a combined category versus adapted screenplays as well). This win buys him some more carte blanche to make his kind of movies and buys Hollywood another 15 years before giving him another Oscar. For the conservatives out there, this has to be the most profanity-laden script to ever win an Oscar. If not Django Unchained, then The Departed a few years back can give it a run for its money.
8- Mark Boal, Zero Dark Thirty (AWFJ, CHI, DFW, NYFCO, SF, Satellite, STL, WGA)
6- Rian Johnson, Looper (NBR, DC, AUS, FFCC, LV, UFCA)
4- Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained (CC, Globe, BAFTA, Oscar)
2- Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, Moonrise Kingdom (Online, PFCS)
2- Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master (SD, KC)
1- Michael Haneke, Amour (London)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Reaction: While the trends show this one to be close, the Argo momentum was bringing Chris Terrio along for the ride. People loved the movie's story and, as you heard in his acceptance speech last night, this was an Affleck-esque first-time screenwriter beating a field of seasoned veterans. This is quite a win and Tony Kushner will have to go his trophy case and admire his Tony Awards.
10- Chris Terrio, Argo (AWFJ, AUS, FFCC, LA, Online, PFCS, SD, KC, WGA, Oscar)
8- Tony Kushner, Lincoln (NY, BOS, CHI, HFCS, SF, STL, NFCS, CC)
6- David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook (NBR, DC, DFCS, STL, BAFTA, Spirit)
1- Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower (UFCA)
1- David Magee, Life of Pi (Satellite)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Reaction: A good Facebook movie friend of mine, "The Sleepy Skunk," called this win a case of Pixar still being the "prettiest girl at the dance." A great many people (myself included) felt that Brave was definitely not on the Oscar-winning level of the other recent Pixar greats. My money was on Wreck-It Ralph, but we all should have seen this coming with the Golden Globe and BAFTA win to set up the Oscar. I should have taken the Skunk's advice and changed my vote.
8- ParaNorman (DC, AWFJ, CHI, DFW, LV, Online, SD, SF)
8- Wreck-It Ralph (NBR, AUS, HFCS, OFCC, PFCS, NT, CC, PGA)
6- Frankenweenie (NY, BOS, FFCC, LA, NEV, KC)
3- Brave (Globe, BAFTA, Oscar)
1- Rise of the Guardians (Satellite)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Reaction: With documentaries getting more box office attention and wide release attention, the most popular and honored one of the bunch won. I have yet to see it, but I hear it's pretty darn good. Still, as I learned following Twitter last night, this is a category where everyone has an impassioned vote for someone else.
10- Searching for Sugarman (NBR, AWFJ, DFW, OFCC, STL, CC, PGA, BAFTA, WGA, Oscar)
4- The Imposter (AUS, HFCS, London, KC)
3- The Invisible War (CHI, SD, Spirit)
2- The Central Park Five (NY, NYFCO)
2- The Gatekeepers (LA, NSFC)
1- seven other documentaries (FFCC, BOS, DFCS, Online, SF, Satellite, UFCA)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Reaction: Another shoe-in and another no-doubter. With Amour even getting attention with nominations for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture, this win was its easiest one and turned out to be the token bouquet thrown its way. Once again, the really high-end film snobs will tell you it should have swept the awards. The Artist got lucky last year. Lightning wasn't striking twice.
17- Amour (NY, NBR, DC, AWFJ, BOS, CHI, DFW, LV, NYFCO, OFCC, SF, CC, Globe, KC, BAFTA, Spirit, Oscar)
5- The Intouchables (FFCC, PFCS, Satellite, STL, NT)
4- Holy Motors (AUS, HFCS, LA, Online)
1- four other films (London, Satellite, SD, UFCA)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Reaction: This is where Life of Pi made its money and its mark. In sweeping three artistic/technical awards and Best Director, Ang Lee's film wins the newspaper headline of the film winning the most Oscars with four (over Argo's three) on the night. This was one it really impressed. I love Roger Deakins and his Skyfall work, but the always-nominated-but-never-winning cinematographer will have to try again.
14- Cloudio Miranda, Life of Pi (DC, AWFJ, DFW, LV, NFCS, NYFCO, PFCS, SD, SF, Satellite, NT, CC, BAFTA, Oscar)
6- Roger Deakins, Skyfall (FFCC, HFCS, LA, Online, STL, UFCA)
4- Mihai Malaimare, Jr., The Master (BOS, AUS, CHI, NSFC)
1- Greg Fraser, Zero Dark Thirty (NY)
1- Ben Richardson, Beasts of the Southern Wild (Spirit)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Reaction: This was a category of minor artistic upset. Lincoln had never been thought a contender in this category and snuck a win out. Voters must have really liked the recreating Capitol and White House interiors.
3- Moonrise Kingdom (CHI, PFCS, SF)
3- Anna Karenina (FFCC, CC, ADG)
2- Cloud Atlas (DC, SD)
2- Les Miserables (NEV, BAFTA)
1- Lincoln (Oscar)
1- five other films (ADG, Satellite, LA, LV)
BEST FILM EDITING
Reaction: The historical trend continues. Over 2/3's of the time, the film that wins Best Editing goes on to win Best Picture. It's a prognosticator's dream indicator.
6- Zero Dark Thirty (AWFJ, BOS, CHI, LV, LA, CC)
5- Argo (PFCS, SD, SF, BAFTA, ACE, Oscar)
2- Silver Linings Playbook (Satellite, ACE)
1- Cloud Atlas (Online)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Reaction: Surprise! The costume drama won costume design. Yawn...
5- Anna Karenina (LV, PFCS, CC, BAFTA, Oscar)
1- A Royal Affair (Satellite)
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Reaction: The Twitter-verse said Hugh Jackman, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen's mangy trio of hair creations won this one. I would have to agree!
2- Les Miserables (BAFTA, Oscar)
1- Cloud Atlas (CC)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Reaction: Normally, this is where a blockbuster sneaks an Oscar win. Not so fast with the technically-sound Life of Pi. With the entire world it creates being a visual effect, the poetry in motion all movie deserved this Oscar.
8- Life of Pi (FFCC, LV, NEV, PFCS, STL, CC, BAFTA, Oscar)
1- Flight (Satellite)
BEST SOUND EDITING AND MIXING
Reaction: Not too many minor awards give out trophies for technical sound categories. If they do, they just call it "Best Sound" with no specifics. For the Awards Tracker, I combined the Oscar categories of Sound Editing and Sound Mixing together for the counts. For Sound Mixing, Les Miserables live on-set singing amidst the rest of the film won it an Oscar. For Sound Editing, we witnessed a rare Oscar tie between Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty. Kathryn Bigelow's film is lucky to sneak in. Sadly, this Sound Editing tie was the movie's only Oscar win of the night. It would have been completely shut-out without it.
3- Les Miserables (Satellite, BAFTA, CAS, Oscar)
1- Skyfall (Oscar)
1- Zero Dark Thirty (Oscar)
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
Reaction: This one was going Life of Pi's way. As the second most nominated film, this category was one of its strong suits. Mychael Danna put together a lovely score. I think this category got more attention for the potential nominees that weren't there (The Master, Cloud Atlas, Beasts of the Southern Wild, and The Dark Knight Rises) over who did actually make it.
3- Jonny Greenwood, The Master (DC, CHI, SD)
3- Mychael Danna, Life of Pi (LV, Globe, Oscar)
2- Thomas Newman, Skyfall (PFCS, BAFTA)
2- Dan Romer and Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild (AWFJ, LA)
2- Reinhold Hall, Johnny Klimek, and Tom Twyker, Cloud Atlas (AUS, HFCA)
2- Alexandre Desplat, Moonrise Kingdom (BOS, STL)
1- two other films (CC, Satellite)
1- Alexandre Desplat, Argo (Satellite)
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Reaction: In an anniversary Oscar ceremony that celebrated movie musicals with top-notch tribute performances from Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Hudson, the cast of Les Miserables, and even Shirley Bassey saluting 50 years of James Bond, it was Adele that brought down the house with her smashing success of "Skyfall." Even with the popularity of Les Miserables as a true movie musical of the highest order, there was little chance Adele and Skyfall would lose.
6- "Skyfall" (by Adele)- Skyfall (HFCS, LV, PFCS, CC, Globe, Oscar)
1- "Suddenly" (music by Claude-Michel Schonberg)- Les Miserables (Satellite)
ACRONYM KEY FOR AWARD GROUPS (with page links): African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA), ACE Eddie Awards (ACE), Art Directors Guild (ADG), Austin Film Critics Association (AUS), Alliance of Women Film Journalists (AWFJ), British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), Boston Society of Film Critics (BOS), Cannes Film Festival (Cannes), Cinema Audio Society (CAS), Broadcast Film Critics Association/Critic's Choice (CC), Chicago Film Critics Association (CHI), Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Associaion (DC), Detroit Film Critics Society (DFCS), Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association (DFW), Florida Film Critics Circle (FFCC), Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS), Hollywood Foreign Press Association/Golden Globe Awards (Globe), Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KC), Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LA), London Film Critics Circle (London), Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LV), National Board of Review (NBR), Nevada Film Critics Society (NEV), National Society of Film Critics (NSFC), North Texas Film Critics Association (NT), New York Film Critics Circle (NY), New York Film Critics Online (NYFCO), Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OFCC), Online Film Critics Society (Online), Academy of Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences/AMPAS (Oscar), Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS), Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG), San Diego Film Critics Society (SD), San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SF), International Press Academy (Satellite), Independent Spirit Awards (Spirit), St. Louis Gateway Film Critics (STL), Utah Film Critics Association (UFCA), Writers Guild of America (WGA)
