The Definitive Best Picture Losers: 10-1

Scene from Ordinary People courtesy
of imageshack.us

Well, we've reached the pinnacle. Scratch that. We've reached the spot just behind the pinnacle. I suppose this is the list of penultimate Oscar Best Picture nominees - the ones that came up just short for one reason or another. These are the films that have either gone down in history as iconic in their own right, will always be viewed as the true "best picture" or their years without the trophy, or simply marked a moment in Oscar history that will always be documented as an important one. Well, here they are. The top ten.

The Definitive Best Picture Losers: 20-11

Scene from Rocky courtesy of
thatfilmguy.com

Finally, we made it to the top twenty. From here, we have a mix of the biggest surprise losers of all time with films that have gone down in history as some of the greatest, yet still didn't win the big one. Again, this isn't a best of list - it's a look at the Oscars as an institution, which films deserved the award, which ones got unlucky to be up against greater films, and which ones were adored by the Academy, taking home plenty of gold, sans the biggest of them all. Here are numbers 20 through 11.

The Definitive Best Picture Losers: 30-21

Scene from Titanic courtesy
of movpins.com

We're at the halfway point as we move through the films that fell just short of Oscar glory. In this section, we see a lot more recent films alongside a few hidden gems from the 1930's and 1940's. Again, not a best of list. We have "snubs," surprises, and a few landmark films that deserve mention. A few of these films are even widely considered the greatest of their respective years, but fell short on the final podium. Let's look at numbers 30 through 21.

The Definitive Best Picture Losers: 40-31

Scene from How Green Was My Valley
courtesy of didyouseethatone.com

Last entry, we had some timeless classics. This time, we get more, along with a few landmark nominations. Again, this isn't a best of list - it's a look at the Oscars as an institution, which films deserved the award, which ones got unlucky to be up against greater films, and which ones were adored by the Academy, taking home plenty of gold, sans the biggest of them all. This section of the list includes my first cheat - a tie - which I repeat a few more times. You'll see why. Here are numbers 40 through 31.

The Definitive Best Picture Losers: 50-41

Scene from The Greatest Show on Earth
courtesy of stagevu.com

As we get closer and closer to the big night, I wanted to look back at the history of Oscar and highlight the films that missed their shot. Plenty of great films have won Best Picture. Plenty of great films weren't even nominated. Then there are the films that were thrown into the mix, but fell just short of the big prize. Starting with numbers 50 through 41, I'm looking back at the most important Best Picture nominees that didn't take home the gold. This isn't a best of list - it's a look at the Oscars as an institution, which films deserved the award, which ones got unlucky to be up against greater films, and which ones were adored by the Academy, taking home plenty of gold, sans the biggest of them all. Without further ado, let's look at numbers 50 through 41.

Five Best Plus: 2012 Movie Moments

Scene from The Dark Knight Rises
courtesy of collider.com

Well, the year is almost over, so it's time to look back. 2012 was a really good year for movies, but as I was compiling this list, I found myself less drawn to specific moments in films than I have been in previous years. Truthfully, I would argue this year may be a better year for filmmaking in general, but less driven by specific scenes in film. There are no tops spinning or hallway zero gravity fights. There are no big home runs. There are no feathers floating to the ground with a giant crash. But, there are important moments in really good films that proved that 2012 was a year to be reckoned with in movie houses. Here they are, in alphabetical order by film title. Feel free to point out any I missed in the comments area.

2012 Screen Actors Guild Nominations

John Hawkes in The Sessions courtesy
of collider.com

Didn't get the chance to post this the other day. Here are the nominees (in the movie categories), plus my thoughts at the end.

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Denzel Washington, Flight

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin, Argo
Javier Bardem, Skyfall
Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy
Maggie Smith, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Argo
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook

My Thoughts

• No nomination for Joaquin Phoenix is tough to swallow
• Nice recognition for Bardem; not often a Bond villain gets any awards praise
• No ensemble nomination for Zero Dark Thirty may mean more than you think in the long run
• What these nominations do is solidify about two or three nominees in each category and highlight the battles for the last spots. Right now, bet the house on:
• Day-Lewis & Cooper for Best Actor (I think Hawkes is a good bet, too)
• Chastain & Lawrence for Best Actress (Cotillard is a good bet here, too)
• Jones & De Niro for Best Supporting Actor (I used to think Hoffman & Arkin were good bets - now I'm not so sure)
• Hathaway, Field, & Hunt for Best Supporting Actress (Smith is gaining ground here quickly)