Editor's note: We asked Brett McCracken, a regular film reviewer for us, to evaluate the Oscar nominations and give us his thoughts on what should have been nominated. Here's what he came up with:
The 2011 Oscar nominations were announced this morning, and as is typically the case, there are some hits and some misses. By and large I think the Academy got it pretty right, with a few good surprises (Jacki Weaver for Animal Kingdom) and some bad (no Andrew Garfield supporting actor nom?). If I were to have a say in the nominations, they would have gone something like this:
Best Picture: The Social Network, The King’s Speech, Blue Valentine, Fish Tank, Never Let Me Go, Animal Kingdom, Somewhere, 127 Hours, True Grit, Another Year.
Best Foreign Language Film: I Am Love, Mother, Everyone Else, Letters to Father Jacob.
Best Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop, Restrepo, Sweetgrass, Waiting for Superman, Catfish.
Best Director: David Fincher, The Social Network; Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech; Derek Cianfrance, Blue Valentine; Mike Leigh, Another Year; Andrea Arnold, Fish Tank.
Best Actor: Colin Firth, The King’s Speech; Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine; Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network; James Franco, 127 Hours; Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island.
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, Black Swan; Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole; Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine; Lesley Manville, Another Year; Tilda Swinton, I Am Love.
Best Supporting Actor: Andrew Garfield, The Social Network; Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech; Christian Bale, The Fighter; Jim Broadbent, Another Year; Michael Fassbender, Fish Tank.
Best Supporting Actress: Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech; Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit; Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom; Carey Mulligan, Never Let Me Go; Dianne Wiest, Rabbit Hole.
