MY PICK FOR BEST FILMS OF 2012

BEST PICTURE

Pina

The rest in alphabetical order:

Artist, The

Attack the Block

Drive

Havre, La

Kid With a Bike, The

Midnight In Paris

Of Gods and Men

Poetry

Separation, A

Snowtown

Though the list is in alphabetical order, Of Gods and Men is my second favorite; A Separation my third; and Poetry, my third.

I also liked: Point Blank, The Guard, The Future, Extraterrestrials, Moneyball, 50/50, Oslo, August 31st, Another Earth, Meek’s Cutoff, Elite Squad II, The Princess of Montparsnee

World on a Wire - A special award to the rediscovery of this remarkable two part television film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder

BEST ACTOR

Lambert Wilson - Of Gods and Men, The Princess of Montparsnee

In alphabetical order:

Jean Dujardin - The Artist

Payman Moadi - A Separation

Gary Oldman - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Brad Pitt - Moneyball, Tree of Life

I also liked: Joseph Gorden-Levitt, 50/50, Hasher; Gilles Lelouche, Point Blank; Brendan Gleeson, The Guard; Dany Boon, Nothing to Declare; Andre Wilms, Le Havre; Woody Harrelson, Rampart; Michael Fassbender, Shame; Paul Giamatti, Win, Win, The Ides of March

BEST ACTRESS:

Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady

Sorry, I couldn’t reduce the rest of the category to four, so here are the others:

In alphabetical order:

Juliette Binoche - Certified Copy

Viola Davis - The Help

Leila Hatami - A Separation

Tilda Swinton - We Have to Talk About Kevin

Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn

Jeong-hie Yun - Poetry

I also liked: Rooney Mara, Girl with Dragon Tattoo; Charlize Theron, Young Adult.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Albert Books - Drive

In alphabetical order:

Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn

Jonah Hill - Moneyball

Shahab Hussein - A Separation

Christopher Plummer - Beginners

I also liked: Armee Hammer, J. Edgar; Jared Harris, Sherlock Holmes; and Patton Oswalt, Young Adult.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Carey Mulligan - Drive, Shame

Again, I couldn’t reduce the number to four:

Berenice Bejo - The Artist

Sareh Bayat - A Separation

Jessica Chastain - Tree of Life

Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaid

Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs

Octavia Spencer - The Help

BEST DIRECTOR:

Wim Wenders - Pina

The rest in alphabetical order:

Joe Cornish - Attack the Block

Asghar Farhadi - A Separation

Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

Nicolas Winding Refn - Drive

I also liked: Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life; Fred Cavaye - Point Blank; Xavier Beauvois - Of Gods and Men; Chang-dong Lee - Poetry;

BEST SCREENPLAY

Asghar Farhadi - A Separation

Going for five over four more here:

Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris

Xavier Beauvois, Etienne Comar - Of Gods and Men

Chang-dong Lee - Poetry

Will Reiser - 50/50

Steven Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin - Moneyball

I also liked: Thomas McCarthy, Win Win; J.C. Chandor, Margin Call; John Michael McDonagh, The Guard; Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, The Kid With a Bike; Jochaim Trier, Eskil Vogt, Oslo, August 31^st; Brit Marling, Mike Cahill, Another Earth