2012 Academy Award winners

After shaking things up last year with an attempt to draw in a younger audience through hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco, the Academy Awards returned to the tried-and-true master of ceremony in 2012 - Billy Crystal.

Crystal's hosting was what we expected - quite safe, a little cheeky but nothing controversial or surprising. But that wasn't the only predictable element - there were also no real surprising winners this year, with all the favourites taking home the coveted Oscar trophy.

Nevertheless, it was an entertaining night that showcased some of the most significant individuals and collaborations in cinema today. Many worthy winners, some amusing speeches and a great performance by Cirque du Soleil later, the Academy Awards demonstrated why it is still the most prestigious and exciting event in the entertainment industry.

The 2012 Academy Award winners:

Best cinematography
Robert Richardson, Hugo

Best art direction
Hugo

Best costume design
The Artist

Best make up
The Iron Lady

Best foreign language film
A Separation

Best actress in a supporting role
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best film editing
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Best sound editing
Hugo

Best sound mixing
Hugo

Best documentary feature
Undefeated

Best animated film
Rango

Best visual effects
Hugo

Best actor in a supporting role
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Best original score
Ludovic Bource, The Artist

Best song
Man or Muppet, The Muppets

Best adapted screenplay
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash, The Descendants

Best original screenplay
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Best live action short
The Shore

Best documentary short
Saving Face

Best animated short
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore

Best director
Michel Hazavanicius, The Artist

Best actor in a leading role
Jean Dujardin, The Artist

Best actress in a leading role
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Best picture
The Artist

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (Guy Ritchie, 2011)

It’s rare for a sequel to stand up on its own, compared to the first movie in a series, but Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows does a decent job of it. Once again, Robert Downey Jr shines as the protagonist. The way he walks, the way he talks, and even his facial expressions, Downey is immersed in the character of Sherlock Holmes. I was curious to see whether Rachel McAdams would be in this film, as she didn’t appear in the trailer. In fact, her character wasn’t featured much in the film, and there wasn’t any love interest for Holmes throughout most of the film, which is interesting.

S1m0ne (Andrew Niccol, 2002)

Before I watched this film, all I knew was that it featured Al Pacino in the role of a director who creates a computer-generated actress. That short premise intrigued me − it sounded like it would be some sort of science fiction film but with Al Pacino, which would be an unusual pairing.

Tangled (Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, 2010)

It’s interesting to see how Disney films have evolved over the years. This film was visibly a more modern production when compared to older classic Disney films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The most noticeable difference is seen in the animation, which I really liked. It was more three-dimensional and the textures were more realistic (although I found Rapunzel's huge eyes distracting). Obviously, one of the major parts of the animation was of Rapunzel’s hair, which I believe had a separate animation team solely dedicated to it. Her thick and flowing is one of the main features of this film, given that this is a story about Rapunzel.

Hail Mary (Jean-Luc Godard, 1985)

What could I expect in this film? Jean-Luc Godard taking on the story of the Virgin Mary in a modern era. It was typical Godard style - more gazing then advancing the story (speaking of, there wasn’t really a complex plot) and some female nudity of course. It was a shame I didn’t find the story as engaging as it could have been given that the religious story was transposed into a contemporary setting. (And also a shame that the DVD I was watching was a little scratched so I missed some of the last half hour). It was about a teenage girl, that plays basketball, who falls pregnant having never been intimate with a man. She had a boyfriend who of course finds this hard to accept but they marry and she has the baby. The film was actually banned in some European countries and the USA, as well as condemned by the Pope − so you know that Godard was pushing the envelope on this one.

2/5