– Thomas Mills contributed to this report
2012 was a great year for one British film in particular. It was the 23rd entry in the film’s franchise, was regarded by audiences and critics as being one of the best entries in the series and became the first British film to brake the billion dollar mark. I am of course talking about “Skyfall”.
And what better way to conclude the celebrations with the 2013 Oscar nominations and be proud of our very own homegrown masterpiece. However, it was announced on Thursday, January 10th that the film didn’t receive a nomination for “Best Film”, having only been nominated for “Best Cinematography”, “Best Sound Editing”, “Best Sound Mixing” and “Best Song” for Adele.. So did Hollywood really do any better in the past 12 months?
There is no surprise that the announcement of the Oscars has once again caused controversy. In 2012, people were shocked to see cult hit “Drive” only receive one nomination for Best Sound Editing, when Albert Brooks was a strong favourite for “Best Supporting Actor”, and the film deserved a nod. The Academy will be the Academy and, just like last year, the nominations for 2013 are very safe and mostly predictable.
All the Academy’s favorite directors have had their films nominated and old Hollywood veterans are returning in hope of adding another Oscar to their name. Ang Lee, who previously won for “Brokeback Mountain”, is nominated for “Best Director” for his visually stunning, yet over-rated “Life of Pi”, and “The Kings Speech” director Tom Hooper has earned another nomination for “Les Miserables”.
Whilst both these films may seem like the big contenders for the main prizes, it is in fact Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” that has the most nominations, including “Best Picture”, Best Director, “Best Actor” (Daniel Day-Lewis), Best Supporting Actor (Tommy Lee Jones) and “Best Supporting Actress” (Sally Field).
These actors are not the only returning winners to this year’s ceremony. Robert De Niro and Alan Arkin have been nominated for “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Argo” respectively. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck’s “Argo” has been nominated for Best Picture, alongside “Beasts of the Southern Wild”, “Amour”, “The Hurt Locker” and “Zero Dark Thirty”.
Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) will be celebrating his first nomination, along with Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables) for Best Actor. As will “Hunger Games” star Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook, which seems to be the surprise hit of 2012.
Apart from Sam Mendes and the rest of the cast and crew of Skyfall, another person who will be disappointed will be Quentin Tarantino. “Django Unchained” is up for Best Picture, Original Screenplay and Christoph Waltz (who won three years ago in Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”) is up for “Best Supporting Actor”.
However, while these are great nominations to earn, Tarantino will be asking where his Best Director nomination is. Django Unchained has been hailed by critics in America and is said to be the director’s best film since “Pulp Fiction”. It looks like Tarantino will have to do better next time if he wants to win his first ever Oscar for Best Director.
It seems that Bond at his best just isn’t enough in the eyes of the Academy, still let’s hope fellow Brits Tom Hooper and Daniel Day Lewis can do us proud on the night. The Oscar ceremony takes place on Sunday, February 24th 2013.