2012's Nominees: Part 7 of 10

Jane Eyre

1 Nomination

• Costume Design: Michael O'Connor (The Duchess)

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench, Jamie Bell, Sally Hawkins, Su Elliot.

I can't remember this movie very well, to be honest. But I remember really liking it. The costumes are lovely, and I liked the horror-film style that Fukunaga brought to this Gothic novel. He, of course, does this at the expense of the novel's other elements, particularly its delightful comic moments. Still, it's an approach. With all of the flat approaches to older texts this year (I am thinking in particularly of Clooney's and Cronenberg's), at least Fukunaga's has a point of view. As for the costumes, they are interesting enough for the Academy's costume branch, but not enough for the full voting body. I don't think Mr. O'Connor can win; he's already won one anyway, so I won't feel too bad for him.

Will Win: N/A

Could Win: N/A

My Rating: #23 out of 66

W.E.

1 Nomination

• Costume Design: Arianne Phillips (Walk the Line)

Director: Madonna

Cast: Andrea Riseborough, James D'Arcy, Abbie Cornish, Oscar Isaac, Richard Coyle.

Here's another one I haven't seen. I have a lot of shame about this, but Madonna's movie just doesn't see fit to come to Tallahassee any time soon, and I have no choice. The costumes, however, look amazing, and though apparently no one likes W.E. as a film, I can't wait to see it. Truth be told, if I were voting, Phillips would get my vote first: there is, frankly, no reason for Sandy Powell to get another Oscar (especially when she is less than gracious about it) and Phillips's costumes are imaginative and lovely. Nevertheless, I expect Ms. Phillips will not go home with the Oscar on Sunday.

Will Win: N/A

Could Win: N/A

My Rating: Not ranked

Anonymous

1 Nomination

• Costume Design: Lisy Christl

Director: Roland Emmerich

Cast: Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Xavier Samuel, Sam Reed, Joely Richardson, Sebastian Armesto, Edward Hogg, David Thewlis, Sebastian Armesto, Rafe Spall, Jamie Campbell Bower.

This movie is terrible, and I actually don't understand why the costumes got singled out for honor except that I am sure they took quite a long time to build them all. They are not particularly interesting (they are clearly the poor man's version of Elizabeth or Shakespeare in Love), and they surely don't ask us to re-magine things we don't know about those styles. There are a few gems, but mostly I was bored. However, for a hilarious (at least we thought it was hilarious) live-blog of Anonymous, visit here.

Will Win: N/A

Could Win: N/A

My Rating: #60 out of 66

Drive

1 Nomination

• Sound Editing

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Cary Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, Ron Perlman, Christina Hendricks.

The year's most ignored film. Now, if you recall, I wasn't as nutso over this film as everyone else, but Drive is very good, and Gosling is (as should be apparent to everyone at this point) a star. The thing is, this film is filled with excellent performances, terrifying moments, great chase sequences, and interestingly staged violence. And for this reason... I think it's going to win in the one category in which it's nominated. My theory behind this is, that as the Academy members go over their ballots, they will get to Sound Editing, see Drive at the top, and decide that they loved the film and wished they could've voted for it in other places. This happened with Black Hawk Down back in '02. I'm crossing my fingers.

Will Win: Sound Editing

Could Win: N/A

My Rating: #25 out of 66