My Award nominations: Picture/Director

Well, here they are. My five faves of the year (actually six including my lone director nominee). It's been a strong year, with lots of singular artistic achievements.

There are only 24 days left until the Oscars, which gives me just enough time to start running down predictions one category at a time. The first of those will land later today.

For now, check out my top films after the cut:

Best Picture AND Best Director

Amour,
produced by Margaret Menegoz,
directed by MICHAEL HANEKE:

Michael Haneke has never made a more moving and emotionally honest picture than Amour, a heartrending study of what love really means. Amour effectively imposes a sensation of being trapped by a hopeless situation. Haneke's often static camera rarely cuts to different angles within a single scene, allowing us to fully absorb his actors' unbroken performances, and yet it never feels like a play on film.

Argo,
produced by Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Grant Heslov,
directed by BEN AFFLECK:

Provides further evidence of Ben Affleck's continued maturation as a skillful, no-nonsense director. Falling into the unimpeachable category of “a good story, well told”, Argo is a near perfect Hollywood dramatization of a mostly true story, deftly balancing tight thrills, human drama, and comic relief within a hugely entertaining and satisfying picture.

Beasts of the Southern Wild,
produced by Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, & Josh Penn,
directed by BENH ZEITLIN:

Beasts of the Southern Wild is a movie with mesmerizing heartbeat of its own; a gripping, powerfully wrought fairy tale and a meditation on the balance of nature and the inevitability of change. For a first-time helmer with a small budget, Zeitlin's craft is impressive in its detail. The performances he drew from his cast of non-professional actors are compellingly authentic.

Moonrise Kingdom,
produced by Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Jeremy Dawson, & Steven M. Rales,
directed by WES ANDERSON:

With nary a sight, sound, or moment wasted, Moonrise Kingdom charms nostalgic viewers into recalling the pang of youthful loneliness and the touch of first love. By Anderson's exacting dedication to marrying surface details to theme and character, the earnestness behind this love-on-the-run comedy shines clearly through its quaint window dressing.

JUST Best Picture

Lincoln,
produced by Steven Spielberg & Kathleen Kennedy:

For a movie that could be most succinctly described as two-and-a-half hours of men talking in rooms, it sure is thrilling! The perfect praxis of tight scripting, restrained direction, authentic acting, and immaculate craft make this a compelling film that successfully escapes the normally stiff biopic mold.

JUST Best Director

The Master,
directed by PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON:

Anderson demonstrates in this spellbinding head-scratcher of a movie that he is certainly a master in his own right when it comes to hypnotic style. His highly selective editing allows us rarely interrupted observation of the performances on display.

Just missed Best Picture: The Avengers, The Master, Les Miserables,
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Wreck-It Ralph

Just missed Best Director: Stephen Chbosky, Tom Hooper, Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Joss Whedon