My Awards nominations: Costume Design

My nominees for Costume Design after the cut:

My Award nominations: Costume Design

It's that time of year again. Time to think back on the dozens of films seen in 2011 and decide upon the best of the best in all the usual categories. As always, I'll be announcing my nominees for the my awards one day at a time, leading up to the 23rd (the eve of the Oscar nominations) when my winners will be announced.

Today's category is Costume Design:

Albert Nobbs (Pierre-Yves Gayraud):
Subtle period details flesh out the Upstairs/Downstairs fashions of 19th century Ireland. The cuts of Close's and MacTeer's outfits are important if we're to believe they could be passed off as men.

The Artist (Mark Bridges):
The glitz and glamour of old Hollywood translates very well to black and white on account of Bridges' stylish suits and flapper attire. I love the progression of Berenice Bejo's look as she rises to stardom.

Captain America (Anna B. Sheppard):
A credible meld of period authenticity and fantasy stylings; the convincing evolution of Cap's costume, Red Skull's angular trench coat, and the Hydra uniforms all stand out.

The Help (Sharen Davis):
Splashy and colourful when they need to be, but toned back when appropriate. Emma Stone's earthy colours fit her character much better than would the hot pinks and yellows donned by Jackson's priveleged socialites.

Hugo (Sandy Powell):
A suitable dash of Parisian flare adorn the clothes of the train station's inhabitants. Hugo's outgrown clothing and Isabelle's jaunty beret are perfectly specific for their characters.



Just missed:
J. Edgar, Jane Eyre, My Week with Marilyn, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse

One Category at a Time: Best Costume Design

This is always a depressing category for me. Five years running the winner here has been a terrible movie. That may not bother me so much if I ever thought the costumes were deserving, but the Academy's "more is more" philosophy often clashes violently with my own tastes. But I remain hopeful we might see a film of quality (or at least quality costumes) reclaim the throne this year.

Sandy Powell will be looking for her tenth career nomination via Martin Scorsese's Hugo Cabret, set in lavish 1930s Paris. Powell is a versatile designer who excels no matter the film's period or genre, and she is certainly respected by the costume branch.

Michael O'Connor won this category a couple of year's ago for The Duchess, and could be back for another British corset-fest in the form of Jane Eyre. But has it been released too early? It may well be forgotten by year's end, but you can always count on the costume branch to throw a bone to forgotten movies (I Am Love for instance).

Jacqueline West, last nominated a couple of years ago for Benjamin Button, has two solid opportunities this year in The Tree of Life and Water for Elephants. In spite of its spring release, I'm guessing she stands a better shot with the latter, which allows her to combine the sparkly glitz of the circus with the dusty drabness of Depression era America.

David Cronenberg's sister, Denise, has been designing the costumes for all his movies since The Fly in 1986. She has her most awards-friendly project to date with A Dangerous Method, Cronenberg's period piece about Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. If the film catches on with the Academy, I wouldn't be surprised to see its design elements earn some love.

Sharen Davis is no stranger to styles of the 1960s, having earned Oscar nominations for Ray and Dreamgirls. She'll be outfitting the many women of The Help, set in 1960s Mississippi, with period-appropriate and class-defining threads. Again, if the movie tickles the Academy's fancy, I'd say she has a decent shot at nomination number three.

Predicted five:
A Dangerous Method
The Help
Hugo Cabret
Jane Eyre
Water for Elephants

Also consider: Albert Nobbs, The Conspirator, My Week with Marilyn, Sherlock Holmes 2, The Tree of Life, Wuthering Heights.