My Awards nomination: Film Editing

I rather the liked the variety and quality of Film Editing I saw on screen this year, but if I had to settle on five (which I did) they would be:

Beginners (Olivier Bugge Coutte):

Perfect handling of minimalist comic beats and soft-spoken drama, seamless back-and-forth between past and present.

Drive (Matthew Newman):

More varied and interesting than you'd expect of a crime thriller, making excellent use of dissolves and cross-fading, plus slow motion for suspense.

Moneyball (Christopher Tellefesen):

Finds interesting rhythms in scenes that might otherwise come across as mundane.

Warrior
(Sean Albertson, Matt Chesse, John Gilroy, Aaron Marshall):

Evenhanded presentation of multiple story arcs in the first half. The fight sequences owe their stirring effect to the dizzying shot selections.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (Joe Bini):

The evocation of Eva's frazzled recollections is a stellar editing showcase, excellent transitions between her present and her memories.

Just missed:
The Artist, Moneyball, Senna, Super 8, Tintin, The Tree of Life

Review - Drive

A few thoughts on Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive, an art house character study wrapped in a violent crime drama and advertised as a high-speed action movie:

Ryan Gosling plays a nameless driver for hire, running the gamut from Hollywood stunt work to manning the getaway car for various mob jobs. He is a soft spoken man of few words, but beyond his humble facade lies a dangerous disposition. When the mother and son who live down the hall from him become innocent, unintended targets of a tense mob conflict, the circumstances unleash the driver's deceptively powerful sting.