2011 YEAR-END BALLOT

Past ballots at The Wandering Image: 2010, 2009.

To see my Top 50 films of 2011 go here.

Note: Oscar winner predictions will be added towards the end of January in parenthesis next to my top pick in each category. Once again, I have to wait until Feb.11th for my local Magnolia to screen the live action/animated shorts of 2010 before I can add more to that category.


PICTURE
*THE TREE OF LIFE (THE ARTIST)
MARGARET
TAKE SHELTER
ATTACK THE BLOCK
BELLFLOWER
HUGO
IN THE FAMILY
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
MEEK'S CUTOFF
DRIVE


actual oscar nominations:
THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE
THE HELP
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
MONEYBALL
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE



FOREIGN LANGUAGE
*CERTIFIED COPY (A SEPARATION)
MYSTERIES OF LISBON
TOMBOY
A SEPARATION
TUESDAY, AFTER CHRISTMAS
UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES
POETRY
THE SKIN I LIVE IN
THE PRINCESS OF MONTPENSIER
13 ASSASSINS


actual oscar nominations:
BULLHEAD
MONSIEUR LAZHAR
A SEPARATION
FOOTNOTE
IN DARKNESS



DIRECTOR
*Terrence Malick for THE TREE OF LIFE (Michel Hazanavicius)
Abbas Kiarostami for CERTIFIED COPY
Raoul Ruiz for MYSTERIES OF LISBON
Kenneth Lonnergan for MARGARET
Martin Scorsese for HUGO


actual oscar nominations:
Michel Hazanavicius for THE ARTIST
Alexander Payne for THE DESCENDANTS
Martin Scorsese for HUGO
Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Terrence Malick for THE TREE OF LIFE



LEAD ACTRESS
*Viola Davis in THE HELP (Meryl Streep)
Juliette Binoche in CERTIFIED COPY
Elizabeth Olson in MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
Tilda Swinton in WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
Elena Anaya in THE SKIN I LIVE IN


actual oscar nominations:
Glenn Close in ALBERT NOBBS
Viola Davis in THE HELP
Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Meryl Streep in THE IRON LADY
Michelle Williams in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN



LEAD ACTOR
*Michael Fassbender in SHAME (Jean Dujardin)
Gary Oldman in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS
Woody Harrelson in RAMPART
Michael Shannon in TAKE SHELTER


actual oscar nominations:
Demián Bichir in A BETTER LIFE
George Clooney in THE DESCENDANTS
Jean Dujardin in THE ARTIST
Gary Oldman in TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
Brad Pitt in MONEYBALL



SUPPORTING ACTRESS
*Janet McTeer in ALBERT NOBBS (Octavia Spencer)
Jessica Chastain in TAKE SHELTER
Keira Knightley in A DANGEROUS METHOD
Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS
Ellen Page in SUPER


actual oscar nominations:
Bérénice Bejo in THE ARTIST
Jessica Chastain in THE HELP
Melissa McCarthy in BRIDESMAIDS
Janet McTeer in ALBERT NOBBS
Octavia Spencer in THE HELP



SUPPORTING ACTOR
*Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS (Christopher Plummer)
Tom Hardy in WARRIOR
Patton Oswalt in YOUNG ADULT
Nick Nolte in WARRIOR
Bruce Greenwood in MEEK'S CUTOFF


actual oscar nominations:
Kenneth Branagh in MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
Jonah Hill in MONEYBALL
Nick Nolte in WARRIOR
Christopher Plummer in BEGINNERS
Max von Sydow in EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE



ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
*A SEPARATION (MIDNIGHT IN PARIS)
CERTIFIED COPY
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
MARGIN CALL


actual oscar nominations:
THE ARTIST
BRIDESMAIDS
MARGIN CALL
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
A SEPARATION



ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
*TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (THE DESCENDANTS)
A DANGEROUS METHOD
MONEYBALL
THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO


actual oscar nominations:
THE DESCENDANTS
HUGO
THE IDES OF MARCH
MONEYBALL
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY



DOCUMENTARY
*NOSTALGIA FOR THE LIGHT (UNDEFEATED)
INTO ETERNITY
THE INTERRUPTERS
TABLOID
PINA


actual oscar nominations:
HELL AND BACK AGAIN
IF A TREE FALLS
PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY
PINA
UNDEFEATED



ANIMATED
*THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (RANGO)
A CAT IN PARIS
RANGO
WINNIE THE POOH
ARTHUR CHRISTMAS


actual oscar nominations:
A CAT IN PARIS
CHICO AND RITA
RANGO
KUNG FU PANDA 2
PUSS IN BOOTS



CINEMATOGRAPHY
*THE TREE OF LIFE (HUGO)
BELLFLOWER
HUGO
MELANCHOLIA
THE ARTIST


actual oscar nominations:
THE ARTIST
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
THE TREE OF LIFE
WAR HORSE



FILM EDITING
*THE TREE OF LIFE (HUGO)
HUGO
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
BEGINNERS
SUPER 8


actual oscar nominations:
THE ARTIST
THE DESCENDANTS
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL



ORIGINAL SCORE
*HUGO (THE ARTIST)
HANNA
THE TREE OF LIFE
SUPER 8
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES


actual oscar nominations:
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
THE ARTIST
HUGO
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
WAR HORSE



ART DIRECTION
*HUGO (HUGO)
IMMORTALS
THE MILL AND THE CROSS
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
MYSTERIES OF LISBON


actual oscar nominations:
THE ARTIST
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS PT.2
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
WAR HORSE



COSTUME DESIGN
*THE ARTIST (HUGO)
IMMORTALS
HUGO
MOZART'S SISTER
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY


actual oscar nominations:
ANONYMOUS
THE ARTIST
W.E.
JANE EYRE
HUGO



MAKEUP
*J. EDGAR (THE IRON LADY)
THE EAGLE
THE IRON LADY
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS PT.2
HUGO


actual oscar nominations:
ALBERT NOBBS
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS PT.2
THE IRON LADY



SOUND EDITING
*TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (HUGO)
DRIVE
REAL STEEL
IMMORTALS
SUPER 8


actual oscar nominations:
DRIVE
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE



SOUND MIXING
*TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (HUGO)
SUPER 8
WAR HORSE
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO


actual oscar nominations:
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
HUGO
MONEYBALL
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON
WAR HORSE



VISUAL EFFECTS
*TRANSFORMERS DARK OF THE MOON (RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES)
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
SUPER 8
THE TREE OF LIFE
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS PT.2


actual oscar nominations:
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS PT.2
HUGO
REAL STEEL
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
TRANSFORMERS DARK OF THE MOON



(more shorts to be added 2/20)



LIVE ACTION SHORT
*SCENES FROM THE SUBURBS (TUBA ATLANTIC)
THE SHORE
TUBA ATLANTIC
PORTAL: NO ESCAPE


actual oscar nominations:
TIME FREAK
PENTACOST
THE SHORE
RAJU
TUBA ATLANTIC



ANIMATED SHORT
*WILD LIFE (THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE)
LA LUNA
SUNDAY
HAWAIIAN VACATION


actual oscar nominations:
WILD LIFE
SUNDAY
THE MORNING STROLL
LA LUNA
THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE


Muriel Awards Categories:


BEST CINEMATIC MOMENT
*1) Prologue "Grief," "Creation" and End of Times "Eternity" Sequences in THE TREE OF LIFE
2) The Mechanical Man draws Georges Méliès' LE VOYAGE DANS LA LUNE (1902) in HUGO 3D
3) Dam break/motorcycle chase sequence in THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN IMAX 3D
4) Ghost Monkeys in UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES
5) Prologue of MELANCHOLIA
6) Khalifa Tower sequence in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL IMAX
7) Moses vs. the Aliens climax in ATTACK THE BLOCK
8) Kids filming the train station scene and train derailment in SUPER 8
9) Caesar's first tree climb/Redwood Forest montage in RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
10) (tie) The final 50mins of 13 ASSASSINS and TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON IMAX 3D

Also this;



BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
*TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
MARGIN CALL
THE TREE OF LIFE
MARGARET
CARNAGE



BEST BODY OF WORK
*1) Michael Fassbender in SHAME, JANE EYRE, A DANGEROUS METHOD and X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
2) Jessica Chastain in TAKE SHELTER, THE TREE OF LIFE, THE HELP, TEXAS KILLING FIELDS, CORIOLANUS and THE DEBT
3) Martin Scorsese for HUGO and GEORGE HARRISON: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD
4) Andy Serkis in RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, BURKE AND HARE and ARTHUR CHRISTMAS
5) Michael Giacchino for scoring SUPER 8, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL, CARS 2 and 50/50

runner-up:
John Hawkes in MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE, EARTHWORK, HIGHER GROUND and CONTAGION


BEST CINEMATIC BREAKTHROUGH (Directing)
*1) Joe Cornish for ATTACK THE BLOCK
2) Celine Sciamma for TOMBOY
3) Evan Glodell for BELLFLOWER
4) Sean Durkin for MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
5) Julia Leigh for SLEEPING BEAUTY
6) John Michael McDonagh for THE GUARD
7) Brad Bird for MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL (live-action debut)
8) Michael R. Roskam for BULLHEAD
9) David Robert Mitchell for THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER
10) Danfung Denis for HELL AND BACK AGAIN



BEST CINEMATIC BREAKTHROUGH (Acting)
*1) Elizabeth Olsen in MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
2) Jessica Chastain in THE TREE OF LIFE and TAKE SHELTER
3) Matthias Schoenaerts in BULLHEAD
4) Rooney Mara in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
5) Jacob Wysocki in TERRI



10TH ANNIVERSARY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE 2001
*1) MULHOLLAND DRIVE
2) IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
3) THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS
4) PLATFORM
5) WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES
6) A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
7) THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE
8) THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE
9) GHOST WORLD
10) LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING



25TH ANNIVERSARY AWARD FOR BEST PICTURE 1986
*1) BLUE VELVET
2) THE FLY
3) ALIENS
4) VAGABOND
5) PLATOON
6) SHERMAN'S MARCH
7) DOWN BY LAW
8) MANHUNTER
9) SID AND NANCY
10) SOMETHING WILD



50TH ANNIVERSARY FOR BEST PICTURE 1961
*1) L'AVVENTURA
2) BALLAD OF A SOLDIER
3) BREATHLESS
4) THRONE OF BLOOD
5) PURPLE NOON
6) YOJIMBO
7) LA DOLCE VITA
8) THE INNOCENTS
9) ASHES AND DIAMONDS
10) BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S



(feel free to post what your choices would be in comments section below)