Oscar Winners 2012

Another Awards Season has been brought to a close with the usual grand finale of the Academy Awards.

The clear winner on the night, as it was throughout the past two months, was The Artist which picked up most of the big gongs. Meanwhile, the ever-lovable Hugo swept up the technical awards and can be considered a respectable runner-up.

My thoughts on the Oscars in bullet-points:

• Big names will always get nominations regardless of whether they deserve them or not. Prime example: Brad Pitt for Moneyball.
• Biggest surprise: George Clooney, an Academy-friendly America, losing out to Jean Dujardin.
• Biggest disappointment: Meryl Streep winning the Oscar for a by-the-numbers political role. A very overrated performance, considering some of her competition.
• Punch-the-air-moment: 'Man or Muppet' winning Best Song! Flight of the Conchords' Bret Mackenzie is now an Oscar winner! I wonder if they'll put that on the trailer for The Hobbit?
• There is always a pointless bit which gets the media excited. This year it was Angelina Jolie showing a bit of leg. The leg now even has its own Twitter account with a bonkers 34,131 followers. Click here if you don't believe me.
• Conclusion: as with the past few years, Award Season has been a one-horse race with everyone backing a five-star unlikely hit. There is certainly a trend of each major awarding body (Globes, BAFTAs, Oscars) bidding on the early favourite. This is not to say The Artist was clearly the deserving winner but it is a shame that controversial surprise wins seem a thing of the past.

BEST PICTURE: The Artist

BEST DIRECTOR: The Artist - Michel Hazanavicius

BEST ACTOR : Jean Dujardin - The Artist

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Christopher Plummer - Beginners

BEST ACTRESS: Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Octavia Spencer - The Help
 

BEST ANIMATED FILM: Rango
 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: The Descendants - Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Midnight in Paris - Woody Allen

BEST FILM EDITING: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: The Artist - Ludovic Bource

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: Man or Muppet - The Muppets, Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie