But the mood these days seems less about beginnings than about endings, apocalyptic and otherwise, which might account for the Academy's retrospective attitude. And also for their nominations of Terrence Malick's beginning-and-end-of-the-world epic TREE OF LIFE for Best Picture and MICHAEL SHANNON for Best Actor in Take Shelter. Shannon plays a prophet of doom, telling his neighbors that the past is no protection against what is to come, a warning that apparently Hollywood hasn't heeded.
Peter's Picks
BEST PICTURE
Because of the flexible number of nominees this year I am listing the five films that I am confident will be nominees first, followed by five more in order of their likelihood of being nominated.
Best bets:
The Artist
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
In the running:
The Descendants
Moneyball
My Week with Marilyn
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Tree of Life
BEST DIRECTOR
Woody Allen [Midnight in Paris]
Michel Hazanavicius [The Artist]
Alexander Payne [The Descendants]
Martin Scorsese [Hugo]
Steven Spielberg [War Horse]
BEST ACTOR
George Clooney [The Descendants]
Leonardo DiCaprio [J. Edgar]
Jean Dujardin [The Artist]
Brad Pitt [Moneyball]
Michael Shannon [Take Shelter]
BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close [Albert Nobbs]
Olivia Davis [The Help]
Meryl Streep [The Iron Lady]
Tilda Swinton [We Need To Talk About Kevin]
Michelle Williams [My Weekend with Marilyn]
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Kenneth Branagh [My Week with Marilyn]
Albert Brooks [Drive]
Jonah Hill [Moneyball]
Nick Nolte [Warrior]
Christopher Plummer [Beginners]
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Bérénice Bejo [TheArtist]
Jessica Chastain [The Help]
Melissa McCarthy [Bridesmaids]
Octavia Spencer [The Help]
Shailene Woodley [The Descendants]
