My Ranking of the Best Picture Nominees

1. Life of Pi
2. Silver Linings Playbook
3. Zero Dark Thirty
4. Lincoln
5. Django Unchained
6. Amour
7. Argo
8. Beasts of the Southern Wild
9. Les Mis

 

And now, my Picks & Predictions…

 

Best Picture

Who Will Win: Argo

Who Should Win: Life of Pi or Silver Linings Playbook

Best Actor

Who Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis

Who Should win: Bradley Cooper (but I definitely won’t mind it when DDL inevitably wins)

Best Actress

Who Will Win: Jennifer Lawrence

Who Should Win: Jennifer Lawrence

Best Supporting Actor

Who Will Win: Tommy Lee Jones

Who Should Win: Christoph Waltz or Tommy Lee Jones

Best Supporting Actress

Who Will Win: Anne Hathaway

Who Should Win: Anne Hathaway

Best Director

Who Will Win: Steven Spielberg

Who Should Win: Steven Spielberg

Best Original Screenplay

What Will Win: Amour

What Should Win: Django Unchained (but I haven’t yet seen Flight or Moonrise Kingdom)

Best Adapted Screenplay

What Will Win: Argo

What Should Win: Silver Linings Playbook

Best Animated Feature

What Will Win: Wreck-It Ralph

What Should Win: Wreck-It Ralph

Best Foreign Language Film

What Will Win: Amour

What Should Win: Amour (but it’s the only one I saw, regrettably)

Best Documentary Feature

What Will Win: Searching for Sugar Man

What Should Win: For the first time in many years, I didn’t see a single nominated documentary this year

Best Animated Short

What Will Win: Paperman

What Should Win: Paperman

Best Live-Action Short

What Will Win: Curfew

What Should Win: For the first time in many years, I didn’t see a single nominated live-action short this year

Best Documentary Short 

What Will Win: Inocente

What Should Win: …

Best Original Score

What Will Win: Life of Pi

What Should Win: Life of Pi or Lincoln

Best Original Song 

What Will Win: “Skyfall”

What Should Win: “Skyfall”

Best Sound Editing

What Will Win: Life of Pi

What Should Win: Life of Pi, Zero Dark Thirty, or Skyfall

Best Sound Mixing

What Will Win: Les Misérables

What Should Win: Les Misérables

Best Production Design

What Will Win: Anna Karenina

What Should Win: Honestly, these are all really deserving nominees

Best Cinematography

What Will Win: Life of Pi

What Should Win: Lincoln or Life of Pi

Best Makeup/Hairstyling

What Will Win: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

What Should Win: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey or Hitchcock

Best Costume Design

What Will Win: Anna Karenina

What Should Win: Anna Karenina (meh) or Lincoln

Best Film Editing

What Will Win: Zero Dark Thirty

What Should Win: Zero Dark Thirty

Best Visual Effects

What Will Win: Life of Pi

What Should Win: Life of Pi

 

 

The list continues with the numbers 15 through 1 below. Click here to return to #30 – 16.

 

15. Walk the Moon – “Anna Sun”

A celebration of youth, journeys, and daring, “Anna Sun” is infectiously happy, buoyed by its let-the-good-times-roll music video. The title is inspired by Dr. Anna Sun, a random professor with a cool name at the lead singer’s college. She has nothing to do with the song otherwise, but like any instructor, her name is part of the campus collage that defines her students’ undergraduate experience. Walk the Moon’s debut single paints a collegiate pastiche, capturing the essence of contemporary campus culture.

 

14. Delta Rae – “Dance in the Graveyards”

What is it about graveyards that bring out the best in Delta Rae? This is their fourth song to make my Top 30 list in the last three years, and the third of those to contemplate a burial site. Maybe their epic, soaring harmonies simply demand subject matter of eternal significance. There’s also their affinity for lurching percussion, life-or-death wailing, dramatic melody, and a we’ll-turn-anything-into-an-instrument attitude (trash cans, chains, you name it). Here, we find them opening with a clever turn of phrase: “When I die, I don’t want to rest in peace.” But even if they look and sound like a Death Eaters’ glee club in the music video, they manage to craft an uplifting message about living life to the fullest, reminding us that even in their most macabre moments, Delta Rae are first and foremost makers of music that matters.

 

13. Neon Trees – “Everybody Talks”

Lead singer Tyler Glenn lays an indie-alt vocal over familiar riffs with mainstream rock production, and the end result sounds much less generic than it probably should. That’s thanks not only to Glenn’s captivating performance but also a killer hook with über-melodic pop construction. His ridiculously long hold on every line in the chorus (“Whisperrrrrr / kissed herrrrrr / lips hurrrrrrrt / chit chaaaaat / love shaaaack”) makes for an addictive sing-along. Combine that with accessible lyrics about the rest of the world sticking its noses where they don’t belong, and this assault on gossip should be as irresistible to hipsters as it is to the masses.

 

12. Glee Cast – “New York State of Mind”

Every now and then, “Glee” opts for a timeless approach. That’s what we get with Lea Michele and newcomer Melissa Benoist’s cover of Billy Joel’s 1976 ode to the Big Apple. Their gorgeous, classy duet lends new, exquisite delicacy to the song — prettier than Joel’s original but not overdone like so many of the covers (Oleta Adams, Shirley Bassey, Streisand, etc.). In the show, it’s the number that convinces Whoopi Goldberg’s character that Michele’s has what it takes. At home, it shows us that Benoist is at least capable of keeping up with her, and that’s saying something.

 

11. Phillip Phillips – “We’ve Got Tonight”

Phillips is far more melodic here than in most of his performances, his well-commanded crooning coming as a welcome revelation. He conveys Bob Seger’s lyrics with vulnerability, vividly painting in our imaginations a scene of late-night loneliness and an in-the-moment embrace. With nothing but a piano behind him for most of the song, his singer-songwriter style lets Seger’s powerful wording come through with full effect.

 

10. One Direction – “What Makes You Beautiful”

This is the kind of ear candy that the late-’90s were made of. It’s nice to have it back — a breath of fresh air after several years defined by amelodic radio hits. Alongside Adele, Jepsen, Bieber, and fun., One Direction helped melody make a comeback in 2012, even if they went on to essentially remake this same song at least twice (see “One Thing” and “Live While We’re Young”). Key of Awesome already astutely illustrated everything inherently ridiculous in the song, but its silliness notwithstanding, “Beautiful” is one of the most instantly addicting pop creations to grace the radio in many years. With five-part harmony, catchily cadenced clapping, ample cowbell, and a few “na na na”s, at least by summer-pop confection standards, it’s very nearly perfect.

 

9. David Archuleta – “Broken”

Who’d have thought that Archuleta’s best song to date would come while he’s out of the country and out of the spotlight, secluded from the media while on a LDS Mission? The only track on his latest album that he actually wrote/co-wrote himself, both the lyrics and the recording in “Broken” show incredible maturity and depth from the 21-year-old, who only a few years ago had his biggest hit singing about “just a crush.” Here, his prodigal voice glides with restrained melisma over lines that find him grappling with a loss of innocence and a quest for relevance in the world, themes familiar to anyone at his age in life. The song starts small with just David and a piano, but it slowly grows into something quite a bit bigger than that. Urgent strings, subtle drums, and a haunting chorus of backup singers (including his own dub) all serve to underscore the lyrics’ sense of existential crisis. “Here’s our wish: just to exist in more than our eyes.” With that line, the song starts ratcheting itself up into a masterful power ballad that could have been a game changer for Archuleta, had he been stateside to promote it.

 

8. Muse – “Madness”

And now for something completely different. Frontman Matthew Bellamy records a soft rock vocal but lays its over an entrancing, sci-fi, electro warble. “M-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-m-mad-mad-mad,” the song repeats in some kind of space stutter. It sounds seductive, novel, and dangerous all at once. And then, just to shake things up around two minutes in, the band throws in some high-noted harmony, Queen style. Just as Muse was starting to seem predictable, they release a single that keeps us on our toes.

 

7. Maroon 5 – “One More Night”

Subtly dirty lyrics dressed in sweet-sounding falsetto, slick pop-rock riffs, and an absolutely bullseye hook. It’s what Maroon 5 does best. This time, they throw reggae into the mix, achieving one of their better results of the last five years.

 

6. Justin Beiber – “Die In Your Arms”

Unquestionably the best thing Justin Bieber has recorded to date, “Die in Your Arms” is a classic-pop song straight out of Motown. It even samples one of Michael Jackson’s earliest solo numbers, “We’ve Got a Good Thing Going,” but comes closer to the caliber of The Jackson 5′s better ballads. This one swoons where “Boyfriend” swags, a considerably more sophisticated production that fuses tinny, throwback piano and finger-snap percussion with a contemporary hip-hop beat. It’s enough to make a belieber out of the non-tweenaged set.

 

5. Alabama Shakes – “Hold On”

Lead singer Brittany Howard is the real deal. She belts, growls, and occasionally screams with unmistakable earnestness, like an easier-on-the-ears Janis Joplin. “Hold On” is cathartic southern garage rock, a word of encouragement for those who are a little down on their luck.

 

4. Regina Spektor - “All the Rowboats”

A meditation on artists, audiences, and the chicken-or-the-egg relationship they share, “Rowboats” likens museums to prisons, where masterpieces are kept under lock and key. Lines like “it’s their own fault for being timeless / there’s a price to pay and a consequence,” though, suggest she might be talking about something more — like how fame imprisons musicians such as herself, perhaps. Fortunately, Spektor is far from shackled by the confines of the mainstream. If there were any doubt about that, “Rowboats” erases it with a stimulating electronic maelstrom. She hammers away at the piano with a sense of mystery and even a touch of anger, occasionally using her own breath to turn her drum-machine beats into little explosions.

 

3. fun. – “Carry On”

“May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground.” That uplifting lyric is at the core of fun.’s third single from the album of the year, Some Nights. The song is a word of encouragement, not just from the band to its audience, but from one member of its generation to the next. With this and their other breakout hits from Some Nights, fun. have quickly established themselves as an authentic voice for millenials. The consistent message in their songs is that they understand the anxieties of modern youth, and yet they’ve also determined that everything’s going to turn out alright. That reassurance doesn’t come down from on high — if anything, it sounds like best-guess optimism on the band’s part. We’re not even sure if they really believe it, but nevertheless, it’s what’s getting them through. “Carry On” reflects the band’s therapeutic character, opening as a soft-sung story from lead singer Nate Ruess but quickly growing into a youthful chorus singing in unison, like friends offering one another a boost of confidence: “we are, we are shining stars / we are invincible / we are who we are.” It’s indie but also emotional, a companion piece for lonely nights and a beautiful arrangement of everything from acoustic guitar to woodwinds, synth, and strings. Fun means friends and today’s teens and twenty-somethings have a better one in fun. than in most of the other acts on the charts today.

 

2. Fiona Apple – “Every Single Night”

In her comeback song, Fiona Apple sings with the measured intensity of someone approaching the threshold of madness. An eerie toy piano chimes like a music box in the background, while Apple utters each word with restrained fury. It could have been recorded in Arkham Asylum. With unsettling but evocative lyrics like “my breast gonna bust open; the rib is the shell and the heart is the yolk, and I just made a meal for us both to choke on,” Apple again proves herself to be one of alternative-piano-rock’s boldest songstresses.

 

1. fun. – “Some Nights”

Opening with harmonies big enough for the Broadway stage and quickly erupting into a spirit-filled war cry, “Some Nights” is about as close to a perfect pop song as I’ve ever heard. It has the rhythm of a military drum corp and the soul of a negro spiritual. The beat has a new jack swing quality about it — something we haven’t heard in a while — and indeed, the production value rivals that of Michael Jackson’s best work (think “Billie Jean”). Lyrically, it is an exposition for the quarter-life crisis; heartfelt, candid, and sincere. In under five minutes, fun. grapple with the meaning of life with the kind of profundity and verbal dexterity that should be easier to find in a free-form essay or memoir than in a radio song. Its agile progression takes us on a journey of doubt and emotion, coming to a head in its unexpectedly tender, poetically worded bridge: “My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called love / Man, you wouldn’t believe the most amazing things that can come from some terrible nights,” the last word floating into one the prettiest auto-tune melodies recorded yet. Try as I might, I can’t find a single flaw in the song, save perhaps the fact that its radio exposure verged on “overplayed” (then again, it never hit #1, suggesting that Billboard is no friend of justice). This is what pop music can be. If the last ten years lowered the bar, fun. just pulled it back up again.

See Also: fun. – “Some Nights (Intro)”

 

Honorable Mentions

• Adele – “Skyfall” 
• Carly Rae Jepsen – “Call Me Maybe” 
• Christina Aguilera & Blake Shelton – “Just a Fool” 
• Juliet Simms – “Roxanne” 
• Kelly Clarkson – “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” 
• Monsters Calling Home – “Monsters Calling Home” 
• One Direction – “Live While We’re Young” 
• Glee Cast – “Somebody That I Used to Know” 
• Glee Cast – “How Will I Know” 
• The Mynabirds – “Body of Work” 
• Sam Tsui – “What Makes You Beautiful” 
• Cee Lo Green featuring Disney’s The Muppets – “All I Need is Love” 
• Phillip Phillips – “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” 
• Christina Aguilera & Chris Mann – “The Prayer” 

 

Back to #30 – #16

Order Aaron’s book, The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Walt Disney World: Magic Kingdom, on Amazon now!

 

About This Site

See Also: The 30 Best Singles of 2011 | The 30 Best Singles of 2010 | The 30 Best Singles of 2009 

See Also: The 25 Best TV Shows of the Last Decade (2000-2009) | The 50 Best Films of the Last Decade (2000-2009)

About This Site

By Aaron Wallace

Things are starting to look up for the decade. As sing-song melody and classic sensibilities are back on the rise, there’s a light at the end of the Rihanna-and-Gaga tunnel. For some of the year’s greatest offerings, let’s take a look at my picks for the 30 best music singles of 2012. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something new to love.

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30. The Rolling Stones – “Doom and Gloom” 

Released just a few weeks before the world was supposed to end (nearly depriving you all of this list - thank God we avoided that!), this catchy rocker finds the Stones waxing romantic about the approaching apocalypse. Jagger voices the band’s frustration with the media’s unceasing barrage of unpleasant news, ultimately deciding to cast it off and go after love in the world’s final hours. Relevant and rollicking, it’s a reminder that there’s still a place for good old-fashioned rock & roll in today’s music scene.

 

29. Phillip Phillips – “Home”

A song about finding comfort on an unfamiliar journey feels appropriate as the debut single for an “American Idol” champion. It’s the show’s best-selling coronation song to date, and unquestionably one of its best. Proving himself to be closer to Kelly Clarkson/Carrie Underwood than Taylor Hicks/Lee DeWyze on the “Idol” victor scale, Phillips models everything here that earned him the crown: personable vocals, genuine earthiness, and a clear preference for artistry over commercialism.

 

28. Passion Pit – “Take a Walk”

In a time of economic downturn and political division, Passion Pit look at the American Dream with both optimism and a reality check. This contemplative-yet-uptempo indie-pop song serves as a reminder that when things take a turn for the worst, it’s okay to hit your knees, ask for help, and blow off a little steam. How? Take a walk — or, as the stomping beat suggests, a heavy-footed march.

 

27. The Lumineers – “Ho Hey”

“Ho!” “Hey!” The band’s purposeful chant turns what could have been a simple, folksy love song into an emotive indie rocker with lovably sweet lyrics. And to think that this same title on a rap song would have been so much less romantic…

 

26. Justin Bieber – “Boyfriend”

The full song isn’t nearly as sexy as the first 30 seconds suggest, but “Boyfriend” nevertheless heralds the growing up of Justin Bieber. His 2010 breakthrough, “Baby,” now sounds, well, infantile — like looking back at a childhood photo album. Alternating between his lower register and a clean falsetto with Timberlake-ian finesse, Bieber lands a legitimate pop punch in this hook-laden, slickly produced R&B dance number. Swaggy.

 

25. Rebecca Ferguson – “Shoulder to Shoulder”

Supposedly inspired by her short-lived relationship with One Direction member Zayn Malik, Ferguson croons beautifully about the imperfection of love. While we wait for Adele to give us 24 (or 25?), the UK’s 2010 “X-Factor” runner-up will do quite nicely as a tide-over.

 

24. Colton Dixon – “September”

Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1978 disco hit is nearly, wonderfully unrecognizable in Dixon’s studio cut from this year’s “American Idol.” With every heartfelt “ba de ya,” he turns a dancy relic into an epic power ballad.

 

23. Jukebox the Ghost – “Somebody”

“Somebody” kicks off with a breezy hook in falsetto and soon adds a steady clap in the mix. With ear-catching percussive sensibilities, it’s well-tuned summer pop material.

 

22. Rufus Wainwright – “Out of the Game”

Wainwright’s “Out of the Game” is a ’70s pop song for 2012, reminiscent not only of the era’s musical personality but also its appreciation for a complex lyric. The chorus begs to be sung along with, as it builds with “look at you… look at you… look at you… look at you,” and then erupts into “SUCKERS!” And if that’s not enough, Helena Bonham Carter lip syncs the entire video. Somehow, I’m not even surprised.

 

21. Haley Reinhart – “Free”

Reinhart’s voice soars with her signature retro sex appeal in this song about a mutually agreeable breakup. While it’s far from the best track on her debut album and a puzzling pick for her first single, it’s still quite a bit better than most of what made an impact on radio this year. It’s a real shame that “Free” never found its footing

 

20. Jason Mraz – “I Won’t Give Up”

The verses are a tad cookie cutter-ish, but Mraz delivers them with a pure, raw vocal that makes them feel more genuine than they really are. The chorus, though — and to an even greater extent, the bridge — is something special. With piano stomps and ever-thickening layers of background accompaniment, the song builds into a delightfully verbose and harmonious ballad full of honest emotion.

 

19. Maroon 5, featuring Wiz Khalifa – “Payphone”

“Where have the times gone?” Adam Levine asks in a song named after something no one uses anymore. There’s cleverness in the band’s anachronism, given that the lyrics otherwise contemplate a bygone relationship. It’s as if the romance feels as long-ago to him as the era of spending coins inside a phone booth. What’s amazing is that the band made something so catchy out of something so depressing. Making people dance while you throw the f-word in the face of “happy ever after” is no small feat. Then again, maybe it’s just what the brokenhearted need to hear.

 

18. Regina Spektor – “Don’t Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas)”

Cheery, plucky, bouncy, and breezy, Spektor’s re-do of her own song hops from English to French, just as its lyrics skip from New York to Paris. She never seems to mind how silly it is, and neither do I. You almost get the sense that she’s floating through Central Park as she sings, and you feel like doing the same.

 

17. Rebecca Ferguson – “Backtrack”

Carly Rae who? One of 2012′s catchiest pure-pop jams, it’s this year’s “Rumour Has It.”

 

16. Joshua Ledet – “I’d Rather Go Blind”

With mind-blowing vocal power and control, Ledet takes on the Etta James classic and more than holds his own. “Something deep down in my soul,” he sings, and that’s what we hear.

 

 Continue to #15 – #1

 

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About This Site

 

The Library of Congress is accepting nominations for its National Film Registry. Each year, the LoC inducts up to 25 new film titles. A movie must be 10 years old and “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” to be  eligible… otherwise, the guidelines are loose.

The films needn’t be full-length, theatrically released, or even American. The only other rule is that each person’s nominees must be properly formatted and capped at 50. With that in mind, I made a lot of difficult decisions in order to devise the following list of nominees for 2012.

It’s very cool of the LoC to get the community involved in this way, and I see it as an opportunity to advocate for oft-overlooked classics as much as a chance to recognize the undisputed all-time greats. These are my nominees:

1. Dumbo (1941)
2. Gilda (1946)
3. Song of the South (1946)
4. Cinderella (1950)
5. Scrooge (a/k/a/ A Christmas Carol) (1951)
6. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
7. Pollyanna (196)
8. Mary Poppins (1964)
9. My Fair Lady (1964)
10. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
11. Charlie Brown Christmas, A (1965)
12. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
13. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
14. Hello, Dolly! (1969)
15. Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
16. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
17. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
18. Pete’s Dragon (1977)
19. Grease (1978)
20. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
21. Shining, The (1980)
22. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
23. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
24. Muppets Take Manhattan, The (1984)
25. Color Purple, The (1985)
26. Captain EO (1986)
27. Big (1988)
28. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
29. Batman (1989)
30. Little Mermaid, The (1989)
31. Ghost (1990)
32. Home Alone (1990)
33. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
34. Aladdin (1992)
35. Sister Act (1992)
36. Hocus Pocus (1993)
37. Jurassic Park (1993)
38. Nightmare Before Christmas, The (1993)
39. Lion King, The (1994)
40. Santa Clause, The (1994)
41. Shawshank Redemption, The (1994)
42. Sling Blade (1996)
43. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
44. Men in Black (1997)
45. Titanic (1997)
46. Truman Show, The (1998)
47. Matrix, The (1999)
48. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
49. Lord of the Rings, The: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
50. Minority Report (2002)

Anyone can submit nominations for the National Film Registry. If you want to contribute yours, you’ll have to act fast. The deadline is September 28, 2012. Find out all about it on NFR site.

 

By Aaron Wallace

This year, the Academy ramps up their long-standing affinity for selecting things that haven’t gotten (or won’t get) a proper, wide release. Despite that, I’ve now seen nearly every Oscar-nominated movie from 2011, including all nine vying for Best Picture. That means it’s time to share my picks and predictions.

Below, for each Oscar category, you’ll find both the movie I think will win and the movie(s) I want to win. Each time, I’ll tell you why.

After a few top-notch years for the big screen, 2011 was an off season. I’ve struggled to get excited about more than a handful of titles, and it seems voters have too. I can’t pretend this is the most riveting Oscar race, but predictions are always fun… so grab yourself a ballot and follow along!

Best Picture

My Prediction

Hugo has the most nominations and The Descendants has done well in the awards season, but despite those usual indicators, The Artist is bound to win. The Academy loves an ode to film history, and while Hugo qualifies in that regard, family films don’t fare well in the BP race. The Artist is too unique – and frankly too good – for the voters to pass up.

My Choice

It wasn’t even nominated, but I’d have gone with the inexcusably unrecognized Super 8 (another homage to filmmaking). Of the nine movies actually nominated, the beautifully epic War Horse tops my list. That one won’t win, but I’ll still be happy when The Artist takes home the big prize.

Best Actor

My Prediction

The predicting community is divided between George Clooney for The Descendants and Jean Dujardin for The Artist. I’m going with Clooney. It’s a tough call, but while I don’t think Clooney’s performance or his movie are strong enough to earn honors, I suspect voters might be reluctant to call a silent performance the best of the year (then again, they might want to be bold and do exactly that).

My Choice

2011 wasn’t a showcase for great male leads. I won’t mind a Dujardin victory, but even better is Damian Bichir‘s underrated turn in A Better Life. Aside from those two — and maybe Brad Pitt in Moneyball – I’d have ditched the Academy’s picks and chosen nominees from among the following: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50), Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2), Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris), Ewan McGregor (Beginners), and Ryan Gosling (Drive or The Ides of March).

Best Actress

My Prediction

Viola Davis is the favorite to win (for her role in The Help). I don’t understand it… Davis is a superb actress who does a fine job, but in a year that actually offered a lot in the way of lead female roles, her character didn’t demand an Oscar-caliber performance. Besides, I would characterize Emma Stone as The Help‘s leading lady, not Davis. Anyways, I’m breaking away from the pact and predicting that Meryl Streep wins. I just can’t imagine they don’t reward such a brilliant actress in such a powerful role (and after nearly three decades since her last win, she’s due one).

My Choice

Meryl Streep. While The Iron Lady isn’t quite the movie it could have been (I like it more than most), Streep near-literally disappears into Margaret Thatcher, pulling off one of the strongest character performances I’ve ever seen.

As for the other noms, I like them all, but The Artist‘s Bérénice Bejo belongs here too. I’d pull her out of Best Supporting below and substitute her for Viola Davis.

Best Supporting Actor

My Prediction

Last year, Christian Bale had a 100% lock on this category. It’s just as predictable this year. Christopher Plummer will win.

My Choice

The only actor I’d have even nominated in this pack is Jonah Hill for Moneyball. Plummer does a fine enough job in Beginners, but if anyone stands out in that movie, it’s Ewan McGregor. Clearly, the buzz has more to do with his career than his performance (admittedly, he’s due an Oscar).

More deserving would-be nominees include: Seth Rogen (50/50), José Julian (A Better Life), Andy Serkis (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Ryan Gosling (Crazy, Stupid, Love.), Ben Kingsley (Hugo), and  – from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – Alan Rickman, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, or Tom Felton.

Best Supporting Actress

My Prediction

Octavia Spencer. She’s The Help‘s likeliest winner, with a strong enough grasp on the category to withstand even The Artist‘s buzz.

My Choice

As the liveliest and most memorable performer in The Help, I have no problem with the lovable Spencer taking home the gold. Bérénice Bejo is more deserving of acclaim, however… even if it should be in the Best Actress category instead.

As weak as it was, 2011 actually bolstered a robust slate of supporting actresses. Jessica Chastain and Melissa McCarthy seem like a stretch here, but I won’t outright deny that either is worthy. On the long list of actresses I hate to see go unrewarded are: Amy Adams (The Muppets), Sandra Bullock (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), Anna Kendrick (50/50), Anjelica Huston (50/50), Emma Stone (Crazy, Stupid, Love.), and — again from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2  – Emma Watson, Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, and Julie Waters.

Best Director

My Prediction

Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist. Not only is it the likely Best Picture winner (usually an indicator for the director category too), but it’s a particularly director-heavy film. Watching it, we keep thinking, “this is new, this is different, this is brave.” With very little dialogue, it’s a lot easier to assign brilliance to the director than the screenwriter. The Artist is Hazanavicius’ way of saying, “to film, with love,” and I expect the Academy to respond in like kind.

My Choice

Of the five nominated, I strongly favor Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris, one of the highest highlights of his long and accomplished career.

But as much as I love Paris, it’s a shame Steven Spielberg wasn’t nominated for War Horse (in lieu of The Descendants’ Alexander Payne). Between that and Tintin — not to mention high-profile executive producer credits on Super 8 and (well, we’ll agree to forget Cowboys & Aliens) – 2011 was Spielberg’s big return. I wish the voters could have acknowledged that with a win.

Oh, and speaking of Super 8, I’d have named J.J. Abrams in place of Tree of Life‘s Terrence Malick. While I appreciate and respect what Malick attempted to do with Life, he didn’t succeed to a great enough measure to warrant nomination.

Best Animated Feature

My Prediction

Rango. Clearly and on its face in a different league than the other domestic animated features. (In the interest of full disclosure, I wasn’t able to see the foreign-produced Chico & Rita or A Cat in Paris).

My Choice

Of the five, Rango. It’s perhaps the most unique movie nominated in any category this year — but still only my second favorite animated film of 2011. The top spot goes to Winnie the Pooh. The big headline has been that Cars 2 was shut out, but that’s no surprise. A dismal and critically thrashed follow-up to an overrated original, it had no business on anyone’s ballot, no matter how strong Pixar’s track record has been otherwise.

But while Pooh might be just a little bit slight, it’s far less so than Puss in Boots, and yet filled with so much more cleverness and heart than Dreamworks’ tired franchise extender. Last year, Tangled was inexplicably closed out of this same race, begging the question: why can’t Disney Feature Animation get any love in the category that was essentially created for them?

Best Original Screenplay

My Prediction

Midnight in Paris. This movie is amazing and despite its unseasonably early release window, it deserves awards. The voters know that and will probably make up for ignoring it in the BP and Directing races by throwing Allen the Screenplay bone here.

My Choice

Midnight in Paris. The film’s good all around, but its writing is especially strong. I would say The Artist, but it somehow seems fundamentally unfair to pass up Allen’s excellent dialogue for a film that has hardly any at all. 

Should have been nominated: Super 8, 50/50, and maybe The Muppets.

(Note: I was not able to see A Separation prior to this year’s Oscar ceremony).

Best Adapted Screenplay

My Prediction

The Descendants. It shouldn’t, but it probably will. After all, it did win the Writers’ Guild award, not to mention the Globe for Best Drama.

It’s not a lock, though. There is room for a gamble, and while I’m not rolling the dice, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Hugo or Moneyball win. Just please, God, don’t let it be Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. How that and Transformers: Dark of the Moon wound up with three nominations apiece is a mystery to me.

My Choice

Among the nominated, Moneyball. Among the un-nominated, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, one of the best book-to-film adaptations ever.

Best Original Score

My Prediction

All signs point to The Artist.

My Choice

Either War Horse or The Artist.

Best Original Song

My Prediction

“Man or Muppet” from The Muppets. Biggest upset of the night if it doesn’t win.

My Choice

“Man or Muppet.” Easiest choice ever.

While I’m glad that The Muppets landed just the one nom (because otherwise the votes could split and give RIO a victory it doesn’t deserve), I wish it could have been “Life’s a Happy Song.” What’s really upsetting, however, is that the Academy’s stripped this once-important category down to the point that it’s possible for just two numbers to earn a nomination, neither of which get performed during the ceremony itself.

Best Cinematography

My Prediction

Tree of Life. They’ll want to award it somewhere, and being the visual wonder that it is, this is a good place to do it.

My Choice

War Horse. So beautifully shot.

Best Art Direction

My Prediction

I can see this one going any way, but Hugo seems likeliest.

My Choice

Art Direction and Cinematography are Hugo‘s two strongest suits, so I’ll welcome a win for it, but even better would be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (which actually is nominated). For that matter, any of the nominees are A-ok with me.

Best Visual Effects

My Prediction

Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Critics loved the movie and so did audiences. In some weird way, this can be like the Academy giving an acting award to Andy Serkis for his mostly-silent-but-still-powerful, mostly-CGI-but-still-human performance as an emotionally angsty ape.

My Choice

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, even if for the Hogwarts battle scenes alone.

(Note: I didn’t have a chance to see Real Steel prior to this year’s Oscar ceremony. Somehow, I’m okay with that.)

Best Costume Design

My Prediction

I think it’s anyone’s game in the Costume lineup, but I’ll go with The Artist in a sweep.

My Choice

Either The Artist or Hugo works for me. A lot of this year’s movies could have been competitive in Costuming, War Horse; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2; and The Help chief among them.

(Note: I didn’t have a chance to see Anonymous, Jane Eyre, or W.E. prior to this year’s Oscar ceremony.)

Best Makeup

My Prediction

The Iron Lady. I literally doubted whether it was Meryl Streep in the opening scenes. It’s that good.

My Choice

I’m pretty equally okay with all three, but for the sake of picking one: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2.

Best Documentary Feature

My Prediction

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory. Hollywood’s been wrapped up in these films for a decade now, and this one has the big payoff (its subjects were freed from prison for murders they seemingly didn’t commit).

My Choice

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory. It’s the only one of the nominated documentaries I managed to see before this year’s ceremony, but I can’t imagine any other topping it in my book. I can’t remember the last time a documentary so captured my undivided attention and stirred my passion for justice. Capable of sparking outrage and evoking tears, it’s an incredible piece of investigative and influential reporting that reminds us of what documentaries are supposed to do. It’s literally changed lives, and continues to do so as the investigation it inspired carries forward.

Best Foreign Language Film

My Prediction

A Separation. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t have a chance to see any of the Foreign Language nominees this year. This is the only one to get a nomination outside this category, and it’s in a fairly big one (Screenplay), so I’ll assume that speaks for itself.

My Choice

No pick here (see above).

Best Film Editing

My Prediction

A lot of people seem to favor Hugo for Editing, but as I wrote last year, I think voters favor a good pace for this category. That’s one thing Hugo doesn’t have. Therefore, I predict the other favorite to win: The Artist.

My Choice

From the nominees: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Outside of those, I’d pick Super 8 or The Muppets.

Best Sound Editing

My Prediction

Hugo. Close call, but it has the year’s most nominations, and since it’s not getting many (or any) of the big prizes, it’s bound to snag some of the low-hanging fruit.

My Choice

Drive. The sound helps steer the film (no pun intended), and stands out more in this movie than any other.

Best Sound Mixing

My Prediction

Hugo. For the same reason as Sound Editing.

My Choice

Anything other than Transformers: Dark of the Moon. What’s the point of good sound if it’s put to such terrible use? It doesn’t deserve to call itself an Oscar winner (“thrice-nominated” is bad enough). Moneyball seems like an odd choice for this category too, so put me down for any of the other three.

Best Documentary Short Subject

My Prediction

Taking everyone else’s word for it, I’ll go with Saving Face.

My Choice

The Documentary Shorts are far and away the hardest nominees to see in time for the Oscars… just about impossible if you’re not a part of the specialized groups supplied with screeners. I’ve managed to catch a couple in years past, but no such luck this time around.

Best Live-Action Short Film

My Prediction

The Shore. It’s the longest and most cinematic; i.e., it feels the most like a full-length movie. Paradoxically, that should get it the short film prize.

My Choice

Having seen three of the nominees (I haven’t had a chance to catch Tuba Atlantic or Raju, though I might get to both in the minutes before the ceremony), I can’t stir myself to care which wins. I guess Time Freak piqued me the most… at least, it made me laugh.

Best Animated Short Film

My Prediction

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Of the four I’ve seen, it’s the most polished. The others are slight and off-putting. For some reason, La Luna isn’t picking up any buzz (yet… see below).

My Choice

Disney/Pixar’s La Luna is the only one of the nominees I haven’t seen. Though it technically qualifies for this year’s Awards, few will see it until its wide release in front of Brave in a few months. That might have hurt its chances in the race. Given Pixar’s record and the general lameness of the others, I suspect La Luna will be my favorite when I see it. Until then, I guess The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. It’s the least boring of the four.

This year’s short film menu reflects 2011′s cinematic climate as a whole: meh.

• See Also: My picks for the 30 Best Music Singles of 2011
• Coming Soon: My list of the Top 10 Best of 2011 in Film

 

The 84th Annual Academy Awards air live this Sunday, February 26, at 7:00 p.m Eastern Time (4:00 Pacific) on ABC. Visit the official Oscar website here, part of the Go network.

By Aaron Wallace

As is often true of a decade’s early years, 2011 was an off-year in entertainment. I guess the 2010s are still trying to figure themselves out. Of course, off isn’t always bad. Take Adele, for example… unexpected but oh so welcome. For other great offerings in music this year, let’s take a look at my picks for the 30 best songs of 2011… the best “singles,” actually (a term that becomes harder to define with each passing year).

Note: In the past, I’ve given objective measures like chart performance significant weight in determining this list. It occurred to me that criticizing the state of mainstream radio while also allowing it to influence my rankings made little sense. That said, I still want to recognize songs that manage to capture the culture all at once. Indeed, my #1 pick this year earned that place in part because of its power to utterly define 2011, musically speaking. So, charts still play a role, but musical strength matters more this year than ever.

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30. “Weird Al” Yankovic – “Perform This Way” 

It’s about time “Weird Al” took on the most ridiculous thing in pop culture: Lady Gaga. Amazing how the year’s most overblown song turns into something so delightful when the lyrics ridicule the underlying absurdity. While perhaps not Yankovic’s most insightful song, the lyrics are nevertheless insanely canny. The video is also one of the year’s (and the artist’s) best.

 

29. Arctic Monkeys – “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair”

The best “don’t trust me” song since “Don’t Trust Me.” The James Bond-style surf riff lends the perfect intrigue to a song about duplicity.

 

28. Haley Reinhart – “Bennie and the Jets”

Like most in-season “American Idol” studio singles, the production is a tad cliché, but Reinhart’s sultry, powerhouse voice is at its most irresistible in this track. She glides over the big “Bennie”s in the chorus with sex and soul, making the Elton John classic her delicious own.

 

27. Foster the People – “Don’t Stop (Color on the Walls)”

A playful celebration of childhood do-what-I-want-itude. Or a diagnosis of new-generation adults’ do-what-I-want-itude. Either way, it’s super catchy.

 

26. Girls – “Vomit”

Radiohead meet Pink Floyd and… puke? Never fear, emetophobes… the song isn’t actually about vomit. No, it’s really all about an amazing buildup to an epic rock-and-roll choir.

 

25. Hugo – “99 Problems”

A complete reinvention of the Jay-Z song, Hugo’s new lyrics — and the video that accompanies them — paint a vivid mural of things that sound awful but are still apparently less problematic than a bitch. Who knew HOVA could work so well as country-blues-rock?

 

24. Cee Lo Green – “Bright Lights Bigger City”

Rebecca Black’s “Friday” got all the attention this year, but it was Cee Lo who delivered 2011′s best celebration of the weekend. Big on synth and string, the song is a grand earworm… a worthy (but less profane) follow-up to last year’s “F**k You.”

 

23. Glee Cast – “I Love New York / New York, New York”

The best “Glee” cuts improve on the originals or create an identity all their own. This one does both, at least with respect to Madonna’s original “I Love New York” (On the Town‘s “New York, New York” is nearly unrecognizable in this mashup, but in a good way). Electrified, layered, and contemporarily (and appropriately) urban, this is the rare “Glee” cover to dodge jukebox revue territory and instead play out like a radio hit of its own merit.

 

22. Panic! at the Disco, featuring fun. – “C’mon”

Can Panic! and fun. make a song together every year? And can they always be inspired by Alice in Wonderland? They don’t even always have to have a full symphony with marching band-style trumpeting, matrimonial chiming (apropos for a musical marriage like theirs), and an arms-in-the-air chorus like this one does… but, then again, can they please?

 

21. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”

Okay, so I don’t think anyone who’s heard a Chili Peppers song before will be surprised by the way “Rain Dance Maggie” sounds, but is anyone tired of their sound yet? Not me. Besides, these are some of their funniest lyrics… and there’s cowbell. We all need more cowbell.

 

20. The Decemberists – “Don’t Carry It All”

Dear Harmonica, we missed you. Sincerely, Where is Tom Petty Anyways? This beautifully harmonized, lively ballad takes the imagination to a bonfire on a crisp evening night… except the bridge. That’s in Italy.

 

19. Paul Simon – “Rewrite”

Simon’s soothing, acoustic storytelling is so earnest, especially in this wistful-yet-determined lament of a Vietnam vet revising the story of his life. Not since Carl Fredricksen has an old man’s psyche been so believably and touchingly expressed.

 

18. Steven Tyler – “(It) Feels So Good”

Without the rest of Aerosmith backing him, Tyler’s solo debut feels a little light. That said, when taken as pop rather than rock, it’s as fun as the singer himself, whose infectious personality won the world over on “American Idol” this year. The song’s called “(It) Feels So Good” and (it) really does. Outrageously hook-filled and accented with wordplay and some of Tyler’s best and most melodic screaming, the track is a pleasant taste of ear candy in the midst of today’s beat-heavy noise. We can all keep pretending Nicole Scherzinger isn’t singing in the background, right?

 

17. Manchester Orchestra – “Simple Math”

Lead singer and songwriter Andy Hull brings his signature brand of questioning to the subjects of religion, sex, and the former’s rules for the latter. As is often the case with his lyrics, the appeal is in his lack of agenda… he’s not making a point so much as just honestly trying to figure things out. While I doubt the band or many of their fans would call this “Christian music,” it has all the sincerity and lack of pretense that make for the most profound faith-based music. His voice is at its best here too. The music video is one of the best short films of the year.

 

16. Adele – “Set Fire to the Rain”

Adele set fire to the radio this year, sending Lady Gaga and her ilk up in flames with an onslaught of gorgeous compositions that made the heavyset English wailer 2011′s unlikely Queen of Pop. The lyrics are fiercely vivid, capturing both the devastation and fury of heartbreak. Those conflicting emotions are mirrored, respectively, by a ballet-worthy symphony on the one hand and heavy-struck piano with marching percussion on the other.

 

 Continue to #15 – #1

Stay tuned to aaronwallaceonline.com for more information on Aaron’s upcoming book about Walt Disney World… title and release date coming soon!

About This Site

 

The list continues with the numbers 15 through 1 below. Click here to return to #30 – 16.

 

15. Hanson – “Give a Little”

A set of instructions to men on how to dance with women. With blazing brass, a tantalizing guitar riff, hand clapping, and — yes — more cowbell, everyone feels like dancing to this sorta-sequel to “Thinking ‘Bout Somethin’.” While “Give a Little” is the #15 song of the year, its music video might be the best of 2011.

 

14. Panic! at the Disco – “Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)”

Opening with a soft and lurking wind-up, the song quickly erupts with a bang, giving way to hyper-chanting, instrument-filled dance-rock. The lyrics talk about running, but the music is so, so catchy.

 

13. Arctic Monkeys – “Suck It and See”

With its retro vibe and wave-like tempo, “Suck It and See” could be the soundtrack to a ’60s flight to Hawaii. The lyrics are absolutely phenomenal, with gem lines that include “your love is like a leather-studded headlock” and “that’s not a skirt, girl, that’s a sawn-off shotgun, and I can only hope you’ve got it aimed at me.”

 

12. The Kooks – “Junk of the Heart (Happy)”

“I Wanna Make You Happy,” says the refrain… and it does. “Junk of the Heart” may not sound very romantic, but there’s smile-inducing exuberance in this English indie love song.

 

11. Delta Rae – “If I Loved You”

Part of the band’s “gRAEt Mondays” free music campaign, “If I Loved You” is a soaring throwback to ’90s adult contemporary pop. A song of nonreciprocal romance, it’s delivered with emotionally wrenched vocal harmonies and the kind of piano/guitar collaboration we don’t hear enough of these days.

 

10. Arctic Monkeys – “The Hellcat Spangled Shalalala”

A difficult song to read, but with wording so artfully crafted that you’ve just got to try. The ever-versatile Monkeys’ stark songwriting continues with well-turned (if ambiguous) lines like “I took the batteries out my mysticism and put ‘em in my thinking cap” and “her steady hands may well have done the devil’s pedicure.”

 

9. AWOLNATION – “Sail”

“Sail” goes from mysterious to creepy in just over thirty seconds, and then quickly turns into an attention-deficit musical horror house. The product is, like the verse says, “a different breed.”

 

8. Manchester Orchestra – “Virgin”

Speaking of creepy songs, this one’s downright haunting. A slow-singing children’s choir will do that to any brooding rock song.

 

7. The Civil Wars – “Barton Hollow”

A swampy folk-rocker with lyrics about a dead man walking, stalked by the devil. It’s like Jars of Clay, if they were both more country and more rock ‘n roll. The Wars’ Williams and White belt from beginning to end, their voices blending in perfect accord.

 

6. Teitur – “God, I Have So Many Things to Tell You”

While popular in Denmark, Faroese singer/songwriter Teitur is virtually unknown to Americans. He isn’t really a Christian Music artist either. Maybe if he caught the ear of today’s Nashville-based Contemporary Christian Music, though, the latter wouldn’t be so boring. Here is an edgy and truly contemporary expression of faith — and doubt — artfully written and sung.

 

5. Maroon 5, featuring Christina Aguilera – “Moves Like Jagger”

It took Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera entirely too long to collaborate, even if this isn’t exactly the Levine/Aguilera duet I’d hoped for. The pulsating beat, the uber-sexual lyrics, the high notes… these are things both the band and the songstress are known for individually. Naturally, that’s all on overdrive when they team up for this addictive whistle romp.

 

4. Delta Rae – “Bottom of the River”

A ghost story of a song with cricket chirping, incantatory wailing, and otherworldly stomping. The low-rolling harmonies and seductive screaming sound like they might actually rouse the dead. When literal chains are among your primary instruments, you know you’re creating atmosphere. This phenomenal track is brimming with it.

 

3. fun., featuring Janelle Monáe – “We Are Young”

An eminently of-the-moment celebration of youth. Every generation deserves one of these.

 

2. ADELE – “Someone Like You”

So pure and raw that it actually makes you want to cry. Piano accompaniment hasn’t been this stirring since “Candle on the Water.” Adele’s flawless voice has such presence in the recording, as if she’s standing there beside you, spilling her soul into your ear.

 

1. ADELE – “Rolling in the Deep”

A really-for-real great song for the entire world to obsess over. We needed this. We still do. And I’m still obsessed… a year later.

 

Honorable Mentions

• Gym Class Heroes, featuring Adam Levine – “Stereo Hearts”
• Sleeper Agent – “Get It Daddy”
• Foo Fighters – “These Days” 
• Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – “The Death of You and Me” 
• Jennifer Lopez, featuring Pitbull – “On the Floor” 
• tUnE-yArDs – “Bizness” 
• Glee Cast – “Get It Right” 
• Nicki Minaj – “Super Bass” 
• Maroon 5 – “Never Gonna Leave This Bed” 
• Rooney – “Holdin’ On” 
• Glee Cast – “We Are Young” 
• Radiohead – “The Daily Mail” 
• Vince Gill – “Threaten Me with Heaven” 

 

Back to #30 – #16

Stay tuned to aaronwallaceonline.com for more information on Aaron’s upcoming book about Walt Disney World… title and release date coming soon!

Also Coming Soon: The Best in Film of 2011

See Also: The 30 Best Singles of 2010 | The 30 Best Singles of 2009 

See Also: The 25 Best TV Shows of the Decade (2000-2009) | The 50 Best Films of the Decade (2000-2009)

About This Site

By Aaron Wallace

Funny is maybe the last thing people would call commercial flight these days. That was different thirty years ago, when Airplane! became the fourth highest grossing film of 1980. Looking back now, the tongue-in-cheek comedy reminds us of a time when air travel was casual and relaxed… even when there’s no one to fly the plane… continue reading the full review at DVDizzy.com

If you think “Weird Al” is unusual, wait ’til you see him live. His shows aren’t just concerts, they’re music videos reenacted on stage. With Kurt Cobain wigs, Michael Jackson fat suits, and the occasional stormtrooper parade, Al’s every tour takes its place among the most elaborate and memorable in the industry. His latest road show comes in support of Alpocalypse — the Weird one’s first album in five years… click here to continue reading the full review at DVDizzy.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DISNEY AND DISNEY•PIXAR FAVORITES POISED TO RETURN TO
THEATERS IN 3D

‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘Finding Nemo,’ ‘Monsters, Inc.’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ Will Make 3D Theatrical Debut in 2012 and 2013

BURBANK, Calif. – October 4, 2011 – On the heels of the phenomenal success of The Lion King 3D – which will cross the $80 million mark at the domestic box office today – The Walt Disney Studios has announced limited theatrical engagements for four of its classic films for the first time in 3D. The following titles from Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios will be released in 2012 and 2013:

· Beauty and the Beast – January 13, 2012
· Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo – September 14, 2012
· Disney•Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. – January 18, 2013 (Monsters University, a prequel to the original film, arrives in theaters in Disney Digital 3D on June 21, 2013)
· The Little Mermaid – September 13, 2013

“Great stories and great characters are timeless, and at Disney we’re fortunate to have a treasure trove of both,” said Alan Bergman, President, The Walt Disney Studios. “We’re thrilled to give audiences of all ages the chance to experience these beloved tales in an exciting new way with 3D – and in the case of younger generations, for the first time on the big screen.”
Originally released in 1991, Beauty and the Beast is a classic “tale as old as time” that follows the adventures of Belle, a bright young woman imprisoned in the castle of a mysterious beast and his enchanted staff, who must learn the most important lesson of all – that true beauty comes from within. Beauty and the Beast was the first animated film ever nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture, earning an additional five Oscar® nominations and winning two. It has grossed $380.4 million worldwide.

First released in 2003, Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo takes audiences into a whole new world in this undersea adventure about family, courage and challenges. When Marlin, an overly cautious clownfish living in the Great Barrier Reef, helplessly watches his son get scooped up by a diver, he must put aside his fears of the ocean and leave the safety of his coral enclave to find Nemo. Buoyed by the companionship of Dory, a forgetful but relentlessly optimistic fish, Marlin finds himself the unlikely hero in a seemingly impossible land-and-sea rescue.Finding Nemo won an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature and was nominated for three others. With a total of $867.6 million worldwide, it was the second highest-grossing film of 2003.
In 2001, Disney•Pixar released Monsters, Inc. Lovable Sulley and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski are the top scare team at Monsters, Inc., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. But when a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, it’s up to Sulley and Mike to keep her out of sight and get her back home.Monsters, Inc. shattered every DVD-era home entertainment sales record when 11 million DVD/VHS copies were sold during its first week of release. It won an Academy Award® for Best Song and has grossed $526.9 million worldwide.

Released in 1989, The Little Mermaid, stars Ariel, a fun-loving and mischievous mermaid, off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, the adorable Flounder, and the reggae-singing Caribbean crab Sebastian. But it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams come true and save her father’s beloved kingdom from the sneaky sea witch Ursula. One of the most celebrated animated films of all time, The Little Mermaid was nominated for three Academy Awards®, winning two. It has grossed $228.9 million worldwide.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS
For more than 85 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under four banners: Walt Disney Pictures, which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel; and Touchstone Pictures, which includes the distribution of live-action films from DreamWorks Studios. Original music and motion picture soundtracks are produced under Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records, while Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Broadway theatrical productions, Disney on Ice and Disney LIVE!. For more information, visit www.waltdisneystudios.com.