2013 Oscars afterthoughts

Seth MacFarlane, the host of the 2013 Oscars.

PICTURE
Winner: Argo

Should’ve won: Zero Dark Thirty

With all the precursor awards it had picked up over the last two months, it was no surprise Argo won the big prize of the night . Still, I think a lot of love for Argo came from the fact that people were still shocked Ben Affleck didn’t get a nomination for Best Director. Also, Hollywood needs to get over punishing films they deem too controversial. Zero Dark Thirty would’ve had a better shot of winning if there wasn’t such a focused smear campaign on the more politically charged aspects of the film.

DIRECTOR
Winner: Ang Lee, Life of Pi

For directing the most visually inspired film of the year, Lee deserves this hands-down. Without Affleck in the lineup, this prize could’ve gone to just about any one of the nominees. It was a bit surprising it didn’t go to Steven Spielberg for Lincoln (especially since he hasn’t won in 14 years), but Lee’s win isn’t all that shocking. Like his Best Director win for Brokeback Mountain, however, his film didn’t follow suit with a victory.

LEAD ACTOR
Winner:  Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln

Should’ve won: Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

There were three locks this year at the Oscars. Anne Hathaway winning Best Supporting Actress for Les Misérables, Amour winning Best Foreign Film, and Daniel Day-Lewis becoming the first person ever to win three Best Lead Actors Awards in his career for his performance in Lincoln. As picky as he is about accepting roles, don’t be surprised if he wins another three before it’s all said and done.

LEAD ACTRESS
Winner: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Should’ve won: Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

Would’ve loved to have seen Oscar history made if Emmanuelle Riva won and became the oldest Best Actress winner ever or if Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) won and became the youngest, but Lawrence was great in her role (even though that sports stats scene still irks me as forced).

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Should’ve won: Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

One thing is certain: Christoph Waltz better tether himself to Quentin Tarantino for the rest of his life. This award could’ve easily gone to any of these fine actors. Waltz may have won another Supporting Actor Oscar, but his role in Django Unchained was a lead character all the way.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

Although I’ve never been a fan of giving someone an Oscar for singing (give your statue back, Jennifer Hudson!), Hathaway’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” has to be a considered a rare exception. She wanted that Oscar. She grubbed for it and it paid off.

Other thoughts about other awards:

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Winner: Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
This was a make-up award for not giving him an Oscar for Inglourious Basterds. Also, sooner or later the Academy is going to have to give Wes Anderson some love.

ANIMATED FEATURE

Winner: Brave

This was the most disappointing award of the night. The Pixar machine takes no prisoners again, even though Brave was not nearly up to par with its other Oscar-winning films. This award needed to go to Wreck-It Ralph and it is very disconcerting it did not.

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Life of Pi
Extremely well deserved, but now Roger Deakins (Skyfall) is 0-10 at the Oscars.

SOUND EDITING
Winners: Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty
A tie?! They should’ve had James Bond and Seal Team Six fight onstage to break it like they had Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand do in 1969.

— Kiko Martínez

Tags: film, kiko martinez, Oscars 2013