Every year, thousands of people tune in to watch the Oscars. Whether it’s the beautiful dresses, handsome tuxes, or the actual awards, the Oscars have something for everyone.
This year, the nominees for Best Picture were Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, and Zero Dark Thirty.
To the dismay of some Saint Anselm students, the Oscar for Best Picture went to Argo.
When asked before Sunday’s Oscars, students did not seem to have any problem coming up with a consensus. Both Talia Jalette ‘16, and Luke Robins ’16 agreed that Les Misérables should win.
“Les Misérables was amazing and should definitely win Best Picture, but Django should definitely win Best Writing” said Jalette.
Besides the classic musical-turned film, a lot of students predicted that Argo would be the winner for Best Picture. The film about the operation to rescue American hostages in Iran in 1979 sparked interest for many students, bringing together patriotic emotions with action and history.
Another big contender was Zero Dark Thirty, as it pays homage to the decade long search for Osama bin Laden and the eventual murder of the famed Al Quaeda dictator. While not necessarily historically accurate, the movie resonates with much of the nation as they experience the event through a whole new perspective of the elusive mission.
Another award which sparked interest among students was the Best Actor in a Lead Role Award, with nominees Bradley Cooper for his role in Silver Lingings Playbook, Daniel Day Lewis for playing Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln, Hugh Jackman for acting in Les Misérables, Joaquin Phoenix for The Master, and Denzel Washington for his role in Flight.
“I feel like Daniel Day Lewis should win because he played a real person, which is difficult to do. But, I am a huge fan of Hugh Jackman, so it is going to be a tough call” said Olivia Gorman ’16.
The third most battled for award was Best Actress in a Lead Role. The women up for this award were Jessica Chastain for being in Zero Dark Thirty, Jennifer Lawrence for her role in Silver Linings Playbook, Emmanulle Riva for acting in Amour, Quvenzhané Wallis for acting in Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Naomi Watts for being in The Impossible.
“I wish I had seen more of the movies, but based on reviews, it should be between Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence,” said Rosemary Lausier ’16.
Up for winning the award for Original Score were Anna Karenina, Argo, Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Skyfall. Among students, the popular winner is Skyfall because of the newest Bond song, “Skyfall,” sung by Adele. The British star has everyone talking about the soundtrack, which made it possible for it to take the lead.
On the lighter side of the competition, the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film were Disney’s Brave, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, ParaNorman, The Pirates! Band of Misfits, and another Disney film, Wreck-It Ralph.
Melanie Powell ’15 commented, “As good as Brave was in regards to animation, I think Wreck-It Ralph had a better story. It was more geared towards our generation and had more of a unique story. I have never seen a movie like it. Plot twists make good movies, and Wreck-It Ralph had the biggest plot twist of all time.”
Between the strong contenders for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Lead Role, Best Actress in a Lead Role, and Best Animated Feature Film, the 2013 Oscars brought some surprises and a night of entertainment for all.