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SALT LAKE CITY - Snubs have become as much a part of the Academy Awards as the statues themselves. Last year Christopher Nolan was overlooked for his directorial efforts on the blockbuster "Inception," and Andrew Garfield, one of the best parts of 2011's "Social Network" missed out on a nod as well. This year also saw some notable snubs and some real head scratchers. So, here's a list of 10 of the biggest Oscar snubs of 2012 in no particular order.
Leonardo DiCaprio - Best Actor
Leo is no stranger to the snub list. In 2010 Leo starred in two films in 2010 that fueled a slew of Oscar talks, "Shutter Island" and "Inception." Critics agreed Leo was in top form for both films, but he missed out on a single nod. Even the year he received a nod for his role in "Blood Diamond" he was equally if not more so powerful in "The Departed," but he couldn't land two noms in one year.
In 2011 DiCaprio wowed audiences with his portrayal of J. Edgar Hoover, but again, he couldn't get the Academy to take the bait and Leo was left in the cold for yet another awards season.
The Adventures of Tintin - Best Animated Feature
Tintin is an adventure that has pleased audiences and critics, but the Academy ignored the film and rather nominated two foreign films that came as a shock to just about everyone.
Andy Serkis - Best Actor
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Many thought this was the year that a motion capture actor snagged an Academy Award nod, but it wasn't to be. Serkis brought life to Caesar, the primate who leads a rebellion in the box office hit "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." Without a word Serkis managed to get audiences cheering for an ape over the human race. His acting was truly superb, but apparently not superb enough.
50/50 - Best Original Screenplay
"50/50" told the story of a hard subject in an emotional and often laugh out loud way. Will Reiser wrote the script pulling from his actual fight with cancer and managed to hit you right in the heart. Great original stories are often tough to come by these days, and Reiser delivered a gem, but the Academy didn't seem to agree.
Ryan Gosling - Best Actor
Last year many felt Gosling was unjustly left out of the best actor category for his role in "Blue Valentine." If fans of the Sexiest Man Alive runner-up were upset by that, they must be livid this year. Gosling gave two knock-out performances in 2011 by way of "The Ides of March" and "Drive." Gosling killed it in both films, but couldn't manage to get a nod for either role.
Tate Taylor - Best Director
Taylor was left out of the directing category even though his film, "The Help" shattered box office expectations and resonated with audiences everywhere. Taylor managed to tell a touching, powerful, inspiring story with his lens, but the success of the film wasn't enough to earn him a nomination.
Michael Shannon- Best Actor
Shannon may not be as well known as the other actors on this list, but his performance in "Take Shelter" was just as powerful as anyone else who was nominated. Watching Shannon prepare his family for a disaster that may or may not be coming is haunting and brilliant. It was the performance of his career and it was not recognized with a nomination.
Albert Brooks - Best Supporting Actor
Albert Brooks is known for his comedy roles and sharp writing, and that's exactly what made his turn as ruthless gangster Bernie in "Drive" so amazing. I never thought Brooks would be able to fill anyone with terror, but he managed to do it to me and audiences across the world for 90 minutes. Brooks not only deserved a nomination, but quite possibly a win for his work in "Drive."
Steven Spielberg - Best Director
The man has won before, but his war epic, "War Horse," deserved Spielberg an Oscar nomination as much as just about anything else he's done. The film is orchestrated beautifully and regardless if you like the story or the film as a whole, you can't help but be awe stricken watching Spielberg weave a tapestry of beauty and heart.
Drive - Best Picture
Possibly the most bizarre thing about this year's nominations was the fact that the Academy selected only 9 films for best picture instead of 10. There are number of films that could have filled that number 10 spot, but possibly none were more deserving than "Drive."
Some complained the film wasn't a "Fast and the Furious" or a "Transporter." To them I ask, "Do you really want another film like that?" But personal tastes aside, "Drive" was a character driven film that had an impending sense of doom during the most tranquil of scenes.
"Drive" is exactly the kind of brutal, slow-burn thriller Hollywood loves, which is why it came as such a shock that it was so looked over by the Academy.
So, there are 10 snubs from the 2012 Academy Awards. Who or what else do you think was left off the nominees list? And maybe you think the Academy could not have been more right to not nominate any of the above. If so, tell us why on the comment boards and on Facebook.
