OUTSTANDING FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Amour (Directed by Michael Haneke)

Goodbye First Love (Directed by Mia Hansen-Løve)

The Raid: Redemption (Directed by Gareth Huw Evans)

A Royal Family (Directed by Nikolaj Arcel)

Rust & Bone (Directed by Jacques Audiard)

AND THE WINNER IS…..

AMOUR (DIRECTED BY MICHAEL HANEKE)

Last Year’s Winner: A Seperation (Directed by Asghar Farhadi)

This is the third win for Michael Haneke in the foreign language category for Amour.

Haneke usually makes films that are quite depressing and his follow up to the dark The White Ribbon was a dark film of love that showed that love truly can be endless if the main two characters are examples of that. Scenes play out in such interesting ways and while the end of the story is given to us at the start still the film moves along quite well and really becomes such an emotional experience that I feel in love with nearly everything about the film as it went through the journey of greatness showing that Haneke is one of the better working international directors working today.

OUTSTANDING MAKEUP

Heike Merker, Daniel Parker & Jeremy Woodhead for Cloud Atlas

Bernard Floch for Holy Motors

Alessandro Bertolazzi, David Martí & Montse Ribé for The Impossible

Lisa Westcott & Julie Dartnell for Les Misérables

Lois Burwell & Kay Georgiou for Lincoln

AND THE WINNER IS…..

LOIS BURWELL & KAY GEORGIOU FOR LINCOLN

Last Year’s Winner: Mark Coulier & J. Roy Helland for The Iron Lady

This is the second win/nomination for Lois Burwell and first win/nomination for Kay Georgiou for their work on Lincoln.

The transformation for Day-Lewis may have also come in his great acting but the stellar makeup starting with Lincoln was what made the look of the film even better showing how much Lewis could look like Lincoln. With many extras throughout the film makeup was an important part as many of these people where playing real people and were made to look like them and allowed all of the cast to disappear into their roles showing how strong the minimalist makeup was used well by the team.

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Jacqueline Durran for Anna Karenina

Joanna Johnston for Lincoln

Mark Bridges for The Master

Eiko Ishioka for Mirror Mirror

Nabob Rasmussen for A Royal Affair

AND THE WINNER IS…..

JACQUELINE DURRAN FOR ANNA KARENINA

Last Year’s Winner: Sandy Powell for Hugo

This is the third win for Jacqueline Durran on her fifth nomination for her work on Anna Karenina.

Joe Wright works with the same people and once again the costumes of his film are done by the great Jacqueline Durran who also took great chances on these costumes designing around 1950’s couture mixed with the style of the clothing worn during the time period the film is set and most of the standout outfits are great symbols of what happens with the story which can only help as the film goes on. Durran displays career best work in this film that she might only be able to match from now on.

OUTSTANDING ART DIRECTION

Production Design by Sarah Greenwood; Set Design by Katie Spencer for Anna Karenina

Production Design by Hugh Bateup & Uli Hanisch; Set Design by Rebecca Alleway & Peter Walpole for Cloud Atlas

Production Design by Rick Carter; Set Design by Jim Erickson & Peter T. Frank for Lincoln

Production Design by Adam Stockhausen; Set Design by Kris Moran for Moonrise Kingdom

Production Design by Jeremy Hindle; Set Design by Lisa Chugg for Zero Dark Thirty

AND THE WINNER IS…..

PRODUCTION DESIGN BY SARAH GREENWOOD; SET DESIGN BY KATIE SPENCER FOR ANNA KARENINA

Last Year’s Winner: Production Design by Dante Ferretti; Set Design by Francesca Lo Schiavo for Hugo

This is the third win and nomination for the duo of Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer. They have won for their work on Anna Karenina.

Joe Wright made the complete right decision in the risk of filming the film in a non traditional way which lead to many great sets moving around throughout the scene changes creating the hightened dramatic atmosphere. The Russian style was kept throughout the design making the film work even better as a new way of telling this period piece in a new and exciting way of storytelling.

OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY

Seamus McGarvey for Anna Karenina

Ben Richardson for Beasts of the Southern Wild

Janusz Kaminski for Lincoln

Bradford Young for Middle of Nowhere

Roger Deakins for Skyfall

AND THE WINNER IS:

ROGER DEAKINS FOR SKYFALL

Last Year’s Winner: Emmanuel Lubezki for The Tree of Life

This is the second win for Roger Deakins on his fifth nomination for his work Skyfall.

When watching previous Bond films I mostly remember the action but with this news Bond film all I could think about was the beautiful cinematography done by the great Roger Deakins who has now proved he can make anything look beautiful. This is the best looking Bond film ever with Deakin’s use of contrasting light especially in the scenes set in Hong King in particular with one fight scene seen through shadows of the fight over the moving bright images of the Hong Kong buildings made it more a visual treat.

2012 “An Irish Person” Film Awards ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Just as I did last year, I release my personal awards. This lists are going to be my personal nominees and winners for the film year of 2012. These are my personal opinions and I hope people can respect them and not tear them down. I will start on Sunday announcing the nominees and a few hours later the winner along with some final comments.