2012 Films: Best And Worst Of The Year Awards

By Shaun Munro /

Best Production Design

WINNER: Lincoln (Rick Carter, Jim Erickson, Peter T. Frank) Another so-called "lofty" award that generally goes to period fare, Rick Carter, Jim Erickson, and Peter T. Frank prove that this stereotype is with good reason, given the immense effort that goes into painstakingly recreating the details of a period. Their production design work on Spielberg's Lincoln is fantastic, never making us question the time period or setting for even a moment, and though several of the runners-up also did just that, it's the more authentic rooting of the setting that pushes it over the edge and gives it that extra kick. RUNNERS UP: Django Unchained The Master Prometheus Les Misérables

Best Visual Effects

WINNER: Life of Pi When I first saw the trailer for Life of Pi, I was sceptical as anything; CGI animals can be tricky at the best of times, and I didn't as a result expect much from a film that primarily features a young man stranded in a boat with a menagerie of artificial animals. Nevertheless, Ang Lee characteristically delivers here, not only with a thought-provoking story, but with a sublime visual presentation, whether it's the fantastical images of giant phantasmagorical whales, or the brilliant CGI creation that is the famed tiger, Richard Parker. This is a film that will have even ardent cynics - such as myself - admitting defeat. RUNNERS UP: Prometheus Rust and Bone The Dark Knight Rises Cloud Atlas Now, before we get to the less-serious comedy awards for "Worst Picture" and so on, let's tally up the big winners from 2012 as I see it: Lincoln (4 wins)Looper (3 wins)Skyfall (3 wins) Evidently, unlike Oscar, I prefer to spread the love a bit, and nothing outright dominated, plus, the film with the most wins is only #6 on my Best Picture list. Now, without further ado, it's time for the awards you have all been waiting for...