Best Ensemble Cast
WINNER: Lincoln It's been a brilliant year for ensemble casts, but no film had such a ridiculous carousel of fantastic actors as Steven Spielberg's Lincoln. Just take a look at this roll call; in addition to the statuesque Daniel Day-Lewis, the film boasts Sally Field, David Strathairn, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader, John Hawkes, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace, Lucas Haas, Michael Stuhlbarg, Walton Goggins, Gregory Itzin, and probably countless others I'm forgetting. But that oughtta seal the deal, right? What makes this really work is that each little actor gets at least one big moment to shine, yet it doesn't seem forced.
RUNNERS UP: Argo Zero Dark Thirty Django Unchained Les Misérables
Breakthrough Performance Of The Year
WINNER: Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) Though I had plenty of problems with Beasts of the Southern Wild, there's no denying the stunning performance given by Quvenzhané Wallis as protagonist Hushpuppy, who attempts to come to terms with the desolation of her homestead and her father's impending demise. Wallis, who was only 8 years old when the part was filmed, delivers a performance that's wise beyond her years while still fully believable as coming from a child; though the film has its fanciful moments, it is her performance that keeps the film grounded. I hope that she continues to hone her craft, because if so, she has quite the future ahead of her. Next is Best Adapted and Best Original Screenplay.