6. Snub: The Master For Cinematography
Mihai Malimare, Jr.'s 70mm lensing was some of the best that I saw all year; the shots of Joaquin Phoenix's Freddie Quell lying back on the boat, the sea disappearing beneath him, were especially potent, helping paint a stark picture of isolation and mental illness unlike any other in 2012. It seemed a sure thing that the film would be nominated for its cinematography, yet incredulously, its place appears to have been taken by Anna Karenina, a visually decent if underwhelming film that doesn't have the same visual vibrancy as Paul Thomas Anderson's difficult masterwork. Still, at least Roger Deakins picked up his 10th nomination for Skyfall. I can let out a sigh of relief now.