Ah, the Oscars.  

The most prestigious time of the year for film, as each film’s individual merits throughout the past year get the chance to shine and be recognized as a film that went beyond just a film to something just a bit more. We have this year’s nominees, so let’s get started with the main categories.

I’d like to start off with the best actor in a leading role. I’m going to give this to Gary Oldman in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” as not only was it one of the best films to come out this year, but Gary Oldman’s performance in it was amazing. I actually haven’t felt that way about a performance in a movie in quite some time.

Next up, the best actress in a leading role. I’m going with Rooney Mara from “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” as she played the character of Lisbeth Salander just as well as Noomi Rapace did in the original film. She truly made you believe that she was the character, and not just an actor on screen.

I’m going with Kenneth Branagh for best actor in a supporting role for his role as Sir Laurence Olivier in “My Week with Marilyn.” He was fun to watch throughout the movie and managed to outshine the other nominees in this category.

I’m going to go with the obvious for the best actress in a supporting role and give it to Octavia Spencer, from “The Help.” She was one of the standouts in the film and delivered a better performance than the other nominees, including Jessica Chastain, also from “The Help.”

For best animated feature film, I’m going to go with an unexpected choice and choose “Rango.” Not only was it one of the most entertaining, but it was also more mature than you might think in its execution, and felt like Gore Verbinski’s love letter to the Western genre. 

The film also boasted some of the best visuals seen in an animated movie, thanks to Industrial Light and Magic, and was also the production company’s first foray into making a completely animated film.

Now for the best picture. Many good movies have been nominated this year, and quite honestly, there’s no easy way to pick any of them. Unfortunately, it must be done. I’m going to have to give this year’s best picture award to Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo.” 

Not only was it a fantastic film, but it was also Scorsese’s love note to classic filmmaking. You can tell that this film was a labor of love for him, and that he enjoyed the process of making it all the way through. It’s marketed as a children’s film, but it’s much more than that. 

Over all, I don’t believe any film this year quite managed to touch the high that “Hugo” managed to reach.