The Oscars are this month and since I’ve been light on the travel recently, I’ve decided to share my thoughts on the entertainment industry’s biggest awards of the year. Feel free to skip over this if you have no interest in my opinions. It won’t hurt my feelings.

Note: Italics indicate a movie I haven’t seen.

Best Picture:

“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
“The Help”
“Hugo”
“Midnight in Paris”
“Moneyball”
“The Tree of Life”
“War Horse”

My pick for best picture is “The Artist,” not just because the main actors and the director are Parisian, but because it was fun, light and up beat - something most Oscar-winning movies aren’t. It was beautiful to watch, and c’mon, it’s not like I’ve seen many silent movies. This one sold me on the genre.

Lead Actor:

Demián Bichir - “A Better Life”
George Clooney - “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin - “The Artist”
Gary Oldman - “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Brad Pitt - “Moneyball”

I’m not sure how I feel about this one. The only performance I haven’t seen is Bichir in “A Better Life.” For me it’s between Oldman, Dujardin and Pitt. I just saw “Moneyball” and thought it was excellent. Pitt’s performance as dedicated, cocky and the slightly-off-his-rocker Billy Beane was great. Oldman’s spy trying to sniff out a fellow spy who is a Soviet mole was subtle but so strong he carried the entire movie, which can get confusing and slow in points. Dujardin’s turn as a silent film star was just breathtaking. His Old Hollywood looks had me at (silent) hello. I can’t choose!

Lead Actress:

Glenn Close - “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis - “The Help”
Rooney Mara - “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep - “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams - “My Week with Marilyn”

Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain and Bryce Dallas Howard stole the show from “lead” Emma Stone in “The Help.” My vote for best actress is Viola Davis whose shy yet determined character brought the weight of reality to the film.

Supporting Actor:

Kenneth Branagh - “My Week with Marilyn”
Jonah Hill - “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte - “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer - “Beginners”
Max von Sydow - “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

I’ve only seen two of the five films, but I absolutely adored Christopher Plummer in “Beginners.” The Academy tends to give awards to those who deserve it the most and I think Plummer deserves this award as a recognition of this role and his entire career. Give it to Captain Von Trapp.

Supporting Actress:

Berenice Bejo - “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain - “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy - “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer - “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer - “The Help”

This is another one of those categories where I can’t choose. Melissa McCarthy is this year’s Cinderella story and she was THE BEST part of “Bridesmaids.” Chastain and Spencer were the best duo in “The Help,” Chastain’s loveable, ditzy and pained Southern wife and Spencer’s plucky, proud and determined maid were the heart of the movie. While, Bejo is gorgeous and brings the lightness to “The Artist.” Can’t and won’t choose. Whoever the Academy chooses is fine by me.

Other thoughts:

Michael Fassbender in “Shame” was one of the most captivating perfs of the year. I’m sad he wasn’t nominated. Also, he was great in this year’s “Jane Eyre.” There’s always next year, fingers crossed.

I really need to see “Hugo” and “Miss Bala,” even though “Miss Bala” isn’t in the running anymore I hear it’s great. And “Hugo” has the most Oscar noms, so it’s worth checking out.

Elizabeth Olsen was amazing in “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” I’m excited to see what she does next.

“A Separation,” Iran’s foreign language Oscar entry is a shockingly realistic portrait of an Iranian couple separating in modern times.