Just as many expected, Argo took home the top award of Best Picture at the 85th Academy Awards, despite Ben Affleck not receiving a Best Director nomination, something that has only happened four times in 85 years. It was a year for records as Daniel Day-Lewis winning Best Actor for his role in Lincoln means that he is now the only person to have won three Best Actor awards in Oscar history. Also, the first time since 1969 there was a tie for a category (both Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty won for Best Sound Editing).

Even though Argo walked away with the top honors and two other awards (Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing), Life of Pi was the film that took home the most awards this year with four wins (Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Score and Best Visual Effects). And while Lincoln had 12 nominations, the film only ended up winning two awards (Best Actor and Best Production Design).

List of 2013 Oscar Winners:

(The winners are highlighted in bold red font)

Amour
Argo
Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Michael Haneke – Amour
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Ang Lee – Life Of Pi
Steven Spielberg – Lincoln
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook

Denzel Washington – Flight
Hugh Jackman – Les Miserables
Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln
Joaquin Phoenix – The Master
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook

Emmanuelle Riva – Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Naomi Watts – The Impossible
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings PLaybook
Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty

Alan Arkin – Argo
Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained
Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master
Robert De Niro – Silver Linings Playbook

Anne Hathaway – Les Misérables
Sally Field – Lincoln
Amy Adams – The Master
Helen Hunt – The Sessions
Jacki Weaver – Silver Linings Playbook

Michael Haneke – Amour
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
John Gatins – Flight
Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola – Moonrise Kingdom
Mark Boal – Zero Dark Thirty

Chris Terrio – Argo
Lucy Alibar, Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild
David Magee – Life Of Pi
Tony Kushner – Lincoln
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook

Amour
Kon-Tiki
No
A Royal Affair
War Witch

Seamus McGarvey – Anna Karenina
Robert Richardson – Django Unchained
Claudio Miranda – Life Of Pi
Janusz Kaminski – Lincoln
Roger Deakins – Skyfall

Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band Of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph

5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How To Survive A Plague
The Invisible War
Searching For Sugar Man

William Goldenberg – Argo
Tim Squyres – Life Of Pi
Michael Kahn – Lincoln
Jay Cassidy and Crispin Struthers – Silver Linings Playbook
William Goldenberg, Dylan Tichenor – Zero Dark Thirty

Dario Marianelli – Anna Karenina
Alexandre Desplat – Argo
Mychael Danna – Life Of Pi
John Williams – Lincoln
Thomas Newman – Skyfall

“Before My Time” – Chasing Ice
“Pi’s Lullaby” – Life Of Pi
“Suddenly” – Les Miserables
“Skyfall” – Skyfall
“Everybody Needs A Best Friend” – Ted

Anna Karenina
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln

Anna Karenina
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman

Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables

Argo
Django Unchained
Life Of Pi
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty

Argo
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life Of Pi
Marvel’s The Avengers
Prometheus
Snow White And The Huntsman

Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays At Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

Adam And Dog
Fresh Guacamole
Head Over Heels
Maggie Simpson In The Longest Daycare
Paperman

Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death Of A Shadow
Henry

Oscar Nominated Animation Shorts Reviews

Adam and Dog
Adam and Dog tells the story of the blossoming relationship between a dog and a Neanderthal that hits a speed bump when the Neanderthal gets a girlfriend. This was probably the most ambitious of the shorts and while beautifully designed, the story fell flat and at 16 minutes long, felt too slow at times.

Adam and Dog

Fresh Guacamole
Fresh Guacamole offers intriguing insight into the lost innocence of a generation disillusioned with a callous society the defines success with capitalistic ideals…just kidding. This two minute short involved a man making guacamole using ingredients that morphed into quirky toys and objects. It was fun and thoroughly entertaining and the animation was incredibly life-like.

Fresh Guacamole

Head Over Heels
Head Over Heels is about an aging the couple that live in a strange house. The relationship has fallen apart so drastically that the husband now lives on the ceiling, while the wife remains on the floor, and they barely interact. Short story short, it is about the rediscovery of their love, back when they were “head over heels” for each other. I felt this was the best concept of all the animated shorts, and it was very funny as the old couples routines were very cute (think Up but add a woman). This was my second favorite of the shorts, and if Paperman hadn’t been so good, this would have been my pick for the Oscar.

Head Over Heels

The Longest Daycare
The Longest Daycare shows Maggie Simpson being dropped off at an Objectivist daycare, and then spending the rest of her day trying to save her new pet caterpillar. The Simpsons, as usual, seamlessly blend intelligent jokes with simple cartoon comedy and create a fast paced, entertaining, but largely forgettable short film.

The Longest Daycare

Paperman
Paperman tells the tale of a chance encounter at a train station that leaves a man desperately trying to reconnect with the women who caught his eye. When his attempts flounder, fate itself decides to ensure they meet again. It’s truly amazing how Disney can create instantly charming characters, the guy and girl seem relatable and you truly root for them to meet throughout the film. This animated short executes on all levels, it was funny, endearing, and whimsical.

Paperman

What will win

Paperman is the clear front-runner this year and for good reason. The other nominates such as Head Over Heels had more depth and stronger concepts, but Paperman plays it mostly safe with excellent execution.

What should win

Paperman