2012 is the most contested year for Best Picture since 2008 (Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader). Golden Globe winner Argo is a far-fetched reality of the unusual escape of American hostages in Iran, 1980 and takes such creative liberties as downplaying Canada’s essential role. Les Misérables is a tear-inducing musical spectacle. Lincoln, a favourite, is rhetorical masterpiece of an inspiring politician unseen in today’s political climate. Life of Pi and Beasts of a Southern Wild are beautiful movies set on rafts and islands. Django Unchained won’t win but is exceptionally fun to watch. Amour, a story on the loss of faculties in old age, reignites France’s leading role in the industry. And finally, my favourite, Zero Dark Thirty, retells the capture of Osama Bin Laden. This quick-moving, politically relevant and life-absorbing movie improves on last year’s winner, The Hurt Locker. And I did not watch Silver Lining Playbook, but that’s okay because it won’t win.