The 85th Academy Awards are just around the corner and Tinseltown is gearing up for its biggest night of the year. (Featured image by Dave_B_)
The nominees for the big awards could not be more diverse this year, with a popular musical, an historic drama, a comedy-drama and a foreign language picture all among the films competing.
2012 was a sterling year for motion pictures, and this is reflected in the nominations for Best Picture – any one of the nominees would be a worthy winner.
From the epic Les Misérables to the brutal and bloody Django Unchained, there is very little to choose between the Best Picture nominees.
There is most certainly an international feel to the Academy Awards this year, with films set around the world making it onto the various nomination lists.
So, as we countdown to the Oscars this Sunday, we thought we’d bring you the destinations and travel ideas inspired by some of the nominees.
Virginia, USA
With a whopping 12 nods, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln leads the way in nominations this year, including recognition in the Best Picture and Best Actor categories.
Daniel Day-Lewis gives arguably the performance of a lifetime – which is really saying something for an actor of his calibre – while his co-star Sally Field more than deserves her Best Supporting Actress nomination.
Lincoln was filmed in Richmond and Petersburg, in the US state of Virginia, and both regions have a strong sense of history running through them.
From the Virginia State Capitol building to the battlefields of the US civil war, a visit to Virginia will immediately send you back to 1865.
South India
Closely following Lincoln in the nomination’s haul is Life of Pi, the visual masterpiece from acclaimed director Ang Lee.
Anyone who has seen Life Of Pi will know that there aren’t many “real” locations in the film, and we wouldn’t recommend a holiday to the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
Yet the film starts in beautiful southern India, namely the region of Puducherry – formally known as Pondicherry.
With its unusual French architecture and stunning landscapes, this real-world destination is just as breathtaking as any of the scenes created by Ang Lee.
Pyrenees, France
Motion picture adaptations of stage musicals do not always work, but in the case of Les Misérables this couldn’t be further from the truth.
With some fantastic performances, especially from Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway, and excellent direction from Tom Hooper (of King’s Speech fame), Les Misérables has been both a critical and commercial success.
It’s fair to say that many scenes in the film have enough misery in them to put you off ever wanting to visit France.
But don’t let that deter you; the village of Gourdon, in the French Pyrenees, which features in the film, is a beautiful part of France and offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
Louisiana, USA
Back to the US and the state of Louisiana – the setting for not one, but two of the Best Picture nominees.
The two films – Beasts of the Southern Wild and Django Unchained – could hardly be more different. One is a magical fantasy drama, and one is a Tarantino film with all the blood and guts you’d expect from the cult director.
Yet in both films the majesty and beauty of Louisiana is captured perfectly, with its lush green swamps and, of course, the iconic New Orleans.
Scotland
We realise that Brave is an animated film, but the genius animators at Pixar manage to somehow bring the awesome scale of the Scottish Highlands to life in this fairytale adventure.
Nominated for Best Animated Feature Film, Brave is something of a departure for Pixar. It features far more magic than the studio’s previous pictures, not to mention an almost entirely human list of characters.
One viewing of this typically excellent Pixar picture, with its stunning shots and beautiful animation, will have you booking the next flight to Scotland.
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