I’m very excited to be kicking off Oscar week here at VIP Movie Snob. I’ve decided to start things off with the biggest award there is… Best Picture.

Nine films were nominated and you could make a case for some excellent pictures that were left off the list. I believe The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, The Ides Of March, Drive and even J. Edgar were all major snubs. Perhaps the Academy needs to return to the days of only five nominated films, since a few of the nine I think were unworthy.

Here is how I personally rank the nine movies nominated for Best Picture. Quick note, I only saw eight of the nine. So by default, I must rank Midnight In Paris at #9 since I failed to see it.

9. MIDNIGHT IN PARIS*

I never got around to seeing it, but I’ve heard that it’s Woody Allen’s best film in years. The Academy must agree also, considering Woody was also nominated for directing and writing. It’s been 17 years since he was nominated in both categories.

8. HUGO

While this is far from his best film, it’s nice to see a legendary director like Scorsese spread his creative wings. Hugo isn’t one of the best films of the year, but it is a nice tribute to the beginning of cinema.

7. EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

At times I found it extremely frustrating and incredibly boring, but over time I grew to really like this picture. It’s far from being the best film among the others, but it certainly earned it’s spot. It’s a real tearjerker. Go see it and then go hug the nearest family member as tight as you can.

6. THE HELP

This such an important movie. In fact, it should be shown at school every February for Black History Month. The supporting cast might be the best of the nine nominated films.

5. THE TREE OF LIFE

This isn’t the easiest of movies to follow. I can’t tell you what it’s really all about or even tell you if you will like it. All I can say is, it might be the most beautiful cinema I have ever seen. If you could watch a poem, The Tree Of Life would be it.

4. MONEYBALL

This film does for baseball and mathematics, what The Social Network did for Facebook and computers. This movie works on so many emotional levels that you don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy it.

3. WAR HORSE

2011 was a year full of wonderful performance by young actors and cute animals, and War Horse is no exception. If you think this is Saving Private Ryan with a horse, you will be disappointed. This movie is more about the bond between humans and animals than about the dangers of war. Go see this beautiful film and I dare you not to get choked up a few times.

2. THE DESCENDANTS

Not since 1983′s Terms Of Endearment, has a movie blended emotional family drama with such sharp-edged humor. There isn’t a dishonest sentence in the film and the ending just might have you asking for a tissue or two. I don’t know if The Descendants will win best picture, but it certainly needs to be considered.

1. THE ARTIST

In 1929, Wings won the very first Best Picture Oscar and is the only silent film to have done so. In 2012, I expect The Artist to become the 2nd silent film to win Best Picture. It is a remarkable film that will bring you joy from beginning to end. The Artist is the reason we love movies. It’s a movie that can have you with the biggest smile on your face and in a flash on the verge of tears. Is it a drama or comedy or musical? I don’t know. What I do know is… it would be a crime if the film doesn’t win Best Picture.