The best direction is from Zero Dark Thirty, an unflinching portrayal of a fictionalised hunt for a famous terrorist, and interestingly doesn't take an obvious moral stance on murder, though it does not ignore the toll violence has on victims, and some of the perpetrators. Attention to detail is impressive too. The movie is followed by Freelancers, due to its edginess.
The best performance is by Michael Shannon playing a fearsome hitman in The Iceman. He is followed by...
- Ray Liotta, who plays his boss in the same movie
- Jessica Chastain, who leads the cast of Zero Dark Thirty
- Reda Kateb, also in Zero Dark Thirty
My favorite performance is by Gregory D. Gadson in Battleship, by far the most interesting in the movie.
Most desitable woman is Dana Delany in Freelancers, followed by April Hernandez Castillo in The History of Future Folk.
The best visual effects are in Battleship... the aliens, their suits, and the battles. Besides the look inside the alien helmets, nothing feels new, but it's all done very well.