If I Were Running The Oscars...

...Things would be different. Or, at the very least, they would be minus two hours, and would include five-minute dramatic on-stage reenactments from the nominated performances. Kinda like the Tonys, but, you know, for the movies. Speaking of which, Neil Patrick Harris would be the host, naturally. And he'd also present each category (because, really, why would we need anyone else?).

There'd be a lot less categories, in order to reduce the number of viewers who fall asleep midway through the ceremony. And the screenplay category would not be divided into two parts. In order words, there would be no adapted or original overabundance, more like what's well-written and nominated and what is not. Also, the tech categories (which include best art direction, cinematography, sound editing etc) would more than likely be presented in an earlier ceremony, one that is not televised. Lastly, the number of nominees per category would be purely determined on worthy contenders, so as not to nominate for the sake of filling a slot.

So before the actual list is unveiled this Thursday (January 10th), here is my ideal list for your consideration:

BEST PICTURE

Django Unchained

Zero Dark Thirty

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Argo

Celeste and Jesse Forever

Middle of Nowhere

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

LEAD ACTOR

Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Denzel Washington, Flight
Hugh Jackman, Les Misérables

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained

Samuel L. Jackson, Django Unchained

Nate Parker, Arbitrage

Jude Law, Anna Karenina 

Jim Sturgess, Cloud Atlas

Scoot McNairy, Argo

James D’Arcy, Cloud Atlas

Dwight Henry, Beasts of the Southern Wild
Michael Peña, End of Watch

LEAD ACTRESS

Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Emayatzy Corinealdi, Middle of Nowhere

Quvenzhané Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone

Rashida Jones, Celeste and Jesse Forever

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Smashed

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Brit Marling, Sound of My Voice

Dreama Walker, Compliance

Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect

Emily Blunt, Looper

Kelly Reilly, Flight

Donna Bae, Cloud Atlas

Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables

ANIMATED MOVIE

Wreck-it-Ralph

Rise of the Guardians

Paranorman

Frankenweenie
Brave

DIRECTING 

Robert Zemeckis, Flight

Tim Burton, Frankenweenie

Ben Affleck, Argo

Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty

DOCUMENTARY

Central Park Five
Bully
The Imposter
The Invisible War
Marley
Searching for Sugar Man

SCREENPLAY

Rashida Jones & Will McCormack, Celeste and Jesse Forever

Lorene Scafaria, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

Chris Terrio, Argo

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Amour
No
Elza
After Lucia
Blancanieves

SCORE

Rise of the Guardians
Cloud Atlas
Zero Dark Thirty
Brave
Les Misérables