Final Oscar Predictions - February, 21st

This has been a very boring Awards Season for the most part, with only a couple unexpected events occurring. Eddie Redmayne winning the SAG, which then made him the front-runner for Best Actor was the first big shake-up. Then the unexpected cultural event that American Sniper became at the last minute, which put Bradley Cooper in the race with none of the precursors (SAG, Globes, BAFTA, BFCA, etc.)

However the biggest twist was Birdman's rise over Boyhood. Boyhood began the season the favorite, but Birdman won almost every guild which seemingly has made it the front-runner, but then Boyhood went and won the BAFTA. The last two Oscar races have split Best Picture and Best Director, which rarely happens but I think it may happen again? Both films have been lauded for their direction, but for some reason the race is so close that I can't figure out which way to go. Three straight splits would be insane, but it's highly likely. Birdman just seems so out there for the Academy, but Boyhood isn't their usual fare either. If Sniper had more time to build buzz, I think it could have taken it.

Final Predictions:

Best Picture:
WINNER: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alternate: Boyhood

Best Director:
WINNER: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Alternate: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Actor:
WINNER: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Alternate: Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) or Bradley Cooper, American Sniper

Best Actress:
WINNER: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Alternate: None, Julianne isn't losing.

Best Supporting Actor:
WINNER: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Alternate: He isn't losing either.

Best Supporting Actress:
WINNER: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Alternate: None, she's the biggest lock of the night.

Best Original Screenplay:
WINNER: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alternate: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Adapted Screenplay:
WINNER: The Imitation Game
Alternate: Whiplash

Best Animated Feature:
WINNER: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Alternate: Big Hero 6

Best Foreign Film:
WINNER: Ida
Alternate: Wild Tales

Best Documentary:
WINNER: Citizen Four
Alternate: The Salt of the Earth

Best Original Score:
WINNER: The Theory of Everything
Alternate: The Imitation Game

Best Original Song:
WINNER: "I'm Not Gonna Miss You", Glenn Campbell: I'll Be Me
Alternate: "Glory", Selma

Best Film Editing:
WINNER: Whiplash
Alternate: Boyhood

Best Cinematography:
WINNER: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alternate: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Art Direction:
WINNER:: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alternate: Into The Woods

Best Costume Design:
WINNER: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alternate: Into the Woods

Best Makeup:
WINNER: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alternate: Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Sound Mixing:
WINNER: Whiplash
Alternate: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Sound Editing:
WINNER: American Sniper
Alternate: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Visual Effects:
WINNER: Interstellar
Alternate: Guardians of the Galaxy

Hope y'all enjoy the show!

My 2014 Film Awards

Here are my awards for the films of 2014. Overall I felt it was a weak year, but I had a very hard time deciding on a final six nominees in both of the actress categories. Birdman was far and away the best film of the year, in my opinion. While I didn't hate anything, I also didn't feel too strongly about anything else. 2015 looks like it will be an incredible year in film, and I can't wait.



WINNERS IN BOLD

Best Picture

Nominees:

The Babadook

Boyhood

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Two Days, One Night

The Lego Movie

Wild

Birdman was by far the best film of the year. However it didn't have much competition for that spot. I liked everything else, but none of them would make my Top 10 in most years. Runner-Up: Wild.

Best Director

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel

J.C. Chandor, A Most Violent Year

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher

Jean-Marc Valée, Wild

Directing was very strong this year, with Bennett Miller delivering very stiff competition with Alejandro. Ultimately though Birdman's gimmick works all thanks to him. Runner-Up: Bennett Miller.

Best Actor

Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler

Bill Hader, The Skeleton Twins

Michael Keaton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Matthew McConaughey, Interstellar

David Oyelowo, Selma

Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Michael Keaton was magnificent in my favorite performance of the year. The role was semi-autobiographical, but Keaton became Riggan. He flows with the ups and downs of the piece and captures the tone perfectly. He is the Birdman. The rest of the line-up was strong, while I wasn't a fan of Interstellar, McConaughey gives the performance of his career. He is the reason it works when it works. Oyelowo really felt electric as MLK,  Redmayne really captures Stephen Hawking and if he wins the Oscar, he'll be one of the best winners in this category in awhile. Hader did a perfect job of mixing the dark with comedy and Gyllenhaal perfectly nails a man who is slowly becoming unhinged. Runner-Up: Jake Gyllenhaal.

Best Actress

Rose Byrne, Neighbors

Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night

Essie Davis, The Babadook

Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Jenny Slate, Obvious Child

Reese Witherspoon, Wild

This category was stacked. It was hard to leave off Cotillard's second lead performance in The Immigrant, Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl and Jennifer Lawrence in Mockingjay who I thought was fantastic. She continues to get better and better as she gets more experience. Ultimately the category was interesting as there were three strong dramatic performances, (Cotillard, Moore and Witherspoon) alongside two great comedic performances. The under-seen but fantastic Obvious Child really needs to be seen for Slate's performance. Byrne is the heart of Neighbors, and I hope Hollywood gives her the true lead role in a comedy soon. She is equally as fantastic as she is in Bridesmaids (For which she won my 2011 Best Supporting Actress prize.) But ultimately my favorite lead female performance was Essie Davis, who played a mother at wits end who is still grieving with the death of her husband. She goes to places in the film that most actors would shy away from. Runner-Up: Jenny Slate

Best Supporting Actor

Patrick d'Assumçao, Stranger by the Lake

Logan Lerman, Fury

John Lithgow, Love is Strange

Edward Norton, Birdman Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

It was difficult to fill six spots in this category. All six are fantastic, but after them this category is a wasteland. Ethan Hawke is great in Boyhood, and came closest but otherwise there wasn't much competition in this category. Norton is dynamic in Birdman and nearly runs away with the picture. His rapport with Keaton, Stone and Watts is fantastic. Ruffalo is great throughout his film, but the interview scene may be the best acted scene of the year. Simmons is one of the best character actors around, and I'm happy he finally got a role to really sink his teeth into. Lithgow and Patrick both give gentle performances that fit perfectly in the film. Lerman continues to show he is one of the best actors of his generation. Runner-Up: J.K. Simmons

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Julianne Moore, Maps to the Stars

Emma Stone, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Tessa Thompson, Dear White People

Marisa Tomei, Love is Strange

This was such a difficult category to decide on a final line-up. Naomi Watts in Birdman, Jessica Chastain in A Most Violent Year and Interstellar, Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer and Only Lovers Left Alive, Laura Dern in Wild and Uma Thurman in Nymphomaniac Vol. I all were fantastic. Patricia Arquette was so natural in Boyhood and that final scene is so, so good. I can't wait for her upcoming Oscar win. Julianne Moore is hilarious as Lindsay Lohan in ten years. Emma Stone spews toxic in Birdman and it's so enjoyable. Tessa Thompson is great as the voice of an attempted revolution. Marisa Tomei elevates her underwritten character and gets us under the rough exterior to really feel for her. I'm not always the biggest fan of Meryl, but when she is at her best there is no one better. She dominates Into the Woods with her showstopping performances of "Last Midnight" and "Stay With Me." Runner-Up: Julianne Moore

Best Original Screenplay:

Boyhood

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Dear White People

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Selma

Whiplash

Best Adapted Screenplay:

American Sniper

Gone Girl

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Lego Movie

Obvious Child

Wild

Both categories are strong, and I really loved both winners. Original overall was stronger than Adapted. Boyhood really ended strong since it was ever changing, but ultimately once again Birdman won out for me.

Best Soundtrack/Score:

Begin Again

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Guardians of the Galaxy

Only Lovers Left Alive

Best Original Song:

"The Big House" from The Muppets: Most Wanted (Performed by Tina Fey)

"Everything is Awesome" from The Lego Movie (Performed by Tegan & Sara & The Lonely Island)

"Lost Stars" from Begin Again (Performed by Keira Knightley)

"The Hanging Tree" from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay (Performed by Jennifer Lawrence)

Best Cinematography:

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Foxcatcher

Ida

The Immigrant

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wild

Best Editing:

American Sniper

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Boyhood

Dear White People

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Whiplash

Best Animated Film:

Big Hero 6

The Lego Movie

Best Foreign Film:

Two Days, One Night

Best Production Design:

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Visual Effects:

Guardians of the Galaxy

Total Awards for Each Film:

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) - 7 Wins

Guardians of the Galaxy - 2 Wins

The Lego Movie - 2 Wins

The Babadook - 1 Win

Boyhood - 1 Win

The Grand Budapest Hotel - 1 Win

Two Days, One Night - 1 Win

Wild - 1 Win

Whiplash - 1 Win

My 5 Favorite Scenes from 2014.

As I make my final viewings before my I finalize my top films of 2014, ( Last two: Force Majeure and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.) I wanted to begin the festivities with my five favorite scenes from 2014.

5. "I just thought there would be more." From Boyhood

Patricia Arquette's final scene in Boyhood is crushing. We've seen her life through the eyes of her son, and finally we see her emotional breakdown. Her life has passed her by, and even though she has been a successful single mother and professional she can't help but be disappointed by her son's nonchalant attitude. I absolutely love the dialogue, but Patricia Arquette nails the scene. This is the scene that will win her the Oscar on February 22nd, and it couldn't be more deserved. That final line is just devastating. 

4. "Mrs. H" From Nymphomaniac Vol. I

Young Joe (Stacy Martin) who seemingly can keep a large list of lovers without ramifications, finally faces the effect of her addiction. Mrs. H (Played by Uma Thurman) confronts Joe after her husband decides to leave her for Joe. Thurman rips through the scene completely unhinged. This is the peak of the film, and really is one of the most memorable scenes of the year. Thurman deserves a major film comeback for this scene. She leaves such a great impression for only six minutes in the film.

3. "Happy" from Wild

Wild is dominated by Reese Witherspoon. She owns the film from start to finish, portraying Cheryl from the teenage years to a mature and grown-up woman. The driving force behind her character's decisions are based on her love of her mother. This scene gives us everything we need to know as to why Cheryl is making this insane journey, and is so brilliantly acted by Witherspoon and the always fantastic Laura Dern. Like Thurman, Dern has limited screen-time in the film, but makes the absolute best of it and this scene is so optimistic that I can't help but love it. If only we all could spin gold out of straw like Cheryl's mother seemingly could. 

2. "Agony" From Into the Woods 

Two royal brothers used to getting their way, are hurt when their true loves (Cinderella and Rapunzel, respectively) are proving to be more difficult to marry than they like. The ever competing brothers hilariously steal the show as they continue to try and one-up the other, even though they are alone in the woods. Chris Pine is hilarious in this scene, but Billy Magnussen is great as he tries to impress his older brother. That final look he gives as if asking for permission to join him on the final note, is so small but makes me laugh every-time.

1. "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" from The Skeleton Twins

Trying to get his sister to cheer up from her lowest life spot yet, Milo (Bill Hader) begins a charade that Maggie (Kristen Wiig) is initially hesitant to participate in. But when she finally gives in, there isn't a more rewarding film moment in 2014.