Oscars

Academy Awards - The Oscars

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Each year I share my predictions and provide a few thoughts about the selections and choices. This year is no different so here are my thoughts:

  • Best Actor – Nominees are: Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Benedict Cumberbatch (Imitation Game), Michael Keaton (Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything). Another very strong year for best actor nominees. In fact this is probably the strongest in the last 5 – 10 years. All the roles were wonderfully deep and complex and each actor had to have range in their roles. My vote would be for Michael Keaton because he always seemed on the edge of reality and or ignorance. However, Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch were almost as strong. But anyone who is selected here is worthy of the award.
  • Best Actress – Nominees are: Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), Felicity Jones (Theory of Everthing), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), and Reese Witherspoon (Wild). This group is not as strong as the Actor’s list. However there were two performances that stood out to me: Julianne Moore who is my 1st choice because I fully believed her – she was that person. Rosamund Pike is my 2nd choice playing an unlikeable character but was so clearly strong that it is amazing. Given those choices, my 3rd choice would be Felicity Jones because of the subtle strength she brought to the character.
  • Best Supporting Actress – Nominees are: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Laura Dern (Wild), Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game), Emma Stone (Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and Meryl Streep (Into the Woods). The top three here for me are Keira Knightly, Emma Stone, and Patricia Arquette. I think Stone did an amazing job of making the character real, strong and with possibility. Knightley was exceptional as the attractive girl genius and friend. Arquette’s transformation over 12 years was amazing.
  • Best Supporting Actor – Nominees are: Robert Duvall (The Judge), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Edward Norton (Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Marke Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), and J.K. Simmons (Whiplash). Another very strong group, but here I have to select J.K. Simmons because he was mesmerizing each moment he was on the screen. One never knew what would happen or how he would react. However, both Norton and Hawke were very strong as well. What I liked about Hawke was how he became a good father. Any of these three can win.
  • Best Cinematography – Nominees are: Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (Emmanuel Lubezki), The Grand Budapest Hotel (Robert Yeoman), Ida (Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski), Mr. Turner (Dick Pope), and Unbroken (Roger Deakins). There is no question in my mind that the mind-blowing cinematography of Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is the winner. I was enraptured with the camera movement throughout the entire time.
  • Best Adapted Screenplay – Nominees are: American Sniper (Jason Hall), The Imitation Game (Graham Moore), Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson), The Theory of Everything (Anthony McCarten), and Whiplash (Damien Chazelle). This category is difficult. These are very strong and divergent screenplays and I loved them all. To me it is a toss-up as there are extraordinary moments of dialogue in each of them.
  • Best Original Screenplay – Nominees are: Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance (Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacabone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo), Boyhood (Richard Linklater), Foxcatcher (E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman), The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson), and Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy). First off although I thought the screenplay for Nightcrawler was brilliant, I don’t think it will win. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and Boyhood are probably the best bets and I’d pick Birdman.
  • Best Director – Nominees are: Alejandro Inarritu (Birdman or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher), Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game). Strong candidates – all. However for me it is a toss-up between Inarritu and Linklater. Although very different films, both did an amazing job of presenting their amazing stories.
  • Best Picture – Nominees are: American Sniper, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash. Each of these films, except Selma had very strong acting by principal characters. Selma was an overall very good film but without an exceptionally strong lead I don’t see it winning. I think it will come down to the same contest as identified in the Best Director category. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is my choice, although I would not be unhappy if the winner is Boyhood.

Oscar Selections

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Below are my selections of who I would like to see win the Oscar, who I think will win, and some other thoughts:

Best Picture:

My Like:  Argo - But I Think:  Lincoln Other Thoughts: Django Unchained, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty were all strong contenders and each of them deserve recognition.

Best Actor:

My Like:  Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) - But I Think:  Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Other Thoughts:  I really liked Denzel Washington’s performance in Flight.

Best Actress:

My Like:  Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) - But I Think:  Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) Other Thoughts:  I really was entranced by Quvenshane Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild). I liked Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) a lot and she has deserved the recognition she’s gotten. Naomi Watts (The Impossible) was very strong as well.

Best Supporting Actor:

My Like:  Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained) - But I Think:  Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln) Other Thoughts:  Both Waltz and Jones were great and I also enjoyed Alan Arkin in Argo.

Best Supporting Actress:

My Like:  Helen Hunt (Sessions) - But I Think:  Sally Field Other Thoughts: I think the whole field is strong.

Best Director:

My Like:  I wish Ben Affleck (Argo) was nominated but because he isn’t, Steven Spielberg (Lincoln) - But I Think: Steven Spielberg (Lincoln) Other Thoughts:  Incredibly disappointed that Ben Affleck (Argo) and Kathryn Bigelow were not nominated – they both deserved the recognition.

Best Original Screenplay: My Like:  Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained) - But I Think: Mark Boal (Zero Dark Thirty) Other Thoughts: Both of these are great screenplays but I think Tarantino’s was more out of the box and creative.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

My Like:  Tony Kushner (Lincoln) - But I Think:  Tony Kushner (Lincoln) Other Thoughts:  All the nominees were strong.

Best Cinematography:

My Like:  Life of Pi - But I Think:  Life of Pi Other Thoughts:  Skyfall is very good and deserves recognition.

Film Editing:

My Like:  Argo - But I Think: Other Thoughts:  Zero Dark Thirty is also very strong.

My Oscar Picks

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Here are my picks for best of 2010 based on the nominees:

  • Best Picture: The Social Network: Overall this was a fully engaging film and told a  story about the Facebook phenomenon.

  • Best Actress: Natalie Portman: Without a doubt best overall engaging and full ranging performance of the year (man or woman).

  • Best Actor: Colin Firth: Excellent performance but followed closely by James Franco, Jesse Eisenberg and Javier Bardem.

  • Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld: Without her this film wouldn't have worked.

  • Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale: Amazing performance all the way.

  • Best Director: David Fincher - "The Social Network": Made this subject fully engaging and interesting. Pull all the pieces together.

  • Best Screenplay: The Kings Speech

  • Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network

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