Today was the day. Today is the day that the Oscar nominations were announced and like every single year, I tell myself that this will be the last year I give a shit. So much thought and reference to this Academy that routinely goofs up these awards and yet we all watch like hawks in February. I think that no matter how I gripe about how meaningless these awards seem to be, I’ll always watch. We’ll always have other recognition for film such as the Cannes Film Festival, the BAFTA awards, the Golden Globes, and Sundance. However, the Oscars are the big time and even though they usually always get things wrong, they occasionally get things right. Let’s see how they did shall we?
Best Picture
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street
Snubs – Inside Llewyn Davis gets the shaft over films that featured great acting. Dallas Buyers Club and Captain Phillips should have been swapped here for Davis or Fruitvale Station.
Who’s gunna win? – Her was one half of my best of 2013 but I can tell either Wolf of Wall Street or 12 Years a Slave will be getting this one. Gravity also has a shot.
Best Actor
Christian Bale for American Hustle
Bruce Dern for Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio for Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club
Snubs – I can’t really blame anybody on this one. There were so many amazing performances that could have made it into this category. Notable ommission are Joaquin Phoenix for Her, Oscar Isaac for Inside Llewyn Davis, Michael B. Anthony for Fruitvale Station, Mads Mikkelsen for The Hunt, Robert Redford for All is Lost, Hugh Jackman for Prisoners, and Tom Hanks for Captain Phillips. I still haven’t seen American Hustle but I couldn’t see any of these nominations being swapped for anybody else. Just wouldn’t be fair.
Who’s gunna win? – I know Bruce Dern isn’t going to win. I think that this is the year Leo gets his Oscar although Ejiofor and McConaughey deserve it as well. This one will be interesting and will be talked about for a long time.
Best Actress
Amy Adams for American Hustle
Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock for Gravity
Judi Dench for Philomena
Meryl Streep for August: Osage County
Snubs – Enough with the praise for Meryl Streep. She has been nominated enough. It’s honestly not fair anymore. This was a very weak year for female performances but I would have liked to see a young actress like Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha or Allison Brie for Short Term 12 get the spot. Oh well.
Who’s gunna win? – Cate Blachett. Hands down. She was incredible. I’d be shocked if she didn’t win. Really, as long as Streep doesn’t win I’d be happy.
Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi for Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper for American Hustle
Jonah Hill for Wolf of Wall Street
Michael Fassbender for 12 Years a Slave
Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club
Snubs – Bradley Cooper? Again, still haven’t seen the film but apparently Daniel Bruhl was incredible in Rush. Jonah Hill is now a two time oscar nominated actor. That’s insane. Paul Dano gets snubbed again for his work in Prisoners and Matthew Goode was incredible in Stoker. I’m glad to see Abdi get a nomination though as he was pretty incredible.
Who’s gunna win? – I hope Fassbender wins. Although I’d totally be okay with Leto or Abdi taking home the statue. Fassbender has it coming though.
Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins for Blue Jasmine
Julia Roberts for August: Osage County
Lupita Nyong’o for 12 Years a Slave
Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle
June Squibb for Nebraska
Snubs – Scarlett Johansson was amazing in Her and really thought this would be the first year a voice only nominee would be included. Besides that I think they got it right with including Hawkins and Squibb.
Who’s gunna win? – Lupita Nyong’o deserves this. She put everything into her role and while Hawkins and Squibb were equally great it was Nyong’o who deserves this award.
Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity
Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russel for American Hustle
Martin Scorsese for Wolf of Wall Street
Alexander Payne for Nebraska
Snubs – Spike Jonze? COEN BROTHERS? SERIOUS? Ugggghhhhhh.
Who’s gunna win? – I couldn’t care less. Cuaron deserves it for inventing technology but James Cameron did the same and that dude lost. McQueen deserves it for his unbashingly bleak directing style. Payne deservesit for bring black and white back to the Oscars. I think they’ll give is to Cuaron.
Best Original Screenplay
American Hustle
Blue Jasmine
Her
Nebraska
Dallas Buyers Club
Snubs – Again, the lack of Coen brothers is appalling. All is Lost was also a perfectly written film.
Who’s gunna win? – If it isn’t Her, then I’m done with this show. I KNOW WHAT I SAID BEFORE!
Here’s a little more observations and musings from the whole list. It should be an interesting show!
~ The Croods and Despicable Me 2 got nominated over Pixar. This is weird.
~ Like last year with Amour, The Hunt is the only film that should be even considered for Best Foreign Language Film.
~ Gravity should take all the technical awards and deserves to take them although Her and Inside Llewyn Davis were both magnificently shot.
~ Bad Grandpa got nominated for make up. LOL
~ No music nominations for Inside Llewyn Davis. Travesty.
~ I’m surprised Man of Steel didn’t get nominated for visual effects. That was a pretty film.
~ The Act of Killing should and will murder the rest of the competition
Thoughts From the Booth 