Despite not making it to the cineplex regularly so far this year (with little regret, I might add), I have been keeping a close eye on the awards season. It’s been one of the most fun races I’ve ever personally witnessed, and until relatively recently—last month really–clear front runners had yet to emerge in many of the big categories. It’s one of the closest races in ten years, many would say more, and with the inevitable Academy upsets on the way on top of the already thrilling 2013-2014 awards season, this year’s Oscars will for once be worth looking forward to watching. The BAFTAS are the last big deciding factor for the Oscars, but I'm (over?) confident. I’m pumped!
Here are my predictions for the Oscars in 2014 and what I’d vote for were I an Academy member.
Best Picture - 12 Years a Slave
My choice: Frankly, I struggle to think of any other year I so enthusiastically supported so many films for the big win. I’d be thrilled with 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, The Wolf of Wall Street, and, although it isn’t nominated, Blue is the Warmest Colour.
Best Director - Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
My Choice: Cuaron. If American Hustle is a performer’s film, Gravity is a director’s. The visionary creativity and talent to bring Gravity to life continues to baffle and inspire in equal measure. Cuaron couldn’t deserve it more.
Best Actor- Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
My Choice: Leo DiCaprio. For months, Chiwetel Ejiofor was the clear frontrunner for best actor in a leading role, but once the McConassaince came about, he, along with everybody else in this particularly stuffed category, didn’t stand much of a chance at all. That’s a shame, since Leo DiCaprio continues to prove he’s the best actor of his generation in The Wolf of Wall Street, and gives the best performance of his long and impressive career. Few actors would’ve been so brave, and that this was a passion project for him makes it all the better.
Best Actress - Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
My choice: Cate Blanchett. She’s simply transcendent, and brings to life all of Jasmine’s many contradictions without ever losing clarity or focus. She’s one of my favorite actresses, and seeing her finally get her due is immensely satisfying. Adèle Exarchopoulos would be my number one any other year, but she’s a close second.
Best Supporting Actor- Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
My choice: Michael Fassbender. Leto’s showy performance (that is excellent) seems to have all but eclipsed Michael Fassbender’s terrifying Edwin Epps. He avoids every cliché actors previously sought for playing a devious and evil figure, bringing an uncomfortable humanity to the character. It’s his best, and he’s deserving.
Best Supporting Actress- Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
My choice: Lupita couldn’t be more deserving, and that she’s a newcomer to film makes her turn as an abused slave all the more astounding.
Best Original Screenplay - Erin Warren Singer and David O. Russel, American Hustle (wouldn’t be too surprised if Her gets it though)
My choice: Her. Any other writer in Hollywood would’ve written Her as an unintentionally funny commercial for the Urban Outfitters of the future. Instead, Spike Jonze wrote and directed one of the most touching love stories in years that organically confronts huge questions about the human (and robotic?) condition.
Best Adapted Screenplay - John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
My choice: It’s a tossup. I’d be happy with 12 Years a Slave or The Wolf of Wall Street. Both are incredibly economical with what’s shown and how, and the dialogue is equally poetic in both. I’m sure many disagree with those adjectives applying to Wolf, but I don’t.
Best Animated Feature - Frozen
My choice: This sounds strange, but I’d almost love to see The Wind Rises win if for the only reason that Miyazaki goes out with a bang. Biased answer? Probably.
Best Foreign Film - The Great Beauty
My choice: Of the nominations, The Hunt. Not only is Mads Mikkelsen masterful, but the film challenges audiences expectations at every turn, making a horror story out of the primitive responses us human beings can sometimes have out of fear. Amazing filmmaking.
Documentary Feature - The Act of Killing
My choice: The Act of Killing. Reinvents the documentary by elevating it beyond the usual ‘info download’ genre and into the highest form of art.
Best Production Design - Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby
My choice: The Great Gatsby. Lavish and eye popping, it’s perfect.
Best Cinematography - Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity
My choice: Gravity. Unlike Life of Pi, which substituted real lighting setups with CGI at every opportunity, longtime Cuaron and, lately, Malick collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki combined groundbreaking cinematography techniques with computer effects. The visuals are revolutionary, but they wouldn’t have been without Lubezki’s amazing control of light and shadow.
Best Costume Design - Catherin Martin, The Great Gatsby
My choice: The Great Gatsby. For the same reasons stated above.
Best Editing -Mark Sanger and Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
My choice: Gravity. It’s what Hitchcock would call “pure cinematics” or what George Lucas would call a “visual tone poem.” Images and sound do most of the talking, but how they’re edited together is what gives it all meaning.
Best Makeup and Hair - Robin Matthews, Dallas Buyers Club
My choice: American Hustle. Sure, Leto looks incredible as a cross dresser, but take one look at the four leads in Hustle and tell me it isn’t more deserving.
Best Score - Steven Price, Gravity
My choice: Gravity. Gravity blurs the lines between sound design and score in a way reminiscent of film from the silent era and just after. The score propels the action, and without the music, there would be no Gravity. It’s amazing how each thing is just on in this film.
Best Song - Let it Go (Frozen)
My choice: Let it Go. Good song.
Best Sound Editing - Gravity
My choice: Look to comments under “best score”.
Best Sound Mixing - Gravity
My choice: Look to comments under “best score”.
Best Visual Effects - Gravity
My choice: The use of computer effects is everything Avatar wanted to be and more. Of course, Gravity!
Best Animated Short - Get a Horse
My choice: Honestly, despite watching the nominations for the final three categories, I’m just not one for shorts. It’s a taste thing.
Documentary Short - The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
My choice: look right above
Best Live Action Short - The Voorman Problem
My choice: look right above
I'd be curious to hear the predictions of my readers, so chime in through email or comments!