2014 Oscar Predictions

Tonight's the big night, and I have mixed feelings about Ellen DeGeneres hosting, but I'm glad it's not Billy Crystal....again. I'll stick to the big categories, because I didn't get a chance to see the foreign language nominees, the animated  film nominees, or the best short nominees. Also, I'll skip over screenplay awards this year, because this post will turn into one giant word fart, if I don't. And I'll try to post some reviews for the Best Picture nominees in the future. There's only so much time in one day! Let's get to it.


Best Picture
• "American Hustle"
• "Captain Phillips"
• "Dallas Buyers Club"
• "Gravity"
• "Her"
• "Nebraska"
• "Philomena"
• "12 Years a Slave"
• "The Wolf of Wall Street"

The winner could go either way this year, because there's no clear cut favorite. American Hustle is riding a massive (and undeserved) hype train, so a win wouldn't shock me. Personally, I loved the movie, but The Wolf Of Wall Street has no chance in hell. The Academy's going to see a raunchy film with too much gratuitous nudity, and they're too PC to hand over a Best Picture award to TWOWS.

Nebraska is a longshot, but I'm going with Her. It's a moving, sweet, and sentimental love story about a man (Joaquin Phoenix's Theodore) trying to find some peace and happiness in his life, and Her is loaded with underlying messages. The unnatural obsession and reliance for favoring technology over human relationships (i.e. think about the scene towards the end with Theodore panicking during Samantha's brief disappearance), facing the despondent reality of fulfilling all your hopes, goals, and dreams before you're time is up, and taking chances before it's too late.

Her is phenomenal, and an easy 10/10 pick, but 12 Years Of A Slave, Gravity, and other nominees provide some tough competition, and you have to overcome the love fest for American Hustle.

Best Director
• David O. Russell, "American Hustle"
• Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"
• Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"
• Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
• Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street"

Alfonso Cuaron all the way.

Without a theater or an IMAX screen, Gravity loses some points in the "wow factor" department. Still, Gravity is a technical and suspenseful masterpiece, with the eerie and chilling backdrop of outer space. Steve McQueen is a close number two, with Scorsese as a real longshot at number three.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
• Christian Bale, "American Hustle"
• Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
• Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
• Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"

Robert Redford for All Is Lost is an obvious snub, and Christian Bale shouldn't be in here. Joaquin Phoenix is more deserving of a spot for Her. I'm not trying to bash Bale, because he's one of my favorite actors. But his performance in American Hustle doesn't fit into the top three for his career on my list (in no particular order, American Psycho, The Fighter, The Machinist), and it's not even close. On top of that, you can say Bale was upstaged by Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle, AND his performance in Out Of The Furnace last year was much better.

My money is on Matthew McConaughey. I'm a HUGE Leonardo DicCaprio fan, but McConaughey's performance is masterful. McConaughey's ability to make the transition from this hateful, homophobic, and stubborn redneck to the determined businessman with a chip on his shoulder, and a new found sense of motivation is remarkable.

Best Actress in a Leading Role
• Amy Adams, "American Hustle"
• Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
• Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"
• Judi Dench, "Philomena"
• Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"

It's a two horse race between Blanchett and Streep for me. Streep delivers another powerhouse performance in Osage County, but she's surrounded by a good supporting cast, so the extra support could hurt her chances tonight.

I'm going with Blanchett. Sally Hawkins is no scrub, and you can say the same thing about Alec Baldwin, but Blanchett is head and shoulders above everyone else with no real competition. On top of that, Blanchett is the MAIN reason why Blue Jasmine is a memorable romantic comedy. On the other hand, there's a good chance we'll all forget about August: Osage County this time next year, because you can make an argument for pure Oscar bait.

Although, you have to consider Sandra Bullock as a dark horse. Clooney disappears after a while, and Bullock carries everything in the leading role with no real help until the very end.

Best Supporting Actor
• Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"
• Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"
• Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"
• Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
• Jared Leto, "The Dallas Buyers Club"

Captain Phillips is a bit overrated in my book, but Abdi's performance is one of the major highlights in the movie. Still, I'm going with Michael Fassbender. He's genuinely evil, menacing, and despicable as Edwin Epps, and Fassbender's performance is capable of pulling legit feelings of anger out of you.

Jared Leto is a close second. The scene towards the end, where Rayon breaks into tears because he's afraid to "die" is a genuine heartbreaking moment, and Leto shared some excellent chemistry with Mconaughey.

Best Supporting Actress
• Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine"
• Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
• Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"
• Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"
• June Squibb, "Nebraska"

June Squibb is hilarious in Nebraska, and a Julia Roberts win wouldn't bother me too much, but it's antoher tight race between Lupita Nyong'o and Jennifer Lawrence. I have a strong feeling Lawrence will walk away with the gold here, but Nyong'o is my pick.

With more screen time and focus on her character, you can make an argument for Nyong'o delveinrg the best performance (think about the scene with Patsey pleading her case for the bar of soap towards the end) in 12 Years A Slave. Nyong'o is stand out star in 12 Years A Slave, and it's impressive feat, when you consider the overall quality of the cast (including Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Paul Dano).


 

All Is Lost (2013)(Minor Spoilers)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals**

A rocky disturbance disrupts a sailor’s voyage one morning. The Sailor (Robert Redford) awakes on the Virgina Jean to find puddles of water on the floor, and a large hole in the hull. A shipping container is stuck in the boat, so the sailor uses emergency equipment to free the ship. After a quick touch up repair job on the damaged hull, The Sailor stops the flooding temporarily, but he runs into another big problem during a fierce storm.

After the storm, the Virgina Jean is damaged beyond repair, so The Sailor uses a life raft for transportation. The remnants of the Virgina Jean sink to the bottom of the ocean, and The Sailor is stuck on the raft without a reliable form of shelter. As time passes, The Sailor is running out of options and supplies, and The Sailor runs into some trouble during a fishing break in shark infested waters…….

It’s all about Robert Redford here. With the exception of a reaching arm, Redford is the only human character you’ll see here. There’s a soliloquy at the beginning for The Sailor’s last good-byes to the world in a farewell letter, but Redford speaks his first words in real time at the twenty-two minute mark to make an SOS call.

Redford barely speaks here, but that’s not a problem. Redford’s remarkable ability to convey The Sailor’s frustrations, his anger, and a crushing sense of hopelessness with facial expressions and body language deserves admiration. For one hour and forty-five minutes, Redford is the only human being you’ll see in full view, but his captivating performance hooks you in. You’re rooting for this resourceful and clever man to survive, you’re waiting on his rescue, and I lost track for counting the “edge of your seat” close calls here (sharks, the storm, etc.).

What’s missing in this year’s list of Oscar nominees? A Best Actor nomination for Robert Redford. All Is Lost received one nomination for Best Sound Editing, but that’s it. A little while ago, Robert Redford pointed the finger at Lionsgate in an interview. Redford blamed poor marketing and a lack of distribution for Oscar snubs.

I’m still working my way through all the Oscar nominated stuff for 2013, but Redford deserved a nomination for Best Actor, and there’s no denying it. I won’t go on a rant for J.C. Chandor, because I can think of more deserving choices for Best Director (Spike Jonze for Her, Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity, etc.), but Redford is a noticeable snub for this year’s Academy Awards. Is Redford’s snub a grave tragedy? No, but he deserved the recognition.

All Is Lost is a captivating and emotional survival film, featuring a superb performance from Robert Redford. Redford’s performance hooks you in, and you’ll have a  hard time taking your eyes off the screen for the main attraction, and the only living character in full view throughout the movie. And kudos to director/writer J.C. Chandor for his steady and precise work behind the camera. Also, Chandor deserves credit for a dreary roller coaster ride to the end, with enough ups and downs to keep you on the edge of your seat during The Sailor’s fight for survival.

Rating: 9/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

All Is Lost (2013)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

A rocky disturbance disrupts a sailor’s voyage one morning. The Sailor (Robert Redford) awakes on the Virgina Jean to find puddles of water on the floor, and a large hole in the hull. A shipping container is stuck in the boat, so the sailor uses emergency equipment to free the ship. After a quick touch up repair job on the damaged hull, The Sailor stops the flooding temporarily, but he runs into another big problem during a fierce storm.

After the storm, the Virgina Jean is damaged beyond repair, so The Sailor uses a life raft for transportation. The remnants of the Virgina Jean sink to the bottom of the ocean, and The Sailor is stuck on the raft without a reliable form of shelter. As time passes, The Sailor is running out of options and supplies, and The Sailor runs into some trouble during a fishing break in shark infested waters…….

It’s all about Robert Redford here. With the exception of a reaching arm (more on that later), Redford is the only human character you’ll see here. There’s a soliloquy at the beginning for The Sailor’s last good-byes to the world in a farewell letter, but Redford speaks his first words in real time at the twenty-two minute mark to make an SOS call.

Redford barely speaks here, but that’s not a problem. Redford’s remarkable ability to convey The Sailor’s frustrations, his anger, and a crushing sense of hopelessness with facial expressions and body language deserves admiration. For one hour and forty-five minutes, Redford is the only human being you’ll see in full view, but his captivating performance hooks you in. You’re rooting for this resourceful and clever man to survive, you’re waiting on his rescue, and I lost track for counting the “edge of your seat” close calls here (sharks, the storm, etc.).

We’re in the final stages of the movie, and The Sailor is losing his will to fight. Two passing freighter ships missed The Sailor’s flare signals for help. At night, The Sailor spots another boat, but he’s out of flares, so he starts a fire using his journal and pieces of paper for a signal. The fire is out of control, and in a matter of seconds, flames engulf the life raft.

The Sailor jumps into the water to escape the burning raft. He’s trying to keep his head above water, but The Sailor throws in the towel. He willingly sinks to the bottom, but a passing boat spots the burning raft. Using his last ounce of strength, The Sailor swims to the top, and to close out the movie, you see an arm from the boat reaching towards The Sailor. The Sailor grabs the arm, the unknown boater pulls him up, and the screen cuts to black to end the movie.

Great stuff. Throughout the movie, you’re waiting for that one uplifting moment for The Sailor. Writer/director J.C. Chandor did a good job of constantly teasing the audience with the close calls (i.e. the passing freighter ships). And I have no shame in saying I believed in The Sailor’s demise at the end 100% with no questions asked, because Redford sold the moment with a devastated and defeated look on his face.

The Sailor’s swim to the boat takes the top spot for nerve-racking moments in All Is Lost, because you’re holding your breath until the last second, and Chandor pulled the plug at the right moment. The second The Sailor grabs the boater’s hands, the screen immediately cuts to black, so your imagination has a chance to run wild with possibilities for The Sailor’s rescue. It’s a satisfying finale, because The Sailor had to suffer through eight days of hell out in the middle of nowhere, but he made it to the end.

What’s missing in this year’s list of Oscar nominees? A Best Actor nomination for Robert Redford. All Is Lost received one nomination for Best Sound Editing, but that’s it. A little while ago, Robert Redford pointed the finger at Lionsgate in an interview. Redford blamed poor marketing and a lack of distribution for Oscar snubs.

I’m still working my way through all the Oscar nominated stuff for 2013, but Redford deserved a nomination for Best Actor, and there’s no denying it. I won’t go on a rant for J.C. Chandor, because I can think of more deserving choices for Best Director (Spike Jonze for Her, Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity, etc.), but Redford is a noticeable snub for this year’s Academy Awards. Is Redford’s snub a grave tragedy? No, but he deserved the recognition.

All Is Lost is a captivating and emotional survival film, featuring a superb performance from Robert Redford. Redford’s performance hooks you in, and you’ll have a  hard time taking your eyes off the screen for the main attraction, and the only living character in full view throughout the movie. And kudos to director/writer J.C. Chandor for his steady and precise work behind the camera. Also, Chandor deserves credit for a dreary roller coaster ride to the end, with enough ups and downs to keep you on the edge of your seat during The Sailor’s fight for survival.

Rating: 9/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1