What Are Your Selected Oscar 2014 Predictions?
Who will win this years Oscars?
Oscar 2014 Predictions
The Oscars are upon us. On March 2, Hollywood comes together to celebrate the crowning achievements in film for 2013. This year’s festivities will be hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, an obvious safe reaction to Seth MacFarlane’s controversial turn as host of the 2013 award show. Although I love MacFarlane’s style, I see how the old guard could be put off by his irreverence. Nonetheless here are my predictions, which I’ve approached like fantasy football; it’s all about the points. I have my personal favorites who I wouldn’t mind seeing walk home with the golden statuette, but in a competition crazy world I base my picks on who I think is going to win. There are 24 possible points out there. Lets see if any of the readers out there can beat the kid. Here are the nominees and our Oscar 2014 Predictions.
Best Picture:
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
“Her”
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street
Winner: 12 Years A Slave
Could/Should Win: Gravity, American Hustle
This year’s big race takes on a similar tone to previous years’ in that it pits an heavy box office smash against a smaller film with historical subject matter (Avatar vs. The Hurt Locker, Life of Pi vs. Argo). We will go with history again.
Best Director:
American Hustle David O. Russell
Gravity Alfonso Cuarón
Nebraska Alexander Payne
12 Years a Slave Steve McQueen
The Wolf of Wall Street Martin Scorsese
Winner: Gravity Alfonso Cuaron
Could/Should Win: 12 Years A Slave Steve McQueen
Although I would love to see Steve McQueen become the first black director to win this coveted award, Cuarón seems like the front runner this year having already won the Directors Guild and Golden Globe awards in the category.
Best Actor:
Christian Bale in American Hustle
Bruce Dern in Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club
Winner: Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club
Could/Should Win: Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave, Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street
In one of the most hotly contested races in years, (Tom Hanks, Idris Elba, Forrest Whitaker, Joaquin Phoenix excluded) I’m rooting for Chiwetel and definitely would not be mad if Leo took home gold. However, I just can’t deny that it feels like McConaughey’s year, and his turn as Ron Woodroof certainly solidified his transition from romantic comedy staple to proficient character actor. I’m unsure of whether or not the Academy considers other performances from the year, but his work on HBO’s True Detective can only help his cause.
Best Actress:
Amy Adams in American Hustle
Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock in Gravity
Judi Dench in Philomena
Meryl Streep in August: Osage County
Winner: Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine
Could/Should Win: I think this one is pretty much locked up. Blanchett has been the heavy favorite since the film’s release, and just as she did for the SAG awards, she gets my vote here.
Best Supporting Actor:
Barkhad Abdi in Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper in American Hustle
Michael Fassbender in 12 Years a Slave
Jonah Hill in The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club
Winner: Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club
Could/Should Win: Jonah Hill, Bradley Cooper
Jonah Hill is not going to win, but in my opinion, his performance of wannabe WASP Donny Azoff in The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the most enjoyable of the year.Speaking of enjoyable performances, it saddens me that James Franco was not included for his performance as gangster rapper Alien in Spring Breakers. “Spring Break 4eva”
Best Supporting Actress:
Sally Hawkins in Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle
Lupita Nyong’o in 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts in August: Osage County
June Squibb in Nebraska
Winner: Lupita Nyong’o in 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Jennifer Lawrence in American Hustle
Even though critics feel that her role was too small, I am going with the long shot here. Lupita’s portrayal of Patsey is as riveting a performace as I’ve seen in years. In such a tough role, she certainly nailed it.
Best Original Screenplay
American Hustle David O. Russell and Eric Warren Singer
Blue Jasmine Woody Allen
Her Spike Jonze
Nebraska Bob Nelson
Dallas Buyers Club Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack
Winner: Her written by Spike Jonze
Best Adapted Screenplay
12 Years a Slave — John Ridley
Before Midnight — Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater
The Wolf of Wall Street — Terence Winter
Captain Phillips— Billy Ray
Philomena — Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
Winner:12 Years a Slave screenplay by John Ridley
Best Animated Feature
The Wind Rises
Frozen
Despicable Me 2
Ernest & Celestine
The Croods
Winner: Frozen
Best Foreign Feature
The Hunt (Denmark)
The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium)
The Great Beauty (Italy)
Omar (Palestinian territories)
The Missing Picture (Cambodia)
Winner: The Great Beauty Italy
Best Music (Original Song)
Frozen: “Let it Go” Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”: “Ordinary Love” U2, Paul Hewson
Her: “The Moon Song” Karen O, Spike Jonze
Despicable Me 2: “Happy” Pharrell Williams
Alone Yet Not Alone: “Alone Yet Not Alone” Bruce Broughton, Dennis Spiegel
Winner: Despicable Me 2: “Happy” Pharrell Williams
Best Music (Original Score)
Gravity — Steven Price
Philomena — Alexandre Desplat
The Book Thief — John Williams
Saving Mr. Banks — Thomas Newman
Her — William Butler and Owen Pallett
Winner: Gravity Steven Price
Best Cinematography
Gravity — Emmanuel Lubezki
Inside Llewyn Davis — Bruno Delbonnel
Nebraska — Phedon Papamichael
Prisoners — Roger Deakins
The Grandmaster — Phillippe Le Sourd
Winner: Gravity Emmanuel Lubezki
Note: 12 Years a Slave should be here.
Best Costume Design
The Great Gatsby Catherine Martin
12 Years a Slave Patricia Norris
The Grandmaster William Chang Suk Ping
American Hustle Michael Wilkinson
The Invisible Woman Michael O’Connor
Winner: American Hustle Michael Wilkinson
Best Documentary Feature
The Act of Killing
20 Feet From Stardom
The Square
Cutie and the Boxer
Dirty Wars
Winner: The Act of Killing Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge Sorensen
Best Film Editing
Gravity Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Sanger
12 Years a Slave Joe Walker
Captain Phillips Christopher Rouse
American Hustle Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers and Alan Baumgarten
Dallas Buyers Club John Mac McMurphy and Martin Pensa
Winner: Gravity Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Sanger
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
The Lone Ranger Joel Harlow and Gloria Pasqua-Casny
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Stephen Prouty
Dallas Buyers Club Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews
Winner: Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa Stephen Prouty
Best Production Design
12 Years a Slave Adam Stockhausen and Alice Baker
The Great Gatsby Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn
American Hustle Judy Becker and Heather Loeffler
Gravity Andy Nicholson, Rosie Goodwin and Joanne Woollard
Her K.K. Barrett and Gene Serdena
Winner: The Great Gatsby Production Design: Catherine Martin; Set Decoration: Beverley Dunn
Best Visual Effects
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Star Trek Into Darkness
Iron Man 3
The Lone Ranger
Winner: Gravity Tim Webber, Chris Lawrence, Dave Shirk and Neil Corbould
Best Sound Mixing
Gravity
Captain Phillips
Lone Survivor
Inside Llewyn Davis
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Winner: Lone Survivor Andy Koyama, Beau Borders and David Brownlow
Best Sound Editing
Gravity
All Is Lost
Captain Phillips
Lone Survivor
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Winner: Lone Survivor Wylie Stateman
Best Short Film (Live Action)
Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me)
Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)
Helium
Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)
The Voorman Problem
Winner: The Voorman Problem
Best Short Film (Animated)
Feral
Get a Horse!
Mr. Hublot
Possessions
Room on the Broom
Winner: Get a Horse
Best Documentary Short
CaveDigger
Facing Fear
Karama Has No Walls
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall
Winner: The Lady in Number 6
Tally the points at the end of the night and we’ll see who has their hand on the pulse of what The Academy is thinking. Remember to email your Oscar predictions to killingthebreeze@gmail.com for a chance to win the $24 prize, and most importantly to see if you beat me.
