The 2014 Academy Awards are right around the corner, set to honor what the Academy comprised of actors and other Hollywood figureheads believe are the best movies of the year. This was a year full of biographies ("American Sniper", "The Imitation Game", "Selma", "The Theory of Everything", "Foxcatcher") and refreshingly original films ("Birdman", "The Grand Budapest Hotel"), with "Boyhood" and "Whiplash" sitting somewhere in between. Meanwhile, "The Lego Movie" was robbed of what many thought deserved an oscar win in the animated category, but even a nomination was too far-fetched for the Academy. But more on the snubs later, as I would like to begin my guide to the oscars with what I thought were the surprise nominations.
Surprises:
The supporting actor and actress category featured their own surprise nominations, with Keira Knightley garnering a nod for reasons that still bewilder me, and the great Robert Duvall being nominated based on career achievement over merit. The academy has a bad habit of nominating the familiar face when they fail to find a worthy candidate, they simply don't look hard enough, opting to nominate the decorated veteran simply because they neglect smaller actors. Im not saying I have a substitution, nor am I bashing Robert Duvall's work in "The Judge", but surely a better performance, in a better movie, deserved the nomination. This trend was in full swing when Meryl Streep was nominated yet again for her work in the forgettable "Into the Woods". Meryl herself wasn't bad, or great, but the movie was really not enjoyable. Meryl doesn't need the extra nomination to add to her legend, so why give it? The answer is simple, big studios. Disney was behind this film and thus it got attention from the Academy, this brings us back to Keira Knightley. "The Imitation Game" was a fine movie in its own right, boasting a fantastic and heartbreaking performance from Benedict Cumberbatch. The film was everything an academy voter looks for: Period Piece, Biography, British, all factors that help a film's Oscar candidacy, at least in recent years. Enter the Oscar dominating juggernaut that is The Weinstein Company, who produced the film, and you are guaranteed success. Keira Knightley, whose charming but far from oscar-worthy performance benefited from big studio support and a film forged in the mold of Oscar success.
Snubs:
"The Lego Movie" was only one of the most original and entertaining animated films I have seen in recent years. The general consensus was that "The Lego Movie" was a shoo-in for an academy award, until it wasn't. The academy neglected the fantastic story and animation on display in this movie and opted for the "Boxtrolls". "The Boxtrolls" people, let that sink in. Their isn't much to say about this one, just a complete and utter error. The snub here is not subjective, it is blatantly insulting to the children, and even parents who adored this movie, and is simply wrong. Then again great films don't need an Oscar to validate their greatness, as some of cinema's finest films were snubbed of the academy award, i.e. "Goodfellas", "Pulp Fiction", "Saving Private Ryan", "Citizen Kane" etc... I'm not saying that "The Lego Movie" is in that league, but it goes to show that an Oscar is still just a trophy. Moving on to the Best Actor category, we witnessed David Oyelowo's epic portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. go unnoticed by the Academy. This was a huge surprise and angered me at first. I saw "Selma" not long before the nominees were announced, and his visceral speeches were fresh on my mind when I saw him excluded from the category. But looking back on it now, the Best Actor category was stacked this year, and in order for him to be nominated someone would have to be removed, and choosing who would give some headaches. That being said someone was bound to get ignored this year, with Jake Gyllenhaal's role in "Nightcrawler" also in contention. Actors will always get snubbed, but one of my favorite films all year was entirely ignored, outside of Rosamund Pike, and that is "Gone Girl". I am a huge David Fincher fan and have seen the majority of his movies. I can say I thoroughly enjoyed all of them and had high hopes heading into is latest dark and twisted entry. I was not disappointed. Fincher's films tend to find their way onto the oscar stage, i.e. "The Social Network", "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", and I expected the same here. It was brilliantly directed, featured a breakout performance from Rosamund Pike, who wasn't snubbed thank god, and had a demented and thrilling story. I was literally on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the movie and can recall my heart beating at a dangerous rate, but the excitement and thrill of this ride wasn't enough to captivate voters this time around. Oscar vets like Fincher and the twice-winner Ben Affleck headlined this movie and still didn't get the recognition it deserved. "Gone Girl" has you unsettled even during times of status-quo, and deserved a nod, especially considering that the Academy only nominated eight out of a possible ten films. Oscar Logic. But enough about who got screwed, lets get into who I think will win the major categories.
Best Supporting Actor:
The Nominees: J.K.Simmons for "Whiplash", Ethan Hawke "Boyhood", Robert Duvall "The Judge", Edward Norton "Birdman", Mark Ruffalo "Foxcatcher".
This one is pretty predictable. J.K. Simmons portrayed the sadistic and demonic jazz band teacher at the fictional Schaeffer music school, with Miles Teller playing his main pupil. Simmons' Fletcher is ruthless and unforgettable, and will likely net him his first Oscar. Hawke could benefit from the success that Boyhood is having, and Edward Norton is an intriguing dark-horse pick, but both are unlikely to win. As for Duvall and Ruffalo, they don't stand a chance.
Best Supporting Actress:
The Nominees: Patricia Arquette "Boyhood", Laura Dern "Wild", Emma Stone "Birdman", "Keira Knightley "The Imitation Game", Meryl Streep "Into the Woods"
Patricia Arquette will win, this category is a closed book. I can't imagine any upset in this category, as Arquette was fantastic and the rest of the field was nothing special. Emma Stone is the only real threat but doesn't have a strong enough case. Although Meryl Streep is always in contention, whether she deserves it or not.
Best Actress:
The Nominees: Felicity Jones "The Theory of Everything", Juliane Moore "Still Alice", Reese Witherspoon "Wild", Marion Cotillard "Two Days, One Night", Rosamund Pike "Gone Girl"
This category is tricky for me to pick, as I was able to see only two/ of the films nominated in this category. That being said, Rosamund Pike was fantastic, but a long shot considering the fact that she has to overcome the long overdue Juliane Moore. Moore is a fine actress and will finally be rewarded for her efforts after five nominations, yet DiCaprio still must wait.
Best Actor:
The Nominees: Eddie Redmayne "The Theory of Everything", Michael Keaton "Birdman", Bradley Cooper "American Sniper", Steve Carrell "Foxcatcher", Benedict Cumberbatch "The Imitation Game"
This is the toughest one to pick. Recent history and current momentum have the pendulum swinging in the direction of Eddie Redmayne, as the SAG winner will have the odds in his favor heading into oscar night. His devastating portrayal as the genius Steven Hawking has people talking, and serves the Academy's British/Biographical appetite. Then you have Michael Keaton, who gives the performance of a lifetime, highlighting a career that has often been overlooked. He plays the dysfunctional and desperate Riggan Thompson, an actor trying to reclaim the spotlight and redefine his typecast career. These two are the heavyweights. In the end, I predict Keaton will win in "upset" fashion despite giving the best performance of anyone this year.
Best Director:
The Nominees: Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu "Birdman", Bennett Miller, "Foxcatcher", Richard Linklater "Boyhood", Morten Tyldum "The Imitation Game", Wes Anderson "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
The major contenders here are Linklater and Innaritu. Both of them made very different movies, and very good movies. Innaritu's "Birdman" was a fantastic movie, and was as bold as it was original. It boasted beautiful camera work and great performances, making a very strong case for Best Picture. Linklater's "Boyhood" on the other hand was bold and beautiful in its own right. The 12 year project resulted in an intimate and realistic look into a boy's life. The patience and commitment Linklater displayed in this film might just nab him an oscar, but I predict that Innaritu, the Directors Guild award winner, will walk away with this award for his efforts in "Birdman".
Best Picture:
The Nominees: "Birdman", "Boyhood", "The Imitation Game", "The Grand Budapest Hotel", "Selma", "Whiplash", "The Theory of Everything", "American Sniper"
This has quickly become a two horse race between "Birdman" and "Boyhood". "Whiplash" was also one of my favorite movies this year but will unlikely walk away with any major award outside of Simmons. "Boyhood" was the Golden Globe winner but momentum has been on "Birdman"'s side as of late. The Producer's and Director's Guilds awarded Innaritu's film and recent history shows that "Birdman" is the likely oscar winner as a result. As much praise as "Boyhood" is getting and considering how long overdue Wes Anderson is of an oscar, I just don't see "Boyhood" or "The Grand Budapest Hotel" winning this year. The rest of the films were solid but nothing really spectacular. It seemed as if a lot of oscar-baiting was at hand and the field was trying too hard this year. But 2014 definitely had its gems, and "Birdman" will be awarded as the best.