The Nominees Are:
Best Original Screenplay:
American Hustle
Blue Jasmine
Dallas Buyers Club
Her
Nebraska
Will WIn: Her
Should Win: Her
Could Upset: American Hustle
My Thoughts: I haven’t yet seen Her but I feel the love for Spike Jonze is great. He is admired by a great number in the Academy and I think they will want to recognize his ambition with this script he pulled off. The love for the film American Hustle is even greater, however, and with the entire Academy populace voting the love of American Hustle could outweigh the support for Spike Jonze.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
Before Midnight
Captain Phillips
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street
Philomena
Will Win:12 Years a Slave
Should Win:Before Midnight
Could Upset: Philomena
My Thoughts:Before Midnight, not only in my biased opinion, is the best script here, however, the victory for the film is probably just with the nomination. Expect 12 Years a Slave, the strongest Best Picture nominee in the bunch to pull off the win, but I hear the support for Philomena is quite strong in the Academy so if any script can pull off the upset it’s Philomena.
Best Visual Effects:
Gravity
Iron Man 3
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Lone Ranger
Star Trek into Darkness
Will Win:Gravity
Should Win:Gravity
Could Upset: You’re kidding right?!
My Thoughts: Nothing is stopping the ‘below the line’ juggernaut from taking this category.
Best Cinematography:
The Grandmaster
Gravity
Inside Llewyn Davis
Prisoners
Nebraska
Will Win:Gravity
Should Win:Gravity
Could Upset:Ummm…Nothing
My Thoughts:There is a lot of great work in this category, but, come on, let’s be real, none of them come close to the brilliant cinematography of Gravity.
Best Sound Mixing:
Inside Llewyn Davis
Lone Survivor
Gravity
Captain Phillips
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Will Win:Gravity
Should Win:Gravity
Could Upset: Captain Phillips?...doubt it
My Thoughts:Nothing is stopping the Gravity freight train!
Best Sound Editing:
Lone Survivor
All is Lost
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Gravity
Captain Phillips
Will Win:Gravity
Should WIn:Gravity
Could Upset:...I’ve got nothing
My Thoughts: Ditto with Sound Mixing
Best Live Action Short Film:
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
Will Win:Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)
Should Win:--
Could Upset: any of them
My Thoughts:Short Films are the toughest categories to call because they are so rarely seen among the Academy and now with the entire Academy voting in this category it’s hard to say which way they will lean. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten the chance to see these short films so my decision is to go with the film that I feel has the most gravitas, and ‘Just Before Losing Everything’ has plenty of that.
Best Animated Short Film:
Feral
Get a Horse!
Mr. Hublot
Possessions
Room on the Broom
Will Win:Get a Horse!
Should Win:--
Could Upset: --
My Thoughts:When in doubt pick the Disney film. ‘Get a Horse!’ has the biggest studio in it’s corner and is definitely the most widely seen film in the category.
Best Costume Design:
The Grandmaster
The Great Gatsby
The Invisible Woman
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Will Win:12 Years a Slave
Should Win:The Great Gatsby
Could Upset: American Hustle
My Thoughts:The Academy is gonna want to reward American Hustle somewhere and it could very well happen here. However, I feel that 12 Years a Slave and The Great Gatsby are above it at this point.
Best Production Design:
American Hustle
Her
The Great Gatsby
Gravity
12 Years a Slave
Will WIn:The Great Gatsby
Should Win:The Great Gatsby
Could Upset: Any of the Best Picture nominees
My Thoughts: The Great Gatsby is surrounded by Best Picture nominees in this category and it is quite possible that those films could take votes from each other and leave a clear path for the deserving Gatsby to the podium.
Best Original Song:
Let it Go (Frozen)
Happy (Despicable Me 2)
Ordinary Love (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
The Moon Song (Her)
Will Win:Let it Go
Should Win:Let it Go
Could Upset: Happy
My Thoughts:This is actually one of the toughest categories to call this year and Pharrel William’s Happy had a lot of momentum at the end. But Let it Go is a showstopper and has been in the fast lane for quite some time...wouldn’t be surprised if U2’s Ordinary Love pulls off the win either.
Best Original Score:
Saving Mr. Banks (Thomas Newman)
The Book Thief (John Williams)
Gravity (Steven Price)
Philomena (Alexandre Desplat)
Her (William Butler, Owen Pallett)
Will Win:Gravity- Steven Price
Should Win:Gravity - Steven Price
Could Upset: Not sure
My Thoughts: All of these scores have something to be admired about them, but I think Gravity had the biggest impact .
Best Makeup and Hairstyling:
Dallas Buyers Club
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
The Lone Ranger
Will Win:Dallas Buyers Club
Should Win:Dallas Buyers Club
My Thoughts:The only Best Picture nominee in bunch will easily take this, and deservedly so; Only had a $250 budget for Hair and Makeup.
Best Foreign Language Film:
The Broken Circle Breakdown
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
The Missing Picture
Omar
Will WIn:The Great Beauty
Should Win:--
Could Upset: The Hunt
My Thoughts:When in doubt go with the film that has been winning everything.
Best Film Editing:
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
12 Years a Slave
Dallas Buyers Club
Will Win:Captain Phillips
Should Win:Gravity
My Thoughts:I don’t know what is gonna happen here, but my gut says Captain Phillps.
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
Will Win:The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
Should Win:The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
My Thoughts:The most inspiring story is going to affect those who actually saw these shorts.
Best Documentary Feature:
The Act of Killing
Cutie and the Boxer
Dirty Wars
The Square
20 Feet From Stardom
Will Win:20 Feet from Stardom
Should Win:--
Could Upset: The Act of Killing
My Thoughts:Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any of these films as well, so I’m going with the most crowd-pleasing of the bunch.
Best Animated Feature:
The Croods
The Wind Rises
Frozen
Despicable Me 2
Ernest & Celestine
Will Win:Frozen
Should Win:Frozen
Could Upset: The Wind Rises
My Thoughts:Frozen will take this one.
Best Directing:
Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)
David O. Russell (American Hustle)
Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Alexander Payne (Nebraska)
Will Win:Alfonso Cuaron
Should Win:Alfonso Cuaron
Could Upset: Steve McQueen?...won’t happen
My Thoughts: Alfonso Cuaron accomplished a cinematic masterpiece that none saw succeeding. Give the man his due!
Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
June Squibb (Nebraska)
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)
Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
Will Win:Lupita Nyong’o
Should Win:Lupita Nyong’o
Could Upset: Jennifer Lawrence
My Thoughts:This is the category I am most invested in amongst all of them. I am torn between my own biased love for Lupita and the back and forth momentum for Jennifer Lawrence. I don’t think the Academy will want to make Lawrence a back to back Oscar winner - a feat that only a few actors have ever pulled off - especially at the age of 24. Anything can happen though.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Will Win:Jared Leto
Should Win:Michael Fassbender
Could Upset: --
My Thoughts:I don’t see anything or anyone in the way of Jared Leto and his Oscar.
Best Actress:
Judi Dench (Philomena)
Amy Adams (American Hustle)
Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)
Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Will WIn:Cate Blanchett
Should Win:Amy Adams
Could Upset: Amy Adams
My Thoughts:It is a longshot but Amy Adams could pull off the win, but it is a huge longshot because Cate Blanchett is as close as a sure bet as you can get in this category.
Best Actor in a Leading Role:
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Christian Bale (American Hustle)
Will Win:Matthew McConaughey
Should Win:Chiwetel Ejiofor/Leonardo DiCaprio
Could Upset: Chiwetel Ejiofor/Leonardo DiCaprio
My Thoughts:I believe Chiwetel and Leo gave the best performances this year in this category. McConaughey gave a great performance but he has the career renaissance that everyone admires, including myself, in his corner. That will take Matt to the podium to say his classic “alright, alright, alright”
Best Picture:
Nebraska
American Hustle
Gravity
Her
12 Years a Slave
Philomena
The Wolf of Wall Street
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
Should Win:Gravity
Could Upset: American Hustle
My Thoughts:This has been the toughest Academy Awards to call the winners on in sometime. At any point, it appeared that 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, or American Hustle had the frontrunner status. But none of those films have been able to take the lead for long. Even the Producer’s Guild who everyone thought would give us a clear frontrunner ended up in a shocking, yet thrilling tie between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity. My bet is on 12 Years a Slave, but Gravity is right on it’s heels.
Those are my picks! The Academy Awards are this Sunday night on ABC.
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