Oscar Predictions: Who Should Win/Who Will Win

A lot of people like to rag on the Oscars. They talk about how pointlessly flashy they are, how they are harmful to the "art" world, and how they don't matter at all. Some of those are valid complaints. Yet, I think the Oscars are very important to the film industry. For example, I think studios would be a lot shakier to
invest in movies like Her if there weren't the Oscars to guarantee them some extra viewers. Do you honestly think producers would invest in more independent projects like Dallas Buyers Club and 12 Years a Slave if they didn't have the Academy Awards as an impetus? No! The Oscars are great in that way. For me at least, the Oscars re-inspire this love of the movies that I feel we often forget about. I love the Oscars. They're fun and entertaining to say the least. I still feel that it's messed up to rank movies like the Oscars do though. Is The Wolf of Wall Street better than 12 Years a Slave? Maybe, but they are two completely different films. If they broke up the awards into genres, that would probably be better. But alas, that will never happen. I'm also mad some films like Prisoners and Inside Llewyn Davis were completely snubbed for the major categories. But why complain? Let's just embrace it all and enjoy the Academy Awards! So below are my choices of who should and who will win. Also keep in mind that I'm only covering the categories in which I know what I'm talking about. That's why I have no thoughts on Best Foreign Film or Best Documentary short film.
Enjoy.
P.S. Let's all hope Her wins everything.

Best Picture
Will Win: Gravity
Should Win: Her
12 Years a Slave seems like the obvious winner. Yet, I think Gravity may be a surprise here. I would actually be okay with this. It's an amazing technical achievement and reminded everyone why exactly we go to the movies. To be swept up and amazed in the wonderful, and sometimes scary, dream world that is the movies. Her should win though. No movie blew me away emotionally like Her did. It was so incredibly written and acted, and its narrative structure is amazing. I put it at my #1 spot of the year, and I stand by that. No movie deserves Best Picture quite like Her. It won't win, but I'd love it if it did.

Best Leading Actor
Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio-The Wolf of Wall Street
Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio-The Wolf of Wall Street

Very tough category. It's been a fantastic year for movies, no doubt. Arguably, a better year for acting. There were some notable snubs here like Joaquin Phoenix for Her and Tom Hanks for Captain Philips. I really think everyone nominated deserved it though. You may think I'm crazy for picking Leo over McConaughey. I think they were both fantastic and deserving of the nomination. But this is DiCaprio's year. I can feel it in my bones. He's been ignored for too long. I think he has a solid chance and really deserves it. He also won at the Golden Globes. I may end up being wrong, but I'm sticking with my gut this year.
Best Leading Actress
Will Win: Cate Blanchett-Blue Jasmine
Should Win: Amy Adams-American Hustle
It's really a shoe in for Cate Blanchett this year. She won at the Golden Globes and numerous other awards shows. Everyone knows she will win. Blanchett was very good but personally, I think Amy Adams should walk away with the award. She gave a fantastic performance in American Hustle. I actually think she was better in Her, but she deserves it for this as well.
Best Supporting Actor
Will Win: Jared Leto-Dallas Buyers Club
Should Win: Jared Leto-Dallas Buyers Club
I kind of want to give this one to Jonah Hill, but Leto really did give an astounding performance here. Not only did he lose massive amounts of weight, but his performance was just amazing. Dallas Buyers Club had a lackluster script, but Leto and McConaughey carried it. Jared Leto definitely deserves this win.

Best Supporting Actress
Will Win: Lupita Nyong'o-12 Years a Slave
Should Win: June Squibb-Nebraska
Even though Jennifer Lawrence won the Golden Globe and was very good in her role, I don't think she'll win. She already got an award last year and it seems like the favor is starting to shift towards Lupita. Personally, I'd like to see June Squibb win for her hilariously good performance in Nebraska. Squibb made me laugh, but she also gave her character a dearth of emotion and depth. I think she should win, but she definitely won't.
Best Director
Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron-Gravity
Should Win: Alfonso Cuaron-Gravity
Part of me wants Scorsese to win, but what Cuaron did with Gravity was much too awe inspiring to ignore. Gravity is the best "space" movie I've seen since 2001: A Space Odyssey. Many people have complained about Gravity's narrative and screenplay. Both of those are actually great, but it's direction is astounding. I was literally on the edge of my seat for all of Gravity. Alfonso Cuaron massively succeeded with what he set out to do here. Gravity is not my favorite movie of the year. But it is the best directed movie. I honestly cannot comprehend the amount of time, talent, and painstaking work it took to make a movie like Gravity. Therefore, Cuaron should, and will, win.
Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: Her
Should Win: Her
I'm not even going to talk about this. Her is the best film out of all the nominees and the undisputed best film of the year. I loved it. I saw it twice in theaters. Spike Jonze deserves it 100%. The screenplay is beautiful and original. Enough said.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
Should Win: The Wolf of Wall Street
Besides being a very good and harrowing portrayal of life in slavery, 12 Years a Slave is a great movie. But The Wolf of Wall Street has a much better script. 12 Years was good mainly because of the direction and acting. The Wolf of Wall Street was good because of all those things, and the fact that it had a fast paced and terrific screenplay. The dialogue was absolutely great and Terence Winter really improved on the book. I sure hope it wins, although I do doubt it will. The Academy will want to give 12 Years a prize if it doesn't get Best Picture and it seems that it's been picking this up at the other awards shows this year.
Best Animated Film
Will Win: Frozen
Should Win: The Wind Rises
So, I haven't seen any of the animated film nominees besides The Wind Rises. Yet, The Wind Rises was so good that I feel no other film in this category will surpass it. I've heard other people say the same. The Wind Rises had a beautiful and touching story that I think is very pertinent to the movie industry. It's a shame it won't win. This is mostly because it's not as popular as movies like Frozen.
Best Cinematography
Will Win: Gravity
Should Win: Prisoners
Although Gravity's cinematography was really damn good, Roger Deakins' work on Prisoners was incredible. That man should shoot everything. He gave the film a tone that fit with the story perfectly, capitalizing on the depressing and rainy atmosphere of Prisoners. Deakins is one of the best cinematographers working today and he's yet to win an Oscar (although he has 10 nominations). I hope this is his year, but it's very likely Emmanuel Lubezki will scoop this one up for Gravity.
Best Editing 
Will Win: Gravity
Should Win: Captain Philips
Gravity was a technical masterpiece, but Captain Philips was really well edited and deserves at least one prize considering how it was snubbed in other categories. I think it really deserves it though. Philips was fast paced and riveting. Mainly because of the editing. I think Gravity will win this, but I'd like to see Captain Philips win for sure.
Best Original Score
Will Win: Her
Should Win: Her
It was a great film alone, but Her also had a very beautiful score. Go listen to it and you'll see. That's all.
Best Original Song
Will Win: Frozen-"Let It Go"
Should Win: Her-"The Moon Song"
It's a crying shame that Inside Llewyn Davis' "Please Mr. Kennedy" isn't nominated here, and if it was I'd want it to win. But I think "The Moon Song" is a soft and wonderful song that completely deserves the award. Unfortunately, it will not win. Frozen's song is just more popular and crowd pleasing.

Best Documentary
Will Win: The Act of Killing
Should Win: The Act of Killing
The only nominated documentary I saw this year (Blackfish was snubbed!) was the first half of The Act of Killing. Weak, I know. Yet, what I saw was horrifying and very well done. It got it's point across. I've heard about the rest of the film and there is no doubt in my mind that it should win. I plan on finishing it soon to get the full picture. I did see Blackfish however, and it was a great and absorbing documentary that should have gotten a nomination at least. I really do believe The Act of Killing will win. As it should. It's only real opponent is 20 Feet From Stardom but I think The Act of Killing will pull through.

That's all I have for you guys. This is my final list. I hope you find it enjoyable and informative. Above all, I hope you enjoy tonight's awards, regardless of the winners. Happy Viewing folks.
While you're here you can follow me on Twitter @WhitsMovies and like me on Facebook at Facebook.com/WhitsMovies! Thanks!

  

If I Ran The Oscars...

We are currently in awards season. The time of year when all the best films vie for a trophy at the Oscars, or the BAFTA's, or the Golden Globes. While many of the movies nominated for stuff this year is good, I feel some movies were snubbed, an other movies won't win what they deserve. So, this year I am doing my own personal list of Oscar nominations complete with the winners. Enjoy.
Edited Version

BEST PICTURE
Her (Winner)
The Wolf of Wall Street
Gravity
The World's End
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Inside Llewyn Davis
Prisoners
Captain Phillips

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Her-Spike Jonze (Winner)
The World's End-Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright
Frances Ha-Noah Baubach & Greta Gerwig
American Hustle-David O. Russell
Nebraska-Bob Nelson
The Place Beyond the Pines-Derek Cianfrance & Ben Coccio
The Counselor-Cormac McCarthy

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Wolf of Wall Street-Terence Winter (Winner)
12 Years a Slave-John Ridley
Behind the Candelabra-Richard LaGravenese
Captain Phillips-Billy Ray
Much Ado About Nothing-Joss Whedon

BEST LEADING ACTRESS
Amy Adams-American Hustle (Winner)
Eva Mendes-The Place Beyond the Pines
Greta Gerwig -Frances Ha
Sandra Bullock-Gravity
Carey Mulligan-Inside Llewyn Davis

BEST LEADING ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio-The Wolf of Wall Street (Winner)
Matthew McConaughey-Dallas Buyers Club
Oscar Isaac-Inside Llewyn Davis
Christian Bale-American Hustle
Joaquin Phoenix-Her
Simon Pegg-The World's End

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
June Squibb-Nebraska (Winner)
Amy Adams-Her
Jennifer Lawrence-American Hustle
Scarlett Johansson-Her
Lupita Nyong'o-12 Years a Slave

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jared Leto-Dallas Buyers Club (Winner)
Jonah Hill-The Wolf of Wall Street
Micheal Fassbender-12 Years a Slave
Bradley Cooper-American Hustle
Jeremy Renner-American Hustle

BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuaron-Gravity (Winner)
Edgar Wright-The World's End
Paul Greengrass-Captain Phillips
Martin Scorsese-The Wolf of Wall Street
Spike Jonze-Her

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Roger Deakins-Prisoners (Winner)
Bruno Delbonnel-Inside Llewyn Davis
Hoyte Van Hoytema-Her
Dariusz Wolski-The Counselor
Phedon Papamicheal-Nebraksa

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Pretty much every original song on the Inside Llewyn Davis soundtrack. We all know that's what deserves to win this category.

Well that's it guys. When the actual nominees come out I'll do another list of predictions. Hope you enjoyed this. If I missed something or you guys agree/disagree, feel free to comment with your thoughts. Hey, don't forget to follow me on Twitter @WhitsMovies and like me on Facebook at Facebook.com/WhitsMovies.

My Favorite Films of 2013

As you all probably know, 2013 was an awesome year for movies. I had to expand my list from 10 to 15 films. I almost pushed it to 20! While I tried to see all of the best stuff this year, I did not see everything. While I would've liked to see Dallas Buyers Club, The Wind Rises, and Saving Mr. Banks, I couldn't see them soon enough. But I did see enough to make this list. As I said, 2013 was a fantastic year for film. So good, that not every movie made it on to my list. So I'll start off with some honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions: Side Effects, Stoker, Pacific Rim, This Is the End, The Way Way Back, Much Ado About Nothing, Star Trek Into Darkness, and The Counselor. (I almost didn't put The Counselor on here, but I did enjoy it and I felt it was really over hated and under seen. Plus the performances were good and the dialog was awesome) All of those films are worth seeing. They just aren't as good as the ones on my Top 15 list. So without much ado, My Top 15 Movies of 2013!

15. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. People love to hate on Peter Jackson's Hobbit films. Sure, the first one was overlong and nothing compared to the LOTR movies, but the second installment was a huge improvement in many ways. The CGI and pacing was a hell of a lot better than the first one. It was also vastly entertaining and a really fun viewing experience, especially in 3D (which I don't usually say). It's not award worthy, but I really enjoyed this Hobbit film.

14. Behind the Candelabra. While Side Effects was quite good, Steven Soderbergh's other film he released this year was a little better.  It chronicled the relationship between Liberace and his much younger lover, Scott Thorson, and did it in a emotionally heavy and tasteful way that I really liked. Soderbergh's direction has never been smoother or more assured. Not to mention the movie boasted two great performances from Matt Damon and Micheal Douglas.

13. Nebraska. Alexander Payne's newest film is one of his best. His story about a sad old man chasing a fantasy with the help of his reluctant son was hilarious and really damn touching. Bruce Dern has never been better and June Squibb gave one of the funniest and best performances of the year. Really a good movie.

12. Mud. Matthew McConaughey has went from mediocre rom-com star to fantastic actor and Oscar contender. Mud is another great example of that. Jeff Nichols crafts a wonderful coming of age story that I haven't seen since Stand By Me. After some promising stuff like Shotgun Stories, Nichols shows he can make really good and meaningful cinema with Mud. The kids acting here are pretty good too, which is definitely rarer then it should be. Mud would be much higher on this list if so much good stuff didn't come out this year.

11. Captain Phillips. Movies don't often have the level of sheer intensity that Captain Phillips has. Paul Greengrass' action movie style direction certainly helped. Tom Hanks already showed he can carry a movie on his back in Cast Away. He just reinforces that here, especially in a powerful last ten minutes. Newcomer Barkhad Abdirahman was fantastic too as a Somali pirate.

10. Frances Ha. Yeah, Frances Ha doesn't tackle big subjects like racism or disease. But it doesn't have to. Noah Baumbach did a great job of showing us a touching snapshot of the life of a struggling artist in New York. Frances Ha has a great performance by Greta Gerwig, a fantastic screenplay, and some very good direction. I highly recommend this film, and it's a shame it's getting snubbed for so many awards.

9. The Place Beyond the Pines. When I saw this in theaters back in April, I was completely blown away. Derek Cianfrance last did the very good Blue Valentine. The Place Beyond the Pines is more ambitious, better acted, and just an extraordinary film in all. Eva Mendes gives a surprisingly great performance along with Bradley Cooper, Ben Mendelsohn, and Ryan Gosling. It weaves together three stories over about a fifteen year period and is exciting, sad, and just very, very good.

8. The World's End. I really love this film. I've seen it twice now and own it on DVD. I'm actually tempted to put it higher on the list. Director Edgar Wright does an amazing job with mixing wild comedy, great filmmaking, surprisingly heartfelt statements about coming home and addiction, and really good performances (specifically Simon Pegg) to make an almost perfect movie. Definitely a satisfying end to The Cornetto Trilogy. I can't recommend this enough.

7. Gravity. Alfonso Cuaron's sci-fi thriller is nothing short of mind blowing. People complain that it's short on plot and character, but they're kind of wrong. The simplicity of it is what makes it work so well. While I feel Gravity was quite over hyped, it was still amazing. Especially in 3D, which as I said before, I don't usually say.

6. Prisoners. I walked away from Prisoners with my jaw to the floor and my head filled with thoughts about the film. Not only did it turn the whole mystery genre on it's head, but it was original and intense as hell. Denis Villeneuve nailed it with this. The performances by Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, Paul Dano, and Melissa Leo were terrific. This was actually at my number one spot for a while, you really should see it.

5. Inside Llewyn Davis. The Coen Brothers have quite obviously mastered the craft of filmmaking. Their newest film, Inside Llewyn Davis is a funny, emotional, and interesting look at one struggling musician's life in the 60's New York folk scene. It was hilarious at times and sad at others, and very well done. The cinematography was beautiful. Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan both are great here, along with a nice appearance by John Goodman. Not to mention, it had a killer soundtrack.

4. American Hustle. Christian Bale's performance is one of the best things in a movie filled with great things. American Hustle was one of the more entertaining films of the year and was chock full of great performances. It's 70's setting was spot on and the script was very funny. David O. Russell is definitely doing something right.

3. 12 Years a Slave. Never has a film showed suffering as 12 Years a Slave has. Steve McQueen shows slavery as it was, nothing more and nothing less. And boy is it horrifying. Yet, it is so well made and well acted that you must see it. Chiwetel Ejiofor gives one of the best performances of the year as the tortured Solomon Northup. 12 Years a Slave is a film I won't forget for as long as I am alive.

2. The Wolf of Wall Street. Martin Scorsese is my favorite director, and the case could be made that he is America's greatest director. The Wolf of Wall Street is Scorsese's best film since The Departed, and possibly GoodFellas. It's entertaining as hell, while still showing us the excess and greed personified in 90's Wall Street. Some have criticized the movie for 'condoning' the actions of the people it portrays. This isn't true, and we shouldn't have to be told that these guys are bad. It's the audience's fault if we can't understand that what Jordan Belfort did was bad. The film also houses Leonardo DiCaprio's best performance ever. Give that man an Oscar! I loved The Wolf of Wall Street.

1. Her. I haven't seen a film as astounding as Her probably in a really long time. It makes a relationship between a man and an operating system seem normal, even understandable. Writer/director Spike Jonze also asks and answers so many questions about artificial intelligence and consciousness. Her is beautiful in so many ways. The performances are great. Namely Joaquin Phoenix, but also Amy Adams and Scarlett Johansson (even though you never see her). Spike Jonze's screenplay is terrific and his direction is the best it's been since Being John Malkovich, if not better. I can barely express my feelings and love for Her, it's just such a masterpiece. Her is without a doubt, the best movie of the year.
 
 Well thanks for reading! As Always, Happy Viewing! You can follow me on Twitter @WhitsMovies and like me on Facebook at Facebook.com/WhitsMovies.

12 Years a Slave review

This film is directed by Steve McQueen. The art house director, not "The King of Cool". Just wanted to clear that up.

I've heard a lot of people call 12 Years a Slave 'the best movie they never want to see again'. I couldn't disagree more. While 12 Years a Slave is a damn good film, I would love to see it again. Many people are saying how gruesome and visceral it is. It was hard to watch at parts, sure. Yet, I feel like multiple viewings would be helpful in getting a truly full experience from the movie. All the terrific performances and techniques the movie has are just too good not to see again. Some movies, like Lincoln for example, were very well done, yet so incredibly boring that I wouldn't want to sit through it again. 12 Years a Slave isn't boring. I know the reason people wouldn't want to see it again is because of how sad and violent it is. Even so, I'd still want to recreate the incredible experience it was to see this film again. The movie is really gritty and bloody. but that's how it should be. A movie about the horror's of slavery shouldn't be sugar coated and censored. Therefore the sheer bloodiness of the film is unfortunately necessary. I hope the academy doesn't snub McQueen with a Best Director nod like they did with Kathryn Bigelow and Quentin Tarantino last year for the subject matter of their movies. 12 Years a Slave is well acted, directed, and shows an unbelievable true story for what it is: a tale of survival and horror. It's not Hollywood-ized or made into some heroic adventure tale. Yeah, it's heartbreaking and sometimes very painful to watch, but it works. I think it's safe to say 12 Years a Slave is one of the better films of the year. Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a well-to-do free black man with a nice family living in Saratoga, New York. One day, he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. His past life is stripped away and everything that once mattered to him is seemingly forgotten. Even his name is changed. He is first a slave under the kind Master Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch). Unfortunately, Ford's second in charge, named Tibeats (Paul Dano), is quite cruel and hates Solomon right away. A series of brutal events leads Solomon to serve under the crueler and angrier Master Edwin Epps (Micheal Fassbender). There, he is worked hard and beaten. Northup's will is put to the test. At Epps' plantation is where he spends most of his time in the film. Solomon's fantastic skill of playing the violin is of some help, but he is still targeted by Epps and his wife. Some of the most depressing and harsh moments take place in this point of the movie. As harsh as they were, they were necessary in making the movie as realistic and gritty as it is. I can't stress that enough. As I said before, the performances are terrific. The best being form Chiwetel Ejiofor and Micheal Fassbender. I feel like Benedict Cumberbatch and Brad Pitt could have given some truly memorable portrayals here, but they are only given a very small amount of screen time. I have no doubt whatsoever that Ejiofor will get a Best Actor nomination and I hope Fassbender will get a Supporting nod. The acting, while good, isn't the only good part of the film. McQueen does a great directing job here. Regretfully, I haven't seen Shame or Hunger (yet!) but I already know he will go on to be one of the great directors of our time. 12 Years a Slave is filmed with a certain character-based realism that almost made me believe I was there. At the end there's a close up shot of Ejiofor's face with the background blurred out. The rack-focus close up technique ,especially used with Chiwetel Ejiofor, just shows how worn out and weary the once free man was. It's powerful stuff. I was expecting 12 Years a Slave to be a pretentious over-hyped bore. It wasn't any of that. As much as I loved Prisoners, I think '12 Years' tops it as Best Movie of the Year So Far. Believe the hype. 12 Years a Slave is damn good. I give 12 Years a Slave 5 out of 5 stars. You can follow me on Twitter @WhitsMovies and like me on Facebook at Facebook.com/WhitsMovies.