2014 Oscar Picks

It's that time of year again. The Oscars! Didn't do very well with my predictions last year, but that won't stop me. I've dragged out the dart board again. We'll see how closely my opinion (and aim) mirrors The Academy this go around.

12 Years a Slave and Gravity are the must see pictures of the year, and they will likely sweep the major categories. Gravity in particular simply must be experienced in the theatre, in IMAX and 3D if possible, to get the full effect. It's more of a roller coaster ride than movie. This is the only film I'd say that about in the last 10 years, which makes it quite an achievement.

Best Picture:
12 Years a Slave
Hands down. It's that good. I was immersed the whole run time, only taken out of the story briefly when Brad Pitt showed up. His support was important to completing the project though.

Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Probably will go to Matthew Mcconaughey. He did a good job with Dallas.

Actress
Cate Blanchett

Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender
12 Years a Slave
or
Jared Leto
Dallas Buyers Club
Both were very good; I don't want Fassbender to win because he was so odious, but then, that's a testament to how good his performance was.

Supporting  Actress
Lupita Nyong'o
12 Years a Slave

Animated Feature
Despicable Me 2 (my fav, but probably go to Frozen)

Cinematography
Gravity, Emmanuel Lubezki

Costume Design
American Hustle
Michael Wilkinson
Ah, the seventies!

Directing
12 Years a Slave
Steve McQueen
Second choice (and likely winner): Gravity, for all the technical innovation involved.

Dcoumentary Feature
The Act of Killing
Didn't see it, but sounds heavy.

Documentary Short Subject
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
Like the title and the sentiment. Didn't see any of them.

Film Editing
12 Years a Slave

Foreign Language Film
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Total guess.

Makeup and Hairstyling
Dallas Buyers Club

Music Score
Gravity

Music Song
The Moon Song from Her
Honestly, I thought the songs in Frozen were less than compelling. But my tastes are primitive. I liked the Lego song 'Everything is Awesome', after all.

Production Design
Gravity

Short Film (animated)
Possessions
Feral was also very good, style wise, but the story of Possessions had greater charm.

Short Film (live action)
Helium
Dart board guess. Shorter to type.

Sound Editing
Gravity

Sound Mixing
Gravity

Visual Effects
Gravity

Writing (adapted)
12 Years a Slave

Writing (original)
Dallas Buyers Club
A bit torn here. American Hustle was loose, a bit rambling; Blue Jasmine very good but more predictable. Dallas surprised me.