The new year brings Awards Season; a chance to look back and commend the events, songs and films of the previous year which deserve to be entrenched in our memories as ‘critically-acclaimed’ and ‘award-winning’. The ultimate ceremony, and usually the one that brings an end to the Season of Awards, is the Annual Oscars. This is the first year where I’ve managed to watch all of the films nominated, and I think I can give an educated opinion. The Oscars 2014 are the most competitive in years. Below are the list of nominees for all the major awards, my predictions on who will win, who SHOULD win, and the underdogs who may surprise us…
Best picture
The Nominees:
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
The Wolf of Wall Street
Will Win: 12 Years A Slave
Should Win: 12 Years A Slave
Surprise Win: Gravity
It will be a serious injustice if 12 Years a Slave doesn’t walk away with the award everyone wants. Emotionally charged and poignant, this landmark movie could make it a memorable year for black actors and directors. However, maybe the Academy want to be seen as hip and go with the visually mind-blowing Gravity instead? it certainly deserves recognition for its incredible visual effects.
Best director
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
David O Russell, American Hustle
Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
Will Win: Alfonso Cuarón
Should Win: Steve McQueen
Surprise Win: Martin Scorsese
Cuarón should be commended for creating Gravity, but McQueen deserves to pip him to the post for handling such a delicate issue in 12 Years so well. Scorsese can add The Wolf of Wall Street to his catalogue of classic films, and is the underdog in probably the most competitive category of the night.
Best actor
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Will Win: Matthew McConaughey
Should Win: Chiwetel Ejifor
Surprise Win: Leonardo DiCaprio
Everyone is raving about McConaughey’s incredible performance as an AIDs victim in 80s Texas, and the serious transformation he undertook to fulfil the role. However, 12 Years should be awarded for the impeccable casting and touching performance of Ejifor. Then again, is it finally DiCaprio’s year?…
Best actress
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Will Win: Cate Blanchett/Amy Adams
Should Win: Cate Blanchett
Surprise Win: Sandra Bullock
Critics think this is a two horse race between Blanchett and Adams, but I was left unimpressed with the latter. Bullock gives an amazing performance in the space thriller and really showed off her dynamics as an actress throughout 2013. Perhaps she could be recognised for this?
Best supporting actor
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Will Win: Jared Leto
Should Win: Barkhad Abdi
Surprise Win: Michael Fassbender
Again, another tight knit race. Leto is astounding as a transexual AIDs victim. His dedication to the role really paid off. Abdi played an understated role so may creep in at the last minute when the experts decide. Fassbender missed out with Shame and would love to make up for it this time around, and it would also be well deserved.
Best supporting actress
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska
Will Win: Lupita N’yongo
Should Win: Lupita N’yongo
Surprise Win: Jennifer Lawrence
Two of my favourite actresses are up for this award (Roberts and Lawrence) but the runaway winner is N’yongo for her amazing portrayal. For me, Lawrence stole the show in American Hustle and would deserve this award to complete an incredible year for her, but she did win Best Actress last year and that will probably hinder her chances.
Best animated feature
The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Ernest and Celestine
Frozen
The Wind Rises
Will Win: Frozen
Should Win: Frozen
Surprise Win: Despicable Me 2
DISNEY. DISNEY. DISNEY. Whats not to love? None of these other titles reached out to me, and this icy caper was fantastic in both 2 and 3D!
Best song
‘Alone Yet Not Alone’, Alone Yet Not Alone
‘Happy’, Despicable Me 2
‘Let It Go’, Frozen
‘The Moon Song’, Her
‘Ordinary Love’, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Will Win: ‘Let It Go’ by Idina Menzel (from Frozen)
Should Win: ‘Happy’ Pharrell Williams (Despicable Me 2)
Surprise Win: ‘Ordinary Love’ by U2 (from Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)
The Frozen soundtrack has everything a Disney film needs to take away this Oscar again (they’ve won eight times previously) and Menzel’s vocals are impeccable. But what a year it would be for Pharrell to pick up an Academy Award, after being part of three global smash hit records and becoming the hottest ticket in the music industry. U2’s effort is god awful, but has one of those feel-good factors that the adjudicators may love, as well as finding a way to recognise Mandela in some form.
Best visual effects
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
The Lone Ranger
Star Trek Into Darkness
Will Win: Gravity
Should Win: Gravity
Surprise Win: NO COMPETITION!
Undoubtedly, this one is in the bag for Gravity, the safest bet of the night. Stunning visual effects, this movie is way ahead of its time, and indicates an exciting future ahead for the movie- and 3D- industry.