My 2017 Oscar Predictions

I'm back with another year of Oscar predictions!

I'm actually pretty decent at guessing which people and films will go home with Academy Awards. I believe at my best, I've guessed 19 out of 24 of the categories correctly. I credit this to the Oscars being a little more predictable than other awards shows (there's a lot of guild awards before the Oscars that give hints as to who will win) and just the fact that I see a lot of movies.

Some things to note first: I obviously haven't seen all of these movies, especially some of the foreign films, documentaries, and shorts. As much as I tried to see all the major nominated films this year, there were also some big ones I didn't get around to watching. I've seen seven of the nine Best Picture nominated films, only missing out on Hidden Figures and Hacksaw Ridge. I also haven't seen Loving, 20th Century Women, or Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Besides those, I actually managed to see a lot of the other nominees this year.

Below are my picks for who will win Oscars tonight, as well as who I think SHOULD win. Those aren't always the same. Let's see how I do this year.

Best Live Action Short Film

WILL WIN: Enemies Within

I haven't seen any of these films so I defer to the experts on this one. Enemies Within is the favorite to win. It's a French film about an Algerian man seeking French citizenship and the interrogation he goes through over his suspected link to Muslim terrorists. Sounds pretty topical. Of the other nominees, the Hungarian film Sing also sounds pretty good.

Best Animated Short Film

WILL WIN: Piper

I haven't seen any of these either, but Piper is a Pixar film and when in doubt, go Pixar. Plus, the animation is off-the-charts realistic. Here's the trailer to judge for yourself. 

Best Documentary Short Subject

WILL WIN: Extremis

The experts have decided that this one is a toss-up between Extremis and Joe's Violin. Time to read the descriptions for each doc and see which one sounds the most interesting. Extremis follows doctors at an ICU in Oakland, California as they treat terminally ill patients and advise families on critical decisions. Joe's Violin is about a 91-year-old Holocaust survivor who donates his beloved violin to a young student in the Bronx. Both sound worth watching but I'm going with Extremis, which is available to watch on Netflix by the way.

Best Documentary Feature

WILL IN: O.J.: Made in America 

I had the opportunity to see O.J.: Made in America in its entirety at the Museum of the Moving Image here in New York, but stupidly mixed up my days and missed it. I've heard the ESPN documentary series is incredible though and I will definitely catch it soon. Of the other nominees, I also really want to see Ava Duvernay's 13th (she also directed 2014's Selma). 13th is available on Netflix, so I don't have a good excuse here.

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: The Jungle Book

Now onto the categories where I've seen the nominees! This one's a tough one because Doctor Strange's visuals also blew me away, but I think The Jungle Book owns this category. The film's style has revitalized the classic Disney movie genre and work is already underway to give The Lion King the same treatment as The Jungle Book. It won't be long until all the classic Disney films have been remade with CGI like this one. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that, by the way.

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

 SHOULD WIN: Arrival

WILL WIN: Hacksaw Ridge

Arrival really blew me away. I think many people, including myself, approached this movie thinking it was a sci-fi movie that would tread on ground we've already visited many times before. We couldn't be more wrong as Arrival ended up being so much more. It was an alien movie but it was just as much about the characters as it was the aliens. That said, I don't foresee it winning any Oscars and I think it should, especially in this category for the creation of the alien sound effects. I haven't seen Hacksaw Ridge, but industry experts are strongly in favor of this winning so I'm going with it.

 
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: La La Land

What's the difference between sound editing and sound mixing? As I understand it, the technicians that work in sound editing create sounds for a movie. They're responsible for everything from atmosphere noises to sound effects to ADR. Sound mixers come into play later on, taking all the sounds and working them together into the movie. I think La La Land has this category locked - a trend you'll see continue many more times during Oscar night.

Best Original Song

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: "City of Stars" from La La Land

This one's a done deal. I had this song stuck in my head after seeing the trailer, several months before I even saw the film. The only way I could see Lin Manuel Miranda winning for his Moana song is if the vote gets split between the two La La Land songs as the other one that's nominated is also really good.

Best Original Score

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: La La Land

La La Land isn't without its flaws, but its score is definitely one of the highlights. There's also a cool story here: composer Justin Hurwitz was director Damien Chazelle's roommate while the two were at Harvard University. They made 2013's Whiplash (my favorite film of that year) together when they were just 28. La La Land is just their second feature film. That's a hell of a career start for both of them. As a 28-year-old myself, I am equally impressed as I am envious.

Best Achievement in Make-Up and Hairstyling

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: Star Trek Beyond

I've never been a big fan of any of the Star Trek TV series or movies, but I thought Star Trek Beyond was pretty great. For this category, you could pinpoint Idris Elba being unrecognizable as villain Krall as one of the stand-outs. I thought actress Sofia Boutella's look was really cool too. While it's funny that the dumpster fire known as Suicide Squad got nominated for an Oscar, no. Just no.

Best Achievement in Costume Design

SHOULD WIN: Jackie

WILL WIN: La La Land

I think this one may go either way between these two films. For me, I thought the costumes in La La Land were pretty standard. There isn't anything that really stood out for me. There was a lot of attention on the costumes in Jackie though - one of Jacqueline Kennedy's suits is even an important part of the plot. It also has the advantage of being a period piece, which I think often lends to more creativity. I don't think it's enough to topple the monster that is La La Land though.

Best Achievement in Production Design

SHOULD WIN: Arrival

WILL WIN: La La Land

See above. I think La La Land is going to sweep nearly all of the categories it's nominated in, including this one. People are just IN LOVE with this movie. I think Arrival deserves this one though. The look and feel of the film - specifically the designs of the aliens and their spaceship and how they operated within the movie - were just awesome. It's a concept that has been done so many times before but Arrival was creative and unique.

Best Achievement in Film Editing

SHOULD WIN: Arrival

WILL WIN: La La Land

Same thing here. I think La La Land was awesome for its music, score, direction, and acting, but I don't think it was the best movie this year in some of these more technical categories. In terms of actual film editing, I was just more impressed by how Arrival was put together.

Best Achievement in Cinematography

SHOULD WIN: Silence

WILL WIN: La La Land

I thought Martin Scorsese's Silence ended up being a pretty underrated film from last year and I'm not quite sure why that is. My guess is that while it ended up being a fascinating tale of a man's faith being put to the ultimate test, it didn't quite hit the high standard that Martin Scorsese has set for himself. It's not even close to being in his Top 5. I think if it had been directed by someone else, it would have been considered a triumph. Definitely go check it out if you haven't seen it yet.

 Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

WILL WIN: The Salesman

I haven't had the chance to see any of these but there's a lot of buzz around The Salesman. It's an Iranian film about a husband who is consumed by revenge after an act of violence devastates his family. It's also worth noting that A Man Called Ove is nominated here and in the Make-Up and Hairstyling category. I think that's pretty unusual for a foreign language film.

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

WILL WIN: Zootopia

Fun fact: Pixar has won 8 out of the 10 times one of their movies has been nominated for Best Animated Feature. I'm a little surprised that Finding Dory wasn't nominated, but Zootopia is also a Pixar film so it would be foolish to bet against it. Out of the rest of the competition, I think Moana has a chance and Kubo and the Two Strings looks interesting.

Best Adapted Screenplay

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: Moonlight

A lot of people will be upset, but this is the only Oscar that I see Moonlight winning this year. Again, Academy voters tend to fall in love with a single movie and have that one movie win a lot of the categories. This year that movie is La La Land, just as Mad Max: Fury Road swept a ton of categories last year. Thankfully for Moonlight, La La Land was an original screenplay so it's opened this category up. I liked Moonlight quite a bit, but I found the first segment to be by far the most interesting so when many of those characters disappeared a third of the way into the movie, I thought the film suffered a bit. Still, it deserves this award.

Best Original Screenplay

SHOULD WIN: Hell or High Water

WILL WIN: Manchester by the Sea

I actually don't see La La Land taking this one, despite what I said above. Manchester by the Sea is an incredibly moving film about relationships, family, and loss. It's also the most depressing film of the year. It's extremely well-written though and I don't see the film walking home empty-handed. Personally, I'm giving it up to Hell or High Water, another underrated film from last year. I found that one to be really fun and creative and it just edges out Manchester by the Sea for me.

Best Achievement in Directing

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: Damien Chazelle, La La Land

Damien Chazelle is one of the most impressive up-and-coming directors working today. Like I mentioned earlier, his first two features (this and 2013's Whiplash) were two of my favorite films from their respective years. His idea of creating a musical romantic comedy, set in present-day but honoring classic musicals like Singin' in the Rain, was genius. While a lot of films try to mimic classic movies, this one feels like it's from a different era. It's beautifully made. It's also the only one of the 2016-nominated films that I've seen twice, which for me is telling.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: Viola Davis, Fences

I wasn't blown away by Denzel Washington's adaptation of Fences because I thought it was pretty much just the Broadway play in a different medium. While staying as true to the source material is usually important, I thought this film could have been a little more creative. And I don't mean by changing the story at all. There were ways the story could have been a little more cinematic. There were many instances where we'd hear a story instead of see a story, which usually works better in plays. That aside, Fences is a masterclass in acting. Viola Davis is in a league of her own and with three Oscar nominations now under her belt, she's quickly being cemented as one of the greatest actresses working today. I think tonight is the night she wins her first Oscar.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Like I said above, one of my only criticisms of Moonlight was that I found the first segment to be vastly superior to the two segments that followed it. One of the reasons for that is that Mahershala Ali's character disappears after the first segment and he's incredible in this film. I thought his character's relationship with the main character was the best part of the movie. He was also really great in House of Cards and Luke Cage, so he had a hell of a 2016. I'm excited to see what he has up his sleeve next, but regardless, I think this Oscar is his.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

SHOULD WIN: Natalie Portman, Jackie

 WILL WIN: Emma Stone, La La Land

To be fair, I haven't seen Loving or Elle. Meryl Streep ends up getting nominated for all of her performances these days because she's just that damn good in everything, but Florence Foster Jenkins was kind of a silly movie. That leaves Natalie Portman and Emma Stone and it's a tough one deciding between these two. I thought Natalie Portman was awesome in Jackie - she embodied the dual personalities of Jacqueline Kennedy (her personal and public personas) to perfection. The movie just wasn't as great as it could have been though. For that reason, and because people are so in love with La La Land, I see Emma Stone winning here. She's won the Screen Actor's Guild, Golden Globe, and BAFTA awards already for this role and the trend will probably continue.

 Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

SHOULD WIN: Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

WILL WIN: Denzel Washington, Fences

Denzel Washington is incredible in pretty much every movie. It's expected at this point. He's got this one in the bag probably, but I think Casey Affleck had the most difficult job of any actor this year. His character in Manchester by the Sea is a mopey, unlikable asshole for the most part. Of course, throughout the film, we see why he's become the way he is. But for a majority of the movie, we're expected to stick with this character that we would never want to be friends with. I think this movie could have been a massive failure in the hands of a lesser actor. Casey Affleck not only makes Lee Chandler relatable, but you end up rooting for this sad sack. It must not have been an easy feat to pull off.

Best Motion Picture of the Year

SHOULD WIN AND WILL WIN: La La Land

Surprised? I believe there's been an unfair backlash against La La Land because it's a "fun movie" whereas some of the other nominees are films with much more important themes and messages. I agree with that notion, but I don't think La La Land is a frivolous movie by any means. If you're grading a movie based on its potential impact on our culture, I think there's other clear winners here. Moonlight, of course, conveyed a really important message by portraying lives that are usually never seen in movies. I also thought Lion was an incredibly touching movie about family and identity. There's no rule against a movie just being fun though and La La Land was just a great experience. I know it's controversial, but I think La La Land was the best made movie of the year.

Make sure to check back later tonight to see how I did! Who do you think will win? Let me know in the comments.

-Jared

My 2016 Oscar Predictions

"I haven't written a post on here in a while" is how I begin every single one of these. Who has time to blog more than once a year anyway, right? Well, I'm currently at home not feeling well and the Academy Awards are tonight, so I figure now's the perfect time to temporarily come out of blog retirement.

In the past, I've managed to correctly guess the winners of as many as 19 of the major 24 Oscar categories. Other years, I was WAY off. Last year, I was right about the top 8 categories but didn't do as well with the rest. Still waiting on that Oscar pool money by the way!

Before I make my predictions, I want to say this was another awesome year for movies. Among those films not nominated, I thought Me and Earl and the Dying Girl deserved some recognition. And it goes without saying that Beasts of No Nation and Idris Elba in particular were robbed this year.

Below are my picks for who will win Oscars tonight, as well as who I think SHOULD win. Those aren't always the same. Let's see how I do this year!

Best Live Action Short Film

WILL WIN: Ave Maria 

 I admittedly haven't seen any of the Live Action shorts, and I even had the opportunity to, so that's on me. I must defer to the experts on this one, and they've gone with Ave Maria. It's about a family of Jewish settlers in the West Bank whose car breaks down in front of a convent. With the family unable to use the phone and the nuns unable to break their vow of silence, hilarity ensues. I assume?

Best Animated Short Film

WILL WIN: Sanjay's Super Team 

Again, haven't seen any of these. Sanjay's Super Team has the big advantage here though, because it's a Pixar short (it appeared before The Good Dinosaur) so it's been seen by the most people prior to voting. Not to take away from its merits though - it's Pixar's first cartoon by a director of Indian origin.

Best Documentary Short

WILL WIN: Body Team 12

Body Team 12 tells the story of the people that were tasked with collecting dead bodies during the height of the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. It sounds the most interesting of the five shorts nominated.

Best Documentary Feature 

WILL WIN: Amy

I definitely regret not seeing The Look of Silence, because that documentary looks really interesting. It's about a man who confronts the men who killed his brother during the Indonesian genocide of the 1960s. However, I still have a feeling that the doc featuring the late Amy Winehouse still has this one locked. 

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens

I think Mad Max: Fury Road is actually the front runner for this category and I think that movie will deservedly walk home with many Oscars (more on that later). But if we're talking purely visual effects, I thought the latest Star Wars installment was the winner here. Everything from the stunning Millenium Falcon scenes to Lupita Nyong'o's motion capture work was certainly Oscar worthy. Side note: I'm still in disbelief that for the most part, The Force Awakens managed to live up to its hype.

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road

And here we go! Mad Max: Fury Road was by far the most fun movie of the year and probably the one I re-watched the most. It's a pure adrenaline rush from start to finish while still managing to have enough depth to save it from the "it's just a good action movie" label. This is just one of the few Oscars I have pegged for Mad Max this year.

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road

See above! By the way, are you wondering what the difference is between sound editing and sound mixing? Well, as I understand it, sound editors are the technicians that create sounds for a movie. They're responsible for everything from atmosphere noises to sound effects to ADR. The sound mixers often come into play during post-production to take all the sounds and work them together into the movie. Either way, Mad Max rules these categories.

Best Original Song

WILL WIN: "The Hunting Ground" from 'Til It Happens To You 

SHOULD WIN: "Earned It" from Fifty Shades of Grey

Not really a great year for songs. This one's absolutely a popularity contest (as evidenced by the Academy's controversial decision to only allow the famous people to perform their songs during the broadcast) so I'm going with Lady Gaga on this one. If she wins this, she's halfway to joining only 12 other people who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. Seems like it could happen.

Best Original Score

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: The Hateful Eight

I know many are predicting that Best Original Score will go to composer John Williams and his score for The Force Awakens, but I'm breaking from the pack here again. While I was pretty disappointed overall with The Hateful Eight (I thought it went pretty downhill after the first half), a stand-out for me was the score by legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone. He's been nominated five times prior but has never won and I think now is the time.

Best Achievement in Make-Up and Hairstyling

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road

Just three nominees in this category! When in doubt, go Mad Max. Always go Mad Max. 

Best Achievement in Costume Design

WILL WIN: Cinderella

SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road

Costume Design is always a hard category for me to predict. The costume designers always manage to break away from the other categories and award an Oscar to a movie that may not be good, but may have awesome costumes. I think this year will be no different. Cinderella seems like a really strange movie to be nominated, so I'm going to with it. But guys...Mad Max.

Best Achievement in Production Design

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max will ride off eternal, shiny and chrome in this category. There was no better overall look in any movie this year than the designs of the cars and props from Mad Max. In less than two hours, they managed to present a fully realized fictional world with different warriors and groups that each had an amazing and unique look. There's just no competition.

Best Achievement in Film Editing

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road

I can't even imagine the nightmare of editing Fury Road. There's just SO much going on throughout every frame of that movie. Checking for continuity must have been a nightmare. Am I wrong for thinking Mad Max is going to walk away with most of the technical awards? Maybe? But it's safe bet it'll win many of them.

Best Achievement in Cinematography

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: The Revenant

One of the few technical categories that I think Mad Max won't win. The Revenant was truly breathtaking in parts and most of that is because of Emmanuel Lubezki's cinematography. Think about it - how often does a big production go into the Canadian wilderness to really shoot in the elements? Emmanuel Lubezki and director Alejandro G. Inarritu decided to shoot all the exteriors using only natural light, to preserve the authenticity of the locations. That's real dedication and it shows. 

Best Foreign Language Film

WILL WIN: Son of Saul

I didn't manage to see any of the foreign films this year, but I will say that Son of Saul is definitely the one I heard the most positive things about. It's a Hungarian film about a prisoner whose job is to dispose of the bodies of his own people at the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944. After he forms a bond with a young boy, he becomes determined to give the boy a proper burial. Doesn't exactly sound like the "feel good movie of the year," but I'm definitely interested.

Best Animated Feature Film

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Inside Out

As someone in their twenties who not too long ago left home, I found myself relating to a lot of Pixar's latest hit, Inside Out. And I'm sure most people, kids and parents, related to it as well. It was just a good movie on so many levels - from its animation style to its expert voice acting to its message. It's my pick, hands down. I will admit that I didn't get a chance to see Anomalisa though, and its stop-motion animation style intrigues me as well.

Best Adapted Screenplay

WILL WIN: The Big Short

SHOULD WIN: The Martian

I actually really liked The Big Short and in lesser years, it probably would go home tonight with more Oscars than it will. It managed to take a subject that seems pretty inaccessible to the average viewer (myself included) and turn it into a very entertaining movie. A lot of that is due to the screenplay by Adam McKay and Charles Randolph. Who knew Adam McKay had it in him? However, I think the screenplay by Drew Goddard (who also wrote episodes of Lost and the awesome The Cabin in the Woods) was sharper and funnier. I don't see The Big Short going home empty-handed so I'm going with that one. 

Best Original Screenplay

WILL WIN: Spotlight

SHOULD WIN: Ex Machina

Ex Machina is so underrated, it's almost criminal. It plays like the best episode of The Twilight Zone and features three amazing performances. Oscar Isaac's dance scene alone is worthy of an Oscar. Spotlight, on the other hand, was also really good. Based on a true story, it's two hours of journalists sitting at desks and the writing is so smart, it's never boring. Similar to my thoughts above on The Big Short, I don't see Spotlight walking away with nothing (nor should it). That said, of the five nominated original screenplays, Ex Machina and Inside Out are the true original screenplays. The rest are at least loosely based on real events. It may sound silly, but in my mind, that makes Ex Machina a little more deserving. 

 Best Achievement in Directing

WILL WIN: Alejandro G. Inarritu, The Revenant

SHOULD WIN: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

I'm a little torn on this one because I thought both movies were excellent. Apparently over the past 25 years, the person who wins that year's Director's Guild award has an 84% chance of going on to win the Oscar. You can't argue with statistics, so it's a safe bet that it will be Inarritu. For me personally though, I just thought Mad Max had the more impressive direction. A lot has been said about the grueling production process of The Revenant and while I think it's admirable, I don't think it's necessarily relevant to the finished product that we see on screen. And that's what this award is for.

 Best Supporting Actress

WILL WIN: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

 SHOULD WIN: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

I'll admit upfront that I also haven't seen The Danish Girl but I've heard that Alicia Vikander's performance is great. It's been a breakthrough year for her as she was also awesome in Ex Machina. I wasn't entirely blown away by any of the other nominees - I thought Rooney Mara (Carol) and Rachel McAdams (Spotlight) were pretty average. And Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight) was a little too over-the-top. Kate Winslet managed to disappear into her role and become one of the best things about the disappointing Steve Jobs. I'm torn about this one - I'm sure I'll be impressed by Vikander when I see the movie finally.

 Best Supporting Actor

WILL WIN: Sylvester Stallone, Creed

SHOULD WIN: Tom Hardy, The Revenant

There's been a lot of talk about Sylvester Stallone deserving this Oscar because he never received one for his original portrayal of Rocky Balboa in 1977. I don't really subscribe to the idea that someone should win an Oscar for their body of work or because they missed out in previous years. I think the nostalgia factor will propel him to victory here, but he simply didn't have the best supporting performance this year for me. That honor goes to Tom Hardy, who was unbelievably terrifying in The Revenant. It needs to be said, however, that Creed was an unbelievable movie. I believe it should have been in serious consideration for other categories, especially Best Director. How often is a franchise reinvented in such an exciting, original way decades after the original movie?

 Best Lead Actress

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Brie Larson, Room

No one even begins to come close to Brie Larson's performance in Room here. I thought Room was SO good. It was unbelievably intense and captivating and both her and 9-year-old Jacob Tremblay's performances were incredible. I would even go as far as saying I would remove Christian Bale from the Best Supporting Actor category to have him nominated instead. I see Brie Larson deservedly winning this award tonight and she should share it with her pint sized co-star. 

 Best Lead Actor

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

This one's a no-brainer as well. It's a bit of a shame too because I don't think the performance that will finally get Leo his Oscar was even his best. I think he should have won in 2005 for his portrayal of Howard Hughes in The Aviator and I would have even picked him to win two years ago for The Wolf of Wall Street. This was, however, the best performance of the year by far. Just the physical acting alone (Leo's Hugh Glass finds himself immobile after a gruesome bear attack) is Oscar worthy. In fact, thinking back on the movie, Leo really doesn't even have that much dialogue. It's a testament to an amazing actor that they can convey that much pain and emotion on their face without saying much at all. 

 Best Motion Picture of the Year

WILL WIN: The Revenant

SHOULD WIN: Room

Surprised I didn't go with Mad Max? I think Mad Max deserves every single technical achievement it wins and it will probably be the movie I revisit the most over time. But if I'm thinking about the movie that I enjoyed the most overall this year - the story, performances, directing, etc. - that was Room. I was so blown away by it and found myself on the edge of my seat during the entire movie. I was completely invested in the characters and what happened to them and I haven't felt that way about a movie in a long time. I do think that the Oscar is going home with The Revenant though and I wouldn't be too upset about it. I think the Academy is really enchanted by its intense production and will award for that. For me, I think The Revenant had beautiful cinematography and direction and some great performances, but I thought it lacked depth. Man is betrayed by his partners. Man seeks revenge. That was basically it. Room (and then Mad Max) were the real winners for me this year.

Make sure to check back later tonight and see how I did! Who do you think will win? Hit the comments and let me know.

-Jared

 

Top 10 Movies of 2014

I haven't done one of these in a while!

2014 saw a lot of incredible movies and it was pretty hard to make a Top 10 list this year again. I think runner-up lists are cheating, but I'll mention a few awesome movies that I think deserve some recognition first.

If you haven't seen the awesome throwback to 80's horror in The Guest, definitely check it out! Speaking of actor Dan Stevens, A Walk Among Tombstones was very underrated. I also thought The Skeleton Twins was pretty fantastic and combining the casts of the two X-Men franchises in X-Men: Days of Future Past was pulled off incredibly well. Also great were Chef and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, for what they were.

Some disappointments? I thought Steve Carell was great in Foxcatcher but I didn't think the movie was quite up to par. Similarly, I think Eddie Redmayne may be a future Oscar winner for his role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, but the movie seemed uneven and lacked depth. Exodus: Gods and Kings gets put into movie jail for the criminal under utilization of stars Aaron Paul and Sigourney Weaver, who both must have had less than five lines.

It's also worth mentioning that there was quite a bit I didn't get a chance to see. Selma, Wild, Still Alice, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (that's a joke) all might have made the list had I seen them. But here's my Top 10 Movies of 2014.

 10. Interstellar

I don't think I understand why people didn't enjoy this movie more. Sure, I admit that it wasn't quite as good as director Christopher Nolan's last non-Batman movie Inception. But there's a lot going on here that I think make it worthy of the 10 spot. From an impressive cast (look out for the cameo of the year here) to some great plot twists, Interstellar kept you on the edge of your seat. The stakes of the characters' actions in this movie literally can't be higher - they're looking to save humankind by finding another planet that would sustain human life. But the concept of time on Earth speeding by while our characters are in space delivered some truly heart-breaking moments. While the conclusion felt somewhat contrived, I thought Interstellar was definitely entertaining.

9. The Imitation Game

I didn't know much about real-life mathematician Alan Turing before watching The Imitation Game, but I'm glad I learned more about him. The man is credited with ending World War II about two years early and saving countless lives by cracking Germany's Enigma code. And who better to play the socially awkward computer scientist than Benedict Cumberbatch? So far, the man can do no wrong and with more starring roles like this, I see many Oscar nominations in his future. I also have to give props to first-time feature writer Graham Moore, who somehow managed to blend some truly funny moments into this unbelievably upsetting story. I don't want to spoil anything, but the way the world treated Turing after the war is truly despicable. 

8. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Is anyone else wondering when Marvel is going to screw up one of these movies? Some have definitely been a bit weaker (Thor 2), but they have yet to put out a bad movie post Iron Man in 2008. Fortunately, we received two great Marvel additions this year. The first was this one, which saw Chris Evans return in a solo Captain America adventure after the big superhero team-up in The Avengers. This time Cap is assisted by Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow (who is put to much better use here) and newcomer to the series Anthony Mackie as Falcon. Marvel continues with the Oscar-caliber casting as well with the welcome addition of Robert Redford as a mysterious senior S.H.I.E.L.D. official. With the stakes higher and more personal, this sequel was a home-run. With 103 upcoming movies on their plate, I again ask, can Marvel do no wrong?

 7. Snowpiercer

Speaking of Chris Evans, his other 2014 film Snowpiercer lands at the #7 spot. Based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige, Snowpiercer was the most visually striking and creative movie of 2014. If you haven't seen it, the only thing you need to know is that it takes place entirely on a moving train, where the last of Earth's inhabitants have gathered to stay alive after another ice age. There's a very distinct class system and the poor inhabitants have been relegated to the tail section to live in horrid conditions while the others thrive at the front. As the movie opens, the tail section has had enough and have decided to take the train. What happens next is two hours of incredibly choreographed action by the writer and director of popular South Korean film The Host. I also have to specifically call out Tilda Swinton for her portrayal of one of my favorite characters of 2014.

6. Nightcrawler

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the year was this film, from the brothers that brought us The Bourne Legacy movies. While those movies are great action movies, they definitely didn't contain the depth and emotion that Nightcrawler does. Jake Gylenhaal stars as Lou Bloom, a man so desperate for work (and attention) that he throws himself into the world of Los Angeles crime journalism. The film feels extremely topical - where is the ethical line that you don't cross in a world of networks competing for ratings to survive? An emaciated Gylenhaal is incredible as 2014's creepiest character Lou Bloom. And where the hell is Rene Russo been? She's also great as a cutthroat news producer. There's a scene between them late in the movie where they both struggle to have control over their business arrangement. It's fantastic.

5. Birdman

CAW! Birdman may be one of the front-runners for the Best Picture Oscar, but it came up a little short to put any higher than #5 for me.  Even so, I consider Birdman the greatest technical achievement in film in a year that also had a movie whose production spanned over a decade. Filmed in incredibly long-takes by Babel director Alejandro González Iñárritu, it's almost unbelievable how much the cast and crew are able to accomplish before the camera cuts. It's almost like watching a play, as the incredibly talented cast (especially Edward Norton and Emma Stone) recite epic lines without the aid of camera cuts. In my opinion, however, the movie wouldn't be what it was without Michael Keaton. The man behind Beetlejuice (and the second greatest Batman) gives an incredible comeback performance. Birdman's truly a masterclass in writing, directing, and acting.

 4. Gone Girl

"When I think of my wife, I always think of the back of her head. I picture cracking her lovely skull, unspooling her brain, trying to get answers." It's really crazy how much of a different meaning the opening lines of the film have by the end. I went into Gone Girl completely clean, having never read the book of the same name or even hearing much about it. And I think that's how everyone should see the movie if possible, as the mid-movie twist really blew my mind. Was it plausible? Definitely not and you could punch some pretty big holes in the plot. But it made for a really wild ride - one that will ensure I NEVER get married. Once again director David Fincher has made a gripping drama with an all-star cast. I also hope composers Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor (of Nine Inch Nails) never stop working with him as this combination continues to be awesome.

 3. Guardians of the Galaxy

Movie studios take note - the most fun movie of the year contained no "bankable" actors (at least not seen on screen), a relatively untested director, and was based on a comic series that mainstream America had never heard of. Marvel took its biggest gamble yet with Guardians of the Galaxy, but it paid off big time. Although it takes place in the same cinematic universe as The Avengers, Guardians is like it's crazier and funnier younger cousin. Led by Chris Pratt (Parks and Rec), Guardian's cast on paper probably shouldn't work. Who could have guessed that WWE wrestler Dave Bautista (who has never really acted before) would wind up stealing scenes from the others? Or that Bradley Cooper would make such a hilarious talking raccoon? Guardians of the Galaxy was an awesome time at the movies and here's hoping we get many more installments!

 2. Boyhood

Surprised that Boyhood only ended up at #2? I am too! Perhaps any other year this would have been my favorite, but there was one film that edged it out. It's still an unbelievably fantastic movie though. Filmed over 12 years, Boyhood follows the life of Mason (newcomer Ellar Coltrane) from age 5 to age 18. The fact that this film was in production for over a decade, with the cast and crew returning each year to shoot for a week or two, is unbelievable. Only a director as talented as Richard Linklater would be able to attempt something like this. Imagine all the things that could have gone wrong in twelve years of production! Although this is a movie that highlights some of the more mundane moments in life, I found it fascinating to watch a normal kid grow up over the course of the movie and face problems we all face. I'm not sure if it's because I'm a fellow kid of the 90's (Mason's only a few years younger), but I found it incredibly relatable.

 1. Whiplash

Want to press play and watch 107 minutes of intensity on screen? Then Whiplash is the movie for you. Written and directed by newcomer Damien Chaezelle, Whiplash stars Miles Teller (of The Spectacular Now and the upcoming Fantastic Four reboot) as a promising young drummer at a cutthroat music conservatory program. What sounds like a somewhat cliche movie ends up being the most original of its kind. You know that actor J.K. Simmons? The man that's put in some really great supporting performances? Well here he's finally given a chance to headline and he pulls off the greatest acting of the year. He's intensity personified on screen. You won't be able to take your eyes off of him and you're terrified for what he might do next. Trust me, this is a performance and a movie that you have to see to believe. Don't miss it.

And those were my favorite movies of last year! Hit the comments and let me know what yours were!

-Jared

 

My 2014 Oscar Predictions

Welcome back! Each year I try to accurately predict which of the previous year's movies will win big at the annual Academy Awards. Sometimes I do really, really well (19/24 guesses correct in 2012!) and sometimes I'm REALLY off.

This year, through the magic of joining the Producer's Guild of America and getting free movie screeners, I've managed to see nearly all of the nominated films. I've seen 9/10 of the Best Picture nominees (sorry Philomena) and I'm feeling very confident this year.

Below are my picks for who will win the Oscars this Sunday, as well as who I think SHOULD win. Those aren't always the same. Let's see how I do this year!

Best Live Action Short Film

WILL WIN: "The Voorman Problem"

(Okay, these next 4 categories are always the hardest because I definitely didn't see ANY of these films. So I'll only include who I think WILL win. This one had the most intriguing title.)

Best Animated Short Film

WILL WIN: "Get A Horse!"

(Again, best title.)

Best Documentary Short

WILL WIN: "The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life"

(This one's about a 109 year old Holocaust survivor - who actually passed away a few days ago. I think this documentary sounds really interesting.)

Best Documentary Feature

WILL WIN: "The Act of Killing"

(It's unfortunate I didn't get to see any of the documentary nominees this year because I love documentaries. But this one, in which former Indonesian death-squad leaders reenact their mass-killings in different film genre scenarios, sounds absolutely nuts.)

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: "Gravity"

(How could Gravity not win this category? I didn't LOVE the movie, but the visual effects were admittedly incredible.)

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: "Gravity"

(Gravity was truly a great accomplishment technically. I think it will sweep a lot of the technical categories, but not the more major ones.)

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: "Gravity"

(It may not win both this and the above category, but it'll win at least one of them.)

Best Original Song

WILL WIN: "Let It Go" from "Frozen"

SHOULD WIN (& SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED): Anything from "Inside Llewyn Davis"

("Let It Go" has become REALLY popular, but how was nothing from "Inside Llewyn Davis" nominated? That movie had BY FAR the best songs of the year. What an underrated movie that film has become and I'm not sure why.)

Best Original Score

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: "Saving Mr. Banks"

("Saving Mr. Banks" was robbed of more Oscar nominations - it's definitely a way better film than some of the Best Picture nominees. Emma Thompson should have been nominated, period. I'm not too confident about my guess here, but Banks shouldn't go home empty handed.)

Best Achievement in Make-Up and Hairstyling

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: "Dallas Buyers Club"

(You know it's a weak category when only three films are nominated and two of them are Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa and The Lone Ranger. This one's a no-brainer. That being said, "Dallas Buyer's Club" deserves this win regardless.)

Best Achievement in Costume Design

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: "The Great Gatsby"

(I'm currently working with a group of costume designers, and they're split between The Great Gatsby and American Hustle for this category. American Hustle was by far the greater film, but Gatsby probably had the better costumes.)

Best Achievement in Production Design

WILL WIN: "American Hustle"

SHOULD WIN: "Her"

(I think "American Hustle" will snag this one, but my vote goes to "Her's" subtle yet artistic futuristic design.)

Best Achievement in Film Editing

WILL WIN: "Gravity"

SHOULD WIN: "Captain Phillips"

(Like I said earlier, I think "Gravity" will win a bunch of the more technical Oscars. But I have to give it up to "Captain Phillips" - there wasn't a more nail-biting and intense movie this year and a lot of that had to do with the pacing and editing.)

Best Achievement in Cinematography

WILL WIN: "Gravity"

SHOULD WIN: "Inside Llewyn Davis"

(I'm starting to realize I'm picking "Gravity" for way too many categories. It'll win a lot, but I'm not entirely sure which categories. The Coen Brothers movie "Inside Llewyn Davis" was underrated in my opinion though, and was a visually stunning movie. That one gets my pick here.)

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

WILL WIN: "The Great Beauty" from Italy

(I haven't seen any of the foreign language films this year and haven't heard much about them either. This one is a complete guess.)

Best Animated Feature of the Year

WILL WIN: "Frozen"

(Haven't seen any of the animated features, but I've heard a TON of great things about this movie.)

Best Adapted Screenplay

WILL WIN: "12 Years A Slave"

SHOULD WIN: "The Wolf of Wall Street"

(And so begins "12 Years A Slave's" probable collection of Oscars. But I think the superior yet controversial screenplay was "Wolf of Wall Street's." That movie's dialogue was witty and smart and the Quaaludes scene itself deserves an award.)

Best Original Screenplay

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: "Her"

(I didn't think "Her" was a perfect movie by any means but it was definitely the most original story here. Even small details, like Joaquin Phoenix character's job in the movie, was original and creative. I know a lot of people are guessing "American Hustle" will win this one, but I think the script was the weakest part of that movie. I'm gonna stray from the pack and guess "Her" will win.)

 

Best Achievement in Directing

WILL WIN: Alfonso Cuaron for "Gravity"

SHOULD WIN: Martin Scorsese for "The Wolf of Wall Street"

(I think Alfonso Cuaron is a lock for "Gravity" here, but I really liked "The Wolf of Wall Street." It definitely isn't Martin Scorsese's best, or even in his Top 3. But it's still really good. His only win was for 2006's "The Departed" which is the biggest proof that the Oscars are complete BS anyway.)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Lupita Nyong'o in "12 Years A Slave"

(What a weak category this year. Julia Roberts was just okay in the horrible "August: Osage County" and Sally Hawkins' performance in "Blue Jasmine" just seemed normal. June Squibb was hilarious in "Nebraska," but she really isn't even in that movie that much. I think Jennifer Lawrence was a little overrated in "American Hustle" - how old is her character supposed to be? Lupita Nyong'o was awesome in "12 Years A Slave," but I think she wins this one by default anyway.)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Jared Leto in "Dallas Buyers Club"

(This is definitely a more competitive category. All of the nominees were pretty awesome this year, especially complete newcomer Barkhad Abdi in "Captain Phillips" and Michael Fassbender in "12 Years A Slave." I see this one going to Jared Leto though - his performance as the transgendered Rayon proves that the 30 Seconds to Mars frontman still has an incredible talent.)

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role

WILL WIN AND SHOULD WIN: Cate Blanchett in "Blue Jasmine"

(Cate Blanchett was AWESOME in "Blue Jasmine." Her performance as disgraced socialite Jasmine was nuanced and perfect. I think Cate Blanchett may be one of the greatest actresses working today, right behind Meryl Streep. Speaking of Meryl Streep, I don't know what that "August: Osage County" movie was, but just because she's Meryl doesn't mean she has to be nominated every year. PS - where was Emma Thompson's nomination damnit!? She was better than Amy Adams AND Sandra Bullock in my opinion.)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role

WILL WIN: Matthew McConaughey in "Dallas Buyers Club"

SHOULD WIN (& SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOMINATED): Tom Hanks in "Captain Phillips"

(This category is the most competitive one this year. McConaughey has turned into the definite favorite, but I'd be okay with every single one of these nominees winning this year. Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Chiwetel Ejiofor were all awesome this year. The one omission that I think is pretty disappointing was Tom Hanks. Watch the last fifteen minutes of "Captain Phillips" and tell me it wasn't one of the best acting performances of all time. That being said, I'm not sure who I'd take out to put Hanks in.)

 
Best Motion Picture of the Year

WILL WIN: "12 Years A Slave"

SHOULD WIN: Hmm?

 (I think this category is really only between "12 Years A Slave" and MAYBE "Gravity" or "American Hustle." The hardest thing to pick is which one I liked the best. I liked most of the nominees this year a lot, but I can't help but feel that "Saving Mr. Banks" should have been nominated here. I think I loved that movie a lot more than most, and I would probably take out "Nebraska" or even "Gravity" to make room for it. That being said, I think "12 Years A Slave" will almost definitely win the biggest award of the night.)

Make sure to check back in a few days to see how I did! The major six categories are probably easier to predict this year, but the others definitely aren't. I think choosing Ellen DeGeneres as host this year is a decent choice (it's a safe choice though) and I'm interested to see how she does. All I know is it can't be worse than that James Franco/Anne Hathaway abomination a few years ago.

-Jared

Go See: Gravity (3D)

Last week I finally got the opportunity to see the highly talked about movie Gravity. Gravity stars Sandra Bullock as a medical engineer who struggles to make it back to Earth after a space mission goes awry. George Clooney co-stars as an astronaut working with Bullock's character and Ed Harris plays the voice of Mission Control. And that's it. The only other actors involved are in the movie mere seconds and are just providing voice-overs. So did a (relatively short) 90 minute movie featuring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney floating through space blow me away?

Sandra Bullock's Ryan Stone senses 90 minutes of bad news is about to happen.

In short, yes, it actually did. Gravity is an amazing visual experience unlike anything I've ever seen before. I wouldn't even really call Gravity a "traditional" movie. What director Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Y Tu Mama Tambien) managed to do is create some sort of hybrid entertainment. A good portion of the movie is shown through Bullock's character's point of view. Through her eyes, we see her tumbling through space and attempting to grab onto parts of the space shuttle. These sequences reminded me of a videogame and it almost felt like you were in control of what you were seeing. That feeling ramped up the intensity to what are already very intense scenes. Other sequences where Bullock floats through space and you're observing what she's seeing reminded me of a ride you'd find at Universal Studios. These elements, combined with a strong narrative and emotional back story to Bullock's character, provided a very entertaining 90 minutes.

Wait ... they weren't really in space?

But I can't conclude a review about Gravity without mentioning it's incredible tracking shots. Fans of Cuaron's last feature, 2006's Children of Men, were especially blown away by that film's long single-shot sequences. There's an entire scene in that movie that includes sevral actors in a car and on motorcycles, fire, and gunshots that's done in a single shot. While the single-shot sequences were impressive in Children of Men, they're even more amazing in Gravity. We follow Sandra Bullock's character in a single shot as she wiggles through the confined spaces in an entire space shuttle to fight a fire that has broken out. We tumble with her in a single shot as she desperately tries to grab hold of a space shuttle as it plummets to Earth. These sequences were obviously well rehearsed and shot with Bullock rigged in front of a green screen. But Cuaron manages to make them feel real and improvised in a way I haven't seen before.

"I should have considered a different career path."

I would highly recommend watching Gravity in 3D. And that's coming from someone who hates the current 3D craze. In fact, although I wasn't able to see it in IMAX, I would recommend seeing it on an IMAX screen as well. It will only add to the visually stunning experience. Gravity is one of those rare  "I feel like I'm actually in the movie" experiences that needs to be seen to be believed.

-Jared