OSCARS 2014

Personally I cannot stand award ceremonies at the best of times and find the OSCARS especially tedious and self congratulatory...but that does not stop me from getting caught up in all the hype and speculation as to who will be walking away with the top awards. So as we are just two days away from the ceremony, here are my tips for the winners in the top categories as well as some honourable mentions for those who could also take home the award.

 

 

The move to expand the number of Best Picture nominees a couple of years ago (allegedly prompted by the snub to The Dark Knight Rises) would seemingly make it harder to pick a winner, but this year at least seems to be a straight fight between Gravity and 12 Years a Slave with Dallas Buyers Club as an outside bet. Both Gravity and 12 Years a Slave have been heavily rewarded at other awards ceremonies this year, though the OSCAR committee are always partial to issue driven movies so 12 Years a Slave would appear to be the likely choice here despite Gravity being one of the most visually stunning movie’s in the history of film.

 

 

 

 

While the OSCARS love to reward the actors in issue heavy movies they are more than happy to reward directors for their technical achievements (James Cameron being a prime example). Whilst 12 Years... is a deeply moving piece of cinema and American Hustle is fun, but perhaps a little lightweight, Gravity is truly revolutionary and based on the awards being dished out so far, Cuarón looks to be a cert.

 

 

 

 

This category is rather hard to call, though I suspect it will be a straight fight between Ejiofor and McConaughey. Ejiofor is outstanding, carrying the entire movie with a quiet dignity and strength which in any other year would ensure that he is guaranteed an OSCAR. This year however he is going up against an utterly brilliant (and perhaps surprising) performance from Matthew McConaughey who’s career renaissance (sorry, McConaissance) continues to amaze. The subject of AIDS as depicted in Dallas Buyers Club is one that the OSCARS have embraced before and I suspect that this issue alongside a physically demanding performance such as McConaughey’s will ensure that his resurgence continues.

 

 

 

 

Another category that’s hard to call, but based on the awards dished out so far it would appear that Blanchett is the favourite. That being said, Bullock’s performance was brilliant, carrying the majority of the movie by herself and much like Matthew McConaughey her own career is enjoying somewhat of an upswing. Then there is Judi Dench whose moving performance in Philomena also deserves an honourable mention. However I do think that ultimately it will be Cate Blanchette adding a Best Actress to the Best Supporting award she won in 2005.

 

 

 

 

Arguably the most competitive of the acting categories, any one of these nominees could win and it would not raise eyebrows (ok, maybe apart from Bradley Cooper who gave a fine, if unmemorable performance). Jared Leto’s transformation for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club was astounding, Fassbender’s truly terrifying and Hill’s as entertaining as ever. However while many are tipping Leto I suspect there may be a surprise here and think that Barkhad Abdi will cause an upset for his remarkable performance in his film debut.

 

 

 

 

This looks to be another straight fight, this time between Jennifer Lawrence and new comer Lupita Nyong'o. Both have won numerous awards for their respective performances already this year and it really is a tough one to call. While Nyong'o’s performance is brutally moving and all the more astounding as it was her first movie role, last year’s Best Actress winner Jennifer Lawrence’s career continues to skyrocket. The supporting categories have yielded some more surprising results over the years when compared to the main ones (Heath Ledger winning for The Joker for example) and with that in mind I suspect that they will opt for Lawrence’s fine comedic performance.