Boys, Birds and Nerds: Oscar Nominee Predictions 2015

Take these to Vegas: 7 nominations for Birdman and The Imitation Game. 6 for Boyhood and Grand Budapest Hotel — plus many more for a bunch of nerds.

Best Picture 
American Sniper

Birdman 

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Nightcrawler
Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash
If they choose ten: Foxcatcher

Best Director

Ava Duvernay, Selma

Alejandro G. Inarritu, Birdman

Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Spoiler: Damien Chazelle,Whiplash, is a sound bet. 
Shocker: With all these new names, perhaps there is room for Clint Eastwood, American Sniper 

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game

David Oyelowo, Selma

Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Michael Keaton, Birdman

Spoiler: Gyllenhaal is the front runner, but Bradley Cooper is a hit on Broadway and impressing in American Sniper and could take Gyllenhaal's spot. Steve Carell would be a better bet if he was in the supporting role for Foxcatcher
Shocker: Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner, could be that "out of nowhere" surprise on Oscar morning

Best Actress

Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Jennifer Aniston, Cake,

Spoiler:  Amy Adams (Big Eyes) could easily slide into TV star Aniston's slot

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood

Edward Norton, Birdman

Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher

J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Spoiler:  Not many options. Carrell should have entered in this category. I'll go with Miyavi, who stole scenes in Unbroken

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game

Emma Stone, Birdman

Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Spoiler:  Laura Dern played a memorable mom in Wild (and in The Fault In Her Stars). She could take Knightley's spot.
Shocker: Rene Russo, Nightcrawler

Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper

Gone Girl

The Imitation Game

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Shocker: Wild could displace Whiplash, which was removed from Original Screenplay category by the Academy.
Spoiler: Unbroken (There were two writers before the Coens took over.)

Original Screenplay

Boyhood

Birdman

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler

Selma

Spoiler: Foxcatcher

Animated Feature

Lego Movie

How To Train Dragon 2

Big Hero 6

Boxtrolls

The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Spoiler: I'd bet on the inventive The Book of Life to take the Boxtrolls' spot.

Foreign Language Film

Ida

Wild Tales

Force Majeure

Leviathan

Timbuktu

Spoiler:  Tangerines could take the place of Timbuktu, the first film ever submitted from Mauritania for the award

Cinematography

Birdman

Interstellar

Mr. Turner

Nightcrawler

Unbroken Roger Deakin (overdue honor)

Spoiler: The Theory of Everything or American Sniper

Costume Design

The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Immigrant
Into The Woods

Maleficient

Mr. Turner

Spoiler: If Selma builds up a sweep across many categories, this will be one of them.

Film Editing

Boyhood
Birdman

Foxcatcher

The Imitation Game

Whiplash
Spoiler:  Interstellar or a Selma sweep
Shocker: Unbroken would be a shocker since Goldenberg was brought in to shorten Squyres' project.

Production Design

Into The Woods

Interstellar

Birdman

The Imitation Game

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Spoiler: Unbroken, Selma, Mr. Turner, The Theory of Everything

Makeup and Hairstyling

Maleficent

Foxcatcher

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Spoiler:  Guardians of the Galaxy

Original Score

Unbroken 

The Imitation Game

The Theory of Everything

Gone Girl

Interstellar

Spoiler: Big Eyes    

Shocker: It won't be Birdman, that frontrunner was declared ineligible.

Original Song

I’m Not Gonna Miss You, Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me

Everything Is Awesome, The LEGO Movie

Glory, Selma

Lost Stars, Begin Again

Yellow Flicker Beat, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

Spoiler: Big Eyes, Big Eyes, Mercy Is, Noah, Miracles, Unbroken

Sound Editing

Interstellar

Unbroken

Guardians

Whiplash

Hobbit

Spoiler: Intro the Woods Fury

Sound Mixing

American Sniper
Interstellar

Unbroken

Guardians of the Galaxy
Whiplash

Spoiler:  The Hobbit or Into The Woods

Visual Effects

Interstellar
Dawn of Planet of the Apes

Guardians of the Galxy

Hobbit

Transformers

Spoiler:  Godzilla, isn’t he always

Documentary Feature

CitizenFour

Keep On Keepin’ On

Last Days in Vietnam

Life Itself

Virunga

Spoiler: Finding Vivian Maier

Documentary Short

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
The Lion’s Mouth Opens
The Reaper (La Parka), 

White Earth,
Spoiler: Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace

Whiplash

The quest for greatness, and all that jazz

In the first few moments of Whiplash, jazz instructor Terence (J.K. Simmons meets Andrew (Miles Teller), an ambitious young jazz drummer who wants to become one of the greats. He doesn’t want to excel in a Bring It On/Drumline kind of way, he wants to bet the best in a Black Swan kind of way. And Terence is just the terrifying instructor to get him there.

I didn’t rush to see this film because I was never in the mood to see an intense bully film. Let’s just say that I only watched Black Swan once.

My loss for waiting to see Whiplash. The tone of this movie is positively electric and this thriller is full of high-swinging performances. Teller and Simmons are both exceptional in their roles, playing off each other as seamlessly as musical instruments.

One ridiculously scripted plot twist took me out of the otherwise realistic story, but it was redeemed by the chemistry of the two performers, the music that comes alive on screen and a powerful ending. It’s hard to find a bad movie in the theater this month, but this one should be on the top of your list.

Simply put: March to the theater to see this film that stays with you for days after

Award potential: Potential for Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing. A front-runner for Best Supporting Actor, J.K. Simmons (Juno, Into The Air).

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.

Golden Globes 2015 Predictions

International journalists who live in L.A. pick these awards, so anything goes. But I predict that Poehler will be funny, Fey will laugh at her own jokes, and that these folks will win:

Picture (Drama)

Winner: Boyhood

Spoiler: Selma

The buzz about Boyhood should officially begin tonight.

Picture (Musical or Comedy)

Winner: Birdman

Spoiler: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Tonight, Bird is the word.

Director

Winner: Richard Linklater, Boyhood

Spoiler: Ava Duvernay, Selma

Two choices the Globes would love to reward. Some historical accuracy issues give Linklater the edge — and they'd love to reward this project. 

Actor (Drama)

Winner: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Spoiler: Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game

The easiest bet of the night.

Actor (Comedy or Musical)
Winner: Michael Keaton, Birdman
Spoiler: Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Keaton would be a clear bet, but the Globes sometimes shock with a clearly comedic movie.

Actress (Drama)

Winner: Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Spoiler: : Jennifer Anniston, Cake

Anniston has a strong campaign going, we'll see how it works out.

Actress (Comedy or Musical)

Winner: Emily Blunt, Into The Woods

Spoiler: : Amy Adams, Big Eyes

The toughest call of the night. None of these nominees will likely get an Oscar nomination. I'm betting that they reward the musical portion of the category here.

Supporting Actor

Winner: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Spoiler:: Ed Norton, Birdman

I'm rooting for both of these unforgettable performances.

Supporting Actress

Winner: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Spoiler:: Emma Stone, Birdman

Screenplay

Winner: Boyhood

Spoiler: Birdman

It could go either way. 

Foreign Language

Winner: Leviathan

Spoiler: Ida

International journalists who live in L.A. are picking the best foreign movie -so who knows. Force Majeure could win. Ida is a tough topic. IF they saw it, it wins.

Animated Feature

Winner: The Lego Movie

Spoiler: The Book of Life

Score

Winner: Birdman

Spoiler: The Theory of Everything

Birdman's score is not eligible at the Oscars; the Globes have the best opportunity to recognize Birdman for one of the best scores this year.

Song

Winner: Glory, Selma (John Legend and Common)

Spoiler: Yellow Flicker Beat, Hunger Games (Lorde)

I have a vision of Lorde on stage, but it's hard to bet against Glory. In this category, everything is awesome. 

Wild

Take a hike.

As a fan of Cheryl Strayed’s novel Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, which captures one woman’s thousand-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, I’ve been looking forward to seeing this story told on a big, beautiful screen.

Today I have good news and bad news. Wild, the movie, does not showcase the great outdoors’ beauty in the way that I hoped. The director, Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club), doesn’t give us those big, inspirational views. However, he doesn’t give us big speeches and big scenes either. It’s simply more authentic than poetic.

Given that I’ll likely never take a journey like that, I appreciate that approach. I now have a visual and an idea of exactly what that experience feels and looks like. That’s more powerful than the postcard-picture movie I expected to see.

Simply put:  A journey that’s worth your time.

Award potential: In the world of the Oscars, this is just a performance film, not a Best Picture. Reese Witherspoon is a lock for a nomination for her gritty performance as Strayed. Laura Dern (an excellent mother figure in both this film and also The Fault In Our Stars) could spoil and score a Best Supporting Actress nomination.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.

Five binge-worthy finds on Netflix in January

Netflix has some binge-worthy gems this winter that makes its $8 a month price totally ten-buck-worthy. 

Black Mirror 
If a fresh, modern Twilight Zone has your attention, stare into the TV for this British drama. It's a low commitment recommendation with just six, self-contained episodes. 

Sherlock
If you thought Benedict Cumberbatch was a dirty word until you saw The Imitation Game in theaters, then you should watch BBC's top rated show and, presumably dear Martin Freedman (The Hobbit, TV's Fargo, Love Actually), one of the best binges around.

 
Parks and Recreation
All 10 seasons of Friends are newly available on Netflix starting this month. I prefer to prepare for the upcoming final season of Amy Poehler's clever sitcom featuring a solid cast that includes Chris Pratt, before he became this year's box office megastar.

 

House of Cards
Seasons 1 and 2 of the best binge-worthy show of all time are on Netflix. If you haven't seen it, put this at the top of your list. Or refresh your memory before season three starts (February 27).

 


Chef (available starting January 28)

OK, so it's only one movie and not a TV binge, but you'll be binge eating after the display of food porn in this highly likeable film from last summer.





Worth ten bucks: Yes, Netflix in January is quite a deal. 

American Sniper

A bullseye.

American Sniper stars Bradley Cooper as Texan Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. Clint Eastwood, who hits as often as he misses, is director.

Luckily, this film goes on the same shelf with Unforgiven, Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. It’s a balanced war movie and anti-war movie at the same time. Sniper is skillfully able to celebrate the war-time warrior and explore post-war lament. And wow, I think gun lovers and gun haters can both watch this film together.

With an on-target Texas drawl, partially developed by listening to Texas singer Robert Earl Keen, Cooper embodies Kyle and is in the center of every scene.

Simply put: A return to form for Eastwood, and another star performance by Cooper who expertly captured our unique Texas accent.

Award potential: Sniper is not on a lot of early lists, but it is good enough to build up some last minute steam to upset for Best Picture, Actor and Screenplay nominations.

In a less political Hollywood, this film would be an Oscar frontrunner. (Lone Survivor was shut out last year.) Cooper, who is in every scene, is currently killing it on Broadway with The Elephant Man, and he has the best chance of scoring a nomination.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks.