Academy Award Nominations Predictions!

Image courtesy of AMPAS

Ah, yes. With the turn of a new year comes a new slate of Oscar nominations. There was a good bunch of films released in 2013, but nothing compared to 2007 (in my opinion). Last year's was perfectly ecclectic; there was a foreign-language film ("Amour"), a musical ("Les Miserables"), an action movie ("Zero Dark Thirty") and plenty of drama that covered the gammit from historical epic to childhood survival.

The 2013 won't look anything like that.

Instead, there are no foreign films to highly consider, or any musicals. OK, if you want to include "Inside Llewyn Davis" as a musical, go ahead, but just because music plays an integral role in a film does not necessarily make it a musical. Instead we have dips into sci-fi ("Gravity" and "Her"), a deep historical drama ("12 Years a Slave"), comedic ensemble pieces ("American Hustle" and "Nebraska") and a sprinkling of moderately modern stories about pirates, corrupt greed and AIDS.

With 5-10 slots ready to be filled with best picture nominees, it's easier to say which films will definitely can in than the ones just may tip-toe in.

I think we could see one or two films collect double-digit nominations, maybe three depending on how the Academy is feeling. Expect big returns for "Gravity," "12 Years a Slave," and (maybe) "American Hustle." Though I don't predict it, there's a possibility "American" can get two more acting nods (actress and supp. actor).

Nominations are announced Jan. 16 at 8:38 EST.

BEST PICTURE
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street
(Dallas Buyers Club)

Golden Globe Awards Predictions!

As the first, and last, big kudos before the Academy Award nominations are announced on January 16, the Golden Globes are usually the pre-Academy Awards because there is such an overlay of winners between the two kudos fests. Last year was different in that the Academy Award nominations were announced BEFORE the Golden Globes.

Anywho, here is a list of predicted winners I made. I think "12 Years a Slave" and "American Hustle" will do well in their respective genre categories.

Edit: Winners listed with original predictions

BEST PICTURE - DRAMA
Winner: "12 Years a Slave"
Predicted: "Gravity"

BEST ACTOR - DRAMA
Winner: Matthew McCounaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Predicted: Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"

BEST ACTRESS - DRAMA
Winner/prediction: Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"

BEST PICTURE - MUSICAL/COMEDY
Winner/prediction: "American Hustle"

BEST ACTOR - MUSICAL/COMEDY
Winner/prediction: Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"

BEST ACTRESS - MUSICAL/COMEDY
Winner: Amy Adams, "Amerian Hustle"
Predicted:  Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"

Movie Review: '12 Years a Slave' Run-Of-The-Mill Slavery Movie

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup has his last meal as a free man in "12 Years a Slave."

“12 Years a Slave” has received universal acclaim, but what else would you expect from a historical drama like this? For one, it exploits a painful time in the country’s history, and two, it makes a hero out of a normal person. Look at “Schindler’s List,” “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days,” and even last year’s “Lincoln.” All three films were showered with praise for doing just that.

This is exactly what I was hoping Steve McQueen wouldn’t do with “12 Years,” but I was wrong. The English auteur threw out his signature raw style for a convenient and rudimentary way of telling a story we’ve seen time and again.