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)

Movie Reviews; 'Inside Llewyn Davis,' 'Saving Mr. Banks' and 'American Hustle'

Inside Llewyn Davis: Their first overtly musical film since "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", "Inside Llewyn Davis" throws us to another decade of music, specifically the 1961 folk scene of Greenwich Village. As Llewyn (Oscar Isaac) struggles through the longest week of his life to get a music career going, he's approached with an aggressive ex-fling (Carey Mulligan), an older traveler (John Goodman) and an elusive cat. Beautifully shot and with spot-on direction, "Inside" is the Coen Brothers most different yet best film. Smart, engrossing and with a great folk-y soundtrack to boot. Beautifully haunting and emotionally raw. Rating: A+

 

Saving Mr. Banks: As Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) tries to woo Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers (Emma Thompson) to sell him the rights to her book, a never-ending story of stubborness and acid-tongued dialogue ensues. Travers, as portrayed by Thompson, is a crotchety old bitch that is pleased by nothing, but eventually sells the rights to her book out of financial desperation. This is one movie that would have done better on the Hallmark Channel because it's ripe with cliche and that mean old hag that eventually turns nice by the end. Oh, and the constant flashbacks to Travers' childhood added nothing to the film. Rating: D

Album Review: Soundtrack For 'Inside Llewyn Davis' Is Folky Gold Mine.

 

First the Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan, brought in a sweeping new audience for bluegrass and traditional American roots music with the Grammy-winning soundtrack for "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Thirteen years later, and working again with T-Bone Burnett, comes the movie and the accompanying soundtrack to "Inside Llewyn Davis," an album that could spark a resurgence in folk music with new recordings to fit the film's early-'60s Greenwich Village setting.

Starring Oscar Isaac as the title character, "Inside Llewyn Davis" explores the trials and tribulations of Llewyn as he tries to make a solo career for himself from the baskethouses of the Village to Chicago. Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Adam Driver and Stark Sands also star in the film, lending their own voices for live performances in the film and the soundtrack recordings.