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)

"Gravity" Floats Away With 11 BAFTA Nominations

"Gravity" leads all films this year with 11 nominations including best film and outstanding British film.         

              

The space blockbuster "Gravity" crashed into cloud 9 Wednesday morning after receiving 11 EE British Academy Film Award (BAFTAs) nominations, the most of any film this year.

"Gravity" was nominated for best film, outstanding British film, best director, best actress for its star, Sandra Bullock, and best original screenplay, and six technical nods. The film was a co-production between the British company Heyday Films and the Mexican company Esperanto films.

In addition to his nomination for directing, Alfonso Cuarón earned the most individual nominations this year with five, earning his four other nominations as a producer, writer and editor of the film. He shares his nomination for outstanding British film with producer David Heyman and co-writer, his son, Jonas Cuarón. This bring Alfonso's total BAFTA nominations up to nine.

Not far behind in nominations was "12 Years a Slave" and "American Hustle" earning 10 each, both competing for best film and best director. While "12 Years" sought three acting nods (actor- Chiwetel Ejiofor, supp. actor- Michael Fassbender and supp actress- Lupita Nyong'o), "American Hustle" earned a nomination in all of the acting categories (leads Amy Adams and Christian Bale, supporting for Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper). The "American Hustle" cast earned the same nominations at the Golden Globes, with Adams and Bale competing in the comedic races.

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