Oscar Results

This year, I was correct on 6 out of 10 of my predictions. 

Best Picture 
Who I wanted to win: Boyhood
Who I thought would win: Boyhood
 (Even though Whiplash was my favorite movie of the year, I don't think it's the best movie of the year. Birdman is the only other film that I wouldn't be upset to see win best picture of the year)
Who actually won: Birdman

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Who I wanted to win: Michael Keaton
Who I thought would win: Michael Keaton
Who actually won: Eddie Redmayne

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Who I wanted to win: Reese Witherspoon
Who I thought would win: Julianne Moore
*I haven't seen three out of these five performances
Who actually won: Julianne Moore

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Who I wanted to win: J.K. Simmons
Who I thought would win: J.K. Simmons
Who actually won: J.K. Simmons  

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Who I wanted to win: Patricia Arquette
Who I thought would win: Patricia Arquette
Who actually won: Patricia Arquette

Best Director
Who I wanted to win: Richard Linklater (or Inarritu)
Who I thought would win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Who actually won: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Best Adapted Screenplay
Who I wanted to win: Whiplash (or Inherent Vice)
Who I thought would win: Whiplash
Who actually won: The Imitation Game 

Best Original Screenplay
Who I wanted to win: Boyhood
Who I thought would win: Boyhood
Who actually won: Birdman 

Best Cinematography
Who I wanted to win: Birdman
Who I thought would win: Birdman
Who actually won: Birdman

Best Foreign Language Film
Who I wanted to win: Ida
Who I thought would win: Ida
Who actually won: Ida

Oscar nominated films I haven't seen yet: The Theory of Everything, Still Alice, Two Days One Night, Nightcrawler, Into the Woods, and The Judge. 

Oscar Predictions

Best Picture 
Who I want to win: Boyhood
Who I think will win: Boyhood
 (Even though Whiplash was my favorite movie of the year, I don't think it's the best movie of the year. Birdman is the only other film that I wouldn't be upset to see win best picture of the year)

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Who I want to win: Michael Keaton
Who I think will win: Michael Keaton

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Who I want to win: Reese Witherspoon
Who I think will win: Julianne Moore
*I haven't seen three out of these five performances

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Who I want to win: J.K. Simmons
Who I think will win: J.K. Simmons

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Who I want to win: Patricia Arquette
Who I think will win: Patricia Arquette

Best Director
Who I want to win: Richard Linklater (or Inarritu)
Who I think will win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu

Best Adapted Screenplay
Who I want to win: Whiplash (or Inherent Vice)
Who I think will win: Whiplash

Best Original Screenplay
Who I want to win: Boyhood
Who I think will win: Boyhood

Best Cinematography
Who I want to win: Birdman
Who I think will win: Birdman

Best Foreign Language Film
Who I want to win: Ida
Who I think will win: Ida

Oscar nominated films I haven't seen yet: The Theory of Everything, Still Alice, Two Days One Night, Nightcrawler, Into the Woods, and The Judge. 

Top Ten of 2014

For me, 2014 was a strong year for movies.  Here are ten of my favorites.  Whiplash was a clear number one.  Films 2 through 6 are also exactly where I want them but 7 through 10 are easily interchangeable.

1) Whiplash

2) Under The Skin
3) Boyhood

4) Inherent Vice
5) Ida
6) Birdman
7) Interstellar
8) Foxcatcher
9) Gone Girl
10) Mistaken for Strangers   

need to see soon
Only Lovers Left Alive
Nightcrawler

Force Majeure

Close Calls
The Rover 

Blue Ruin
Wild
Joe
Tim's Vermeer
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Oscar Wrap Up

I was correct on 4 out of 9 awards, which was slightly worse than last year.

Best Picture 
Who I wanted to win: 12 Years a Slave
Who I thought would win: 12 Years a Slave (I was right)
Who actually won: 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Who I wanted to win: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Who I thought would win: Chiwetel Ejiofor (I was wrong)
Who actually won: Matthew McConaughey

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Who I wanted to win: Sandra Bullock
Who I thought would win: Cate Blanchett (I was right)
Who actually won: Cate Blanchett

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Who I wanted to win: Michael Fassbender
Who I thought would win: Michael Fassbender (I was wrong)
Who actually won: Jared Leto

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Who I wanted to win: Lupita Nyong'o
Who I thought would win: Lupita Nyong'o (I was right)
Who actually won: Lupita Nyong'o

Best Director
Who I wanted to win: Steve McQueen
Who I thought would win: Steve McQueen (I was wrong)
Who actually won: Alfonso Cuaron

Best Adapted Screenplay
Who I wanted to win: 12 Years a Slave
Who I thought would win: 12 Years a Slave (I was right)
Who actually won: 12 Years a Slave

Best Original Screenplay
Who I wanted to win: Her
Who I thought would win: American Hustle (I was wrong, but am happy to be wrong)
Who actually won: Her

Best Documentary
Who I wanted to win: The Act of Killing
Who I thought would win: The Act of Killing (I was wrong -- and shocked)
Who actually won: 20 Feet From Stardom (which I saw and enjoyed, but it was not better than The Act of Killing.  Not close)

Top Ten of 2013

My Top Ten of 2013 (in order):

1. 12 Years a Slave
2. Before Midnight
3. The Act of Killing
4. Gravity
5. Her
6. The Wolf of Wall Street
7. Enough Said
8. Mud
9. Captain Phillips (especially the last ten minutes)
10. The Spectacular Now

Close Calls:

The Way Way Back
Le Week-end
To the Wonder
A Band Called Death (2013?)
Dallas Buyers Club (for the performances more than anything, Leto in particular)
Short Game
Pacific Rim
Blackfish
Side Effects
Frances Ha
The Heat (funniest movie I saw in 2013)
Upstream Color
American Hustle

Biggest Disappointment:
Drinking Buddies

Still need to see:
Stories We Tell
Let the Fire Burn
The Gatekeepers
All is Lost
The Hunt
Dirty Wars
Cutie and the Boxer
The Square

Oscars For 2013 Films

(Note: I have not seen Philomena)

I pretty much think 12 Years a Slave is going to sweep this year. It certainly deserves to.

Best Picture
Who I want to win: 12 Years a Slave
Who I think will win: 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Who I want to win: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Who I think will win: Chiwetel Ejiofor

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Who I want to win: Sandra Bullock
Who I think will win: Cate Blanchett

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Who I want to win: Michael Fassbender
Who I think will win: Michael Fassbender

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Who I want to win: Lupita Nyong'o
Who I think will win: Lupita Nyong'o

Best Director
Who I want to win: Steve McQueen
Who I think will win: Steve McQueen

Best Adapted Screenplay
Who I want to win: 12 Years a Slave
Who I think will win: 12 Years a Slave

Best Original Screenplay
Who I want to win: Her
Who I think will win: American Hustle

Best Documentary
Who I want to win: The Act of Killing
Who I think will win: The Act of Killing

Philadelphia Film Festival 2013

Below is a collection of evolving notes on my Philadelphia Film Festival experience this year:

• 12 Years a Slave     4 out of 4
• Nebraska     2.5 out of 4
• Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa     3 out of 4
• About Time     3 out of 4
• Le Week-End     3.5 out of 4
• Short Game     3 out of 4
• The Captain (short film)     .5 out of 4

While not part of the Film Festival, I saw these two films last week:

• Gravity     3.5 out of 4
• Enough Said     3 out of 4