In which not everything is awesome!!!

Welcome back to the Oscars! 

As far as film went the year was a difficult one, some really odd movies, most of them independent. But they still managed to push some real boundaries. In that spirit, this year's blog's posters are of the alternative kind, such that I could find on the net. 

[I should mention that in looking for the images in this blog post I came across some pretty hilarious stuff, including "if the Oscar nominated movies were honest", which featured such titles as 12 Years A White Kid, The Dark Knight Crisis, and Everybody shh: Benedict Cumberbatch is Doing His Best Acting. Tee hee.]

So this year I've actually managed to see ALL of the nominees for Best Picture. I know, right? Some of them I’ve loved, some I have respected, and some I was just plain bored by. Two blew me away. Let’s start at the top.

Best Picture

American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

American Sniper tells the story of American hero (and I’m only being a tiny bit sarcastic here) Chris Kyle, who served four tours in Iraq as the best sniper in the army. What is undeniable is a) the man is brave and b) his journey back to who he was before his first kill is impressive. Oh, and c) the fake baby looks really fake. So you can either see it as another “Yay, America!” film, or you can see it as a study in what war does to a person, even from a distance.

Birdman was a strange, edgy cacophony of a picture, and I mean that in a good way. All the performances were top-knotch, and Michael Keaton got a real chance to show what he can do. I did not love the ending, but the rest is kind of a big deal and a fascinating achievement in film. Something really different, in a good way.

Boyhood was … long. That was my takeaway. It is also a pretty impressive achievement, filming over 12 years to portray the life of a young boy as he grows into adulthood. And there’s nothing really wrong with it. Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette were great, and some of the script was lovely, but I just … wasn’t that interested.

The Grand Budapest Hotel I found completely charming and at times hilarious. Wes Anderson has presented a slightly Other world and every setting takes you deeper into it. I have never liked a Wes Anderson film until this moment, and if this is what he’s going to keep doing, then I might just be a fan. A beautiful performance by the overlooked Ralph Fiennes.

I knew absolutely nothing about Alan Turing, and as such was looking forward to The Imitation Game. Plus, Benedict Cumberbatch. And I really enjoyed it: a really good example of a biography film serving up a sense of what it might have been like. While there are a few historical inaccuracies (and this I think has kept it from winning big this awards season), I still thought it was an excellent movie. Plus, you know, Cumberbatch.

Ok, I admit it: I really did not want to see Selma. I’ll also admit that I’m really glad I did see it. It’s kind of a beautiful film, and though the time and place it depicts is powerful, heartbreaking, and sometimes violent, it never really tried to hit the audience about the head with its message. Instead I was deeply impressed with the bravery exhibited by those who lived through it.

 

Unlike the other three biopics in this list, The Theory of Everything covers not just a period in the subject’s life, but a good third of it. As a result, some parts aren’t as well explored as others. But I kind of didn’t care, and it’s because of the performances. Eddie Redmayne deserves every award he gets for an incredibly physical and physically stressful role, and Felicity Jones, though in a less dramatic role, is absolutely fantastic.

Now to Whiplash, with the fabulous J.K. Simmons. Talk about intense. And all the tension on screen has a way of seeping into you as you watch this tour de force. A thought-provoking and shocking film, this was one of the films I most enjoyed watching, and had a visceral reaction to. I never, ever want to be a drummer.

As for the round up, this is a three-way race that in reality is probably only a two-way race. My feeling is that Birdman and Boyhood will battle it out for Best Picture and Best Director, probably with a split. Which way that split goes depends on who you talk to. And while I would love Grand Budapest to win, I don’t think it quite has the chops.

Who WILL win: Boyhood

Who SHOULD win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Actor in a Leading Role

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

This race is between Keaton and Redmayne. The latter has been blitzing the awards circuit, but Keaton is home-grown, and very popular to boot. Plus they both deserve it. I’ve already talked about what Redmayne put his body through here, but it deserves repeating: every move looks like such a struggle you can almost feel it. And Keaton does something pretty fantastic in Birdman. Steve Carell is quite good in Foxcatcher, but in my mind David Oyelowo should have taken his place. And while Cumberbatch delivered a great performance, I feel he’s got more to give, and he’ll be back here someday.

Who WILL win: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Who SHOULD win: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Actress in a Leading Role

Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Julianne Moore has been around a while, and has been an Oscar mainstay for years now. This is her award to lose. While people say that Felicity Jones doesn’t belong here, I think her performance in The Theory of Everything was kind of amazing: so much strength, so much humanity there. Cotillard is always a threat, and her performance is reportedly incredible: you can believe it, because to get nominated for such a small film is all the more impressive. Witherspoon has delivered maybe her best performance to date, but like I said, this is Julianne’s to lose.

Who WILL win: Julianne Moore, Still Alice

Who SHOULD win: Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything

Actor in a Supporting Role

Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Words cannot express how thrilled I am for J.K. Simmons. He has been delivering pitch-perfect character performances for years now, and even when his role is a small one, or a straight one, he is always brilliant. And this performance is worth the win. He took this role from its first incarnation in a short film and opened it up to a feature-length movie, never losing the subtlety so important in creating that tension, nor the violence of those outbursts. Funnily enough, I feel much the same about Mark Ruffalo, who is quietly perfect in Foxcatcher, but one day he’ll get his Oscar, I’m sure of it. Edward Norton is probably the closest to an upset, and I thought Ethan Hawke was really impressive, but I’m really looking forward to Simmons’ time at the microphone.

Who WILL win: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Who SHOULD win: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Actress in a Supporting Role

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Emma Stone, Birdman
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Oh, Meryl. I’m pretty sure she, along with so many other people, is rolling her eyes when she gets nominations like this. Not that she’s not great, because she is, but let’s keep it in perspective, people. You’re damaging the brand. Patricia Arquette has this one all but sewn up, and I really don’t think anyone can touch her. Outside chances are probably Laura Dern and Emma Stone, but I thought Knightley was better than both.

Who WILL win: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Who SHOULD win: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood

Directing

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

This will come down to Iñárritu and Linklater, and which one Hollywood likes more. Linklater has a lot of goodwill, and the sheer size of his magnum opus will impress both directors and actors alike. And it is a big, freaking, deal. Think of the logistics! Iñárritu, on the other hand, offers something completely different. The way he has chosen to shot it keeps the audience on edge the entire time: if the camera doesn’t rest, we don’t rest, so like the main character we’re feeling pretty wired by the opening night. As I said, I think this will come down to a split.

Who WILL win: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman

Who SHOULD win: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman

Animated Feature Film

Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

Ba-la-la-la-la! Yes, I believe Big Hero 6 deserves this just for the fist-bump, because that sh*t was pure genius. Of course, we all know who SHOULD be here, and that’s The Lego Movie, which is all kinds of awesome. And barring a write-in campaign, which worked for A Midsummer Night’s Dream back in 1936 but which were since banned, I think this year’s award is going to How to Train Your Dragon 2.

Who WILL win: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Who SHOULD win: The Lego Movie (rules be damned)

Cinematography

Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Robert D. Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lynzewski, Ida
Dick Pope, Mr. Turner
Roger Deakins, Unbroken 

Oh, Roger Deakins. You poor bugger. Once more, in the category of Awards Roger Deakins Won’t Win, this year’s cinematography has been upstaged. I really think Birdman will grab this, because it has difficult and trippy cinematography done very well and, more unusually, for a good reason. Ida is the biggest threat, followed by Dick Pope for Mr Turner.

Who WILL win: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman

Who SHOULD win: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman

Costume Design

Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Mark Bridges, Inherent Vice
Colleen Atwood, Into the Woods
Anna B. Sheppard, Maleficent
Jacqueline Durran, Mr. Turner

You really can’t ever discount Colleen Atwood. She has ridden that dark horse to victory more times than most, and with Into the Woods she gets to sink her teeth into fantasy. And before those metaphors curdle … The Grand Budapest Hotel has some incredible costuming, contributing what was visually a beautiful film.

Who WILL win: Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who SHOULD win: Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Documentary Feature

Citizenfour
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga

Without knowing much about the rest of these, there's not much chance this is going to any film other than Citizenfour. 

Who WILL win: Citizenfour

Who SHOULD win: Citizenfour

Documentary Short Subject

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper
White Earth

There are some hella depressing topics covered in this category. I mean, wow. Suicide, terminal disease, animal slaughter and ... North Dakota. Contenders here are probably White Earth and the hot-button topic for America, Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1.

Who WILL win: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1

Who SHOULD win: White Earth

Film Editing

Joel Cox and Gary Roach, American Sniper
Sandra Adair, Boyhood
Barney Pilling, The Grand Budapest Hotel
William Goldenberg, The Imitation Game
Tom Cross, Whiplash

A bit surprised not to see Birdman here, but there’s plenty to work with. The editing would have been the major task in making Boyhood’s myriad bits and pieces into a cohesive story, so that’s the front runner. On the other hand, Whiplash had some truly impressive editing that particularly added to the overall feeling of tension permeating throughout. Hmm. I’ll give it to Boyhood, because to win Best Picture you’ve got to win something else fairly major, and this is its best chance.

Who WILL win: Sandra Adair, Boyhood

Who SHOULD win: Tom Cross, Whiplash

Foreign Language Film

Ida
Leviathan
Tangerines
Timbuktu
Wild Tales

Common sense might tell you that since Ida is nominated for cinematography, its chances here are far more than anything else in this category. Common sense is forgetting about Amelie. Or Pan’s Labyrinth. Leviathan is winning the big awards this year, but Ida is still a strong chance.

Who WILL win: Leviathan

Who SHOULD win: Ida

Makeup and Hairstyling

Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard, Foxcatcher
Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White, Guardians of the Galaxy

The makeup on Steve Carell was impressive, completely transforming him into someone else. You know, like Renee Zellweger did by ageing naturally/getting surgery/witchcraft. No, I’m kidding. Obviously everyone deserves to be here, but I’m going to name The Grand Budapest Hotel for its slightly off-kilter and essential character makeup as one of the (I’m convinced) many visual awards it will win. Guardians is the outside chance.

Who WILL win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who SHOULD win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Music – Original Score

Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game
Hans Zimmer, Interstellar
Gary Yershon, Mr Turner
Jóhann Jóhannsson, The Theory of Everything

Is it me, or is Alexandre Desplat a massive overachiever? Nice work, Alex. I do love his work, but suspect that Jóhann Jóhannsson’s beautiful score for The Theory of Everything will make good here. Oscars are a lot about balance: if something has no chance of winning the big awards, look for the smaller awards it will take home as a nod to its big nominations. It’s not as cynical as it sounds: All films nominated are deserving, and it’s nice that they are recognised in whatever standout capacity they can. I have a feeling that’s never going to make as much sense as it does in my head right now, so let’s move on.

Who WILL win: Jóhann Jóhannsson, The Theory of Everything

Who SHOULD win: Jóhann Jóhannsson, The Theory of Everything

Music – Original Song

Everything Is Awesome by Shawn Patterson, The LEGO Movie
Glory by Common and John Legend, Selma
Grateful by Diane Warren, Beyond the Lights
I'm Not Gonna Miss You by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond, Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
Lost Stars by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois, Begin Again

Remember what I said about balance? Here we have two possibilities: The LEGO Movie, in what could only be described as an apology for missing out on a Best Animated Feature nomination (seriously, it was one of those perfect storms of brilliance in filmmaking. Lego AND Will Arnett as Batman); or Selma, for its lack of nominations in acting, directing, cinematography etc. As far as the quality of the song goes, Everything Is Awesome is fabulous, more for amusement than for clever lyrics or structure, but undeniably, well, awesome. Glory is … ok, not a good song. I don’t like it. I enjoyed the heck out of the music in Begin Again, and sorry not to see more nominated here. But my gut says LEGO, and I shall be dancing like a crazy person when it’s performed.

Who WILL win: Everything Is Awesome by Shawn Patterson, The LEGO Movie

Who SHOULD win: Everything Is Awesome by Shawn Patterson, The LEGO Movie

Production Design

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Production design: Adam Stockhausen, Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
The Imitation Game, Production design: Maria Djurkovic, Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
Interstellar, Production design: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
Into the Woods, Production design: Dennis Gassner, Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
Mr. Turner, Production design: Suzie Davies, Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts

Once more we are in the “arts” section of filmmaking (although yes, there is plenty of science in art, and plenty of art in science). The most indelible part of The Grand Budapest Hotel was its production design, the chocolate-box-beautiful, shadow-puppet world of M. Gustave. Mr Turner does, however, have the capacity to upset it, and I will say this: just watching the trailer makes my jaw drop. Time will tell. Meanwhile, I’m heading back to Zubrowka for another look.

Who WILL win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who SHOULD win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Short Film – Animated

The Bigger Picture, Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
The Dam Keeper, Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
Feast, Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
Me and My Moulton, Torill Kove
A Single Life, Joris Oprins

Ok, all I’ve been able to do is watch the trailers, because aside from Feast, none of these have been shown at the cinema. I like what Feast does with seamless animation, plus, you know, puppies, but it doesn’t seem to reach Disney’s usual heights. I really like the story in A Single Life, but The Dam Keeper looks freakin’ magical.

Who WILL win: The Dam Keeper, Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
Who SHOULD win: The Dam Keeper, Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi

Short Film – Live Action

Aya, Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis
Boogaloo and Graham, Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney
Butter lamp, Hu Wei and Julien Féret
Parvaneh, Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger
The Phone Call, Mat Kirkby and James Lucas

Right, I haven’t seen any of them, and yes, I’m largely going off names at this point, but how could you not want something named Boogaloo and Graham to win? Plus it’s low-budget, and who doesn’t like a rags-to-riches story if not the Oscars? Probably a strong contender in The Phone Call and Aya, but I’m going with my heart on this one, and my heart likes funny names.

Who WILL win: Aya

Who SHOULD win: Boogaloo and Graham

Sound Editing

Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman, American Sniper
Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock, Birdman
Brent Burge and Jason Canovas, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,
Richard King, Interstellar
Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro, Unbroken

And we’re into the part of the awards that I know so very little about. What I do know is that this category LOVES war films. Pew, pew, pew! It is for this reason that I’m naming American Sniper. Pew! Pew-pew!

Who WILL win: American Sniper

Who SHOULD win: American Sniper

Sound Mixing

John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin, American Sniper
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga, Birdman
Garry A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten, Interstellar
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee, Unbroken
Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley, Whiplash

While Sniper could go two for two here, I was so very impressed with Whiplash, and its sound was something else.

Who WILL win: Whiplash

Who SHOULD win: Whiplash

Visual Effects

Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick, Captain America: Winter Soldier
Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Stephanie Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould, Guardians of the Galaxy
Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher, Interstellar
Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer, X-Men: Days of Future Past

I’ve heard so much about Interstellar’s effects, but these categories are always a bit unknowable in the absence of any particularly impressive leap forward (ahem*Gollum*ahem). Dawn of the Planet of the Apes really impressed the Visual Effects Society of America, so it’s a big threat. Really, there’s any number of possibilities here, I’m just picking one of them.

Who WILL win: Interstellar

Who SHOULD win: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Writing – Adapted Screenplay

Jason Hall, American Sniper
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
Anthony McCarten, The Theory of Everything
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash

Ah, my favourite categories. The Imitation Game’s source material is, reportedly, chock-a-block full of higher-level mathematics, so quite frankly it seems like getting to the end of that book, let alone getting a story out of it was one heck of an achievement. It did win the WGA award, which gives it an edge without guaranteeing anything (the record of past winners is sketchy). Also, the factual changes made may prevent it from winning here, and I think this is where The Theory of Everything has one over its fellow biopic. Whiplash, based on a short film, is a dark horse here.

Who WILL win: Anthony McCarten, The Theory of Everything

Who SHOULD win: Graham Moore, The Imitation Game

Writing – Original Screenplay

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler

Wes Anderson’s strength as a filmmaker is in his storytelling (which now that I think about it I’m not sure I agree with. I never liked any of his other films much, especially Fantastic Mr Fox, which was kind of disastrous, but the problems with which I have no room to go into now), and The Grand Budapest Hotel is nothing if not a great story, told well. Outside chance for Birdman.

Who WILL win: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel

Who SHOULD win: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel

That's it for another year!