 |
| Selma |
Luckily, though, Selma screened in its (not fully complete) entirely at the AFI fest earlier this month instead of as the 30-minute sneak peek that was originally slated. Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper played that same day at AFI as the festival’s “secret screening,” while JC Chandor’s A Most Violent Year kicked off the AFI awards chatter and then Tim Burton’s Big Eyes, long presumed an Oscar hopeful for Amy Adams, screened in LA later in the week. At least two of these films are clear and one remains a question mark, while one is on the way out.
Selma
Selma seems to be
in the clear, since word on the film is verystrong, albeit not-unanimously so. Almost all the reports from the festival
praise the scope and resonance of Ava DuVernay’s film and the acclaim for David
Oyelowo is virtually unanimous. Word on the film itself, while verystrong, isn’t across the board enthusiasm, for many reports from the
screening cite a shakystart and some typical period film speechiness as defects, although one needs to dig for
mild criticisms within reviews that are still very positive and encouraging.
Selma’s strong
reception at AFI bodes well for the crowded Christmas Day release, since the
hype will give the comparatively smaller film the boost it needs. Selma’s also bound to receive thunderous
support at the box office from African Americans, who continually prove that
there is a demand to see diverse stars and stories by showing up at the theatre
on opening weekend and making sleeper hits out of even the most under-the-radar
films. (E.g. the work of Tyler Perry.) Add the specialty/smarthouse audiences
and awards-season hype, and Selma
could handily gain the foothold that I (and others) assumed it would lose
amidst bigger and louder films.
American Sniper
Clint Eastwood’s American
Sniper is still a bit murky compared to Selma,
although the film also won considerable praise. The best praise for American Sniper isn’t necessarily enough
for Mr. Eastwood to set his sights on Oscar number five, since opinions on the
film vary so much with some critics call it Eastwood’s “best in a number of years” to “bythe numbers and predictable,” and even likening the film to “watching a suspenseful but highly repetitive video game.” In a strong year that will
has the biggest Christmas glut in recent memory. Recall that established
contenders Wild, Foxcatcher, and The Imitation
game will be expanding then while films like Still Alice and Mr. Turner,
already the focus of conversation, will be reaping awards benefits in circles
where people can actually see the films. Sniper,
at the very least, seems to have deemed Clint after the disastrous Jersey Boys.
 |
| Amy Adams in Big Eyes. Photo: eOne Films. |
Big Eyes
Well, it seems as if 2014 won’t be the battle between the
overdue redheads. Word on Tim Burton’s Big
Eyes isn’t especially good and while the reviews are almost universally kind to Amy Adams, they don’t offer the kind of enthusiasm that brings an Oscar.
(Even the industry’s biggest trade makes a paint by numbers shot at Burton’s film.) Still, most commentators end on an optimistic note for Amy Adams by citing the dearth of Best Actress
contenders beyond Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, Rosamund Pike, and
Felicity Jones, so there’s still hope for Adams to hang around on the outskirts
and maybe land another nomination. Although Hilary Swank’s faring a bit better with The Homesman, which has played consistently well(ish) at festivals. Expect Big Eyes to be one of those Hyde Park on Hudson’s also-rans that
earns a Golden Globe nomination and little else.
 |
| A Most Violent Year. Courtesy of Elevation Pictures |
A Most Violent Year
Most heads were looking at AFI to see what would happen with
JC Chandor’s A Most Violent Year,
since the latest film from the maverick All
is Lost director was the major world premiere of the festival. It, like Selma, drew some major rave reviews
with especially strong props for Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain, the latter of whom probably has
the better chance for a nomination given the comparative thinness of the Best
Supporting Actress race to the Best Actor field. Chastain finds herself in an
awkward position, though, since her strongly praised work in Interstellar once again puts her in
direct competition with herself. Chastain is one of the most prolific actors of
the moment, so she’s no stranger to handling multiple commitments, but the
awards race of 2014 features an unfortunate blip in the report that Interstellar director Christopher Nolan
has contractually barred Chastain from campaigning for any film but his. This
puts Chastain and A Most Violent Year
in a sticky situation since, as the New York Times explains, she’s the biggest star in the comparably
smaller film, so Violent arguably
needs her help to reach audiences. The critics who have seen Violent are generally behind the film,
though, and distributor A24 is proving itself one of the shrewdest boutique
players in the US. Violent marks
their first legit chance to enter the Oscar race, and the sassy clip they
recently released showcasing Chastain and only Chastain amidst the Interstellar buzz shows that they demand
respect.
 |
| Into the Woods |
Finally, the two biggest Christmas releases, Into the Woods and Unbroken, still feel like heavy players even though they have yet
to screen. Unbroken premieres in
Australia on November 17th, so we’ll cease speculation until then,
but it’s a smart move on Angelina Jolie to open the film away from Oscar
onlookers and let Unbroken be
assessed on its own merit. The recently released final trailer for Into the Woods, alternatively, looks
very promising, especially Meryl Streep’s performance and the arts/crafts work,
but the trailer hardly showcases anything for Emily Blunt, who will be
competing as the film’s lead in a weak field, which looks to be even weaker now
that Big Eyes has premiered. The good
news, though, is that Roadside Attractions is releasing Canada’s Oscar bid Mommy in 2014 after all, so Anne Dorval
might actually have a chance to break into the race!
 |
| Unbroken |
Updated Oscar Predictions:
Best Picture:
Foxcatcher
Interstellar
The Theory of Everything
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Wild
Wild
Almost put: Selma*
What about: Into the Woods, Mr. Turner, Still Alice*,
Whiplash
Best Director
David Fincher, Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman
Angelina Jolie, Unbroken
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Almost put: Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
What about: Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Ava DuVernay, Selma; Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner; James Marsh, The Theory of
Everything; Rob Marshall, Into the Woods; Christopher Nolan, Interstellar; Jean-Marc Vallée, Wild.
Best Actor
Ben Affleck, Gone Girl
Steve Carrell, Foxcatcher
Steve Carrell, Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The
Theory of Everything
Almost put: David Oyelowo, Selma*
What about: Ellar Coltrane, Boyhood; Ralph Fiennes The Grand Budapest Hotel*; Philip Seymour Hoffman, A Most Wanted Man; Oscar Isaac, A Most Violent Year; Tommy Lee Jones, The Homesman; Bill Murray, St. Vincent; Jack O’Connell, Unbroken; Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice; Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner; Channing Tatum, Foxcatcher.
Best Actress
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Almost put: Emily Blunt, Into the Woods
What about: Amy Adams, Big Eyes*, Jennifer Aniston, Cake*; Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant; Marion
Cotillard, Two Days, One Night; Anne Dorval, Mommy*; Mia Wasikowska, Tracks.
Best Supporting Actor:
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Channing Tatum, Foxcatcher
Channing Tatum, Foxcatcher
Almost Put: Miyavi, Unbroken*
What about: Alec Baldwin, Still Alice; Josh Brolin, Inherent
Vice; Benicio Del Toro, Inherent
Vice; Robert Duvall, The Judge*, Domhnall Gleeson, Unbroken
Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Meryl Streep, Into the
Woods
Almost put: Kristen Stewart, Still Alice*
What about: Marion Bailey, Mr. Turner; Carrie Coon, Gone Girl; Anna Kendrick, Into the
Woods, Emma Stone, Birdman, Tilda
Swinton, Snowpiercer, Naomi Watts, Birdman/St. Vincent.
Best Original Screenplay
Birdman – Alejandro
G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo
Boyhood – Richard
Linklater
Foxcatcher – E.
Max Frye, Dan Futterman
The Grand Budapest Hotel– Wes Anderson
Mr. Turner – Mike
Leigh
Almost put: Whiplash – Damien Chazelle
What about: Chef - Jon Favreau; A Most
Violent Year, J.C. Chandor
Best Adapted Screenplay
Gone Girl -
Gillian Flynn
The Imitation Game – Graham Moore
Still Alice -
Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten
The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten
Wild – Nick Hornby
Almost put: Inherent Vice –
Paul Thomas Anderson
What about: Into the
Woods – James Lapine; A Most Wanted Man - Andrew Bovell; Selma - Paul Webb*; Unbroken –
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Richard Lagravenese, William Nicholson
Best Film Editing:
Almost put: Unbroken
Best Cinematography:
Interstellar
Mr. Turner
Mr. Turner
Unbroken
Almost put: Wild
Best Costumes:
The Imitation Game
Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Mr. Turner
What about: Belle,
Big Eyes, Exodus, Inherent Vice, Magic in the Moonlight, Selma*
Best Production Design:
Interstellar*
Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Mr.
Turner
Almost put: Snowpiercer*
Best Score:
The Grand Budapest Hotel– Alexandre Desplat
The Imitation Game – Alexandre Desplat
Interstellar –
Hans Zimmer and the church organ
What about: The Judge, The Lego Movie*,The Theory of Everything, Under the Skin
Sound Mixing:
Into the Woods
Unbroken
Sound Editing:
Fury
Transformers 4
What about: The Lego
Movie, Snowpiercer, Unbroken
Visual Effects:
Guardians of the
Galaxy
Best Make-up
Into the Woods
Unbroken
What about: Birdman*, Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Hobbit 3, Mr. Turner, Snowpiercer,
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Best Song:
“Rainbows,” Into the
Woods
“What is Love?,” Rio 2
What about: “Tell Me If You Wanna Go Home,”Begin Again; “Like a Fool,” Begin Again' “Coming Up Roses," Begin Again; "Mercy Is," Noah; "Glory", Selma*; "Miracles", Unbroken.
What about: “Tell Me If You Wanna Go Home,”Begin Again; “Like a Fool,” Begin Again' “Coming Up Roses," Begin Again; "Mercy Is," Noah; "Glory", Selma*; "Miracles", Unbroken.
Best Documentary Feature:
CITIZENFOUR*
Finding Vivian Meier
Almost put: The Case Against 8*
What about: Tales of the Grim Sleeper, Red Army, Virunga
What about: Tales of the Grim Sleeper, Red Army, Virunga
Best Foreign Language Film:
Force Majeure – Sweden*
Ida - Poland
Mommy – Canada
Two Days, One Night
- Belgium
Wild Tails – Argentina
Almost put: Beloved Sisters -
Germany*
List of submitted films on Wikipedia.
*Please see The Film Experience for the best and most comprehensive coverage on
this category.
Best Animated Film:
Big Hero 6
Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
Tale of Princess Kaguya
What about: Rocks in My Pocket, How to Train Your Dragon 2
List of eligible films.
List of eligible films.
Best Animated Short:
Also shortlisted: Duet*, The Numberlys*, A Single Life*, Symphony No. 42 (seen it, no review)*.
Best Live Action Short:
[awaiting shortlist]
Short Documentary Short:
Shortlist:
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace
The Lion’s Mouth Opens
One Child
Our Curse
The Reaper (La Parka)
White Earth
Joanna
Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace
The Lion’s Mouth Opens
One Child
Our Curse
The Reaper (La Parka)
White Earth
