2014 Oscar Predictions: Best Actress (11/22/2013)

1. Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
A lock for a nomination, and maybe a lock for a win. Blanchett, one of the best actresses in the movie business, bit off a brilliant Blanche Dubois-like part offered by the once great Woody Allen. She won for her fun work in The Aviator, but that was a Supporting Oscar. Since she really is one  of the best actresses in the business, she certainly deserves a lead actress prize, and this should be the one that gives it to her.

2. Sandra Bullock, Gravity
A sci-fi movie getting an acting nomination? Sandra Bullock, potential two-time Oscar winner? Both sound off, but when you see Gravity, both things seem so possible. Bullock delivers a superb performance as scientist Dr. Ryan Stone, stranded in space alone. And since she is alone for most of the movie, she absolutely CARRIES it. I really don't care who would win, Blanchett or Bullock, because both are excellent. And I'm so glad that I'm not an Academy member, since I won't have to decide.

3. Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
A relic of 1990's film, Thompson is back with a vengeance in another period drama that is instead set in America over Europe (she is still British!). Mild reactions out of London, but the AFI premiere in LA has spoken many great things about Thompson and Hanks. Will she be recognized? Maybe. Nominated? Definitely.

4. Judi Dench, Philomena
Judi Dench is a pretty well-regarded actress right now, and almost got an acting nomination for a Bond movie last year. This time around she's in a true story that's being backed by the Weinsteins. Definitely one to watch and a serious contender for the top prize.

5. Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
She's Meryl Streep. With the Weinsteins backing her. The only problem is that I've heard she's not campaigning at all, and I'm not even sure if this is a leading role or a supporting role. She's #5 for now, but she's the weakest one on the list because of...

Keep an eye out for...
Amy Adams, American Hustle
With The Fighter, director David O. Russell got 3 acting nominations (including Adams). With Silver Linings Playbook, O. Russell got nominations in all four acting categories. With American Hustle, he is definitely a man to watch out for. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jeremy Renner are all on the outside of the nomination bubble and looking in. But with O. Russell at the helm, and assuming the movie's good (which reports from AFI say that the first 6 minutes were), we're going to see some nominations.

Adele Exarchopolous, Blue is the Warmest Color
The Academy is not afraid of foreign performances, a la Emmanuelle Riva for Amour. What they are afraid of is sex, which this film is getting almost all of its publicity for. What Exarchopolous has going for her is that she's already started to campaign, and reviews for the film are strong. She probably won't get an O
scar nomination, but she will nab critics prizes, I'm sure.

Kate Winslet, Labor Day
I read Joyce Maynard's Labor Day last week, and it was something I thoroughly enjoyed. It's a great fit for Winslet, and reviews out of TIFF and Telluride suggest her performance is strong. However, consensus is saying the movie isn't, so... maybe a Golden Globe nomination?

RIP
Naomi Watts, Diana
Remember when this movie was supposed to be an Oscar contender? I predicted a tomato score near 60%-70%, but at one point the reviews were at 2%. 2%. Let that soak in. RIP Diana.

Nicole Kidman, Grace of Monaco
The teaser that premiered was actually pretty decent, but never for one second did I think that Nicole Kidman would match Grace Kelly. The film has moved to some undetermined date next year, so for now, RIP Grace of Monaco.
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Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant
The film will go VOD and small theatrical release next year in Spring. Cannes reception was also decently mixed. RIP The Immigrant (I personally preferred the title Lowlife).

2014 Oscars: Best Actress predictions (7/10/13)

Time for another big category, and this year, this category is up in the air (again). However, predicting will not hurt at all.

1. Naomi Watts, Diana
The long overdue Naomi Watts will finally win... hopefully. A lot of this depends on the film' quality. Right now I'm expecting a film rating of 65%-70% on RottenTomatoes.

2. Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Every year Meryl Streep makes a movie, she must be noted as a potential nominee. Her performance has actually been seen by a small audience, and the reception so far is good. Let's see how much cynicism the Academy can handle.

3. Kate Winslet, Labor Day
Every time Kate Winslet make a movie, she also must be recognized as a potential contender. This time, she is directed by Jason Reitman, a man who can usually make Oscar-worthy performances. The again, Young Adult was unfairly snubbed out of Best Actress and Supporting Actor.

4. Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
Maybe I am bias. But I think that if there was any contender that has not been a nominee in this category, it ought to be Julie Delpy, with a performance displaying high range and in a film that will most likely receive love from the older Academy members/hipster ones.

5. Nicole Kidman, Grace of Monaco
Last year Nicole Kidman almost became a surprise nominee for the little-seen The Paperboy. However, her chances at a nomination look significantly higher, as she is playing former leading lady Grace Kelly, and is also backed by the Weinstein Company. However, can she pull off Grace Kelly (I'm not sure that she can, personally).

Check back soon for more nomination predictions!

The Reader (2008), 3/4 Stars

Note: Daldry's new Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close came out today, and Ralph Finnes has recently celebrated his birthday. This couldn't be a better time to recycle my review for The Reader. I wrote this review in November.


To say this film deserved the elusive Best Picture nomination, is incorrect. The Dark Knight was a better film in almost all respects. Alone, The Reader is a very good film. It's one of the few films I can truly describe as drama, alongside Atonement and The Pianist. The direction here by Stephen Daldry was also very good, and that anticipates me more for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

The story describes of a young boy, Michael. Coming home from school, he purges, but is assisted by Hanna. Diagnosed with scarlet fever, (I have "Scarlett Fever), he remains sick for three months. To thank Hanna, he brings her flowers, and catches her in the act of dressing. Hanna later asks Michael to bring him two buckets of coal. He comes home a mess, and Hanna bathes him. It ends with them, both seduced, having sex.

Together they have an affair. After reading to her, Hanna demands Michael to read first, than make love. Suddenly, Hanna leaves. Nine years later, Michael is a law student and Hanna is on trial for Nazi war crimes. And, Michael discovers a dark secret about Hanna, one that was in his face during their entire affair.

To say the acting was OK is an understatement. Winslet delivered a very sexual, unique, and powerful performance, while Finnes had a lesser, more subdued role. I'm happy Winslet won the Oscar for this, but she deserved much more for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. My main problem was with the kid, David Kross. His performance was too forced during quiet scenes, and too loud during quiet scenes. Perhaps he wasn't experienced enough. But if I were to pick a quality in the film as a coherent whole, it would be the music. The piano music is high, mighty, and adds wonderful atmosphere. I am amazed how well this film would go with Atonement, another WWII drama. It's too bad composer Nico Muhly wasn't nominated for his work on this film.

One of my main problems was the clunky time shifting. Though the beginning felt smooth with Nico Muhly's music, scenes from Kross to Finnes and back again were rugged and slurred the plot together. The film could've been much better if the time shifting narrative was more seamless or if the sequences were chronological.

All in all, I give this film a solid recommendation, but it's not without it's flaws.

3/4 Stars

Extreme Loss & Incredible Crap?

It's amazing how much the Academy LOVES Stephen Daldry. For the only three films he directed, he got three directing noms. No matter how perverse and Kate Winslet-y The Reader is, The Dark Knight was better.

If you look at his Tomato-meter scores, there are none below 90%, and they rapidly go down.

• Billy Elliot- 85%
• The Hours- 81%
• The Reader- 62%

There's no consistency on his scores, or how good his films are. I'm not saying the Tomato-meter will represent the film's quality, but if the decline is correct, we're looking at an Extreme Loss.

I actually saw some clips of the film on RT, and the kid has a weird rhythm to his voice- There's fluctuation, like he knows he's on camera.

Recently, RopeOfSilicon gave the film an A+. Than again, they have been predicting it to win Best Picture since September.

I hope I'm wrong about the film's scores, but if this keeps up, we have a clunker. (See J. Edgar).