American Sniper nabs Christmas release!

Via Hollywood Reporter.

Imagine you were in a coma for all of June 2014. You wake up in July. You would probably live the rest of your normal life without knowing Clint Eastwood released a Jersey Boys film, that's how fast the film came and went.

But now, Warner Bros. has announced that they've got the Bradley Cooper-led, true story based, Eastwood-directed American Sniper, slated for Christmas limited release and a nationwide expansion on January 16th.

Why does Warner Bros. need to release this film in 2014?

They need the Oscar nominations. Last year, Gravity nabbed seven Oscars, Her was excellent too, and Argo won Best Picture in 2012. Warner Bros. definitely needs a strong horse to continue their string of successes, and what do they have so far? The Lego Movie, a new Hobbit film, the baity The Good Lie / The Judge, and the hit-or-miss This is Where I Leave You. Interstellar is mostly a Paramount film, one that Warner jumped on ship at the last minute. Inherent Vice, which is allegedly great but apparently too gonzo for Academy tastes.
In my mind, the best thing they've got is

Eastwood, for the most part, is a safe director. American Sniper, being the true story that it is, can work some magic on the Academy. And, Bradley Cooper is now an Academy favorite. He's a strong actor. I sound like I'm hesitant of the film, but I'm amped. American Sniper was one of my most anticipated films of 2015, and getting it early certainly makes up for getting Foxcatcher a year later. Now, Warner Bros., get those trailers for this and Inherent Vice out before I put myself in a coma!

Boyhood (2014) - Movie Review

Afterschool daydreaming. Mom says to pay more attention in class. Rock collections. Crumpled homework. Watching Pokemon on TV. Being six years old and having that friend that introduces you to 'boobs'. Gameboys. That terrible experience of bowling without bumpers. Harry Potter. Star Wars. Camping. Petty arguments with a sibling. Bunk beds. Wii boxing. Awkward middle school conversations with girls (actually just awkward middle school). Supporting Obama in 2008. Parties. The 'talk'. 'Photography. High school football games. Are these my experiences, or Mason's?

Answer: both. For three hours, I watched most of my life's experiences flow back to me through Ellar Coltrane's Mason, a cute young boy that grows into a bold young man. From the opening shot of drifting clouds to a conclusion in the canyons, Boyhood shuttled me through a life so familiar and fantastic, once the credits rolled, I knew with teary eyes that this movie was a masterpiece for the books.

Alongside the fantastic Ellar Coltrane is Patricia Arquette as Mason's flawed but strong mother, Ethan Hawke as his fun-loving father, and the director's daughter Lorelei Linklater as Mason's endearing older sister. All four parts are played like people you would know, and all of it is superb. The movie should've been titled Boyhood 3D, because the main people involved are so complex and multi-layered, and yes, three-dimensional.

Is the movie perfect? In my eyes, it is. No, it's not perfect perfect. It's a little overlong and some supporting characters weave in and out aimlessly (especially Mason's friends), but the movie is like someone you know and love: imperfect, but their imperfections make them quite the opposite. It's not really a movie, but a compilation of memories.

Let's talk a little about me. I'm fifteen years old, and most of the movie was stuff I remembered so well about my life. What is ahead of me in life, I have no idea. I'm afraid. But watching Boyhood showed me what to expect, how to live in the moment. Mason was an excellent tour guide to the future. I love the movie all the more for it.

Richard Linklater, director of last year's Before Midnight, has made the sum of his career, possibly the sum of cinema history.  If you are a parent with children or a child with parents, or none of the above, Boyhood is a movie to remind you of what you once were, and how much you changed, and how that change has changed others. When Boyhood unfolds, you will laugh, you will cry, and you will love.

Also, the soundtrack, featuring Gnarls Barkley, Phoenix, The Black Keys, Vampire Weekend, and Soulja Boy is delightful.

Post Oscar Thoughts.

The Oscars were almost two weeks ago, but I have decided that it's better to do a post of my thoughts now instead of never. Here goes.

12 Years A Slave unsurprisingly took the top dog. I wish this year was actually more unpredictable, because I nailed 22/24 of my predictions. I mean, way back in the nomination stage, the whole thing was up in the air! I didn't know how many acting nominations American Hustle would get, Saving Mr. Banks looked to be one of the year's biggest films, Her was all but a pipe dream, Inside Llewyn Davis was a lock for a Best Picture nomination, and The Wolf of Wall Street was going to be a 2014 release. It's been a hell of a year. In the end, the true winner was the audience, for they were treated with the best movie year in a long long time. I gave so many perfect ratings, and even my last film in the top 20, Behind the Candelabra, would have been safe in my 2012 or 2011 top 10. That's how good 2013 was.

2014? I'm excited. I'm planning on seeing The Grand Budapest Hotel as soon as possible, and I am anxious for the Cannes Film Festival announcements. Dahan's Grace of Monaco is opening the fest, but the rest is a guessing game. Birdman? Knight of Cups? The new film by the Dardennes? What about Hazanavicus? Cannes is my favorite festival because it has some of the best films, and I am itching to hear what is announced.

As for other films, Inherent Vice, Foxcatcher, Boyhood, and Whiplash would probably round up my top five most anticipated. And I'm sure I'm leaving something off. I can't wait.

It's been a month... what have I missed?

I think I'm using the same images with every Oscar post I do.

Alright, I've slacked severely. In the past month, I haven't written a word on my site. Why? Because I just forgot. In the dead heat of the Oscar race, I lost interest. It's a three-horse race between American Hustle, 12 Years a Slave, and Gravity, with each one winning different prizes and hardly moving anywhere, I just lost interest in the Oscars. I love movies all the same, but this year is hopelessly exhausting.

PGA
Best Picture: Gravity AND 12 Years a Slave
Gravity is so close to being a solid lock for Best Picture, but every BP prize it wins in the big shows are ties, as seen with the LAFCA and PGA. Okay. American Hustle is probably the weakest horse in the three horse race, but it's still one of the strongest in the nine horse scheme of things.

WGA
Original Screenplay: Her, Spike Jonze
Adapted Screenplay: Captain Phillips, Billy Ray
The Her love is strong for screenplay, because it also happened to take the Golden Globe prize for screenplay. Even Tina Fey, when heckling the film in her monologue, had to mention that she loved it. It's the weirdest thing of the year, but one of the most lovable. Come Oscar night, I'm crossing my fingers for Her, but American Hustle is still an undeniably strong contender. For Adapted Screenplay, WGA rule shenanigans eliminated 12 Years a Slave, which would have been the clear winner had it been nominated. The clear winner was Terrence Winter for his bonkers The Wolf of Wall Street, but nope, the unspectacular Captain Phillips had to upset. I quote The Wolf of Wall Street in conversation now (...goes up, down, sideways, in circles...), but I can hardly remember a good line from Captain Phillips (They'a R nawt heer to fish). Quotability doesn't determine the quality of a script, but let's leave it at this: I was never bored during The Wolf of Wall Street, but one hour of Captain Phillips put me half to sleep.

DGA
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Out of all the nominees, Cuaron was the only true visionary. Simple as that.

BAFTA
Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Best British Film: Gravity
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofer, 12 Years a Slave
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Best Original Screenplay: David O. Russell, Eric Warren Singer, American Hustle
Best Adapted Screenplay: Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan, Philomena
So this is a truncated list of winners, but these are the 'big' awards. And the BAFTA group is kind of painting an augmented picture, especially since Dallas Buyers Club and Her weren't nominated for anything (lack pf viewership can be easily blamed). So in a year where the love is being shared, do you think the shared love could be changed if Dallas and Her entered the picture? No matter. The Best Picture winner here only took two prizes, the other being Best Actor. And to think we all thought after Telluride, that 12 Years a Slave would sweep the circuits, a la Return of the King!. It's a testament to the quality of filmmaking that sprouted from 2013, where all films were good if they weren't titled Lee Daniels' The Butler, even Captain Phillips has some admirable components. Notice how despite winning Best Pic, 12 lost the screenplay prize to Philomena, a film with a British advantage called Steve Coogan. It won't translate overseas on the 2nd, and despite loving the script to 12 more than Philomena, what Coogan and Pope did was make a safe, solid, sweet, and superb script that got some worthy recognition this year. Gravity took home the most prizes of night, so it is still a formidable contender for the top prize. Hustle took Best Original Screenplay, but Her wasn't nominated, so Oscar night should be more interesting.

Expect my Oscar Opinions series to restart soon, especially since I haven't yet done reviews of best picture nominees like Philomena and Captain Phillips. Stay tuned.

TheScreenTeen's Top 10 Films of 2013 (Honorable Mentions).

It's a long time coming, twenty days overdue, but it is done. It's complete. I have finished my top ten films of 2013, and it's a doozy. In any other year, some films near the bottom of my top twenty would find a way in the middle of a top ten. There's sixteen films I really want to recognize, so that means I do have six honorable mentions. Here they are, in alphabetical order.

All is Lost
I was bored through lots of this movie, in fact I thought near the thirty minute mark that the film

had spliced in repeated takes. But I feel that that was the intention of J.C. Chandor: to feel like Robert Redford in the film, bored, restless, and impatient. He succeeded, no doubt. The Golden Globe-winning score by Alex Ebert is strong, and the performance by Redford is on point.

American Hustle
I thought that this film would be guaranteed a spot on my top ten list, but in retrospect, the film is not nearly as great as some are making it out to be. Performances are confident and assured, like O. Russell's direction, but the film is pretty much just fluff. Highly stylized entertaining fluff, at least.

Blue Jasmine
I love me some '70's Woody Allen, and I can say with great confidence that this is a film by Woody Allen. Not chug-a-film-a-year Woody Allen, but by the auteur Woody Allen. It's his best film since Crimes and Misdemeanors, and I really wish I had room on this year's list for it, but it's just too strong of a year. Cate Blanchett is excellent, and I am so happy that Sally Hawkins got the recognition she deserved from the Academy.

The Great Beauty
It's the leading contender for best foreign language film of the year, and its a worthy one. Direction by Sorrentino is Felliniesque, sumptuous in style and heaving with thoughts of life's regrets.

The Spectacular Now
A great film about young love in the old years of youth. Sure, themes of alcoholism are heavyhanded, but the performances by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley are superb, spot-on reflections of youth today.

Spring Breakers
There's no doubt in my mind that this film is trash, but it's dreamy, Florida sun-glazed, neon-light, orange-glow, hookers-and-blow, trash. Korine directs with some off the wall ambition, and James Franco is simply haunting as the rapper/pimp Alien. I've got half of the "Look at all my sheit" monologue engraved in my head, if that's a testament to my appreciation.

Critics Choice winners!

You think this tells us something, but it really doesn't. 12 Years a Slave wins Best Picture, American Hustle's fanbase gives them Best Comedy, and Gravity wins the most awards. The three-way race perseveres.

The full list of winners are below are in BOLD.

BEST PICTURE

• American Hustle
• Captain Phillips
• Dallas Buyers Club
• Gravity
• Her
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Nebraska
• Saving Mr. Banks
• 12 Years a Slave
• The Wolf of Wall Street

BEST ACTOR

• Christian Bale (American Hustle)
• Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
• Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
• Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips)
• Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
• Robert Redford (All Is Lost)

BEST ACTRESS

• Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
• Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
• Judi Dench (Philomena)
• Brie Larson (Short Term 12)
• Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)
• Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
• Daniel Bruhl (Rush)
• Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
• Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
• James Gandolfini (Enough Said)
• Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• Scarlett Johansson (Her)
• Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
• Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
• Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
• June Squibb (Nebraska)
• Oprah Winfrey (Lee Daniels’ The Butler)

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

• American Hustle
• August: Osage County
• Lee Daniels’ The Butler
• Nebraska
• 12 Years a Slave
• The Wolf of Wall Street

BEST DIRECTOR

• Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)
• Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips)
• Spike Jonze (Her)
• Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
• David O. Russell (American Hustle)
• Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Eric Singer and David O. Russell (American Hustle)
• Woody Allen (Blue Jasmine)
• Spike Jonze (Her)
• Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis)
• Bob Nelson (Nebraska)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Tracy Letts (August: Osage County)
• Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke (Before Midnight)
• Billy Ray (Captain Phillips)
• Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope (Philomena)
• John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)
• Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street)

2013 Oscar Nominations: Best Original Screenplay Nomination Predictions!

1. Spike Jonze, Her
Whoa, I literally exploded when Her won Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes. I was so happy, really. And now there is just a slight chance that Spike Jonze's masterpiece will win the Oscar it deserves.

2. Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell, American Hustle
It's not really a screenplay when the movie is loosely improvised. It's hilarious, it's fun, breezy. But it's all fluff, really.

3. Bob Nelson, Nebraska
Written ten years ago by a debut writer, it's a total Hollywood story. Doesn't hurt if the movie itself if good too, ya know.

4. Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine
It's his 48th feature, but Woody Allen really knows how to write a modern rendition, with this one being A Streetcar Named Desire. Take notes Baz Luhrmann.

5. Joel and Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
Word on the street is that voters hate the scene when Llewyn abandons the cat in the snow. Are you kidding me? Just because Llewyn abandons a cat, voters decide to not vote for what might as well be one of the best screenplays of the Coen brothers repertoire, and one of the best of the year? They must be joking really. I can't believe something so smoothly somber yet off-kilter and hilarious could go unrecognized by the WGA. The script is a masterpiece on it's own. But I think it can squeak in tomorrow. The Academy loves the Coens, and A Serious Man, probably their least accessible film, managed
a nomination in this category in 2009.

Keep your eyes peeled for Nicole Holofecener's Enough Said  and Dallas Buyers Club.

2013 Oscar Nominations: Best Adapted Screenplay Nomination Predictions!

1. John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
It's a great screenplay, Shakespearean with its screenplay. The dialogue is wonderful, but the pacing is poor. Leading film contender and pretty much a lock for a screenplay win.

2. Terrence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street
Winter's energy is boundless, contagious, and infectious. Worthy of all its praise, it's one of the film's best aspects, and I'll be surprised if it wasn't nominated.

3. Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Richard Linklater, Before Midnight
No, its not my bias kicking in, the film's screenplay is the one thing that's playing into the Oscars. I wish it was a lock for Best Picture, but hey, beggars can't be choosers!

4. Billy Ray, Captain Phillips
It's going to be nominated. No comment.

5. Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, Philomena
#Philomania

Other films to consider are The Spectacular Now (oh how I wish it was nominated!), Tracey Letts' August: Osage and even Lone Survivor, which did manage a WGA nom.

2013 Oscar Nominations: Best Supporting Actor Nomination Predictions!

Jared Leto has a cat and its in the bag.

1. Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Again, Jared Leto has a cat and its in the bag. He's won so many precursors and critics groups prizes.

2. Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Seriously powerful stuff. Fassbender is finally getting his first Oscar nom, and it couldn't be a better film to have a nominate him for. He treats performance brutality with incredible weight.

3. James Gandolfini, Enough Said
This is the one notable film of the year that I have yet to see, along with Philomena. I've always liked Gandolfini, and there's no better way to celebrate his life than with an Oscar nomination.

4. Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
I honestly can't tell you what's so great about Abdi's performance. Sure, he hold his own against THE Tom Hanks, but what separates Abdi from his co-stars? You tell me. Others like him enough to give him Golden Globe and SAG nominations though.

5. Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
When it came down to Daniel Bruhl and Cooper, I had to pick Cooper. He's a great actor, and his role is more alive than what Bruhl does with Niki Lauda in Rush. Rush also has a major hurdle with Abdi too, and I've seen Abdi on the campaign trail a whole lot more than Bruhl. Maybe another year.

But if you do see a wildcard / dark horse contender, it will probably by Daniel Bruhl. And imagine, it was only a month ago when Tom Hanks (Saving Mr. Banks) appeared to be a lock!

2013 Oscar Nominations: Best Actress Nomination Predictions!

Best Actress this year is really pointless to predict, since Cate Blanchett is going to win.

1. Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Off the top of my head, the only big prize that Cate Blanchett hasn't bagged is the National Board of Review, which was given to Emma Thompson. Cate Blanchett though- total class act, just sweeping the the circuits with her brilliant work.

2. Sandra Bullock, Gravity
It's amazing that Sandra Bullock can go from fierce motherly performances such as The Blind Side to hilarious rom-coms (The Proposal), to this. A tour-de-force, an emotional triumph, a plateau of humanity in an out-of-this-world waltz. If The Blind Side never happened, Bullock would be a lot stronger of a contender, but people just don't like the sound of "Sandra Bullock, two-time Oscar winner", do they?

3. Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
It's a total crotchety performance, but its the best thing about the movie. Sure its soapier than a Dove bar, but its better than what it should be by Thompson's layered performance. The Academy is sure to love it too.

4. Judi Dench, Philomena
Based off a true story, with Harvey Weinstein by her side. Yep, it's safe for a nom, I think.

5. Amy Adams, American Hustle
Hot off the Golden Globes win, Amy Adams I think can squeak out over the Meryl Streep. Sure, what Meryl does is chew scenery like bubble gum in August: Osage County, but Amy Adams is in the Best Picture contender. Also, her sexy sideboob never hurt anyone either.

Still, don't be surprised if Meryl gets a nomination because she's working with Harvey Weinstein too. If you want to be especially risky, put chips down on Adele Exarchopolous for Blue is the Warmest Color. I can only pray for a nomination for Brie Larson (Short Term 12), but that's wishful thinking.

2013 Oscar Nominations: Best Actor Nomination Predictions!

This is the year's most packed category. Maybe this could be like the Emmys, where there were seven Best Actress nominees.

1. Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Geez this guy is great. He's great in the movie, he has Mud on his resume, ran away with the first ten minutes of The Wolf of Wall Street, and also is incredible in the first episode of True Detective. God he's on a hot streak. And the best way to reward Matthew McConaughey is with an Oscar. Nomination, at least.

2. Chiwetel Ejiofer, 12 Years a Slave
What a triumphant performance. Really. This movie is great, and Ejiofer owns it.

3. Bruce Dern, Nebraska 
Yo. The movie's good, and Dern was probably the best part of it. It's funny on paper, and right below it is withering humanity and regret. And Dern, a well-liked Academy member, might get his nomination almost like a lifetime achievement sort of deal.

4. Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Quality film, and DiCaprio being an actor that tends to overact, totally owns this role that is so unhinged and so damn crazy. Also winning the Golden Globe doesn't hurt.

5. Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
He's Tom Hanks. Two-time Oscar winner in two years. Also the movie's based off a true story, that doesn't hurt.

Also don't forget about Robert Redford (All is Lost) and Christian Bale (American Hustle), two performances that would easily slide in if it was less crowded.

2013 Oscar Nominations: Best Director Nomination Predictions!

I'm a hunter shooting with a crappy gun in the dark when it comes to this category. Really, this category messed with everyone last year, especially since Bigelow and Affleck weren't nominated last year.

1. David O. Russell, American Hustle
The leading best picture contender, and it's pretty much a lock for a nom. Actually the whole top three is.

2. Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Yo. Seriously. Visual movies are the ones that fit the directing category best, and Gravity is no exception. Actually, I don't know how to rank
the top three, all that matters that they are locks.

3. Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
One of the best directed films of the year, crafted by a true artist. Totally worthy of the director recognition.

4. Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
He's Scorsese. Not always a winner, but his seventy-one year old energy is
too infectious to ignore in such a stylistic picture.

5. Spike Jonze, Her
Beautifully crafted American masterpiece. Has such a huge fanbase, and the film is amazing. And even if her isn't recognized tomorrow, he is a lock for the screenplay category.

Keep your eyes peeled for Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips), Alexander Payne (Nebraska), and the Coens (Inside Llewyn Davis).

2013 Oscar Nominations: Best Picture Nomination Predictions!

So I've been slacking, no big deal. Final predictions, here goes nothing!

1. American Hustle
Winner of three Golden Globes, including Amy Adams. David O. Russell is on a hot streak too, so here's what's up: this movie is packing the heat. If we had a winner as of now, it would be American Hustle.

2. 12 Years a Slave
Enough said. No, not the Nicole Holofecener one. This film, despite winning only one Globe, took the Best Drama one. Winner of the TIFF People's Choice prize. Yea, it's a lock for a nom.

3. Gravity
Every year has one film that's a visual amazement. And those films were Avatar, Inception (not 3D, but still), Hugo, and Life of Pi. The list of films listed above were major Oscar contenders in their years, and Gravity might be the strongest one of recent memory. It's certainly the best one. And Cuaron's Globe win doesn't hurt at all.

4. Nebraska
Everyone's eating up this small town flick by the deadpan quirk man Alexander Payne. It's good, yea, but most people seem to like the movie more than me. I can see why.

5. Her
It's the best film since Martin Scorsese's GoodFellas. I know that the movie has an audience, and I'm part of it. It's so good. I don't have to hope for votes, though, it's bound to get nominated. It's so worthy.

6. The Wolf of Wall Street
Amid the controversy is a passionate fanbase. It's a great movie, no doubt. Masterpiece level really. And since voters can't mark films they hate, the film's fanbase is bound to get it nominated.

7. Captain Phillips
Probably the weakest out of all nominees. I really can't see it getting number one votes, but it's hit all the guilds, and that's what counts. Whatever, I'll count it as a nominee.

8. Saving Mr. Banks
Another Tom Hanks picture, supported only by Emma Thompson's lead performance. One month ago we were looking at the possible winner, now we're just seeing a movie headed for two noms.

9. Dallas Buyers Club
The underdog of the Oscar season. It's been on the PGA, the WGA, the SAG... and McConaughey plus Leto really make the film a contenda. Actors will vote this one high.

10. Inside Llewyn Davis
Good god I wished this one was a lock. It's the best film by the Coen brothers. Really. Despite falling off the WGA and PGA list, the film did win the National Society of Film Critics and AFI, so it's got a fanbase. The Academy has a thing for the directing duo, since True Grit surprised with 10 noms and A Serious Man was a total surprise in 2009.

Look out for Blue Jasmine, Fruitvale Station and Philomena. This year is so packed.

PGA and WGA announce, recognize Dallas Buyers Club, skunk

I mean, Dallas Buyers Club is a pretty solid flick, but over Inside Llewyn Davis? How about no.

American Hustle
Blue Jasmine
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Saving Mr. Banks
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

...and the WGA nominees.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

American Hustle

Blue Jasmine

Dallas Buyers Club

Her

Nebraska

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

August: Osage County

Before Midnight

Captain Phillips

Lone Survivor

The Wolf of Wall Street

National Society of Film Critics decides to be the smartest organization by giving the top prize to Inside Llewyn Davis.

Seriously. Snubbed by the WGA and the PGA, Inside Llewyn Davis is being skunked like a naive camper picking up zebra cats. This does mean that ILD has what it takes to get the #1 votes, right?

BEST PICTURE

*1. Inside Llewyn Davis – 23

2. American Hustle – 17
3. 12 Years a Slave – 16

BEST DIRECTOR
*1. Joel and Ethan Coen (Inside Llewyn Davis) – 25
2. Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) – 18
3. Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) – 15

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
*1. Blue Is the Warmest Color – 27
2. A Touch of Sin – 21
3. The Great Beauty – 15

BEST NON-FICTION FILM
*1. The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer) – 20
*1. At Berkeley (Frederick Wiseman) – 20
3. Leviathan (Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Véréna Paravel) – 18

BEST SCREENPLAY
*1. Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke) – 29
2. Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel and Ethan Coen) – 26
3. American Hustle (Eric Singer and David O. Russell) – 18

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
*1. Inside Llewyn Davis (Bruno Delbonnel) -28
2.Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki) – 26
3. Nebraska (Phedon Papamichael) – 19

AFI Top 10 Films of 2013!

I've always had a soft spot for the AFI Top 10, because it was a list that recognized Terrence Malick's epic The Tree of Life. This soft spot still continues, because the the top 10 released today is fantastic. (WOOOOO NO BUTLER)

AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR
12 YEARS A SLAVE
AMERICAN HUSTLE
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
FRUITVALE STATION
GRAVITY
HER
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
NEBRASKA
SAVING MR. BANKS
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

LAFCA predictions!

Tomorrow the LAFCA is announcing their winners. This is the third of the big four critics groups, the first two being NYFCC (New York) and NBR (National Board of Review, where Her upset with a best picture win). Who'll win? Let's predict!

When it comes down to Best Picture, LAFCA chooses films that happen to be highly critically acclaimed, many times leaning toward the foreign side. Last year, Amour broke Zero Dark Thirty's streak, and The Master settled with Best Director and Picture runner-up. For the critically acclaimed film, I'm going to predict 12 Years a Slave, because it is still the film to beat, and for foreign, I will predict Blue is the Warmest Color.

Best Director and Picture correlate usually, so I'll say Steve McQueen will win the director prize, and Abdellatif Kechiche on his tail. I predict McConaughey to win again for Dallas Buyers Club, and Chiwetel Ejiofer being his alternate. Best Actress will go to Adele Exarchopolous, because the LAFCA has an odd tendency to side with foreign performances when it comes to the Best Actress category, including wins for 2008's Seraphine and 2009's Mother. For an alternate, I'll say Sandra Bullock in Gravity.


Supporting Actor will go to Michael Fassbender for his tremendous work in 12 Years a Slave or maybe Jared Leto, and Supporting AcHer, and Lupita Nyong'o settling for second. To reward the best film of the year, Before Midnight will probably take the screenplay prize (it sure deserves it!). Foreign Film will definitely go to Blue is the Warmest Color. A complete, uncluttered list of predictions are below.
tress will go to Scarlett Johansson for

Best Film
12 Years a Slave (alt. Blue is the Warmest Color)
Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave (alt. Abdellatif Kechiche, Blue is the Warmest Color)
Best Actor
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club (alt. Chiwetel Ejiofer, 12 Years a Slave)
Best Actress
Adele Exarchopolous, Blue is the Warmest Color (alt. Sandra Bullock, Gravity)
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave (alt. Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club)
Best Supporting Actress
Scarlett Johansson, Her (alt. Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave)
Best Screenplay
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Before Midnight (alt. Spike Jonze, Her)
Best Foreign Film
Abdellatif Kechiche, Blue is the Warmest Color (alt. Paolo Sorrentio, The Great Beauty)
Best Cinematography
Bruno Del Bonnel, Inside Llewyn Davis (alt. Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity)
Best Documentary
The Act of Killing (alt. Stories We Tell)
Best Editing
Gravity (alt. The Wolf of Wall Street)
Best Music Score
Arcade Fire, Her (alt. Steven Price, Gravity)
Best Animated Film
Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises (alt. Frozen)
New Generation
Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station

NYFCC winner predictions!

The NYFCC (New York Film Critics Circle) and the National Board of Review will be announcing their award winning films on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. I've always said Oscar season started in Cannes, and I've said it started at Venice and TIFF, but honestly, this Tuesday and Wednesday are the honest start of the Oscar race. Let's start with the NYFCC.

When it comes down to Best Picture, NYFCC chooses films that happen to have what I'm calling 'the metascore correlation': The idea that films with a metascore of 90 or above on Metacritic have the highest likelihood of winning. Last year, Zero Dark Thirty won with a metascore of 95, The Social Network won with a 95, and The Hurt Locker won with a 94. 2011's winner, The Artist, won having a score of 87, the closest movie of the year to be near 90 besides A Separation.

This year, we have to strong contenders that are above 90: Gravity and 12 Years a Slave, with 96 and 97 respectively. 12 Years a Slave is at an advantage for having more scores of 100 (and having the higher score overall), so I predict it will win Best Picture come Tuesday.

Best Director and Picture correlate usually, so I'll say Steve McQueen will win the director prize. NYFCC likes to clump film performances together for acting prizes, like last year McConaughey's supporting actor win for Magic Mike and Bernie. I predict McConaughey to win again for Dallas Buyers Club, and his work in Mud. Best Actress will probably go to Cate Blanchett, or maybe even Adele Exarchopolous for Blue is the Warmest Color. Exarchopolous will probably win the LAFCA and NSFC prizes, so for now I'll say, put your money on Blanchett in Blue Jasmine. (I don't think anyone bets money over this, though).

Supporting Actor will go to Michael Fassbender for his tremendous work in 12 Years a Slave, and Supporting Actress will go to Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave. To reward the best film of the year, Before Midnight will probably take the screenplay prize (it sure deserves it!). Foreign Film will probably go to Blue is the Warmest Color. A complete, uncluttered list of predictions are below.

Best Film
12 Years a Slave (alt. The Wolf of Wall Street, Inside Llewyn Davis)
Best Director
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave (alt. Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity, Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street)
Best Actor
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club, Mud (alt. Robert Redford, All is Lost, Chiwetel Ejiofer, 12 Years a Slave)
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine (alt. Adele Exarchopolous, Blue is the Warmest Color, Sandra Bullock, Gravity)
Best Supporting Actor
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave (alt. Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club, Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street)
Best Supporting Actress
Lupita N'yongo, 12 Years a Slave (alt. June Squibb, Nebraska, Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle)
Best Screenplay
Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, Before Midnight (alt. Terrence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street, John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave)
Best Foreign Film
Abdellatif Kechiche, Blue is the Warmest Color (Paolo Sorrentio, The Great Beauty, Asghar Farhadi, The Past)
Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, Gravity
Best Animated Film
Hayao Miyazaki, The Wind Rises
Best First Film
Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale Station