The Oscars: Who Will Win? Who Should Win?

It’s that time again! The Academy Awards are right around the corner (March 2^nd), and for any movie buff, aspiring actor, fashion maven, or for anyone who has nothing to do and wants to kill 3+ hours, the Oscars are always an exciting time.

Below you’ll find my picks for this year’s ceremony. I’ll break it down into who will win and who should win.

Now, I don’t necessarily claim to be an Academy Award expert, but hopefully, with this post, I can help some of you win some Oscar Ballot Competitions!

BEST PICTURE

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave

Should Win: 12 Years a Slave

This one was kind of a tough choice for me. As a filmgoer, it wasn’t my favorite movie of the year, not by a long shot. However, you look at what the subject matter is, the fact that it’s a period piece, and the true story element that screams “Oscar bait.” 12 Years a Slave reminded me a lot like Schindler’s List: a movie that is important to see, but you don’t really feel good about it. The overwhelming lump in your stomach takes you all the way through the movie and long after you get home.

BEST DIRECTOR

Will Win: Alfonso Cuarón

Who Should Win: Alfonso Cuarón

This will be a split year. We saw this split throughout the award season, and it will continue to the Academy Awards on March 2^nd. Gravity is a director’s film. I say that because, as a story, the film isn’t anything really new: a disaster happens in outer space. This is a very common plotline. Although Sandra Bullock delivered (and carried) a tremendous physical and emotional performance, Gravity was Cuarón’s opus. Visually and technically, this film, I think, is a masterpiece. Obviously, it has potential to take the award for Best Picture too, but the Director award will and should go to Cuarón.

BEST ACTOR

Will Win: Bruce Dern

Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio

This one was the toughest choice for me. Most years, there is always a clear favorite for Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis rings a bell), but this is the one category where I think it could literally go to anyone. But, for the sake of this post, I’m going to make some choices. I love Leo, I think he’s always been an actor that brings it with each and every performance, and although he’s been seemingly shout out of the Oscars year after year, his performance in The Wolf of Wall Street should be the one to finally give him the statue. Take a look at the scene involving an overdose of Quaaludes and you’ll agree with me. As far as who will win, I think this could be a situation where the Academy will go with a veteran. The entire category is stacked with unbelievable actors, most of them a certain age, except for Dern. I think it will go to him.

BEST ACTRESS

Will Win: Cate Blanchett

Should Win: Cate Blanchett

The Oscar was practically given to Blanchett the moment Blue Jasmine premiered. That’s all I’m gonna say

BEST SCREENPLAY (Adapted)

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave

Should Win: 12 Years a Slave

BEST SCREENPLAY (Original)

Will Win: American Hustle

Should Win: Her

American Hustle wasn’t as good as everyone thinks it is. There, I said it. But it’ll win because everyone loves David O. Russell. Her was original.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Will Win: Jared Leto

Should Win: Jared Leto

I honestly don’t know who else is nominated. It’s been all about Leto this season.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Will Win: Jennifer Lawrence

Should Win: Lupita Nyong'o

I am both immensely jealous and respectful of Jennifer Lawrence, but her performance in American Hustle was not nearly as strong as her performance in Silver Linings Playbook. She’s good, don’t get me wrong, but an Oscar? Especially against Lupita Nyong’o’s heartbreaking performance in 12 Years a Slave? No way. Lawrence is likable, and more importantly to the film industry, bankable. It’ll go to her.

Obviously, there are more awards to be given out that night, but these are the main ones that I feel the most knowledge of. We’ll see what happens!

Winter's Tale Review

I’m not sure what was less romantic: Winter’s Tale or the fact that I saw this film with my mother in the middle of the day on Valentine’s Day. After seeing the movie, I can safely say that I went home with my mom, and no desire to see Winter’s Tale a second time. You be the judge.

This film, written and directed by Akiva Goldsman (adapted from the novel by Mark Helprin), simply doesn’t know what it wanted to be. Looking back on it, I should have seen it as a warning sign that whenever I saw previews for the film I thought to myself, “What is this movie actually about? What’s the story?” Well, the answer won’t be found by watching it. Goldsman gives us a world of love, magic, angels, demons, magic, beauty, hope, and magic (did I say magic? Oh, there’s a bunch of magic in this movie…). There’s so much going on, and so many scenes of poorly crafted expositional dialogue that the actual story is simply lost.

Beverly Penn (played by Jessica Brown Findlay) is a sweet, young, optimistic girl who suffers from consumption in this film. The fevers she undergoes give her visions of beauty, leading her to believe that we are all connected by stunning rays of light, and our souls become stars in the sky after we have completed our life’s mission. She then meets the rugged, dashing thief Peter Lake (played by the ever-charming Colin Farrell) and they, of course, fall in love. This set up is definitely sweeping romance, Valentine’s Day movie material, but the pay off really falls flat. Aside from the fact that these two do, indeed fall in love (spoiler alert?), the romance in this film is not nearly as sweeping as the film thinks it is.

The problem is lack of structure and cohesion. Writer/director Goldsman throws in Russell Crowe’s devilishly grinning Pearly Soames to add some sort of conflict. Pearly has a personal vendetta against Peter Lake that is never really explained; along with a set of rules that dictates certain plot points just for convenience.

There were moments in this film that were laughable, and let me remind you that this is not a comedy. Of course Peter Lake is rescued by a white horse when chased by Pearly and his goons, and there is a cameo in this film that I will not spoil, but I could not help myself from chuckling quite a bit. 

I came into this film not really expecting much, but I don’t think it clouded my judgment for this review. Movies can be mediocre but still enjoyable. Romances can certainly be schmaltzy but still be romantic; Winter’s Tale just came up short and hovered over borderline ridiculous.

All in all, I’d say Winter’s Tale has the potential to be a really fun date-night movie…but maybe not for the right reasons.