It’s almost here; that late-winter annual Sunday night tradition is nearly upon us. No, were not talking about the Super Bowl. This is all about the Academy Awards, an event of equal importance to film buffs. Though the ceremony isn’t until March 2nd, there isn’t a better time than now to discuss who should win, and since The Academy sometimes makes strange choices, here is who they probably will award instead.
BEST PICTURE
The Nominees: American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Nebraska, Philomena, 12 Years a Slave, The Wolf of Wall Street
Who should win: 12 Years a Slave or Gravity
Yeah, we’re already starting this out with a tie. It’s not like there isn’t a precedent for this though. Both films tied for the best picture award from the Producers Guild Awards a few weeks ago; a first for the organization. What does this have to do with the Oscars? Well, for the past six years the Producers Guild and Academy have awarded the same film best picture. This makes either film shoe-in for the biggest award at the biggest night in film, though voters may sway more towards Slave, granting Gravity the best director and technical awards instead.
Who will win: American Hustle
Which film out of all these nominees is being sold as the general audience crowd pleaser? American Hustle. Which film out of 2012’s nominees was given the same treatment? Argo. I rest my case. Her, Nebraska andPhilomena are the indie darling courtesy nominations, and Dallas Buyers Club, 12 Years a Slave, and The Wolf of Wall Street are either too heavy or controversial for the academy to get behind. There’s always a chance for an upset, but somehow the movies about Somalian pirates and con men are the safer bets.
BEST ACTOR
The Nominees: Christian Bale: American Hustle, Bruce Dern: Nebraska, Leonardo Dicaprio:The Wolf of Wall Street, Chiwetel Ejiofor: 12 Years a Slave, Matthew McConaughey: Dallas Buyers Club
Who should win: Matthew McConaughey: Dallas Buyers Club
Let’s just get one fact out of the way: Leonardo Dicaprio has finally been nominated for best actor since 2006. Too bad he won’t win it. His performance as the villainous Calvin Candie in last year’s Django Unchained was more deserving than his exploits as real-life extortionist Jordan Belfort in Wolf, and he wasn’t even nominated last year (did we say the Oscars are weird?). McConaugey already scored the Golden Globe this year for best actor in a drama, so an Oscar would be the perfect cap for the career renaissance of a guy who used to start in dreck like Ghost’s of Girlfriends Past.
Who will win: Matthew McConaughey: Dallas Buyers Club
This may seem a bit redundant, and really any of these actors are fine choices for the top prize, but as said earlier, McConaughey has reached a full redemptive arc in the eyes of film critics, and the Academy will likely notice this. Chiwetel Ejiofor could beat him out however, considering his powerful performance in 12 Years a Slave.
BEST ACTRESS
The Nominees: Amy Adams: American Hustle, Cate Blanchett: Blue Jasmine, Sandra Bullock: Gravity, Judi Dench: Philomena, Meryl Streep:August: Osage County
Who should win: Amy Adams: American Hustle
Amy Adams is somehow one of the most underrated actresses working today, so the fact that this is the fifth Academy nomination yet hasn’t won is criminal. Much like McConaughey, Adams already won the best dramatic actress award at the Golden Globes, so hopefully the Academy follows suit.
Who will win: Sandra Bullock: Gravity
A cynic would say Meryl Streep will win based on sheer principal, however her scenery chewing in August: Osage County was well enough to grant a nomination but will likely be buried by the other women in this category. Sandra Bullock could easily take home the prize considering she carried most of Gravity by herself, and does a far better job than she did in The Blind Side, which she won the Best Actress award for in 2009.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
The Nominees: Barkhad Abdi: Captain Phillips, Bradley Cooper: American Hustle, Michael Fassbender: 12 Years a Slave, Jonah Hill:The Wolf of Wall Street, Jared Leto: Dallas Buyers Club
Who should win: Barkhad Abdi: Captain Phillips
While it would be great to see Jonah Hill take home the award, Barkhad Abdi brought a desperate intensity and, more importantly, sympathy to what could have easily been a one dimensional villain. Not bad for a guy with no previous professional acting experience.
Who will win: Jared Leto: Dallas Buyers Club
While it probably won’t take the top prize, Dallas Buyers Club is primed to win the Best Actor prizes. Jared Leto’s performance as transgender woman Rayon has been the talk of the town and won the actor multiple accolades already. Expect the Academy to be no different.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
The Nominees: Sally Hawkins: Blue Jasmine, Jennifer Lawrence:American Hustle, Lupita Nyong’o: 12 Years a Slave, Julia Roberts: August: Osage County, June Squibb: Nebraska
Who should win: Luptia Nyong’o: 12 Years a Slave
The best supporting actress category is pretty light this year. However the buzz surrounding Lupita Nyong’o’s performance in 12 Years a Slave and her snub at the Golden Globes should hopefully sway the Academy to make the smart choice.
Who will win: Jennifer Lawerence:American Hustle
The academy however doesn’t always make smart choices. They also love Jennifer Lawrence and American Hustle, considering how many nominations it’s received. Don’t be surprised if Lawerence takes home her second consecutive Oscar on March 2nd.
BEST DIRECTOR
The nominees: David O. Russell: American Hustle, Alfonso Cuaron: Gravity, Alexander Payne: Nebraska, Steve McQueen: 12 Years a Slave, Martin Scorsese: The Wolf of Wall Street
Who should win: Alfonso Cuaron: Gravity
Alfonso Cuaron deserves this award based on sheer innovation alone, forget the fact he also made a good movie among all those revolutionary special effects. This category has quickly become the area where the Academy Awards directors who take experimental chances, like last years winner Ang Lee for Life of Pi, win. Martin Scorsese won’t win, nor will he likely ever again unless it’s for lifetime achievement. He’s the type of director the Academy likes to award once.
Who will win: Alfonso Cuaron: Gravity
Another tie, so let’s keep this brief. Gravity will likely lose the Best Picture prize to either 12 Years a Slave or American Hustle. Consider this the movie’s consolation prize.
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
The nominees: Dallas Buyers Club, Jack Ass Presents: Bad Grandpa, The Lone Ranger
Let’s be honest, the only reason this category is here is because we really want to able to say “Academy Award winner” in the same breath as Bad Grandpa and The Lone Ranger.