21 out of 24

    So it's not like I was fast with coming back after the Oscars, but let's say that the atmosphere has cooled down. The year for Oscar-bloggers is now over, and another one begins. So let's look at the passing one, and get ready for the 2014-2015 season.
    So many excellent films from Steven Soderbergh's "Side Effects" in February, through "Blue Jasmine" in July, all the way to the 'Awards Jackpot', which is what I like to call the three months before the end of the calendar year, that are packed with hopefuls. The film that collected the most Best Picture awards this season, "12 Years a Slave", made it all the way up to Oscar night and left with the most important prize, despite the fact that another great picture, "Gravity", earned 7 awards. 2 Years in a row we have a situation where the Best Picture winner fails to win Best Director, and leaves the ceremony with 3 Oscars. Some pleasant ones, although no surprises, really. Spike Jonze for "Her" was one of the pleasers. The actors were what we expected, which happens a second year in a row that there are absolutely no surprises there. The last time that we had a considerably unexpected winner here was Meryl Streep for "The Iron Lady", when most predicted Viola Davis (I predicted Streep).
    So anyways, there will be more time to think about the 2013 year, but let's take this moment to look into 2014. What do we know? What are we sure of? Let's see.
    Statistically only 3 (out of 9) this early predicted BP nominees get the nods. Last year many saw "American Hustle" as a contender. Also some saw "Gravity" coming. So let's not hope that all the broadly mentioned titles will make the cut in a year. Actually, I hope that this year will bring some surprises. We've waited for those long enough.


Best Picture (in likelihood of getting nominated, not winning):

1. Interstellar (Christopher Nolan)
2. Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson)
3. Foxcatcher (Bennet Miller)
4. Birdman (Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu)
5. Into the Woods (Rob Marshall)
6. Unbroken (Angeline Jolie)
7. Trash (Stephen Daldry)
8. The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson)
9. Big Eyes (Tim Burton)
10. Get On Up (Tate Taylor)



Best Director (the same order):

1. Christopher Nolan (Interstellar)
2. Bennet Miller (Foxcatcher)
3. Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu (Birdman)
4. Paul Thomas Anderson (Inherent Vice)
5. Tim Burton (Big Eyes)

6. Angelina Jolie (Unbroken)


Best Actor:

1. Steve Carell (Foxcatcher)
2. Michael Keaton (Birdman)
3. Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year)
4. Chadwick Boseman (Get On Up)
5. Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

6. Joaquin Phoenix (Inherent Vice)


Best Actress:

1. Amy Adams (Big Eyes)
2. Michelle Williams (Suite Francaise)
3. Berenice Bejo (The Search)
4. Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
5. Meryl Streep/Emily Blunt (Into the Woods) --->>> We don't know if they are going to push her here or in supporting. The play, I think, had the "Witch actress" win a leading actress Tony.

6. Jennifer Garner (Men, Women & Children)


Best Supporting Actor:

1. Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher)
2. J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
3. Albert Brooks (A Most Violent Year)
4. Robert Duvall (The Judge)
5. Edward Norton (Birdman)

6. Johnny Depp (Into the Woods)


Best Supporting Actress:

1. Meryl Streep (The Homesman)
2. Annette Benning (The Search)
3. Viola Davis (Get On Up)
4. Meryl Streep/ Emily Blunt (Into the Woods) ---->> depends on the placing
5. Kristin Scott Thomas (Suite Francaise)

6. Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year)


This is all I am offering for now. See you in some time. The next big stop: CANNES.


Burt Mizaki

The 2014 Final Oscar Predictions

THE FINAL OSCAR PREDICTIONS

      Here comes the weekend we have been waiting for. Since september people started frantically looking for possible outcomes. The frontrunners changed, the currents switched. Remember when "The Wolf of Wall Street" was in 1 place? When Leo and Marty were at the top of their categories? Well a lot has changed. We also had a couple solid months from 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen, Michael Fassbender and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The latter three slowly faded away, and made space for Cuaron, Leto and McConaughey, respectively. Only the Best Picture here seems to have been on the top since early fall. And that also is arguable as Gravity is getting on their backs. Whatever happens, good luck with your predictions, and I sincerely hope I do well. 

      Also it is amazing to notice that Cate Blanchett has been the frontrunner in her category for the last 8 months. Craaaazy. That doesn't happen very often. The McConaissance power charging for the Oscar only kicked in after the Golden Globes and the SAGs. INTERESTING trivia: The last 9 years the SAG best actor winner went on to win the Oscar. The last exception was SAG winner Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean) lost to Sean Penn (Mystic River).

    So who will win? I don't know. It is very frustrating because some categories aren't obvious at all. Last year I didn't guess Ang Lee winning Best Director, as I didn't guess Anna Karenina winning.

    So best of luck to everyone and let's get this baby started! 

NOTE: My final picks are in YELLOW. My crazy picks (what my hunch tells me will win, but I feel it would not be reasonable) are in GREEN. Some of them agree with the reasonable choice, but some of them are different. Also the OSCAR RACE leaderboard winners in PINK.

The 86th Academy Awards:

BEST PICTURE

RACE WINNER: 12 Years a Slave

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: 12 Years a Slave

WILL WIN: 12 Years a Slave

BEST DIRECTOR

RACE WINNER: Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Alfonso Cuaron 

WILL WIN: Alfonso Cuaron 

BEST ACTOR

RACE WINNER: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)

WILL WIN: Matthew McConaughey

BEST ACTRESS

RACE WINNER: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Cate Blanchett

WILL WIN: Cate Blanchett 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

RACE WINNER: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Jared Leto 

WILL WIN: Jared Leto

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

RACE WINNER: Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)

WILL WIN: Lupita Nyong'o

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

RACE WINNER: Her (Spike Jonze)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT:  American Hustle (Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russel)

WILL WIN: Spike Jonze (Her)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

RACE WINNER: 12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: 12 Years a Slave 

WILL WIN: 12 Years a Slave

BEST FILM EDITING

FRONTRUNNER: Gravity (Alfonso Cuaron & Mark Sanger)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Captain Phillips (Christopher Rouse)

WILL WIN: Captain Phillips

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

RACE WINNER: Gravity (Emmanuel Lubezki)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Gravity

WILL WIN: Gravity

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

RACE WINNER: Gravity (Steven Price)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Philomena (Alexandre Desplat)

WILL WIN: Gravity (Steven Price)

BEST PRODUCTON DESIGN

FRONTRUNNER: The Great Gatsby

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: 12 Years a Slave

WILL WIN: The Great Gatsby

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

FRONTRUNNER: The Great Gatsby

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: American Hustle

WILL WIN: 12 Years a Slave

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

FRONTRUNNER: Gravity

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Gravity

WILL WIN: Gravity

BEST SOUND EDITING

FRONTRUNNER: Gravity

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: All Is Lost

WILL WIN: Gravity

BEST SOUND MIXING

FRONTRUNNER: Gravity

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Gravity

WILL WIN: Gravity

BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING

FRONTRUNNER: Dallas Buyers Club

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Dallas Buyers Club

WILL WIN: Dallas Buyers Club

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

FRONTRUNNER: "Let It Go"

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: "Let It Go"

WILL WIN: "Let It Go"

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

FRONTRUNNER: Frozen

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Frozen

WILL WIN: Frozen

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

FRONTRUNNER: The Act of Killing

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: 20 Feet from Stardom

WILL WIN: 20 Feet from Stardom

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

FRONTRUNNER: The Great Beauty (Italy)

MY CRAZY INSTINCT:  The Hunt (Denmark)

WILL WIN: The Great Beauty (Italy)

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

FRONTRUNNER: Get a Horse!

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Mr Hublot

WILL WIN: Get a Horse!

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

FRONTRUNNER: The Voorman Problem

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: Helium

WILL WIN: Helium

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

FRONTRUNNER: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

MY CRAZY INSTINCT: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

WILL WIN: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

PROJECTED WINS:

Gravity: 6

12 Years a Slave: 4

Dallas Buyers Club: 3

Burt Mizaki