I want American Hustle to take best picture over 12 Years a Slave, a film on paper I should have liked, but ended up thinking was overhyped. (And there were certain conscious choices made by the director that didn't thrill me.)
I was very pleasantly surprised to see Matthew McConaughey take the leading actor category-he truly is brilliant in "Dallas Buyers Club". I kind of thought Jared Leto was going to win, so I wasn't as surprised, but I was just as happy. (I loved "Dallas Buyers Club". I know many people who didn't-it's an incendiary film of sorts.)
I think American Hustle will take the most Oscars, but Gravity will take director. I think Jared Leto will win and either Leonardo DiCaprio or the gentleman from 12 Years a Slave. (I'd love to be surprised again.)
I still can't bring myself to see 12 Years a Slave even if it's a frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar. It feels like something I'm told "I must endure to make me a better person" rather than anything I would appreciate artistically. Still staying away from it. Can't deal with torture films on any level.
The one that has me most intrigued now (although I hated the trailer) is "Her."
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
"To be perfectly honest, Jennifer Lawrence's win tonight annoyed me. After having to watch her scoop up all but the BAFTA last year for a merely fine performance in Silver Linings Playbook, I certainly hope this is the last televised win for her this year. I still think Lupita will win come Oscar night."
I wasn't thrilled with Lawrence winning awards for Silver Linings Playbook, which I agree with you was a fine performance, but far from last year's best. Still, I think she's a great actress (Winter's Bone!) and I loved her (and everyone and everything else in) American Hustle. N'yongo is superb in 12 Years A Slave, but I can't feel as if she'll be snubbed if the oscar instead goes to say Lawrence, Squibb or (if she's rightly nominated) Hawkins (I would object to it going to Roberts but that's just my opinion - not about Roberts in general, but about her performance in A: OC).
In general, however, I thought it was a great, funny, fun show and the award choices were commendable. Prob the best movie awards show in years.
As for best picture, it's quickly becoming obvious to me that there are many worthy candidates this year. I found 12 Years a Slave a strange mix of admirable moments and missed opportunities. The book, I felt strongly, could have made a much stronger movie, McQueen has some very fine directorial moments and the acting is first rate, but the script was too emotionally detached in my opinion, whereas the book reads like a great movie.
Meanwhile, I was thrilled with American Hustle, Wolf of Wall Street (although too long), and Inside LLewyn Davis, and I look forward to seeing Her, Blue is the Warmest Color, La Grande Belleza, Gravity and Nebraska.
"still can't bring myself to see 12 Years a Slave even if it's a frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar. It feels like something I'm told "I must endure to make me a better person" rather than anything I would appreciate artistically."
This. Man oh man, this.
So, will 12 YEARS A SLAVE be the first film since MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY to win the Oscar for Best Picture and nothing else?
I'm fine with Jennifer Lawrence's win -- entirely deserved, she and Amy Adams were the only bright spots in that dismal AMERICAN HUSTLE thing.
And I'd be fine with DiCaprio winning the Oscar for WOLF OF WALL STREET -- Scorsese's best film in many many years.
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick
My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
I do like 12 Years a Slave a good deal, not as much as say an Inside Llewyn Davis or The Wolf of Wall Street, but honestly, if you read the history the brutality is not that shocking. It just conveys the absurd abruptness of losing and regaining your personhood in that period can be. It plays like a true-life Grimm fairytale of the slave experience, knowingly noting the exceptionalism of Solomon Northup within the system of slavery in that we observe what he observes 90% of the film. I frankly see good faith in Ridley and McQueen taking a slave narrative indeed made at the time for a white abolitionist crowd to turn that narrative and touch on their own race's history given the considerable dearth of their race's own historical narratives of that period. If you can't handle whippings and hangings, I get that but I urge anybody keeping arm's distance from the film to look up Alfre Woodard's single scene. which is essentially a monologue, because I haven't seen anything quite like it in a film before.
I appreciate the analysis, strummergirl, and I may break down and see it for the reason(s) you mention.
And of course, if it wins Best Picture, I will have to buy it, because I have this OCD thing where I own all the Best Pictures on DVD/Blu-ray. Every single one ... so if it wins, I will definitely see it and even buy it (although I'll wait for a good sale and not a minute before!).
Yes, I'm weird with my collecting, but hey, that's the way it is. I think I would rather add American Hustle or Her or even The Wolf of Wall Street instead, though.
But when you mention Alfre Woodard (whom I love as an actress), that may be worth it, alone.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
12 YEARS A SLAVE has a strong shot at winning Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. And if they really like it enough, Best Director. It's not like it's only got a shot at Best Picture.
I'd be ok with best actor, best supporting actress, and even best direction for 12 Years. I wouldn't be happy with best adapted screenplay, but I think it does have a chance at winning that as well. I don't think the Globes even nominated the screenplay (I may be wrong).
One of the many good choices last night was best actress tv drama series to Robin Wright; that pleased me very much. She's extraordinary in House of Cards and very much deserved it (although I very much wish Vera Farmiga would have been nominated for Bates Motel as she's also amazing in that).
"The gods who nurse this universe think little of mortals' cares. They sit in crowds on exclusive clouds and laugh at our love affairs. I might have had a real romance if they'd given me a chance. I loved him, but he didn't love me. I wanted him, but he didn't want me. Then the gods had a spree and indulged in another whim. Now he loves me, but I don't love him." - Cole Porter
I loved Robin in the first season of House of Cards, but was also disappointed that Taylor didn't win for Orange is the New Black. Netflix is really producing such great content right now.
I love Robin Wright. In fact, I love all of the nominees in that category (and their performances) but if you haven't seen ORPHAN BLACK, change that immediately. Tatiana Maslany is mind-blowing on that show.
"For those who have given me sh!t. like my mother always said, 'Go to hell and don't come back!'"
Talk about the stupidity of censorship -- they blipped the first six words, and then let her say "SH*T" full blast on national TV.
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick
My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/
henrik- 12YAS screenplay did get nominated for Globe. The film's screenplay in the WGA for Adapted, however, was ineligible due to John Ridley being one of the writers that crossed the picket-line in the most recent writers strike. Non-WGA people (always foreign-language film screenwriters or Quentin Tarantino who has never expressed need for membership) or people who lost privileges with the WGA don't usually get eligible screenplays for their annual awards.
12YAS also has a fair shot in Costumes, Editing (most BP contenders get an Editing nod), and Score.