Andrew's 2015 Oscar Predictions

Here we are. The Academy Awards are tomorrow night, and that can only mean it's time for my annual predictions. As has been the tradition, I will not be releasing my predictions for every single category, just the major ones. If you want to know my thoughts on one not listed here, feel free to reach out to me. 

Best Visual Effects: None of the nominees are undeserving. However, the sheer magnitude of work creating the simians for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and the snubbing (yet again) of Andy Serkis, all but guarantee that the apes will swing away with the trophy. 

Best Adapted Screenplay: Whiplash and The Imitation Game both have an equal claim to the trophy. I was slightly more enthralled by Whiplash, but I think that the story of Alan Turing in The Imitation Game is too strong not to commend. Considering this is it's best chance for a trophy, The Imitation Game will take it. 

Best Original Screenplay: Boyhood was clever, but it didn't have that much of a hook for me besides it's gimmicky production. I personally loved Birdman and it's personal journey. It's a tossup between The Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman, but I give Birdman a boost for it's creativity.

Best Original Song: This is really the only chance to redeem themselves for the snub, so you can expect "Everything" to be "Awesome" about The Lego Movie's main theme. 

Best Animated Feature: No one really thought this would be a race until the obvious winner wasn't nominated. It's anyone's guess, but gun to my head.......Big Hero 6.

Best Cinematography: Birdman. No competition required. The magnificent attention to detail and sheer patience to achieve the film's iconic "one shot" style make it the most deserving. 

Best Director: Again. Birdman. Alejandro González Iñárritu and his vision and attention make him the on to beat. Richard Linklater and his work on Boyhood make him a close second, but I wouldn't wager on an upset. 

Best Supporting Actress: I dislike how decidely monochromatic the nominees are in the acting categories are this year, as I had enjoyed Carmen Ejogo's work in Selma more than the current crop. But given the choices, it will more than likely go to Patricia Arquette for Boyhood. Mainly due to her independence as soon as she breaks free from the losers she unfortunately paired with. 

Best Supporting Actor: This is Andrew's 100% Guarantee for 2015. This will go to J.K. Simmons for Whiplash. Just for the broad range of assertion, aggression, dominance, tranquility and warmth. He's amongst good company, but none of them are holding a candle. 

Best Actress: Not what I expected. I was thinking this would be going to Amy Adams for Big Eyes, but the Academy has not followed any expectations this year. Rosamund Pike stole the show in Gone Girl, and she is my preferred winner amongst the nominees, but the academy seems to be leaning in the direction of Julianne Moore for Still Alice and I can live with that. Moore will win. 

Best Actor: This is the race to focus on. As it's really come down to two. It's going to be Michael Keaton vs Eddie Redmayne. Audiences have clinged to American Sniper and it's star Bradley Cooper, so i'll put him as an underdog, but it's really Keaton vs. Redmayne. (I fully expected this to be Keaton vs David Oyelowo for Selma. What the hell, Academy? HE HAD THE SECOND BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR)  I did not care for Redmayne's work in The Theory of Everything as it felt as Oscar bait-y as anything i've ever seen. That's not saying he didn't work hard, but it didn't feel honest. Meanwhile, Keaton in Birdman was the best performance of the year in my mind's eye. His commitment and strength to a role that defies convention makes him my pick to win the award. Michael Keaton for the win. 

And Now Best Picture

For the second year in a row, this has come down to three different nominees. Boyhood, Birdman, American Sniper. (I was deeply moved by Selma and it's timely messages, but it just hasn't caught the academy's love. It's time for some new blood in the Academy.) Each film has a major strength. Boyhood has it's lengthy production and successful execution of a real time coming of age story. American Sniper has it's patriotic values along with the soulful journey of an American hero. Audiences have really embraced this story. Birdman has it's magnificent cinematography, deeply personal journey, and outstanding performances. Sniper is the least likely of the three to win, but I won't rule it out totally. While Boyhood was powerful, it doesn't have a totally cohesive story more than it has the appeal of it's growing pains. I am putting my money on Birdman for it's staying power. It was not only my favorite 2014 film, it's easily the best. 

ADVANCED "Seventh Son" Review

Let me start off by thanking my friend Spencer Cohen for inviting me to join him in seeing this film before it is released. Every studio screening I have attended has been different and a new experience, this one was no different. 

Gregory is a champion who fights the darkness through out the Earth, including Mother Malkin. When he needs a new apprentice, he must seek out a Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. 

When heading into the theater, I didn't have high ambitions for this film to be spectacular, but I expected at least something tangible. I was let down even there. This may be some of the cheesiest, most basic January fare (yes I know it's February) I've seen in a while. The hokey dialogue, the unfinished special effects, the wooden acting. This is strictly an erector set disquised as a movie in which they run down a checklist to make sure they hit all the standard conventions of what a movie needs to have. 

But to top it all off, the title is never even elaborated on. Jeff Bridges is looking for The Seventh Son of the Seventh Son. Why? What does that even mean? For we all know, Ben Barnes is just a rabbit's foot. There's no explanation as to why a Seventh Son is significant. They're too lazy to even give us the standard, boring exposition. 

If there's any saving this film, it's that it qualifies for "funny bad" status. 

I love Jeff Bridges. He's an amazing actor. But there wasn't even an attempt to sell us here. He's doing this so that we don't forget that he's still here. He uses the same voice he did in True Grit as though it would give him more cred, but it's just not passing muster. 

Julianne Moore is trying. She's clearly trying. At times there is something to her performance, but it doesn't elevate the film to any level above mediocre. Luckily this likely won't affect her Oscar chances. So she's avoided the "Norbit" effect. 

File this one under the Redbox category. It's funny bad. But not $10 funny bad. 

C-