It’s Oscar time and time for a new tradition here at your favorite blog.  Today, I and my lovely lady-friend and esteemed colleague, The Auteur, will be making our Oscar picks for tonight’s show.  We will each be posting what we think should win and what we think the Academy will pick as the winner.  Keep in mind, neither of us has seen every single movie on this list, but The Auteur has come pretty damn close.  And now, a word from the Auteur…

Many times in years past I have seen the nominations for the Academy Awards and wondered, what are they thinking? This is the first year in awhile I feel they have gotten it right. I thoroughly enjoyed the nominated films in the best picture category. I also think the performances this year were outstanding. It must have been hard to narrow some of this years performances to just five in the acting categories. It is tough for me to choose just one, but I have. Here are my thoughts:

Best Picture
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

R: should  & what will win:  The Wolf of Wall Street.  Given what I have seen and what I’ve heard about the others, this is the Best Picture of the Year.

A: Want:The Wolf of Wall Street
Will: 12 Years A Slave

Best Directing
American Hustle (David O. Russell)
Gravity (Alfonso Cuarón)
Nebraska (Alexander Payne)
12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)
The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese)

R:  I’d like to see David O. Russel win this, but I can’t help but think that Alfonso Cuarón and/or Gravity will have to win for something other than a technical award.

A:  Want: David O’Russell
Will: Steve McQueen

Best Actor in a Leading Role
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)

 

R:  Who will probably win:  Bruce Dern.  I think the academy will probably give this to him as a de facto lifetime achievement award.  not the most Oscar-worthy work of the year, but that’s the way these awards go sometimes.

 Who should win:  Christian Bale – he is nearly unrecognizable in AH, though i wouldn’t mind seeing the Academy grow up and finally give DiCaprio a statue.

The Auteur: 
Want:Leonardo DiCaprio
Will:Matthew McConaughey

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Amy Adams (American Hustle)
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
Judi Dench (Philomena)
Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

R:  Amy Adams:  AH is the only movie I’ve seen, but I think the Academy will give it to Dame Judi.

R:  Jared Leto in a walk;  but I’d really like to see Barkhad Abdi win too.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)
Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
June Squibb (Nebraska)

R:  I’d really like to see June Squibb win this, but the Academy may go with J-Law, just because she’s Hollywood’s current It Girl.

A: Want: June Squibb
Will: Jennifer Lawrence

Best Original Screenplay
American Hustle (Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell)
Blue Jasmine (Woody Allen)
Dallas Buyers Club (Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack)
Her (Spike Jonze)
Nebraska (Bob Nelson)

R: Want: Her – but it’s almost too damn clever to win, unfortunately.
Will: American Hustle

A:Want: Her 
Will: American Hustle

Best Adapted Screenplay
Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke)
Captain Phillips (Billy Ray)
Philomena (Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope)
12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)
The Wolf of Wall Street (Terence Winter)

R: Want: The Wolf of Wall Street
Will: 12 Years A Slave, though I think Wolf.. may run the table tonight.

A: Want:The Wolf of Wall Street
Will: 12 Years A Slave