The 86th Academy Awards are now just three days away, which means we can still have a bit of fun picking which films we think will win the awards. There are nine movies up for Best Picture and 20 performances up competing for four Oscars. How will it end? How should it end?
Best Director:
Will win: Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Should win: Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave
I have never understood how the Best Director of the year could potentially not make the Best Picture of the year. Did no one direct Argo in 2012? If there was something wrong with Ang Lee’s Life of Pi, why did Lee win Best Director? A lot of analysts are predicting that Alfonso Cuaron will win for orchestrating Gravity, but 12 Years A Slave could win Best Picture. Cuaron does deserve it, sure, but Steve McQueen should win if his movie is the Best Picture of 2013.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will win: John Ridley, 12 Years A Slave
Should win: Terence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street
Terence Winter wrote a glorious, hilarious screenplay for The Wolf of Wall Street, keeping my eyes glued to the screen for all three hours. Sure, he could be taken to task for writing such a long script, but he was able to make every single line of that movie important. But John Ridley also kept a longer film engrossing with 12 Years A Slave.
Best Original Screenplay
Will win: Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell, American Hustle
Should win: Spike Jonze, Her
Spike Jonze did win the Golden Globe for his Her script and the fact that the movie actually got nominated for Best Picture shows that there is some love for the film in the Academy. However, there’s an overwhelming love for American Hustle. David O. Russell’s film will not go home empty handed and neither will its director, even though the final script has some holes. Her might be just too original for the Academy.
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Best Supporting Actor:
Will win: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Should win: Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
Who are we kidding? Jared Leto is the only one who can win this category after the stunning performance he gave in Dallas Buyers Club as a transgender man. It would still be cool to see Jonah Hill win out of nowhere there. He actually held his own against Leonardo DiCaprio. He should win for the Quaalude scene alone.
Best Supporting Actress:
Will win: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Should win: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years A Slave
This category used to be an open-and-shut case, but that was until Jennifer Lawrence started winning for her role as the frustrated wife of Christian Bale in Hustle. Lupita Nyong’o still should win this award for 12 Years A Slave. I get it... we all love JLaw, but let’s give credit where it’s due.
Best Actress:
Will win: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Cate Blanchett should and will win for Blue Jasmine. I’d actually give Sandra Bullock a shot, though, if a love for Gravity is suddenly clear at the start of the night.
Best Actor
Will win: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave
Should win: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
I can’t get over how strong this category is this year. Every single man nominated here would win any other year. My love for The Wolf of Wall Street means that I’ll be rooting for DiCaprio, but Matthew McConaughey really should win for successfully reinventing himself for Dallas Buyers Club. However, Chiwetel Ejiofor will win for 12 Years A Slave and he deserves it.
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Best Picture
Will win: 12 Years A Slave
Should win: Nebraska or Her
I think we may have been kidding ourselves by thinking that American Hustle was really going to hustle its way to the top. It sure looked that way on Jan. 16, but Gravity and 12 Years A Slave are the real frontrunners here. The importance of 12 Years A Slave will not be denied and even if not every member of the Academy has seen it, it will win ultimately.
As for which should win here, I really hate the idea that three movies can dominate a conversation when there’s six other nominees. Alexander Payne produced his best movie yet with Nebraska, a film that could have been made 30 years ago and nothing about it would be different. On the other hand, there’s Her, a film that embraces a future where love is possible, even if you’re not in love with a physical being. These two movies were fantastic.
The Oscars are on Sunday on ABC with Ellen DeGeneres as host. You can check out our reviews and other awards season coverage here.
top image courtesy of image.net