1) My absolute favorite movie of 2013 was This Is The End. But there was no way in hell it was going to get any Oscar nominations. My second favorite movie of the year was The Wolf of Wall Street. It earned many nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actor (Hill), and Best Adapted Screenplay. While Wolf was getting some Oscar buzz, many predicted it was going to be the last man standing in many categories (like the 2 acting ones and Best Director). I can confidently say I was not one of those people.
2) Tough day for Tom Hanks. He seemed like a lock to get a Best Actor nomination for Captain Phillips and had a decent shot of Best Supporting Actor for his work in Saving Mr. Banks. Not only does Hanks not get any Oscar nominations this year, neither did Saving Mr. Banks (OK, technically they got one for Best Score, but really, that doesn't count). Serves Disney right for Disney-fying a story where they screw an author out of her original work.
I know many people are going to claim that Tom Hanks is a true snub for Captain Phillips but a) let's be honest, Hanks was good, but not great in the movie, b) does Tom Hanks really need any more Oscar nods?, and c) between Christian Bale's performance in American Hustle and Hanks's performance, I choose Bale every day of the week.
3) Great day for American Hustle. It earned all seven of the major nominations. Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence) seemed like absolute locks, but the other 3 acting categories were not. Many predicted Bradley Cooper would get a nomination, however it seemed that him and Jonah Hill would be fighting it out for the last spot (as it turns out, Rush's Daniel Bruhl was the one left sitting on the bench). Amy Adams seemed to be the odd lady out of Best Actress, but considering the Academy hated Saving Mr. Banks so much, Adams took Emma Thompson's "slot". And the true surprise was Christian Bale who took Hanks' "spot". While I was not the biggest fan of American Hustle, the acting was superb and all four deserved to get nominations.
4) Poor Jeremy Renner. Stars in American Hustle, was great in it, but gets no love. I wish I knew Photoshop so I can do a "Bad Luck Brian" meme.
5) Oprah Winfrey gets snubbed for her work in Lee Daniels' The Butler. Oprah was great in the film, and I think this one is a true snub. Very shocking that Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) gets her "spot".
6) I'm very glad that Inside Llewyn Davis only received two Oscar nominations- and both were minor. I refuse to see any Coen Brothers flick that isn't Fargo, and I think they're talented filmmakers who make movies that just aren't compelling or enjoyable to watch. Davis seems extremely boring, and I would never see it even if it were nominated. Now I definitely don't have to see it.
7) Super shocked that the documentary Blackfish was not nominated. It was the biggest documentary of the year, and the one that everyone couldn't stop talking about. While those docs usually don't win, they at least get nominated. Second year in a row where the best documentary of the year isn't even nominated. Last year had The Queen of Versailles snubbed. Both are currently streaming on Netflix. Go watch both right now!
8) 2014 marks another year where Pixar doesn't earn a nomination for Best Animated Film. Monsters University was eligible, but frankly, it was not very good. Now, I can't imagine films like The Croods and Despicable Me 2 were any better, but Pixar is in a rough patch.
9) The Lone Ranger has two Oscar nominations. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa has an Oscar nomination. Tom Hanks got zero Oscar nominations. At this point, there's absolutely no reason the Academy can't add more meaningful categories like: Best Stunt Work, Best Casting, and Best Soundtrack.
10) My favorite cinematographer and probably the best working cinematographer working today, Roger Deakins, (he just so happened to direct the incredible Shawshank Redemption) gets his 10th nomination for his work on the criminally underrated Prisoners. I can't wait to see how he get screwed over again, as he has yet to win one.
2) Tough day for Tom Hanks. He seemed like a lock to get a Best Actor nomination for Captain Phillips and had a decent shot of Best Supporting Actor for his work in Saving Mr. Banks. Not only does Hanks not get any Oscar nominations this year, neither did Saving Mr. Banks (OK, technically they got one for Best Score, but really, that doesn't count). Serves Disney right for Disney-fying a story where they screw an author out of her original work.
I know many people are going to claim that Tom Hanks is a true snub for Captain Phillips but a) let's be honest, Hanks was good, but not great in the movie, b) does Tom Hanks really need any more Oscar nods?, and c) between Christian Bale's performance in American Hustle and Hanks's performance, I choose Bale every day of the week.
3) Great day for American Hustle. It earned all seven of the major nominations. Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Lawrence) seemed like absolute locks, but the other 3 acting categories were not. Many predicted Bradley Cooper would get a nomination, however it seemed that him and Jonah Hill would be fighting it out for the last spot (as it turns out, Rush's Daniel Bruhl was the one left sitting on the bench). Amy Adams seemed to be the odd lady out of Best Actress, but considering the Academy hated Saving Mr. Banks so much, Adams took Emma Thompson's "slot". And the true surprise was Christian Bale who took Hanks' "spot". While I was not the biggest fan of American Hustle, the acting was superb and all four deserved to get nominations.
4) Poor Jeremy Renner. Stars in American Hustle, was great in it, but gets no love. I wish I knew Photoshop so I can do a "Bad Luck Brian" meme.
5) Oprah Winfrey gets snubbed for her work in Lee Daniels' The Butler. Oprah was great in the film, and I think this one is a true snub. Very shocking that Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) gets her "spot".
6) I'm very glad that Inside Llewyn Davis only received two Oscar nominations- and both were minor. I refuse to see any Coen Brothers flick that isn't Fargo, and I think they're talented filmmakers who make movies that just aren't compelling or enjoyable to watch. Davis seems extremely boring, and I would never see it even if it were nominated. Now I definitely don't have to see it.
7) Super shocked that the documentary Blackfish was not nominated. It was the biggest documentary of the year, and the one that everyone couldn't stop talking about. While those docs usually don't win, they at least get nominated. Second year in a row where the best documentary of the year isn't even nominated. Last year had The Queen of Versailles snubbed. Both are currently streaming on Netflix. Go watch both right now!
8) 2014 marks another year where Pixar doesn't earn a nomination for Best Animated Film. Monsters University was eligible, but frankly, it was not very good. Now, I can't imagine films like The Croods and Despicable Me 2 were any better, but Pixar is in a rough patch.
9) The Lone Ranger has two Oscar nominations. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa has an Oscar nomination. Tom Hanks got zero Oscar nominations. At this point, there's absolutely no reason the Academy can't add more meaningful categories like: Best Stunt Work, Best Casting, and Best Soundtrack.
10) My favorite cinematographer and probably the best working cinematographer working today, Roger Deakins, (he just so happened to direct the incredible Shawshank Redemption) gets his 10th nomination for his work on the criminally underrated Prisoners. I can't wait to see how he get screwed over again, as he has yet to win one.