The Academy Awards airs this Sunday at 7 p.m. and will be hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. Ian Benson ’14, Rachel Wortman ‘15, Lee McKinstry ‘13 and Clara Cuccaro ’15 gave us their predictions for this year’s event.
Best Picture
RW, IB: 12 Years a Slave
At this point everyone on the planet knows that this is going to be a huge toss-up between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity, but in the end, I believe 12 Years a Slave will take home this ultimate prize. It’s a beautifully moving, expertly acted film with a very human, America-centric story. Historically, Academy members have favored character-driven films over flashier fare. But, if the Oscar went to most risk-taking, visually stunning and innovative movie of the year, Gravity would surely win. Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi masterpiece is a mind-blowing piece of cinema. It feels more like a ride than a movie; it pushes 3D, IMAX and the theater-going experience to their limits and, much like its hero, left audiences gasping for air. In my opinion, it’s the most unique movie experience I’ve ever had. I think it deserves but, unfortunately, will not receive the title Best Picture. (RW)
Best Actor
LM,IB: Matthew McConaughey
Though early in the season many thought this was Chiwetel Ejiofor’s to lose, McConaughey has swept most major awards for his ragged portrayal of homophobic AIDS patient Ron Woodruff. Every critic alive has commented on McConaughey’s recent career renaissance, and he is absolutely transformed in this, a raw charmer with cracks in his smile. I could quibble that he should have earned his first statue for Magic Mike a few years ago, but as far as the Oscars go, this one will be most deserved. (LM)
RW: Bruce Dern
Best Actress
IB, RW, LM: Cate Blanchett
Not even the recent Woody Allen controversy will impede Blanchett’s chances of winning on Sunday night. The only potential for an upset I see here is Amy Adams, the only non-winner in the category, but it’s still a long shot. Blanchett has won all of the awards leading up to the Oscars, and I think the bigger question for Sunday is not whether she’ll win, but what she says about Allen during her acceptance speech. (IB)
Best Supporting Actor
IB, RW, LM, CC: Jared Leto
I can’t believe the guy from 30 Seconds to Mars is going to win an Oscar, though I am excited for Jordan Catalano to get some recognition. Again, he didn’t give the best performance in my opinion, and I think both Barkhad Abdi from Captain Phillips or Michael Fassbender from 12 Years a Slave are more deserving, but that doesn’t translate to success. Abdi was a revelation as the chief pirate and Fassbender brought an uncompromising darkness to his role as Ejiofor’s vicious owner, but both will be shut out Sunday night. (IB)
Best Supporting Actress
IB, RW, LM: Lupito Nyong’o
Nyong’o deserves every award for her performance. She won this award in the scene where she asks Ejiofor to kill her. Not to take anything away from Fassbender or Ejiofor, but Nyong’o was the best part of this year’s best movie. She captures the devastating energy of Patsey, a slave subjected to frequent rape and the most brutal whipping scene in recent memory. I’m a Jennifer Lawrence fan, but if she wins for American Hustle, then the Academy dropped the ball. It seems even Lawrence has recognized that, and isn’t campaigning for the award like others. (IB)
Best Director
IB, RW: Alfonso Cuarón
Cuarón won’t go home empty on Sunday, and he’ll rightly be recognized for practically inventing the technology necessary to complete his vision. He’s also won all of the awards in the buildup, besting McQueen at every turn. He also co-wrote and co-edited the film. McQueen’s work has been fiercely artistic and uncompromising, but I think that’ll turn off some Academy voters. (IB)
Best Original Screenplay
RW: Her
Although the Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell script for American Hustle seemed like the surest win, Spike Jonze’s Her has triumphed at the Golden Globes, Critics Choice and WGA. It is whimsical futuro-romance that effortlessly evolves into ambiguous, unfathomable and expertly executed sci-fi. The film is sweet, smart, insightful, funny and thought-provoking and its insights into relationships are sharp without being earth-shattering. As a window into a relationship that carries real meaning for the two people in it, Jonze has created something crystal clear. (RW)
Best Original Song
RW: “Let it Go”
Wildly praised as the revival of the animated musical, Frozen has struck a global chord. Not only has it made over a billion dollars in the box-office, and assembled a haul of prestigious awards including a Golden Globe, BAFTA, Producer’s Guild Award and five statues from the International Animated Film Association, but Frozen’s soundtrack has done the unthinkable and produced a genuinely iconic song, “Let it Go.” Performed in the film by spurned ice queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), it has been a Top 20 hit in the U.S., U.K. and Australia since its opening weekend, and one could get lost for hours in a YouTube wormhole of renditions and parodies of this Oscar-deserving song. Because Elsa can’t control her untapped power, she fears she might do harm so she flees her queendom and heads to the mountains where, in the privacy of her ice castle, she lets it all go. It’s about the love two women share for one another and the bond of family, and a big step in the right direction for Disney away from its patriarchal past. In this Oscar category, there is simply no comparison. (RW)