The 2015 Oscar race kicked into full swing over the past two
days, with the respective releases of the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe
award nominations. By and large, the noms are what I expected, but there were
thankfully a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Here are my thoughts on
both sets of nominations, be sure to share your feelings as well!
BEST CAST
Birdman
Zach Galifianakis, Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Andrea
Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts
Boyhood
Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke, Lorelei
Linklater
The Grand Budapest
Hotel
F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem
Dafoe, Ralph Fiennes, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Bill Murray,
Edward Norton, Tony Revolori, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, Léa Seydoux,
Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson
The Imitation Game
Matthew Beard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Charles Dance, Matthew
Goode, Rory Kinnear, Keira Knightley, Allen Leech, Mark Strong
The Theory of
Everything
Charlie Cox, Felicity Jones, Simon Mcburney, Eddie Redmayne,
David Thewlis, Emily Watson
On paper, the best cast on this list is The Grand Budapest Hotel. Though based on performance, my vote
would go to Birdman. However, the
fact that only four actors from Boyhood’s
massive ensemble are included is borderline insulting. They may not have the
most recognizable names, but Marco Perella, Brad Hawkins, Zoe Graham, Jessi
Mechler, Roland Ruiz, and many more
deserve to be here. If they were, Boyhood
would easily be my pick for this category.
BEST ACTOR
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch – The
Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Eddie Redmayne – The
Theory of Everything
 |
| Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler |
Keaton delivered my favorite male performance of the year,
so he has my vote. Love that Gyllenhaal was able to get in here. It would be
great if he lands an Oscar nomination, but something tells me he’ll get pushed
out.
BEST ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Felicity Jones – The
Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still
Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone
Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild
 |
| Jennifer Aniston in Cake |
Okay, first off, I love the fact that Felicity Jones’ career
is taking off. I’ve been following her work closely since her excellent turn in
Like Crazy, and it’s great that she’s
likely going to earn an Oscar nomination this year.
Such a welcome surprise to see that Aniston snuck in this
category for her role-reversal work in the little-seen Cake. Though this seems to be Moore’s to lose, which is bittersweet to me.
Moore should’ve won an Oscar by now, and although she’s fine in Still Alice, the film has a very safe,
movie-of-the-week vibe to it. My vote would be for Pike.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall – The
Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
 |
| J.K Simmons in Whiplash |
Best Supporting Actor is by far the strongest major category
this Oscar season. Duvall’s nomination surprised me (decent performance in a
bad film), but I’d be pleased if any of the other four men won. My vote goes to
Simmons.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Keira Knightley – The
Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into
the Woods
Naomi Watts – St.
Vincent
 |
| Naomi Watts in St. Vincent |
Naomi Watts is one of my favorite living actresses. I
absolutely adore her. But her nomination for St. Vincent is utterly baffling. At best, it’s a caricature
performance that she barely manages
to get through. Very odd that she’s included here, especially given the
exclusions of Rene Russo (Nightcrawler),
Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year,
Interstellar), Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer), and Carrie Coon (Gone Girl).
Golden Globes
BEST PICTURE, DRAMA
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of
Everything
 |
| Selma |
No big surprises here. Selma
is my biggest unseen awards film of 2014. I thought the trailer was laughably bad,
but I’m genuinely happy that it’s receiving a lot of acclaim. Still, my vote
will remain for Boyhood.
BEST PICTURE, COMEDY
Birdman
The Grand Budapest
Hotel
Into the Woods
Pride
St. Vincent
 |
| Michael Keaton in Birdman |
I guess I’m really going to have to see Into the Woods. But hopefully Birdman
takes this with ease.
BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson – The
Grand Budapest Hotel
Ava Duvernay – Selma
David Fincher – Gone
Girl
Alejandro González Iñárritu – Birdman
Richard Linklater – Boyhood
 |
| Boyhood's Ellar Coltrane and Richard Linklater |
Again, I’m very interested to see what Duvernay does with Selma. But Linklater is my choice here.
BEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch – The
Imitation Game
Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
David Oyelowo – Selma
Eddie Redmayne – The
Theory of Everything
 |
| Steve Carell in Foxcatcher |
With Keaton bumped to the Musical/Comedy category, Oyelowo
was able to sneak in. I could see him taking Gyllenhaal’s nomination come Oscar
time.
BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Felicity Jones – The
Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still
Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone
Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild
 |
| Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl |
Same line-up as the SAGs. Let the lack of variation begin.
Though something tells me Aniston won’t land the Oscar nomination. Hopefully
I’m wrong.
BEST ACTOR, MUSICAL/COMEDY
Ralph Fiennes – The
Grand Budapest Hotel
Michael Keaton – Birdman
Bill Murray – St.
Vincent
Joaquin Phoenix – Inherent
Vice
Christoph Waltz – Big
Eyes
 |
| Joaquin Phoenix in Inherent Vice |
Finally, some Inherent
Vice love. Nice to see Fiennes recognized somewhere as well.
BEST ACTRESS, MUSICAL/COMEDY
Amy Adams – Big Eyes
Emily Blunt – Into the
Woods
Helen Mirren – The
Hundred-Foot Journey
Julianne Moore – Maps
to the Stars
Quvenzhané Wallis – Annie
 |
| Julianne Moore in Maps to the Stars |
By far my favorite Golden Globe nomination from today was
the inclusion of Julianne Moore’s insane work in Maps to the Stars. It’s such a polarizing, batshit crazy film (one
that I loved every minute of) and Moore’s deranged performance is a thing of
macabre wonder. If you want a concise understanding of my overall movie tastes:
Moore’s work in Maps to the Stars
will rank in my Top 5 acting performances of 2014. Her role in Still Alice (fine though it may be) wouldn’t
crack my Top 30.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall – The
Judge
Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
Edward Norton – Birdman
Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
 |
| Mark Ruffalo in Foxcatcher |
Again, same as the SAGs. Still a damn strong category
though.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Jessica Chastain – A
Most Violent Year
Keira Knightley – The
Imitation Game
Emma Stone – Birdman
Meryl Streep – Into
the Woods
 |
| Jessica Chastain in A Most Violent Year |
Love that Chastain was included. I’m counting the days until
I can see A Most Violent Year.
BEST SCREENPLAY
Wes Anderson – The
Grand Budapest Hotel
Gillian Flynn – Gone
Girl
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander
Dinelaris, and Armando Bo – Birdman
Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Graham Moore – The
Imitation Game
 |
| Gillian Flynn |
This is a tough call. I love how true to life the words and
scenarios are in Boyhood. But there’s
a propulsion to Flynn’s Gone Girl
script that is so compelling. Boyhood,
though, would ultimately win out for me.
BEST FOREIGN FILM
Force Majeure
Gett: The Trial of
Viviane Ansalem Gett
Ida
Leviathan
Tangerines Mandariinid
 |
| Force Majeure |
Loved both Ida and
Force Majeure, but the fascinating
moral dilemma(s) at the center of Force
Majeure would get my vote.
BEST SCORE
The Imitation Game
The Theory of
Everything
Gone Girl
Birdman
Interstellar
Hans Zimmer’s game-changing score for Interstellar, all the way.
I'm a bit baffled by Julianne Moore nominated for Best Actress in a Comedy though I am rooting for her since I do think she is fucking great in Maps to the Stars. I'm disappointed though not surprised that Marion Cotillard didn't get nominated. At least she won the New York Critics prize.
ReplyDeleteCotillard just can't catch an Oscar break since 2007. I rewatched Rust and Bone a few nights ago and jesus christ, what she did in that movie. Wow. But I am definitely thrilled by Moore's nomination.
DeleteI personally was quite pleased with the Golden Globe nominees. I too loved that Julianne Moore got in for Maps To The Stars and I thought she was fantastic in Still Alice as well. Honestly, Moore's inclusion for Maps To The Stars helped ease my pain over the fact that Jenny Slate got snubbed in the same category. I also loved how Grand Budapest Hotel and Jake Gyllenhaal got love in both the Globes and SAGs.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very big shame that Slate didn't get in. She totally deserves it. Many of those Musical/Comedy categories feels like they're reaching to find nominees, you know? I haven't seen Annie yet but I imagine I'll like Slate's work far better.
DeleteI am very happy at how the nominees have turned out. There have been welcome surprises (Grand Budapest! Gyllenhaal! Julianne in Maps!!), but also some nominees I do not particularly care for (I saw Annie, and it was fine. Rose Byrne & Bobby Cannavale steal the show. As for Naomi Watts, love her, but her nomination really is really baffling to me).
ReplyDeleteInto the Woods is so brilliant. Sondheim is one of my heroes, and this musical is one of my favourites. The reviews have been very good I believe, I look forward to seeing it, and hopefully you enjoy it too!
I was hoping that Marion or Jenny Slate would make a showing somewhere, but oh well. I also really like the fact that you are praising Aniston. She has given many great performances in TV and film, but she really hasn't been given the chance to really show her talent in films worthy of it. Here's hoping she does get an Oscar nom.
Marion and Jenny Slate definitely deserve to be here. Agree that it's a bummer that they aren't. I still haven't seen Cake, but I'm rooting for Aniston, for sure. She looks really good in it too.
DeleteI actually thought the Globes nominated Moore for Still Alice as well (thanks for pointing out that was not that case - I agree that she was much stronger in Cronenberg's film, although I didn't enjoy that film as much as other seemed to) but hopefully she'll finally get that Oscar gold with this one, regardless of which movie. I'm hoping Gyllenhaal gets that nom. though, he truly deserves it after giving such a fantastic performance (and considering that he wasn't nominated last year for supporting actor in Prisoners). Here's hoping for multiple wins for Boyhood and Simmons!
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to the Foreign Language films, the only one I've seen is Ida, and I'm simply taking you at your word when you say that Force Majeure is amazing, but I'd love it if Leviathan won. That film looks amazing and I'm a big fan of Zvyagintsev's previous 3 films.
The Globes actually did nominate Moore for both Still Alice and Maps to the Stars, just in different categories. Be so cool if she won both. Really hoping Boyhood and Simmons win big!
DeleteMan, I mean.. god.. I'm confused.. I'm team Gyllenhaal though! Also, Still Alice was meh and her nomination is just boring.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of glad I'm not alone concerning Still Alice. It's never my intention to be a "hater," but that movie did next to nothing for me. The praise for her performance seems way overblown to me.
DeleteI would've loved Swinton or Coon to get nominations. I'm still not completely counting them out. Supporting actress seems to be doing a lot of shifting. I think BAFTA will bite at Swinton for sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd the title card rule that SAG has for ensemble sucks in times like this.
I do like that Supporting Actress is shifting around so much, brings a nice variety to things. It would be great if Coon and/or Swinton snuck in there.
DeleteI'm so glad to see Mark getting universal acclaim for Foxcatcher. It's so funny because right after the movie started getting buzzed everyone talked about Carell and Tatum being locks for nomination and now Mark is the lock :) I'm hoping Steve gets nominated too. He should be encouraged to do more role s like this one, he is one of the few people who pull off comedy and drama so very well.
ReplyDeleteI think Carell and Mark are both locks at this point, and that is definitely great. Mark actually has a really good chance at winning, I think. That is such a strong category this year.
DeleteI was really hesitant about commenting on this, because the brilliant Marion Cotillard who I believe that gave not only the greatest female performance of the year in Two Days, One Night but also the second greatest female performance of the year in The Immigrant was snubbed by both SAG Awards and Golden Globes for both. Personally, I lost any serious interest I had at this year's awards season after that, I really did man. Was it unexpected? Absolutely not, the one film is a foreign-language drama of social realism and the other an arthouse period film dumped by its production company back in May. But what the hell, it's really disheartening. I adore Julianne Moore and her whole body of work and having seen both Still Alice and Maps To The Stars, I'm in awe of her work in both films and really happy to see that she's getting so much awards attention, especially for the latter (for which she will definitely score a LONG overdue first Oscar win), but really I'm just so disappointed by the way the major awards groups have been towards Cotillard's incomparable work this year and despite her basically sweeping the awards at critics groups prior to the SAG and Golden Globes nominations and being so criminally snubbed after her more than deserved win for 2007's La Vie En ROSE. We all knew that the Best Actress Oscar will go to Julianne Moore for Still Alice this year and she's a more than worthy winner but at least it would be nice to see Marion Cotillard deservedly sitting among the nominees and applauding her. It doesn't mean it can't happen, but now I highly doubt that.
ReplyDeleteAhh I cannot wait to see Two Days, One Night. Such a bummer that it hasn't been released here yet. But I absolutely love your praise for her work in it.
DeleteAnd I am totally for Moore winning the Oscar this year. No complaints from me at all. I just wish it was for a slightly better movie.
You're so right man. Can you imagine for example Moore winning for Boogie Nights or Magnolia or even The Hours? It would be so great. Still Alice, though definitely a good film, has this sense of well-intentioned TV family drama with a mesmerizing central performance elevating the whole material. For me, Moore elevates Maps to the stars this year as well. Polarizing case of a film and I have to say it didn't work with me completely. I'm really though so in awe with what she did with the Havana Segrand character. I just find the film a little too one-note and some narrative issues for me are undeniable. You're going to love Two Days, One Night. And Cotillard is the best she's ever been there since La vie en rose. She's that good. By the way, did you see The Immigrant and what did you think of the film and Marion there? Her performance seems to have floored so many people there and having seen it I totally understand it. This woman is almost outrageously talented, haha. Her and Moore. God, I love it when I see a film with actors of that caliber.
DeleteI absolutely loved Marion in The Immigrant, but I can see why people take issue with the film itself. It's one I expected more from. But if I went back and rewatched it (which I'm sure I will soon), I think it'd like it more, now knowing that nothing "sensational" really happens in it. I love slow, deliberately paced movies, I just had no idea The Immigrant was shaped that when I saw it. I cannot wait for Two Days, One Night.
DeleteOh yeah. It's like it was shot in a previous era or something. Gray's film really is slow-build. It takes its time to unfold the story but the narrative has a classical aura that I think you'll come to appreciate more if you indeed decide to rewatch it. Two Days, One Night is a film really representative of the Dardennes' cinema and if you're familiar with the wonderfully naturalistic cinematic style, you've come to know that they also like slow-burning narrative. That one though has a tension that seems almost suffocating at times given the central theme of a woman dealing with mental ilness and the possibility of losing her at the same. It's definitely a different kind of "slow". Yeah, I'm sure you'll love it. And it's certainly among the most important films of the year.
DeleteSupposed to come out here in late December or early January. Can't wait man.
DeleteI would totally root for Interstellar's score by Hans Zimmer to win! I also clearly need to see Boyhood as it seems to be raking in the nominations.
ReplyDeleteI think what you mentioned - not having seen some films - is what makes it difficult to judge some of these nominations yet. I do like that there are so many categories where I think there are quite a few deserving nominees. And I'm with you in that the Best Supporting Actor category seems to have the most of those. I'm excited to see what happens when the Oscar nominations are finally released.
Boyhood is the film of the year for me. Wow. So special and incredible.
DeleteI'm really excited for the Oscar noms as well. Of those four Supporting Actors nominees, I'd genuinely be ok with any of them winning, which is pretty rare.
I LOVE Julianne Moore in Maps To The Stars. I saw the film on the Sitges Film Festival and it was one of the best moviegoing experiences of my life.
ReplyDeleteI'm also baffled that Carrie Coon and Tilda Swinton weren't included. They're both great in Gone Girl and Snowpiercer, respectively.
With every new image I see, I'm more and more baffled by the make-up and props department of Foxcatcher. It's amazing what they did to Ruffalo.
Of all the main important movies on this list I've only seen The Grand Budapest Hotel, Gone Girl and Boyhood. The rest haven't arrived here in Spain yet, but will do so in the upcoming 2 moths or so. I can't wait to see Birdman, Nightcrawler, Inherent Vice, Foxcatcher, Cake, Whiplash and A Most Violent Year. I really don't care for the rest.
I can't wait for your TOPs of 2014, Alex!! Is there some clue you can give us?? Any movie we should have watched and probably haven't?
Thanks again, man! I always read but I don't always comment. Awards season is a special time, I suppose.
Thanks so much for the comment, Eloi! I really appreciate it. I'm excited to post my Top 10 and thrilled that you're eager to read it as well. A main hint I'll give is that, right now, my Top 6 of the year all have one word titles, which is pretty interesting. Another hint: I just saw Two Days, One Night yesterday evening, and that will definitely be in my Top 10. What a film. The major ones I still have left are Selma and A Most Violent Year. But you have some GREAT films headed your way soon.
DeleteTwo Days, One Night is still in cinemas here in Spain! I tell you what, you do a review of the film and I'll make time to go see it.
DeleteChallenge accepted! Will post my review in the next few days!
DeleteI'm probably the only person in the world that didn't like Boyhood. I didn't hate it or anything, but i wouldn't put it on my top 30 of the year. I had been excited for the movie for years as well. When i first heard about it ti sounded like such a great and interesting idea, but the final product just didn't click with me. The movie had no real story it followed. It's just moments in this kids life as he is growing up. But nothing special ever happens to him. He just lives a completely normal life and has just completely normal things happen to him. I guess that is the point, but that is also the problem. Regular, normal life is boring. It was as if someone took a boring family drama TV-show that had lasted for 12 seasons and edited it down to an almost 3 hour long movie. I did think Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette were both great in it though, so i don't disagree with their nominations. It's just that the movie itself wasn't really for me. Maybe i'll give it another shot at some point, but right now i have no desire to watch it again.
ReplyDeleteI've seen some dissenting reviews of it, and, you know, fair enough. Definitely my favorite of the year, and one of my favorite of the decade so far, but I get why some people don't go for it. Very few sensational things happen in Linklater's films, including the Before series. He's a filmmaker fascinated by the simple things in life, and, to me, Boyhood is his magnum opus. But, again, I completely get where you're coming from.
DeleteI'm happy for you. For the first time in years that your favorite film is nominated for Best Picture.
ReplyDelete''This is the first time in several years that my best film of the year won’t be nominated for best picture (if I’m wrong, then that’d be great).'' you said in your TOP 10 OF 2008. But: Shame wasn't nominated; Rust and Bone wasn't nominated and Upstream Color wasn't nominated.
Yeah exactly, such a bummer. It's very odd that Boyhood is, as of now, a Best Picture frontrunner. Movies I love are never BP frontrunners!
DeleteDid you enjoy St. Vincent? I'm at the half. I loved Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy performance but Naomi Watts' character was too underdeveloped. The story was meh with some great emotional moments but I'm not so pleased about this film. Still there were moments where I burst out laughing.
ReplyDeleteWe're pretty much in full agreement. I had issues with it, but there were definitely some funny parts. Watts' role though, was very under written. A laughably bad cliche.
DeleteBoyhood excels mostly in Linklater's direction and dialogue. I'm not aware of any film which captures "real life" in this particular way (12 years aging aside). However, ironically Mason's character receives the least amount of this type of focused attention (primarily in the second half of the film). His character becomes a kind of manipulation while the other characters remain true to the established art of where the film begins. Eventually, i became disappointed by the cliche hallmarks of youth that got zeroed in on....as well as a few cliche and predictable conversations that didn't really bite with the freshness of moments like Arquette's table scene as Mason is leaving for college. So even if Linklater didn't seem to stay true or consistent across the board for the entirety of the movie, 50-75% of the movie creates something very rare. Little flashes of life that you'd never really thought about are given freely - even moments where characters are dealing with things that are never openly addressed or given full attention. Perhaps the inconsistencies are intentional, but probably not.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your insightful and well-articulated comment. I can't say I agree with you, but you definitely stated your position on the film clearly. Either way, whether we agree or not, I do appreciate you stopping by and commenting.
DeleteBirdman and Keaton all the way! Though, Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance in A Most Wanted Man is still my personal favorite at the moment. Felicity Jones was my favorite part of Like Crazy, so I'd love to see her nominated. And Gyllenhaal getting in would be awesome!
ReplyDeleteI would love it if Keaton pulled out the win. I think it'll depend on how much steam Selma gains over the next month. At this point, I think it's Gyllenhaal and Carell fighting for that final place in Best Actor. We shall see soon enough!
Delete