Normally, we like to use a podcast episode to discuss the Academy Award nominations and make our predictions. Last year, James managed to pick 20 out of 24 categories correctly and Fernando was not far behind with 19 correct predictions.
However, this year, because of travel commitments (James is in Japan and Fernando has spent the last two weeks travelling through rural India), we couldn’t record a podcast. So, instead, we have compiled our predictions here for 2014.
This is not a list of our favourite films in each category, but rather our picks for the most likely winners. Awards like these are the result of a number of factors within the film industry and reflect a long and somewhat political desicion making process.
Anyway here are our choices in each category, indicating James’ pick, Fernando’s pick or both for when are betting the house on one candidate.
Best Picture
*12 Years a Slave – James and Fernando agree
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Actor
Christian Bale (American Hustle)
Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Leonardo DiCaprio (Wolf of Wall Street)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
*Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) – James and Fernando agree
Best Actress
Amy Adams (American Hustle)
*Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine) – James and Fernando agree
Sandra Bullock (Gravity)
Judi Dench (Philomena)
Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)
Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
Jonah Hill (Wolf of Wall Street)
*Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) – James and Fernando agree
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
*Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) – James and Fernando agree
Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
June Squibb (Nebraska)
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)
Best Director
Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)
David O. Russell (American Hustle)
*Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) – James and Fernando agree
Alexander Payne (Nebraska)
Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
Best Adapted Screenplay
*John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) – James’ choice
Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke & Richard Linklater (Before Midnight
)
Terence Winter (The Wolf of Wall Street
)
Billy Ray (Captain Phillips)
*Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope (Philomena) – Fernando’s choice
Best Original Screenplay
*David O. Russell and Eric Singer (American Hustle) – James’ choice
Bob Nelson (Nebraska)
*Spike Jonze (Her) – Fernando’s choice
Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack (Dallas Buyers Club)
Woody Allen (Blue Jasmine)
Best Foreign Film
Denmark, The Hunt
Belgium, The Broken Circle Breakdown
*Italy, The Great Beauty – James and Fernando agree
Palestine, Omar
Cambodia, The Missing Picture
Best Documentary Feature
*20 Feet from Stardom – Fernando’s choice
*The Act of Killing – James’ choice
Dirty Wars
The Square
Cutie and the Boxer
Best Animated Feature
The Wind Rises
*Frozen – James and Fernando agree
Despicable Me 2
The Croods
Ernest & Celestine
Best Film Editing
American Hustle
*Captain Phillips – Fernando’s choice
Dallas Buyers Club
*Gravity – James’ choice
12 Years a Slave
Best Song
“Happy” (Despicable Me 2)
*”Let It Go” (Frozen) – James and Fernando agree
“The Moon Song” (Her)
“Ordinary Love” (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
Best Original Score
John Williams (The Book Thief)
*Steven Price (Gravity) – James and Fernando agree
Alexandre Desplat (Philomena)
Thomas Newman (Saving Mr. Banks)
William Butler and Owen Pallett (Her)
Best Cinematography
Philippe Le Sourd (The Grandmaster)
*Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity) – James and Fernando agree
Bruno Delbonnel (Inside Llewyn Davis)
Roger Deakins (Prisoners)
Phedon Papamichael (Nebraska)
Best Costume Design
American Hustle
*The Grandmaster – James’ choice
*The Great Gatsby – Fernando’s choice
The Invisible Woman
12 Years A Slave
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
The Lone Ranger
*Dallas Buyers Club – Fernando’s choice
*Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa – James’ choice
Best Production Design
American Hustle
*Gravity – Fernando’s choice
*The Great Gatsby – James’ choice
Her
12 Years a Slave
Best Sound Editing
All is Lost
Captain Phillips
*Gravity – James and Fernando agree
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Lone Survivor
Best Sound Mixing
Captain Phillips
*Gravity – James and Fernando agree
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Lone Survivor
Inside Llewyn Davis
Best Visual Effects
*Gravity – James and Fernando agree
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
The Lone Ranger
Star Trek Into Darkness
Best Short Film, Live Action
Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me)
Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)
Helium
*Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?) – James’ choice
*The Voorman Problem – Fernando’s choice
Best Short Film, Animated
Feral
*Get a Horse! – James and Fernando agree
Mr. Hublot
Possessions
Room on the Broom
Best Documentary Short Subject
CaveDigger
Facing Fear
Karama Has No Walls
*The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life – James and Fernando agree
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall