I had planned to repeat last year’s prediction and results analysis of the Oscars. But because life just…is, I haven’t had the time to write a long-winded dissection about how ultimately pointless and yet bewitching the whole Oscars charade is. So I thought it would work if I combined the two processes and discuss the winners of the major awards. It’s a briefer rundown of who won and who I would have liked to have won.

First thing to point out is that there aren’t as many surprises this year round. Could it be that my choices were simpatico with the Academy? Is that even possible? Have I resigned myself to the predictability of the voting system? Maybe? Or is it that apart from one or two films, I wasn’t really bowled over with the selection of films being celebrated.

I’d like to think I still have, deep within the dark abyss of apathy that sustains me, sparks of optimism so I’m going to veer more to the fact that for once the Academy seemed sound and just in their choices. (Unlike Bafta, which has become a bigger farce than I thought possible.)

BEST FILM

Her

The Wolf of Wall Street

Philomena

Nebraska

Captain Phillips

American Hustle

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

12 Years A Slave – WINNER

No surprise really. My previous review examines my feelings exactly and while I have a real soft spot for Nebraska, I understand that what is a favorite doesn’t correlate to what is best. And for that reason it is entirely understandable 12 Years A Slave won. Deservedly so.

With the exception of Philomena and  two hours of Captain Phillips, I’ve seen all the other contenders on the list. I won’t share too much of my feelings as there will be reviews to come. (I like to keep the suspense) but I will say that some of the films contending with 12 Years really were no competition. Some were fine films, but in all the films of 2013, they were certainly not the best.  Considering there were ten slots for the nominees and only nine were filled, I am a little surprised at obvious snubs such as Inside Llewyn Davis. While not an amazing film, it’s still certainly on the same par and even better than the likes of American Hustle.

Gravity, while a fantastic visual blockbuster, it is essentially your quintessential B Movie. Maybe the best B Movie of the last few years but a B Movie nonetheless. Besides the visual, the story is very basic, it’s a collection of set ups for Sandra Bullock to overcome and the script is iffy to say the list. When the characters speak, it’s like the audience’s eyes collectively go into overdrive with the eye-rolling and incredulity of the soap opera dialogue and melodramatic backstories. It’s not really a film of depth, so it’s quite perplexing to see the fanfare the film is getting. I guess it’s the Argo of 2014. It was a more enjoyable cinematic experience than some of it’s competitors on the list, so it’s got that going for it.

BEST DIRECTOR

David O Russell – American Hustle

Alexander Payne – Nebraska

Martin Scorcese – The Wolf of Wall Street

Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity – WINNER

Steve McQueen – 12 Years A Slave

In terms of the Oscar race in this category, there were ever really going to be two contenders: Steve McQueen and Alfonso Cuaron. Both innovative in direction and quality. However, personally I think McQueen had the edge in terms of actor direction. However, it seems the Academy wanted to show recognition to Cuaron’s supremely entertaining B movie.

While I liked the direction of Nebraska, it was more competently directed rather than exceptionally so. The same can be said for Martin Scorcese who showed some ingenuity in some of his shots and more than demonstrates how he’s the don in getting the best performances from his stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill. Alas, however, it seems  the Oscars have doomed Marty to always be the bridesmaid and never the bride it seems.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Act of Killing

20 Ft From Stardom – WINNER

Cutie and the Boxer

Dirty Wars

The Square

Despite being my favorite film out of this selection, 20 Ft From Stardom’s win is still a bit of a conundrum. Again favorite doesn’t mean best. The film certainly succeeds in being up there giving me warm fuzzy feelings with its uplifting tale. It was one of my favorites of last year and one I will no doubt watch repeatedly. But where 12 Years A Slave was deemed the most important film of 2013,  Act of Killing is the 12 Years of the past year’s documentaries. As 12 Years is an uncomfortable stark look at human atrocity, Act of Killing is it’s documentary brethren. In some ways it’s all the more uncomfortable, all the more confrontational because it’s from the perspective of the perpetrators themselves. While the likes of Michael Fassbender’s Epps were based on very real people and attitudes, the passing of time has in some ways softened the virulent reactions to such people. Despite Steve McQueen’s excellent recreation of a past world, and Fassbender’s creation he is still a fictional creation. My feelings towards the men in Act of Killing was more reactionary and intense because they are real. A little too real. I felt physically sick at some of the comments and attitudes expressed by my so-called fellow human beings.

As a documentary 20 Ft From Stardom is purely procedural in style. It works because of that, allowing for the personalities and charms of these oft ignored titans of music to shine. In terms of originality, however, Act Of Killing bests 20 Ft From Stardom.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine – WINNER

Amy Adams – American Hustle

Sandra Bullock – Gravity

Judi Dench – Philomena

Meryl Streep – August Osage County

Cate Blanchett’s  win is perhaps the most unsurprising of the night. A well deserved, committed tour-de-force performance in a so-so film.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years A Slave

Christian Bale – American Hustle

Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street

Bruce Dern – Nebraska

Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club – WINNER

The Academy loves a transformation like Paris Hilton ( or some other more relevant vacant rich person) loves money and glitter. For that reason Matthew McConaughey’s win is quietly predictable. Not to take away from what has been truly his year and from a very good performance, but I think that there were better performances from most of his co-contenders, with the exception of Christian Bale. I saw Bruce Dern first in Nebraska and thought he’d be tipped to win. But then I saw my man Chiwetel and was adamant he would win BUT THEN I saw Leonardo acting up a storm in Wolf and I thought that he might finally snag that Oscar for himself. And then just last week, I watched Dallas Buyers Club and I nodded silently knowing who would actually get it.

This is where my cynicism towards the Academy rears its ugly head again. Like magpies to shiny things I knew the Academy would fall over themselves to hand the award to McConaughey. He looks unrecognisable in the film. Blinded by this, it seems inevitable he would win. Maybe they should name the award Best Transformation.

Again this is not an attempt to be snide or take away the good work McConaughey does in the film. But in my very humble opinion, there were more deserving nominees. But I’m not that mad cos the dude’s so cool:

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years A Slave – WINNER

Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine

Julia Roberts – August Osage County

Julie Squibb – Nebraska

And thus my faith was restored once again. I was wary for a moment that it would be Bafta farce 2.o but there seemed to be a demonstration of good sense of which I am extremely grateful. A close runner-up for me would be Julie Squibb in Nebraska and while I like Jennifer Lawrence and think she was the best thing about American Hustle, my heart is warmed that the award went to the most deserving. Has Lupita broken some kind of record though? I mean apart from being amazing, isn’t this a first that someone receives one of the highest accolades in her first ever film performance. Wow.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Bradley Cooper – American Hustle

Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips

Michael Fassbender – 12 Years A Slave

Jonah Hill – The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club – WINNER

Up until I saw Dallas Buyers Club last week, I had been desperately rooting for Michael Fassbender to clinch the award for best supporting actor. But then I watched this and I nodded my head slowly once again (there was lots of nodding  done while watching this film. The person I was with must have thought me a crazy fool) realising that he would have unbeatable competition from Mr Leto as Rayon. This analysis wasn’t as cynical as Matthew McConaughey’s chance as I was awed by Leto’s performance. Having loved him in My So-Called Life oh-so-many years ago in my formative years, as I matured an ambivalence grew to weary hostility as this decent actor seemingly thought it apt to reward this fans who had dedicated years of faithful adoration by making terrible music.

Dallas Buyers Club helped me remember that this guy can act. Very well actually. In a role I thought could have easily been caricature, over the top cringe-worthy in a less capable actor’s hand, Leto provides depth and subtlety to a supporting character that threatens to be more of a person and central character than McConaughey’s  Ron Woodroof. For this reason,  while I would have been happy to see Fassbender walk away with the award, I can understand why the award went to Leto. Those describing it as just a guy being awarded for wearing a dress, they are really trivialising what is a quality performance, even if the film itself isn’t wholly able to do the same.

This is coming from somebody who nearly cried hearing a snippet of a song by 30 Seconds to Mars (who thought of this band name? A six year-old? No offence to six year-olds). And they weren’t tears of joy let me tell you so I tip my hat to the man.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke – Before midnight

Billy Ray – Captain Phillips

Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope  – Philomena 

John Ridley – 12 Years A Slave – WINNER

Terence Winter – The Wolf of Wall Street

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think 12 Years A Slave should have won every award (just most of them). This, for one,  is a category where I would have liked to see another film besides 12 Years win. Although again I must state, I haven’t seen Captain Phillips or Philomena, I have seen Before Midnight and I loved the script. It’s brutally honest dissection of long-term relationships makes it for me one of the more memorable scripts of the year.

However, the detail in the research by Ridley of 12 Years A Slave is so apparent in the script it should be applauded and for that reason the win is deserved.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Eric Warren Singer and David O Russell – American Hustle 

Woody Allen – Blue Jasmine

Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack  – Dallas Buyers Club 

Spike Jonze – Her – WINNER

Bob Nelson  – Nebraska 

Despite not really liking the film, I have to concede that I fund Blue Jasmine better written than Her. Dallas Buyers Club’s nomination is ill placed considering there were considerable amounts of un-subtlety and cliché in the script saved by its delivery from its performers.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

The Great Beauty (Italy) – WINNER

The Hunt (Denmark)

The Broken Cycle Breakdown (Belgium)

The Missing Picture Cambodia)

Omar (Palestine)

The seemingly obvious snub of Blue Is The Warmest Colour has in turn made me somewhat wary of this year’s Foreign Language category. That’s not to say the film listed above aren’t good. The Hunt was in fact one of my favorite film of 2012 (why has it taken the States so long to catch this marvel). But in its celebration of Dallas Buyers Club  and yet it’s silence on Blue, it’s plain to see the Academy isn’t quite as progressive as one would hope. It thinks the former is more than enough representative of gay demographic apparently. Baby steps folks. Baby steps. I guess Rome wasn’t built in a day or whatever saying that fits the point I’m trying to make.

While I really enjoyed The Great Beauty in all its visual glory, in all honesty The Hunt was miles ahead in terms of best film. I haven’t seen The Broken Cycle Breakdown, which I think is now available to stream online on Lovefilm. Sorry, Amazon Instant (God help us!), nor have I seen The Missing Picture nor Omar. So I feel I’m not really qualified to judge this category even though I already have in stating that the academy was wrong. I’ll shut up now.

BEST FILM EDITING:

American Hustle

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity – WINNER

12 Years  A Slave

It’s technical achievements quite evident, Gravity’s win is no surprise and is well-deserved. Again it only really had one competitor, – 12 Years A Slave – and while I agree with its win in Sound Editing is also well deserved, it had even bigger competition in that category from 12 Years. I keep being drawn back to the expert use of sound in Solomon’s entry into hell on earth.

Honorable mentions:

Best animated feature award went to Frozen, which is no surprise because it had the biggest marketing campaign budget, but I’ve also heard some incredible buzz about Ernest and Celestine which has strangely enough created enough interest in this category for me to seek out the films. 

I’m also intrigued by the documentary short Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life. I’ve been asked a few times now when it will be available. I think it’s because it’ coincides with the recent death of the Holocaust’s oldest survivor Alice Herz Sommer. Even before her death, I had this short recommended to me on numerous occasions. Here’s hoping it’s Oscar win will enable it to be come shown in some capacity. A Storyville BBC4 affair, one would hope.

Overall, 2014 has seen has seen an easy some might say predictable Oscars pass. While some describe it as dull and unsurprising, I like to think it somewhat comforting that I agreed with much of the choices the Academy made. It was nice to see a more inclusive Oscars both visually and thematically. One might dare to hope that this might be a sign of things to come?