Film predictions
By Steven Cayer, Senior Columnist
Best Motion Picture – Drama
12 Years a Slave
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Philomena
Rush
Who will win: 12 Years a Slave
Why: An emotional suckerpunch, 12 Years a Slave had the biggest impact on me of any other films this year. Gravity is a close second though.
Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
American Hustle
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street
Who will win: The Wolf of Wall Street
Why: Despite the marathon 3-hour running time, Scorsese hits another home run with this DiCaprio-led film. I also have high hopes for Her.
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock – Gravity
Judi Dench – Philomena
Emma Thompson – Saving Mr. Banks
Kate Winslet – Labor Day
Who will win: Cate Blanchett
Why: Blue Jasmine provided the perfect vehicle to secure Blanchett a Best Actress award, playing a tragic person who’s lost in the world.
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave
Idris Elba – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Tom Hanks – Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford – All is Lost
Who will win: Chiwetel Ejiofor
Why: With so many great nominees, this was the hardest category to pick. Ejiofor was just the most realistic performance.
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams – American Hustle
Julie Delphy – Before Midnight
Greta Gerwig – Frances Ha
Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Enough Said
Meryl Streep – August: Osage County
Who will win: Amy Adams
Why: While Louis-Dreyfus is a subtle second, Adams is sure to take it for her role as an English con artist.
Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Christian Bale – American Hustle
Bruce Dern – Nebraska
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street
Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis
Joaquin Phoenix – Her
Who will win: Leonardo DiCaprio
Why: Year after year, DiCaprio gives amazing performances and he never wins—until now. I also have high hopes for Joaquin Phoenix.
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle
Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts – August: Osage County
June Squibb – Nebraska
Who will win: Lupita Nyong’o
Why: I could actually feel Nyong’o’s pain throughout the film. Jennifer Lawrence was great too, as always.
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips
Daniel Bruhl – Rush
Bradley Cooper – American Hustle
Michael Fassbender – 12 Years a Slave
Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club
Who will win: Jared Leto
Why: Probably the most drastic role, physically. Fassbender might be second, in a much darker role.
Best Director – Motion Picture
Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity
Paul Greengrass – Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne – Nebraska
David O. Russel – American Hustle
Who will win: Alfonso Cuaron
Why: Cuaron took space to an entirely new level with revolutionary special effects. I lost my breath.
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Spike Jonze – Her
Bob Nelson – Nebraska
Jeff Pope Steve – Philomena
John Ridley – 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russel – American Hustle
Who will win: Bob Nelson
Why: Funny, subtle, and unwaveringly realistic, Nebraska is the perfect candidate. Watch out for Ridley though.
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
All is Lost
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Gravity
The Book Thief
12 Years a Slave
Who will win: Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Why: All of these movies deserve to win, but Mandela deserves to win slightly more.
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Atlas” – The Hunger Games
“Let it Go” – Frozen
“Ordinary Love” – Mandela
“Please Mr. Kennedy” – Inside Llewyn Davis
“Sweeter than Fiction” – One Chance
Who will win: “Please Mr. Kennedy”
Why: It’s undeniably awesome, and Justin Timberlake actually wrote the song himself.
Best Animated Feature Film
The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Frozen
Who will win: Despicable Me 2
Why: Like the first Despicable Me, the sequel was simply heart-warming. Frozen could be a close second though.
Best Foreign Language Film
Blue is the Warmest Colour
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
The Past
The Wind Rises
Who will win: The Past
Why: Although it’s the only one I saw, Berenice Bejo has been gaining some serious buzz.