OscarsSoWhite, but change is coming

In response to the backlash over this being the second year in a row with not a single person of color being nominated for an acting award, the Academy has taken action. When Cheryl Boone Isaacs was appointed to the possition of president, she made a commitment to open up membership and reach out to minorities as well as younger filmmakers. The idea was to have the voting members better reflect the industry as well as the viewing public. Despite her living up to her promise and increasing minority’s membership by more that any single year, the nominations were as white as ever.

The Academy has instituted a variety of  new rules include a commitment to doubling the number of women and minorities in the academy by 2020 as well as, for the first time, limiting lifetime voting rights.

“It’s the right thing to do,” academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in an interview Friday. “We’ve been a more than predominantly white institution for a long time. We thought, we’ve got to change this and reflect the community much better.”

In other years, perhaps there was a single “Black film” for people to rally around, this year there were top-notch performances in a number of films, that could have resulted in dividing the vote. That said, Hollywood should be able to easily support any number of quality films, and clearly there were several performances that deserved recognition, a number of which made my list.

Lane J. lubell

 

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Oscar nominations for the 87th Academy Awards (Video)

I must say there were a more than few surprises this year.
I was struck by the fact that Rosamund Pike was the only nomination for “Gone Girl,” “Selma” only got listed for best picture and song, and the total snub for “the Lego Movie.”

I was upset to see “Whiplash put into the Adapted screenplay category, because it really is an original script, The only reason it was because it had already been produced as a short film. That decision is a bit questionable because the short was really just done to get investors for the full-length film. I’m glad to see both “Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Birdman” do so well.

My Oscar Nomination Predictions 2014

Academy Award Films of 2014Best Picture:
1) Boyhood
2) Birdman
3) The Imitation Game
4) The Grand Budapest Hotel
5) The Theory of Everything
6) Selma
7) Whiplash
8) American Sniper
9) Nightcrawler
10) Gone Girl
11) Foxcatcher
12) Unbroken
13) Into the Woods
Please: Under the Skin, Wild, Guardians of the Galaxy, or The Babadook

Best Actor:
1) Michael Keaton – Birdman
2) Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything
3) Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
4) David Oyelelo – Selma
5) Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler
Spoilers:
6) Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
7) Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
8) Bradley Cooper – American Sniper
9) Timothy Spall – Mr. Turner
10) Joaquin Phoenix – Inherent Vice
Please: Miles Teller – Whiplash or Bill Murray – St. Vincent

Best Actress:
1) Julianne Moore – Still Alice
2) Reese Witherspoon – Wild
3) Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
4) Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
5) Jennifer Aniston – Cake
Spoilers:
6) Amy Adams – Big Eyes
7) Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night
8) Emily Blunt – Into the Woods
9) Hilary Swank – The Homesman
10) Marion Catillar – The Immigrant
Please: Scarlett Johannson – Under the Skin

Best Supporting Actor
1) J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
2) Edward Norton – Birdman
3) Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher
4) Ethan Hawke – Boyhood
5) Steve Carell – Foxcatcher (if eligible)
6) Robert Duvall – The Judge
Spoilers:
7) Josh Brolin – Inherent Vice
8) Chris Pine – Into the Woods
9) Tom Wilkinson – Selma
10) Christoph Waltz – Big Eyes
11) Charlie Cox – The Theory of Everything
Please: Matt Damon – Interstellar

Best Supporting Actress:
1) Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
2) Emma Stone – Birdman
3) Meryl Streep – Into the Woods
4) Keira Knightly – The Imitation Game
5) Rene Russo – Nightcrawler
Spoilers:
6) Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year
7) Laura Dern – Wild
8) Carmen Ejogo – Selma
9) Naomi Watts – St. Vincent
10) Tilda Swinton – Snowpiercer
Please: Stacy Martin – Nymphomaniac (Vol. I)

Best Director:
1) Richard Linklater – Boyhood
2) Alejandro G. Iñaritu – Birdman
3) Wes Anderson- The Grand Budapest Hotel
4) Ava DuVarney – Selma
5) Morten Tydlem – The Imitation Game
Spoilers:
6) Clint Eastwood – American Sniper
7) David Fincher – Gone Girl
8) Damien Chazelle – Whiplash
9) James Marsh – Theory of Everything
10) Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher
Please: Jonathan Glazer – Under the Skin

Best Original Screenplay
1) Birdman – Alejandro G. Iñaritu, Nicholas Guacabone, Alexaner Dinelaris, & Armando Bo
2) The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson (Story & Screenplay) & Hugo Guinness (Story)
3) Boyhood – Richard Linklater
4) Nightcrawler- Dan Gilroy
5) Foxcatcher – E. Max Fry & Dan Futterman
Spoilers:
6) Selma – Paul Webb
7) Big Eyes – Scott Alexander & Larry Kazawzeski
8) Mr. Turner – Mike Leigh
9) Interstellar – Christopher & Jonathan Nolan
10) Top Five – Chris Rock
Please: The Lego Movie – Phil Lord & Christopher Miller and Dan Hageman & Kevin Hageman or St. Vincent – Theodore Melfi

Best Adapted Screenplay
1) The Imitation Game – Graham Moore
2) Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn
3) The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten
4) Wild – Nick Hornby
5) Whiplash – Damien Chazelle
Spoilers:
6) American Sniper – Jason Hall
7) Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson
8) Unbroken – William Goldenberg, Richard LaGravenese, and Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
9) Still Alice – Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmooreland
10) Guardians of the Galaxy – James Gunn & Nicole Perlman
Please: Under the Skin – Jonathan Glazer & Walter Campbell

Best Cinematography
1) Emmanuel Lubezki – Birdman
2) Dick Pope – Mr. Turner
3) Robert D. Yeoman – The Grand Budapest Hotel
4) Hoyte Van Hoytema – Interstellar
5) Roger Deakins – Unbroken
Spoilers:
6) Ryszard Lenczewski and Łukasz Żal – Ida
7) Oscar Faura – The Imitation Game
8) Tom Stern – American Sniper
9) Bradford Young – Selma
10) Jeff Cronenweth – Gone Girl
Please: Yves Belanger – Wild

Best Editing
1) Birdman – Douglas Crise
2) Boyhood – Sandra Adair
3) The Imitation Game – William Goldenberg
4) Whiplash – Tom Cross
5) The Grand Budapest Hotel – Barney Pilling
Spoilers:
6) Gone Girl – Kirk Baxter
7) American Sniper – Joel Cox & Gary Roach
8) Nightcrawler – John Gilroy
9) Interstellar – Lee Smith
10) Selma – Spencer Averick
Please: Wild – Martin Pensa & John Mac McMurphy and/or Under the Skin – Paul Watts

Best Production Design:
1) The Grand Budapest Hotel
2) Into the Woods
3) Mr. Turner
4) Birdman
5) The Imitation Game
Spoilers:
6) Interstellar
7) The Theory of Everything
8) Big Eyes
9) Unbroken
10) Guardians of the Galaxy
Please: The Babadook

Best Makeup & Hairstyling
1) Foxcatcher
2) Maleficent
3) The Grand Budapest Hotel
Spoilers:
4) Guardians of the Galaxy
5) The Theory of Everything
Please: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Best Costume Design:
1) Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood
2) Maleficent – Anna B. Shepard
3) The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero
4) Mr. Turner – Jacqueline Durran
5) The Imitation Game – Sammy Sheldon
Spoilers:
6) Inherent Vice – Mark Bridges
7) The Theory of Everything – Stephen Noble
8) Big Eyes – Colleen Atwood
9) Selma – Ruth E. Carter
10) Guardians of the Galaxy- Alexandra Byrne
Please: Magic in the Moonlight – Sonia Grande

Best Original Score:
1) The Theory of everything- Jóhan Jóhannsson
2) The Imitation Game – Alexandre Desplat
3) Interstellar – Hans Zimmer
4) Gone Girl – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
5) The Grand Budapest Hotel – Alexandre Desplat
Spoilers:
6) Unbroken – Alexandre Desplat
7) Under the Skin – Mica Levi
8) The Judge – Thomas Newman
9) How to Train Your Dragon 2 – John Powell
10) Big Hero 6 – Henry Jackman
Please: Godzilla – Alexandre Desplat or The Monuments Men – Alexandre Desplat

Best Original Song
1. Glory – Selma – John Legend & Common
2. Lost Stars – Begin Again – Gregg Alexander, Danielle Brisebois, Nick Lashley & Nick Southwood – Perf. by Adam Levine
3. Everything is Awesine – The Lego Movie – Shawn Patterson, Joshua Bartholomew, Lisa Hamilton, and The Lonely Island – Tegan & Sara (ft. The Lonely Island)
4. Big Eyes – Big Eyes – Lana Del Rey
5. I’m Not Gonna Miss You – Glenn Campbell: I’ll Be Me – Glenn Campbell and Julian Raymond – Glenn Campbell
Spoilers:
6. Mercy Is – Noah – Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye – Patti Smith
7. Split the Difference – Boyhood – Ethan Hawke and Charlie Sexton – Ethan Hawke
8. Yellow Flicker Beat – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 – Ella Yelich-O’Connor & Joel Little – Lorde
9. Miracles – Unbroken – Coldplay
10. Ryan’s Song – Boyhood – Ethan Hawke – Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane, and Lorelei Linklater
Please: Immortals – Big Hero 6 – Patrick Strump, Pete Wentz, Joe Trohman, and Andy Hurley – Fall Out Boy

Best Visual Effects:
1. Interstellar
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
4. Godzilla
5. The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies
Spoilers:
6. Maleficent
7. X-Men: Days of Future Past
8. Transformers: Age of Extinction
9. Birdman
10. Captain America: The Winter Solider
Please: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Best Sound Mixing
1. Interstellar
2. Into the Woods
3. Whiplash
4. American Sniper
5. Fury
Spoilers:
6. Unbroken
7. Guardians of the Galaxy
8. Birdman
9. Lucy
Please: Wild or Godzilla

Best Sound Editing
1. American Sniper
2. Interstellar
3. Whiplash
4. Guardians of the Galaxy
5. Unbroken
Spoilers:
6. Fury
7. Birdman
8. Into the Woods
9. The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies
Please: Godzilla or Lucy

Best Animated Feature:
1. The Lego Movie
2. How to Train Your Dragon 2
3. Big Hero 6
4. The Boxtrolls
5. The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Spoilers:
6. The Book of Life
7. Rio 2
8. Song of the Sea
9. Penguins of Madagascar
10. Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Complete Golden Globe Predictions (for Film):

Golden Globes 2015 - CinemaShadow

Lane J. Lubell

Drama:
Will: Boyhood
Could: The Imitation Game
Should: The Imitation Game
Missing: Whiplash & Gone Girl
Comedy/Musical:
Will: Birdman
Could: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Should: Either
Missing: Guardians of the Galaxy
Director:
Will: Richard Linklater – Boyhood
Could: Alejandro G. Iñaritu – Birdman
Should: Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel or Iñaritu
Missing: Damien Chazelle – Whiplash or Jonathan Glazer – Under the Skin
Actor – Drama:
Will: Eddie Redmayne – Theory of Everything
Could: Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Should: Steve Carell – Foxcatcher or Redmayne
Missing: Bradley Cooper – American Sniper
Actor – Comedy:
Will: Michael Keaton – Birdman
Could: Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Should: Fiennes
Missing: Bill Hader – The Skeleton Twins
Actress – Drama:
Will: Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Could: Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Should: Felicity Jones – Theory of Everything or Reese Witherspoon – Wild
Missing: Scarlett Johannson – Under the Skin
Actress – Comedy:
Will: Emily Blunt – Into The Woods
Could: Amy Adams – Big Eyes
Should: Either
Missing: Angelina Jolie – Maleficent
Supporting Actor:
Will: J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
could: Edward Norton – Birdman
should: Simmons
Missing: Matt Damon – Interstellar
Supporting Actress:
Will: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Could: Meryl Streep – Into the Woods
Should: Emma Stone – Birdman
Missing: Stacy Martin – Nymphomaniac
Screenplay:
Will: Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Could: Alejando G. Iñaritu, Nicholas Guacabone, Alexander Dinelaris, & Armando Bo – Birdman
Should: Either
Missing: Damien Chazelle – Whiplash
Song:
Will: Glory – Selma – John Legend & Common
Could: Mercy Is – Noah – Patti Smith & Lenny Kaye
Should: Big Eyes – Big Eyes – Lana Del Ray
Missing: Everything is Awesome – The Lego Movie – Shawn Patterson, Bartholomew, Lisa Harrington, Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, & Mark Mothersbaugh (perf by Tegan & Sara (ft. The Lonely Island))
Score:
Will: Johan Johannson – The Theory of everything
Could: Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game
Should: Antonio Sanchez – Birdman
Missing: Mica Levi – Under the Skin
Animated:
Will: The Lego Movie
Could: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Should: Lego
Missing: The Tale of Princess Kaguya
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Top 14 Movies of 2014

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Birdman
3. Whiplash
4. Wild
5. The Theory of Everything
6. Guardians of the Galaxy
7. Foxcatcher
8. Boyhood
9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
10. Under the Skin
11. Big Eyes
12. Lucy
13. Magic in the Moonlight
14. Coherence

Interstellar Film Review

I’m a great fan of the work of Christopher Nolan, and I was looking forward to the release of Interstellar.

I am excited introduce Mason Speta as a Special Guest editor and to be able to share her insight and review.

Read Interstellar Review.

Movies Currently in Theaters

Here are a few trailers for films that were released in 2014 and are contenders for this years Oscars.

Movies Currently in Theaters.

12 Times The “Best Picture” did not win.

When compared to the Grammys, the Academy’s track record of awarding the best work of the year is dramatically easier to defend. When examining my list of films below, truthfully, each of those that took home the Oscar for Best Picture are strong works deserving recognition.   The question is, looking back, I can;t help feel there were a few times where the BEST FILM did not win.

 

Year           What Won                              Better Choice(s)

1942               “How Green Is My Valley

“Citizen Kane."

Yes, the Orson Welles film, that for 70 years has topped lists as the best film of all time?

 

 

1952               “Greatest Show on Earth”                              “High Noon”

Cecil B. DeMille                                           Fred Zinnemann’s

” The Quiet Man”

John Ford’s

 “Singin’ In the Rain”

 

1968               “Oliver!”                                                 “Romeo and Juliet”       Franco Zeffirelli

Carol Reed

“2001: A Space Odyssey,” Stanley Kubrick

 Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece that has stood the test of time and has established it’s self as a classic that transcends the Sci-Fi genre as is often sited as one of most influential movies ever made. 2001 is a film that directors frequently site as a major influence and inspiration. The idea that Kubrick lost the Oscar to Carol Reed- even Hal 9000 can’t figure that one out. 

 

1976               “Rocky”                                                        “All the President’s Men,”

John G. Avildsen                                   Alan J. Pakula

Based on the story of Woodward and Bernstein, the two uncover Reporters that made the name “Watergate” famous and led to the only resignation of an American President.

 

“Network”

Sidney Lumet

A film filled with the powerful writing of  Paddy Chayefsky.including the famous line “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore”

 

“Taxi Driver”

The first Scorsese film to demonstrate that he would become one of the greatest directors in history.

 

 

1979   `           “Kramer vs. Kramer”                                     “Apocalypse Now”

Robert Benton                                  

A powerful tale set during the Viet Nam War, of a clandestine mission into Cambodia to assassinate an American colonel played by Marlon Brando, who has lost touch with reality.

 

 

1980               “Ordinary People”                                                “Raging Bull”

Martin Scorsese

The black and White film showed boxing with a clarity and power that hit the audiences as hard as the fighters in the ring. This film has held up well over time, and has become a true classic.

 

 

1982                              Gandhi”                                                         “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,”

Richard Attenborough                          Steven Spielberg

When ET phone’s home all America hoped the call would go through. When so many films about Extra Terrestrials are shown as evil and bent on destroying the Earth; it was fun to cheer of the cutest alien to ever appear on screen. 

 

 

1983               “Dances With Wolves”                             “Goodfellas,”

 Kevin Costner                                     Martin Scorsese

Here was the Academy’s chance To fix their recent mistakes and give Scorsese films the recognition the deserved, opportunity missed.

1994               “Forrest Gump”                                             “Pulp Fiction”

Quentin Tarantino

“Pulp Fiction”  gives us a film filled with drug dealers, Assassins, and crooks who live in a world of violence, yet they are surprisingly likeable. 

Shawshank Redemption”

Frank Darabont

Is often listed as the #1 viewers pick on IMBD. ”

 

1997            “Titanic”

                      James Careron                                                          “Good Will Hunting.”  Gus Van Sant

Cameron’s “I’m the king of the world” acceptance speech bothered many as much as the fact that the better written Good Will Hunting film did not take home the Oscar.

 

 

1998               “Shakespeare in Love”                                        “Saving Private Ryan”

Steven Spielberg

Battle scenes have a tendency to hold our attention, but “Ryan” transcended the cliché and demonstrated what can only be called masterful film-making.

 

 

2005               “Crash”                                               “Brokeback Mountain”

 Ang Lee

No one has yet presented a credible explanation how after wining best director and best adapted screenplay, “Brokeback Mountain” lost the award for best picture to  Crash.

Oscar Poll 2013

Time is ticking.

85th Academy Awards, will be airing LIVE on Sunday Feb 24 6pm on ABC.

About the Show

 

Oscar Poll 2013.

“After the Best Picture award has been given, Seth and Kristin will perform a special number, and we think it will be a ‘can’t miss’ moment,” said producers Zadan and Meron.


 

Kristin Chenoweth and Seth Macfarlane Set for Post-Best-Pic-Award Musical Finale at Oscars on ABC