2014 Oscar Nominations

The Oscars ^ | January 16, 2014 | Staff

[C19fan]

BEST PICTURE American Hustle Charles Roven, Richard Suckle, Megan Ellison, and Jonathan Gordon, Producers

[RayChuang88]

Fat chance. Wolf on Wall Street has been seriously denounced for its extreme raunchiness (you either love or hate the movie with a passion), and I see Academy voters selecting a more "safe" film like 12 Years A Slave for the Oscar nods.

[LS]

Well, I think a LOT of people have seen "American Hustle." It's a great picture. I'm stunned that Christian Bale didn't get the actor nomination over Bradley Cooper, who was better in "Silver Linings Playbook." Both female leads in AH were fantastic, and Jennifer Lawrence will go down as THE leading actress of this new generation, sort of a Liz Taylor.

Don't care about 12 Years a Slave, and haven't seen Nebraska, but I am pleased that Bruce Dern, a great actor all his career, got a nomination.

[LS]

Er, check that, Bale WAS nominated, I missed the “Supporting Role/Leading Role.” I think they got this right. “Gravity” was NOT best picture. It was ok. Bullock was great, but not as good as Amy Adams or Jenny Lawrence. Haven’t seen “Captain Phillips” yet but will.

[Drew68]

Oscar nominations are out. Typical year where the Best Pictures nominated nobody outside LA and NY has seen.

I like movies and usually get around to seeing most of the big releases. Like many Americans, I watch them at home on my high-def/surround sound big screen from the comfort of my recliner. I rarely go to the theaters these days. I wait for Redbox or if I'm really impatient, On-Demand.

Hollywood screwed themselves by moving the award ceremony from April to February --before many of the nominated films are available to watch at home. I believe this has cost them viewers. People don't just care about films they haven't yet gotten to see. There's no vested interest. Hollywood really needs to get with the times and shorten the lag time between the theatrical and home release dates of movies.

[Borges]

The acclaim for American Hustle is puzzling to me. It’s a rambling bore. David O. Russell admitted that he didn’t care about the plot mechanics and only wanted to focus on the characters...who were none too interesting. In a film about scams and con men you have to establish some sort of narrative clarity.

[LS]

Well, that's simply not true. "American Hustle" grossed, so far, $100m at a meager cost of $40m (by Hollywood standards). That's before foreign release, DVD, rights. The movie will probably NET $150m by the time it's done. I'd call that "mass appeal."

For sure "Gravity" has done better, grossing $250m with a slightly higher budget of $55m, and will net easily $400m.

But "Captain Phillips" was made for a paltry $25m and has already grossed over $100m, which is a nice profit for any investor---it will likely go $200m net, and if it wins an Oscar, perhaps $300m net.

[sarasota]

I’m not talking about the film but rather Leo’s performance. The first half of the film gives us the bravado; the second half gives us the desperado.

[SomeCallMeTim]

Judy Dense will win that for most Anti-Catholic role.

I haven't seen the movie, but radio host Hugh Hewitt says the film is NOT "anti-Catholic"....in fact, he says the main character is deeply spiritual, and the film is a testimony to her faith.

HH's about as strongly pro-Catholic as anyone I've heard in media. If he says it? On this subject, I believe him.

[Mamzelle]

She's also kind of disgusting in her personal habits, having grabbed a younger married boy toy from another woman and making a big deal about intimidating her into a divorce--Roberts using her money and power. Not that the wife isn't better off for having offloaded a gigolo…

but Pretty Whore behaved rather embarrassingly. Kind of Sleeping With the Enemy.

[SomeCallMeTim]

Jennifer Lawrence will go down as THE leading actress of this new generation, sort of a Liz Taylor

I REALLY like Jennifer.... She went to school with my son, and her grandparents attend my church. But, I was not thrilled her performance in AH. I thought she did as well as she could (and, she HELPED the movie) but... she was mis-cast. I wasn't buying her for that part. Just, TOO YOUNG. Had a hard time getting past that.

Supporting Actress is not the strongest category this year though... so, she might still win!

[SomeCallMeTim]

Typical year where the Best Pictures nominated nobody outside LA and NY has seen

I've seen all the films nominated for Best Picture except Philomena, Her, and Nebraska. I probably will see two of those in the next week or two.

Gravity deserves to win every TECHNICAL award... but, the movie, as a whole, was just so-so.

I liked American Hustle the best, with Captain Phillips a close second. HATED Dallas Buyer Club. UGH!

12 Years a Slave was "ok"... but, wow... it's WAY over done. It's visual porn. I wouldn't recommend it.

Wolf is similar... it's an interesting movie.. but, keeps hitting the SAME THEMES, over and over... ENOUGH already. IMO, it would have be much better with about 20-25 minutes REMOVED.

[LS]

And I thought it had great “narrative clarity,” with everyone scamming everyone. Different strokes. It did have an anticlimactic ending.

[LS]

Well, I guess you have to suspend SOME belief right at the outset that Christian Bale with his comb-over could attract EITHER Amy Adams or Jenny Lawrence. But, I’ve seen stranger pairings.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

Hmmmmm...which movie will win? I give equal odds to the movies about slavery/white oppression; anti-Catholicism; and gays during the initial AIDs epidemic (bonus points for the transvestite).

[Drew68]

For the category of worst Oscars host:

The winner is ........Ellen D.

She'll have to work pretty hard to beat David Letterman in this category.

If anything, Ellen D. is the Academy playing it safe after Seth MacFarlane last year (who I thought was great). She'll probably crack a few non-offensive jokes that elicit quiet chuckles from the audience. I predict she won't be terrible but she won't be memorable either.

[Borges]

Where is the anti-Catholicism?

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

Judy Dench’s movie was riddled with anti-Catholicism.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

I thought they moved the Oscars up to February as to not have to compete with the Olympics. That’s they way I understood it anyway.

I’ve seen none of these movies, just haven’t had the same passion for films as they seem to get less interesting the older I get.

[EveningStar]

ping

[dfwgator]

Might as well give it to “12 Years a Slave” now.