Best Original Screenplay: American HustleBest Adapted Screenplay: Captain Phillips
Best Visual Effects: Gravity
Best Production Design: 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Score: Gravity (I really loved this soundtrack every time I've watched the movie, I remember really liking the "Her" score, as well, but they haven't released it officially for me to listen to it again, so Gravity gets my vote.)
Best Film Editing: Gravity
Best Directing: Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
Best Costume Design: American Hustle
Best Cinematography: Phedon Papamichael (Nebraska)
Best Animated Feature: The Croods
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: June Squibb (Nebraska)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) (this was difficult for me because Jared Leto was awesome in Dallas Buyers Club and will probably win. But the fact that Barkhad had never acted in a movie before and held his own with Tom Hanks pushed it over the top for me. He was great.
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Amy Adams (American Hustle)
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
Best Picture: Gravity
(I have seen every movie nominated for Best Picture except for, Philomena, which I wanted to see, but did not make it to. This is a tough list to pick just one out of all of these great movies. Most years I can easily pick out what I thought was the best movie. I also know that this movie has been somewhat polarizing to a lot of my friends who've see it. Some love it, some didn't like it at all. It certainly does not have as strong of script or performances of some of the other nominees, which is why its screenplay was not nominated. I picked it, because out of all the other movies, THIS one was the one that grabbed me and made me forget I was in a theater. The special effects and directing are mind blowing to me. My heart raced, and i felt like I was a little kid again watching something I'd never seen before. A pure visceral experience that I loved every minute of.
Well that's it, my 2014 Oscar picks. They are not the same as what I think WILL win, in some cases, but that's the fun of watching.
See you at the movies.
