Fearless Oscar Nomination Predictions
Oscar nominations close their voting tomorrow, Jan. 8, and will be announced Jan. 16. It's looking like a particularly tough year for prognostication. "12 Years a Slave" seems to be the frontrunner for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director. It has all the high-toned hallmarks of a traditional Best Pic — a historical setting, serious gravitas, terrific performances and subject matter second only to the Holocaust in Things Everyone Can Get Behind.
But "Slave" hasn't done particularly well at the box office and lacks the feel-good credentials of previous favorites like "The King's Speech." After all, it is tough to watch, especially during the latter sections.
Similarly, I think the older Academy voters will be put off by the raunchy aspects of "The Wolf of Wall Street," diminishing its tally. "Nebraska," "Her," "Inside Llewyn Davis" and "Dallas Buyers Club" will suffer for not breaking through to mainstream audiences — though that may change for some of them, which could enjoy a late-season wider release if they score Oscar nominations.
It was a very strong year for actors and a rather weak year for actresses, leaving the latter categories wide open. When the competition is heady, big names tend to trump unknown ones, though I'm still predicting Oprah's gravitational pull in showbiz won't convince Oscar voters to give the nod to her one-note performance in "Lee Daniels' The Butler."
So here are my feckless predictions for the Oscar nominations tomorrow in the "major" categories. Remember, these are not who I think should get nominated, but who will.
Best Picture
They were will be between five and 10 nominees, and I think they'll go for a full boat. Lots of terrific pictures to choose from this year. "Prisoners," my #2 pick for the year, is likely to come out with a big goose egg.
12 Years a Slave American Hustle Captain Phillips Dallas Buyers Club Gravity Her Inside Llewyn Davis Nebraska Saving Mr. Banks The Wolf of Wall Street
Best Actor
I think Chiwetel Ejiofor has this award locked up and Joaquin Phoenix will get shut out for his past behavior.
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska" Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave" Tom Hanks, "Captain Phillips" Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club" Robert Redford, "All is Lost"
Best Actress
Tough call this year; a lot of people think Cate Blanchett is the front runner, but not a lot of people saw "Blue Jasmine."
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine" Sandra Bullock, "Gravity" Judi Dench, "Philomena" Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County" Emma Thompson, "Saving Mr. Banks"
Best Director
This is actually an easy category to predict because the Academy nearly always follows the DGA nominees, which were announced earlier today. Though I think the Brothers Coen could sneak in here, possibly pushing out Greengrass.
Alfonso Cuarón, "Gravity" Paul Greengrass, "Captain Phillips" Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave" David O. Russell, "American Hustle" Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Best Supporting Actor
Daniel Brühl is actually a leading performance, but this is where he's being pushed because he's not Thor. Jared Leto would seem to be the top dog here, with Fassbender's scenery-chewing liked by many (but not me).
Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips" Daniel Brühl, "Rush" Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave" Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club" Matthew McConaughey, "Mud"
Best Supporting Actress
Wide, wide open, with Lawrence and Nyong'o the only true locks. Julia Roberts will get nominated because she's Julia Roberts, but I think past winner Spencer will squeak past Oprah Winfrey.
Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle" Lupita Nyong’o, "12 Years a Slave" Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County" Octavia Spencer, "Fruitvale Station" June Squibb, "Nebraska"
Best Original Screenplay
The Academy loves to give screenplay statues out as consolation prizes, so I think this category is the best shot "Her" has for winning something. The screenplay for "American Hustle" is just a mess.
David O. Russell and Eric Singer, "American Hustle" Woody Allen, "Blue Jasmine" Melisa Wallick and Craig Borten, "Dallas Buyers Club" Spike Jonze, "Her" Bob Nelson, "Nebraska"
Best Adapted Screenplay
Astonishingly, "Slave" did not get a nomination from the Writers Guild of America*, which would seem to indicate the support for the film is wide but not deep. I think the Oscar voters will not agree.
John Ridley, "12 Years a Slave" Tracy Letts, "August: Osage County" Julie Delpy, Richard Linklater and Ethan Hawke, "Before Midnight" Billy Ray, "Captain Phillips" Terence Winter, "The Wolf of Wall Street"
*I've since learned "Slave" was disqualified, along with a lot of other very good scripts like "Rush," for not being produced under union supervision. Because THAT'S a good reason not to recognize the best work in your profession.