The Oscar Nominations - My Predictions Part: 1

Well, folks, another year in cinema has passed and let me tell you, 2013 was an incredible year for film making. Visual effects, storytelling, and acting have all blended together to create some unforgettable movies, but unfortunately only one movie can win per category. Here are some of my predictions for the first few major categories, to be continued into another part in my blog.

BEST PICTURE:

9 films were nominated this year (the limit is 10). I'm going to narrow them down here for you. First of all, I'd eliminate Captain Phillips, Nebraska, and Philomena from the huge race because out of all 9 films, those haven't been getting a crazy amount of attention. What I see it really coming down to is American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club, and 12 Years a Slave. But my overall prediction is 12 Years a Slave taking the win. It won best drama at the Golden Globes and I think the movie is an incredible and eerily brutal revelation about our past. The performances are incredible and it's so well written. It's possible the other two could swing in and take the title too, but it's really hard to tell when the race is so close.

BEST ACTOR:

We can probably just eliminate Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio from this race, even though both turned in some awesome performances. I just feel like both don't really stand up to the other 3 incredible performances from actors this year (but it definitely is possible that one of these actors will win.) I also don't really see Bruce Dern (Nebraska) winning because the movie never really captured a large audience. I see it coming down to Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club). Honestly either could take it (McConaughey won at the Golden Globes) but I'm going to go on a limb and say Ejiofor will take it.

BEST ACTRESS:

Automatically this race definitely comes down to Amy Adams (American Hustle) and Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine). From this point it's really either one's game. Personally I'd love to see Adams take it because her performance was absolutely mind blowing and gripping. But on the other side of the spectrum, there's plenty of support going towards Blanchett and her role. But overall I'm just going to have to say Adams will win it, and I really hope she does from my personal view.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

This is another one that seems pretty obvious. Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) has so much buzz surrounding him that it seems impossible for him not to win. That being said, anything could happen. Though he'd be whom I suspect would take it, I think Bardhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) could come out of nowhere and snatch it. Though I didn't love Captain Phillips, Abdi's performance was incredible and he's very new on the Hollywood scene. Everybody loves an underdog!

ONTO PART 2....