Final Say of Lupita vs JLaw? Plus Director & Supporting Actor

My sentiments exactly. Grantland's Wesley Morris and Chris Connelly discuss the 2 woman race that's been building all year.

Below is the breakdown of Best Director & Supporting Actor 

Alfonso Cuaron Wins at the DGA: What Does This Mean for Oscar?

Affleck passes the torch to the director of Gravity.

In a not so surprising announcement (unlike last week's tie at the Producers Guild), Alfonso Cuaron was awarded at the Directors Guild Awards last night. It comes as no surprise, because Cuaron has been the frontrunner in this category since Gravity had been seen. Not to mention, he's won the most awards (the only major award he lost was at the NYFCC to Steve McQueen) out of every director in the category.

With the DGA behind him, it's clear to say that he will win the Oscar. But can Gravity win Best Picture?

It very well could. However, while most people will be quick to say that Gravity will win Best Picture and Director (and a shit ton of tech awards), I think that there will be a split between Picture and Director. It doesn't happen very often, but it can happen.

There is an argument that if you're voting for Cuaron, you recognize that Gravity succeeds because it's his masterpiece, and that's true. Without Cuaron, Gravity would not be the amazing experience we all know it is. But to think 12 Years A Slave is only going home with 1 Oscar (Lupita Nyong'o for Supporting Actress) just doesn't seem right to me. It would be the first predominantly black film to win Best Picture, not to mention it's a masterpiece in its own right. I would be happy if Gravity won, but I think this award belongs to 12 Years A Slave; films like this do not come around that often, and should be rewarded.

It'll be interesting to see where BAFTA goes with their Picture choice. Gravity was the film with the most nominations, so if it cleans up, that's how we'll know it's over for 12 YAS.

Full list of winners below.

Where Are We in the Oscar Race?

Gravity, American Hustle and 12 Years A Slave are duking it out for the title of Best Picture of the Year. Who will the DGA pick? 

In the last month, we've heard from numerous critic's groups (including the BFCA), the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and Producers Guild. The Directors Guild will announce their winner on Sunday, and ultimately decide the new frontrunner.

But throughout the announcements and the seemingly endless awards shows, there are 3 films that have consistently come out on top each time. These are the 3 films that are currently duking it out for the win, the big prize.

Each film has its own band of supporters, its own narrative and reason for winning; it's going to be a photo finish.

American Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years A Slave have built and maintained substantial heat in the past few months, but which film has enough gas in the tank to make it to the finish line?

Denver Film Critics Anoint Gravity

Some last minute "winning" traction after a big win with the PGA makes for a good Oscar campaign.


Best Picture: 

• Gravity

Best Director:

• Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

Best Actor:

• Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actress:

• Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Vancover Film Critics Go For 12 Years A Slave & Cuaron

Best Film:

• 12 Years A Slave

Best Director:

• Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity

Best Actor:

• Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Actress:

• Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Happy Holidays! Free Screenplays, Jennifer Lawrence & More

Hi everyone! I'm just taking this time to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday as I'll be indisposed over the next few days. I'm leaving for Florida with my parents tomorrow shortly after dinner. I also just wanted to thank everyone for the level of support I've received over the last few months with this blog; I never imagined having an audience to share my writing with.

I still have a lot of movies to see before I compile my Top 10 list: Dallas Buyers Club, Her, The Wolf of Wall Street, August: Osage County, Saving Mr. Banks, and Short Term 12 are all among the films that have eluded me up until this point. In a year of such great movies, there's a lot more urgency to see everything; even a lot of the mainstream films such as The Hunger Games have been first rate this year; it's been fantastic for filmmakers.

As it stands right now, we still have yet to hear from the PGA (Producers Guild), DGA (Directors Guild) and WGA (Writers Guild). SAG helped narrow the pool of acting contenders, but it's still up in the air as to what films and what directors will make it in. Remember the guilds pretty much represent the voting blocks of the Academy, so what they pick is very important (though it's also important to remember that the Academy has its own distinct voice and sometimes makes bold choices). We'll hear from the Broadcast Film Critics and the Globes in January.

Other cool things:

• Gravity's Best Picture, Director and Actress nominations have been sealed; they will happen, along with many other craft & tech nominations. But one nomination that has never been certain has been the screenplay. For a movie so visually stunning, people often forget that the script is the blueprint, despite how visual heavy it is. "From Script to Scene" (which you can watch by clicking on those very words) is a 5 minute video demonstrating how Cuaron and his team took the screenplay and made it into the actual film. Fox Searchlight did a similar thing a few years ago with Natalie Portman's ballet training for Black Swan when she was being touted as a Best Actress nominee (and she eventually won).
• Speaking of screenplays, every screenplay from 12 Years A Slave to The Bling Ring is available to read and download here (legally!) from the studios. Just think of it as my Christmas gift to you all.
• Vulture spoke with 12 Years A Slave's screenwriter John Ridley on the toughest scene he had to write in the film; The scene with Mistress Shaw, played by Alfre Woodard.
• The New Yorker lists their top films of the year
• 9 Photos of Jennifer Lawrence That Will Make You Reassess The Scope of the 1986 Vienna Convention On The Law Of Treaties Between States And International Organizations

Gravity: Not Just A Film, but an Experience

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in Gravity (Credit. Warner Bros.)

I'm sure by now you've all heard the rave reviews for Alfonso Cuaron's sci-fi epic "Gravity" starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. I'm sure you've all heard words like "amazing", "perfect", "breathtaking", in addition to raves for Sandra Bullock's performance. When movies like this come along, it's often impossible for them to live up to some of the hype. The horror movie "The Conjuring" that opened earlier this summer is an example. While it was disturbing and horrifying, it was not as frightening as marketing made it seem (largely in part to its borrowed tricks from films such as The Exorcist. However, the film was still excellent). Gravity, I'm pleased to announce, is not in the same category as overhyped films such as The Conjuring. It is as good (if not better) as everyone has been raving.

Gravity...... is coming

I'll be going to see Alfonoso Cuaron's critically acclaimed Sci-Fi film Gravity either tonight or tomorrow. A review will follow. Stay tuned!!