Some Thoughts On The Oscar Nominations

Good morning to you all in the States, and good afternoon/evening to anywhere else anyone reads my little blog. As most of you know, the nominations for the 87th Academy Awards dropped on the 15th, and as with every year, there were snubs, triumphs, and reactionary pieces galore. However, before I say my own piece about the nominations, let me give you some news about how the blog's going to work from now till the ceremony on February 22nd.

American Sniper

Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

As of now, I've seen six of the eight nominees for Best Picture (listed above), with only "The Theory of Everything" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" left to go. I figure, since I'm almost there, why not watch the whole lot? I'm going to rank the Best Picture nominees from least favorite to favorite, and give my (realistic) predictions on who will probably win. Of course I'm not an Oscar voter, but it's always fun to play along. In the meantime, outside of the ones I've already done, I'm not going to do separate reviews for each nominee. I've already given "Selma" and "Boyhood" their own reviews, and covered "Birdman" and "Whiplash" in my "Top 10 Favorites of 2014" list, so click the links if you wish to read more of my thoughts on those.

So does this mean that all reviews will be halted until the awards? Not at all; the new college semester takes chunks out of my time, but I'll still be watching new films. I've currently got "Paddington" underway; it should be posted either tonight or tomorrow. Now, with news out of the way, let's talk about some of the nominations. The full list can be found here: http://oscar.go.com/nominees.

There weren't many surprises as far as "Best Picture" goes, but "Whiplash's" nomination came as a pleasant shock. With press buzz dominated by "Birdman", "Boyhood" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel", this film seemed lost in the background. However, this film managed to garner "Best Adapted Screenplay" and "Best Editing" nominations: evidence the Academy didn't let the explosive indie drama sit at the wayside. Writer/director Damien Chazelle crafted a stunning debut film, and I'm glad his film is getting recognition.

As snubs go, I've yet to see "Nightcrawler," so I can't jump on the "give Gyllenhaal Best Actor" bandwagon, but if there's anyone that deserved a Best Actor nomination, it's David Oyelowo for "Selma." His performance was a triumph, wholly mesmerizing. It's impossible to imagine the film succeeding without his input, so if his performance is stronger than the likes of Michael Keaton, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Bradley Cooper, why wouldn't the Academy recognize it with at least a nomination?

"The LEGO Movie" isn't up for "Best Animated Feature"?! For a movie showcasing breathtaking levels of imagination, creativity, work, and heart, how can a box office and critical juggernaut not be included in the running? The nominees are strong: "Big Hero 6" and "How To Train Your Dragon 2" are great films, but when looking back at the year, there were few movies, if any, that made such a cross-generational impact as "The LEGO Movie." This was a category that was almost certainly in the bag, and to not give this film due credit is a disservice.

Those are my two cents on the nominations; for the most part, I'm fine with the list, and excited to see who will win next month. I'll finish off the Best Picture nominees and start work on that list, due to come a couple days before the ceremony. In the meantime, expect more reviews and feel free to share suggestions for what I should watch next. Thank you all for reading; I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.