By the Movie Maven
On the eve of the Oscar noms, who were our favorites from last year? Did you like the more serious films or do you wish the big hits from last summer would be embraced by the Academy?
Here are some favorites from last year I hope get enough votes to become Oscar nominees:
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Film: "12 Years a Slave" is unquestionably the best film among the top contenders. "American Hustle" sagged at the end and "The Wolf of Wall Street" is wildly entertaining, but just as wildly overlong and undisciplined. "Gravity" will contend for its stunning imagery. It might be nice to remember "Star Trek Into Darkness," a popcorn movie that could top "The Dark Knight" and "Skyfall," the classy action hits of their years, and eke its way into a nomination.
Actor: Matthew McConaughey well and truly shed his romcon reputation with "Dallas Buyers Club," a role he nailed to the point were I truly saw only his character, Ron Woodruff, not the star portraying him. I know old Academy members will want to pay their due to Robert Redford of "All is Lost" and Bruce Dern of "Nebraska," but McConaughey just owned his film as did Michael B. Jordan in "Fruitvale Station" and Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Wolf of Wall Street." It's a pleasure to watch DiCaprio, perhaps our best combo of fine actor and true movie star and he surely does things in this film no movie star has been asked to do before. Chiwetel Ejiofor, the title character of "12 Years ..." is a shoo-in for a nod.
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Actress: "Blue Jasmine" had a quietly strong run at the box office, and Cate Blanchett owns the movie, which brings Tennessee Williams to the present day in the form of a hedge funder's wife whose life is in tatters. Sandra Bullock will make the cut for "Gravity," and here's hoping Meryl Streep will squeak in. "August: Osage County" hasn't been well received, but her turn as a monster mom is again a revelation. Can this woman falter? Amy Adams in "American Hustle" brings humanity and slinkiness to her '80s con woman, though it's really a supporting performance.
Wild card: Can't "Fruitvale Station" get some love? I wish the indie tale of a doomed Oakland transit rider had come up more in awards conversations. It's a touching and very taut tale (in a year of insanely bloated films) with two outstanding performances, by Jordan and 2012 supporting actress Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer.
