A Year In Advance Oscar Predictions 2014: Best Actor

It's been a couple days since this past Sunday's Oscar ceremony (Congratulations Cate, Matthew, Lupita, and Jared! I would congratulate myself for predicting your wins, but literally everyone else was also predicting them) and with all the talk of Ellen's twitter-breaking selfie, the emergence of the wickedly talented new star Adele Dazeem, and Kim Novak's face, it seems that everyone was forgetting one very important thing:  who would be next year's acting nominees! But, Leto still hasn't loosened his hold on his statue since Sunday, I can hear you say. It's still warm in his hand! Do try to keep up–Oscar predictions wait for no one! All this week I'll be posting my annual Year in Advance predictions for this year's upcoming acting nominations. So, let's take a look at the fellas that will be vying to take home Best Actor a year from now!

Best Actor

Chadwick Boseman Get On Up

Steve Carrell Foxcatcher

Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game

Jack O'Connell Unbroken

Joaquin Phoenix Inherent Vice

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Chadwick Boseman Get On Up

The Role: After taking on the legendary Jackie Robinson in last year's 42, Boseman tackles another icon, The Godfather of Soul, James Brown. The film is the first follow-up, after the Oscar-winning The Help, for director Tate Taylor, who has been quoted as saying that he keeps forgetting to yell cut on set because Boseman is so mesmerizing in the role. 

Why He'll Be Nominated: Oscar often rewards actors for mimicking other famous personalities (it worked for Jamie Foxx in Ray and Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line) and James Brown is certainly a larger than life personality. Boseman, who has no experience signing and dancing previously, provides his own singing in the film and worked hard to learn Brown's fancy footwork (just as long as he got the cape exit down), which is sure to gain him points for difficulty. After the relative success of 42 (might it have had more Oscar buzz if it hadn't been released in April?) and a place upon the cover of this year's Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue alongside such Hollywood heavyweights as Julia Roberts and George Clooney (okay, so he was on the 3rd panel of the cover, but still very impressive), it seems that Boseman is becoming an actor to watch. A role as flashy as James Brown will be hard to ignore, especially if the film hits big.

Steve Carrell Foxcatcher

The Role: Carrell is a long way from Michael Scott in The Office as he plays the real-life John du Pont, a wealthy sports enthusiast that set up a wrestling training facility on his Philadelphia estate named Foxcatcher Farms. du Pont was found guilty of murder when he shot and killed one of the wrestlers that trained at his home (played by Mark Ruffalo). 

Why He'll Be Nominated: If you feel like you're experiencing dèjá vu, it's because I already predicted Carrell would be nominated for this film...last year...in Supporting. After a debut at the AFI Festival back in November that never happened, the film's release was pushed back to this year. Normally that would be a sign that all is not right with the film (ahem, Monuments Men anyone), but my confidence in it has not diminished. Mainly because the track record of director Bennett Miller in regards to Oscar has already been proven with his two previous reality-based films, Capote and Moneyball. After seeing the trailer (which they quickly pulled down), there's no question that Carrell is definitely the lead of the film and that he looks to be doing some pretty intense, dramatic work that could pay off with his first nomination. Oscar loves to honor actors that succeed in challenging themselves (see this year's win for McConaughey) and Carrell, who made a name for himself in comedy, could be looking at a career-changing performance.

Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game

The Role: Cumberbatch stars as the famed British mathematician, cryptographer, and computer scientist Alan Turing. He was influential in England's cracking of the Enigma codes that the Nazis used to send information during WWII. But the man that was once a hero was soon condemned by his own country when he was prosecuted for homosexuality in 1952. He dead 2 years later, days before he was to turn 42, from cyanide poisoning. 

Why He'll Be Nominated: So, last year's Oscar plans with The Fifth Estate didn't work out quite as planned, did they? But Cumberbitches, rejoice! Everyone's favorite otter-resembling, tongue-twistingly named thespian (someone please have Travolta introduce him) may be headed for his first nomination. For real, this time. The film already has the hefty support of Oscar-hungry mogul Harvey Weinstein who paid a record-breaking $7 Million for the US distribution of the film, sight unseen. If Harvey thinks it has awards potential just from looking at a promo reel, the actual film must be pretty damn good. The script was already awarded the top spot on the annual Black List back in 2010 (although that blessing certainly didn't help the Oscar outcome of this past year's Black List approved Saving Mr. Banks), so the pedigree and prestige are certainly already there. Cumberbatch, already beloved on the internet and capable of great work, seems like a perfect fit to bring Turing's complex and tragic story to the screen.

Jack O'Connell Unbroken

The Role: Unbroken is the true story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini (O'Connell). He survived a plane crash in the Pacific, spent 47 days stranded at sea, and endured 2 and half years in a Japanese POW camp during WWII. Cue the inspirational music.

Why He'll Be Nominated: The film has some pretty impressive credentials: directed by Oscar winner Angelina Jolie, the screenplay is written by the Coen Brothers and based on the novel by Laura Hillenbrand, whose novel about Seabiscuit went on to inspire the Oscar-nominated film. With a Christmas release date and advertising for the film already starting 10 months early in a prime spot during the Winter Olympics (which thrives on inspiring human-interest stories), it seems that it's already being groomed for the next Oscar ceremony. Young British actor Jack O'Connell may not exactly be a household name (he starred as James Cook in a couple season's of the UK Skins), but he's poised to potentially hit big with his lead role in the film. Oscar tends to reward its actors when they're a little older and more seasoned, but I'm guessing that the film, and O'Connell's work in it, won't be overlooked by the Academy. 

Joaquin Phoenix Inherent Vice

The Role: Re-teaming with his director from The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson, Phoenix takes on the role of Larry "Doc" Sportello, a pot-smoking private investigator in 1969 LA that investigates the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.

Why He'll Be Nominated: Phoenix garnered his third Oscar nomination the last time the two worked together. After this past year's strong work in the Oscar-winning Her, it seems he's really taking his place as one of our most exciting and talented actors working today. His work in those two films alone shows the versatility and range that he's capable of. This film is based on the novel of the same name by celebrated novelist Thomas Pynchon (who has never had any film adaptations of his work until now), with Anderson himself adapting the screenplay as well. Even if the film seems to be a little more light-hearted than most of Anderson's previous work (anyone else think that Phoenix is going to kill as a pothead? He already did all the research he needed with I'm Still Here), it seems safe to say that the director and his star's collaboration should be sure to grab some attention from Oscar. 

Other Possibilities: Christian Bale Exodus, Ralph Fiennes The Grand Budapest Hotel, Gael García Bernal Rosewater, Michael Keaton Birdman, Brad Pitt Fury, Timothy Spall Mr. Turner

My Oscar Wish List 2013

I'm not sure if I'll even be able to sleep tonight in anticipation of the real Christmas: Oscar nomination morning! Thankfully they cater to the East Coast with Thor himself, Chris Hemsworth, announcing the nominees at 8:30 AM tomorrow. (Jeez, I'd hate to have to get up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 on the West Coast.) At least this year we'll be able to gaze upon the face of a Norse god (or Marvel Superhero–same diff) instead of having to endure Seth MacFarlane and (the usually lovely) Emma Stone exchange mildly funny quips (it's too early for comedy, people!). This year's theme for the Oscar was just announced the other day: A Celebration of Movie Heroes. Which would explain the presence of Mr. Hemsworth. (But, why exactly is there an Oscar Ceremony theme anyway? What is this a Junior High Homecoming dance?) Silly themes and muscley blonde men aside, I'm most excited to see what surprise nominees will be announced along sure-things Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, and Jennifer Lawrence. With so many great performances vying for a nomination each year, there's always going be people left behind. In honor of those "forgotten" actors, I've selected someone in each category that I would most like to become surprise nominees. Their chances at a nomination aren't the best, but their work deserves to be celebrated.

Best Actor:

Joaquin Phoenix Her

Amid the awards chatter for Best Actor–Will Robert Redford make that fifth spot? Is Leo due for a nomination for his splashy turn in The Wolf of Wall Street? Did you see how much weight McConaughey lost?–people seem to be overlooking one of the best performances from an actor this year. And perhaps it's because his work is usually so intense and begs to be noticed that people seem to be ignoring the quietly moving and heart-achingly sweet turn by Joaquin Phoenix in Spike Jonze's Her. When we first meet Theodore Twombly (Phoenix), a man in near-future Los Angles who makes a living writing "Beautiful Handwritten Letters" for people, he is a man lost and alone (play a melancholy song, he instructs his mobile device) due to his separation from his wife (played by Rooney Mara). Walking home from the office, where everyone is too absorbed in their own personal electronic devices to notice much of anything, he seems to be silently screaming for affection. This man, who is capable of being so intimate with total strangers for his job (finding out lovers' favorite body parts to incorporate into letters), is incapable of intimacy in his real life. It isn't until he meets his new Operating System (Samantha, she quickly names herself) gifted with artificial intelligence, that something is unlocked in Theodore. Samantha delves into him. She senses when something isn't right with him. She asks questions that provoke his mind and heart. With Samantha, he begins to love again–not only her, but the person he is when he's with her. Phoenix, who seems to have cornered the market on oddballs and weirdos (on screen as well as off), brings just enough of his off kilter personality to fit perfectly into this world where a man can convincingly have a relationship with his computer. But the surprising thing about his work in the film is how intimate, likable, and believable he's able to make the relationship feel. (It helps greatly that Samantha is given the warm, breathy voice of Scarlett Johansson.) After last year's frenzied Oscar-nominated performance in The Master, in which Phoenix commanded the screen like a feral animal, the sight of him laughing on a beach and giddily spinning in circles at a fair seems downright revelatory. But beneath the light-heartedness is that tempest of emotions and intelligence we've come to expect from Phoenix. His work as Theodore is just as layered, complicated, and complex as his work in previous films, but, unlike those performances, aren't nearly as joyful to watch unfold.

Best Actress

Greta Gerwig Frances Ha

If everything goes according to everyone's predictions, tomorrow morning we could have a Best Actress category made up entirely of previous winners (if Meryl makes it in) or entirely of previous nominees (if Amy Adams' mesmerizing décolletage gets the fifth spot instead). It just doesn't seem like a new actress will be able to add "Best Actress Oscar nominee" to her résumé this year. And if anyone deserved to do it, it should be Greta Gerwig, an actress who not only created one of the most interesting and lived-in characters of the year in one of the year's best films, but was also responsible for her creation as co-writer of Frances Ha. Along with director and fellow writer (and real-life lovah), Noah Baumbach, Gerwig presents a portrait of girl during that awkward phase (called your twenties), when society tells you that you should be a responsible, functioning adult, but you haven't quite found your footing yet. Gerwig plays Frances, a modern dancer (okay, so, maybe not in a company or anything, but she is an apprentice) in New York City living with her best friend, Sophie (Sting and Trudie Styler's daughter, Mickey Sumner). But the film isn't so much concerned with plot, as much as it's a character study of Frances as she stumbles her way through the journey of life. Appearing in every scene, the film showcases Gerwig's quirky charm and naturalistic acting. Despite her ditziness and clumsiness (Gerwig somehow manages to even make a scene about finding an ATM hilarious), her Frances never veers off into manic pixie dream girl land. That character type, a male fantasy created as the ideal woman (she's sexy and kooky!), could hardly describe Frances as she's too real and far from anyone's ideal (she's actually "undateable" as one character teasingly calls her). For Frances, romantic love and finding a man don't even really factor in nor does it define who she is as a person. She's an accidental feminist–forging her way for herself. And despite the curveballs and bumps along the way to her self-fulfillment, she remains ever optimistic and hopeful (some might say delusional, but they're just cynics). Awards aren't usually given to performances so effortless, tending to reward technique and histrionics, but Gerwig's performance works so well because despite the heavy lifting of carrying an entire film on her shoulders, she never lets us see her sweat.

Best Supporting Actor

Ryan Gosling The Place Beyond the Pines

Best Supporting Actor always seems to be the hardest category to predict (and also the most all-over-the-place). It seems the only locks are Jared Leto (still can't believe Jordan Catalano is gonna be an Oscar nominee) and Michael Fassbender (it's about time, Academy). So, it surprises me that more outside-of-the-box choices haven't been able to make their way into the running for the three other spots. I know a lot of people take issue with the films over-ambitious three-part story (I agree that each act is less engaging than the previous, but I really appreciated what was created with the story taken as a whole) and it was never really going to factor in at awards time with it's March release date, but the film is still one of my favorites of the year and Ryan Gosling's performance has still stayed with me almost a year later. Having previously worked together on his first film, Blue Valentine, director Derek Cianfrance and star Ryan Gosling create another emotional drama with a showcase of Gosling's charisma and depth. Covered in tattoos (including one on his face. Gosling apparently regretting having done it and asked if they could reshoot without it, but production was too far to go back. Cianfrance told Gosling the film was about living with the choices you've made - good or bad - and Gosling was just going to have to live with this one as well), his hair a bleach blonde, and playing a motorcycle stuntman named Handsome Luke, Gosling is the epitome of cool–recalling James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. And like Dean before him, Gosling is able to mix that hard edge with a tender understanding. Gosling, able to convey much with just a stoic gaze and silence, plays a similar character to his role in Drive, but the reason this performance works better is because there's a humanity behind the stillness. After finding out that he has fathered a son with a girl he left a year ago (Eva Mendes), Luke decides to straighten-up and do right by his son. But the straight and narrow path doesn't suit Luke who starts robbing banks to support his estranged family. After one robbery too many, Luke meets his end and the story is handed off to the cop that got him (Bradley Cooper) and then ultimately to the son Luke left behind, 18 years later. The audience never really gets over the shock of losing the main character so early on and it's a testament to Gosling's performance that the lose weighs so heavily over the rest of the film.

Best Supporting Actress

Scarlett Johansson Don Jon

After already missing out on Oscar nominations in her breakthrough year in 2003 (for Lost in Translation and Girl With a Pearl Earring), it's disappointing to think that 10 years later, with another pair of strong performances (for her voice work in Her and her work in this film), that ScarJo will miss out again on a nomination. (It's also a little hard to believe that a non-actor like Oprah could be on her way to a second Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.) And while much is being said about her vocal work as Samantha in Her, including a history-in-the-making campaign to be the first to score an acting nomination for a voice-over performance, her real achievement of the year was as Barbara Sugarman–which excellently combined both her voice and body–in Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut. As Gordon-Levitt's object of desire, not much is really asked of Johansson in the film except to look pretty–which she never has been more so, in a trashy/chic, Real Housewives of New Jersey sort of way. Embracing her curves in a series of tight-fitting costumes, she uses her body to tantalize the film's titular character and then ultimately uses it to wield power over him by denying him sex until he enrolls in night classes. Johansson elevates the material by throwing herself completely into the character. With her long nails, hair-extensions, and perfect Jersey accent (all used to fine effect on her first date with Jon, "You're cute. I like you") she fully embodies a character we've come to know through reality shows, but the performance never feels like a parody and comes across as a fully developed character. She's even makes the scene where she goes off on Jon for talking about housecleaning because it's not "sexy" seem credible. For Barbara, there are very specific gender assigned roles and to deviate from them is unacceptable. She also seems to be looking for an unrealistic relationship that could never meet her expectations. A view formed by her love of romantic comedies. Her inflexibility, especially in regards to Jon's porn addiction, ultimately leads to their break-up. The script asks us to look at Barbara as the villain of the film, but with the scene-stealing way Johansson plays her–it's impossible not to be enamored.  

My Oscar Ballot 2013

For some strange reason, I have yet to be asked to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. I can't think of why. Perhaps my invitation got lost in the mail. But how else will they be able to factor in my choices for the best of the year? Luckily, over at The Film Experience, we've submitted our own Oscar ballots. Check back on Tuesday at The Film Experience, after the votes have been counted, to see who our collective winners are. In the meantime, below is the ballot I submitted for consideration. And I have to say that it was a lot harder to compile than I thought. I kinda felt like I was just picking the same movies over and over again in a different order. But, I looked over a list of all the films released over the year, and these were definitely the ones that I thought were the best of the year.

* * *

Best Picture

1. Her

2. 12 Years a Slave

3. Frances Ha

4. Gravity

5. Frozen

6. The Wolf of Wall Street

7. The Place Beyond the Pines

8. Stories We Tell

9. Inside Llewyn Davis

10. Before Midnight

Best Director

1. Steve McQueen 12 Years a Slave

2. Spike Jonze Her

3. Alfonso Cuarón Gravity

4. Sarah Polley Stories We Tell

5. Martin Scorsese The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Screenplay

1. Spike Jonze Her

2. Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig France Ha

3. John Ridley 12 Years a Slave

4. Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke & Richard Linklater Before Midnight

5. Terence Winter The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Actor

1. Joaquin Phoenix Her

2. Oscar Isaac Inside Llewyn Davis

3. Chiwetel Ejiofor 12 Years a Slave

4. Leonardo DiCaprio The Wolf of Wall Street

5. Michael B. Jordan Fruitvale Station

Best Actress

1. Cate Blanchett Blue Jasmine

2. Greta Gerwig Frances Ha

3. Brie Larson Short Term 12

4. Emma Thompson Saving Mr. Banks

5. Julie Delpy Before Midnight

Best Supporting Actor

1. Michael Fassbender 12 Years a Slave

2. Ryan Gosling The Place Beyond the Pines

3. Keith Stanfield Short Term 12

4. Matthew Goode Stoker

5. Colin Farrell Saving Mr. Banks

Best Supporting Actress

1. Lupita Nyong'o 12 Years a Slave

2. Scarlett Johansson Don Jon

3. Sarah Paulson 12 Years a Slave

4. Elizabeth Debicki The Great Gatsby

5. Léa Seydoux Blue Is the Warmest Color

My 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2014

Here we are already looking ahead to the films of 2014 and I feel like I haven't even caught up with 2013 yet! (I know everyone complains every year about how all the good films come out at the end of the year, but, seriously...I went to the theatre two separate times on Saturday just to catch up!) And I'll get to my Best of the Year soon. Don't you worry.

You may have noticed that I haven't been as prolific on this site as I should be. But, I haven't been gone completely. Head on over to The Film Experience to read some articles I've done since that last lonely post at the beginning of September. (It's like the Fall films didn't even happen...) The start of the New Year is full of resolutions. So who am I to buck tradition? Let me just say that one of my resolutions is to post at least one thing a week on my blog. But, I need you all to keep me going. Your comments and page views keep me going! I'm like the Sanderson sister's sucking the life out of childern to survive (Um, that doesn't sound right.) Uh, is anyone actually out there anymore anyway...

Without further ado, my first post in 2014. Here are the 10 Films I am most looking forward to in 2014.

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Honorable Mention: There are actually a lot of films that were supposed to come out in 2013 or were only at film festivals last year that I'm anticipating. But, the one's that got pushed back (Grace of Monaco and Foxcatcher) both seem to have problems surrounding them. Never a good sign. And the Festival Films (Under the Skin and The Immigrant) seem (in the words of the great Hilary Duff) so yesterday -  without even having been released. Oh, well. I do want to see them all still. I'll try not to pass judgement until I've actually seen them.

10. Gone Girl

Realease Date: October 3

Director: David Fincher

Stars: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry (and he he's not even in a dress!)

Plot: The "perfect" wife, Amy Dunne (Pike), mysteriously disappears on the day of her wedding anniversary to husband, Nick (Affleck). As clues and secrets start to unfold, Nick becomes the prime suspect. But, could the answer really be so obvious? Not in this story...

Why this film?: The film is based on the best-selling novel by Gillian Flynn. It seemed everyone on the subway was reading this the summer of 2012. I, myself, was included in that legion of readers and...didn't really care for it. When the twist comes (there's always a twist), the book loses momentum and we're left with a lot more story to go. But, the reason I've included the film on my list is for two reasons. First When the casting process was happening, the usual roster of names came out: Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson. So, I'm really happy that they went with an actress that's not a household name but very talented and getting the opportunity to star in a film that could bring her more notoriety. But, more importantly, I've included it because of David Fincher. The Oscar nominated director doesn't always make films that I necessarily enjoy, but not one to shy away from dark material (that's certainly an understatement if you've ever seen Se7en or Fight Club...), he always creates something worth watching. (Please just take a moment to watch the amazing Open Title sequence in his Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.)

9. Magic in the Moonlight

Release Date: Summer 2014 (Everything on the interwebs keeps telling me the Japanese release date. July 26th, if you're interested. Hopefully we see it before Japan!)

Director: Woody Allen

Stars: Emma Stone, Colin Firth, Marcia Gay Harden, Hamish Linklater, Jacki Weaver

Plot: You never know with Woody. But we do know it was filmed in the South of France and from the released still that some part of it is set in the 1920's.

Why this film?: With Midnight in Paris and Blue Jasmine, it seems that Woody is on a role recently! (Eh, let's just pretend that the unfortunate To Rome With Rome in between the two never happened, deal?) So, I am already onboard for what the Wood-man has in store for us this year. Add a great cast that includes a couple Oscar winners, a recent two-time Supporting Actress nominee, and the internet's favorite girl crush (outside of Jennifer Lawrence, of course), throw in some snazzy Jazz Age ensembles (let's not forget how good that last trip to the 20's was - Don't speak!) and a swoon-worthy European locale, and you have yourself a recipe for another Woody Allen classic. 

8. Birdman

Release Date: TBD, but probably in the fall

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Stars: Michael Keaton, Naomi Watts, Emma Stone (again! She may be the most ubiquitous star of 2014, also appearing in this year's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Cameron Crowe's next film), Edward Norton, Amy Ryan, Zach Galifianakis

Plot: An once-famous actor known for portraying a superhero (Keaton - don't forget he was Batman!) tries to bring a play to Broadway, but must confront his ego and the star he used to be. He is also forced to deal with his family relationships as well.

Why this film?: When you think comedy, doesn't the director of such side-slitters as 21 Grams and Babel rank up there with other comedic greats? No? Well, that's the main reason why I'm so intrigued by this whole crazy thing. I absolutely loved his first film, Amores Perros, but each film that followed seemed more and more dour and I found myself liking each subsequent film less and less than the previous one. Until we got to his last film, Biutiful, a film so intent on showing you how horrible everything in life is, that I started wondering why I liked him as a director in the first place. A comedy seems like the kind of artistic reset needed. And anything that employs a cast like that (Michael Keaton, where have you been all this millennium?) is differently bound to be intriguing no matter if it succeeds or not.

7. The Boxtrolls

Release Date: September 26

Director: Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi

Stars: Stop-motion boxtrolls! And also the voices of Ben Kingsley, Elle Fanning, Toni Colette, and Simon Pegg

Plot: A boy that was raised by underground, box dwellers tries to save them from an exterminator intent on killing them all. (Okay, so maybe the plot doesn't sound all that special.)

Why this film?: Just watch that trailer which embraces and celebrates the process of stop-motion animation and tell me you're not enchanted by it. (You are made of stone if you think otherwise, sir.) This is the third film from Laika who previously made two other films that I really enjoyed, Coraline and ParaNorman (both stop-motion, of course). At a time when it seems every animated movie has to be computer animated (oh, how I miss you hand-drawn animation), I'm so glad that films are still being made that aren't afraid to be unique. There is something really admirable about the fact that everything in the film is created and touched by human hands - made of tangible things and not made up of zeros and ones. 

6. Noah

Release Date: March 28

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Stars: Russell Crowe (let's just hope he doesn't sing in this one), Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, Ray Winstone

Plot: A romantic comedy about...just kidding. What do you think it's about? A biopic about Noah Wylie?

Why this film?: Growing up Catholic, I'm not all that keen on having all the Bible stories presented on film. I've heard enough of them to last me a lifetime of Sundays. But, what really interests me is that Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan) is directing this and, judging from the trailer, there doesn't seem to be much in the way of God-talk. (There are, however, silly looking CGI animals and I'm not talking about Russell Crowe.) Rumors that the director is fighting with the studio after test-screenings with religious-types didn't go so well also sounds promising. I'm not saying it should be blasphemous, but taken as a story (not a religious parable), and treated as such, it has the potential to be good. And with Ridley Scott's Moses film Exodus coming out this year as well, it seems 2014 is the year of the Bible stories. But, I'm giving the edge to this film if only because you can't make a movie about Moses without Anne Baxter.

5. Interstellar

Release Date: November 7

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Caine

Plot: It's Nolan, so you know it's gonna be complex. After a wormhole is discovered, a group of scientists and explorers use it to go beyond the constraints of human conditions, including time travel and alternate universes. 

Why this film?: There are people that worship at the alter of Christopher Nolan (although, I feel that last Batman needed to take the advice of Heath Ledger's Joker and stop taking itself so seriously). I just admire him for making blockbuster films that aren't dumbed down. He's making films that make people think, while still making them entertaining (and making huge amounts of money). He also seems to cast actors that I like as well (Annie! Chasty! 2013 wasn't the same without you two). And being one of the only directors that shoots with the IMAX camera makes this film even more of a have-to-see-it-on-the-big-screen spectacle. 

4. Maleficent

Release Date: May 30

Director: Robert Stromberg

Stars: Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning, Sharlto Copley, Miranda Richardson, Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville

Plot: Based on Disney's animated film Sleeping Beauty, the film focuses on the villain of that story, the evil Maleficent who curses Princess Aurora. The film gives a back-story to the horned-one and tells the story from her prospective

Why this film?: Sleeping Beauty is my favorite classic Disney film and Maleficent is a big reason why. I was really disappointed in the last two big Disney live-action films (Alice in Wonderland and Oz the Great and Powerful), so I also list this film with a lot of trepidation mixed with the anticipation. Angie looks great in the teaser trailer and the stills released so far. And she's said that Maleficent was always her favorite Disney character growing up (no surprise there). But then seeing that stupid CGI fairy (that better not be what the fairies actually look like. They need pointy hats and wands!) and the kinda generic look of the whole thing (especially when the animated film is so stylized and intricate) makes me have doubts. But, if it works, it looks like it could be a real treat and my hope is that Angie nails the role so much so that people are talking Oscar nomination (no pressure, Angie).

3. The Grand Budapest Hotel

Release Date: March 7

Director: Wes Anderson

Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Tilda Swinton, Saoirse Ronan, Bill Murray, Adrian Brody, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Edward Norton

Plot: In 1920's Europe, the concierge of the famed Grand Budapest Hotel, Gustave H (Fiennes), inherits a painting from a wealthy, elderly guest (Swinton, in a part originally intended for Angela Lansbury) that dies. He and his lobby boy (Revolri) must hide the painting from the woman's son (Brody) and the authorities. I think it's safe to say that hilarity ensues. 

Why this film?: Because the world needs more of Wes Anderson's twee creations. That sounds sarcastic, but I'm serious! I just want to live in his movies - they're so perfect in their hipster aesthetic and sensibility. I've seen the trailer for this film so many times over the last month preceding films in the movie theatre and I have to admit that I'm still not sick of it. Not only that, it still makes me laugh. I've thoroughly enjoyed most of Anderson's past films, but his last one (Moonrise Kingdom) was easily one of my favorite films of 2012. So, I'm particularly intrigued to see his latest. If for no other reason than Ralph Fiennes looks hilarious in it, which is not generally a side of him we see.

2. Inherent Vice

Release Date: TBD, most likely the Fall

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Jena Malone, Benicio del Toro

Plot: Based on the book by Thomas Pynchon, the story takes place in 1970's Los Angeles and concerns a weed-smoking detective by the name of "Doc" Sportello (Phoenix) that investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend.

Why this film?: Like González Iñárritu and Birdman, it seems director Paul Thomas Anderson is following up his two past films (the complex and dramatic There Will Be Blood and The Master), with something a little more light-hearted! I love that these great auteurs are diversifying their style. The film also reunites the (Oscar nominated) star of The Master with its director. And after this past year's Her, it's looking like Joaquin Phoenix is also looking to let loose a little. This is the first time that Anderson is adapting the screenplay from a novel and not using an idea of his own. And what an author to choose. Pynchon is greatly admired and notoriously reclusive (he refuses to do interviews, although he has appeared on "The Simpsons" as himself...with a paper bag over his head) and this is the first of his novels to ever be turned into a film. 

1. Into the Woods

Release Date: December 25

Director: Rob Marshall

Stars: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Johnny Depp, Christine Baranski, Tracey Ullmann

Plot: Adapted from Stephen Sondheim's musical, the story concerns a Baker and his Wife (Corden and Blunt) who are cursed by a witch (Streep) to remain childless. The two enter the woods to break the spell and encounter characters from classic fairy tales (Jack as in "Jack and the Beanstalk" fame, Cinderella played by Kendrick, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood) on their journey.

Why this film?: Most of the films on this list are chosen for the most part because of the director, but this film is my number one for everything else except Marshall. Look, I loved Chicago as much as everyone else, but he really hasn't been able to capture that magic again (ugh, let's not even talk about Nine, aka Chicago 2: The Fantasies Take Italy). But, I love this musical so much that I'm really rooting for it to succeed. This time, with the fairy tale subject matter, Marshall is free to let the fantasy take center stage and not just be confined to dream sequences. I really want him to go all out and make this a spectacle, but also remember that family and legacy are at the heart of the story. I'm curious about the casting across the board. There's Broadway stars mixed in with movie stars, but hopefully all of them are actually able to sing the part (ahem, Russell Crowe. Damn, that's twice in one post. Got you, Crowe!) because Sondheim ain't easy. But the biggest question mark has to be Emily Blunt in the part that Joanna Gleason won the Tony for. I've never heard Blunt sing, so don't know what she's capable of. I've also heard the almost 3 hour stage show has been cut to 2 hours, but they somehow still found room for a new song...I guess we'll all find out on Christmas Day. Hopefully it'll be a gift we treasure and not a lump of coal...

A Year In Advance Oscar Predictions 2013: Best Supporting Actor

The supporting categories are always the hardest to predict so far ahead. Last year I correctly predicted Supporting Actor noms for Argo and Django Unchained (Yay!)...but Bryan Cranston and Leonardo DiCaprio, respectively (Ah, man). It's always hard to know which roles will stand out in an ensemble, especially when I know so little about the different roles. The other big thing is–what lead roles are gonna be campaigned for supporting? There's only 20 spots a year for acting and literally hundreds of actors vying for them. Sometimes it's better to bump down to Supporting to guarantee that nom.

Best Supporting Actor

Javier Bardem The Counselor

Josh Brolin Labor Day

Steve Carrell Foxcatcher

Benedict Cumberbatch The Fifth Estate

Joaquin Phoenix Lowlife

Villain + Crazy Hair=Oscar

Javier Bardem The Counselor

The Role: Pulitzer Prize winner Cormac McCarthy's first original screenplay is being directed by three-time Best Director Oscar nominee, Ridley Scott. The story is set along the US/Mexico border (and for anyone familiar with McCarthy's work, that shouldn't come as a surprise) and follows a Counselor (the attorney is played by Michael Fassbender) who wants in on a big payday, so he teams up with Reiner (Bardem), a wealthy business acquaintance in Mexico, to unload $20 million worth of cocaine. The part of Reiner is considered the showiest of the male roles and was apparently pursued by both Jeremy Renner and Brad Pitt as well (Pitt is now a different supporting part in the film). The script was leaked online, so if you do some digging you can probably find it. I personally haven't read it, but according to those who have, Reiner has pet cheetahs. So, yeah.

Why Him: The three-time Oscar nominee (and Best Supporting Actor winner for No Country for Old Men–based on Cormac McCarthy's book) certainly knows his way around a villain. His performance in last year's Bond film Skyfall generated Oscar talk and even brought a SAG nomination. Which, let's face it, was the only time anyone's seriously considered a Bond performance for an Oscar. Bardem is also one of my favorite actors, so I tend to mark him down for nominations. I predicted him two years in a row for a Best Actor nom for Biutiful. Usually if a film isn't released the year it's supposed to, I just give up (like with Garrett Hedlund in On the Road), but something about the power of Bardem made me trust that he'd get a nom. Which he did, but that's mostly due to Julia Roberts. Hopefully his performance will stand on it's own and he'll be rewarded with another nomination. Uh, did I mention the cheetahs?!?

Josh Brolin Labor Day

The Role: The former Best Supporting Actor nominee (Milk), joins Kate Winslet in Jason Reitman's film adaptation of Joyce Maynard's Labor Day. Brolin plays a mysterious stranger named Frank, who turns out to be an escaped convict, that enters into the life of Winslet's character. He has a profound affect on her and and her son's lives. 

Why Him: Like Winslet, Brolin hasn't been nominated since 2008. But he has the potential to have a very good 2013. In addition to Labor Day (which is really the only film that seems like it would bring a nomination), he also stars in Spike Lee's version of the Korean film Oldboy and is the lead in the sequel to the popular Sin City. Being successful at the box office certainly helps with your Oscar chances (I have a feeling that The Hunger Games had a lot to do with J. Law's win this year). And working with Reitman and Winslet, who are no strangers to Oscar, is definitely a good sign.

Steve Carrell Foxcatcher

The Role: Comedian Steve Carrell takes on the dramatic role of John du Pont. Based on a true story, du Pont was a millionaire and sports enthusiast who set up a wrestling facility on his estate, Foxcatcher Farm. The film concerns the murder of Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) whom du Pont shot in his driveway. It was later determined that he was a paranoid schizophrenic. Bennett Miller (Oscar nominee for Capote) directs. 

Why Him: This is the first of 2 nominees I have predicted that could go either way in Supporting or Lead. There's no doubt that it sounds like a juicy role–the kind that leads to an Oscar nomination. But, I've put him in Supporting because, from what I've heard, the film is based on the memoir by Dave Schultz's brother Mark (Channing Tatum) and the story is told from his point of view. So, in terms of story, Tatum would be Lead. But, like I said, we'll have to wait and see. 

Carrell, who was Emmy nominated 6 times (and never won!) for his role on television's The Office, has already broken out of his small-screen roots with the hit comedies 40-Year-Old Virgin, Anchorman, and others. But, this role would be a big departure for him. True, he's done well in roles that aren't necessarily comedic like the gay, suicidal uncle in Oscar nominated Little Miss Sunshine and got great reviews for Dan in Real Life in which he fall's in love with his brother's girlfriend. But those films were still technically comedies. This will really be the time for him to show his chops as a dramatic actor. But, Oscar isn't always impressed (see Jim Carrey. Man, he really wanted a nomination there for a while). But Bennett Miller has directed 4 actors to noms, including a who-woulda-thought nom for raunchy-humor-enthusiast, Jonah Hill, in Moneyball. If it can happen for him, I have a feeling that Carrell shouldn't be too far behind.

"If this whole WikiLeaks thing doesn't work, I can always join an albino grunge band..."

Benedict Cumberbatch The Fifth Estate

The Role: In what's being called this year's The Social Network (cause, you know, everything has to be like something else. Who wants something original?!), British actor Benedict Cumberbatch (BBC's Sherlock) stars at WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The film (being directed by Dreamgirls and Kinsey director and Oscar winning writer of Gods and Monsters, Bill Condon) focuses on the relationship between Assange and one of his early supporters, Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Inglorious Basterd's Daniel Bruhl), who begins to question the tactics Assange uses to gain his information.

Why Him: I've already received a comment saying that Cumberbatch is lead. I don't know if they've read the script or not–I haven't, but there are a couple reasons I decided to place him in supporting. The first being that Dreamworks (the studio releasing the film) has a synopsis that states the film is "through the eyes of Daniel Domscheit-Berg". The film is also based on a book that he wrote. Although Assange is the showcase role, it sounds like the real lead of the film is Domscheit-Berg. The other reason is: I like to be right. These predictions are for fun and me really trying to get as many correct as possible. If Cumberbatch gets a lead nomination, I can still say I predicted him (shut up–it still counts!) Also, I debated putting him in Lead, but I couldn't see him being chosen over the 5 I already picked. But, (already the new crush of the internet) Cumberbatch is very much the hot, new star and this role seems, in all likelihood, to be the breakout role that will take him to the next level of A-List dramatic actor. He's this year's Michael Fassbender (although, poor Fassy lost out on his nomination). In addition, he's also set to break out as a movie star with his under-wraps role in the sure-to-be-big Star Trek: Into Darkness. And supporting roles in August: Osage County and Twelve Years a Slave sure couldn't hurt. Whether it's in Lead or Supporting, Benedict Cumberbatch is gonna be on the lips of Oscar voters. Plus, it's just fun to say...

"Ever hear of Dita Von Teese? Yeah, I discovered her, too. Would I lie?"

Joaquin Phoenix Lowlife

The Role: The fourth collaboration between three time Oscar nominee, Joaquin Phoenix, and director James Gray (Two Lovers, We Own the Night) centers around a new immigrant to New York in the early 1900's (played by Marion Cotillard) who is tricked into a life of burlesque by Phoenix's character, Bruno Weiss. Jeremy Renner plays Phoenix's cousin, a magician that helps Cotillard break out of her situation.

Why Him: Despite calling awards "bullshit" in Interview magazine,  Phoenix still managed to land a nomination for last year's The Master. And the reason is pretty simple: he's an acting force of nature. His role in The Master was one of the most brilliant that I saw last year. It was so raw and intense that it made me uncomfortable to watch, but you couldn't look away. And shouldn't acting awards (which, really, yeah, are kinda bullshit. But, the best kind!!) be about the the performance, in the first place? Phoenix received a lot of praise for the last film he and Gray did together (Two Lovers). And the fact that he's playing a villainous role will really help him showcase some more of that intensity that he's known for. So, in spite of his best efforts, I think we can expect to see Phoenix reluctantly seated at the Dolby Theater next year.

Other Contenders: Will Forte Nebraska, James Franco Spring Breakers, Jonah Hill The Wolf of Wall Street, Jared Leto Dallas Buyers Club, Mark Ruffalo Foxcatcher