The 2014 Oscars have few surprises (+ Full Winner List)

Tonight’s Oscars might not have had many surprises but it was enjoyable. Ellen Degeneres brought some humour in her opening monologue but nothing over the top. The best moment of her opening was when she hinted flat out brought up Academy racism by saying that if 12 Years a Slave didn’t win Best Picture, then they were all racists. Some may be none too pleased with that comment but I absolutely loved it. Good news? It won.

Ellen’s running gag of the night was when she talked about ordering pizza. The surprise was about half an hour later when a couple pizzas actually showed up. It was great to see Brad Pitt and Kevin Spacey walking around helping to hand out pizzas and paper plates. Also interesting seeing them all eating off paper plates in those fancy outfits. Later on, Ellen went around with Pharrell’s hat getting cash from Harvey Weinstein, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey and others to cover the pizza costs. I wonder what she did with that money? Also wonder what she did with Lupita Nyong’o’s lip gloss…

In the end, I’d say it was a successful evening. Most of my picks won, with the only disappointment being for best actor. Will Ellen host again? We don’t know yet but I wouldn’t be upset about it. She seemed to infuse a youthfulness into the show which had been missing in the past few years. Then again, I also wouldn’t say no to a Jim Carry hosting gig.

Best picture — “12 Years a Slave”
Best director — Alfonso Cuaron — “Gravity”
Best actor — Matthew McConaughey — “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best actress — Cate Blanchett — “Blue Jasmine”
Best supporting actor — Jared Leto — “Dallas Buyers Club”
Best supporting actress — Lupita Nyong’o — “12 Years a Slave”
Best original screenplay — “Her” — Spike Jonze
Best adapted screenplay — “12 Years a Slave” — John Ridley
Best animated feature — “Frozen”
Best foreign feature — “The Great Beauty” (Italy)
Best music (original song) — “Frozen”: “Let it Go” — Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Best music (original score) — “Gravity” — Steven Price
Best cinematography — “Gravity” — Emmanuel Lubezki
Best costume design — “The Great Gatsby” — Catherine Martin
Best documentary feature — “20 Feet From Stardom”
Best film editing — “Gravity” — Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Sanger
Best makeup and hairstyling — “Dallas Buyers Club” — Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews
Best production design — “The Great Gatsby” — Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn
Best visual effects — “Gravity”
Best sound mixing — “Gravity”
Best sound editing — “Gravity”
Best short film, live action — “Helium”
Best short film, animated — “Mr. Hublot”
Best documentary short — “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life”

Oscars 2014 — Best Foreign Film

This year there were a good number of films that didn’t even make the cut, namely Saudi Arabia’s Wadjda, but there’s still a good list of contenders.

The Italian film, The Great Beauty, follows a man who has gone through the lavish Roman nightlife for decades before discovering the beauty of the world around him. Denmark’s The Hunt follows a man after he is wrongly accused of sexually assaulting a child in a small village. The Broken Circle Breakdown from Belgium shows a seven year period of a couple falling in love and eventually having a daughter than changes their life. The Missing Picture from Cambodia uses archive footage and clay figures to explore the memory and trauma of Pol Pot. Omar comes out of the Palestinian territories with a story about the emotional struggles of a young man who must balance his loyalty to his country and family with his love of a beautiful woman.

This one’s a bit tricky. The resounding opinion leading up to the Oscars is that Italy’s The Great Beauty will pick up the statue, but we’d really love to see The Hunt from Denmark pick up the win. We’ve rated it as Italy and then Denmark here, but on our personal ballots we might be picking something different. We’d love to know…what do you think? Enter our poll below!

1. “The Great Beauty” (Italy)
2. “The Hunt” (Denmark)
3. “The Broken Circle Breakdown” (Belgium)
4. “The Missing Picture” (Cambodia)
5. “Omar” (Palestinian territories)

Golden Globes on the Road to the Oscars (+ Full Winners List)

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler put on a good show. They knew what jokes to go for and never pushed it too far, yet they still got some big laughs. My favourite was probably their Gravity/George Clooney joke (here) and Tom Hanks’ reaction and being joked about. It definitely seemed like he didn’t know how to play that off. Later on, Matt Damon showed him how it was done as he called himself a garbage man and saying Tom Hanks is a national treasure. Did anyone else expect Nicholas Cage to pop out at that point? Many have expressed outrage at Lupita Nyong’o’s snub in Best Supporting Actress category against Jennifer Lawrence, but that was the start of 12 Years a Slave’s losing streak at the Globes until the final and biggest award of the night.  Robert Downey Jr is always one of the best presenters at these shows, he’s so natural and comes up with some great lines like this year’s “benefits for him” comments. Emma Thompson is always a fun one, especially when she comes out with her shoes and a martini in hand and forgets the coveted envelope. Lastly my favourite, Leo Dicaprio, got his second Golden Globe and was delivered a wonderful joke by the hosts when he presented for Best Picture Drama.

But what does this mean for the Oscars? Well it’s difficult to say how the conservative Academy will take to films such as 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyers Club, and The Wolf of Wall Street, however I would predict similar reactions to many of the categories as what we see here. When the motion picture category is combined, I’d hope for 12 Years a Slave to pull together another win, but American Hustle will definitely still be in contention as well. I doubt Jennifer Lawrence will win a second Oscar in two years, so that may provide a larger opening for Lupita Nyong’o to slip into. For Best Actor, Matthew McConaughey will probably hold onto that title opposed to Leo DiCaprio snapping it up, but the women might jostle for the title in their category.

Later this week, check back for a recap of the red carpet fashion with our new writer Michel and find out our thoughts on who will win the SAG awards coming up this Sunday!

Winners List

Best Motion Picture, Drama

• “12 Years a Slave”
• “Captain Phillips”
• “Gravity”
• “Philomena”
• “Rush”

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

• “American Hustle”
• “Her”
• “Inside Llewyn Davis”
• “Nebraska”
• “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Best Director – Motion Picture

• Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity”
• Paul Greengrass, “Captain Phillips”
• Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”
• Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”
• David O. Russell, “American Hustle”

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”
• Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”
• Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips”
• Robert Redford, “All is Lost”
• Idris Elba, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

• Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”
• Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”
• Judy Dench, “Philomena”
• Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”
• Kate Winslet, “Labor Day”

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

• Christian Bale, “American Hustle”
• Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”
• Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”
• Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis”
• Joaquin Phoenix, “Her”

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

• Amy Adams, “American Hustle”
• Julie Delpy, “Before Midnight”
• Greta Gerwig, “Frances Ha”
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Enough Said”
• Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips”
• Daniel Brühl, “Rush”
• Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”
• Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”
• Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine”
• Jennifer Lawrence, “American Hustle”
• Lupita Nyong’O, “12 Years a Slave”
• Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County “
• June Squibb, “Nebraska”

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

• “Her”
• “Nebraska”
• “Philomena”
• “12 Years a Slave”
• “American Hustle”

Best Animated Feature Film

• “The Croods”
• “Despicable Me 2”
• “Frozen”

Best Foreign Language Film

• “Blue Is the Warmest Color”
• “The Great Beauty”
• “The Past”
• “The Hunt”
• “The Wind Rises”

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

• “All Is Lost”
• “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”
• “Gravity”
• “The Book Thief”
• “12 Years a Slave”

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

• “Atlas” – Coldplay (“Hunger Games: Catching Fire”)
• “Let it Go” – Demi Lovato (“Frozen”)
• “Ordinary Love” – U2 (“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”)
• “Please Mr. Kennedy” – Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac & Justin Timberlake (“Inside Llewyn Davis”)
• “Sweeter Than Fiction” – Taylor Swift (“One Chance”)

2014 Golden Globe Awards Nominations in TV:

Best TV Series, Drama

• “Breaking Bad” – AMC
• “Downton Abbey” – PBS
• “The Good Wife” – CBS
• “House Of Cards” – Netflix
• “Masters Of Sex” – Showtime

Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama

• Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
• Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”
• Taylor Schilling, “Orange Is The New Black”
• Kerry Washington, “Scandal”
• Robin Wright, “House Of Cards”

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama

• Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
• Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”
• Michael Sheen, “Masters of Sex”
• Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
• James Spader, “The Blacklist”

Best TV Series, Comedy

• “The Big Bang Theory” – CBS
• “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” – FOX
• “Girls” – HBO
• “Modern Family” – ABC
• “Parks & Recreation” – NBC

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy

• Zooey Deschanel, “New Girl”
• Lena Dunham, “Girls”
• Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
• Amy Poehler, “Parks & Recreation”

Best Actor in a TV Series, Comedy

• Jason Bateman, “Arrested Development”
• Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
• Michael J. Fox, “The Michael J. Fox Show”
• Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
• Andy Samberg, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

Best TV Movie or Mini-Series

• “American Horror Story: Coven” – FX
• “Behind the Candelabra” – HBO
• “Dancing on the Edge” – Starz
• “Top of the Lake” – Sundance Channel
• “White Queen” – Starz

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie

• Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Coven”
• Helena Bonham Carter, “Burton and Taylor”
• Rebecca Ferguson, “The White Queen”
• Helen Mirren, “Phil Spector”
• Elisabeth Moss, “Top of the Lake”

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Movie

• Matt Damon, “Behind the Candelabra”
• Michael Douglas, “Behind the Candelabra”
• Chiwetel Ejiofor, “Dancing on the Edge”
• Idris Elba, “Luther”
• Al Pacino, “Phil Spector”

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie

• Jacqueline Bisset, “Dancing on the Edge”
• Janet McTeer, “The White Queen”
• Hayden Panettiere, “Nashville”
• Monica Potter, “Parenthood”
• Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie

• Josh Charles, “The Good Wife”
• Rob Lowe, “Behind the Candelabra”
• Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”
• Corey Stoll, “House of Cards”
• Jon Voight, “Ray Donovan”

Golden Globes Nominations 2014: Our Picks

Movies and TV have been really great this year, so trying to choose who the winner will be in some of these categories can be difficult. Luckily, we’ve done some of the hard work for you! Here are our thoughts on who should win in each category, our picks are the bolded titles.

This year, our favourite movie was definitely 12 Years a Slave but there were a lot of close seconds. The inclusion of Rush in a few categories was exciting, as we hoped that would get some nods. Best Supporting Actor and Actress was definitely difficult. Lupita Nyong’o was incredible in 12 Years a Slave, but Jennifer Lawrence also pulled off a stunning performance in American Hustle. Similarly, every actor in the Supporting Actor category had us thinking they could win. In the end, we went with Dallas Buyers Club’s Jared Leto for his incredible transformation despite our love of 12 Years a Slave’s Michael Fassbender due to his captivating layered portrayal of Master Epps. The TV categories were a bit of a shambles for us this year. We had so few opportunities to check out full seasons of these awesome shows…

Let us know in the comments below who you think will win for each category!

Movies:

Best Motion Picture, Drama
– 12 Years a Slave
– Captain Phillips
– Gravity
– Philomena
– Rush

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
– Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
– Sandra Bullock (Gravity) 
– Judi Dench (Philomena)
– Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks)
– Kate Winslet (Labor Day)

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
– Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) 
– Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
– Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips)
– Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)
– Robert Redford (All is Lost)

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
– American Hustle
– Her
– Inside Llewyn Davis
– Nebraska
– The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Actress In A Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
– Amy Adams (American Hustle)
– Julie Delpy (Before Midnight)
– Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha)
– Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Enough Said)
– Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
– Christian Bale (American Hustle)
– Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
– Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street) 
– Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis)
– Joaquin Phoenix (Her)

Best Animated Feature Film
– The Croods
– Despicable Me 2
– Frozen 

Best Foreign Language Film
– Blue is the Warmest Color
– The Great Beauty
– The Hunt 
– The Past
– The Wind Rises

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
– Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)
– Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
– Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave) 
– Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
– June Squibb (Nebraska)

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
– Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
– Daniel Brühl (Rush)
– Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
– Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
– Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

Best Director – Motion Picture
– Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity) 
– Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips)
– Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)
– Alexander Payne (Nebraska)
– David O. Russell (American Hustle)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
– Spike Jonze (Her)
– Bob Nelson (Nebraska)
– Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan (Philomena)
– John Ridley (12 Years a Slave)
– Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell (American Hustle)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
– Alex Ebert (All is Lost)
– Alex Heffes (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
– Steven Price (Gravity) 
– John Williams (The Book Thief)
– Hans Zimmer (12 Years a Slave)

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
– Atlas (Hunger Games Catching Fire)
– Let It Go (Frozen)
– Ordinary Love (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)
– Please Mr. Kennedy (Inside Llewyn Davis) 
– Sweeter Than Fiction (One Chance)

TV:
Best TV Series, Drama
– Breaking Bad 
– Downton Abbey
– The Good Wife
– House of Cards
– Masters of Sex

Best Actress in a TV Series, Drama
– Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
– Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) 
– Taylor Schilling (Orange Is the New Black)
– Kerry Washington (Scandal)
– Robin Wright (House of Cards)

Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
– Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) 
– Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan)
– Michael Sheen (Masters of Sex)
– Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
– James Spader (The Blacklist)

Best TV Series, Musical or Comedy
– The Big Bang Theory 
– Brooklyn Nine-Nine
– Girls
– Modern Family
– Parks and Recreation

Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
– Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) 
– Lena Dunham (Girls)
– Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
– Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
– Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy
– Jason Bateman (Arrested Development) 
– Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
– Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show)
– Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
– Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Best TV Movie or Mini-Series
– American Horror Story: Coven 
– Behind the Candelabra
– Dancing on the Edge
– Top of the Lake
– The White Queen

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
– Helena Bonham Carter (Burton and Taylor)
– Rebecca Ferguson (The White Queen)
– Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Coven) 
– Helen Mirren (Phil Spector)
– Elisabeth Moss (Top of the Lake)

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
– Matt Damon (Behind the Candelabra)
– Michael Douglas (Behind the Candelabra)
– Chiwetel Ejiofor (Dancing on the Edge)
– Idris Elba (Luther) 
– Al Pacino (Phil Spector)

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie
– Jacqueline Bissett (Dancing On the Edge)
– Janet McTeer (The White Queen)
– Hayden Panettiere (Nashville)
– Monica Potter (Parenthood)
– Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) 

Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or TV Movie
– Josh Charles (The Good Wife)
– Rob Lowe (Behind the Candelabra)
– Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) 
– Corey Stoll (House of Cards)
– Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)