Best Picture 2014

I thought I wrote a big intro for this year, but that didn't happen. I'm glad to be almost caught up with the current year for Oscar because at 88, I only have about 72 or so years to go. That's depressing. It's like the post 2000s doesn't even count. Ugh, anyway. This was a pretty good year. There were surprises and there were controversies and there was a lot of prognostication going on that was mostly wrong. Wrong predictions are what I live for. I love those surprise nominations like Selma or Marion Cotillard or Robert Duvall. I never like the obvious when it comes to Oscar. I want chaos, forever. Hopefully 2015 adds to the madness.

2014 Best Picture

Birdman: or (The Virtue of Ignorance)

This year was pretty unique as far as Best Picture goes since I didn't really dislike any (except for one but not entirely). Birdman was actually one of the last films I saw for the Oscars last year and when I finally did see it, it blew my mind wide open. I had appreciated seeing some of the other contenders and had recognized that some of them were really good but Birdman instantly made me fall in love and want to champion it to anyone that would listen. I didn't care if it was called gimmicky with it's whole made to look like it was shot in one take thing. That in itself is pretty damn impressive, right?! It makes the film feel so much more intimate and casual instead of wide, static shots with hundreds of edits. It gives it a dynamic sense of being and it really wowed me, even on second viewing. I also don't care if people argue that oh, it's just an actor/film/theater self congratulating type of piece because it's more than just that. I feel if anyone has been down and out and then come back can relate. It's not just about superhero fatigue or an old actor making a comeback or actors proving themselves on Broadway. I feel there is a million different interpretations especially with Innaritu adding in the floating Keaton, the Birdman talking to himself, and even the ending where did he or didn't actually do it kinda thing. It opens up a dialogue with the viewer and asks us all these open ended questions which is fantastic. The acting is all on point, the cinematography is amazing, the editing is astounding, the music is actually pretty great - it's the full package. It's a poetic film that knows how to trust it's audience and for that I appreciate it so much.

American Sniper

Clint Eastwood takes on the story of what a lot of people consider to be an American hero: sniper Chris Kyle. Yes, if you read up on the guy, he comes off like a gigantic douchebag and one of the reasons people hate military guys. Eastwood does his best to ignore all that and make a very rah rah film about his military career. That career is insanely impressive and Eastwood is able to craft a war movie that's pretty good. That's the war movie parts only, though. And even those can feel like they are done on a backlot unlike say Zero Dark Thirty which feels real, raw, and lived in. I won't say the war parts feel sanitized because they don't, but they do feel a little off to me, a veteran. However, Bradley Cooper is the saving grace of the film and all the war scenes because he does lend everything a certain gravitas. You focus on him as a person and character and you get all caught up in his unabashed love for the USA and protecting his fellow countryman who are down on the streets putting everything on the line. That's some of the best parts of American Sniper, when Kyle feels the need to protect his Marines like a big brother. Cooper excels in those moments and the film really shines. Where the film falters is on the homefront. Kyle's relationship with Sienna Miller feels a bit rushed and glossed over and Eastwood just doesn't seem to understand how to balance the two. When she's calling him and he's on a mission and talking to her while things go bad just feels contrived for the story because even if he's a SEAL, that wouldn't be allowed. The whole fake baby thing is also a bit ludicrous. Why not use a real baby instead of sacrificing the realism of your film and making your actor look really stupid in the process? I'm probably being a little more harsh than usual because I do think this is one of Eastwood's best films. But Iraq/Afghanistan war films are going to be something that's near and dear to my heart because I lived both. American Sniper is a good film if a little too rah rah America type but it's reverential to those that served and offers up a sense of what it's like to be deployed and fucking hate it. The ending and credits are enough to make you tear up and let's face it, American Sniper is a good movie.

Boyhood

Obviously when you talk about Boyhood, you have to start out by mentioning it was completed in real time for over 12 years. That in itself is beyond impressive, that actors would commit to something so long and so unsure of where it might head. It's something so impressive because it's never been done before. People will point to a documentary that caught up with it's subjects every 7 years or so but that's a documentary and that's the whole point of them! It's impressive that this was shot over 12 years with changes in technology and actors growing and changing yet everyone was still so dedicated to it all the way to the end. That shows up in the final product which does have a varied feel at times but also has such a passion about it. That passion is important because without it, Boyhood would be a complete and utter mess. Richard Linklater (and Ethan Hawke) has taken on a similar sort of project already with his Before films that showcase a couple over the course of years and years and all the issues that they go through in life. So the experience is there to whittle down 12 years to 3 hours. So how is the actual film? It's good! Although, there are parts that are not that good or are at least not that interesting. We begin with Mason as a 6 year old living with his mom and sister. It sets in motion the growing up story but honestly the childhood years are somewhat boring most likely because I find young kids like that to be mostly boring if they aren't inventing something or saving the planet or whatever. If anything, it's the nostalgia of seeing what was popular back in 2002 and on that serves as the appeal of the early part of this film. Nostalgia is really a big part of the film as a whole but that's all the beginning has going for it. It starts to get more interesting as Mason grows up and becomes a teenager and starts to have an actual personality. Although, again, Mason can be exceptionally annoying especially as a teenager to the point where you just really kinda want to smack him. I have a lot of issues with Mason in the story, though. Not much happens to Mason or at least there's no real adversity for him. Sure his parents are divorced when the film starts but it doesn't seem to really affect the kids much. The first alcoholic stepdad seemed to favor Mason over his real son but didn't physically do anything to him. He moves a couple times but quickly has friends, has very pretty girlfriends even though he looks like a cave man and they happen easily, he is never held accountable for his drinking or drugs, adults interact with him through speeches and monologues. He just never seems to have any trouble with life and that's where the story let's us down. The story just isn't as good as it could be, especially after 12 years. There's other missteps like when the kids are biking or skateboarding down a street and it looks really awesome with the cinematography yet the scene is ruined by Soulja Boy. Those pop culture additions sometimes ruin the scenes entirely. Ethan Hawke is good but he kinda floats in and out of the story/life as the cool dad returning to see his son. Wasn't a fan of Arquette and can't believe she won an Oscar for that but whatever. I want to say that the concept of this story and film is amazing. There were/are so many people that called this film a masterpiece and I can understand why but I contend that people are a little more enthralled with the idea rather than the content itself. If this were made in a year it probably wouldn't have all that effusive love but then again if it were made in a year it would be as detailed and interesting. Point being that the concept is fantastic but the execution of the story is lacking for me. I don't want this to sound like I hate Boyhood because I don't. I find it really interesting and even when I was watching it I kinda fell in love with it before snapping right out of that feeling once it was over. I could easily watch another 12 years of Mason and his life because I'm certain it would be a lot more interesting to see him as an adult. But there's no doubt that it belongs in this group and it will be remembered for decades to come which isn't too bad.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

It feels right that this was what Wes Anderson was finally nominated for in Best Picture, because it is his best film to date. It also feels like THE quintessential Wes Anderson film, an amalgamation of all his previous works rolled into this vibrant one. Vibrant is accurate because I think what I like most about Anderson's work is the colors and the set/production design because it's so fantastical. A lot of people take issue with his films for being so whimsical and style over substance or overly pretentious/cute but he just has a singular vision for his work and strives to achieve it. Grand Budapest is no different. It has the requisite myriad of acting stars who deliver fun and funny performances. We get the beautiful set design that relies a ton on miniatures and looks fantastic. Costume design and make up is top notch. The performances of those myriad of stars is always a treat to watch unfold and the story, while cloaked in the cutesy and flippant, is always, at it's core, something everyone can relate to. Grand Budapest is buoyed by the absolutely excellent Ralph Fiennes who should have been nominated for his hilariously Andersonesque concierge. You've got tremendous supporting acting from newcomer Tony Revelori who goes toe to toe with Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Jude Law, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe. That might be the only time I list off the actors in a film in a review but a film like Grand Budapest deserves all those mentions because that's what it's built on.It's score which won the Oscar, is also a treat to listen to. It's where everything about a film comes together: direction, acting, costume and make up, score, cinematography, production design. Grand Budapest is excellent in every single facet of the filmmaking process. I don't know how anyone can watch this film and not enjoy it and all that Anderson has to offer. It's a hilarious film to boot and I understand that sometimes films like this can be divisive with it's humor but I certainly think Grand Budapest is universal, there's nothing too cerebral about it and the humor is very physical. Wes Anderson also comes up with some really terrific scenes and seems to contribute to the cinematic highlight reel with every film and this is no different. Let's face it, Grand Budapest is Wes Anderson's most accessible and most successful film to date, it's also his most worthy inclusion to Best Picture by a landslide.

The Imitation Game

This was one of two British biopics that came out and got a lot of hype for it's actor and seemed to really impress the Academy and I'm not sure why other than the amount of British people in the Academy. This film tells the story of Alan Turing who cracked the Enigma with his computer (before it was a computer) and helped win the war for the Allies...oh, and also happened to be gay and was arrested and ultimately killed himself because of the British government's forced hormone therapy. That 'oh, and is very important because at it's heart Imitation Game is a biopic about how and when the Enigma was broken. However, the film also wants to have it's cake and eat it, too by including the homosexual nature of Turing's life but mostly as a plot device and primarily as an afterthought. It just feels like the film was made to not offend too many people and so they shied away from really diving deep into Turing the character and just glossed over that really important part of his life. I didn't think the film itself was really all that good, honestly. While watching it does suck you in to see how Turing cracks the Enigma and because Cumberbatch does a good job with what he is given to work with but that's about all it has going for it. If it was purely all about the Enigma machine and the historical aspect of it then maybe it would have been a much better film to me. It's as if it takes away from the WWII parts to add in the police interrogation and even the boarding school stuff. When they finally do crack Enigma, it almost feels a bit anti-climactic and the film then quickly ends. All told, I wanted a lot more out of this film than what we got. Go deeper into Turing's life than you did and don't skimp on the story of actually breaking the Enigma. The Imitation Game wasn't terrible by any means but I know it could be so much better.

Selma

This is kind of an odd film that somehow made it's way into the Best Picture group and only had Best Original Song as it's other nomination. I say odd because it is clearly a very good film, a powerful, important film that somehow didn't catch on with the Academy except for the gimme category of Song, which it won, and Picture. That tells me that the Academy probably voted for this film based on it's importance and content rather than actually watching it and voting it in for it's merit. I don't think that's a very controversial idea but that is what makes the most sense to me. That's both incredibly racist that they wouldn't watch it and incredibly inclusive that they would vote it in without seeing because of what it is about. I think it just amazes me that it made it in and I know wholeheartedly that it's a good thing it's among the Best Picture nominees. I also know that my idea could be the furthest thing from the truth and I have nothing to back my claim up with but that's how I feel. Why else would they not nominate a very, very strong performance by David Oyelowo as MLK when they love nominating biopics and real people? Why would they not jump at the chance to nominate a black man who had the possibility of winning if nominated? Or voting for the first black female Best Director? I can't explain those choices and lack of nominations but they stand out in stark contrast especially with middling films like The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything on this list. Selma does make MLK into a less mythical figure which is nice to see because from all accounts he was as human as the rest of us. Every time Oyelowo is on screen as MLK, there's a commanding presence and it lifts the film up when it sags. I'm not sure any other actor could have done so much with the character and the performance as Oyelowo did. That's why I wish he was in the Best Actor race. There are some visually striking scenes that stand out not only in their brutality but in their beauty, as well. Director Ava DuVernay is young in terms of being a filmmaker and she does bring some energy and interesting scenes while still hitting all the familiar biopic beats. I will say that some of the supporting players in this come off as contrived and as stock characters. Tim Roth's Governor needs to be twirling a mustache to complete his evilness, which is unfortunate because you don't need a caricature like that to demonstrate how wrong the man was. There are missteps in Selma and this is not a perfect film by any means, but it is a very good one that I'm glad the Academy was able to nominate - no matter the reason they did so.

The Theory of Everything

Ugh, so I'll be upfront and honest and tell you right off the bat that I very much dislike this movie. To me, this is what people think of when they think of an Oscar movie. I'm using Oscar movie as a pejorative because this one encapsulates all that I hate about those kind of Oscar movies. A (British) biopic that pretends to be more important than it really is but is in reality just a boring, rushed love story that manipulates it's audience for the sole purpose of winning awards. There's no doubt to me that a film about Stephen Hawking could be incredibly compelling, but wrapping it up in a tired and fictional account of love sells the subject too short. He's a brilliant man and we see parts of that in this movie but the personal side just overpowers, which would be okay if the personal side was at all compelling. But knowing that this was a doomed love story from the beginning forces the audience to believe a lie that this was some Great 20th Century Romance. It's absolutely not. So we the audience are forced to watch this sham go on at the same time as Hawking's illness takes over the story. Watching those parts progress isn't so bad and it's an obviously very physical role that Redmayne takes on, even capably. But then the movie switches over to focusing on Jane, the wife, and her dealings with Hawking and the family and life. Hawking becomes this supporting player in his own film and it just never takes off for me. It gets bogged down in this boring story focusing on the wrong things. Redmayne is not that terrible but after awhile, once the disease takes hold, it becomes pure imitation through and through, with much less the charisma and believability as say Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot or any number of handicapped performances. The direction is slick and glossy and seems more engaged in getting shots that will look good in the trailer or on an awards reel. There's a lack of balance between the personal and professional life of Hawking that makes The Theory of Everything feel so uneven and unsure of which story it really wants to tell. Why does it gloss over all the messy parts of their relationship when we know it was far from perfect? Why does it turn Hawking into this perpetually smiling caricature instead of giving us an honest take on a genius whose life wasn't strictly fairy tale? I can't answer those and The Theory of Everything can't be bothered to address them, either. I guess it just shows what fancy direction and young pretty stars can do for a biopic these days. This was the movie I was least looking forward to re-watching for my project and while watching it, I remembered just why I never wanted to see it again. Now that I'm done with 2014, I hope my next re-watch of this is a lot longer than a year.

Whiplash

It's very obvious that this was a work of passion. It's also obvious that this was a work that was years and years in the making. Director Damien Chazelle's youth mirrored that of the subject of Whiplash's life: he, too, was a jazz drummer and you can easily tell that this is a very personal and intimate piece of filmmaking. I'm pretty sure that's why Whiplash works so well, because the film feels lived in from the very first beats of the drum. The film also has the added luxury of having been a short film before it was financed to become a full movie. J.K. Simmons was in the original short so he, too, was able to explore his character more and just offer up a really authentic and intense jazz music teacher. And that word - intense - describes Whiplash perfectly. Go ahead and watch it and not start to get sweaty palms when Miles Teller tries to impress Simmons' authoritarian dictator/teacher. It also moves along at a really great pace because the scenes are so engrossing and so exhilarating that you don't realize that you just got sucked into this world for 20 minutes. Miles Teller delivers a pretty great performance as well as the jazz drummer student and matches the intensity of Simmons beat for beat. My one quibble with the film is the pointless little love story side plot that goes nowhere. I get that it's probably meant to show Teller's dedication to jazz drumming by coldly dropping this sweet, cute girl who he clearly likes so he can focus on drumming but it feels way too shoehorned in as if a producer was in Chazelle's ear dictating that there's at least one female in the film. If it sticks to purely the jazz drumming student/teacher relationship and how obsessed and dedicated one must be to pursue a passion so earnestly. That's another reason I like Whiplash so much is that it doesn't really profess to be anything but a really intense showdown of a jazz drumming teacher and student. It knows what it is and it uses economy of force to get there. Hopefully I'll see another tight, breakout film like this land so well with the Academy because these are the kind of films you can fall in love with from this project. If I were starting this thing 10 years from now and hadn't been a huge film nerd, this is the kind of film that gets you excited at what the Oscars can be: a showcase for films you otherwise might not see but eventually end up becoming one of your all time favorites. Whiplash might not be quite there yet for me, but it sure is a damn good film.


This was a pretty good year as far as Oscar contenders is concerned. There was a controversial period before the nominations and then we got who was selected and then we bitched and complained about those that were left out. Like every year. This year was pretty good because Birdman won and deservedly so. Though if I were a little more adventurous, The Grand Budapest Hotel would have been my easy favorite. It's easily the most enjoyable film of the bunch! Whiplash also rises up my board because it's so damn good. I don't give a fuck if it's small or too genre-y, it's fantastic. I really liked Selma as well because it's a statement and also a good flipping film. Boyhood is next and low because it's a cool concept but a boring film, sorry to say. Then American Sniper which has it's flaws but is a pretty good war film comes in next. I hate to sink it to this spot but it has it's faults. Then we get The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything. They both suck and can get fucked. I hate that they beat out Foxcatcher and Inherent Vice sitting on the sidelines. Not a bad year but it could have been way better. I guess that describes every year, though.

Oscar Winner: Birdman: or (The Virtue of Ignorance)
My Winner:  Birdman: or (The Virtue of Ignorance)
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Whiplash
Selma
Boyhood
American Sniper
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything