The Indiana Film Journalists Embrace A Film From Texas!

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Indiana Film Journalists today announced their picks for the best of 2014! For best film, they selected an obscure little indie film named Boyhood.

Here’s a complete list of winners!

Best Film

Winner: “Boyhood”

Runner-up: “Whiplash”

Other Finalists (listed alphabetically):

“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”

“The Grand Budapest Hotel”

“Guardians of the Galaxy”

“The Imitation Game”

“Life Itself”

“Locke”

“A Most Violent Year”

“St. Vincent”

Best Animated Feature

Winner: “The LEGO Movie”

Runner-Up: “The Boxtrolls ”

Best Foreign Language Film

Winner: “Two Days, One Night”

Runner-Up: “Ida”

Best Documentary

Winner: “Life Itself”

Runner-Up: “An Honest Liar”

Best Original Screenplay

Winner: Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Runner-up: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Best Adapted Screenplay

Winner: Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”

Runner-up: Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”

Best Director

Winner: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Runner-up: Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”

Best Actress

Winner: Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

Runner-up: Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”

Best Supporting Actress

Winner: Jessica Chastain “A Most Violent Year”

Runner-up: Melissa McCarthy, “St. Vincent”

Best Actor

Winner: Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Runner-up: Tom Hardy, “Locke”

Best Supporting Actor

Winner: J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

Runner-up: Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”

Best Musical Score

Winner: Mica Levi, “Under the Skin”

Runner-up: Alexandre Desplat, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Original Vision Award

Winner: “Boyhood”

Runner-up: “Under the Skin”

The Hoosier Award

Winner: Eric Grayson, film historian and preservationist

(As a special award, no runner-up is declared in this category.)

Lisa’s Oscar Predictions for December

Posted on December 13, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Well, here it is, my next to last attempt to predict who and what will be nominated for an Academy Award in January. With the AFI, SAG, and the Golden Globes all having made their voices heard, this list was definitely a bit easier to make than it was when I first started posting my monthly predictions back in March!

And yet, what’s interesting is that my March predictions aren’t all that different from my December predictions.

It’s true that I’ve recently come to the conclusion that both Foxcatcher and Unbroken will be left out of the best picture race. And, over the past few months, both Selma and The Theory of Everything have developed into major contenders. For that matter, I failed to predict the sudden groundswell of support for Jake Gyllenhaal, Jennifer Aniston, and the Grand Budapest Hotel.

However, from the beginning of the year, both myself and a lot of other award watchers have been predicting that both Boyhood and Birdman would be contenders. J.K. Simmons, as well, has been viewed as a probable nominee since Whiplash premiered at Sundance.

And, of course, everyone always knows that Meryl Streep is going to get nominated for something.

Anyway, my latest predictions are below. You can check out my predictions for March, April, May, June, July, August, October, and November by clicking on the month!

Best Picture

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Best Director

Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel

Ava DuVernay for Selma

Alejandro G. Inarritu for Birdman

Richard Linklater for Boyhood

James Marsh for The Theory of Everything

Best Actor

Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game

Michael Keaton in Birdman

David Oyelowo in Selma

Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore in Still Alice

Best Actress

Jennifer Aniston in Cake

Felicity Jones in The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore in Still Alice

Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon in Wild

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall in The Judge

Ethan Hawke in Boyhood

Edward Norton in Birdman

Mark Ruffalo in Foxcatcher

J.K. Simmons in Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress

Patrica Arquette in Boyhood

Jessica Chastain in A Most Violent Year

Keira Knightley in The Imitation Game

Emma Stone in Birdman

Meryl Streep in Into the Woods

What Do They Like in San Diego? Let’s Find Out…

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

And finally, here are the San Diego Film Critics Nominations!

(Insert your own clever and snarky analysis here because I’m exhausted. Maybe point out that they nominated Alejandro Inarritu for best director and Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, and Emma Stone but they didn’t nominate Birdman for best film…)

(h/t to awards circuit)

Best Film

“Boyhood”
“Gone Girl”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Nightcrawler”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”

Best Director

Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”

Best Actor

Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Brendan Gleeson, “Calvary”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
Tom Hardy, “Locke”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

Best Actress

Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Hilary Swank, “The Homesman”
Mia Wasikowska, “Tracks”

Best Supporting Actor

Riz Ahmed, “Nightcrawler”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Carrie Coon, “Gone Girl”
Keira Knightly, “The Imitation Game”
Rene Russo, “Nightcrawler”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”

Best Original Screenplay

“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Locke”
“Nightcrawler”

Best Adapted Screenplay

“The Fault in Our Stars”
“Gone Girl”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Unbroken”
“Wild”

Best Foreign Language Film

“Force Majeure”
“Heli”
“Ida”
“Two Days, One Night”
“Venus in Fur”

Best Documentary

“CITIZENFOUR”
“Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me”
“Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me”
“Last Days in Vietnam”
“Life Itself”

Best Animated Film

“Big Hero 6″
“The Boxtrolls”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2″
“The LEGO Movie”
“The Nut Job”

Best Cinematography

“Force Majeure” (Fredrik Wenzel)
“Interstellar” (Hoyte van Hoytema)
“Gone Girl” (Jeff Cronenweth)
“Nightcrawler” (Robert Elswit)
“Unbroken” (Roger Deakins)

Best Editing

“Boyhood” (Sandra Adair)
“Edge of Tomorrow” (James Herbert, Laura Jennings)
“Gone Girl” (Kirk Baxter)
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Barney Pilling)
“Nightcrawler” (John Gilroy)

Best Production Design

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pincock)
“Into the Woods” (Dennis Gassner & Anna Pinnock)
“The Theory of Everything” (John Paul Kelly)
“The Imitation Game” (Maria Djurkovic)
“Interstellar” (Nathan Crowley)

Best Score

“Birdman” (Antonio Sanchez)
“Gone Girl” (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” (Alexandre Desplat)
“The Imitation Game” (Alexandre Desplat)
“Nightcrawler” (James Newton Howard)

Best Ensemble

“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”

Here Are The Detroit Film Critics Nominations!

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

And here are the Detroit Film Critics Nominees for 2014! I’m happy to see that they had some love for one of my favorite films of the year, Under the Skin!

(h/t to awards circuit)

BEST FILM

Boyhood
Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Under the Skin
Whiplash

BEST DIRECTOR

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST ACTOR

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Brendan Gleeson, Calvary
Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Tom Hardy, Locke
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS

Essie Davis, The Babadook
Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin, Inherent Vice
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
JK Simmons, Whiplash

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Rene Russo, Nightcrawler
Emma Stone, Birdman
Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer

BEST ENSEMBLE

Birdman
Boyhood
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Into the Woods

BREAKTHROUGH

Damien Chazelle, Whiplash (director, screenplay)
Jennifer Kent, The Babadook (director, screenplay)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle, Beyond the Lights (actress)
Chris Pratt, Guardians of the Galaxy (actor)
Dan Stevens, The Guest (actor)

BEST SCREENPLAY

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Nicolas Giacobone and Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
John Michael McDonagh, Calvary

BEST DOCUMENTARY

CitizenFour
Finding Vivian Maier
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Keep On Keepin’ On
Life Itself

(It’s interesting to note that, despite the fact that they clearly appreciate independent visions, the Detroit Film Critics totally snubbed Only Lovers Left Alive, a film that is, in many ways, a love letter to Detroit.)

Here Are the St. Louis Film Critics Nominations!

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Golden Globes weren’t the only precursors to be announced today! Here are the St. Louis Film Critics Nominations. One thing that I like about the St. Louis Film Critics is that they give out an award for “best scene.” Personally, I would vote for the prison break from Guardians of the Galaxy.

Here are the nominees:

(h/t to awards circuit)

BEST PICTURE
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
Alejandro Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”

BEST ACTOR
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
Tom Hardy, “Locke”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, “Inherent Vice”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Tony Revolori, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
Carrie Coon, “Gone Girl”
Mackenzie Foy, “Interstellar”
Kiera Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman
Boyhood
Locke
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler
Whiplash

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Birdman
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Interstellar
Nightcrawler
Unbroken

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Birdman
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
Noah

BEST ART DIRECTION
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Mr. Turner
Nightcrawler
Snowpiercer
Under the Skin

BEST MUSIC SCORE
Birdman
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Interstellar
Under the Skin

BEST MUSIC SOUNDTRACK
Begin Again
Boyhood
Get On Up
Guardians of the Galaxy
Into the Woods
Whiplash

BEST FOREIGN FILM
Force Majeure
Gloria
Human Capital
Ida
Two Days, One Night

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie
Penguins of Madagascar

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Citizenfour
Finding Vivian Maier
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Life Itself
Red Army
Rich Hill

BEST COMEDY
22 Jump Street
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Obvious Child
St. Vincent

BEST ARTHOUSE
Boyhood
Calvary
Frank
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Locke
Whiplash

BEST SCENE
22 Jump Street – End Credits
Birdman – Times Square
The Guardians of the Galaxy – Prison Break
Selma – Church Bombing
Whiplash – Finale drum solo
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Quicksilver Pentagon Escape

Here Are The Golden Globe Nominees!

Posted on December 11, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The Golden Globe nominations were announced this morning and the big news is that Angelina Jolie’s Unbroken was totally and completely snubbed. Knowing the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, I figured that they’d nominate Jolie just to get her and Brad Pitt on the show.

(Does anyone remember when they nominated The Tourist for Best Comedy Film of 2010? For that matter, does anyone remember The Tourist?)

Also, it’s interesting to note that David Fincher was nominated for best director for Gone Girl but Gone Girl itself did not receive a nomination for best picture.

(As of this writing, Sasha Stone has yet to post her analysis on Awards Daily but I’m sure when she does, it will be depressing.)

Anyway, below you can find the Golden Globe nominations for the best films of 2014. (If you want to see a complete list with all of the television nominations, you can click here.)

BEST DRAMA FILM
“Boyhood”
“Foxcatcher”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston, “Cake”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY FILM
“Birdman”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Into the Woods”
“Pride”
“St. Vincent”

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY ACTOR
Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Bill Murray, “St. Vincent”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Inherent Vice”
Christoph Waltz, “Big Eyes”

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY ACTRESS
Amy Adams, “Big Eyes”
Emily Blunt, “Into the Woods”
Helen Mirren, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”
Julianne Moore, “Maps to the Stars”
Quvenzhane Wallis, “Annie”

BEST FILM SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall, “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

BEST FILM SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Ava Duvernay, “Selma”
David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

BEST SCREENPLAY
“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“Gone Girl”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
“Big Hero 6”
“The Book of Life”
“The Boxtrolls”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2”
“The Lego Movie”

BEST SCORE
“Birdman”
“Gone Girl”
“The Imitation Game”
“Interstellar”
“The Theory of Everything”

BEST SONG
“Big Eyes” from “Big Eyes” (Lana Del Ray)
“Glory” from “Selma” (John Legend, COmmon)
“Mercy Is” from “Noah” (Patty SMith, Lenny kaye)
“Opportunity” from “Annie”
“Yellow Flicker Beat” from “The Hunger Games, Mockingjay Part 1” (Lorde)

Here Are The SAG Nominations!

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Earlier today, the Screen Actors Guild nominations were announced and I love them! Not because I agree with all of them but because they’re a nice mix of the expected and the surprising. Every category had at least one surprise and really, it’s the surprises that make Oscar Season so much fun.

For what they are worth, here are a few observations from yours truly:

When it comes to predicting the actual Oscar nominations, the SAG are usually an excellent precursor. It makes sense — the Actors Branch is the biggest of the Academy’s voting branches and many of the same people who determined the SAG nominees will also be casting ballots for the Academy Awards.

At first, I was really shocked to see that Selma was totally snubbed. However, I then read over at Gold Derby that apparently, because of production delays, a screener of Selma was not available for the SAG voters. So, a lot of the voters made their nominations without having seen Selma.

Foxcatcher did not receive an ensemble nomination but it did receive nominations for Steve Carell and Mark Ruffalo. That’s especially good news for Carell, who has yet to be much of a factor in the precursor voting.

Speaking of which, everyone keeps taking about how Foxcatcher hasn’t been a major player in the precursors. What about Unbroken? For a so-called Oscar front runner, Unbroken certainly hasn’t received much from the critics groups.

(I should note that I have yet to see either Foxcatcher or Unbroken so I don’t have an opinion on whether either one of them deserves awards.)

Among the big snubs: Amy Adams for Big Eyes, Jessica Chastain for A Most Violent Year or Interstellar, Marion Cotillard for Two Days, One Night, and Oscar Isaac for A Most Violent Year.

My favorite nomination was Jake Gyllenhaal for Nightcrawler. I haven’t seen Cake but I was happy to see Jennifer Aniston nominated because it was unexpected. Robert Duvall’s great but wow, was the Judge ever a disappointing movie.

I was shocked to see Naomi Watts nominated for St. Vincent but it actually makes sense. Her role in St. Vincent really was awards bait. And who doesn’t love Naomi Watts? (That said, I thought her performance was a bit cartoonish.)

Both the Grand Budapest Hotel and especially The Theory of Everything are looking more and more like probable best picture nominees.

And here are the nominees:

Best Ensemble:

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

The Theory of Everything

Best Actor

Steve Carell in Foxcatcher

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game

Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler

Michael Keaton in Birdman

Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything

Best Actress

Jennifer Aniston in Cake

Felicity Jones in The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore in Still Alice

Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon in Wild

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall in The Judge

Ethan Hawke in Boyhood

Edward Norton in Birdman

Mark Ruffalo in Foxcatcher

J.K. Simmons in Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette in Boyhood

Keira Knightley in The Imitation Game

Emma Stone in Birdman

Meryl Streep in Into The Woods

Naomi Watts in St. Vincent

Outstanding Stunt Ensemble

Fury

Get On Up

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Unbroken

X-Men: Days of Future Past

The Brief Thrill Of The Phoenix Film Critics Nominations

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I have to admit that, when I first looked at the just-released Phoenix Film Critics Nominations for 2014, I got really excited. I saw The LEGO Movie listed among the nominees for best picture and I thought to myself, “Oh my God! Could The LEGO Movie be set to be the fourth animated film to score a best picture nomination from the Academy!?”

Seriously, my inner movie trivia lover was so excited!

Then, of course, I remembered that critical recognition doesn’t necessarily translate into Oscar nominations. And I was forced to admit that The LEGO Movie probably will not be nominated for best picture, though it definitely remains a front runner for best animated feature.

But, for a few moments there, I was truly an excited Oscar watcher.

Anyway, here are the Phoenix Film Critics Nominations!

(h/t to Awards Circuit)

BEST PICTURE/ TOP TEN FILMS OF 2014

A Most Violent Year
Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Imitation Game
The Lego Movie
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

BEST DIRECTOR

Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
David Fincher, Gone Girl
Alejandro G. Inarritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Brendon Gleeson, Calvary
Tommy Lee Jones, The Homesman
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Amy Adams, Big Eyes
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Hilary Swank, The Homesman
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Logan Lerman, Fury
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J. K. Simmons, Whiplash

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
Carrie Coon, Gone Girl
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman

BEST ENSMEBLE ACTING

Birdman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Into the Woods

BEST SCREENPLAY WRITTEN DIRECTLY FOR THE SCREEN

A Most Violent Year
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Whiplash

BEST SCREENPLAY ADAPTED FROM ANOTHER MEDIUM

American Sniper
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything
Wild

BEST LIVE ACTION FAMILY FILM

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Guardians of the Galaxy
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Muppets Most Wanted

BEST ANIMATED FILM

Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
The Lego Movie
How to Train Your Dragon 2

OVERLOOKED FILM OF THE YEAR

Calvary
Edge of Tomorrow
Obvious Child
The Skeleton Twins
Snowpiercer

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Force Majeure
IDA
Mood Indigo
The Raid 2

BEST DOCUMENTARY

Citizenfour
Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
Jodorowsky’s Dune
Life Itself
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

Everything is Awesome, The Lego Movie
Immortals, Big Hero 6
Lost Stars, Begin Again
Miracles, Unbroken

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Birdman
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
The Theory of Everything

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

A Most Violent Year
Birdman
Interstellar
Into the Woods
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken

BEST FILM EDITING

Birdman
Boyhood
Gone Girl
Interstellar
Into the Woods

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Snowpiercer

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into the Woods
Maleficent
The Theory of Everything

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Edge of Tomorrow
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar

BEST STUNTS

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Edge of Tomorrow
John Wick
Need for Speed
The Raid 2

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE ON CAMERA

Ellar Coltrane, Boyhood
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Jenny Slate, Obvious Child

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE BEHIND THE CAMERA

Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
Gillian Robespierre, Obvious Child
Jon Stewart, Rosewater

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH – MALE

Ellar Coltrane, Boyhood
Daniel Huttlestone, Into the Woods
Jaeden Lieberber, St. Vincent
Ed Oxenbould, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Tony Revolori, The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH – FEMALE

Lilla Crawford, Into the Woods
Mackenzie Foy, Interstellar
Sterling Jerins, And So It Goes

Here Are The AFI’s Top Eleven Films Of The Year!

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Earlier today, the American Film Institute announced their picks for the top 11 movies and top 10 television shows of 2014! As much as it pains me to admit it, Sasha “You Know Who I Am” Stone of Awards Daily actually makes a valid point when she says that the AFI picks are actually a pretty good guide to what the Academy voters are responding to. While Oscar watchers like me might get excited when Tom Hardy wins at LAFCA, the AFI is actually probably a better precursor to what actually will be nominated.

(Of course, immediately after making that point, she starts in on her usual “it’s all about me” nonsense because that’s what she does, after all.)

So, with all that in mind, here are the AFI’s picks:

AFI MOVIES OF THE YEAR
“American Sniper”
“Birdman (Or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
“Boyhood”
“Foxcatcher”
“The Imitation Game”
“Interstellar”
“Into the Woods”
“Nightcrawler”
“Selma”
“Unbroken”
“Whiplash”

AFI TV PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
“The Americans”
“Fargo”
“Game of Thrones”
“How to Get Away With Murder”
“Jane the Virgin”
“The Knick”
“Mad Men”
“Orange Is the New Black”
“Silicon Valley”
“Transparent”

And, here are the names of the 20 members of the AFI jury:

Tom Pollock,

Jeanne Basinger,

Bob Gazzale,

Mark Harris,

Marshall Herskovitz,

Patty Jenkins,

Lisa Kennedy,

Kasi Lemmons,

Matthew Libatique,

Akira Mizuta Lippit,

Leonard Maltin,

Claudia Puig,

Peter Travers

The AAFCA Honors Selma!

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

And Oscar season continues!

Today, the African-American Film Critics Association named Selma as best film of 2014! Check out the full list of winners below!

(h/t to Awards Circuit)

Best Actor – David Oyelowo, Selma (Paramount)
Best Actress – Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle (Fox Searchlight)
Best Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer, Black or White (Rela.)
Best Supporting Actor – Tyler Perry, Gone Girl (Fox) /J.K. Simmons, Whiplash (SPC)
Best World Cinema – Timbuktu (Les Films du Worso)
Breakout Performance – Tessa Thompson, Dear White People (RAtt.)
Best Director – Ava Duvernay, Selma (Paramount)
Best Screenplay – Gina Prince-Bythewood, Beyond the Lights (Rela)
Best Music – John Legend/Common, “Glory” (Selma soundtrack)
Best Ensemble – Get On Up (Universal)
Best Independent Film – Dear White People (Roadside Attractions)
Best Animation – The Boxtrolls (Focus)
Best Documentary – Life Itself (Magnolia)

AAFCA Top Ten Films of 2014 are as follows in order of distinction:

1. Selma
2. The Imitation Game
3. Theory of Everything
4. Birdman
5. Belle
6. Top Five
7. Unbroken
8. Dear White People
9. Get On Up
10. Black or White

(Incidentally, I think that Tyler Perry’s performance in Gone Girl deserves to be given a lot more awards consideration than it’s been given so far. When I first heard Perry had been cast, I was skeptical but the fact of the matter is that he gave an excellent and memorable performance.)