So, we’re getting to crunch time folks! With the Oscars only two weeks away, expect many posts from me in the next couple of weeks as I last-minute watch some of the nominees and get super excited about everything in general. I imagine there will be a a lot of nonsense appearing here on a day-to-day basis.
It’s a beautifully sunny Sunday, which I hope means that we’re in for a treat with the BAFTAs today. The BAFTAs can be pretty unpredictable sometimes so I’m not sure why I’m bothering with predictions, especially when I am notoriously bad at awards predictions in general. Nevertheless, I figured it would be pretty amusing to see just how wrong I am later. I’ve gone bold and thrown a couple of wildcards in there too, just for funsies. For the full list of nominees, click here.
Enjoy!
Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer: Good Vibrations: Colin Carberry, Glenn Patterson
Potential Party Pooper: Saving Mr Banks: Kelly Marcel
I’m not going to pretend that I have any idea who’s going to win this one, and I haven’t seen many of the films nominated, so I decided to ditch the obvious success of Saving Mr Banks and go for something I know Mark Kermode loves.
EE Rising Star Award: Will Poulter
Potential Party Pooper: Dane DeHaan
Again, I’m not really sure where this will go, but I’ve got an inkling Poulter will take it, or maybe DeHaan. George MacKay is pretty unknown to me and Nyong’o is too much of a contender in Supporting Actress. Lea Seydoux would be a nice win, but again, I’m not sure if people are really aware of her.
Best Documentary: The Act of Killing
Potential Party Pooper: Blackfish
I’m not going to lie, I haven’t seen any of the Documentary nominees, though I’ve heard a lot about The Act of Killing and Blackfish, and they’re on my to-watch list. From what I’ve heard about The Act of Killing, and with its win at the London Film Critics Circle Awards, I think it’s in for the win, but who knows?
Best Animated Feature Film: Frozen
Potential Party Pooper: Despicable Me 2
Again, I haven’t seen any of the nominees, though the massive love for Frozen taking over my dashboard on Tumblr makes me feel like it’s a crime I’ve not seen it yet. I don’t see anything else winning here or at the Oscars.
Best Film not in the English Language: Blue is the Warmest Colour
Potential Party Pooper: The Great Beauty
The Great Beauty is a stong contender for the Oscar, but Blue is the Warmest Colour was not eligible for the Oscars so I am going with the London Film Critics Circle and predicting this to win.
Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects: Gravity
Potential Party Pooper: None. I think this is a given.
Best Sound: Gravity
Potential Party Pooper: All is Lost
The fact that All is Lost has no dialogue and therefore relies so much on other audio work may give it the win here, but something tells me that the Gravity-love will extend to Sound.
Best Makeup/ Hair: American Hustle
Potential Party Pooper: Behind the Candelabra
The only award that American Hustle deserves to be nominated for, let alone win.
For more of my thoughts on American Hustle, check back here in just over a week’s time ;).
Original Music: The Book Thief
Potential Party Pooper: I don’t know, any of them.
I really haven’t got a clue with this one, and I’ve not really been paying attention. I don’t know why I’ve even picked The Book Thief- it might just be because I’m surprised its even nominated when it’s not out in the UK for another month.
Best Costume Design: Behind the Candelabra
Potential Party Pooper: American Hustle
This could easily be American Hustle’s, but I’m giving Behind the Candelabra a shot, because in my mind it needs one win somewhere.
Best Production Design: The Great Gatsby
Potential Party Pooper: American Hustle
This is one where I picked at random, because I genuinely don’t have a clue. Going against the grain, just because I can.
Best Editing: Gravity
Potential Party Pooper: Captain Phillips
I’ve picked Gravity here just because I think BAFTA loves it so much that it will take most of the technicals.
Best Cinematography: Gravity
Potential Party Pooper: 12 Years a Slave
Ditto above, I think Lubezki probably has this in the bag. It would be nice to see Sean Bobbit win for 12 Years a Slave however since he was left out of the Oscar noms.
Best Screenplay (Adapted): 12 Years a Slave
Potential Party Pooper: Philomena
In my opinion this award is anyone’s game, but I’m gonna predict Ridley just because I think general 12 Years a Slave love will help him out here.
Best Screenplay (Original): American Hustle
Potential Party Pooper: Gravity
Unfortunately, I can see Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell taking this for American Hustle, as I don’t really see anyone else wining. Gravity’s screenplay was the weakest thing about the whole film, but there’s still a possibility Alfonso and Jonás Cuarón could win this.
David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
Potential Party Pooper: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
I wouldn’t actually call Steve McQueen a Party Pooper, as I’d quite like to see him win for the excellent 12 Years a Slave. However, Cuarón has been winning at many important pre-cursors, and no one can deny that it would be a deserved win, as the direction in Gravity is outstanding.
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
Potential Party Pooper: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I won’t be stupidly annoyed if Lawrence wins this, as she is still a large threat in the Supporting Actress race and that in general annoys me. Hopefully BAFTA will have some sense here and go for Lupita.
Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Philips
Potential Party Pooper: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
I don’t really understand why the beautiful Jared Leto is not in this nominees list. In fact, I don’t understand the Dallas Buyers Club shut-out in general, and it greatly upsets me. Anyway, this is between Abdi and Fassbender in my mind, and although it’s most likely that Fassbender will take it, I’m throwing in Abdi as a curve ball because of his recent London Film Critics Circle win, and I figure Captain Phillips gets a win somewhere. Plus I’d really like to catch the look on his face if he does win.
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Potential Party Pooper: Judi Dench, Philomena
The question here is, will BAFTA follow Queen Cate’s current awards reign and give her the win, or will they go for Judi Dench, who they clearly adore? The general love for Philomena could mean that Dench surprises here, but I’m sticking with Queen Cate.
Best Actor: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Potential Party Pooper: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
With McConaughey wrongly snubbed in this category, it’s between Ejiofor and DiCaprio, and I’d be quite happy to see either of them win.
Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the Year: Philomena
Potential Party Pooper: Gravity
Ok, I know I’m probably wrong here, but I just don’t think Philomena should be underestimated. Plus, to some it’s more ‘British’ than Gravity, which may sway some of the voters.
Best Film: 12 Years a Slave
Potential Party Pooper: Gravity
Ok, so I’m hoping for a 12YAS win, because if it loses to Gravity here then it’ll probably lose the Oscar too. Gravity is a very large threat, and it’s clear BAFTA love it with its 11 nominations, but hopefully they’ll award it elsewhere, and let 12 Years a Slave take the big prize.
***
WOW, this blog post took me forever to write. Looking over it, I think I’m actually wrong in many cases, but hey ho, it’s all part of the fun and games.
Who do you think will win the big prizes later tonight? Or, as the show starts very soon and I left this post very late, what do you think of the eventual winners? I’ll be live tweeting while the show is aired on BBC 1 at 9 o’clock British time, follow here.
Until tomorrow, much love 🙂
Y xxxx
The Silver Screen 