Reactions to the Oscar Nominations: 2015

So, the nominations are out, and there were some shockers, some pleasant surprises, and as usual, there was a lot of confusion. Gone Girl got all but ignored, Selma got a mild pat on the back after intense snubbing, and then there’s the little film that could in Whiplash. Check out the nominations below, along with how my predictions did and some thoughts on this year’s crop. Also, I will include my early prediction to help get you all ready for the Oscar Challenge!

BEST PICTURE
American Sniper

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Predicted: 7 for 8

Reactions: So in my top 10, I only missed Selma, which I had correctly getting snubbed everywhere else. It becomes the second movie under the new stupid rules to only get one additional nomination with its Best Picture nomination. The biggest shocker is Gone Girl getting the shaft, which will become a theme as this goes along. A Most Violent Year was also in my predictions, which is now the first movie since Quills in 2000 to win the National Board of Review and fail to get a Best Picture nomination (and the first since 1971 to not receive a single nomination).

Preliminary prediction: Boyhood

BEST DIRECTOR

Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – Birdman

Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher

Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Morten Tyldum – The Imitation Game

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had the wrong British production taking the nom with James Marsh instead of Morten Tyldum. I also had David Fincher getting the previously clear nomination in instead of Bennett Miller, who is now seemingly the next Stephen Daldry with the Academy. Foxcatcher features the first loan director nomination since 2007. This is a fine group. Wes Anderson is such an auteur, and even though this is far from his best film, it is refreshing to see him recognized for his direction.

Preliminary prediction: Richard Linklater

BEST ACTOR

Steve Carell – Foxcatcher

Bradley Cooper – American Sniper

Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game

Michael Keaton – Birdman

Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Timothy Spall getting a surprise nomination and Jake Gyllenhaal getting in over Cooper and Carell. Carell was suffering from a bit of category fraud, so I assumed that he would get overlooked. It was a great performance nonetheless. Bradley Cooper is the new Golden Boy at the Oscars with his 3^rd straight nomination, only the 10^th actor to accomplish that. This should be Keaton’s Oscar to lose, but we will see with his speeches if he turns anyone off. It is just great to see him finally an Oscar nominee.

Preliminary prediction: Michael Keaton

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

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had Amy Adams in for Cotillard, which I don’t feel too bad about. This is, if I am not mistaken, the first Oscar nomination for a film by the Dardenne brothers. Cotillard is beloved, though. I love that they didn’t wind up snubbing one of the really deserving nominees. Felicity Jones is especially exciting to see here. Julianne Moore cannot be stopped, though. It is finally her time.

Preliminary prediction: Julianne Moore

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Robert Duvall – The Judge

Ethan Hawke – Boyhood

Edward Norton – Birdman

Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher

JK Simmons – Whiplash

Predicted: 5 for 5

Reactions: This was done when it started. We all knew and know what is going to happen here. Edward Norton finally breaks his nominationless streak!

Preliminary prediction: JK Simmons

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Laura Dern – Wild

Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game

Emma Stone – Birdman

Meryl Streep – Into the Woods

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Jessica Chastain and Tilda Swinton getting in over Knightley and surprise nominee Laura Dern. This is a strange group. I love that Meryl Streep keeps getting the inexplicable nominations. Patricia Arquette seems like a juggernaut at this point. Only maybe Emma Stone and her goofy popularity in the amazing Birdman can really have a shot at dethroning her.

Preliminary prediction: Patricia Arquette

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Birdman

Boyhood

Foxcatcher

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Nightcrawler

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had usually sure thing Mike Leigh and his film Mr. Turner in over Foxcatcher. It’s crazy because it seemed like Foxcatcher was just barely hanging on before the nominations, and now here we are with 4 major nominations. This race comes down to Birdman, Boyhood, and Budapest. They all killed in nominations and any of them can win.

Preliminary prediction: Birdman

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

American Sniper

The Imitation Game

Inherent Vice

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: Once again, Gone Girl gets ignored. I had American Sniper on 6^th. This is always a very sophisticated group of nominees, and then there’s Whiplash. I love that it really hit a home run with the members. This race is suddenly wide open with favorite Gone Girl missing out completely. I should have just listened to my own commentary all along…they don’t like you adapting your own material!

Preliminary prediction: American Sniper

 

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Birdman

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Ida

Mr. Turner

Unbroken

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had Interstellar in for Ida. This is such an interesting group of nominees. A movie like Ida, which isn’t exactly The White Ribbon, simply does not get mentioned in categories like this. Once again, this is incredibly refreshing. Unbroken would have been a tragic snub, but I honestly don’t know who our favorite it. The camera work in Birdman is the showiest, so I guess…

Preliminary prediction: Birdman

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Interstellar

Into the Woods

Mr. Turner

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: So this is the one where Birdman doesn’t get in…ok. I can handle Mr. Turner instead. I think this is about as close to correct as we can ask for.

Preliminary prediction: The Grand Budapest Hotel

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Inherent Vice

Into the Woods

Maleficent

Mr. Turner

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had Belle in for Maleficent, which I suppose I was just taking a stab at their love for that era of period pieces. We need a new frontrunner now…and I don’t know which one to choose. Inherent Vice! It is no shot, but man I loved those costumes…

Preliminary prediction: Into the Woods

BEST SOUND MIXING

American Sniper

Birdman

Interstellar

Unbroken

Whiplash

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Gone Girl and Into the Woods in for Interstellar and Unbroken. This Gone Girl snubbing really got out of hand by this point. This is a fairly standard group of nominees, and if there is justice, Whiplash would take it. However, I fear…

Preliminary prediction: Interstellar

BEST FILM EDITING

American Sniper

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Whiplash

Predicted: 2 for 5

Reactions: Ugh, I had Birdman, Gone Girl, and Nightcrawler in for all but Boyhood and Imitation. How exactly does Birdman miss out? Really, that is even more of a tough movie to put together and make it work than Boyhood. Wow. Anyway, this is a cool group anyway. This is where we find out that Whiplash really is a threat.

Preliminary prediction: American Sniper

BEST SOUND EFFECTS EDITING

American Sniper

Birdman

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Interstellar

Unbroken

Predicted: 1 for 5

Reactions: Ouch, I chose the wrong group of action movies here. I had Tranfsformers, Fury, Apes, and Lego Movie in for all but Interstellar. So what does that tell you? Don’t listen to my winner prediction either.

Preliminary prediction: Interstellar

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Guardians of the Galaxy

Interstellar

X-Men: Days of Future Past

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had Maleficent and Hobbit in for Apes and X-Men. This is a stacked category. Normally Interstellar would be the forgone conclusion, but I am not so sure this year.

Preliminary prediction: Guardians of the Galaxy

 

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Foxcatcher

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Predicted: 3 for 3

Reactions: Boom! My second aced category! Shh…don’t tell them is was the easiest one…

Preliminary prediction: Foxcatcher

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

“Everything Is Awesome” – The Lego Movie

“Glory” – Selma

“Grateful” – Beyond the Lights

“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” – Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me

“Lost Stars” – Begin Again

Predicted: 2 for 5

Reactions: I only got the “Glory” and Glen Campbell right, missing the others in favor of songs from Big Eyes, Boyhood, and Unbroken. So, the Lonely Island guys are nominees. Everything really is awesome.

Preliminary prediction: “Glory”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Interstellar

Mr. Turner

The Theory of Everything

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I missed Mr. Turner in favor of…sigh…Gone Girl. The Theory of Everything is clearly the best score of the year, but that is not usually what wins. It is the catchy music, which is why Budapest takes it.

Preliminary prediction: The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Citizenfour

Finding Vivian Maier

Last Days in Vietnam

The Salt of the Earth

Virunga

Predicted: 3 for 5

Reactions: I had The Case Against 8 and Citizen Koch in for Finding Vivian Maier and The Salt of the Earth. Not having seen any of these, I won’t even try to sound like I know what I’m talking about.

Preliminary prediction: The Salt of the Earth

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Ida

Leviathan

Tangerines

Timbuktu

Wild Tales

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: I had some movie called Accused in for Tangerines. Interesting. I have only seen Ida, which is good, but I somehow doubt that it really is going to win this.

Preliminary prediction: Wild Tales

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Big Hero 6

The Boxtrolls

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Song of the Sea

The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Predicted: 4 for 5

Reactions: No Lego Movie, oh ok. Wait a minute…what? Um…ok yeah sure Song of the Sea. We all saw that, right?

Preliminary prediction: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Overall predictions: 74/106; 69.81% (67.29% in 2014)

Without the last 5 categories: 57/81; 70.37% (69.51% in 2014)

On the Big 8 categories: 33/43; 76.74% (75.00% in 2014)

Hmm…so I actually did better this year? It must have just been the repeating nominees in the technical categories because I feel like I was really botching some of them. Nice…

10 COOLEST FIRST TIME NOMINEES

1. Emma Stone

2. The Lonely Island

3. Steve Carell

4. Common

5. Rosamund Pike

6. Felicity Jones

7. Eddie Redmayne

8. JK Simmons

9. Benedict Cumberbatch

10. Charlie Siskel (nephew of Gene)

10 WORST SNUBS

1. Gone Girl for Adapted Screenplay

2. Birdman for Editing

3. Miles Teller for Best Actor

4. The Lego Movie for Animated Feature

5. Clint Eastwood for Best Director – Jersey Boys ;-)

6. RoboCop for Visual Effects

7. Under the Skin for Cinematography

 

8. Tracks for Cinematography

9. Gone Girl for Original Score

10. The Rover for Best Makeup

Stay tuned for our 7^th Annual Oscar Challenge!

SNL 39.21 Review - Andy Samberg, St. Vincent

Original Airdate - 5/17/14

This has been a season unlike many others in recent memory for Saturday Night Live.  Most of the cast members considered the show's "stars" have left in the last few seasons, and the show went scrambling to discover its next set of leaders.  As always, the season finale is a star-studded event, and this time it seemed like most of the stars were the ones that created this season of newbies.  You start with first-time host Andy Samberg, whose digital shorts introduced a new generation to SNL during his time as a cast member.  Added to the mix were recent departures Seth Meyers, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Fred Armisen among several other surprises.  They obviously decided to make this season finale a sort of family reunion.  It led to a funny episode at times, and in a strange way, showed that the show's new cast is handling this landmark American franchise well.

Cold Opening

As always, the cold opening addresses a recent bit of current events.  This time around we have a recent bit of security footage released of Jay-Z getting in a little spat with sister-in-law Solange Knowles.  Any excuse for Jay Pharaoh to give one of his signature impressions makes the sketch worth it, but it also once again showed off a bright spot of the second half of the season in Sasheer Zamata.  Just when you thought the sketch had run its course, in comes the first surprise of the night in the woman whose shoes Zamata is trying to fill, Maya Rudolph as Beyonce.  This took the sketch to a whole new level as Rudolph shows once again why she is one of the greatest cast members of all time.

Monologue

My question coming into this episode is how Andy Samberg would do being the focal point for an episode.  As a cast member, he shined in little bit parts and his digital shorts.  He rarely was ever featured in a live sketch.  How would he do?  Well, apparently this was Andy Samberg's concern as well as he made light of that fact during his monologue.  How will he carry the show?  We truly start to understand that the answer to this question will be ... with a little help from his friends.  Cameo #2 came from Seth Meyers, who moved on earlier in the season but just moved down the hall to his Late Night set.  He comes on to help Samberg try to break a record for impressions currently held by his buddy Bill Hader.  He needs 23 impressions to set the record so in a lightning speed round, he rattles off enough to eclipse the record.  Well you knew Bill Hader would have something to say about that, which he did as he made his first appearance on the show since leaving last season.  This sure set the stage for the finale and also informed us of one piece of depressing news.  Justin Timberlake was on tour in Russia and wouldn't be showing up.  Sad, but he did leave Andy a message of encouragement.

Weekend Update

For some reason, seeing Colin and Cecily wrap up the season at the Weekend Update desk validated their roles as anchors.  They had arrived and officially etched their place in the show's history.  For this final episode, there were two repeat guests coming to the Update desk, one was an obvious choice and one was an odd one.  Both worked perfectly though.  The first guest was one that showed up for the first time in the first episode of the season: Kyle Mooney's New York comic Bruce Chandling.  The crux of the sketch is Chandling is a failed comedian for a reason: he's not funny.  The first time around, nobody got it.  The audience didn't know how to take it, and I didn't know how to take it either.  An entire season has passed since that first failed bit, and more importantly we have had a season to get to know Kyle's different style of humor.  I believe this was the main thing that changed this time around.  Everything that didn't work the first time was hilarious this time.  This character is just ridiculously awkward, and now that we get that this is the point of most of Mooney's comedy, this sketch was very well received.

The second guest was an obvious choice.  With Samberg hosting, we had to go "In the Cage" as Andy busts out his iconic Nicolas Cage impression.  His guest was yet another cameo, this time from Paul Rudd.  These sketches are almost all the same as they mock Cage's bizarre mannerisms, choice of films, and just different way of going about life.  Samberg is silly enough to highlight these quirks perfectly which makes them work every time.

Best Sketch

The sketches on the whole were fairly average, but there were two that really shined above the rest.  First came a sketch about summer camp that featured Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant as kid troublemakers at Camp Wicawabe.  Samberg plays an older camper that wreaks havoc on the camp at a level that the girls don't even understand.  Then comes Kyle Mooney as their 6 year old assistant with a xylophone and a great spot on little kid speech impediment.  Maybe it's being a teacher, but there was something about this sketch that just made me laugh.

The second sketch was one of the more anticipated sketches of the season.  What kind of digital short (or shorts) would Andy Samberg and the Lonely Island crew bring to his debut hosting gig?  He brought two shorts, the first of which was the better of the two.  Samberg plays a world famous DJ leading a concert by hitting buttons on his panel.  The suspense builds as the song asks the question, "When will the bass drop?"  No one quite expected the craziness that commenced when it finally did drop.  This wasn't the best the Lonely Island crew has produced, but it was a welcome return.

Worst Sketch

Like I said, one of the questions coming into the episode was how well will Andy Samberg carry the average sketches on his own.  The answer was, when he wasn't helped by his buddies, not well.  This is the perfect example.  Here he plays a confident hunchback as he wanders the bars hitting on women.  That's really all there is to it.  Doesn't sound that funny?  There's a reason, it wasn't.

Dark Horse Sketch

Some of the best dark horse sketches of the season came from classic dark horse sketches coming back from past seasons with former cast members returning.  This is a perfect example as we got to see the return of the Vogelchecks.  All the former cast members on set popped out with Taran Killam, the closest thing to a star left on the cast, to display the over-affectionate family that loves to kiss each other.  It's a classic sketch of waiting for the cast members to break.  The out-of-practice cast alums broke a lot which added to the hilarity.

Grade

What was needed to make Andy Samberg a successful host made this a great season finale.  The cameos are a welcome sight, but seeing this many former cast members show up add the nostalgia that make for a great final episode of the year.  (It seemed like the only non-star was the musical guest who I had never heard of before.)  However, also seeing the former cast members mingle with the current cast members really validated, in my mind, everything the current cast has accomplished this season.  Many people have criticized this season as not being as funny as the past seasons or the so-called "glory days" of SNL.  I think people confuse different for funny.  This cast, 8 of which made their debuts this season, has some great potential moving forward.  This wasn't the best episode of the season, but it was a fitting finish.

***B+***

View the full episode here: