Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Viewing Journal: 12/31/2013







501) PRINCE AVALANCHE
(2013 dir. David Gordon Green) 2nd Viewing: December 31 2013











**THINGS I WATCHED BUT FORGOT TO LOG IN 2013**
I'm trying to be better about remembering to notate the short films & music videos I see. I still slack off in this department.

  • COLD MAILMAN: MY RECURRING DREAM (dir. Andrè Chocron) ****1/2
  • SLASH (dir. Clay Liford) ****
  • SHUGO TOKUMARU: KATACHI ****1/2
  • EXORDIUM (dir. Morgan Galen King) ***1/2
  • THE BLUE UMBRELLA (dir. Saschka Unseld) ****
  • WINDY DAY (dir. Jan Pinkava) ****

Monday, December 30, 2013

Viewing Journal: 12/30/2013





500) AMERICAN HUSTLE
(2013 dir. David O. Russell) 2nd Viewing: December 30 2013





Sunday, December 29, 2013

Viewing Journal: 12/29/2013






499) GRUDGE MATCH
(2013 dir. Peter Segal) Date Seen: December 29 2013





Saturday, December 28, 2013

Viewing Journal: 12/28/2013






498) CHICKEN WITH PLUMS
(2011 dir. Marjane Satrapi) Date Seen: December 28 2013






Friday, December 27, 2013

Viewing Journal: 12/27/2013






497) TRUE LIES
(1994 dir. James Cameron) 2nd Viewing: December 27 2013

Along with PIRANHA II: THE SPAWNING, this is the only James Cameron film I do not unabashedly love.. Though it does have a few truly incredible moments. 


"It's a story about lies that are true und they are also false" - Arnie




Thursday, December 26, 2013

Viewing Journal: 12/26/2013






496) THE SECRET LIFE 
                  OF WALTER MITTY
(2013 dir. Ben Stiller) Date Seen: December 26 2013



Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Viewing Journal: 12/25/2013

 










495) 
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
(2013 dir. Martin Scorsese) Date Seen: December 25 2013





2013 YEAR-END BALLOT

the point of this exercise isn't merely to stand in contrast to industry awards shows but to shine light on other works/achievements/performances that might've not gotten enough consideration during their initial releases 


Past ballots at The Wandering Image:
 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991199219931994199519961997, 199819992000 2001,
 20022003200420052006, 200720082009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 
 2013 


To view my Top 30 films of 2013, visit the Final Cinema blog.



Note: Oscar winner predictions will be added towards the end of January in parentheses next to my *top pick in each category. As usual, I must wait until early Feb for my local Magnolia to screen the live action & animated shorts of 2013 before I can add more to those categories. 


**Actual AMPAS nominees added 1/16/2014**
**My Oscar winner predictions added 1/17/2014 in parentheses next to my choices**
**Actual AMPAS winners noted 3/2/2014**









2013
*A TOUCH OF SIN         

TO THE WONDER
THE WIND RISES
VIOLA
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
THE WORLD'S END
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
BASTARDS
LORDS OF SALEM
DRUG WAR
UPSTREAM COLOR
THE WE AND THE I
BYZANTIUM
LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE
THE GRANDMASTER [CHINESE CUT]
POST TENEBRAS LUX
THE GREAT BEAUTY
BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO
HER
MUD

actual best picture oscar nominees:
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
12 YEARS A SLAVE (won)
PHILOMENA
NEBRASKA
HER 
GRAVITY
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
AMERICAN HUSTLE

actual foreign language oscar nominees:
BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
THE GREAT BEAUTY (won)
THE HUNT
THE MISSING PICTURE
OMAR

prediction:
12 YEARS A SLAVE










2013
*
Jia Zhangke 
           for A TOUCH OF SIN
Richard Linklater for BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Terrence Malick for TO THE WONDER
Matías Piñeiro for VIOLA
Rob Zombie for LORDS OF SALEM

actual oscar nominees:
Alfonso Cuaron for GRAVITY (won)
Alexander Payne for NEBRASKA
David O. Russell for AMERICAN HUSTLE
Steve McQueen for 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Martin Scorsese for THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

prediction:
Alfonso CuarĂ³n for GRAVITY










2013
*Julie Delpy 
       in BEFORE MIDNIGHT 
Kathryn Hahn in AFTERNOON DELIGHT
Olga Kurylenko in TO THE WONDER
Miriam Colon in BLESS ME, ULTIMA
Kate Lyn Sheil in SUN DON'T SHINE


actual oscar nominees:
Amy Adams in AMERICAN HUSTLE
Cate Blanchett in BLUE JASMINE (won)
Sandra Bullock in GRAVITY
Judi Dench in PHILOMENA
Meryl Streep in AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY

prediction:
Cate Blanchett in BLUE JASMINE











2013
*Mads Mikkelsen 
                  in THE HUNT 
Oscar Isaac in INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
Idris Elba in MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM 
Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Matthew McConaughey in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

actual oscar nominees:
Christian Bale in AMERICAN HUSTLE
Leonard DiCaprio in WOLF OF WALL STREET
Bruce Dern in NEBRASKA
Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Matthew McConaughey in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (won)

prediction:
Matthew McConaughey in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB










2013
*Felicity Jones in 
    THE INVISIBLE WOMAN  
Yolonda Ross in GO FOR SISTERS
Sally Hawkins in BLUE JASMINE
Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Shailene Woodley in THE SPECTACULAR NOW

actual oscar nominees:
Jennifer Lawrence in AMERICAN HUSTLE
Sally Hawkins in BLUE JASMINE
Julia Roberts in AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
June Squibb in NEBRASKA
Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE (won)

prediction:
Lupita Nyong'o in 12 YEARS A SLAVE










2013
*Michael Fassbender 
          in 12 YEARS A SLAVE    
Jake Gyllenhaal in PRISONERS
Daniel BrĂ¼hl in RUSH
Ben Foster in AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS
Harrison Ford in 42

actual oscar nominees:
Barkhad Abdi in CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
Bradley Cooper in AMERICAN HUSTLE
Michael Fassbender in 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Jonah Hill in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
Jared Leto in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB  (won)

prediction:
Jared Leto in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB









2013
*INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS 
                              - Coen bros. 
AMERICAN HUSTLE - David O. Russell; Eric Singer
ENOUGH SAID - Nicole Holofcener
HER - Spike Jonze
THE PAST - Asghar Farhadi
WHITE REINDEER - Zach Cark

actual oscar nominees:
HER (won)
NEBRASKA
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
BLUE JASMINE
AMERICAN HUSTLE

prediction:
HER










2013
*12 YEARS A SLAVE 
                          - John Ridley       
BEFORE MIDNIGHT - Linklater, Delpy, Hawke
THE INVISIBLE WOMAN - Abi Morgan
BYZANTIUM Moira Buffini
PAIN & GAIN - Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely

actual oscar nominees:
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
PHILOMENA
12 YEARS A SLAVE (won)
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

prediction:
WOLF OF WALL ST










2013
*LEVIATHAN                     
THE ACT OF KILLING
STORIES WE TELL
THESE BIRDS WALK
THE CRASH REEL
AT BERKELEY
HAPPY PEOPLE: A YEAR IN THE TAIGA
IS THE MAN WHO IS TALL HAPPY?
ROOM 237
20 FEET FROM STARDOM

actual oscar nominees:
THE ACT OF KILLING
CUTIE AND THE BOXER
DIRTY WARS
THE SQUARE
20 FEET FROM STARDOM (won)

prediction:
CUTIE & THE BOXER










2013
*THE WIND RISES                    
IS THE MAN WHO IS TALL HAPPY?
THE PAINTING
ERNEST & CELESTINE
WOLF CHILDREN
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY
THE MISSING PICTURE

actual oscar nominees:
THE CROODS
DESPICABLE ME 2
ERNEST & CELESTINE
FROZEN (won)
THE WIND RISES

prediction:
FROZEN







2013
*MAN OF STEEL 
                - Hans Zimmer >  
ONLY GOD FORGIVES Cliff Martinez >
PRINCE AVALANCHE Wingo & Explosions in the Sky >
PASSION - Pino Donaggio >
THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES - Mike Patton >

actual oscar nominees:
THE BOOK THIEF
HER
GRAVITY (won)
PHILOMENA
SAVING MR. BANKS

prediction:
SAVING MR. BANKS






2013
*D IS FOR DOGFIGHT 
                [ABCs OF DEATH segment]  
SWEET EXORCISM [CENTRO HISTORICO segment]
COLD MAILMAN: MY RECURRING DREAM
TWO ISLANDS
SAFE HAVEN [V/H/S/2 segment]
WE WILL LIVE AGAIN
CAVEDIGGER
VIDROS PARTIDOS [CENTRO HISTORICO segment]
HELIUM
SLUMBER PARTY ALIEN ABDUCTION [V/H/S/2 segment]
Clay Liford's SLASH
FROM ONE SECOND TO THE NEXT


actual oscar nominees live action:
THAT WASN'T ME
JUST BEFORE LOSING EVERYTHING
HELIUM (won)
THE VOORMAN PROBLEM
DO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING?

actual oscar nominees documentary short:
CAVEDIGGER
FACING FEAR
KARAMA HAS NO WALLS
PRISON TERMINAL: LAST DAYS OF PRIVATE JACK HALL
THE LADY IN #6: MUSIC SAVED MY LIFE (won)

prediction:
HELIUM and LADY IN #6











2013
*OH WILLY...                                 
FERAL
SHUGO TOKUMARU: KATACHI
MR. HUBLOT
「JUNK HEAD 1
EXORDIUM
THE BLUE UMBRELLA
ROADKILL REDEMPTION
FEAR OF FLYING
INVOCATION
Jan Pinkava's WINDY DAY
TOY STORY OF TERROR!

actual oscar nominees:
GET A HORSE!
FERAL
MR. HUBLOT (won)
POSSESSIONS
ROOM ON THE BROOM

prediction:
MR. HUBLOT






categories below this point are
↓for you technical craft lovers↓

2013
*ONLY GOD FORGIVES 
                     Larry Smith, BSC    
TO THE WONDER Emmanuel Lubezki, AMC, ASC
PRISONERS - Roger Deakins, ASC, BSC
RUSH - Anthony Dod Mantle BSC, DFF
THE GRANDMASTER Philippe Le Sourd, AFC, ASC

actual oscar nominees:
THE GRANDMASTER
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
PRISONERS
NEBRASKA
GRAVITY (won)

prediction:
GRAVITY












2013
*THE GREAT GATSBY 
   - Ballantine; Matt Villa; Jonathan Redmond     
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET - Thelma Schoonmaker
ROOM 237 - Rodney Ascher
TO THE WONDER Yoshikawa; Roldan; Fraase; Hazen
UPSTREAM COLOR David Lowery; Shane Carruth

actual oscar nominees:
AMERICAN HUSTLE
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB
GRAVITY (won)
12 YEARS A SLAVE

prediction: GRAVITY










2013 - PRODUCTION DESIGN + SET DECOR
*THE GREAT GATSBY 
                   - Catherine Martin      
THE LONE RANGERCrash McCreery; Cheryl Carasik
AMERICAN HUSTLE - Judy Becker; Jesse Rosenthal
OBLIVIONDarren Gilford; Kevin Ishioka; Ronald R. Reiss
HER - K. K. Barrett; Gene Serdena
PACIFIC RIM - Carol Spier; Peter P. Nicolakakos

actual oscar nominees:
THE GREAT GATSBY (won)
AMERICAN HUSTLE
GRAVITY
HER
12 YEARS A SLAVE

prediction: GATSBY














2013
*THE GREAT GATSBY 
                     - Catherine Martin                
MAN OF STEELMichael Wilkinson; James Acheson
HER - Casey Storm
THE GREAT BEAUTY Daniela Ciancio
GREAT EXPECTATIONS Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
THE GRANDMASTER - William Chang Suk Ping
47 RONIN Penny Rose

actual oscar nominees:
THE GRANDMASTER
THE GREAT GATSBY (won)
AMERICAN HUSTLE
THE INVISIBLE WOMAN
12 YEARS A SLAVE

prediction:
GATSBY












2013
*STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS 
- Barney Burman, Mindy Hall, Joel Harlow   
DESOLATION OF SMAUG - P.Swords King, Findlater, Tami Lane
THE LONE RANGER - Joel Harlow, Gloria Pasqua-Casny
ADELE BLANC-SEC - Christopher Chabenet, Stéphane Robert
BAD GRANDPA - Stephen Prouty

actual oscar nominees:
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (won)
THE LONE RANGER
BAD GRANDPA 

prediction:
BAD GRANDPA









2013
*UPSTREAM COLOR              
GRAVITY
BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO
OBLIVION
MAMA
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

actual oscar nominees:
LONE SURVIVOR
THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG
GRAVITY (won)
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS
ALL IS LOST

prediction:
GRAVITY










2013
*GRAVITY                                    
THE LONE RANGER
RUSH
MAN OF STEEL
PACIFIC RIM

actual oscar nominees:
HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG
INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS
LONE SURVIVOR
GRAVITY (won)
CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

prediction:
GRAVITY









2013
*GRAVITY                                  
HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG
OBLIVION
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS
ELYSIUM
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
THE GREAT GATSBY

actual oscar nominees:
IRON MAN 3
STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS
THE LONE RANGER
HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG
GRAVITY (won)

prediction:
GRAVITY













muriel awards categories:


2013
*1) Seagull attack! - LEVIATHAN
2) A Greek sunset - BEFORE MIDNIGHT
3) Jiro’s vision of Caproni romanticizing aeronautics 
---------------------------------------- THE WIND RISES
4) "Christ, be with me" closing monologue (español) 
-------------------------------------- TO THE WONDER
5) William Tell Overture/ Train climax sequence 
------------------------------------------ LONE RANGER
6) Astronaut Stone in Fetal position zero gravity - GRAVITY
7) "Blueblood" fight #1 in pub bathroom 
------------------------------------ THE WORLD'S END
-tie- brothel fight - THE GRANDMASTER [Chinese cut]
8) A rain of multi-colored garments - LAURENCE ANYWAYS
9) Entire 3rd act of UPSTREAM COLOR
10) Waterfalls of blood - BYZANTIUM

11) Neon demon arrives home - POST TENEBRAS LUX
12) Title "maniac" first revealed, in bathroom mirror 
------------------------------------------------ MANIAC
13) "All Tomorow's Parties" closing sequence of 
------------------------------------- LORDS OF SALEM
14) Boat tips over, submerges old man in ocean 
-------------------------------------------- ALL IS LOST
15) Blinded Det. Loki speeds to E.R. in snow storm 
--------------------------------------------- PRISONERS
-tie- Lemmon714 overdose/Lamborghini sequence 
-------------------------------------------- WOLF OF WALL ST

Also this:













2013
*YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHIN' YET
AMERICAN HUSTLE
12 YEARS A SLAVE
PRISONERS
THE WORLD'S END
THE LORDS OF SALEM









Other year-end ballots posted at The Wandering Image:   1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991,1992,
 199319941995199619971998199920002001, 2002, 2003,
 2004200520062007200820092010201120122013, 2014


(feel free to post what your choices would be in comments below)