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, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,  2001,
 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 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 Cuarón 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 Brühl 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 RANGER - Crash McCreery; Cheryl Carasik
AMERICAN HUSTLE - Judy Becker; Jesse Rosenthal
OBLIVION - Darren 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 STEEL - Michael 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,
 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,
 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

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