2014 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 2014, visit the Final Cinema blog.


Note: As usual, Oscar winner predictions will be added towards the end of January next to my *top pick in each category.



**Actual AMPAS nominees added 1/17/2015**
**Oscar winner predictions added 1/19/2015 in parentheses next to my choices**
**Actual AMPAS winners noted 2/23/2015**










2014

*UNDER THE SKIN           
THE IMMIGRANT

STRAY DOGS

SNOWPIERCER

HIMIZU

INHERENT VICE

GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE 3D

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE

LISTEN UP PHILIP

THE CONGRESS

STRANGE LITTLE CAT

MR. TURNER

ROCKS IN MY POCKETS

THE BABADOOK

EDGE OF TOMORROW: LIVE. DIE. REPEAT.

THE RAID 2: BERANDAL

MEMPHIS

FIELD IN ENGLAND

DANCE OF REALITY

GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

actual best picture oscar nominees:  
AMERICAN SNIPER
BIRDMAN (won)
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
BOYHOOD
SELMA
WHIPLASH
THE IMITATION GAME
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

actual foreign language oscar nominees:  
LEVIAFAN
IDA (won)
TANGERINES
TIMBUKTU
WILD TALES

predictions:

BOYHOOD & IDA













2014

*Jonathan Glazer 

              for UNDER THE SKIN  
Alex Ross Perry for LISTEN UP PHILIP
Bong Joon-ho for SNOWPIERCER
James Gray for THE IMMIGRANT
Paul Thomas Anderson for INHERENT VICE

actual oscar nominees:  
Alejandro G. Iñárritu for BIRDMAN (won)
Richard Linklater for BOYHOOD
Bennett Miller for FOXCATCHER
Wes Anderson for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Morten Tyldum for THE IMITATION GAME

predictions:

Richard Linklater for BOYHOOD

2014

*Marion Cotillard in 

      TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT     
Marion Cotillard in THE IMMIGRANT
Essie Davis in THE BABADOOK
Gugu Mbatha-Raw in BELLE
Reese Witherspoon in WILD

Scarlett Johansson in UNDER THE SKIN

actual oscar nominees: 
Marion Cotillard in TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT
Felicity Jones in THEORY OF EVERYTHING
Julianne Moore in STILL ALICE (won)
Rosamund Pike in GONE GIRL
Reese Witherspoon in WILD

predictions:

Julianne Moore in STILL ALICE










2014

*Jake Gyllenhaal 

          in NIGHTCRAWLER     
Chadwick Boseman in GET ON UP 
Tom Hardy in LOCKE
Benicio del Toro in JIMMY P.
Guy Pearce in THE ROVER 

Ralph Fiennes in THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

actual oscar nominees:
Steve Carell in FOXCATCHER
Bradley Cooper in AMERICAN SNIPER
Benedict Cumberbatch in THE IMITATION GAME
Michael Keaton in BIRDMAN
Eddie Redmayne in THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING (won)

predictions:

Benedict Cumberbatch in THE IMITATION GAME

2014

*Eva Green in 

 WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD       

Patricia Arquette in BOYHOOD
Tessa Thompson in DEAR WHITE PEOPLE
Tilda Swinton in SNOWPIERCER
Naomi Watts in ST. VINCENT 

actual oscar nominees:
Patricia Arquette in BOYHOOD (won) 
Laura Dern in WILD
Keira Knightley in THE IMITATION GAME
Emma Stone in BIRDMAN
Meryl Streep in INTO THE WOODS

predictions:

Emma Stone in BIRDMAN

2014

*Mark Ruffalo 

                in FOXCATCHER    
Riz Ahmed in NIGHTCRAWLER
Ethan Hawke in BOYHOOD
Joaquin Phoenix in THE IMMIGRANT
Martin Short in INHERENT VICE 

actual oscar nominees:  
Robert Duvall in THE JUDGE
Ethan Hawke in BOYHOOD
Edward Norton in BIRDMAN
Mark Ruffalo in FOXCATCHER
J.K. Simmons in WHIPLASH (won)

prediction:

J.K. Simmons in WHIPLASH











2014

*THE IMMIGRANT 

        - James Gray, Ric Menello  

LISTEN UP PHILIP - Alex Ross Perry

GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness

A MOST VIOLENT YEAR - J.C. Chandor

GET ON UP - Jez & John-Henry Butterworth 
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE - Justin Simien

actual oscar nominees:
BIRDMAN (won)
BOYHOOD
FOXCATCHER
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL 
NIGHTCRAWLER

prediction:

BIRDMAN

2014

*INHERENT VICE 

                      - P.T. Anderson   
WINTER SLEEP - Ebru & Nuri Bilge Ceylan
THE CONGRESS- Ari Folman
A MOST WANTED MAN - Andrew Bovell
WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD - Gregg Araki

actual oscar nominees:
AMERICAN SNIPER
THE IMITATION GAME (won) 
INHERENT VICE
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING
WHIPLASH

prediction:

THEORY OF EVERYTHING

2014

*MANAKAMANA         
THE NAKED ROOM
A SPELL TO WARD OFF DARKNESS
THE DOG
20,000 DAYS ON EARTH
EVOLUTION OF A CRIMINAL
ACTRESS
JODOROWSKY'S DUNE
NATIONAL GALLERY
WATERMARK
VANQUISHING OF THE WITCH BABA YAGA

actual oscar nominees:  
CITIZEN FOUR (won) 
FINDING VIVIAN MAIER
LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM
THE SALT OF THE EARTH
VIRUNGA

prediction:

CITIZEN FOUR

2014

*ROCKS IN MY POCKETS     
THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA
SONG OF THE SEA
THE BOXTROLLS
THE CONGRESS
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

actual oscar nominees:
BIG HERO 6 (won)
THE BOXTROLLS
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
SONG OF THE SEA
THE TALE OF PRINCESS KAGUYA

prediction:

SONG OF THE SEA

2014

*INTERSTELLAR 

                 - Hans Zimmer >  
THE CONGRESS - Max Richter >
UNDER THE SKIN - Mica Levi >
THE ZERO THEOREM - George Fenton >

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - Alexandre Desplat >
VISITORS - Philip Glass > 
YOU AND THE NIGHT - M83 >

GONE GIRL - Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross >

actual oscar nominees:  
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (won)
THE IMITATION GAME
INTERSTELLAR
MR. TURNER
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING

prediction:

IMITATION GAME

2014

*BUTTER LAMP                            
Z IS FOR ZYGOTE [ABCs OF DEATH 2 segment]
BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM
THE PHONE CALL
RAT PACK RAT
K IS FOR KNELL [ABCs OF DEATH 2 segment]

TRANSFORMERS THE PREMAKE: A DESKTOP DOCUMENTARY
Cronenberg's THE NEST 
PARALLEL MONSTERS [V/H/S VIRAL segment]

I DON'T DANCE
MR OZIO'S HAM [RUBBERHEAD]

actual oscar nominees live action shorts: 
AYA

BOOGALOO & GRAHAM

BUTTER LAMP

PARVANEH

THE PHONE CALL (won)

actual oscar nominees documentary shorts: 
CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS (won)

JOANNA

OUR CURSE

THE REAPER

WHITE EARTH

prediction:

PARVANEH and JOANNA

2014

*A FAREWELL TO WEAPONS 

       [SHORT PEACE segment]                  
D IS FOR DELOUSED [ABCs OF DEATH 2 segment]
Phil Tippett's MAD GOD: PART I

THE BIGGER PICTURE
COMBUSTIBLE by Otomo [SHORT PEACE segment]
DUET by Glen Keane
THE DAM KEEPER
FEAST
ROB ZOMBIE'S FRENCH REVOLUTION [ASSASSIN'S CREED]

actual oscar nominees:  
THE BIGGER PICTURE
THE DAM KEEPER
FEAST (won)
ME AND MY MOULTON
A SINGLE LIFE

prediction: FEAST

categories below this point are

↓for you technical craft lovers↓

2014

*THE BETTER ANGELS 

          - Matthew J. Lloyd, ASC          
UNDER THE SKIN - Daniel Landin, BSC
THE IMMIGRANT - Darius Khondji, ASC
MR. TURNER - Dick Pope, BSC
THE DANCE OF REALITY

                              Jean-Marie Dreujou, AFC

actual oscar nominees:  
BIRDMAN (won)
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
IDA
MR. TURNER
UNBROKEN

prediction:

BIRDMAN

2014

*INTERSTELLAR - Lee Smith       
UNDER THE SKIN - Paul Watts
SNOWPIERCER - Steve M. Choe; Changju Kim
BOYHOOD - Sandra Adair
WHIPLASH - Tom Cross

GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - Barney Pilling

actual oscar nominees:  
AMERICAN SNIPER
BOYHOOD
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
THE IMITATION GAME
WHIPLASH (won)

prediction:

BOYHOOD

2014 - PRODUCTION DESIGN + SET DECOR

*THE ZERO THEOREM 

   - David Warren; Gina Stancu       
GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - A.Stockhausen; Anna Pinnock
INHERENT VICE -  David Crank; Amy Wells
DAWN OF PLANET OF THE APES - Chinlund; A.Moss Serino
SNOWPIERCER - Ondrej Nekvasil; Beata Brendtnerovà

MR. TURNER - Suzie Davies; Charlotte Watts

actual oscar nominees:  
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (won)
THE IMITATION GAME
INTERSTELLAR
INTO THE WOODS
MR. TURNER

prediction:

INTO THE WOODS

2014

*EXODUS: GODS & KINGS 
                - Janty Yates            
MR. TURNER - Jacqueline Durran
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - Milena Canonero
GET ON UP - Sharen Davis
INTO THE WOODS - Colleen Atwood

actual oscar nominees:  
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (won)
INHERENT VICE
INTO THE WOODS
MALEFICENT
MR. TURNER

prediction:

GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

2014

*FOXCATCHER 

    - Bill Corso, Dennis Liddiard     
BATTLE OF 5 ARMIES - P.Swords King, Findlater, Tami Lane
SNOWPIERCER - Chris Lyons, Paula Price, Matthew Smith
GET ON UP - Jonah Levy, Steve Prouty, Greg Funk

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY - Yianni-Georgiou, David White

GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL - Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier
EXODUS: GODS & KINGS - Ivan Bejarano, Nana Fischer

actual oscar nominees: 
FOXCATCHER
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (won)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

prediction:

FOXCATCHER

2014

*UNDER THE SKIN                        
GODZILLA
INTERSTELLAR
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
UNBROKEN

actual oscar nominees:
AMERICAN SNIPER (won)
BIRDMAN
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
INTERSTELLAR
UNBROKEN

prediction:

INTERSTELLAR

2014

*FURY                                                                             
SNOWPIERCER
GODZILLA
INTERSTELLAR
NOAH 

actual oscar nominees:  
AMERICAN SNIPER
BIRDMAN
INTERSTELLAR
UNBROKEN
WHIPLASH (won)

prediction:

AMERICAN SNIPER

2014

*INTERSTELLAR                          
UNDER THE SKIN
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
AUTOMATA
AFFLICTED

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

actual oscar nominees:  
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER
DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
INTERSTELLAR (won)
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

prediction:

INTERSTELLAR

↓muriel awards categories:

2014

*1) Entire final 30 minutes of **beginning @ double-time docking sequence** - INTERSTELLAR [IMAX]
2) Chan & co. carry the torch. "We need fire!" 

------------------------------------- SNOWPIERCER
3) The feeding lair. Digestion tank - UNDER THE SKIN
4) Noah tells his children the story of Genesis - NOAH
5) Mister Babadook moves across the kitchen floor 

---------------------------------- THE BABADOOK
6) Traveling through a wormhole 

----------------------------------- INTERSTELLAR
7) Ewa's prayer in Ellis Island prison cell 

--------------------------------- THE IMMIGRANT

8) Cage & Rita's battlefield perfection 

---------------------------- EDGE OF TOMORROW
9) Rama VS the Hammer & Bat siblings - THE RAID 2
10) Fury crew's last stand; **siege climax** - FURY
11) Gojira charges up his fire breath - GODZILLA
-tie- Erupting Mt. Vesuvius finally obliterates - POMPEII

12) Murphy's remaining organic form revealed 

--------------------------------------------- ROBOCOP remake
13) finally set free, the Monkey King challenges all! 

-------- JOURNEY TO THE WEST CONQUERING DEMONS

14) Winter Soldier's freeway attack & city fire-fight 

-------------- CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER

15) Magneto tears apart passing train track

-------------------- XMEN DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

also this:

Roland's "Guy Taking A Shower" costume

 











2014

*INHERENT VICE
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
THE IMMIGRANT
SNOWPIERCER
MR. TURNER

  

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