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A&E, Christian DiMartino

Oscar Watch: Columnist provides Oscar predictions and preferences

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By Christian DiMartino

The Academy Awards, which airs Sun. March 2, is drawing near, and the competition is getting tough. Some of the categories are obvious. That said, others, such as Best Picture, are up in the air. Here is what will probably win and what should win on the big night.

Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron- Gravity

Steve McQueen- 12 Years a Slave

Alexander Payne- Nebraska

David O. Russell- American Hustle

Martin Scorsese- The Wolf of Wall Street

Will Win: Alfonso Cuaron

Alfonso Cuaron is winning pretty much every directing award for his groundbreaking sci-fi film, Gravity. He is pretty much the one to beat. If anyone can take him down, it is McQueen. But count on Cuaron for this category.

Should Win: Alfonso Cuaron

Watch about ten minutes of Gravity, and it goes without saying. Each of these directors directed great movies, but none of them are quite as devoted as Cuaron. This is the greatest visual achievement since Avatar, and it is even better. This is a film that sounds nearly impossible to make, but yet Cuaron did it. It has been said that him and his crew had to create their own technology to bring the film to life. So, if anyone is truly worthy, it is Cuaron. McQueen is a close second.

Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins- Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence- American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o- 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts- August: Osage County

June Squibb- Nebraska

Will Win: Lupita Nyong’o

Jennifer Lawrence seemed to be the favorite at the start of the race, considering she won a Golden Globe. But now it seems like all of the attention is being directed toward Nyong’o for her performance as the tragic slave Patsy. Nyong’o is taking home the awards, and will probably take home the biggest one. It is not set in stone though. Lawrence could swoop in, because she recently won the BAFTA. This race is a tough one.

Should Win: Julia Roberts

There is no love for August: Osage County, so Roberts doesn’t stand a chance, but I thought this was her best work since Closer (2004). Roberts’ performance is borderline over-the-top, but yet it was one of the most entertaining performances of the year. Watching her fight with practically everyone onscreen helped the film’s entertainment value. This is a tough category, because all of these women, particularly Squibb and Lawrence, steal the show. Roberts is my vote. She probably will not win, but she should.

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi- Captain Philips

Bradley Cooper- American Hustle

Michael Fassbender- 12 Years a Slave

Jonah Hill- The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto- Dallas Buyers Club

Will Win: Jared Leto

It seems as if Jared Leto cannot be stopped. He is winning practically every award for his scene-stealing performance in Dallas Buyers Club. Leto does quite a transformation here, and the academy loves a good transformation.

Should Win: Jared Leto

Part of what makes Dallas Buyers Club special is its acting, and Leto is a huge contribution to that. Leto steals the show as the tragic transgender sidekick Rayon. Rayon is possibly the films best character, and Leto, who has been overlooked for such a long time, is too great to ignore. I am also a fan of Abdi, Cooper, and Fassbender, but Leto is a done deal.

Best Actress

Amy Adams- American Hustle

Cate Blanchett- Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock- Gravity

Judi Dench- Philomena

Meryl Streep- August: Osage County

Note: Sandra Bullock gives the performance of her career in Gravity, not in The Blind Side (the film that won her Best Actress). So I would like to pretend that the Oscar she won for that film was actually for Gravity.

Will Win: Cate Blanchett

Blanchett is practically a sure thing for her performance as the mentally unstable title character in Blue Jasmine. She is being showered with awards. If anyone can take her down, it is Adams, who also won a Golden Globe. But count on Blanchett.

Should Win: Cate Blanchett

Amy Adams is a great actress, and she definitely will win an Oscar someday, but not yet. Bullock’s case has been covered (a very close second). By now, Streep goes without saying. She’s amazing all the time. The same goes for Dench and Blanchett, but Blanchett’s is the best. Blanchett gives the performance of her career in the best performance of the year, and easily deserves her long overdue second Oscar. Jasmine is almost too interesting. She’s a woman so trapped in the past that she cannot come to terms with reality, and watching Blanchett self-destruct is possibly the best work from an actress since Natalie Portman in Black Swan. So, to summarize, yes, she should win.

Best Actor

Christian Bale- American Hustle

Bruce Dern- Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio- The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor- 12 Years a Slave

Matthew McConaughey- Dallas Buyers Club

Will Win: Matthew McConaughey

Ah, this is where things get tricky. The competition for this category has been hectic from the start. But all signs seem to be pointing towards Matthew McConaughey. He lost a ton of weight, and Dallas Buyers Club is a true story, and the academy loves both of those things. They love transformation (even though Christian Bale wasn’t nominated for The Machinist, the craziest transformation ever, and gained a bunch of weight for American Hustle).Aside from that, he truly is fantastic. He is winning pretty much every award he is nominated for. There is a slight chance that someone else could swoop in, but it is not likely.

Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio

All of these performances are terrific. Actually, it is pretty difficult to rank them. Once upon a time, Matthew McConaughey was a second rate actor. But now it seems like has really proved otherwise. He has become the actor he always should have been. That said, he has only been great for about two years, and does not deserve an Oscar quite yet. Leonardo Dicaprio, however, has been great for over twenty years, and has somehow never won an Oscar. The time is now. The fact that DiCaprio has not won an Oscar is outrageous, considering the fact that he has been so great for so long. DiCaprio gives possibly the performance of his career in this movie. He plays such a despicable human being, but yet DiCaprio makes this terrible person watchable. In fact, you sort of want him to get away with everything. DiCaprio has never done anything quite like this before, and it is definitely a bold performance, considering the content that is put on display. McConaughey will win, but it would be nice if the academy came to their senses and finally gave him the Oscar.

Best Picture

American Hustle                  Nebraska

Captain Philips                   Philomena

Dallas Buyers Club              12 Years a Slave

Gravity                              The Wolf of Wall Street

Her

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave

Ah, this is where things get even trickier. Gravity began this race as the favorite. Then came the arrival of 12 Years a Slave, which then became the favorite, and remained the favorite. Then American Hustle arrived to theaters in December and hustled its way into the race. So now the race is down to these three. Momentum for American Hustle seems to be gaining. With that said, I think we’re all overthinking this. 12 Years a Slave was the favorite for so long, and at the end of the day, there is no way that it can lose.

Should Win: 12 Years a Slave

This category is basically a toss-up between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity, but at the end of the day, there is no denying the power of 12 Years a Slave. Finally, for the first time since The Departed (2006), my favorite movie of the year actually stands a chance. 12 Years a Slave is a devastating, disturbing, raw, and intense look at possibly the ugliest chapter in America’s history. Solomon Northrup’s tale is one that truly needed to be told, and the film’s secret weapon the magnificent Chiwetel Ejiofor. Ejiofor carries this film, and so does the entire cast. If you were not in tears by the end of this movie (something that rarely happens to me during movies), then you must have no soul. This is the best movie of the year.

Well, hopefully this gave a little insight on what to expect on the big night. The race is tough, so don’t expect everyone to leave happy. In closing, there is really only one thing that must be said: TEAM DICAPRIO. Academy voters, please vote well.

A&E, Christian DiMartino, Peter Hyle

‘Gatsby’ surpasses original reviews

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By Peter Hyle and Christian DiMartino

One of the first summer releases of the year, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, has rolled into theaters with conflicting reviews. To say that this movie has been unfairly judged is an understatement, this movie was a fresh, original take on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel. But this review is no comparison between the film and the book it was based on.

The story centers around Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), a writer from the Midwest who moves to New York. He lives next door to the mysterious Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), and soon Gatsby draws him into a rich and fast-paced lifestyle.  Quickly, Carraway begins to realize everything his new friend does is in a frantic attempt to attract Carraway’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan). The only problem is Daisy’s cheating husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton), who refuses to let go.

What starts out as an exhilarating and perfect fantasy soon crumbles, and the film is beautifully corrupted by Gatsby’s own desperation. Carraway’s struggle to help everyone and be the neutral party throughout the film is perfect for the narration, and the development of that character is subtle but entirely satisfying. Judging by Maguire’s previous movies, this is one of his better roles.  This actor, known for the Spider-Man trilogy, is capable of much more than most people believe.

The film is caught up in a dazzling, epic swirl of colors and music which only adds to the overall storyline. This is best shown in the party sequences, in which Luhrmann is a master at crafting. What works best with the party sequences is the blend of fantasy and reality all throughout the story line.

The character of Gatsby himself is played perfectly by DiCaprio. The mystery and intense flaws that envelope Gatsby’s character would not have been as intriguing with any other actor. It now makes sense just what Luhrmann, who also directed DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet, sees in him, talent wise. DiCaprio will win an award some day. Due to the mixed reaction that the film received, it will most likely not be for this one. But he has time, just wait.

Gatsby was phenomenal, but every character in this movie held some sort of depth or charm. The whole movie was packed tightly with heartache and excitement, and it would not be the same if any other role was cast differently.

Another stellar aspect of this film is the soundtrack. Modern hip hop and R&B is mixed with classic jazz-era music, creating an energizing and overall rousing mood for the film, which included Jay-Z, Lana Del Rey, Jack White, and Beyonce. It worked well with each and every scene and enhanced the whole tone of the movie.

Looking past the one too many “old sports,” this film was incredible. It was a stunning piece of work, both theatrically and musically. Some critics will continue comparing it to the book, which does differ in many ways.

Here is the thing with Luhrmann’s films: they are an acquired taste. He consistently takes something that is a beloved classic and puts his twist on it. That twist is usually something modern, flashy, and occasionally wildly bizarre. The Great Gatsby is all of those things, and if those elements do not appeal, or Luhrmann’s other films such as Moulin Rouge and Australia, do not appeal, then this film likely will not please. Luhrmann’s work is good, and watching it for simply the movie itself, it is hard to find any real problems.

A&E, Christian DiMartino

Columnist anticipates upcoming summer releases

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Summer is the season that I wait for year after year. Not just because school is out. I am talking about the movies. Most of the big blockbusters come out in the summer, and it is drawing near. To get in the spirit, here are the five movies I am dying to see this summer.

5. Man of Steel (June 14, PG-13)

I have honestly never been a fan of Superman, but I am open for surprises. Man of Steel is produced by a master, Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception) and judging from the trailer, it seems like he has brought some of that Dark Knight-ness to this movie. If Nolan is involved, I am there.  

4. World War Z (June 21, PG-13)

After nearly six years in development, World War Z is finally coming to the big screen. I honestly do not know anything about this movie other than that it is about zombies. On another note, this is bound to be one of the more ambitious movies of the summer, so for that I am interested to see Brad Pitt and director Marc Forester (Finding Neverland, Quantum of Solace) pull it off.

3. Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17, Not Yet Rated)

After being pleasantly surprised by director J.J. Abrams previous Star Trek movie (I was a non-believer , and ashamed), I have been patiently waiting for the sequel. Well, it is coming very soon to a theater near me, and I cannot wait. I am interested to see Sherlock’s Benedict Cumberbatch go really bad.  I like my movies with a bit of darkness in it, and judging from the title and the trailer, I doubt that Star Trek Into Darkness will disappoint.

2. Iron Man 3 (May 3, Not Yet Rated)

The first two Iron Man movies were pretty light, but it seems like Iron man is in real trouble this time, and that is just what I like. What a better way to kick off the summer movie season than with a movie that looks as stunning as this. With Robert Downey Jr. in it, it may not be as dark as it seems. But hopefully it is the perfect blend of light and dark. This might be The Dark Knight of the series. But let’s not go that far.

1. The Great Gatsby (May 10, Not Yet Rated)

Summer is the time for big budget blockbusters, but yet Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby looks better than all of the big blockbusters combined. The trailer is so dreamy and enchanting I am mainly curious to see just how Luhrmann pulls it off. Luhrmann, who also directed Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, is a visionary, and is the perfect choice to direct this.   Initially meant for release last Christmas, Warner Bros. pushed it back mainly to avoid the clutter of Oscar season (Les Miserables, Django Unchained, and Zero Dark Thirty were all released around that time), because they felt it was worthy. That alone is a sign of greatness. DiCaprio seems perfect for this role also. By the end of the summer, The Great Gatsby will probably not be the most successful. But it will be one of few with purpose.

This summer seems like a promising ones. Sure, there are a few that the world could do without ( Is Fast and the Furious 6 and The Smurfs 2 really necessary?), but then again there are some that did not even make the cut(the apocalypse comedy This is the End and Johnny Depp doing his thing in The Lone Ranger.) Summer could not get here faster.