Silver Linings Playbook – Way Too Indie http://waytooindie.com Independent film and music reviews Fri, 02 Dec 2016 17:34:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Way Too Indiecast is the official podcast of WayTooIndie.com. Our film critics grip and gush about the latest indie movies and sometimes even mainstream ones. Find all of our reviews, podcasts, news, at www.waytooindie.com Silver Linings Playbook – Way Too Indie yes Silver Linings Playbook – Way Too Indie dustin@waytooindie.com dustin@waytooindie.com (Silver Linings Playbook – Way Too Indie) The Official Podcast of Way Too Indie Silver Linings Playbook – Way Too Indie http://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/waytooindie/podcast-album-art.jpg http://waytooindie.com Best 50 Movies Of The Decade So Far (#30 – #21) http://waytooindie.com/features/best-50-movies-of-the-decade-so-far-3/ http://waytooindie.com/features/best-50-movies-of-the-decade-so-far-3/#respond Wed, 04 Mar 2015 14:10:37 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=31521 Midway through our list of the 50 Best Movies of the Decade So Far and we include Holy Motors, Birdman, Upstream Color, and a few surprising picks!]]>

Our staff at Way Too Indie compiled a list of the Best 50 Movies that came out between 2010 and 2014. These films mess with our heads, expand our imagination, push the art form forward, fill up our hearts, and then rip them out for good measure. And for all this, we’ll love and cherish them for years to come. Here’s to an amazing first half of the decade, and to an even better next five years.

Every day this week we are releasing ten films from our list, here is #30 through #21.

Best 50 Movies Of The Decade So Far
(#30 – #21)

Drive indie movie

Drive

(Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn, 2011)

I remember walking out of the theater one hot and muggy September night in Toronto after experiencing Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive. I really didn’t care for it. Maybe it was the hype. I saw it again. And again. And again. It’s now one of my favorite films (when we made our individual lists that this list was culled from, I had it at number one). Refn’s film is colorfully bold. It’s loud. It’s vibrant. It’s violent. And it’s just so much goddamn fun. Ryan Gosling had a breakout year in 2011 and one of the reasons was this pseudo-Euro-pop-western set in the modern day metropolitan jungle of Los Angeles. Gosling plays a man with no name (wink-wink) who works at a body shop by day, but at night masquerades as a driver for hire whom criminals pay good money to extract their cohorts from robberies and other odd jobs. When one of these jobs goes wrong and a woman he is smitten with is put in danger, he reacts swiftly and violently. Refn won the Best Director prize at Cannes where the film premiered, and now four years later I’m sad it’s not universally loved. Drive is a pulsating work. Everyone involved is at the top of their game, especially Gosling, who here announced himself as one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars. [Blake]

Inception

Inception

(Dir. Christopher Nolan, 2010)

Still a staple in film critics’ conversations since it’s inception into celluloid (I had to), Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi heist thriller won over our hearts and minds with it’s wig-out-worthy concept of dream hacking. Winning Oscars for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects, this epic sensory roller coaster garnered acclaim among critics and the box office, grossing over $800 million internationally. With incredible performances by an indomitable cast including Leonardo Dicaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, and Tom Hardy, it’s no wonder this film is likely to go down as one of the best in the century, let alone the decade. Personally, I think any movie that gives us an opportunity to experience that which is Lukas Haas is a winner. And who wasn’t holding onto their butts for the funhouse-like fight scene as they tumbled through the spinning hallway? It is rare that we see something that is not a recreation, adaptation, revision, or remake in Hollywood and it is always refreshing when a new concept is able to reawaken that ever sleeping giant that is our imagination. [Scarlet]

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook

(Dir. David O. Russell, 2012)

One of the most charming, lovable and painfully honest depictions of mental illness I have ever seen in cinema, Silver Linings Playbook is a bona fide gem and a modern classic of the genre. Pat and Tiffany, our main characters, embark upon a journey that, for most others, would be a Hollywood cliché. But it has to be acknowledged from the beginning that these two are not most other characters. They do not act the way we expect them to; they live the way they expect themselves to. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence provide stunning performances, demanding to be taken seriously whilst at the same time being entirely aware of the comedy they inspire. Perhaps this is key to understanding the characters themselves though—just a few scenes into the film we can tell that they are walking contradictions. Pat could genuinely be described as an optimistic pessimist. Tiffany seems to be both intrusive and elusive. In much the same way, Silver Linings Playbook couldn’t possibly be described as an ordinary romcom—not because it subverts the genre, but because it so thoroughly surmounts it. [Pavi]

Holy Motors film

Holy Motors

(Dir. Leos Carax, 2012)

After his 1999 film, Pola X, ended up a disastrous financial failure, the peculiar French director Leos Carax recoiled into seclusion to lick his wounds. Aside from his contribution to the Tokyo! triptych of films in 2008, he hadn’t filmed anything for the public for over a decade, which turned the Holy Motors premiere at Cannes, in 2012, into an arthouse event and a triumphant return of a beloved film lover and emphatic romantic at heart. Working with his most trusted collaborator, Denis Lavant (who turns in an Oscar-worthy performance), Carax sets Holy Motors in a cinephile’s wet dream fantasy land, where a man pops in and out of various characters, various stages of film history, and multiple storylines revolving around love, loss, family, and coming home. It plays out concurrently as a love letter to everything that has inspired Carax as a filmmaker, and an elegy to the current state of an art dominated by technology and profit. Some have called it pretentious, some WTI staffers didn’t care for it, but the majority of us beg to differ (personally, it’s my second favorite film of the decade so far). By delving into the personal, Carax has made something enchantingly universal, where even the space between the frames captivates and celebrates cinema as poetry. At times hilarious, at times frightening, always passionate, Holy Motors is watching magic conjured on screen by a magician in love with creation itself. [Nik]

Before Midnight movie

Before Midnight

(Dir. Richard Linklater, 2013)

Before Midnight, Richard Linklater’s third entry in his widely adored Before romance series, trades in Before Sunrise’s twenty-something charm and Before Sunrise’s lost-lover flirtation for mid-life fatigue and melancholy. As the loquacious Jesse and Celine, now together for several years and with children, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are as verbally adept and compatible on screen as ever, but here they’re given decidedly heavier material than the previous entries in the series (a nine-year gap in between each), tasked with telling a story not about finding love, but about not letting it slip through your fingers. Shot on the stunning Greek isles, the film keeps in tradition with its predecessors, following Jesse and Celine as they flirt and chat and bicker (mostly bicker) walking down country lanes and driving down winding roads. The sense of dread that this may be the end for the once lovestruck couple, especially for those who’ve come to love the characters over the years, hangs over the movie like a dark cloud. Do they have it in them to stick together for another nine years? Before Midnight is so damn good you can’t help but want to see how it’ll all pan out come 2022. [Bernard]

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel

(Dir. Richard Linklater, 2014)

We’ve only yet had a year to appreciate this one (though we’re not the only ones as it took home four of the Academy’s Oscars this year), but it seems safe to say that The Grand Budapest Hotel will live on to see Best of the Decade lists five years from now. Indeed, Wes Anderson is likely to have this one attached to his name as one of the greatest of all his works, no matter what he goes on to achieve. Bombastic? Perhaps, but let’s just remember Anderson had another film out in the past five years (Moonrise Kingdom) and it didn’t make this list at all. The endearing story of a revered concierge at a mountaintop hotel and his growing friendship with devoted lobby boy, Zero, is told through Anderson’s unique and fantastical lens. Together they gallivant through diorama-like settings, each frame of the film a meticulously crafted scene out of Anderson’s colorful mind. While Anderson has a great many films under his belt, The Grand Budapest Hotel gleams as his best yet to pair his idiosyncratic imagination with likable and intricate characters. He hit new depth with this film, even with all its witty diversions. In fact I’d say it’s every wacky puzzle piece that makes the overall picture that much more splendid. [Ananda]

Birdman movie

Birdman

(Dir. Alejandro G. Iñárritu, 2014)

Winner of the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Cinematography as well as Golden Globes for Best Screenplay and Best Actor in 2014, Birdman will sit solidly on our list making it strongly probable that it will remain in the Top 50 for the rest of the decade. Made to look like it was filmed in one continuous shot, there were actually at least 16 (visible) cuts. The actors had to memorize up to 15 pages of lines at a time while also landing on all of the choreographed marks set for the scenes. With this in mind, the performances of Edward Norton, Emma Stone, and Naomi Watts, were brilliant. The anticipation of seeing how Michael Keaton would play this out was almost more than I could bear, however. Four years since his last movie role and playing a part that seemed like it could truly be a glimpse into his real life, being an ex-superhero, one couldn’t help but await witnessing his artistry. And he did not disappoint. I think there has never been a doubt that Keaton has some mad acting skills, it’s just so nice to be able to experience it any time we can. We want more. [Scarlet]

The LEGO movie

The Lego Movie

(Dir. Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, 2014)

Directed and co-written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, Warner Animation Group hadn’t produced a film since 2003’s Looney Tunes: Back in Action. Released to critical and commercial acclaim, The Lego Movie was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Animated feature and an Oscar and Grammy for Best Original Song, “Everything is Awesome.” While it didn’t win any of those, it did win 48 other awards including the BAFTA award for Best Animated Film, as well as the Critic’s Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature. Its popularity was so great, actually, that there was a shortage of LEGO products in September. The animators paid such close attention to detail that only bricks from the official LEGO Brick Library were used to construct everything—with the exception of President Business’ hair and evil helmet—in the Lego universe. Amazingly, not once does the film mention the word “LEGO.” Characters were voiced by some of the industry’s biggest comics, most notably Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, and Nick Offerman, among many others. In fact, this was the first time Morgan Freeman had voiced an animated character. It was so successful that two spin-off films are already in the works as well as a sequel planned for a 2018 release. Which is just plain awesome. [Scarlet]

Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas

(Dir. Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, 2012)

Produced independently for over $100 million (one of the highest-budgeted indies of all-time), Cloud Atlas was doomed to fail from the beginning. With Lana & Andy Wachowski (whose previous film, Speed Racer, flopped hard) co-directing alongside Tom Tykwer to adapt a dense, structurally ambitious novel, all signs pointed to a bust. When Cloud Atlas finally came out, audiences rejected it wholeheartedly, but some people (including more than a few of us here) saw something amazing. Sure, Cloud Atlas has its flaws (no one’s going to defend those make-up effects), but it more than makes up for them with sheer ambition. Comprising of six stories ranging from the 1800’s to centuries in the future, Cloud Atlas shows how one act of defiance against oppression can inspire a revolution centuries later. And despite being an adaptation within the world of Hollywood tentpoles, Cloud Atlas is wholly original, the sort of film that should be championed rather than disparaged. The Wachowskis–whose follow-up Jupiter Ascending suffered a similar fate as this film–are some of the most earnest, daring and original filmmakers working on a large scale today, their films teeming with more ideas than an entire phase of Marvel films. Give Cloud Atlas a chance, and it may surprise you. [CJ]

Upstream Color

Upstream Color

(Dir. Shane Carruth, 2013)

Eight years after he left audiences stunned and stumped with the sci-fi mind-fuck Primer, Shane Carruth returned out of nowhere with an ambitious and equally confusing film called Upstream Color. Perhaps he kept such a low-profile because he was so busy; he directed, produced, acted, shot, edited, scored, and even distributed Upstream Color. Trying to decipher the logic behind the film is challenging by design. As the story unfolds, two strangers develop an unexplainable connection when they begin to see each other’s memories, and eventually their memories mesh together, making it difficult to distinguish which memories came from who. Carruth creates this disorienting dream-like state by combining frequent narrative jumps and fragmented dialog. Adding to the film’s strangeness, the two characters also experience a bizarre physical and spiritual connection to nature through organisms such as blue orchids, worms, and pigs. Like a surrealist painting, Upstream Color is open for interpretation and practically dares you to only look at it once. [Dustin]

See the rest of our Best Movies Of The Decade lists!

View Other Lists of this Feature:
Best 50 Movies Of The Decade So Far (#50 – #41)
Best 50 Movies Of The Decade So Far (#40 – #31)
Best 50 Movies Of The Decade So Far (#20 – #11)
Best 50 Movies Of The Decade So Far (#10 – #1)

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Oscar Winners Revisited: Who Should’ve Won in 2013 http://waytooindie.com/features/oscar-winners-revisited-2013/ http://waytooindie.com/features/oscar-winners-revisited-2013/#respond Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=30895 Upon further inspection, these should have been the Oscar winners in 2013.]]>

This Sunday night everyone will know who the real 2015 Oscar winners are and that person who hasn’t watched a single nominated film this year will probably win your office pool. In our recent Oscar Winners Revisited columns, we’ve gone back to discuss who should have won back in 2011, and 2012. Now we revisit the 2013 Oscars and discuss why we think Best Picture should have gone to Silver Linings Playbook and not to Argo, as well as our picks in the other 5 major categories that year.

Who Should’ve Won An Oscar in 2013

Best Supporting Actress

Who Won – Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Who Should’ve Won – Amy Adams, The Master

Anne Hathaway and Amy Adams at the Oscars

Amy Adams’ understated performance as the reserved but grounded wife in The Master seemed to have been overshadowed by the thunderous performances from leads Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix. But she had an essential role in shaping The Master into the brilliant and well-acted film that it became. After Adams walked away empty-handed three previous times at the Oscars (nominated for Junebug, Doubt, and The Fighter), I thought she’d finally receive the shiny gold trophy she deserves. Yet somehow Anne Hathaway received more votes from the Academy with her imperfect singing in the classic musical remake of Les Miserables. One day you will win Ms. Adams, one day. [Dustin]

Best Supporting Actor

Who Won – Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Who Should’ve Won – Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Christoph Waltz and Philip Seymour Hoffman Oscars

2013 felt like a real “anything goes” year for the Best Supporting Actor category. On one side, there was the trio of living legends Alan Arkin, Robert De Niro and Tommy Lee Jones all playing pivotal roles in films that won elsewhere in major categories. On the other were two men better known as character actors: Christoph Waltz and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Waltz picked up his second win in two nominations (both for Tarantino movies) despite some critics noting Leonardo DiCaprio’s superior performance in Django Unchained. All in all, the overlooked nominee in the bunch was Hoffman. Though we didn’t know it then, The Master would be Hoffman’s final Oscar nomination, his strongest collaboration with his friend, filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson. Playing Lancaster Dodd, the cultish leader of The Cause, Hoffman illustrates the charisma necessary to recruit a legion of followers while also depicting Dodd as a man, “a hopelessly inquisitive man.” It’s a staggeringly complex character made knowable through an honest, vulnerable performance. Lancaster Dodd exhibited Hoffman at his best: charming, empathetic, and exceedingly truthful. He deserved a win. [Zach]

Best Actress

Who Won – Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Who Should’ve Won – Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain Oscars

Nobody was surprised to hear Jennifer Lawrence’s name called for Best Actress in 2013. She was terrific in Silver Linings Playbook, a film that had Oscar wins written all over it, which made this victory feel like an easy lay-up despite the talented group of nominees that year. Emmanuelle Riva nearly broke us down to tears with Amour, Quvenzhané Wallis won our hearts in Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Naomi Watts left us emotionally stirred in The Impossible. But it was Jessica Chastain who shocked us with her bravery in an unapologetic portrayal of CIA agent in charge of tracking Osama bin Laden in Zero Dark Thirty. Unlike other Hollywood roles for women, Chastain got the chance to play an intelligent, uncompromising heroine, and she did it extremely well. This might have been one of the better years for lead actresses in recent memory, but Chastain’s electrifying performance stood above the rest—perhaps just a touch above Wallis and Lawrence. [Dustin]

Best Actor

Who Won – Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Who Should’ve Won – Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Daniel Day-Lewis Joaquin Phoenix Oscar

With all due respect to the World’s Greatest Actor™ Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Freddie Quell creates a character far beyond imitation. The enigmatic Quell is noticeably disturbed, speaking out of the side of his mouth and prone to sudden, violent outbursts. Phoenix is said to have used a rubber band to tie his teeth together on a side of his mouth to contribute to Quell’s odd speech pattern. But beyond his vocal choices, Quell is likely Phoenix’s most physical performance. The actor contorts himself, throwing his body into walls and at others with an animalistic quality. This type of performance could feel over-the-top in a lesser production but guided by Paul Thomas Anderson, Freddie Quell is both frightening and sympathetic. More than that, he’s simply unforgettable. [Zach]

Best Director

Who Won – Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Who Should’ve Won – Benh Zeitlin, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Ang Lee and Benh Zeitlin Oscars

Obviously nobody at the time knew that Ben Affleck‘s Argo would go on to win Best Picture, a strange thing since he wasn’t even nominated in this Best Director category. While people were scratching their heads trying to figure out why he and Kathryn Bigelow were snubbed, some were pleasantly surprised (myself included) to see Michael Haneke on the list for Amour (foreign films don’t often get recognized in this category), as well as first-time filmmaker Benh Zeitlin for Beasts of the Southern Wild. Though the race seemed to be between David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) and Steven Spielberg (Lincoln), Ang Lee walked away with his second Best Director award. Remarkably, it was the new kid on the block, Zeitlin, who impressed me the most. He shot Beasts of the Southern Wild on location using mostly local actors, and created a poetic fairy tale most seasoned directors couldn’t produce. Even though he didn’t win, Zeitlin should have felt honored to be in such great company. [Dustin]

Best Picture

Who WonArgo
Who Should’ve WonSilver Linings Playbook

Argo Silver Linings Playbook 2013 Oscars

This is probably one of my least favorite years for Best Picture, a lot of brilliant films didn’t make the cut while a couple mediocre ones did (cough Les Miserables cough). But I’ll take Silver Linings Playbook over the wondrous Life of Pi, the heartbreaking Amour, and the endlessly moving Beasts of the Southern Wild. Silver Linings is one of the most charming movies of the decade and a delightful throwback to the zany screwball romantic comedies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, a better tribute than the previous years Best Picture winner The Artist. David O. Russell’s chaotic and jumpy style perfectly suits this story of a man suffering from bipolar disorder trying to correct his life amidst an unusual romance, a temperamental football-obsessed father, and any other type of everyday drama that can stand in the way of a positive and happy life. There’s a lightning-in-a-bottle feeling of success to Silver Linings Playbook which the uninspired mess of American Hustle only makes me appreciate more. [Ryan]

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10 Best Film Spirit Award Winners of All Time http://waytooindie.com/features/10-best-film-spirit-award-winners-of-all-time/ http://waytooindie.com/features/10-best-film-spirit-award-winners-of-all-time/#respond Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=18585 Over the past 28 years the Independent Spirit Awards have recognized and awarded independent films that often get overshadowed during the popularity contest that surrounds most award shows. Many of the previous Spirit Award winners are now household names (Darren Aronofksy, Coen brothers, Robert Altman, Steven Soderbergh, David O. Russell), and furthered their careers from […]]]>

Over the past 28 years the Independent Spirit Awards have recognized and awarded independent films that often get overshadowed during the popularity contest that surrounds most award shows. Many of the previous Spirit Award winners are now household names (Darren Aronofksy, Coen brothers, Robert Altman, Steven Soderbergh, David O. Russell), and furthered their careers from the recognition they received. As we wait to see what films will join the already impressive list of former winners, our staff at Way Too Indie shares their favorite 10 Best Film Spirit Award Winners of All Time.

Fargo

Fargo movie

When the Coen brothers gifted their sixth feature film, Fargo, to us in 1996, Roger Ebert called it “one of the best films I’ve ever seen.” It was, and still is, a virtually universal sentiment among movie lovers across the world, and the film stands as a shining star in the Coen’s ever-expanding oeuvre. The Coens represent independent film with Fargo as well as any film from the ’90s, setting their outlandishly funny tale in one of the most offbeat, curiously charming corners of the country, a stroke of genius. Frances McDormand’s Marge Gunderson is a treasure of American cinema, and the “Minnesota nice” accent worn by the cast is now inextricably linked to the film. Aside from the film winning the Independent Spirit award for best picture, the Coens won a BAFTA and Cannes award for direction, an Oscar for Best Screenplay, and McDormand won an Oscar for Best Actress. [Bernard]

Black Swan

Black Swan film

After reinventing himself with The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky merged his new Dardennes-influenced style with psychological horror in Black Swan. As a ballerina slowly going insane as she fights for a lead in Swan Lake, Natalie Portman gave her best performance to date. The film was a smash hit too, earning over $300 million worldwide on a $13 million budget. Aronofsky’s visceral and elegant direction resonated with audiences, and understandably with Indie Spirit as well. With the $100+ million budgeted Noah coming out this year, Aronofsky has become yet another quintessential indie success story. [CJ]

Memento

Memento movie

Famously known for its backwards storytelling, Memento follows the story of Leonard, a man whose short term memory loss means he can’t remember anything since his wife’s brutal death, and his need to avenge her. As with any such thriller that involves the thorough confusion of the audience, plot holes could be found if we looked hard enough. But to do so would defeat the point – the film exists not to tell a story but rather to evoke an experience. Nolan’s film became a well known success not just because he could successfully tell his story in an untraditional manner, but also because this confusion was far more than just an interesting narrative device. The fact that we don’t know what happened 5 minutes prior to the scene we’re watching is incredibly effective in making us empathize with Leonard, who did know, but has forgotten. Paired with an astounding performance from Guy Pearce, it’s no surprise this film is ironically so memorable. [Pavi]

Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine movie

Little Miss Sunshine has always been one of those films you either love or hate. I’ve met plenty of people that have said that it’s outrageous awkwardness is a bit of a turn off, but others like my self have found that the inner quality and beauty of Little Miss Sunshine can have a profound effect. It’s a wonderful story focusing on the struggle a middle class family endures whilst traveling across states to get to a child beauty pageant. The family deals with a lot of problems that arise along the way and learn to make room for each others imperfections. [Amy]

Short Cuts

Short Cuts movie

Robert Altman is a pretty huge deal when it comes to the Independent Spirit Awards. For most of his directorial career he was deemed as noncommercial by Hollywood, meaning he was limited in terms of budget and distribution compared to other prominent filmmakers at the time. The notorious director now has an entire award category dedicated to him at the Independent Spirit Awards, and a lot credit for this comes from his 1993 independent hit Short Cuts. Stacked with a bunch of stars (Julianne Moore, Tim Robbins, Andie MacDowell, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Lemmon), Short Cuts followed numerous strangers living in L.A. whose lives would eventually intersect with one another in various points. Altman’s masterpiece influenced other films with similar interweaving narratives like Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia. Having recently revisited the film, I can confirm Short Cuts still holds up 20 years later. [Dustin]

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook film

Silver Linings Playbook was also up for quite a few gold men at last year’s Oscars, including Best Picture, but winning Best Feature at the Independent Spirit Awards is a more fitting accolade for this black sheep film about, well, black sheep. The heart of indie filmmaking, while it might  have a lot to do with budget, is all about covering uncommercial topics, and a romantic dramedy involving two certifiably mentally unbalanced adults falls squarely into that category. This film stars Bradley Cooper as Pat, a bipolar and recently released psych hospital patient forced to move back in with his parents while he works toward winning back his estranged wife. When he meets a depressed and aggressive widow, Tiffany, played by Jennifer Lawrence, she promises to help him get his wife back if he agrees to dance as her partner in a competition. Together they develop their own kind of therapy in dealing through their issues, as well as find in each other a sense of sanity that works for them. David O. Russell’s adapted screenplay is hilarious but never makes light of mental illness, and though the cast is decidedly A-list, each of them gives a performance transcendent of genre or label. [Ananda]

Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction movie

Quentin Tarantino’s second film cemented itself into pop culture history when it came out in 1994, and for good reason. Its dialogue, time jumping structure and circular storyline (among many other things) combined to make a wholly unique and wildly entertaining film. Audiences loved the film, and Tarantino’s distinct style made him become one of the most influential filmmakers working today. The Academy Awards handed their Best Picture statue over to the schmaltzy Forrest Gump, but time has shown that the Spirit Awards made the right choice. [CJ]

Juno

Juno film

Charming, genius, quick-witted, touching, unique: all of these and many more similar adjectives are frequently used to describe Jason Reitman’s tale of a young girl and her journey through pregnancy. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t sing Juno’s praises, and this is with good reason. A beautiful script from Diablo Cody with excellent comedic pacing, a performance from the immensely talented Ellen Page that will genuinely make you fall in love, and a fantastic supporting cast, from Michael Cera to J.K. Simmons – this film has a whole lot going for it. More than anything, though, what really makes it stand out is that in the same instant that it makes you cry with laughter, it will make you cry with emotion. For every smart, snappy joke is an even smarter, thoughtful take on life. Juno, the 16 year old girl who is wise beyond her years, is a paradox; it seems only right that the film is too. [Pavi]

Lost in Translation

Lost in Translation film

In 2004 Sofia Coppola took home spirit awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay in addition to the Best Feature award for her intimate mood piece Lost in Translation. Having already piqued the interest of the film world with her directorial debut The Virgin Suicides four years previously, Lost in Translation proved that she wasn’t just another Coppola, but an artist in her own right. She wrote the script based on her own experiences traveling to Tokyo in her 20’s and had Bill Murray in mind while writing to play Bob Harris, the aging movie star in the midst of a mid-life and mid-career crisis. This perfect tale of Bob and Charlotte, the young American wife left contemplating life as her husband photographs celebrities–played by a young but exemplary Scarlett Johansson–focuses less on love and more on companionship in the midst of life’s periods of question in quite literally a place of complete cultural confusion . Despite being oddly juxtaposed against the anti-indie-film-of-all-films, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, which also came out in 2003, it speaks to the excellent filmmaking and performances that Lost in Translation held it’s own that year and continues to be a perfect example of the ingenuity the Spirit Awards strive to reward.  [Ananda]

The Wrestler

The Wrestler film

Darren Aronofsky couldn’t have found a better suited star for his gritty character portrait of a deteriorating man who sacrifices his body and mind for his craft than Mickey Rourke. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a has-been professional wrestler who is a veritable amalgamation of many wrestling superstars from the ’80s (Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Terry Funk, and more). Watching Randy’s life fall apart bit by tragic bit is painful, and utterly engrossing; a scene in which Randy holds his hysterically heartbroken daughter (Evan Rachel Wood) in his arms on the floor of her living room is earth-shattering. The film had stiff competition in the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards, running against Kelly Reichhart’s sublime Wendy and Lucy and Lance Hammer’s powerful, contemplative Ballast, which speaks to the idiosyncratic brilliance of Aronofsky and Rourke’s collaboration. [Bernard]

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2013 Independent Spirit Award Winners http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-independent-spirit-award-winners/ http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-independent-spirit-award-winners/#respond Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=10826 The 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards were filled as many laughs from the host Andy Samberg as there were shocks from some of the voting. Silver Linings Playbook walked away with four major awards but surprisingly only one of them was from the acting category. Jennifer Lawrence was awarded Best Female Lead for her role […]]]>

The 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards were filled as many laughs from the host Andy Samberg as there were shocks from some of the voting. Silver Linings Playbook walked away with four major awards but surprisingly only one of them was from the acting category. Jennifer Lawrence was awarded Best Female Lead for her role in the film but the biggest upset of the night was a welcoming one, John Hawkes for The Sessions beat out Bradley Cooper. The other wins for Silver Linings Playbook were Best Feature, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

As far as my predictions went, I started off strong with five of the first six awards correctly picked. The start of the Spirit Awards themselves did not go as smoothly. The first announced winner was Derek Connolly from Safety Not Guaranteed spent over 5 minutes at the mic before people awkwardly ushered him off the stage. There was little doubt Amour would lose Best International Film and I had a hunch Middle of Nowhere would win the John Cassavetes Award, while The Perks of Being A Wallflower was more of a lucky pick from me. But I expected Beasts of the Southern Wild to win the top prizes of Best Feature and Best Director and it appeared as if the actual winner Silver Linings Playbook felt the same; they kept giving nods to Beasts of the Southern Wild when they were on stage accepting the awards. All in all, I predicted only 7 of the 13 categories correctly, which gives me only a 53% accuracy this year (a far cry from my 69% (or 9 of 13) accuracy last year).

2013 Independent Spirit Award Winners:

(The winners are highlighted in bold red font)

Best Feature:

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Bernie
Keep The Lights On
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook

Best Director:

Wes Anderson – Moonrise Kingdom
Julia Loktev – The Loneliest Planet
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs – Keep The Lights On
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best First Feature:

Fill The Void – Rama Burshtein
Gimme The Loot – Adam Leon
Safety Not Guaranteed – Colin Trevorrow
Sound of My Voice – Zal Batmanglij
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower – Stephen Chobsky

Best Male Lead:

Jack Black – Bernie
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
John Hawkes – The Sessions
Thure Lindhart – Keep The Lights On
Matthew McConaughey – Killer Joe
Wendell Pierce – Four

Best Female Lead:

Linda Cardellini – Return
Emayatzy Corinealdi – Middle of Nowhere
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Mary E. Winstead – Smashed

Best Supporting Male:

Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike
David Oyelowo – Middle of Nowhere
Michael Pena – End of Watch
Sam Rockwell – Seven Psychopaths
Bruce Willis – Moonrise Kingdom

Best Supporting Female:

Rosemarie DeWitt – Your Sister’s Sister
Ann Dowd – Compliance
Helen Hunt – The Sessions
Brit Marling – Sound of My Voice
Lorraine Toussaint – Middle of Nowhere

John Cassavetes Award:

Breakfast With Curtis – Laura Colella
Middle of Nowhere – Ava DuVernay
Mosquita y Mari – Aurora Guerrero
Starlet – Sean Baker
The Color Wheel – Alex Ross Perry

Best Documentary:

How To Survive A Plague – David France
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present – Matthew Akers
The Central Park Five – Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon
The Invisible War – Kirby Dick
The Waiting Room – Peter Nicks

Best International Film:

Amour – Michael Haneke
Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Rust and Bone – Jacques Audiard
Sister – Ursula Meier
War Witch – Kim Nguyen

Best Cinematography:

Yoni Brook – Valley Of Saints
Lol Crawley – Here
Ben Richardson – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Roman Vasyanov – End of Watch
Robert Yeoman – Moonrise Kingdom

Best Screenplay:

Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola – Moonrise Kingdom
Zoe Kazan – Ruby Sparks
Martin McDonagh – Seven Psychopaths
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias – Keep The Lights On

Best First Screenplay:

Rama Burshtein – Fill The Void
Derek Connolly – Safety Not Guaranteed
Christopher Ford – Robot & Frank
Jonathan Lisecki – Gayby
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack – Celeste and Jesse Forever

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2013 Independent Spirit Award Predictions http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-independent-spirit-award-predictions/ http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-independent-spirit-award-predictions/#respond Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=9822 There is some stiff competition this year at the Independent Spirit Awards, forcing me to do a lot of pondering and second guessing. See who I predicted to win Independent Spirit Awards at this years awards show.]]>

We are a mere 36 days until the official winners are announced at the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards, so I will offer my predictions of who the winners will be this year. Last year my predictions were pretty solid, with an roughly 70% accuracy I correctly predicted 9 of the 13 unannounced awards. Unlike last year’s juggernaut The Artist, I believe this year there are two films that could both easily win the top awards. Both Beasts of the Southern Wild and Silver Linings Playbook stand good chances of being winners, making the predictions more difficult this year. I predict that Beasts of the Southern Wild will win the top two awards while Silver Linings Playbook cleans up the top acting awards. In addition to picking the winners for each category, I explain the reasoning behind my picks in detail under the categories.

Watch IFC on Saturday, February 23rd to see how my predictions hold up.

2013 Independent Spirit Award Predictions:

(My prediction for the winners are highlighted in bold red font)

Best Feature:

Beasts of the Southern Wild
Bernie
Keep The Lights On
Moonrise Kingdom
Silver Linings Playbook

MY REASONING:
As I mentioned in the opening, I believe two films have a great chances of walking away with the top prizes. I believe Beasts of the Southern Wild will slightly edge out Silver Linings Playbook for the Best Feature Award. But both probably have equal chance of winning as both films also got an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. I will have to go with my instincts on this, even though Silver Linings Playbook is more of an audience pleaser.
Best Director:

Wes Anderson – Moonrise Kingdom
Julia Loktev – The Loneliest Planet
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs – Keep The Lights On
Benh Zeitlin – Beasts of the Southern Wild

MY REASONING:
Just like the Oscars, this category is closely tied with the Best Feature category. Typically, the winner of this category will go on to win the other. So I will stick with Beasts of the Southern Wild and say Benh Zeitlin will win, with David O. Russell in a close second. Glad to see Wes Anderson on this list though.
Best First Feature:

Fill The Void – Rama Burshtein
Gimme The Loot – Adam Leon
Safety Not Guaranteed – Colin Trevorrow
Sound of My Voice – Zal Batmanglij
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower – Stephen Chobsky

MY REASONING:
Rules state that a film cannot be in both the Best Feature and Best First Feature category, so when Beasts of the Southern Wild got slated for Best Feature, this category really opened up. I believe The Perks Of Being A Wallflower received the warmest reception and is the most well-rounded film of the bunch, so it is a safe pick. Safety Not Guaranteed might be the dark horse here.
Best Male Lead:

Jack Black – Bernie
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
John Hawkes – The Sessions
Thure Lindhart – Keep The Lights On
Matthew McConaughey – Killer Joe
Wendell Pierce – Four

MY REASONING:
Bradley Cooper should walk away with this award. His biggest competition should be previous Spirit Award winner John Hawkes, but likely will not be much of a “fight”. The sleeper pick here would be Jack Black for Bernie, but consider it an hefty long-shot.
Best Female Lead:

Linda Cardellini – Return
Emayatzy Corinealdi – Middle of Nowhere
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Mary E. Winstead – Smashed

MY REASONING:
Jennifer Lawrence probably has a little more momentum behind her to be the favorite in this category. But not by much. Quvenzhane Wallis is likely right on her heels and I will be rooting for her to win.
Best Supporting Male:

Matthew McConaughey – Magic Mike
David Oyelowo – Middle of Nowhere
Michael Pena – End of Watch
Sam Rockwell – Seven Psychopaths
Bruce Willis – Moonrise Kingdom

MY REASONING:
I thought about this pick the longest out of all the categories, but feel the least confident in my choice. The reason being is that I do not see a clear standout here. If it were me voting, I would pick Michael Pena. But I will say the actual voters go with David Oyelowo.
Best Supporting Female:

Rosemarie DeWitt – Your Sister’s Sister
Ann Dowd – Compliance
Helen Hunt – The Sessions
Brit Marling – Sound of My Voice
Lorraine Toussaint – Middle of Nowhere

MY REASONING:
This is probably the most solid category form top-to-bottom, any one of theses nominees could easily win here. But I think Helen Hunt has the best odds of winning because of her daring role in The Sessions.
John Cassavetes Award:

Breakfast With Curtis – Laura Colella
Middle of Nowhere – Ava DuVernay
Mosquita y Mari – Aurora Guerrero
Starlet – Sean Baker
The Color Wheel – Alex Ross Perry

MY REASONING:
Middle of Nowhere generated some buzz last year at Sundance, earning two nominations and one win. For that reason, my bet is on it to win this award. Sean Baker’s Starlet has a real solid shot at winning though.
Best Documentary:

How To Survive A Plague – David France
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present – Matthew Akers
The Central Park Five – Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon
The Invisible War – Kirby Dick
The Waiting Room – Peter Nicks

MY REASONING:
There are two nominees here that were also nominated for an Oscar, How to Survive a Plague and The Invisible War but I feel like the former will win. Joining the tight race is Ken Burns’ The Central Park Five, which makes this category a competitive one.
Best International Film:

Amour – Michael Haneke
Once Upon A Time In Anatolia – Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Rust and Bone – Jacques Audiard
Sister – Ursula Meier
War Witch – Kim Nguyen

MY REASONING:
I believe for the second year in a row, the winner of the Oscar and Independent Spirit Award for foreign film will be the same. Before last year, it had been 25 years since the same film won in both award shows. Amour is the clear front runner to win at the Academy Awards and should win here as well, despite the rest of the films all being worth-while watches.
Best Cinematography:

Yoni Brook – Valley Of Saints
Lol Crawley – Here
Ben Richardson – Beasts of the Southern Wild
Roman Vasyanov – End of Watch
Robert Yeoman – Moonrise Kingdom

MY REASONING:
My pick here goes to Moonrise Kingdom, in what I think will be the only award the film will win. I am not sure if you can call it an upset, but I think it will beat out Beasts of the Southern Wild, which might seem like the most likely to win.
Best Screenplay:

Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola – Moonrise Kingdom
Zoe Kazan – Ruby Sparks
Martin McDonagh – Seven Psychopaths
David O. Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias – Keep The Lights On

MY REASONING:
The two films that have the best odds of being declared the winner are Silver Linings Playbook and Moonrise Kingdom. It was great to see Ruby Sparks nominated for an award and Keep The Lights On nominated for four, but I think the winner here is Silver Linings Playbook.
Best First Screenplay:

Rama Burshtein – Fill The Void
Derek Connolly – Safety Not Guaranteed
Christopher Ford – Robot & Frank
Jonathan Lisecki – Gayby
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack – Celeste and Jesse Forever

MY REASONING:
Because Safety Not Guaranteed will likely get edged out of the Best First Feature award by The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, which is not present in this category, it has the best shot at winning in my eyes.
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2013 Golden Globe Award Winners http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-golden-globe-award-winners/ http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-golden-globe-award-winners/#respond Mon, 14 Jan 2013 16:35:50 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=9861 The Golden Globes Award show got off to a bit of a shaky start when the Teleprompters malfunctioned during Paul Rudd and Salma Hayek’s award presentation, leaving them in an awkward speechless moment. Despite a couple minor out of sync setbacks though, the awards giving out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association went fairly well, thanks in part to the wonderful hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. A couple other highlights on the night were ex-president Bill Clinton appropriately presenting the film Lincoln and Jodie Foster gave a wonderful coming-out speech while accepting a lifetime achievement award. See the full list of 2013 Golden Globes award winners here.]]>

The Golden Globes Award show got off to a bit of a shaky start when the Teleprompters malfunctioned during Paul Rudd and Salma Hayek’s award presentation, leaving them in an awkward speechless moment. Despite a couple minor out of sync setbacks though, the awards giving out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association went fairly well, thanks in part to the wonderful hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. A couple other highlights on the night were ex-president Bill Clinton appropriately presenting the film Lincoln and Jodie Foster gave a wonderful coming-out speech while accepting a lifetime achievement award.

There were some surprises at the Golden Globes, but because the HFPA voting size is approximately 1.5% of the voting size of the Academy, using the results here to predict the Oscars would not be highly advised.

The biggest surprise was when Argo picked up the Best Picture in drama and when Ben Affleck won Best Director for it, an award for which he was not Oscar nominated for. Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained also received some love from the Globes when it won Best Original Screenplay and the Supporting Actor award by Christoph Waltz.

Full list of 2013 Golden Globes award winners:

(Winners are highlighted in bold red font)

FILM

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Picture – Comedy/Musical
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing In The Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook

Best Director
Ben Affleck – Argo
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
Ang Lee – Life Of Pi
Steven Spielberg – Lincoln
Kathryn Bigelow – Zero Dark Thirty

Best Actress – Drama
Rachel Weisz – The Deep Blue Sea
Helen Mirren – Hitchcock
Naomi Watts – The Impossible
Marion Cotillard – Rust And Bone
Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty

Best Actor – Drama
Richard Gere – Arbitrage
Denzel Washington – Flight
Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln
Joaquin Phoenix – The Master
John Hawkes – The Sessions

Best Actress – Comedy/Musical
Judi Dench – Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Meryl Streep – Hope Springs
Maggie Smith – Quartet
Emily Blunt – Salmon Fishing In The Yemen
Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook

Best Actor – Comedy/Musical
Jack Black – Bernie
Bill Murray – Hyde Park On Hudson
Hugh Jackman – Les Miserables
Ewan McGregor – Salmon Fishing In The Yemen
Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook

Best Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway – Les Miserables
Sally Field – Lincoln
Amy Adams – The Master
Nicole Kidman – The Paperboy
Helen Hunt – The Sessions

Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin – Argo
Christoph Waltz – Django Unchained
Leonardo DiCaprio – Django Unchained
Tommy Lee Jones – Lincoln
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master

Best Screenplay
Chris Terrio – Argo
Quentin Tarantino – Django Unchained
Tony Kushner – Lincoln
David O Russell – Silver Linings Playbook
Mark Boal – Zero Dark Thirty

Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat – Argo
Dario Marianeli – Anna Karenina
Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil – Cloud Atlas
Mychael Danna – Life Of Pi
John Williams – Lincoln

Best Original Song
Keith Urban – For You (Act Of Valor)
Taylor Swift – Safe & Sound (The Hunger Games)
Hugh Jackman – Suddenly (Les Miserables)
Adele – Skyfall (Skyfall)
Jon Bon Jovi – Not Running Anymore – (Stand Up Guys)

Best Animated Feature Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise Of The Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

Best Foreign Film
Amour
The Intouchables
Kon-Tiki
A Royal Affair
Rust & Bone

TELEVISION

Best Television Series – Drama
Breaking Bad
Boardwalk Empire
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad

Best Television Series – Comedy Or Musical
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Comedy Or Musical
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Comedy Or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis CK, Louie
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
Game Change
The Girl
Hatfields & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway and Gelhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Costner, Hatfields & McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Toby Jones, The Girl
Clive Owen, Hemingway and Gelhorn

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Huston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

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2013 Oscar Nominations http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-oscar-nominations/ http://waytooindie.com/news/awards/2013-oscar-nominations/#respond Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 http://waytooindie.com/?p=9770 The nominations for the 2013 Oscars were announced this morning with Lincoln brining in the most nominations with a whopping 12, including most of the main categories. Almost every year at the Academy Awards the showdown for Best Picture is normally between just two films, this year may be a little different. See the full list of 2013 Oscar Nominations.]]>

The nominations for the 2013 Oscars were announced this morning with Lincoln brining in the most nominations with a whopping 12, including most of the main categories. Almost every year at the Academy Awards the showdown for Best Picture is normally between just two films, this year may be a little different. I have always thought Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty are the two films considered to have the best chance at taking the top prize, but with Kathryn Bigelow not getting a nod for Best Director, that severely hurts Zero Dark Thirty’s chances of winning Best Picture.

There were a few surprise nominations this morning, most which were welcoming. First off, Beasts of the Southern Wild got a lot more support from the Academy than what some were predicting. The film walked away with a total of 4 nominations, includes ones for Best Picture and perhaps the most surprising, Best Director. You could say because Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild) got that nod, that it shut out Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) for that final spot. Quvenzhane Wallis got a well-deserved nomination for Best Actress and although it is unlikely, she would be the youngest award winner if she ended up winning.

Some were worried that The Master would not end up getting any love from the Academy, but we can know breathe a sigh of relief as Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams were all thankfully nominated for acting awards. Amour got some love (pun intended) in more than just the Best Foreign Language category (where it is thought to be the front-runner in). The film also picked up nominations for Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Picture.

The 85th Academy Awards will air February 24, 2013 at 5:30 p.m., PT/ 8:30 p.m., ET on ABC.

Full List of 2013 Oscar Nominations:

Best Picture:

Amour
Argo
Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director:

Michael HanekeAmour
Benh ZeitlinBeasts Of The Southern Wild
Ang LeeLife Of Pi
Steven SpielbergLincoln
David O. RussellSilver Linings Playbook

Best Actor:

Denzel WashingtonFlight
Hugh JackmanLes Miserables
Daniel Day-LewisLincoln
Joaquin PhoenixThe Master
Bradley CooperSilver Linings Playbook

Best Actress:

Emmanuelle RivaAmour
Quvenzhane WallisBeasts Of The Southern Wild
Naomi WattsThe Impossible
Jennifer LawrenceSilver Linings PLaybook
Jessica ChastainZero Dark Thirty

Best Supporting Actor:

Alan ArkinArgo
Christoph WaltzDjango Unchained
Tommy Lee JonesLincoln
Philip Seymour HoffmanThe Master
Robert De NiroSilver Linings Playbook

Best Supporting Actress:

Anne HathawayLes Misérables
Sally FieldLincoln
Amy AdamsThe Master
Helen HuntThe Sessions
Jacki WeaverSilver Linings Playbook

Best Original Screenplay:

Michael HanekeAmour
Quentin TarantinoDjango Unchained
John GatinsFlight
Wes Anderson & Roman CoppolaMoonrise Kingdom
Mark BoalZero Dark Thirty

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Chris TerrioArgo
Lucy Alibar, Benh ZeitlinBeasts of the Southern Wild
David MageeLife Of Pi
Tony KushnerLincoln
David O. RussellSilver Linings Playbook

Best Foreign Film:

Amour
Kon-Tiki
No
A Royal Affair
War Witch

Best Cinematography:

Seamus McGarveyAnna Karenina
Robert RichardsonDjango Unchained
Claudio MirandaLife Of Pi
Janusz KaminskiLincoln
Roger DeakinsSkyfall

Best Animated Film:

Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band Of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph

Best Documentary:

5 Broken Cameras
The Gatekeepers
How To Survive A Plague
The Invisible War
Searching For Sugar Man

Best Film Editing:

William GoldenbergArgo
Tim SquyresLife Of Pi
Michael KahnLincoln
Jay Cassidy and Crispin StruthersSilver Linings Playbook
William Goldenberg, Dylan TichenorZero Dark Thirty

Best Original Score:

Dario MarianelliAnna Karenina
Alexandre DesplatArgo
Mychael DannaLife Of Pi
John WilliamsLincoln
Thomas NewmanSkyfall

Best Original Song:

“Before My Time”Chasing Ice
“Pi’s Lullaby”Life Of Pi
“Suddenly”Les Miserables
“Skyfall”Skyfall
“Everybody Needs A Best Friend”Ted

Best Production Design:

Anna Karenina
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln

Best Costume Design:

Anna Karenina
Les Misérables
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
Snow White and the Huntsman

Best Makeup:

Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables

Best Sound Editing:

Argo
Django Unchained
Life Of Pi
Skyfall
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Sound Mixing:

Argo
Les Misérables
Life Of Pi
Lincoln
Skyfall

Best Visual Effects:

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Life Of Pi
Marvel’s The Avengers
Prometheus
Snow White And The Huntsman

Best Documentary (Short Subject):

Inocente
Kings Point
Mondays At Racine
Open Heart
Redemption

Best Visual Short Film (Animated):

Adam And Dog
Fresh Guacamole
Head Over Heels
Maggie Simpson In The Longest Daycare
Paperman

Best Short Film (Live Action):

Asad
Buzkashi Boys
Curfew
Death Of A Shadow
Henry

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