Top 10 Cinematography of 2014

Cinematography of 2014 films is insanely stacked that I feel guilty including only 10 in my list. There's Under the Skin, The Homesman, Enemy, The Immigrant, Noah, Fury, Foxcatcher and the list goes on... some of these made my initial list, but eventually cut coz there's just so many amazing work last year. Hey, at least I consider these honorable mentions. :)

1.

Ryszard Lenczewski & Lukasz Zal

Ida

2.

Emmanuel Lubezki

Birdman

3.

Robert Yeoman

The Grand Budapest Hotel

4.

Fredrik Wenzel & Fred Arne Wergeland

Force Majeure

5.

Mandy Walker

Tracks

6.

Hong Gyeong-Pyo

Snowpiercer

7.

Hoyte van Hoytema

Interstellar

8.

Dick Pope

Mr. Turner

9.

Robert Elswit

Nightcrawler

10.

Roger A. Deakins

Unbroken

Top 10 Scores of 2014

3 Alexandre Desplat but outside the top 5, no Mr. Turner and a couple of randos that weren't even nominated anywhere. Here are my top 10 favorite scores of 2014.

1.

Marco Beltrami

The Homesman

2.

Joe Hisaishi

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

3.

Mica Levi

Under the Skin

4.

Jóhann Jóhannsson

The Theory of Everything

5.

Ilan Eshkeri

Still Alice

6.

Alexandre Desplat

The Grand Budapest Hotel

7.

Hans Zimmer

Interstellar

8.

Alexandre Desplar

The Monuments Men

9.

Alexandre Desplat

The Imitation Game

10.

Ola Fløttum

Force Majeure

That Thing Called Tadhana (2015, Jadaone)

Director: Antoinette Jadaone

With: Angelica Panganiban, JM de Guzman

Glad that this got a nationwide release since I didn't catch this during the CinemaOne Originals festival last year. I am sort of shocked that people dug this since it's a talky film, but not so much since we Filipinos are hopeless romantics and one reason why this got raves is because this film is about, well not necessarily "love", but it's more of about "moving on". We are emos and most of us have been through that so it's definitely identifiable. I can see why people love this but I also know that this won't be received well by some. Aside from its subject, it didn't really expand to other areas so we're stuck with these two strangers whom we only found out their names at the end, talking about their exes and heartbreaks, trying to cope up and falling sort of in love with each other before fate surprises them with a twist. Many people have compared this to Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise, and I guess, I can see why. It's talky, it involves beautiful places and it also involves two strangers embarking in a "journey". I also see it going the Before trilogy route with the help (or not) of Star Cinema. I say, Ms. Antoinette Jadaone, stick to your guns and don't let film companies hinder you to express your filled-with-profanity-and-realness feelings.

I'm amazed that I did not like it so much but I sort of understand why since I think the film really communicates more to those who just recently had a break up, or had exes they cannot forget. Yes, funny Angelica Panganiban and charming JM de Guzman have undeniable chemistry, and Jadaone's witty and inspired script earned a few chuckles from the audience but it's also a bit contrived sometimes, and some circumstances were exaggerated. Either that or I just didn't really connect with the film.

I do appreciate its value for intimacy though. The film focused only with these two characters, shot closely together most of the time and I found that cute. Uneven sometimes but it captured some pretty establishing shots of Manila, Baguio and Sagada that kind of redeems some of it's bad shots. It kind of made you want to travel along with those two characters and I find that pleasurable especially for a traveler like me.

Still, I don't think the film is about filmmaking. It's more about the message, and the story, and the journey and the feeling rather than the cinematography, or the acting, or the direction, or the writing. Just like how we should view One More Chance according to Angelica Panganiban's Mace. Plus, it's the love month and I think it's perfect for the season so don't think your money would be wasted if you watch this. I got relaxed, entertained and discovered a new talented scriptwriter and director in town. Yeah I know, this is my first Antoinette Jadaone film and I look forward to seeing more of her in the future. Her short story "The Arrow With The Heart Pierced Through It" is incredibly well written and some of the most interesting, heartfelt and original things I've seen in this film. Very impressive.

87th Academy Award Nominations Predictions

Golden Globe Awards have wrapped up, the Guilds, BAFTA, Critics and other guilds have announced their nominees, but the most important of all, Oscars will be announcing under 48 hours from now.

Here are my predictions:

Best Picture:
1. "Boyhood"
2. "Birdman"
3. "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
4. "The Imitation Game"
5. "Selma"
6. "The Theory of Everything"
7. "Whiplash"
8. "Nightcrawler"
9. "American Sniper"
10. "Gone Girl"

ALTERNATES:
11. "Foxcatcher"
12. "Mr. Turner"

Best Director:
1. Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"
2. Alejandro González Iñárritu, "Birdman"
3. Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
4. Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"
5. David Fincher, "Gone Girl"

ALTERNATES:
6. Morten Tyldum, "The Imitation Game"
7. Ava DuVernay, "Selma"

Best Actress:
1. Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"
2. Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
3. Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"
4. Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"
5. Jennifer Aniston, "Cake"

ALTERNATES:
6. Amy Adams, "Big Eyes"
7. Marion Cotillard, "Two Days One Night"

Best Actor:
1. Michael Keaton, "Birdman"
2. Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"
3. Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"
4. Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler"
5. Ralph Fiennes, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

ALTERNATES: 
6. Timothy Spall, "Mr. Turner"
7. David Oyelowo, "Selma"

Best Supporting Actress:
1. Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
2. Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game"
3. Meryl Streep, "Into The Woods"
4. Rene Russo, "Nightcrawler"
5. Emma Stone, "Birdman"

ALTERNATES: 
6. Jessica Chastain, "A Most Violent Year"
7. Tilda Swinton, "Snowpiercer"

Best Supporting Actor:
1. J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"
2. Edward Norton, "Birdman"
3. Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood"
4. Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher"
5. Robert Duvall, "The Judge"

Best Original Screenplay:
1. Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"
2. Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
3. Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr, Armando Bo, "Birdman"
4. Dan Gilroy, "Nightcrawler"
5. Paul Webb, "Selma"

Best Adapted Screenplay:
1. Gillian Flynn, "Gone Girl"
2. Graham Moore, "The Imitation Game"
3. Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"
4. Anthony McCarten, "The Theory of Everything"
5. Jason Hall, "American Sniper"

Best Foreign Language Film:
2. "Force Majeure" (Sweden)
1. "Ida" (Poland)
3. "Leviathan" (Russia)
4. "Tangerines" (Estonia)
5. "Wild Tales" (Argentina)

Best Documentary Feature:
1. "CITIZENFOUR"
2. "Life Itself"
3. "The Case Against 8"
4. "Keep On Keepin' On"
5. "Tales of the Grim Sleeper"

Best Animated Feature:
1. "The LEGO Movie"
2. "How To Train Your Dragon 2"
3. "Big Hero 6"
4. "The Boxtrolls"
5. "The Book of Life"

Best Cinematography:
1. Emmanuel Lubezki, "Birdman"
2. Robert D. Yeoman, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
3. Hoyte Van Hoytema, "Interstellar"
4. Dick Pope, "Mr. Turner"
5. Ryszard Lenczewski and Łukasz Żal, "Ida"

Best Film Editing:
1. Douglas Crise, "Birdman"
2. Sandra Adair, "Boyhood"
3. Tom Cross, "Whiplash"
4. Joel Cox & Gary Roach, "American Sniper"
5. Barney Pilling, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Best Production Design:
1. Adam Stockhausen & Anna Pinnock, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
2. Kevin Thompson & George DeTitta Jr., "Birdman"
3. Dennis Gassner & Anna Pinnock, "Into The Woods"
4. Nathan Crowley, Garry Fettis & Paul Healy, "Interstellar"
5. Ondrej Nekvasil, "Snowpiercer"

Best Costume Design:
1. Milena Canonero, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
2. Sammy Sheldon Differ, "The Imitation Game"
3. Colleen Atwood, "Into The Woods"
4. Steven Noble, "The Theory of Everything"
5. Jacqueline Durran, "Mr. Turner"

Best Original Score:
1. Johann Johannsson, "The Theory of Everything"
2. Alexandre Desplat, "The Imitation Game"
3. Alexandre Desplat, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
4. Hans Zimmer, "Interstellar"
5. Mica Levi, "Under the Skin"

Best Original Song:
1. "Glory" ("Selma")
2. "Lost Stars" ("Begin Again")
3. "Mercy Is" ("Noah")
4. "Big Eyes" ("Big Eyes")
5. "Split The Difference" ("Boyhood")

Best Sound Mixing:
1. "Into The Woods"
2. "Birdman"
3. "Whiplash"
4. "American Sniper"
5. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"

Best Sound Editing:
1. "Godzilla"
2. "American Sniper"
3. "Fury"
4. "Interstellar"
5. "Unbroken"

Best Visual Effects:
1. "Guardians of the Galaxy"
2. "Godzilla"
3. "Interstellar"
4. "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"
5. "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"

Best Makeup & Hairstyling:
1. "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
2. "Guardians of the Galaxy"
3. "Foxcatcher"

TALLY:

Birdman - 10

The Grand Budapest Hotel - 10

Boyhood - 7

The Imitation Game - 7

The Theory of Everything - 6

Whiplash - 6

American Sniper - 5

Gone Girl - 4

Nightcrawler - 4

Selma - 3

72nd Golden Globe Awards Winner Predictions - Film

Tomorrow is the day! Unfortunately, there's no Lupita vs JLaw this year. But we still look forward to the speeches, the possible upsets, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's jokes, wins that could affect the result of the Oscars of the biggest party of the year wherein we'll have a chance to see our favorites drunk and crazy.

In the meantime, here are my winner predictions for the film categories:

Best Motion Picture – Drama
“Boyhood”
“Foxcatcher”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”

WINNER: “Boyhood”
ALTERNATE: “The Imitation Game”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Jennifer Aniston, “Cake”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

WINNER: Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
ALTERNATE: Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

WINNER: Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
ALTERNATE: Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
“Birdman”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Into the Woods”
“Pride”
“St. Vincent”

WINNER: “The Grand Budapest Hotel” =o
ALTERNATE: “Birdman”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams, “Big Eyes”
Emily Blunt, “Into the Woods”
Helen Mirren, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”
Julianne Moore, “Maps to the Stars”
Quvenzhane Wallis, “Annie”

WINNER: Emily Blunt, “Into the Woods”
ALTERNATE: Amy Adams, “Big Eyes”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Bill Murray, “St. Vincent”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Inherent Vice”
Christoph Waltz, “Big Eyes”

WINNER: Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
ALTERNATE: Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”

WINNER: Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
ALTERNATE: Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Robert Duvall, “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

WINNER: J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
ALTERNATE: Edward Norton, “Birdman”

Best Animated Feature Film
“Big Hero 6”
“The Book of Life”
“The Boxtrolls”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2”
“The Lego Movie”

WINNER: “The Lego Movie”
ALTERNATE: “How to Train Your Dragon 2” -- please win

Best Foreign Language Film
Force Majeure Turist (Sweden)
Gett: The Trial of Viviane (Israel)
Ida (Poland/Denmark)
Leviathan (Russia)
Tangerines Mandariinid (Estonia)

WINNER: Ida (Poland/Denmark)
ALTERNATE: Force Majeure Turist (Sweden)

Best Director – Motion Picture
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Ava DuVernay, “Selma”
David Fincher, “Gone Girl”
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

These directors *two thumbs up*

WINNER: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
ALTERNATE: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman”

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl”
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”

WINNER: Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
ALTERNATE: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat, “The Imitation Game”
Johann Johannsson, “The Theory of Everything”
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Gone Girl”
Antonio Sanchez, “Birdman”
Hans Zimmer, “Interstellar”

WINNER: Johann Johannsson, “The Theory of Everything”
ALTERNATE: Alexandre Desplat, “The Imitation Game”

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Big Eyes” – “Big Eyes,” Music by: Lana Del Rey, Lyrics by: Lana Del Rey
“Glory” – “Selma,” Music by: John Legend, Common, Lyrics by: John Legend, Common
“Mercy Is” – “Noah,” Music by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye, Lyrics by: Patti Smith, Lenny Kaye
“Opportunity” – “Annie,” Music by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck, Lyrics by: Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck
“Yellow Flicker Beat” – “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, Music by: Lorde, Lyrics by: Lorde

WINNER: “Glory” – “Selma,” Music by: John Legend, Common, Lyrics by: John Legend, Common
ALTERNATE: “Big Eyes” – “Big Eyes,” Music by: Lana Del Rey, Lyrics by: Lana Del Rey

Winner Predictions Tally:

Boyhood - 3

The Grand Budapest Hotel - 2

Birdman - 1

The Imitation Game - 1

The Theory of Everything - 1

Selma - 1
Whiplash - 1

Into the Woods - 1
Still Alice - 1