It’s that time of year again. The one where I pester my better half about all of the movies we haven’t seen and we spend every Friday night catching up on the best of this years’ nominated movies. Luckily for us, the Oscars have once again risen to the challenge of seeking out and nominating some stellar performances from the past year. I’m especially happy that thought-provoking films about recent historical icons, Martin Luther King Jr, Stephen Hawking, and Chris Kyle to name a few, have been well received and awarded some due nominations, even if not in every category deserved.
This year’s nominees are heavily sprinkled with low-budget independent films, with terrific potential for cozy Friday nights. If you’re like me and have seen only a handful of the films, you’re going to try and cram as many movies in before February 22nd as possible. For those that I have seen, I’m especially anxious to see how the quirky and eccentric film, The Grand Budapest Hotel, will fare in such high profile categories as best director and best picture. I’m rooting for the film, but I fear its tedious plot development will hurt it in the end. The acting, though, is great. With performances from old and new Hollywood, and facial expressions that made me tear with laughter, it’s true that oftentimes a look says a thousand words.
I’m also pleasantly surprised that some of my favorite books have made their way to the red carpet this year. Gone Girl is an intense read, however I’m fumbling as to why Gillian Flynn was not nominated for best adapted screenplay. Still Alice, by Lisa Genova, is an uncomfortable yet wonderful insight into how life can crumble in a few short months. Julianne Moore is spot-on in her portrayal of Alice, a middle aged professional woman who in the prime of her life, is diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease. These authors have created masterpieces that adapted well to the screen; I’m rooting for their success.
So, enjoy these lazy winter nights with a bowl of Ruffles and a new craft beer and check out the Oscar nominees. And don’t forget to vote for your favorites as once again, Inkling Home Markets has risen to the challenge of compiling a list of Oscar questions so that you can predict the outcome of each category, check out an example here. If you haven’t already, create a login and start predicting Oscar winners. Not sure what a prediction market is? (No worries, I didn't know either) Read about its merits, it’s pretty interesting. Questions will be judged in real-time during the show so keep track of your results on February 22, 2015.
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