Here's my take -- Once more the Oscars are in. All things considered, it was a good year for candidates. I didn't feel like any of them were "bought and paid for" like I do some years. In the big categories (actors, film and direction), they almost all could have won. I was a little disappointed that Bruce Dern didn't win for Nebraska, but, on the other hand, McConauhey was epic in Dallas Buyer's Club.
Same thing with Amy Adams and Judi Dench who could easily have taken the BA, except that Cate Blanchett was so good in Blue Jasmine, especially since the role was so much of a departure from her usual icy-cool roles.
I'm sorry that Spike Jonze and Her didn't win something bigger than original screenplay, at least for the high-wasted Sansabelt pants and the super-Siri character. That was such an odd movie, I guess it wasn't in the cards.
Gravity, scoring for cinematography seemed so obvious...the only 3D movie I've seen that was worth the glasses....not much of a plot, but great visuals.
Costumes were great in Gatsby, only American Hustle being close on that one.
My one significant gripe, Sound Editing for Gravity? In the silence of space? What? Does that make sense? I would have voted for All is Lost on that one.
All is Lost deserved a couple special awards, like for a nearly wordless movie with a cast consisting of one 77 year old against the ocean. That movie had an overdose of primal fear coupled with the question of what he was doing out there in the first place.
As for Best Picture - 12 Years a Slave, a worthy choice, only made difficult because of movies like American Hustle, Dallas Buyer's Club, Philomena and Nebraska. All things considered it was an embarrassment of riches this year.
