The Big Sick (2017)

The Big Sick, directed by Michael Showalter, is a romantic comedy that depicts the love affair of its married screenwriters; Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani. After a surprising snub at the Golden Globes, the film looks set to (hopefully!) garner some Oscar nominations and is up for the top prize at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

This film follows Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani), a wannabe stand-up comedian from a Muslim family, who falls in love with Emily (Zoe Kazan). After a few months of dating and a sudden break-up, Emily gets struck down by a mystery illness and Kumail rushes to be by her side despite the reluctance of both sets of parents. As the relationship between Kumail and Emily’s parents evolves, the film explores the influence of family, race and religion in romantic relationships.

The Big Sick is a surprising revitalisation of the romantic comedy genre. This film shows that it is possible to make a film about genuine real love that can be hilarious, and avoids the pitfalls and the cliches that have defined the rom-com genre over the last few years. The authenticity of the dialogue makes this film as great as it is, and the movie certainly benefits from having the two (Gordon and Nanjiani), who actually experienced the narrative, be able to tell it with such charm. The story is able to stay exciting and engaging without emerging into absurdity, which is a rarity in comedy nowadays and shows the true talent of the screenwriters – who I’m hoping will get an Oscar nomination. The direction of the film is simple but effective, and allows the characters to be the movie’s central focus.

The acting in this film is superb and, despite many proclaiming Holly Hunter to be the ‘stand-out’ of the film, functions brilliantly as an ensemble piece. Kumail’s family and best friend (Adeel Akhtar) are hilarious throughout, with the frequent infusion of Kumail’s stand-up comedy buddies also adding some lighter moments. I knew of Kumail Nanjiani before The Big Sick but had never actually seen him in anything before, so it was a pleasant surprise to be able to see him play the romantic lead as well as he did – with equal parts humour and sincerity. Despite being in a coma for at least half of the film, the charm exuded by Zoe Kazan, who I first saw in the criminally underrated Ruby Sparks, resonates with the viewer and allows us to still care for the character despite her lack of involvement for a lot of the movie. Holly Hunter and Ray Romano are absolutely wonderful as Emily’s parents and both take their characters in interesting directions, allowing for the character growth displayed by each to be palpable.

The Big Sick was my biggest surprise of 2017 and I am delighted that it is still a major topic of conversation throughout the awards season, as it certainly deserves to be up there with the best of the best. I’m giving it five out of five popcorns.

 

 

The Shape Of Water (2017)

This is just going to be a quick review of the film as I wrote a whole wordy draft and then it disappeared (yay) but I still wanted to talk about this film on here.

The Shape of Water is a fantasy thriller by Mexican directior Guillermo Del Toro, famed for his monster-centric fairytales – perhaps the most well-known of which being Pan’s Labyrinth. The film is considered to be a frontrunner for Best Picture at the Oscars and has recently taken the top prizes for film and directing at the Critic’s Choice Awards, and nabbed the directing award at the Golden Globes.

The film follows Eliza (Sally Hawkins), a mute janitor who works in a top-secret government facility that has recently captured an ‘asset’ – an amphibian-style creature that the Americans believe can give them the edge over the Russians in the Space Race (the film is set in 1962 during the Cold War). Eliza falls in love with this creature and hatches an elaborate escape plan after its life is threatened, with the help of her co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer), friend Giles (Richard Jenkins) and scientist Robert (Michael Stuhlbarg). However, her plan is soon compromised by the legitimately menacing Colonel Strickland, played by the ever-brilliant Michael Shannon.

Despite the traditionalist nature of the forbidden love story at the film’s heart, Del Toro (along with cinematographer Dan Laustsen) created a visually stunning world here that is wholly unique. The individuality of this film can be jarring at first, and I spent the early moments of the film struggling to empathise with the characters or narrative. However, as the film progresses it develops warmth and a sense of excitement that is impossible to not be charmed by, and the viewer is reminded of the emotion at the movie’s core. This is reflected visually by the evolution of Laustsen’s cinematography, which transitions from cooler blue tones to rich golden colours as Eliza’s feelings for the creature develop. Alexandre Desplat’s score is also a highlight of the film, as it is equal parts playful as it is romantic, and transitions well to enhance suspense during the film’s more action-packed sequences. Del Toro’s films have always had a childlike wonder and fairy-tale sensibility to them and The Shape of Water is no exception, but there are also some heavy themes here that allow to film to appeal to a wider audience.

The acting in this film is also terrific, with Sally Hawkins’s ability to portray such a range of emotion without the use of her voice astounding. She approached the role with a fascinating blend of fragility and fearlessness that would make her an entirely worthy Oscar winner if she can edge out Frances McDormand. Michael Shannon, to me, was the other star of this film and it is a shame that he is going largely unrecognised for this role. His ability to play such a genuinely terrifying villain that is also innately human is insane, and I genuinely enjoyed watching his performance. Spencer and Jenkins also function well here as Eliza’s sidekicks, with both bringing necessary comic relief and comfort to an otherwise intense film, and I hope to see their names come the Oscar nominations on January 23rd.

Overall, this film is a visual spectacule that benefits from a talented cast and an enthusiastic director, even if the narrative is fairly simplistic. I’m giving this film 4 out of 5 popcorns.

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Call Me By Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino, is a stylish exploration of the blossoming of love between two men; based on Andre Aciman’s novel of the same name. The film follows Elio, a Jewish teen living in Northern Italy with his parents, who finds himself grappling with feelings for Oliver, his father’s graduate student who stays with the family for the summer. The movie, starring relative newcomer Timothée Chalamet and The Social Network’s Armie Hammer, has been a frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar since its debut at Sundance – although recent award losses may have pushed the feature out of the running.

This is a beautifully directed film. The vibrancy of the colour palette and the focus on Italy’s natural scenery made me want to book a plane ticket immediately; with the intensity of the setting being the perfect accompaniment to the passionate love between the two men. This was the first Guadagnino movie I had seen and I was transfixed by his eye for style and just how breathtakingly stunning each shot was. He treated the narrative with such respect and created a great sense of intimacy between the actors and the audience through the film’s resolve to savour each moment, enhancing the movie’s emotionality. The last sequence of the film (SPOILER – where Elio cries for a helluva long time as the credits roll) is one of the most experimental things I have ever seen on screen and only succeeds due to the emotional investment that Guadagnino persuaded us viewers to have.

The story itself is also wonderful and SPOILERS (sorry!) I was pleasantly surprised by the warm acceptance of Elio’s love for Oliver by his father. Similar narratives have tended to exploit this Romeo and Juliet star-crossed lovers cliche to dramatise gay relationships, but I loved the way that this movie allowed the audience to appreciate their affair for what it was and to level the playing field between their romance and your typical boy-meets-girl relationship. The only complaint I have about this film is the overreliance on sexual intimacy, as the frequency of the sexual scenes between the two in the second half of the film slow the pace to an almost mundane level. While this should definitely have played a major role in the film, I think the film still should have been deepening their emotional connection throughout the second half rather than their physical one. The film strayed a little bit into too-long territory (before finishing with some truly brilliant scenes) as the excitement of the affair began to dwindle after the two actually got together.

The film would not work without the performances of the two leads. Chalamet’s charisma practically jumps off the screen and he plays Elio with such fearlessness and youth that it is impossible to not become drawn in by him. Hammer is an actor that I have found in the past to be a bit wooden (I’m sorry!) but he established Oliver as the strong and worldly older man that could act as the foil to Elio’s hyperactivity. The two also played the contradictory nuances of their characters phenomenally well, as Hammer was able to exude confidence and playfulness when necessary as Chalamet delve into Elio’s bursts of terror and insecurity. Michael Stuhlbarg and Amira Casar don’t get a whole lot to do in this movie as Elio’s parents, but Stuhlbarg’s monologue towards the film’s end is a heartwrenching moment that was deftly handled by the actor.

Overall, this film presents itself as a masterpiece and that is a title that I am happy to give it. The depth of the relationship between the two characters is palpable, with the direction and the performances making for one of cinema’s greatest love stories.

I’m giving this film 4.5/5 popcorns.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2018)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is written and directed by Martin McDonagh (of the brilliant In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths), and follows Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) as she demands justice for her daughter’s murder in the form of three accusatory billboards. Despite its controversial exploration of bigotry in small American towns, the film as had major critical success – emerging as one of the big winners of the Golden Globes and sailing towards Oscar contention.

The plot unfolds like this (with minimum spoilers): Mildred Hayes is furious about the lack of progress in her daughter’s murder case and, at a loss of what to do, hires out three billboards along a quiet stretch of highway. They read: “Raped while dying?”, “And still no arrests?”, “How come, Chief Willoughby?”. These billboards cause quite the stir in their small town, with almost unamious outrage at Mildred’s audacity to attack the police department – especially when Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) is dying of cancer. The main cast is completed by a brilliant Sam Rockwell, who plays the racist and oft-times villainous officer Dixon.

This is a brilliant, albeit slightly confronting, film. The one thing that stood out to me the most was the screenplay, as it strikes a phenomenal balance between hilarity and dark, emotional themes. Though the overarching storyline has been seen time and time again in cinema (small town, bigoted cops and a fight for justice is hardly revolutionary), the way McDonagh crafted the script is effective in eliciting a wave of different emotions in the viewer that make it memorable. The characters in this film are also some of the most interesting I have seen in years, with the growth and change they encounter being concurrently realistic and wholly unexpected. The plot itself is rich with complex themes and important messages that can be interpreted differently by each viewer, which make for a riveting cinematic experience.

The film itself is beautifully made, with the juxtaposition of the bleak midwestern setting and the ferocity of the vibrant red billboards a particularly striking aspect of the film. Each scene feels relevant and the film maintains a steady pace that doesn’t rely on violence or twists to stay engaging. The other major aspect of this film that must be discussed is the incredible acting performances. Every piece of this movie works together and the acting is no exception, which says a lot about McDonagh as a director. While Frances McDormand is always perfect, I haven’t seen her with the simmering expanse of emotion and searing passion that she displays in this film for years, perhaps even since Fargo. She would absolutely be a worthy Best Actress Oscar winner this year and the film is elevated due to her faultless performance. Harrelson is surprisingly sympathetic in this film and handles his tricky character with finesse. However, I think this movie belongs to Sam Rockwell – with his performance matching (and perhaps eclipsing) McDormand’s. His character is easily the most contentious part of the film but Rockwell plays him with understanding. He handles the aggressive elements of Dixon’s character effortlessly but has enough emotional gravitas for the momentous change Dixon experiences to be believable – an arc which would have been rendered ridiculous in the hands of a lesser actor.

This film was a complete triumph and I’m struggling to find any fault with it. The recent news articles about the racism and bigotry portrayed in this film are valid in their criticism, but ignore the film’s refusal to glamourise these behaviours and its firm stance against the town’s outdated mentality – which make for a difficult discussion.

I’m giving this film 5 out of 5 popcorns.

(Photo courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes)

Golden Globes Predictions – Supporting Acting (Film)

One last one before I sign off for the night…

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture:

Jane Fonda (Youth)

Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)

Helen Mirren (Trumbo)

Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)

Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture:

Paul Dano (Love & Mercy)

Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation)

Sylvester Stallone (Creed)

Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)

Michael Shannon (99 Homes)

These two categories were extremely hard to pick, but Vikander’s dominant award presence suggests she should at least recieve one accolade, and it would be more likely in this category. The race for the actors is also complicated, but the HFPA’s desire for big moments suggests that they may veer towards Stallone’s latest, and arguably greatest, turn as Rocky Balboa.

Golden Globes Predictions – Acting (Comedy or Musical)

The great thing about the Golden Globes lie its recognition of comedy films, so the likes of Melissa McCarthy and Amy Schumer can breathe some life into the often melodramatic awards season. But who will win?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical:

Melissa McCarthy (Spy) – a true master at comedy, McCarthy was hilarious in the side-splitting James Bond parody film. Though Spy was a hit with audiences, it is unlikely that McCarthy’s exuberant performance will win over the more acclaimed in this category.

Jennifer Lawrence (Joy) – it’s a tough call between Lawrence and Schumer for this award, but (having seen both films) I’m giving it to Lawrence. Though the reviews for Joy have been polarised in two very different directions, critics have been unanimous on one count – Lawrence’s dazzling yet subdued turn as the titular inventive protagonist.

Amy Schumer (Trainwreck) – Hollywood’s newest comedic genius would be an incredibly popular, and fitting, choice for this award. Her brass performance has had many pleading for an Oscar nomination for the star, with the role also displaying enough heart that makes her terrifying competition for Lawrence.

Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van) – a seasoned actress, Smith’s nomination in this category didn’t come as a surprise. However, it is unlikely that her role in the quirky comedy will traction enough attention to win her this award.

Lily Tomlin (Grandma) – Tomlin has never won a Golden Globe, so this nomination in a slightly unstable category could see voters swaying towards the veteran. It would be a surprise, but a welcome one.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical – 

Christian Bale (The Big Short) – everyone knows Bale can act, and he applies his effective method acting technique to this film. He’s also no stranger to awards and is certainly deserving for his latest role, but he might just fall ever-so-slightly short of the win.

Al Pacino (Danny Collins) – this little-known film garnered praise for Pacino’s entertaining performance, but its lack of success could play against him here. It is unlikely that he can beat the front-runner this time around.

Matt Damon (The Martian) – when you are stranded on Mars, there’s plenty of room for a brillant acting performance. Damon completely embraced this opportunity, exuding charm and giving the film its emotionality and heart. Audiences and critics want to see Damon win, and so he should.

Steve Carrell (The Big Short) – a seasoned comedic performer, Carrell’s transition into leading man has been a successful one. Despite bringing emotion and laughter into a film about finance, it is unlikely he will win this one.

Mark Ruffalo (Infinitely Polar Bear) – this nomination was a bit of a shock, but there’s no doubt that Ruffalo can act. There’s very little chance he could win for this small film.

Thank you for reading!

Golden Globes Predictions -Acting (Film – Drama)

Not too long to go now until Hollywood’s brightest stars waltz down the dramatic red carpet and into a ceremony of bitter disappointment or, for a select few, dizzying glory. The acting race is, in the same manner as the Motion Picture awards, a tough thing to predict with any success for the first year in a long time. But, here are my last minute predictions that nobody asked for…

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama:

Cate Blanchett (Carol) – while she is receiving all kinds of praise for her breathtaking role in the film, many protest that the film belongs to her co-star, Rooney Mara. She could definitely win on the night, but her status as a two-time Oscar winner is likely to leave the HFPA leaning towards a deserving, lesser-known actress.

Brie Larson (Room) – though the competition is strong, it appears that Larson has this category in the bag (but don’t take my word for it). She has been a quiet force in many critically acclaimed indie dramas of the last few years (Short Term 12 springs to mind) and her devastatingly raw turn as a captured woman attempting to raise her child is her best yet. Everyone loves an underdog.

Rooney Mara (Carol) – the subject of much category controversy, it seemed that Mara was safer in the Best Supporting Actress category. She doesn’t have the commanding role inhabited by her competition here, which will play against her when it comes to being remembered by the voters.

Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) – nominated for a film that has recieved a minimal amount of love this season, the ever-charming Ronan sheds the childish roles of her past. Though the colourful drama has been a hit with both audiences and critics and Ronan could be surprise win here, it appears her competition is too strong.

Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl) – it appears that Vikander has befallen the same fate as Mara regarding the category selection, with the double-nominee giving a quietly mesmerising performance that might get swallowed up by the other actresses here. But, anything could happen.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama:

Bryan Cranston (Trumbo) – it’s no secret that Cranston is a favourite of the HFPA’s after his acclaimed turn in the popular television series Breaking Bad. His first nomination for a film at this ceremony is certainly worthy of the award, but he hasn’t had the campaigning of his competition. Looking at you DiCaprio. And that bear.

Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs) – critics are raving about Fassbender’s charisma as the head of Apple in this much discussed film. Though he is no stranger to awards season buzz, it doesn’t appear that he is the front-runner to take out this award.

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) – it’s fairly cut and dry (I might regret saying that) that DiCaprio will win come tomorrow. The shooting of the film has been detailed explicity in the press, and the lengths that DiCaprio has gone to in order to put in his best performance is staggering. In a role that’s largely silent, it’s likely that we will hear a lot of DiCaprio this awards season.

Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl) – playing a transgender pioneer, there is no doubt that Redmayne has undergone a radical transformation for the riskiest role of the Oscar-winner’s burgeoning career. In another year perhaps he would win, but his recent success on the awards circuit for The Theory of Everything and stiff competition are affecting his chances of getting this accolade.

Will Smith (Concussion) – taking out the murky fifth spot in this category, it is unlikely that Smith will win for what is, arguably, his best dramatic role ever. The film hasn’t been widely seen, and I can’t see past DiCaprio.

Thank you for reading!

Golden Globes Predictions – Best Motion Picture(s)

Hi!

The Golden Globes grace us with their presence in a mere few hours, so I thought now would be the perfect time to share my predictions (educated guesses) with you. It’s a startlingly unpredictable awards season this year, so don’t judge me too harshly if my predictions are completely wrong! Here goes:

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Carol

This remarkable, intelligent and beautifully humane film evokes the smoky, poisonous beauty of the time. Almost perfectly.

– Philip Martin (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Mad Max: Fury Road

A real visual and narrative hallucination, that does not stop at any time and steals your breath every minute.

– Salvador Franco Reyes (Excelsior)

The Revenant

Iñárritu has constructed an epic fable of uncommon grace and resonance–a film that, like its hero, achieves a kind of transcendence.

– Christopher Orr (The Atlantic)

Room

It’s a deeply satisfying, profoundly moving adaptation of a popular novel, an all-too-rare occurrence in modern Hollywood.

– Preston Jones (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Spotlight

You couldn’t ask for a better ensemble cast to be in this important, well-researched, well-written and well-made film.

– Dennis Schwartz (Ozus’ World Movie Reviews)

Why it will win: Spotlight is a true ensemble film that has been unanimously praised by critics and viewers alike – with an impressive 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes reflecting this. The film, based around the reveal of many Catholic priests’ prolific sexual abuse by journalists at the Boston Globe, handles its unprecedented subject matter with grace. It focuses on the scandal in question and the hard work it took to bring the horrors to light, shying away from over-the-top acting performances and indulgent settings to enhance the story-telling. This revolutionary film is the perfect contender for this award, and is a strong front-runner for the Oscar.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy:

The Big Short

A refreshing and piercingly clever morality tale – whether you prefer the emotive, simplistic or in-depth depictions of what happened – the film hits it target.

– Glen Falkenstein (FILMINK)

Why it will win: This film takes a well-known, albeit complex, event in modern history and presents it to the audience in an entertaining way. The film doesn’t shy away from financial jargon or the devastation of the crisis, all the while creating characters that, though often morally flawed, become heroes. With stunning performances by the likes of Christian Bale and Steve Carrell, along with a hefty number of nominations at this year’s Globes, this film is relatively likely to take this category over close contender The Martian.

Joy

Jennifer Lawrence does a tremendous job as the title character in this inventine and inspiring drama.

– John Hanlon (John Hanlon Reviews)

The Martian

…an often potent sci-fi drama that benefits substantially from Damon’s almost impossible charismatic performance…

– David Nusair (Reel Film Reviews)

Spy

Melissa McCarthy retains her crown as the Queen of Comedy in this hilarious, action-packed take on the spy genre.

– Alex Zane (Sun Online)

Trainwreck

Amy Schumer brings her bodacious brand of comedy to the big screen with this ballsy romantic comedy.

– Kam Williams (Baret News)

Thank you for reading – I’ll follow up with the acting predictions soon. Happy Golden Globes eve!

The Golden Globes!

I’ve been super busy the last couple of days so I haven’t been able to post the categories that I wanted to, but I decided to do a full list of my film predictions. Watching the red carpet now – so exciting! Anyway:

Best Motion Picture, Drama – 

PREDICTED WINNER: Boyhood

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: The Imitation Game

Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical – 

PREDICTED WINNER: Birdman

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Actor, Drama – 

PREDICTED WINNER: Eddie Redmayne

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: Benedict Cumberbatch

Best Actress, Drama –

PREDICTED WINNER: Julianne Moore

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: Reese Witherspoon

Best Actor, Comedy or Musical – 

PREDICTED WINNER: Michael Keaton

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: Ralph Fiennes

Best Actress, Comedy or Musical – 

PREDICTED WINNER: Emily Blunt

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: Amy Adams

Best Supporting Actor – 

PREDICTED WINNER: JK Simmons

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: Ethan Hawke

Best Supporting Actress – 

PREDICTED WINNER: Patricia Arquette

PREDICTED RUNNER – UP: Too close to call

Let’s see what happens!

Best Actress, Drama

Let’s just get straight into this Golden Globes category, shall we? The nominees are…

Julianne Moore (Still Alice) – regarded as one of the best actresses to never have won an Academy Award, Moore has taken on many difficult roles during her fruitful career. She has garnered four Oscar nominations for her roles in Boogie Nights, The End of the Affair, Far from Heaven and The Hours, whilst being a dual-nominee at the Globes this year with a nomination in the other Best Actress category for Maps to the Stars. 

Why she could win – a win in this category for Moore has certainly been a long time coming, and many think that her role as early-onset Alzheimer’s sufferer Alice Howland is her chance. Similarly to eventual Oscar winner Cate Blanchett last year, Moore’s nomination is the only for this film in any category, due to the gravitas of her performance.

From her midnight panics to her courageous struggle, Moore’s restrained, delicately nuanced performance scorches with ferocious intensity.

– Susan Granger (SSG Syndicate)

Reese Witherspoon (Wild) – despite an early Golden Globe nomination for 1999’s Election, Witherspoon burst onto the scene with hilarious hit Legally Blonde. Critically-acclaimed performances in Vanity Fair, Water for Elephants and Walk the Line, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, followed.

Why she could win – the biographical film follows Cheryl Strayed’s (Witherspoon) lone hike across the Pacific Crest Trail, allowing Witherspoon to demonstrate her talents in an intimate, spotlighted way. She was very involved in the creation of this film, and her passion for her art shone through in her best performance since her Oscar win.

Witherspoon ditches her sunny persona before she laces up her first mountain boot and plays Cheryl with real grit, drawing you in from the opening scene…Wild is all the proof you need that Witherspoon has indeed found creative rejuvenation.

– Tina Jordan (Entertainment Weekly)

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) – British actress Pike first gained attention as a Bond girl in Die Another Day before tackling roles in Pride and Prejudice, An Education and Wrath of the Titans. Her role as the seriously psychotic Amy Elliot-Dunne in Gone Girl is her most twisted yet, and shows off her brilliant acting as no movie has done before.

Why she could win – Amy is not an easy character to play, her complexity and calculated acts make sure of that, but Pike becomes this her. Whilst watching the film, I found that each time Pike came on screen I felt an immense feeling of dread, and oh god, what’s she going to do next? This reaction can only be garnered through an actress who plays the role with intensity and believability, and it is the best performance of her career.

Pike…here uses her cool exterior to mask a seething lump of volatility. It’s an intoxicating blend of slow burn and volcanic flash.

– Robert W. Butler (Kansas City Star)

Jennifer Aniston (Cake) – certainly best known for being Rachel on Friends (for which she won a variety of accolades), Aniston has jumped from comedy to comedy in Horrible Bosses, We’re the Millers and Just Go with It. Shocking everyone with her serious acting chops in Cake, this Hollywood A-Lister could take this one out.

Why she could win – Aniston’s movies of late haven’t been fantastic, and it seems that she could have been stuck in a disappointing loop. However, Cake blows that wide open and forces Aniston to, armed with her precise comic timing, tackle the role of a layered (cake, layers, get it?) chronic-pain sufferer and she excels.

In a turn that stands as the single best performance by an actress this year, Aniston offers her heart and soul in the role of her career.

– Clayton Davis (Awards Circuit)

Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) – after starring in acclaimed films such as Like Crazy, Cemetery Junction and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Jones hit the jackpot with her role as Jane Hawking in this movie. With many roles lined up for the next few years, her beautiful acting in this film hints at a wonderful future.

Why she could win – a breakthrough role for Jones, her immediate chemistry with co-star Redmayne is palpable and believable. Jones portrays Jane with subtlety, grace and effortlessness, and her talents shine through with an intense brightness.

…this movie belongs to Felicity Jones…Jones conveys the changing marital chemistry – care, dependence, resentment, exasperation – in small, delicate motions.

– Tara Brady (Irish Times)

With so many great female performances this year it is difficult to predict who will win, but there is one clear frontrunner.

MY PREDICTED WINNER: Julianne Moore

MY PREDICTED RUNNER-UP: Reese Witherspoon

Thank you for reading, and hopefully I’ll see you tomorrow!

(Photos courtesy of IMDb)