My 86th Annual Oscars Predictions

The Oscars are quickly approaching so I felt it was time to weigh in on my thoughts and predictions for this year's nominees.

Best Picture
American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Nebraska, Philomena, 12 Years a Slave, The Wolf of Wall Street

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Gravity
Should Win: 12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave deserves to win Best Picture and will win. Gravity was a thrilling, visual masterpiece that was revolutionary. However, I think that it will face a similar fate to Avatar. Both films were special effects wonders. But when analyzed and compared to other pictures, are not strong enough to win the overall prize. 12 Years a Slave fits the mold for the typical Best Picture winners and has been winning this entire season. It may be close, and the Academy may decide to vote Gravity as the surprise winner, but my vote is still for 12 Years a Slave.


Best Actor
Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew McConaughey

Will Win: Matthew McConaughey
Could Win: Leonardo DiCaprio
Should Win: Matthew McConaughey

This category is a very tough race. Each actor is phenomenal and every actor besides Christian Bale have a shot at winning. The clear favorite is Matthew McConaughey, who plays a man searching for treatment while suffering from HIV. He has won the Golden Globe and SAG Award. This year has definitely been a breakthrough year for McConaughey. His performance in Mud earlier in the year showed that he could be taken seriously as a dramatic actor. Dallas Buyers Club only further showcased his talent. His dedication to the role was astonishing, especially when addressing his dramatic 47 lb weight loss. The physical appearance was shocking, but his acting was nothing shy of suburb. Leonardo DiCaprio also had an amazing performance in The Wolf of Wall Street. I have always admired DiCaprio's acting capabilities and am still a little stunned that he has failed to claim an Oscar. Leo definitely deserves an Oscar, but I don't think that this is the year to finally claim that allusive prize that has evaded him throughout his successful career.


Best Actress
Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Judi Dench, Meryl Streep

Will Win: Cate Blanchett
Could Win: Amy Adams
Should Win: Cate Blanchett

This category is filled with veteran actresses. Besides Bullock, each actress has been nominated for an Academy Award at least five times. Now that is some acting power. All of these nominees are clearly talented. All of them have won at least won award, except Adams, who despite this being her fifth nomination, has never won. Unfortunately, it does not seem that the votes will be cast in her favor to break the streak. Cate Blanchett's performance was very real and heart breaking. She has been sweeping the awards shows and it seems that nothing can stand in her way of taking home Oscar gold.


Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi, Bradley Cooper, Michael Fassbender, Jonah Hill, Jared Leto

Will Win: Jared Leto
Could Win: I don't think anyone else stands a chance
Should Win: Michael Fassbender

Similar to Blanchett, Jared Leto has been claiming nearly every supporting actor award. He is the clear favorite and the Oscar would be well deserved. After taking a five year break from acting, Leto returned with a stunning performance as an AIDS patient in Dallas Buyers Club. There is no glimmer of hope on the horizon for any of the other actors in this category. Unfortunately, I do think that Michael Fassbender delivered a show stopping performance that has been overshadowed by Leto. Fassbender's evil slave owner role was compelling and believable. As an audience member I truly hated his character. But when it comes to Oscar night, this amazing performance will not receive the ultimate prize.


Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins, Jennifer Lawrence, Lupita Nyong'o, Julia Roberts, June Squibb

Will Win: Lupita Nyong'o
Could Win: Jennifer Lawrence
Should Win: Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence was the early front runner. In general 2013, was Lawrence's year. She graced the covers of what seemed like every magazine. This of course followed quickly after her winning the Best Actress Award last March. There was early buzz for her role in American Hustle and it appeared to continue on into the early Awards Season. She grabbed an early lead by winning the Golden Globe. However, as the Awards Season has progressed, Lupita Nyong'o has emerged as the front runner. Nyong'o's tear-inducing performance in 12 Years a Slave has won over the hearts of many Academy members. Her welcoming and sweet personality has also helped in her race towards the Oscar. If Jennifer Lawrence hadn't won last year, I believe this award could easily have been hers. But with a recent win, the award will go to Nyong'o. Jennifer, it seems like the odds are not in your favor.

Other Categories (My Predictions)
Animated Feature Film: Frozen
Cinematography: Gravity
Costume Design: The Great Gatsby
Directing: Alfonso Cuarón
Film Editing: Gravity
Makeup and Hairstyling: Dallas Buyers Club
Music (Score): Gravity
Music (Song): "Let It Go" from Frozen
Production Design: The Great Gatsby
Sound Editing: Gravity
Sound Mixing: Gravity
Visual Effects: Gravity
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): 12 Years a Slave
Writing (Original Screenplay): Her

Best of 2013: Music Top 5

Everyone has different taste in music. I like to consider myself pretty open to any genre of music. I am not a Top Radio purest or a hipster who only likes bands with names like Quiet Wombats or Wind and Dust. I'm pretty sure those aren't real bands, but they sounded like some underground acoustic creation. Anyway, here is my breakdown of my favorite songs (in no particular order), including radio hits and more.

1) Mirrors - Justin Timberlake

I included the shortened version because ain't nobody got time for that long version. Many people heard this song occupy their favorite radio stations late spring and well through summer. After a while many became tired of this song. However this never came true for myself. Maybe it is because I started listening to the song before it was on the radio or the fact that I chose to listen to the song on repeat. Whatever the case, I never became weary of the great beat behind the music or nailing the harmonies during the chorus. "Vacancy that sat in my he-art" was the ultimate fulfillment when singing harmony. Regardless of whether you liked the song or not, it was everywhere and was an amazing song after a long hiatus from Justin. Therefore, it is on my list.

2) Love Somebody - Maroon 5

This song is my jam. When I need to cheer up, this is my go to song. "Love Somebody" was also on the radio, yet somehow was not as overplayed as "Mirrors". There are so many elements that make this song a treasure. The song itself has an awesome driving rhythm that just makes you want to dance. And the beat only gets better when the chorus kicks in. To add to the amazing song the video is pretty inventive. The use of blue paint and computers created a very cool effect.

3) Ed Sheeran - Lego House

This song is actually two years old, but it was released in the US in February of 2013. After the popularity of "A-Team", "Lego House" was the second single released off of his album "+". This song is simple and lovely. Ed Sheeran has a unique style and this song captures a vulnerability that is very refreshing.

4) Ho Hey (Cover) - Lennon & Maisy

Some of you may recognize the sister duo Lennon & Maisy either from their acapella cover of Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend" or from the hit TV show Nashville. These sisters proved their talent again with their phenomenal harmonies in their cover of "Ho Hey". In my opinion this cover is better than the original. Their tight harmonies are very impressive, especially coming from such a young duo. If you haven't heard it yet, you need to push play right now.

5) Say Something - A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera

This song came out as a free download on iTunes back in October. Then A Great Big World teamed up with Christina Aguilera to reboot the song and suddenly the song catapulted into a top hit. I love the broken down vibe and simplicity including Christina's less poppy vocals. The song has such a chilling feel and definitely deserves the attention it is receiving.

This year had such a wide range in music and there are so many more wonderful songs, but these five songs I felt provided variety and were some of my favorites.

TV Thursdays: So You Think You Can Dance

WARNING: This post is very long and I apologize. But there have been 10 seasons and this is one of my favorite shows.

I have watched this show live since it first aired way back in 2005. Yes the show is that old. Some of you may not remember the days of Lauren Sanchez hosting, or the wonderful days where the general public was blessed by not having Mary Murphy as a permanent judge every week. Yes, there was a glorious time when we did not have to hear her shrill screaming every week. But this show has kept me interested throughout its run.

For those of you who haven't seen the show, this show is a reality show similar to American Idol but instead of singing it's dancing. Dancers compete each week, performing different styles and trying to avoid elimination. And it is nothing like Dancing With the Stars. It is a million times better and all of the contestants are actual dancers, not celebrities.

I will break down elements of the show to hopefully make this post easier to follow.

BEST ROUTINES (no particular order):

1) Allison & Robert - Fix You

2) Season 2 Top 10 - Ramalama

3) Cheslie & Mark - Bleeding Love

4) Kayla & Kupono - Addiction

5) Lacey & Danny - Samba (Hip, Hip, Chin, Chin)

6) Neil & Sabra - Board Room (Sweet Dreams)

7) Season 9 Top 20 - Office

8) Melanie & Marko - Turn to Stone

9) Season 10 Top 10 - Rocking Chairs

10) Neil & Kent - Backstab (How It Ends)

ALL-TIME BEST CONTESTANTS:
1) Allison Holker
She is the best contestant to ever be on the show. The judges know it and America should have voted for her to win. Every performance she does is fantastic and as an All- Star she always catches my eye.

2) Travis Wall

3) Neil Haskell

4) Melanie Moore

5) Pasha Kovalev

MOST OVERRATED CONTESTANTS:
1) Joshua Allen

2) Billy Bell

3) Aaron Turner

4) Benji Schwimmer

5) Lacey Schwimmer

6) Ade Obayomi

7) Alex Wong

OVERALL OPINION:
Seasons 3 is by far the best season. Season 2 was pretty good as well. The earlier seasons were nice for a few reasons. They actually picked styles out of a hat and showed their reactions. This meant that dances were random and not hand selected to help contestants that the producers wanted to keep. Recently it is obvious that there is no chance is which style of dance each contestant is assigned to perform from week to week. Also, the judges didn't used to carry contestants all the way to the finale by saving them. After Top 10 America used to choose who was eliminated with no exceptions. Now the judges basically get to choose who they want in the finale, which undermines the audience vote. In summary, the earlier seasons were better.


WINNERS:
Here are my thoughts on who won each season and who I believe should have won.

Season 1
Actual Winner: Nick Lazzarini
Should Have Won: Nick Lazzarini

It was the first season and America actually had good taste and understood that he was the most versatile and most talented.

Season 2
Actual Winner: Benji Schwimmer
Should Have Won: Allison Holker

Benji was an entertainer and got the votes for his personality. He was definitely not the best dancer especially when you consider that he never had to dance contemporary. The prize for that season was a spot to dance in the Celine Dion concert and he couldn't dance contemporary. Allison was good in every style and got off because America thought she was safe. Everyone was shocked when she was eliminated. Some people argue that Travis Wall should have won, especially because he made it to the finals. However, in an interview he even admitted that Allison should have won.

Season 3
Actual Winner: Sabra Johnson
Should Have Won: Pasha Kovalev

I did really enjoy Neil Haskell in this season, but I think Pasha should have won. I think that Sabra was a good dancer, but something about her personality bugged me a lot. Pasha had such a lovely personality and always showed through the routines. He was very adaptable and was one of the nicest contestants.

Season 4
Actual Winner: Joshua Allen
Should Have Won: Katee Shean

Cheslie Hightower was my favorite, but Katee definitely deserved to win. I think the producers realized that as well when they awarded her a prize for being the top female dancer even though that prize had never existed or been mentioned before.

Season 5
Actual Winner: Jeanine Mason
Should Have Won: Jeanine Mason

She was the best and her last solo solidified that fact.

Season 6
Actual Winner: Russell Ferguson
Should Have Won: Kathryn McCormick

He was a krumper and was not that talented. Kathryn was beautiful and aced every style.

Season 7
Actual Winner: Lauren Froderman
Should Have Won: ???

I'm trying to remember. I think that I was fine with her winning.

Season 8
Actual Winner: Melanie Moore
Should Have Won: Melanie Moore

She was an early favorite and sailed through the competition, killing every routine.

Season 9
Actual Winner: Eliana Girard
Should Have Won: Eliana Girard

She deserved to win.

Season 10
Actual Winner: TBD
Should Have Won: Paul Karmiryan

I was really upset when he got kicked off. Clearly he was the most versatile on the show. He was amazing in every style and he was so likable. America does not understand good dancing.

Congratulations to those of you who made it through my entire post. I thoroughly enjoy this show and how it gives the general public a glimpse into the dance world. The show has produced many fantastic pieces, and even though the show goes through rough patches of uninspiring dances, an amazing dance still comes around every so often. In fact, I thought nearly every dance in the Top 8 this season was very well executed and performed. The dances were really entertaining.

SYTYCD is about to finish its 10th season and it is still managing to find wonderful dancers who know how to captivate an audience.

85th Oscars Breakdown

I know I haven't written in forever, but I felt like sharing my thoughts and predictions for the 85th Academy Awards. I'll break it down by category and let you know why. Here it goes:

Best Picture
Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty

Will Win: Argo
Could Win: Lincoln
Should Win: Argo
Snub: The Impossible

Argo gained a lot of momentum from winning both the Golden Globes and the SAG Award. Lincoln was a front runner for a long time, especially in the early fall. Back in the 90's I would have easily given the award to Lincoln. It is a historical piece and the script is genius. However, Argo has the perfect balance of drama and suspense, all while retelling a true story. I sat on the edge of my seat not knowing what would happen next. Argo deserves to win and probably will, but Lincoln has a chance of slipping in as the winner at the last minute. The Impossible was in my opinion one of the best movies of the year and yet it failed to grab a nomination. The story is emotional from start to finish, the scenery and effects are impressive, and the acting was phenomenal. If nothing else, The Impossible should have at least picked up a nomination.


Best Actor
Bradley Cooper, Daniel Day-Lewis, Hugh Jackman, Jaoquin Phoenix, Denzel Washington

Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis
Could Win: No one else has a chance of winning
Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal of Lincoln is enthralling. He made smart choices in the way to chose to become the 16th president. Day-Lewis' mannerisms are not cartoonish or forced, but seem rather natural and just enough to capture the essence of Lincoln. His performance is so believable that it overshadows all of the other nominees.


Best Actress
Jessica Chastain, Jennifer Lawrence, Emanuelle Rivera, Quvenzhane Wallis, Naomi Watts

Will Win: Jennifer Lawrence
Could Win: Jessica Chastain, Emanuelle Rivera
Should Win: Naomi Watts

I think that The Academy likes talented young actresses. I thought that Jennifer Lawrence's performance in Silver Linings Playbook was okay, but I was not blown away. And yet, everyone is raving about her performance. Her track towards gold has further seemed assured by her wins at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Jessica Chastain however could sneak in for the win. Just before the slew of awards shows. Jessica Chastain appeared to be the favorite. Her performance in Zero Dark Thirty was strong and real. Emanuelle Rivera could also come in and steal the prize from her younger competitors. At 86 on Oscar night, she is the oldest nominee in history. She could pull the sentimental vote and surprise everyone. However, I still believe that Naomi Watts deserves the award. Her performance in The Impossible is extremely emotional and demanded my attention from the first five minutes of the film. Strangely enough, the critics declared her the front runner long before nominations were announced. I guess it doesn't help that The Impossible came out early for the Oscar season.


Best Supporting Actor
Alan Arkin, Robert DeNiro, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tommy Lee Jones, Christoph Waltz

Will Win: Robert DeNiro
Could Win: Tommy Lee Jones
Should Win: Christoph Waltz

Somehow Robert DeNiro has been getting late buzz. His performance as a superstitious sports fan in Silver Linings Playbook is emotional, but I did not recognize it as one of his best performances. Still late predictions are all putting him slightly above his main competitor Tommy Lee Jones. Jones did a great job in Lincoln, and played a strong and likable abolitionist in Lincoln. Still I love Christoph Waltz and believe that his over the top character in Django Unchained was the best of the group.


Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, Sally Field, Anne Hathaway, Helen Hunt, Jacki Weaver

Will Win: Anne Hathaway
Could Win: Sally Field (but the chances are extremely slim)
Should Win: Anne Hathaway

All praise goes to Anne Hathaway. Had it been a different year, Sally Field could have picked up a third Oscar, giving her a perfect record for winning every time she was nominated for an Academy Award. But Anne Hathaway's performance as Fontaine got the attention of audiences and moved them to tears even in the preview for Les Miserables. That song sealed the deal for her to come out victorious as the Best Supporting Actress.

Other Categories (My Predictions)
Animated Feature Film: Brave
Cinematography: Life of Pi
Costume Design: Anna Karenina
Directing: Steven Spielberg (Snub: Ben Affleck)
Film Editing: Argo
Foreign Language Film: Amour
Makeup and Hairstyling: Les Miserables
Music (Score): Life of Pi
Music (Song): "Skyfall" by Adele
Production Design: Lincoln
Short Film (Animated): Adam and Dog (Paperman should win)
Sound Editing: Skyfall
Sound Mixing: Les Miserables
Visual Effects: Life of Pi
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Lincoln
Writing (Original Screenplay): Amour

Music Monday: Vote for Somebody

Cheesy, but I found this and found it appropriate since Election Day is tomorrow. These kids are so sassy. Too good.

Testimony Tuesdays: A Costume Should Not Be Taken Lightly

I love dressing up for different occasions. To me, wearing a costume is a time to show off your skills and creativity. Therefore, my costumes are not just thrown together but are well thought out. Below I will show some examples and explain the process.

Let's start with creativity. The costume above was for a GYRAD (Get your roommate a date). We were windblown. Yes this has been done, but it is not too common. The key to pulling off a look is committing. The tie is a start, but the messy hair flying in the same direction adds to the illusion. Some dirty makeup gives the appearance that things flew in your face due to the crazy wind. Add in a prop like a inside out umbrella and your set.

This costume is even more creative. This was 2009, the year of the Swine Flu outbreak. Therefore, I was swine flu. The swine is obvious from the ears, snout, tail, and pink shirt. To make the costume into the disease a medical aspect was needed; cue the scrub pants, surgical gloves, and surgical mask. Then to finish off the look and show that it was a contagious disease I added the Quarantine logo to my shirt and held caution tape as a warning.

In choosing a character I am all about the details. For my Harry Potter costume I could have just worn a white shirt, black pants, maroon tie, and glasses. But I chose to wear a gold a maroon striped tie and round glasses. The lightning bolt scar is the correct shape and I added these letters to my hand. The font I used is the exact same writing as in the 5th movie. Details can send your costume over the top.

Speaking of details...When dressing as an iconic character, do the character justice. My Joker costume would not have been complete without a purple shirt and green vest with a green patterned tie. Add the makeup and colored hair to identify the character. Then a simple detail such as the Joker card adds something special.

For my Ryan Lochte costume look at the medal. I made the design similar to the actual medal. And I had to use the purple ribbon to make it look more like the real medal. The jacket is pretty similar to what they wore on the medal stand too. Lochte has a custom grill, so of course I had to make my own red, silver, and blue grill. My fake Olympic rings tattoo matches his real tattoo. And to complete the look I made a shirt with a direct quote from Ryan Lochte himself. I even used his favorite color, green.

I just described a lot but I hope that you can now appreciate how involved I get with costumes and my passion to create an awesome look.

Here are some other costumes to leave you with.

 Chuck Bartowski (from the show Chuck)

 

Fred from Scooby Doo

  

1950's nerd

 

Ventriloquist dummy

Web Wednesdays: Aicha Music Video = Hilarious

This is an old video, but I love it so much.

So this video has been stored in my YouTube vault for a long time. This guy's music video is just so fantastic. I'm sure that he gets all the ladies. Here it is:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxtLMoD9GqA

Great parts of this video:

1) The words "She Moves How???"

2) His laying next to and on his Mickey Mouse bed sheets

Best of all:

3) HIS SWEET CHOREOGRAPHY