As a voting member of the BFCA, I want our awards to be the best representation of film for the year. So let me give you a couple thoughts on what was (and wasn't) nominated.While many of my favorites made the list like Whiplash and Boyhood did get into the Best Picture race, I found myself disappointed at a couple marginal films that didn't get in that I quite liked. American Sniper and A Most Violent Year were both excellent and evocative features released this year that were quite good.
But overall, I found the year to be filled with quite good films, but very few "great" films that I really have blown up about. That means that even now, when I look at the list that is up for the Best Picture category, I don't know where my vote will go in January. I can say I will be re-watching some of my faves in coming up with a Top 10 (or so) for the year and in deciding how to mark my ballot!
In the acting categories, there are usually 6 nominees in our awards. That means we get to recognize at least one extra individual in each group, and there are still...of course... those who didn't make the cut that could have deserved the nominations.
Performances like the one from Steve Carell in Foxcatcher got left off in favor of some others. His performance alone was thought to bring him recognition for the first time, and it surprises me that it didn't make the cut. And I absolutely cannot for the life of me understand why Miles Teller isn't talked about more for his driven and obsessive role in Whiplash. J.K Simmons deserves all the love in the world for his role in the same film, but he works with Teller in something special. I believe that across the industry, many are missing the brilliance of Teller's performance and it will be one we look back at later in his career and realize just how good it really was.On the actress categories there are many great selections. I loved Julianne Moore in Still Alice. My Aniston, Cotillard, Jones, Pike and Witherspoon in the mix...one can easily see what Amy Adams may have been left behind for her performance in Big Eyes.
grandmother battled Alzheimer's and I was literally moved to tears the way Moore was able to convey both the love and the internal struggle that exists for those in the same situation. And with
Now in Supporting Actress I really love all the choices, including one that may have surprised some, Tilda Swinton in Snowpiercer. Swinton portrays an incredibly unlikable lady with all the makeup and wardrobe to enhance her just right. Amazing as always, she deserves to be here and IS. Someone who deserves to be here and isn't...is someone who I have always had a difficult time with in films, maybe because her tie to the series that I really didn't like, Kristen Stewart. Her role in Still Alice as the daughter of Julianne Moore is spot on. The struggles she experiences in losing the one person who always was the best and the brightest are real and she brings them to life. Even though she wasn't nominated, this is the best performance we have seen from Stewart and hopefully just a sign of things to come.
What else would I have liked to see that didn't get in?
Rohan Chand for Best Young Actor/Actress in the amazingly underrated comedy Bad Words. Playing opposite the very funny Jason Bateman his timing was spot on and really funny.The documentaries Point and Shoot and Red Army were both high up on my list of some of the best of the year, and I loved 1971 as well. But docs are really open for this group and the winner come awards night will most likely boil down to Life Itself or Citizenfour if we are being honest.
And last, but not least...The Sacrament. I would've loved to sneak it into the Horror/Sci-fi category and Neighbors or Chef into the Best Comedy category. But that's all personal preference.
The nominations are really solid...and I can't wait to cast my final vote in a couple weeks...until then back to watching some of these that are close yet again! Happy watching!
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Jan. 15 on A&E LIVE at 9PM ET / 6PM PT.
