Curiata.com chooses Best Picture winner

The 86th Academy Awards will be presented Sunday, March 2, 2014. We here at Curiata.com have assembled a panel of five “experts” who have watched the Best Picture nominees, found their personal favorites, and considered which is likely to be awarded the final prize of the night. Read through their thoughts, weigh in with your own view, and tune in Sunday night to see who knows the Academy best.

Carrie Hillman
(Reviews: Philomena)

Favorite nominee: Two movies from among the nine Best Picture nominees really appealed to me. I was surprised to find how much I enjoyed Her, given the oversimplified description of “guy falls in love with his cell phone” that became ingrained in our cultural consciousness. What I found instead was a nuanced outlook on the nature of love that gave insight into the hopes, happiness, and disappointments of both parties in a relationship, even when one is the artificial manifestation of our collective human experience. But my favorite film of the bunch, the one that delighted me the most while challenging my gut reactions, was Philomena. My review of the film gives a more thorough examination of my reactions to the movie, but the takeaway for me was that I had a good time watching a good movie.

Likely winner: On the flip side of that coin, the best movie of the year was not particularly fun to watch. That’s not to say I wasn’t immersed in the movie and captivated by the performances, but what I gained from watching the film was something deeper, something more lasting than enjoyment. 12 Years a Slave is a masterful, important work of art that illustrates a chapter of American history that must be told and retold to each new generation. The work of Ejiofor, Nyong’o, Fassbender, McQueen, and the rest of the team deserves the honor it will receive from the Academy.

Charissa Jelliff
(Reviews: Dallas Buyers Club, Her)

Favorite nominee: I tend to be drawn to films that are heavily character-driven; if I can’t identify with or feel sympathy for the main characters, I sometimes can’t enjoy the film quite as much. This year’s Best Picture nominees created a lot of great characters, but I think if I had to choose a favorite it would be Philomena. I loved the contrast between the protagonists, Philomena and Martin; I loved the little moments such as Philomena discovering Big Momma’s House, or the breakfast buffet, or Philomena knocking on Martin’s hotel room door late at night to thank him. I also loved the theme of forgiveness in this story. I’m not sure I could have forgiven those nuns had I been in Philomena’s shoes, but even after all they had done to her, that fact that she held onto her faith made a powerful statement. Plus, Judi Dench was absolutely fantastic as Philomena. I’ve become accustomed to seeing Dench play strong, confident women, and it was a change of pace to see her as Philomena, but she brought the character to life beautifully. Of all the Best Picture nominees, I think this is one that everyone should see and from which everyone could learn an important lesson.

Likely winner: Each of the nine nominees has its strengths, but I feel only 12 Years a Slave was able to fully integrate some brilliant uses of cinematography with an entire cast whose performances were all top-notch. I was really impressed with the direction of the film: each shot was composed so carefully and nothing was wasted; the filmmakers really used everything at their disposal to great effect. The one shot that stands out in my mind is when Northup is left hanging for what seems like hours, struggling to keep his footing in the mud. Using a long shot and holding it for such an extended, uncomfortable period of time really emphasized and evoked Northup’s struggle-not just in that moment, but throughout the entire time he spent as a slave. Chiwetal Eijofor’s performance in this film was raw and powerful. I would love to see him win Best Actor for this film; however, he’s going to have some stiff competition from Matthew McConaughey. While there were aspects of each of the nominees that I loved, 12 Years a Slave is the only one I feel has all the qualities that make it deserving of being the Best Picture.

Gabe Spece
(Reviews: American Hustle, Nebraska)

Favorite nominee: Can we be honest that this is a subpar year for Best Picture nominees? Sure, they’re all pretty good, but how many of them approach genuine greatness? Unfortunately, not many. But the one that gets the closest is Alexander Payne’s haunting Nebraska, and for that reason, it deserves the golden statue. As I said in my review last week, this film is about longing and times forgotten (both figuratively and, unfortunately, literally), built around a superb, authentic screenplay by Bob Nelson and a career-capping performance from Bruce Dern. For some, the film is too slow and too melancholy, but for me, it struck all the right chords. The chances of Nebraska winning Best Picture are long, but something tells me this movie is used to being the underdog.

Likely winner: I liked 12 Years a Slave quite a bit, and of course I should preface that with a note about how it’s impossible to ever really “like” a movie that so relentlessly, brutally, and honestly portrays the horrors of slavery. But as a film, 12 Years is a stunning achievement. Director Steve McQueen provides an unflinching look at the trials and tribulations of Solomon Northup, a free man from New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery for the aforementioned amount of time. Working in the film’s favor for a Best Picture win is the average-strength playing field of fellow nominees, and more importantly, a subject matter that is ripe for Oscar voters to cast their vote. Gravity is more impressive technically, and Dallas Buyers Club tugs at the heart strings just as hard. But come Sunday night, nothing will stand in the way of 12 Years a Slave claiming the top spot.

Kevin Hillman
(Reviews: Captain Phillips, 12 Years a Slave)

Favorite nominee: When it comes time to choose a Best Picture winner, I feel the honor should go to a movie that is going to endure for years. Last year, that movie was Lincoln, which of course lost to Hollywood’s vanity piece, Argo. A film about how Hollywood saved people? Give those guys every award we have. This year, I fear a similar outcome, though I am more hopeful. 12 Years a Slave was not only the best of the nominees, but is a movie which is sure to endure across the generations. It may not win for Best Director or the Best Actor awards, but in terms of the best all-around movie-one that makes you think, feel, and learn — 12 Years is the clear winner.

Likely winner: Knowing how Hollywood awards work, however, I don’t believe 12 Years will win. The likely winner, in my estimation, will be Dallas Buyers Club. Dallas isn’t a better movie, though it is definitely my choice for second-best. But it strokes the egos of Academy members to honor this story, one that the voters who inhabited the epicenters of the HIV/AIDS pandemic of the 1980s lived through. Will Dallas Buyers Club endure? Likely not on the level of 12 Years or American Hustle, but it is a really good movie that will deserve the recognition.

Mike Hillman
(Reviews: Gravity, The Wolf of Wall Street)

Favorite nominee: The Best Picture award should not be given to the most enjoyable movie of the year; it should be given to the best. Nonetheless, some nominees (recently for me: Black Swan, Midnight in Paris) cast a spell over audiences even if they aren’t the best of that particular year. Of this crop, though, no Best Picture nominee enchanted me and made me fall in love. Some came close, namely Nebraska and Her, but I don’t think I will ever watch any of these nine films again. In the absence of having a sentimental attachment, I am compelled to root for the movie I think was the all-around best, and one stood head-and-shoulders above the crowd: 12 Years a Slave.

Likely winner: As I expressed in my review of Gravity, most films that receive a Best Picture nomination only excel in one particular area. I appreciated the technical accomplishments of Gravity and the acting of Dallas Buyers Club. Philomena succeeded without excelling in several areas, including great acting and a challenging story. But only one film brought all the elements together nearly flawlessly. The Academy and I don’t always see things the same way, but my sense is that we will agree this year. 12 Years a Slave is the unquestionable Best Picture of the year.

Curiata.com