2014: A Year of Unique Movies

Plus: My Favorite Film and Other Random Musings

By Chris Sabga

Let's face it: so many movies look the same, sound the same, are the same. It's very rare to watch something that truly feels new and fresh. Of course, there is a certain comfort that comes from those familiar storylines and well-worn formulas. Sometimes it's easier to just kick back and relax, to be spoon-fed exactly what you expect. I'm as "guilty" as anyone else of scanning Netflix and picking a TV movie starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Amy Smart ("12 Dates of Christmas") or a silly Christmas special with The Miz in it ("Christmas Bounty") instead of something a little more, ahem, substantial. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that. It's safe and easy – and sometimes that's what we need in life.

Even genuinely good movies – such as St. Vincent, for example – tend to cover similar ground, but they do it in a way that elevates the material. My favorite film of the year – see below – isn't particularly unique, but it's the best example of "comfort food" that I can imagine.

With that said, it's exhilarating to watch movies that push the boundaries, try new things, and deliver original experiences. 2014 was a great year for that.

Boyhood: Filmed over a period of twelve years with the same actors, Richard Linklater's ambitious experiment of a film follows its young protagonist, Mason (played by Ellar Coltrane), from kindergarten to college. "Boyhood" has its critics, but there's nothing else like it. (Michael Apted's "Up" series of documentaries comes close, and possibly inspired this, but even that only chronicles its subjects once every seven years.) Any list of unique films in 2014 has to begin with "Boyhood." A full review is forthcoming.

Cheap Thrills: The premise is simple: What would you do for $200? What would you do for much more than that? "Cheap Thrills" is a violent, shocking film with no redeeming morals or values – I wish Roger Ebert had lived long enough to pen one of his scathing zero-star reviews – but I have to give it credit for being original and entertaining. Don't say I didn't warn you though.

The Grand Budapest Hotel: All of Wes Anderson's films are unique. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is about the madcap misadventures of a hotel owner and his lobby boy. In many ways, it's a throwback to older movies – but Wes Anderson gives it its own distinct look and feel. His movies can only be considered normal if they're being compared to each other.

Ida: A Jewish nun. Need I say more? Okay, I will. If I didn't know any better, I'd think "Ida" was actually made in the 1960s. This black and white foreign film feels like one of those rare cinematic treasures you're exposed to in a dusty film class.

Her: A lonely man dates his computer's operating system (think a near-future version of Windows or iOS with Siri on steroids). The movie, I'll admit, did not entirely work for me – but I can't help but admire its attempt to do something different.

Locke: Films that take place primarily in one small area have been done before – "Twelve Angry Men," "My Dinner With Andre," "Death and the Maiden," and the more recent "Buried" are among them – but it remains a brave and risky cinematic choice. "Locke" takes place entirely behind the wheel of a car. We only see the driver, Ivan Locke. He interacts with several other people throughout the course of the drive, but we only ever hear them – through his cell phone. In order for that to work, a strong cast is essential. Tom Hardy owns the screen with an intense, incredible performance, but the other actors deserve equal credit for breathing life and humanity into a series of otherwise faceless voices.

This is, I'm sure, by no means a comprehensive list of 2014's most unique films – just a few that stood out to me. But none of them were my favorite. That honor belongs to a more traditional slice of movie heaven.

My Favorite Film of 2014 – Chef: There were more innovative movies released this year – see above – and probably more "important" ones too. But what can I say? The heart responds to what the heart responds to. "Chef" made my heart sing and my tastebuds salivate. It's the kind of movie that just plain makes you feel good after you see it. I walked out of the theater floating with joy. That's an all-too-rare experience. I cherish "Chef" for having that effect on me.

Other random musings

My favorite television show of 2014 was "Gracepoint." The American remake of "Broadchurch" was billed as a ten-episode mystery event. Was "Broadchurch" better? Probably (I still haven't seen it), but there's something to be said about seeing famous American actors like Nick Nolte in a high-class miniseries. That's also why I gravitated toward the U.S. remake of "Life on Mars." Its 1970s American cop show setting and Harvey Keitel tickled my nostalgia bone in a way the original and apparently superior British version would never be able to. "Gracepoint" had its flaws, to be sure, but for ten glorious weeks, it created a fevered conversation among those unspoiled by "Broadchurch" as we traded theories about who killed Danny Solano. Honorable mention – "Forever": It's a unique blend of genres that combines a cop procedural with mystery, history, and a dash of supernatural fantasy. I hope more TV viewers give it a chance.

My favorite performance of the year came from Tyler Perry in "Gone Girl." Were there better actors and roles this year? Probably. Some of them might have even been in "Gone Girl" with Perry! But none of them made me smile the way Perry's slick lawyer did. He was, to put it in scientific terms, the man. There was no performance I enjoyed more. Will Oscar agree with me?

Of course, I saw several older movies too. Among them, perhaps because of of the shocking death of Robin Williams, "Bicentennial Man" stands out for me this year. Watching "What Dreams May Come" would have been too much to bear, but "Bicentennial Man's" futuristic setting provided an oddly comforting odyssey about life, death, and the value of both.

My biggest disappointment of the year – sorry "Gojira" fans – was "Godzilla." Too long, too slow, people I couldn't bring myself to care about even after an excess of character and plot development, and action scenes that bored me more than thrilled me. In one "titanic battle," the two beasts looked like they were having sex. No, I'm not kidding. I couldn't even bring myself to write a review afterward – that's how little I cared about what I'd just seen. 2013's "Pacific Rim" was much better in every way. Watch that instead.

On a brighter note, today marks the second anniversary of Silver Screen Surprises. Thank you so much for reading, following, and commenting over the past two years.

The 86th Annual Academy Awards: Results and Reactions

Oscar Winners and Surprises

By Chris Sabga

The 86th Annual Academy Awards have now come and gone!

My thoughts throughout the evening:

Before the Show

I thought Seth MacFarlane – the previous Oscar host – was the best in years, but he received a controversial mixed reaction for his bawdy jokes and inappropriate skits during the 2013 ceremony. Personally, I much prefer someone who will take chances and get people talking. Even though we all love the Oscars, let's face it, the whole thing can often be dull and overlong. A wild card like MacFarlane made the never-ending evening much more memorable. But the Academy apparently disagrees. This year, they're playing it safe with Ellen DeGeneres. Then again, the fact that an openly gay entertainer like Ellen is now considered "playing it safe" shows how far we've come. That's a good thing. Besides, who doesn't love Ellen? I am happily hoping she will exceed my expectations and surprise me.

Red Carpet

I don't care who wore what. Find a fashion blog – they'll have you covered. I'm all about the movies.

But in case you care: Silver Screen Sister said Cate Blanchett was the best-dressed because she had on a beautiful diamond outfit. Cate: a winner on the red carpet and – maybe – at the Oscars!

The Oscars are about to begin… I have my bag of popcorn ready.

The Academy Awards are Here!

Full results are listed at the end.

Ellen is off to a good start with several great one-liners and zingers. I laughed constantly at the beginning.

Very touching speech by Jared Leto.

Funny forced smile by the Somali actor from "Captain Phillips," Barkhad Abdi. But I can't blame him for being disappointed. Who wouldn't be?

I hate the filler on these Oscar shows, particularly the various highlight reels and live songs. Aren't the Academy Awards already long enough as it is? But this is hardly a new objection – it's the same ol' same ol' every year.

So glad "Dallas Buyers Club" won for makeup. It was an incredible what they did with a $250 budget. Yes, you read that right!

Poor Bradley Cooper. The joke with Ellen giving him a scratch lotto ticket so he'd win something tonight seemed to hit him a little too close to home.

It was very cool to see Kim Novak of "Vertigo" fame up on stage.

Kudos to the "Frozen" team for letting everyone who won for Best Animated Feature actually speak. I hated the recent trend of only one person in a group of winners speaking for all. I don't know if the rule changed or if the "Frozen" crew emboldened others to follow their lead. Either way, I'm glad.

Classy speech by Lupita Nyong'o from "12 Years a Slave."

Ellen's gags – such as the pizza delivery bit – were all incredibly hokey, yet also quite endearing.

Nice shout-out to the late Harold Ramis by Bill Murray during the Cinematography Award.

With "Gravity" winning so many awards, Silver Screen Sister feels like she can go to sleep and not miss anything. We'll see.

I love Whoopi. That's all.

Despite my feeling that there are too many filler segments during the Oscars, a tribute to the incredible "Wizard of Oz" is something I can get behind – and I like Pink too. (She performed a song celebrating the all-time classic film.) 

Did Bette Midler get cut off at the end by a commercial? If so, that's a shame. The "In Memorium" video tribute was once again very classy, and Midler's beautiful rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings" was the perfect way to honor them.

Jamie Foxx was awkwardly hilarious in a seemingly unplanned moment, pausing inconveniently at the word "blow" before concluding with "your mind."

"12 Years a Slave" writer John Ridley delivered what might be my favorite Oscar speech this year – and Robert De Niro's introduction about the craft and pain of writing was pitch perfect.

I couldn't quite bring myself to love "Her" but I'm glad to see originality get rewarded. Awarding Spike Jonze the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay was the right move.

Silver Screen Sister about Cate Blanchett's acceptance speech: "Sandra was crying, either because she lost or because that speech bored her to tears." Ouch! But, hey, at least Cate looks great in a dress (according to Silver Screen Sis) and commands the screen no matter what she's wearing.

Matthew McConaughey's speech was certainly a bit strange, but it was also very memorable and heartfelt. His win was a given but completely well-deserved. I was rooting for him.

There were really no huge surprises at tonight's ceremony, but that's okay.

Overall, Ellen was a fun, lively, and entertaining host – but the ceremony itself felt too long, too dull, and too self-congratulatory. It seemed that every other speech was dedicated to the victims of AIDS/slavery/fill in a cause here. I'm sure everyone was very sincere in their sentiments, but it became too much after a while.

Full Results

Best Motion Picture of the Year: 12 Years a Slave 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave

Best Achievement in Directing: Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: Her: Spike Jonze

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published: 12 Years a Slave: John Ridley

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year: Frozen

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year: The Great Beauty: Paolo Sorrentino (Italy)

Best Achievement in Cinematography: Gravity: Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Achievement in Editing: Gravity: Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger

Best Achievement in Production Design: The Great Gatsby: Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn

Best Achievement in Costume Design: The Great Gatsby: Catherine Martin

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling: Dallas Buyers Club: Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score: Gravity: Steven Price

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song: Frozen: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez ("Let It Go")

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing: Gravity: Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead, Chris Munro

Best Achievement in Sound Editing: Gravity: Glenn Freemantle

Best Achievement in Visual Effects: Gravity: Timothy Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, Neil Corbould

Best Documentary, Feature: 20 Feet from Stardom: Morgan Neville

Best Documentary, Short Subject: The Lady In Number 6: Malcolm Clarke, Carl Freed

Best Short Film, Animated: Mr Hublot: Laurent Witz, Alexandre Espigares

Best Short Film, Live Action: Helium: Anders Walter, Kim Magnusson

Review: Her

Man Meets Machine. Man Loves Machine. Any Questions?

By Chris Sabga

Release Date: January 10, 2014 – U.S.

Rating: R

Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Running Time: 126 minutes

Director: Spike Jonze

Writer: Spike Jonze

Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, 

Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Matt Letscher, 

Olivia Wilde

What do you picture when you hear a name like Theodore Twombly? Probably a lonely, socially awkward man with round glasses, just a mustache, and pants pulled up too high. Then again, in the near future, it appears that mustaches are fashionable again and so are trousers that go up to one's nipples.

Such a brave new world demands brave new technology. Windows and other operating systems have apparently fallen by the wayside – replaced by the elegantly-titled OS1. "It’s not just an OS. It’s a consciousness." Indeed, this operating system can name itself, form independent thoughts, develop feelings, and tailor itself intimately to each individual user. This version of the program sounds like a female and introduces itself as Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) is instantly smitten.

Things are a bit more complicated with the real women in his life. Flashbacks are shown of his wife, Catherine (Rooney Mara), who he constantly thinks about. And while he's very comfortable conversing with his friend and neighbor, Amy (Amy Adams), she's already married. He also attempts to go on a blind date (with a woman played by Olivia Wilde), but no one can understand him the way his computer companion can – the way Samantha does.

Joaquin Phoenix is tremendous as Theodore. It's a transcendental performance. He was unfairly overlooked for an Oscar nomination. The futuristic world of "Her" really comes alive, thanks to the film's spectacular visual style. Great care has obviously gone into every aesthetic aspect of the production – from the sets to the costumes to the gadgets – right down to the little details.

It's a shame, then, that I found myself unable to truly believe the movie's central premise. I wanted to. I tried to. But I couldn't.

"I'm dating my OS!"

When Theodore gleefully shares that information with others, they barely react (with one exception).

Come on!

Case-in-point: If I declared that I was in love with Siri, the iPhone's voice feature, I'd be locked up for life! Even if my family and friends were as "understanding" as Theodore's, I suppose I'd get strange reactions anyway because I've set mine to sound like an Englishman. Don't judge! "He" has a pleasing lilt – very refined. Unfortunately, I have to speak like a Brit myself to get "him" to understand me.

The limits of technology!

Theodore and Samantha, however, have no such issues. The movie, on the other hand, has quite a few.

For one thing, it drags on and on. I felt every single second of "Her's" 126-minute running time. Then again, I'm not sure what could have possibly been cut out to tighten the flow – everything that was included seemed important to the story in some way.

Also, as good as Phoenix is here, his character can come across as a bit creepy at times. I suspect that's partly by design, though. After all, normal, well-adjusted people don't date their computers.

Regardless, that "relationship" is one of the major problems I have with the movie. It's not realistic. It rings false.

Yes, I realize "Her" is likely meant to be an allegory about our current over-reliance on technology. Parallels can certainly be made between events of this film and the way we interact with websites, virtual pen pals, and everything else the world wide web has to offer. Still, even the most outlandish fantasy has to work at least somewhat on a credible, real-world, literal level; the core "romance" between man and machine in this movie never quite does. I was unable to completely suspend my disbelief.

Even though the film didn't entirely work for me, I can still see myself revisiting it in the future. Writer and director Spike Jonze deserves credit for crafting a grand, bold vision. Instead of playing it safe, he took big chances and dared to be original and artistic.

I didn't love "Her," but I do admire it.  

The 86th Annual Academy Awards: Nominations and Analysis

Thoughts, Snubs, and Early Predictions

By Chris Sabga

The nominations for the 86th Annual Academy Awards have finally been revealed. As usual, I'm happy, excited, and completely agitated – all in the same breath.

I've broken down the major categories into three sections:

Thoughts: Just my general take on the various nominations.

Snubs: What I feel got left out. I knew certain movies wouldn't make it to the Oscars, but that doesn't mean I can't personally champion them myself.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: Don't make your Oscar pool picks based on my thoughts.

And the Oscar goes to...

Best Motion Picture of the Year

American Hustle (2013)

Captain Phillips (2013)

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Gravity (2013)

Her (2013)

Nebraska (2013)

Philomena (2013)

12 Years a Slave (2013)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Thoughts: An interesting, if slightly predictable, list. I have never been a fan of expanding this category to up to ten nominations. We get nine this year, and good movies are still left out. I miss the days when the list was nice and trim with only five films.

Snubs: "Mud" and "Fruitvale Station" stand out in my mind. "Saving Mr. Banks" is another I expected to see here. I had no illusions of "The Book Thief" making the cut though, as 1. I think I'm the only one who liked it, and 2. I think I'm the only one who saw it. I also think "Disconnect" was one of the most important films released in 2013, but I knew it wasn't going to end up being recognized. Ditto for Joss Whedon's inventive take on William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" and the lovely coming-of-age film, "The Way Way Back."

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: My friend Martha runs an Oscar pool every year. The prize is...well, I actually have no idea what it is, because I never even come close to sniffing it. I am not good at playing these sorts of lottery guessing games, as fun as it is. This early in the race, it's almost impossible to accurately guess. For now, I'll say "Gravity" because it really felt like an experience you could get nowhere else, and isn't that what makes the movies so magical? But I am hardly confident in that prediction.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Christian Bale for American Hustle (2013)

Bruce Dern for Nebraska (2013)

Leonardo DiCaprio for The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Chiwetel Ejiofor for 12 Years a Slave (2013)

Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Thoughts: Most people probably expected Tom Hanks to get nominated for "Captain Phillips," but I'm not too broken up about it that he didn't. Whether Chiwetel Ejiofor wins or not (and I don't see it happening), I'm glad he's finally getting recognized on the Oscar stage. He has been one of my favorites for years, and this acclaim will likely open him up to more prestigious leading roles in major films. That's a win-win for serious movie buffs.

Snubs: Matthew McConaughey got a deserved nomination for his superb performance in "Dallas Buyers Club," but I slightly preferred his incredible role in "Mud." Then again, maybe I'm biased. Of course, the reality is, he's getting nominated for his amazing body of work over the past year or so. Michael B. Jordan is nowhere to be found for "Fruitvale Station," which is a mild surprise considering Oscar buzz he had when the film first came out. Joaquin Phoenix's role in "Her" was also expected to be recognized, but I can't personally comment on that yet – the movie was just released here, finally.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: Matthew McConaughey, but I don't think I'm wrong.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Amy Adams for American Hustle (2013)

Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine (2013)

Sandra Bullock for Gravity (2013)

Judi Dench for Philomena (2013)

Meryl Streep for August: Osage County (2013)

Thoughts: Can Sandra Bullock trade her Oscar for "The Blind Side" and get it for "Gravity" instead? As good as she was in "Blind Side," her soulful work in "Gravity" is by far the best of her career. Meryl Streep irritated the entire world by winning for 2011's "The Iron Lady." Her performance was amazing; the movie was not. I really think the quality of a film should be taken into account when handing out statuettes. What does that have to do with "August: Osage County"? Not a damn thing, but this site didn't exist when Meryl won her last Oscar, so I'm getting on my soapbox now. Better late than never!

Snubs: I expected Emma Thompson to land here for "Saving Mr. Banks." It was a truly marvelous, multi-layered performance – funny, touching, and at times heartbreaking.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: Cate Blanchett

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Barkhad Abdi for Captain Phillips (2013)

Bradley Cooper for American Hustle (2013)

Jonah Hill for The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Michael Fassbender for 12 Years a Slave (2013)

Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Thoughts: Despite my strong feelings about "Captain Phillips," I am pleased as punch to see the Somali actor Barkhad Abdi get nominated; it's even more surprising because "Captain Phillips" himself – Tom Hanks – was omitted.

Snubs: I wouldn't have minded seeing the fantastic Sam Rockwell recognized for "The Way Way Back," but I'd be lying if I said I expected it. Geoffrey Rush's work in "The Book Thief" was also stellar, but like Rockwell, I knew his name wouldn't be appearing on this list. Paul Giamatti's powerful performances in both "Mr. Banks" and "Parkland" were unfairly overlooked too. Hollywood tends to take him for granted at times because he makes it look so easy.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: Jared Leto, but I could see the Academy throwing us a curveball. I hope not though.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Sally Hawkins for Blue Jasmine (2013)

Julia Roberts for August: Osage County (2013)

Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave (2013)

Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle (2013)

June Squibb for Nebraska (2013)

Thoughts: A fascinating mixture of major Hollywood stars, respected character actors, and fresh faces. Not bad for a small list of five.

Snubs: When "Fruitvale Station" first came out, I fully expected Octavia Spencer to receive a second Oscar nomination. I am less surprised now that she didn't, but she should have. I was hoping for – but not at all expecting – Sophie Nélisse or Emily Watson to get nominated for their roles in "The Book Thief." I realize Nélisse is actually the lead, but she's a child actor, and those sometimes get dumped down to the "Supporting" category to give them a better chance (for example, Haley Joel Osment in "The Sixth Sense." But since I'm the only one buzzing about that movie, I knew it had no chance.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: This one seems wide open to me. I'll take a wild guess and go with June Squibb.

Best Achievement in Directing

Alfonso Cuarón for Gravity (2013)

Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave (2013)

David O. Russell for American Hustle (2013)

Martin Scorsese for The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Alexander Payne for Nebraska (2013)

Thoughts: Some feel the movies recognized in this category are the "true" Best Picture nominees, before that category expanded to ten. I don't know if the conventional thinking still applies. If so, "Nebraska's" inclusion has to be considered a slight surprise, but Alexander Payne is more than worthy of being listed alongside Scorcese and the others.

Snubs: Jeff Nichols for "Mud" and Paul Greengrass for "Captain Phillips" leap out in my mind. Even though I didn't love "Phillips," Greengrass's exciting direction was not among my issues with that film. I also think Joss Whedon should have been recognized for filming such a bold, original telling of "Much About Nothing," but expecting that would have been like hoping to lose weight after eating a Big Mac value meal.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: Alfonso Cuarón

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

American Hustle (2013): Eric Singer, David O. Russell

Blue Jasmine (2013): Woody Allen

Her (2013): Spike Jonze

Nebraska (2013): Bob Nelson

Dallas Buyers Club (2013): Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack

Thoughts: I haven't seen "Her" yet, but it sounds like the type of thing that would be tough to write – and tougher yet for other people to recognize as a good piece of writing (assuming it is). I'm honestly surprised to see the Academy include it.

Snubs: The dialogue in "Thanks for Sharing" was among the best I've had the pleasure of listening to in a film all year. I was hoping against hope that Stuart Blumberg and Matt Winston would get recognized for it.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: Spike Jonze

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

Before Midnight (2013): Richard Linklater

Captain Phillips (2013): Billy Ray

12 Years a Slave (2013): John Ridley

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013): Terence Winter

Philomena (2013): Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope

Thoughts: Even though I had an angry reaction to "Before Midnight," I'm glad it's here – because the writing in the "Before" films has always been superb.

Snubs: I'm tempted to say Joss Whedon should also be here for "Much Ado About Nothing," but maybe Shakespeare should be granted an honorary Oscar instead. Yes, I'm joking – maybe.

Early (and Probably Wrong) Prediction: Philomena, just because I want to hear Steve Coogan's speech. Yeah, I won't be winning Martha's pool this year – or any other year.

_________

Other Thoughts: "Mud" was shut out entirely. No nominations at all. Why? Nothing for "Fruitvale" either. At least "Book Thief" got some sort of musical nomination – whoopee!

_________

Here are the rest of the categories and nominees:

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

The Croods (2013)

Despicable Me 2 (2013)

Ernest & Celestine (2012)

Frozen (2013)

The Wind Rises (2013)

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year

The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012): Felix Van Groeningen (Belgium)

The Missing Picture (2013): Rithy Panh (Cambodia)

The Hunt (2012): Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark)

The Great Beauty (2013): Paolo Sorrentino (Italy)

Omar (2013): Hany Abu-Assad (Palestine)

Best Achievement in Cinematography

Gravity (2013): Emmanuel Lubezki

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013): Bruno Delbonnel

Nebraska (2013): Phedon Papamichael

Prisoners (2013): Roger Deakins

The Grandmaster (2013): Philippe Le Sourd

Best Achievement in Editing

12 Years a Slave (2013): Joe Walker

American Hustle (2013): Alan Baumgarten, Jay Cassidy, Crispin Struthers

Gravity (2013): Alfonso Cuarón, Mark Sanger

Captain Phillips (2013): Christopher Rouse

Dallas Buyers Club (2013): Martin Pensa, John Mac McMurphy

Best Achievement in Production Design

12 Years a Slave (2013): Adam Stockhausen, Alice Baker

American Hustle (2013): Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler

Gravity (2013)

The Great Gatsby (2013): Catherine Martin, Beverley Dunn

Her (2013): K.K. Barrett, Gene Serdena

Best Achievement in Costume Design

American Hustle (2013): Michael Wilkinson

The Great Gatsby (2013): Catherine Martin

12 Years a Slave (2013): Patricia Norris

The Grandmaster (2013): William Chang

The Invisible Woman (2013): Michael O'Connor

Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling

Dallas Buyers Club (2013): Adruitha Lee, Robin Mathews

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013): Steve Prouty

The Lone Ranger (2013): Joel Harlow, Gloria Pasqua Casny

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score

The Book Thief (2013): John Williams

Gravity (2013): Steven Price

Her (2013): William Butler, Andy Koyama

Saving Mr. Banks (2013): Thomas Newman

Philomena (2013): Alexandre Desplat

Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

Despicable Me 2 (2013): Pharrell Williams ( "Happy")

Frozen (2013): Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez ("Let It Go")

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013): Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., Brian Burton ("Ordinary Love")

Alone Yet Not Alone (2013): Bruce Broughton ("Alone Yet Not Alone")

Her (2013): Karen O ("The Moon Song")

Best Achievement in Sound Mixing

Gravity (2013): Skip Lievsay, Niv Adiri, Christopher Benstead, Chris Munro

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013): Christopher Boyes, Michael Hedges, Michael Semanick, Tony Johnson

Captain Phillips (2013): Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, Mike Prestwood Smith, Chris Munro

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013): Skip Lievsay, Greg Orloff, Peter F. Kurland

Lone Survivor (2013): Andy Koyama, Beau Borders, David Brownlow

Best Achievement in Sound Editing

All Is Lost (2013): Steve Boeddeker, Richard Hymns

Captain Phillips (2013): Oliver Tarney

Gravity (2013): Glenn Freemantle

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013): Brent Burge

Lone Survivor (2013): Wylie Stateman

Best Achievement in Visual Effects

Gravity (2013): Timothy Webber, Chris Lawrence, David Shirk, Neil Corbould

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013): Joe Letteri, Eric Saindon, David Clayton, Eric Reynolds

Iron Man 3 (2013): Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Erik Nash, Daniel Sudick

The Lone Ranger (2013): Tim Alexander, Gary Brozenich, Edson Williams, John Frazier

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013): Roger Guyett, Pat Tubach, Ben Grossmann, Burt Dalton

Best Documentary, Feature

The Act of Killing (2012): Joshua Oppenheimer, Signe Byrge Sørensen

Cutie and the Boxer (2013): Zachary Heinzerling, Lydia Dean Pilcher

Dirty Wars (2013): Rick Rowley, Jeremy Scahill

The Square (2013): Jehane Noujaim, Karim Amer

20 Feet from Stardom (2013): Morgan Neville

Best Documentary, Short Subject

Cavedigger (2013): Jeffrey Karoff

Facing Fear (2013): Jason Cohen

Karama Has No Walls (2012): Sara Ishaq

The Lady In Number 6 (2013): Malcolm Clarke, Carl Freed

Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall (2013): Edgar Barens

Best Short Film, Animated

Feral (2012): Daniel Sousa, Dan Golden

Get a Horse! (2013): Lauren MacMullan, Dorothy McKim

Mr Hublot (2013): Laurent Witz, Alexandre Espigares

Possessions (2012): Shuhei Morita

Room on the Broom (2012) (TV): Max Lang, Jan Lachauer

Best Short Film, Live Action

Aquel no era yo (2012): Esteban Crespo

Just Before Losing Everything (2013): Xavier Legrand

Helium (2013): Anders Walter

Do I Have to Take Care of Everything? (2012): Selma Vilhunen

The Voorman Problem (2013): Mark Gill