The Oscar Narrative: First Nomination Predictions - Best Picture

First Nomination Predictions
Big Eyes
Foxcatcher
Get on Up
Gone Girl
Interstellar
Into the Woods
A Most Violent Year
The Search
Trash
Unbroken

Other Contenders - Birdman, Inherent Vice, Carol, Wild, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Mr. Turner, Suffragette, Boyhood, Whiplash, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, Love is Strange, Cavalry, Suite Francaise, Theory of Everything, Fury, Serena, Ride, Map to the Stars, Dark Place, Miss Julie, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, Child 44, Jersey Boys, A Most Wanted Man, Exodus, Noah, The Judge, The Homesman, Grace of Monaco, Queen of the Desert, Untitled Cameron Crowe Project, Magic in the Moonlight, Macbeth, This is Where I Leave You, True Story, Beasts of No Nation, Pawn Sacrifice, The Drop, Jane Got a Gun, Life, A Little Chaos, Far From the Maddening Crowd, Nymphomaniac, The Gambler, The Hundred Foot Journey, Kill the Messenger, Men, Women, and Children, Elsa & Fred, Mojave, How to Catch a Monster, The Good Lie, The Giver, The Railway Man, The Immigrant

Commentary - Of course with so many titles this early on, there are bound to be some solid predictions on the outside looking in including Paul Thomas Anderson's Inherent Vice, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's Birdman, Todd Haynes' Carol, Jean-Marc Vallee's Wild, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Boyhood, Suffragette, Mr. Turner, Boyhood, Map to the Stars, Magic in the Moonlight, and countless others. For now, let's stick to my personal top ten, just disclaimer note that it is not inclusive. Unbroken is already on the circuit drumming up support and buzz. Jolie is talented, the Coens are always great, and the story is phenomenal. David Fincher's last project The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was probably on the cusp of breaking into the Best Picture race, but its tough exterior and darkness probably kept it out. This time around, Fincher will balance a dark story, with a more encompassing appeal. It could be another Oscar nod. Bennett Miller's last two films got Best Picture nods, and Foxcatcher, which wisely moved out of the tough 2013 year could find a solid slot in 2014. Rob Marshall's latest musical effort could either be Nine or Chicago. Either way, it will definitely be a player throughout the season in a lot of major categories, with Best Picture in the hunt. Tim Burton's Big Eyes looks like it will be the film that finally restores his live-action credentials, and has Oscar favorites Christoph Waltz and Amy Adams in front of the camera. I except it to hit well. JC Chandor has been flirting with Oscar glory for a while, and the cast and buzz behind A Most Violent Year, makes it look like this might finally be the project that causes Chandor to breakthrough. Tate Taylor's last film The Help rode its feel-good vibes and incredible cast to a Best Picture nomination. Get on Up could easily do the same, and the first trailer promises that it will be a good time in the theater. It needs to hit its marks like The Help did though to keep it in the race up against tough competition. Stephen Daldry's film have made it into the Best Picture race the last three times, even the ones that sucked. If Trash is even half decent, expect it to garner a surprisingly large amount of votes within the Academy. Michel Hazanavicius hopes to repeat his Artist success with The Past which has a politically-themed plot and a winning cast. Finally, the last couple of years a ground-breaking science fiction film has done extremely well at the Oscars. Last year, Gravity got close to taking home the Best Picture prize. I'm not sure what Christopher Nolan has in store for us with Interstellar, but the cast and teaser trailer only excite me, and I think it could end up being one of the best of the year.