The Award Buzz Column #1

With this years Oscar just some days ahead of us, and what's looking to be an Argo lovefest, let look forward. During the two months that has past in the new year there's been little less than an handful of movies that has earned good or above average critical notice. Those are Mama, Warm Bodies and Side Effects, but their chances for Oscar glory are abysmal. Other notable movies that have been released are   the failed Schwarzenegger comeback The Last Stand, another installment of Die Hard A Good Day to Die Hard, the yearly Valentine's day-date movie Safe Haven, the Twilight wannabe Beautiful Creatures (what I've heard not in terms of story, but very much in terms of marketing) and last but not least last years Oscar Hopeful that got delayed Gangster Squad. Well I forgot about the Melissa McCarthy vehicle Identity Thief. But as you all can see, there's nothing that could gain Oscar traction.

I didn't follow the reports from Sundance Film Festival that much, but from what I noticed we could find serious Oscar contenders in Fruitvale and The Spectacular Now. Other films that could be Oscar contenders are Lovelace, Kill Your Darlings, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Before Midnight, Don Jon's Addiction, The Look of Love and The Way, Way Back, but all depends on whether or not their studios wants to push them for your consideration. On paper the Steve Jobs biopicture jOBS starring Ashton Kutcher as the iconic Apple founder looks like Oscar-bait, but the reviews were middling and looks more to become this years Factory Girl.

                                     One of the most hyped films coming from Sundance, The Spectacular Now
On other news, there has been test screenings for two of my most anticipated movies this year Malavita and Twelve Years a Slave. The buzz on both seems to be great so far as the former was called "the funniest black comedy in 7 years" and the latter was said to be great, but would not be for everyone, singling out Fassbenders performance as best in show. Of course we can not completely rely on overall reaction to the movies based on one or two tweets/forum posts.

During the weekend my predictions who will win the Oscars will come, and then in March my Year-end award will arrive, must just catch up on some more films.

During the time go ahead and make your list out of the Best Picture winners.