We Are Movie Geeks

Animated Features Films Bring The Magic As Academy Celebrates The Nominees

By Michelle McCue and Melissa Thompson

This year there are 30 nominees in the animated category, between the Short and Features. “Don’t we love these people who bring us the magic?,” said Academy Governor Bill Kroyer as The Academy celebrated the Feature Animated films on Thursday.

The Academy presented their seventh annual event celebrating the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film.

Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, who won last year’s Animated Feature Film Oscar for FROZEN, moderated the discussion with all the nominated filmmakers from BIG HERO 6, THE BOXTROLLS, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2, SONG OF THE SEA and THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA. This year’s nominated films come from around the world and encompass traditional animation, computer animation and stop-motion, and the evening also featured clips from each film.

Prior to the panel discussion, a few of the nominees spoke with WAMG.

Nominees Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

On her first nomination, Arnold said, “I feel like Cinderella at the ball. It’s so amazing because it’s a whirlwind of great activity and you get to meet so many people. So many great filmmakers. It’s fun and super special.”

On what’s in store for HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3, DeBlois gave us details on the third installment of the beloved series. “The story takes on a little more balance between Hiccup and Toothless because they are now chiefs of their respective tribes. It’s a story of carrying Hiccup through to the fulfillment of his character’s growth and arc, but also seeing where Toothless goes with all of this new responsibilities.”

In January, DreamWorks Animation appointed Bonnie Arnold & Mireille Soria as co-presidents of Feature Animation. When asked about her new position, Arnold told us, “there are so many great filmmakers at DreamWorks and a lot of projects, and I’m getting to spend time with the other filmmakers. There’s not a house style, so each of them are very unique and I’m having a lot of fun getting to know more about them and what they’re doing and helping them get the best version of their movies on the screen. It’s very exciting, until I start having to focus back on DRAGON 3.”

Nominees Roy Conli, Don Hall and Chris Williams, BIG HERO 6

The film is filled with a rousing score by composer Henry Jackman. On the choice to go with Jackman, Don Hall said, “He’s awesome. I worked with him on WINNIE THE POOH. I think he’s the best. I love working with Henry. He’s so collaborative. For those who don’t know music, he’s really good at breaking down what he’s thinking and very clear with his thoughts. He’s also a very fun, entertaining person who knows story. There was never any doubt that he was the guy.”

Chris Williams added, “the music covers a lot of ground tonally. He was able to hit all of those tones and bring a cohesion to the film, so he was fantastic.”

Roy Conli said Jackman, “saw early clips and had an idea where we going thematically. From those early themes, he was crafting ideas and as the film kept evolving, he would bring more. During our weekly meetings, for over a three month period, we would talk about the film, listen to music and he’s the most collaborative composer I’ve ever worked with.”

On how they put together the look and dialogue for Baymax. “It’s based on a real concept called soft robotics and I discovered it at Carnegie-Mellon University,” said Chris Williams. “I did a real trip and this is real stuff – vinyl robots that are inflatable for use in the health care industry. The entire personality of Baymax and his character design came from that research trip. We can’t say enough about the voice of Baymax, Scott Adsit.”

Adsit looked at many drawings of Baymax before deciding on the voice. “We wanted him to have a calm soothing voice and Scott himself came up with the idea of having the weird pauses between words. It was like the computer was trying to think of the things to say. It was great to have an amazing actor to work with,” said Roy Conli.

Between the filmmakers, the three mentioned their favorite animated films were PINOCCHIO and BAMBI.

Nominees Anthony Stacchi and Graham Annable, THE BOXTROLLS

The film’s charming score is from Dario Marianelli. “He’s a genius. We listed to a bunch of different composers and something unique as far as the instrumentation from Dario really stood out,” said Stacchi on their choice to go with the Oscar-winning composer (ANNA KARENINA).

Annable added, “He’s never done animation. I didn’t even know if he was going to be interested. We were nervous to meet him and it turned out he was just as nervous to meet us. He has his own children and he really wanted to do an animated feature.”

“Plus, a composer usually comes in at the end of the process, when the film is cut. Dario worked with us all the way through the process, so he did the music for our story reels. Sometimes we went to him for sequences where “Fish” and “Eggs” are playing with the music machine and he had to write the music before we would storyboard it. The dance sequence, he wrote that whole waltz while we were still storyboarding. It’s not only a waltz, it has to be a score, it has to be an emotional bed under the romantic moments. We worked with him for the entire 18 months of production,” concluded Stacchi.

Nominees Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura, THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA

Nominee Tomm Moore, SONG OF THE SEA

While waiting for the Q&A to begin, the song “Let It Go” was piped into the theater. We noticed co-hosts and Oscar-winners Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck sitting in the row ahead. Both turned and said, “not this song again.” With a sense of humor, Lee went onto say, “my new phrase is ‘it’s not my fault.’ ” Buck said he is a fan of the latest video to come online where one N.C. mom records her frustration with FROZEN on the third snow day as well as the Oscar nominated song.

The nominees discussed how their films were developed, their creative processes and presented clips illustrating their technique. The five nominated films all deal with young characters who had lost someone and invokes the conversation no matter the age of the viewer.

“Sometimes an animated movie is the first film a child will see,” said HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 producer Bonnie Arnold.

For all the filmmakers, the process is still very organic. SONG OF THE SEA director Tomm Moore said, “It’s a way to tell the story so we don’t lose the folklore.” (trailer)

From drawings to movies, the panel discussed what originally drew them all to animation. “Comics was a way into animation,” said BIG HERO 6 director Don Hall.

THE BOXTROLLS nominee Anthony Stacchi said, “I’d love to see the people who do the behind the scenes work acknowledged with nominations in the main categories like Best Costume and Best Visual Effects.”

Nominees Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura (THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA), via a translator, said they brought their film to life with a process of flat plane effects for animating. “It’s all about the simplicity of the line work.”

Watch the Oscars this Sunday, February 22nd on ABC.

Photos ©A.M.P.A.S.

Visit The Academy: www.oscars.org

THE DUFF – The Review

I’m at a demographic disadvantage regarding THE DUFF, being neither an adolescent girl nor someone who enjoys comedies that aren’t funny. Based on the ads, you might expect this new teen clique comedy to have some bite – a MEAN GIRLS for a new generation. DUFF is an acronym for ‘Designated Ugly Fat Friend’, someone that more attractive girls let hang around with them for contrast – a “gatekeeper to better-looking friends” – which gives it about the most mean-spirited movie title of late. The title role is played by Mae Whitman, who is short, has distracting eyebrows, and is too old for the role, but she’s neither fat nor ugly, not anymore so than Audrey Hepburn was street trash because her face was dirty in MY FAIR LADY or Rachel Leigh Cook couldn’t get noticed because she wore glasses in SHE’S ALL THAT. Just once I’d like to see the Pygmalion principle applied to a woman who was truly unattractive, but that’s unlikely since it’s a rigid rule of this formula that the ugly duckling turns out to be a swan in disguise.

In THE DUFF, Mae Whitman’s Bianca Piper is a cynical and snappy swan. One night while she’s at a party with her two gorgeous best friends Casey and Jess (Skyler Samuels & Bianca Santos), the school “man-whore” Wesley Rush (Robby Arnell ) informs Bianca that she’s a Duff and that every group has one to make themselves look better. Angry and hurt, Bianca reacts maturely by throwing her drink in his face, but the nickname haunts her and eats away at her self-esteem. Though Casey and Jess are actually far more genuine than the school’s queen bitch Madison (Bella Thorne), Bianca dumps them and turns to Wesley (they’re tight since he lives next door) to guide her through the physical and social makeover she thinks she needs to attract Toby (Nick Eversman), the sensitive long-hair guitar-boy she pines for. In return, Bianca will help Wesley pass science so he can play football, but complications ensue when both Madison and Toby play cruel tricks on her.

High school movies never seem that convincing to me, maybe because none of the students have zits, they speak too slick and knowing for teens, and they all seem to be in their 20s. THE DUFF is unexceptional. Star Mae Whitman is 26 (older than the author of the source novel – written six years ago!) and looks her age which is a big distraction. Were they really unable to find a teenage actress for this role? Speaking mostly in snark and sarcasm, Whitman has the right energy (and I liked that she name-checked cult horror movies to show how different she is) but she’s still miscast and the weak script doesn’t help. Opportunities to allow genuine growth are glossed over in favor of scenes like the ubiquitous mall dressing room montage, where our heroine tries on silly outfits for what seems like an eternity while bouncy pop songs blare on the soundtrack. That sequence leads to a cyberbullying subplot that’s played (unsuccessfully) for laughs, then quickly abandoned. Robby Arnell (also 26) is likeable as a surprisingly shaded Wesley, and Allison Janney steals a couple of scenes as Bianca’s self-obsessed mom. But the shrill, television-trained cast of teen supporting actors and actresses eager to make a big impression can’t liven up the proceedings and the usually-reliable Ken Jeong is given little to do as a flaky journalism teacher. Aside from an absence of laughs, THE DUFF is poorly shot, flatly lit, and the music is mixed too loudly over some of the dialog. The filmmakers get cutesy by literally labeling the characters with animated hashtags and providing nonstop references to social media, but that’s a poor substitute for insight and good writing. Director Ari Sandell, making his feature debut after some TV credits, fails to provide life to the proceedings, merely serving up the catty behavior in TV style. The younger end of the target audience may eat this crap up but this cranky old geek found THE DUFF lame and predictable and doesn’t recommend it.

1 1/2 of 5 Stars

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2 – The Review

Time once more to traverse that tricky minefield of comedy sequels (and you wonder why Kristen Wiig has vehemently said no to BRIDESMAIDS 2!). Seems just yesterday that we were revisiting those three conspiring pals in HORRIBLE BOSSES 2 (which, despite some pans, was miles above the HANGOVER follow-ups and the return of Lloyd and Harry). And now, we’re set to revisit three other pals (it was four, but more on that later) which actually plays as a take-off on a more serious flick from just the last few weeks, PROJECT ALMANAC. Yup, just like Marty McFly and Doc Brown, these dudes can’t refrain from tempting the fates and history. Fire up the jets, grab lotsa’ beverages, and make a splash by jumpin’ into HOT TUB TIME MACHINE 2.

The boys have been busy since that first trek nearly five years ago. Adam, played by John Cusack, is a big deal science fiction writer and is off and away on a “spiritual journey” (very smart move, Mr. C!). Nick (Craig Robinson) is a mega music star, mainly by releasing hit tunes before the original artists did thanks to the HTTM. And because of said device, Lou (Rob Cordry) is a hard-partyin’ multi-billionaire having invented the internet. This while his son Jacob (Clark Duke) bitterly lives in his uncaring pop’s shadow. Everything changes during a tragedy at a big gaudy party at Lou’s mansion (while a lightning storm rages, natch’). Hurriedly the trio enter a secret chamber that houses the hot tub that Jacob transplanted from the old ski lodge. And it appears that the person behind said tragedy just used the device, that future fiend! The guys have no choice but to reset controls to the original traveler’s start point. So in order to save 2015 it’s off to far-off 2025 and a race with and against time itself!

The remaining cast mates do their best to fill the void left by Cusack’s absence (and really it is a big hole) to little avail. Cordry comes off as a loud, shrieking metal-head banshee (hey, I know he was obnoxious in the first one, but the volume dial’s broken off here), screeching insults and possessing zero impulse control. Robinson scores some laughs in the early sequences as the most awkward music video star ever, but he seems to lose interest in some of the forced hijinks and tries to coast by on his lovable big teddy bear charm. Neither comics can get use their energy to jump-start the limp material. Craig’s “Office” cohort, Duke gets surly and pouts while staying mad over being mistaken for the butler in the big opening party scene. Often he’s just a verbal punching bag to Cordry’s manic jerk. One of the current stars of his TV alma mater, “The Daily Show”, Jason Jones tries to match him in smarmy arrogance, but besides a near clever bit about his nickname (he’s called “Winky”, but can’t wink, just blink), he’s just a plot suspect. One attempt in replacing Cusack is the casting of Adam Scott , the superb Ben of TV’s “Parks and Recreations” as Cusack’s son Adam, Jr who’s simply another wide-eyed nerd for Cordry to bully when he’s not informing the gang about cool future stuff. Also squandered is the beautiful, brilliant Gillian Jacobs of TV’s “Community” as Adam Jr’s flittery, jittery fiance. And don’t be fooled by the ads, Chevy Chase reprising his role as the repairman is in and out of the flick within 40 seconds. Lots of floundering funny folks grasping at straws here.

They won’t find any straws in this limp script. Or any real wit. The only idea that seemed of any interest were the “smart cars” of 2025. As Adam, Jr. explains, nobody owns cars, you just call out for one when they’re needed. Oh, and you’ve got to be nice and compliment them. Now, that might make a funny flick on its own. But just as with the cast, this idea is ill-served. Like ALMANAC the plot gets mired in the mechanics of time travel (almost repeating the former’s head-scratching chalkboard scene), while stopping the plot for a trite TV game show sequence (hosted by a smart star who should’ve known better). The pedestrian direction shuffles from one misfiring joke to the next, making the flick seems eons longer than its 93 minute running time. They try to end on a high note with the gang photoshopped with history’s icons (shown in the TV spots), but it can’t erase the searing disappointment of not being able to go back in time ourselves and intervene at the box office. Somebody should’ve drained the stale script along with the water from this tattered tub right after the original outing. Time’s up!

1 Out of 5

MCFARLAND, USA – The Review

There was a time no too long away that the Disney company was only known for animation. But after enormous success in that arena, Uncle Walt decided he needed to branch out into live action. After dipping his toe in the water with “true-life” nature shorts, he jumped all in with several features produced and filmed in Europe. Then he went all out with 1954’s smash 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. Now, as with his animated features, these films usually played to family audiences. Walt had something of a studio staple of stars with the likes of Fred MacMurray, Hayley Mills, and Kurt Russell , He even had the top grossing film of 1968, THE LOVE BUG. Really. After Walt passed on, the new studio heads in the 1980’s decided to branch out into more adult subject matter for new features. But these would not go out under the Disney name and so came the sub-studio imprints like Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures. The animated features and family friendly live-action fantasies would still be released through Walt Disney Pictures. In the last dozen or so years another genre has joined those two as a staple of the company: based on true events inspirational sports stories. Going back to 2002’s THE ROOKIE to MIRACLE and all the way up to last year’s MILLION DOLLAR ARM. Now this weekend sees the release of MCFARLAND, USA, which highlights a sport not often portrayed in films (but did win a Best Picture Oscar in 1981, tell you later!). Seems the “mouse house” has a pretty good-sized cinema recreational complex at the multiplex.

Once upon a time, the mid 1980’s to be exact, a high school football coach named Jim White (Kevin Costner) lost his temper with the team’s arrogant quarterback during the half-time pep talk. The result: Jim, wife Cheryl (Maria Bello), and their two young daughters, teenager Julie (Morgan Saylor) and pre-teen Jamie (Elsie Fisher) loaded up the family vehicle and headed to McFarland, CA, a sleepy, dusty little burg mainly populated by folks who left Mexico for a better life in the ole’ USA. Jim’s got to make this new job at the local high school work since he’s got no other prospects. Well, the head coach of the fightin’ football Cougars is a dimbulb and soon Jim is off the team. He’s still got his teaching gig, but needs to be in the sports department. One morning, driving in to work, he spots some of his students running along the side of the road, on their way to school. Most of the families pick crops at the big local farms. The kids wake up extra early and help their folks, and since most don’t own cars they must dash from their to class. Jim’s impressed with their speed and endurance and so tells his boss, the principal, that he will start a cross-country team. Jim faces an uphill battle recruiting students and winning over their parents, who see it as a waste of time that keeps the boys away from the fields, and the whole community. Although their cultures clash, Jim finally gets his team ready to compete, but do these hard-scrabble kids have what it takes to triumph over the big-monied schools and privileged runners?

Costner is his usual good, earnest hero persona, but in the film’s opening scenes we get to see some very welcome cracks in his gleaming gold armor. There’s an anger and fire in that locker room half-time altercation that promises some variance on the old sports flick formulas. Although some of his fury has been tempered by the time of his new job it flares again on the football field. Costner as White digs his heels in, but makes no traction against the clueless coach in charge. We also get his concerned father in the early domestic scenes. He must mask his disappointment in front of his kids as the unpack in the house that seems to be such a down grade from suburbia. But he’s a good dad, although he does mess up, particularly with his teenager who clings to him while also pushing him away. And he’s a tough, but understanding coach. He’s got to bark at the boys, but he tries to understand them, which leads to some light comic moments as the “goofy gringo” joins them to pick the fields (exhausting) or attends a family feast (they keep filling his plate!). Costner works best when he’s one of the few adults that gives them hope for a better, brighter future.

Bello makes a terrific partner to Costner as she often must serve as his coach, spurring him to do better, especially with the kids. She too must hide her initial despair, but eventually she warms to her neighbors, often stunned by their warmth, and embraces this mysterious (to her) culture. Saylor is engaging as a typical confused teen and Fisher is very sweet as she devours all the wonders of her new surroundings. Diana Maria Riva gives a lovely comic performance as the boisterous matriarch of the huge Diaz household. All the young actors who make up the running Cougars are solid despite the often stock characters (one’s a ladies’ man, one loves to eat, etc.) with Carlos Pratt standing out as the hunky speedster with the troubled home who catches the eye of Julie.

Niki Caro (NORTH COUNTRY) expertly captures the look of this little burg that may seem insignificant, but his home to fiercely protective and supportive neighbors. She also captures the dedication of these runners that’s reminiscent of CHARIOTS OF FIRE (told you I’d mention it later). There’s the heat, the exhaustion, even the monotony. And even though they’re part of a team, there’s that solitary testing of one’s abilities. Unfortunately the screenplay doesn’t avoid the culture clash clichés with the uptight wasps lightening up by being near the colorful earthy ethnics. And there’s the familiar riff on the sports underdogs, the ole’ slobs versus snobs set-up with the preppy rich competitors almost sneering at the noble Cougars. Well, the movie’s got its heart in the right place and it’s nice to see a somewhat upbeat true-story tale. So, if you’re a fan of HOOSIER-type, come from behind stories, then you’ll want to lace up your running shoes and join the team for a run around the dusty streets of MCFARLAND, USA.

3 Out of 5

MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN In Theatres & On Demand February 27th

After BRONSON, VALHALLA RISING, DRIVE, and ONLY GOD FORGIVES, Nicolas Winding Refn is one of the most exciting directors working today. Refn burst onto the film scene in the late 1990s with the delightfully nasty PUSHER trilogy, and has continued to produce some of the most thought-provoking and visually spectacular genre-benders of any modern auteur. From Tom Hardy’s career-defining titular Bronson to Mads Mikkelsen’s feral One Eye to Ryan Gosling’s icy cold Driver, Refn has time and again crafted nuanced portraits of deeply conflicted but undeniably charismatic antiheroes.

In MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN, Refn’s own deep conflict is swinging in the breeze as we witness him wrestle with the particularly challenging production of ONLY GOD FORGIVES. Directed and shot by his wife Liv Corfixen over the duration of the production and subsequent Cannes debut, MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN captures the very private and intimate moments to which a traditional documentary crew simply wouldn’t have access. The result is a fascinating, detailed look at a creative genius at work and also a portrait of a director torn between the general public’s desire for a “DRIVE 2” and his own mission to explore more challenging narrative territory.

MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN will play in select theaters and will be available On Demand February 27th

Check out the trailer for MY LIFE DIRECTED BY NICOLAS WINDING REFN

LEVIATHAN (2014) – The Review

Well, sometimes some confusion can be a good thing. When I was first aware of this film’s title, I thought that this may be a remake/reboot of the 1989 Peter Weller starring monster thriller with a massive CGI beastie akin to those from PACIFIC RIM or last Summer’s retooled GODZILLA. Seems I was mistaken. LEVIATHAN doesn’t concern itself with a colossal rampaging demon risen from the depths, but rather it’s a complex drama set in a dreary, Russian fishing village (yes, it has subtitles). The title doesn’t refer to a scaly giant that the film’s heroes must face. They instead must square off against an even more formidable adversary, for this leviathan is comprised not of claws and fangs, but corruption and the cruelties of fate itself.

The story begins as the sun rises over that Russian village, as Nikolay (Aleksey Serebryakov) heads away from his ramshackle beach home to the train station where he picks up his old army pal Dmitriy (Vladimir Vdovichenkov). It’s not until breakfast with Nikolay’s much-younger second wife Lilya (Elena Lyadova) and surly teenage son Romka (Sergey Pokhodaev) that we learn the real reason for this reunion. Dmitriy is now a high-priced Moscow lawyer who’s lending his services to prevent the town’s Mayor from grabbing Nikolay’s bit of land for a paltry sum in order to build a new “communication center” (Nikolay is sure that a palace will be built instead). Dmitriy believes that the Mayor will make a more reasonable offer after he’s aware of the dirt that the lawyer as dug up on him. But the corrupt, bullying Mayor Vadim (Roman Madyanov) will not be so easily intimidated. Over the course of the next few weeks, the court proceedings light the fuse on a powder keg of deception, intimidation, blackmail, adultery, and murder. Oh, and that flame is fueled by lots and lots of vodka.

Primarily this story is the trials and tribulations of the Job-like Nikolay (or, as they call him, ‘Koyla’ for short) compellingly portrayed by the stoic Serebryakov. The weight of the world is etched on his weary face which often resembles a granite-carved bullet, his squinting eyes striking out with tiny probing laser beams. That is, until life, and cases of booze, finally dims his gaze and quelches his hair-trigger temper. Of course his old pal Dmitriy played with intelligence by Vdovichenkov tries to with little success to extinguish the white-hot rage that consumes Koyla. This now erudite man of the law is often ill at ease, far away from Moscow’s hustle and bustle, but he feels indebted to his earthy comrade, although hearing his old barracks name “junior” still rankles him. Lyadova as the quiet beauty Lilya, seems too gentle for the brooding mechanic she’s married. It isn’t until the film’s mid-section that we see the despair in her eyes from the constant drudgery (working at the local fish-cleaning plant) and a hunger to escape. Some of that same hunger exists in her stepson Romka played by Pokhodaev, whose rebellious attitude lashes out at her. Late in the tale, he finally lets down his guard and reveals the heartbroken boy within.

As great as these actors are, the film is often “stolen” by one of the best villains we’ve seen on-screen in a while. The diminutive Madyanov dominates every scene and truly lives up to the nasty descriptions by Koyla in the story’s opening. The Mayor is a squashed-down, compact Jabba the Hut gulping down vodka shots rather than slimy space-frogs, a malignant, middle-aged, male Veruca Salt who will have his way no matter what and who never learns his lesson at the Wonka factory. His few calm moments are in conversation with the Orthodox church’s high priest. Is the holy man trying to redeem the politico, or is this relationship more…convuluted? The volatile, venomous Vadim is a welcome shot of energy into the core of this downbeat drama.

Director Andrey Zvyagintsev directs the somber story, which he wrote with Oleg Negin, in a straight-forward, measured style with no showy or distracting flourishes. He even makes the choice to hold some things back from the audience in a pivotal second act sequence during a birthday picnic. We suspect that the mix of firearms and booze will not end well, but we’re not told of the end results until much later (the scene does produce the biggest laughs from the revelers choices for target practice). The scenery has a desolate, dark beauty thanks to the expert camera work from Mikhail Krichman and enhanced by the haunting score from Phillip Glass, especially in the shots of Romika alone sitting near a washed-up whale skeleton. LEVIATHAN is an unforgettable, very moving story of life and loss, and is very worthy of its Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

4 Out of 5

LEVIATHAN opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Tivoli Theatre

The Academy Celebrates Powerful, Oscar-Nominated Documentaries

By Michelle McCue and Gary Salem

On Wednesday, the Academy featured the 2014 Oscar-nominated films in the Documentary Short Subject and Documentary Feature categories.

Clips from the nominated films were screened, and nominees for all 10 films took part in panel discussions, talking about their own films and sharing insights on the craft of documentary filmmaking and the greater issues their nominated films explore.

Two-time Oscar winner and Academy documentary branch governor Rob Epstein opened the evening with the documentary shorts.

Epstein won the Oscar for documentary feature in 1984 for THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK and in 1989 for COMMON THREADS: STORIES FROM THE QUILT. His other credits include LOVELACE (2013) and the TV documentary “And The Oscar Goes To…” (2014)

During his opening remarks, Epstein said the theme that ran through the nominated shorts were “life beginning and life ending.”

All the filmmakers conceded the Cinéma vérité was what was so powerful, so intimate. It was a cathartic process for the directors. The real-life, up-close narratives surrounded extraordinary individuals. JOANNA director Aneta Kopacz remarked, “There was such a trust between myself and subject who’s story I was telling.”

Women filmmakers were at the forefront of the documentary shorts. Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry of CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1 said of their movie, “that the sounds, the audio was just as important as the visuals” to get across the point of military veterans suffering from PTSD.

Best Documentary Short Subject

“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1” (HBO Documentary Films)
A Perry Films Production
Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry

“Joanna”
A Wajda Studio Production
Aneta Kopacz

“Our Curse”
A Warsaw Film School Production
Tomasz Śliwiński and Maciej Ślesicki

“The Reaper (La Parka)”
A Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica Production
Gabriel Serra Arguello

“White Earth”
A Weary Traveler Production
J. Christian Jensen

The nominated short films will be available on Vimeo OnDemand, iTunes® Stores in 54 countries, Amazon Instant Video®, Verizon and will be released across the US on VOD/Pay Per View platforms.

Next up was the Documentary Features, hosted by Tabitha Jackson. She is the director of the Documentary Film Program at the Sundance Institute and was executive producer on the feature documentaries SINS OF MY FATHER (2009) and 20,000 DAYS ON EARTH (2014).

Arriving up at the podium, she thanked co-host Epstein and quipped she was “Anne Hathaway to his James Franco.”

Jackson told the large audience at the Samuel Goldwyn Theatre that the documentary features nominated were “great in any medium whether it’s on the small screen, Amazon or Netflix. Non-fiction is the new reality. The language of cinema unites. I hope to see a documentary nominated one day in the Best Picture category.”

During the Q&A, the directors spoke on how they discovered the various subjects of their respective films and hoped their movies brought some entertainment to the world.

The documentarians all agreed that they wanted to create a message of hope, meaning and protecting human dignity.

Best documentary feature

“CitizenFour” (RADiUS)
A Praxis Films Production
Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky

“Finding Vivian Maier” (Sundance Selects)
A Ravine Pictures Production
John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Read Jim Batts’ interview with Finding Vivian Maier’s filmmakers HERE.

“Last Days in Vietnam” (American Experience Films)
A Moxie Firecracker Films Production
Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester

“The Salt of the Earth” (Sony Pictures Classics)
A Decia Films Production
Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier

“Virunga” (Netflix)
A Grain Media Production
Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara

See the full list of nominations here.

Oscar Sunday is on February 22nd and will air live on ABC.

Oscars Predictions 2015 According To WAMG

When the first Academy Awards were handed out on May 16, 1929, at an Academy banquet in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, movies had just begun to talk. The attendance was 270 and guest tickets cost $5. It was a long banquet, filled with speeches, but presentation of the statuettes was handled expeditiously by Academy President Douglas Fairbanks.

The suspense that now touches most of the world at Oscar time was not always a characteristic of the Awards presentation. That first year, the award recipients were announced to the public three months ahead of the ceremony.

Today, Oscar pundits and fans alike avidly watch the precursor and guild awards to ultimately make their predictions in the 24 categories. Academy members have cast their ballots, so now it’s our turn for our Oscar picks.

Need some help in that office Oscar pool or at the party you’re throwing at home? WAMG is here to help. Below are WAMG’s predictions for the 87th Academy Awards.

Print our ballot at the bottom or head over to Oscar.com for the Academy’s ballot here.

Performance by an actor in a leading role

Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Tom, Michelle, Jim, Melissa T.
Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything” Melissa H., Michael, Gary

WILL WIN: Eddie Redmayne
SHOULD WIN: Michael Keaton

Note: This category could go either way. Redmayne won the Screen Actors Guild, but oh how’d we love to see Keaton up at the podium.

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Robert Duvall in “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke in “Boyhood”
Edward Norton in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Mark Ruffalo in “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons in “Whiplash” Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.

WILL WIN: J.K. Simmons
SHOULD WIN: J.K. Simmons

Note: Well liked among his peers. A slam dunk for Simmons as the crazed percussion instructor.

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night”
Felicity Jones in “The Theory of Everything”
Julianne Moore in “Still Alice” Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon in “Wild”

WILL WIN: Julianne Moore
SHOULD WIN: Julianne Moore

Note: Moore is overdue and will at long last, win the Oscar.

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood” Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
Laura Dern in “Wild”
Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone in “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”
Meryl Streep in “Into the Woods”

WILL WIN: Patricia Arquette
SHOULD WIN: Patricia Arquette

Note: Arquette has won every precursor leading up to Oscar Sunday. We think this one is a shoo-in.

Best animated feature film of the year

“Big Hero 6” Don Hall, Chris Williams and Roy Conli Melissa H., Melissa T.
“The Boxtrolls” Anthony Stacchi, Graham Annable and Travis Knight
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold Tom, Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Song of the Sea” Tomm Moore and Paul Young
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” Isao Takahata and Yoshiaki Nishimura

WILL WIN: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
SHOULD WIN: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2

Note: DRAGON 2 should take it here, but be on the lookout for BIG HERO 6.

Achievement in cinematography

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Emmanuel Lubezki Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Gary, Melissa T.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Robert Yeoman
“Ida” Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski
“Mr. Turner” Dick Pope Jim
“Unbroken” Roger Deakins

WILL WIN: BIRDMAN
SHOULD WIN: BIRDMAN

Note: Lubezki won last year for GRAVITY and will repeat again. Shame Roger Deakins (UNBROKEN) will go home empty handed again.

Achievement in costume design

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Milena Canonero Tom, Michael, Michelle, Gary
“Inherent Vice” Mark Bridges
“Into the Woods” Colleen Atwood Melissa T.
“Maleficent” Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Clive Melissa H.
“Mr. Turner” Jacqueline Durran Jim

WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: MALEFICENT

Note: The 17th Costume Designers Guild Awards recently went to Into the Woods (Fantasy) – Colleen Atwood and to The Grand Budapest Hotel (Period Film) – Milena Canonero. It’s a toss up.

Achievement in directing

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Alejandro G. Iñárritu Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Gary
“Boyhood” Richard Linklater Michael, Jim, Melissa T.
“Foxcatcher” Bennett Miller
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Wes Anderson
“The Imitation Game” Morten Tyldum

WILL WIN: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
SHOULD WIN: Richard Linklater

Note: Will it be a spread the wealth type of year with a picture/director split?

Best documentary feature

“CitizenFour” Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
“Finding Vivian Maier” John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
“Last Days in Vietnam” Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester
“The Salt of the Earth” Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado and David Rosier
“Virunga” Orlando von Einsiedel and Joanna Natasegara

WILL WIN: CITIZENFOUR
SHOULD WIN: LAST DAYS OF VIETNAM

Note: CITIZENFOUR won the Bafta and DGA documentary award. All of the stories were powerful, but Laura Poitras’ timely subject matter has the edge here.

Best documentary short subject

“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1” Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Dana Perry Michelle, Melissa T.
“Joanna” Aneta Kopacz Gary
“Our Curse” Tomasz Sliwinski and Maciej Slesicki
“The Reaper (La Parka)” Gabriel Serra Arguello
“White Earth” J. Christian Jensen

WILL WIN: CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1
SHOULD WIN: JOANNA

Note: Dealing with the Veterans Crisis Line, voters will most likely go with CRISIS HOTLINE: VETERANS PRESS 1. However, the story of a JOANNA, a mother facing a terminal illness, could win here.

Achievement in film editing

“American Sniper” Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach
“Boyhood” Sandra Adair Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary, Melissa T.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Barney Pilling
“The Imitation Game” William Goldenberg
“Whiplash” Tom Cross

WILL WIN: BOYHOOD
SHOULD WIN: BOYHOOD

Note: Competing against WHIPLASH and AMERICAN SNIPER, and with no BIRDMAN in the line up, we think BOYHOOD takes home the Oscar. Will BIRDMAN’s subject matter and seamless editing cancel out the no editing nomination-no best picture rule this year?

Best foreign language film of the year

“Ida” Poland Michelle, Michael, Gary
“Leviathan” Russia Jim
“Tangerines” Estonia
“Timbuktu” Mauritania Melissa T.
“Wild Tales” Argentina

WILL WIN: IDA
SHOULD WIN: IDA

Note: Poland’s entry recently won the BAFTA earlier in February, but LEVIATHAN could pull the upset.

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

“Foxcatcher” Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier Michelle, Michael, Gary
“Guardians of the Galaxy” Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White Melissa H., Jim, Melissa T.

WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Note: The Hair and Makeup Guilds split on this – they awarded both GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (Contemporary Make-Up) and THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Best Period and/or Character Make-Up & Hair). With all the Wes Anderson characters, Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier look to win this.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Alexandre Desplat Melissa H., Gary
“The Imitation Game” Alexandre Desplat Melissa T.
“Interstellar” Hans Zimmer Michelle
“Mr. Turner” Gary Yershon
“The Theory of Everything” Jóhann Jóhannsson Tom, Michael, Jim

WILL WIN: Jóhann Jóhannsson
SHOULD WIN: Alexandre Desplat

Note: Alexandre Desplat has two noms this year and has never won, but composer Johann Johannson’s THEORY OF EVERYTHING… FTW.

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

“Everything Is Awesome” from “The Lego Movie”
Music and Lyric by Shawn Patterson Melissa H.
“Glory” from “Selma”
Music and Lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn Tom, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Grateful” from “Beyond the Lights”
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from “Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me”
Music and Lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond Michelle, Melissa T.
“Lost Stars” from “Begin Again”
Music and Lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois

WILL WIN: “Glory”
SHOULD WIN: “I’m Not Gonna Miss You”

Note: “Glory” from SELMA will ultimately win here, but what a moment it would be if the Academy granted Glen Campbell one final award with an Oscar win.

Best motion picture of the year

“American Sniper”
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Tom, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary
“Boyhood” Michelle, Melissa T.
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Whiplash”

WILL WIN: BIRDMAN
SHOULD WIN: BOYHOOD

Note: With wins at the Screen Actors Guild, Producers Guild and Directors Guild, BIRDMAN wins gold. But BOYHOOD could spoil here – its the kind of film Oscar voters like to honor. Could the box office momentum thrust AMERICAN SNIPER as the ultimate spoiler?

Achievement in production design

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock Tom, Michelle, Melissa H., Michael, Jim, Gary
“The Imitation Game” Production Design: Maria Djurkovic; Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
“Interstellar” Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
“Into the Woods” Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock Melissa T.
“Mr. Turner” Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts

WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

Note: It made us want to check in!

Best animated short film

“The Bigger Picture” Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees
“The Dam Keeper” Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi
“Feast” Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed Michelle, Gary
“Me and My Moulton” Torill Kove Melissa T.
“A Single Life” Joris Oprins

WILL WIN: FEAST
SHOULD WIN: FEAST

Note: They got us with the little dog, Winston.

Best live action short film

“Aya” Oded Binnun and Mihal Brezis
“Boogaloo and Graham” Michael Lennox and Ronan Blaney
“Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)” Hu Wei and Julien Féret
“Parvaneh” Talkhon Hamzavi and Stefan Eichenberger
“The Phone Call” Mat Kirkby and James Lucas Michelle, Gary, Melissa T.

WILL WIN: THE PHONE CALL
SHOULD WIN: THE PHONE CALL

Note: BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM won the BAFTA, but we have a soft spot for the film done, according to Mat Kirkby (interview), as a “homage to our mums,” THE PHONE CALL. We think the Academy voters will too.

Achievement in sound editing

“American Sniper” Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman Tom, Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Martín Hernández and Aaron Glascock Melissa H.
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
“Interstellar” Richard King Melissa T.
“Unbroken” Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro

WILL WIN: AMERICAN SNIPER
SHOULD WIN: BIRDMAN

Note: This is where AMERICAN SNIPER will pick up a statue.

Achievement in sound mixing

“American Sniper” John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin Tom, Michael, Jim
“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga Michelle
“Interstellar” Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten
“Unbroken” Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and David Lee Melissa T.
“Whiplash” Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley Melissa H., Gary

WILL WIN: BIRDMAN
SHOULD WIN: WHIPLASH

Note: Another win for Clint Eastwood’s movie could happen. BIRDMAN should win this category as it won the trophy for outstanding sound mixing during the 51st annual Cinema Audio Society Awards.

Achievement in visual effects

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist Tom
“Guardians of the Galaxy” Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould Melissa H., Melissa T.
“Interstellar” Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer

WILL WIN: DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
SHOULD WIN: INTERSTELLAR

Note: DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES won the top prize at the VFX Society, but with the black hole, the gravity of space and the 4,000 ft high tidal wave, the upset could be INTERSTELLAR.

Adapted screenplay

“American Sniper” Written by Jason Hall
“The Imitation Game” Written by Graham Moore Michelle, Michael, Jim, Gary
“Inherent Vice” Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson Melissa T.
“The Theory of Everything” Screenplay by Anthony McCarten Melissa H.
“Whiplash” Written by Damien Chazelle Tom

WILL WIN: THE IMITATION GAME
SHOULD WIN: WHIPLASH

Note: IMITATION GAME won Adapted Screenplay last weekend at the Writers Guild Awards. As the guilds and voters overlap, this will probably be your Oscar winner.

Original screenplay

“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo Tom, Melissa H., Jim, Melissa T.
“Boyhood” Written by Richard Linklater
“Foxcatcher” Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness Michelle, Michael, Gary
“Nightcrawler” Written by Dan Gilroy

WILL WIN: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: BIRDMAN

Note: Going by its win at the Writers Guild Awards, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL and Wes Anderson will take the Academy Award.

Download our high-resolution ballots here: https://www.dropbox.com/l/S0MeOsGeMprvK59b5jOlHp

The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Visit oscars.org

Follow the Academy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theacademy

Follow the Academy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAcademy

RED ARMY – The Review

Anyone over the age of 40 remembers one of sports’ most famous moments, the “Miracle on Ice” – when the United States Men’s Hockey Team beat the Soviet Union in a breathtaking upset at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY.

Knocking out the Soviets led the U.S. team to the Gold medal round against Finland, where they triumphed and relegated the Soviet Union to second place and the Silver medal.

The Silver medal was definitely not what the Soviet team was expecting, and it marked the end of what had been the Soviet Red Army hockey dynasty – the most successful dynasty in sports history.

Told through the eyes of team captain Slava Fetisov, RED ARMY is a gripping tale of both sports and politics in the former Soviet Union. For them, hockey was everything. Parents would send their sons (some as young as 5 years old) to the yearly tryouts in hopes that they would be chosen to spend the next 20 years in a strict and sometimes brutal “hockey camp” where they had limited contact with their families and the outside world.

A Red Army recruit from the age of eight, Fetisov talks about his career and the bond he shared with the other members of the Russian Five – defense partner Alexei Kasatonov and forwards Sergei Makarov, Igor Larionov and Vladimir Krutov.

Fetisov tells of players (including himself) who were not allowed to see their families for extended periods of time, and one in particular that was not allowed to see his dying father because they had to prepare for the next game.

After the stunning loss at the 1980 winter games, the Soviet government tried to tighten its grip on players, cutting from the team all but a few for losing to the Americans, who were half the age of the average Red Army player.

It wasn’t long before Soviet players began to jump ship to chase the glory and huge salaries of the NHL. Some would defect, others went with their home country’s blessing – provided they gave huge portions of their salaries to the Soviet Union. (It should be noted, Fetisov would be one of the last to join the NHL, as he insisted on neither giving the government ANY of his salary nor defecting and never being able to return to his home country. He eventually was allowed to leave the Soviet Union on his own terms.)

Director, writer and producer Gabe Polsky, himself the son of Russian immigrants and a college hockey player at Yale, seamlessly combines archive footage and emotional interviews with Fetisov and other players and coaches who survived that era.

One of the most poignant moments in the film is when Polsky goes through footage of the game between USA and Russia at the 1980 Olympics. The now older and grayer but still charming Fetisov looks both disgusted and despondent. By the end he has tears in his eyes.

This film is a must see for hockey and sports fans in general, if for no other reason than to hear a story that has never been told.

5 out of 5 stars

RED ARMY opens in St. Louis on February 20

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of THE LAZARUS EFFECT In St. Louis

From the masters of horror Blumhouse Productions- producer of THE PURGE, INSIDIOUS and SINISTER franchises- THE LAZARUS EFFECT follows a group of researchers led by Frank (Mark Duplass) and his fiancée Zoe (Olivia Wilde), who’ve achieved the unimaginable- bringing the dead back to life.

After a successful, yet unsanctioned, trial on a newly deceased animal, the team is ready to unveil their breakthrough to the world. When the dean of their university learns of their underground experiments, their project is unexpectedly shut down and their materials confiscated. Frank, Zoe, and their team (Donald Glover, Sarah Bolger and Evan Peters) take matters into their own hands, launching a rogue attempt to recreate their experiment, during which things go terribly wrong and one of their own, Zoe, is horrifically killed.

Fueled by terror and grief, Frank pushes them to do the unthinkable: attempt to resurrect their first human test subject. Initially, the procedure appears a success, but the team soon realizes something is wrong with Zoe. As her strange new persona reveals itself, the team quickly becomes stuck in a gruesome reality. They are no longer faced with the question of whether they can bring someone back to life- but rather, the wrath of her return.

Starring Mark Duplass, Olivia Wilde, Evan Peters and Donald Glover and directed by David Gelb, THE LAZARUS EFFECT opens in theaters on February 27th.

WAMG invites you to enter for a chance to win passes (Good for 2) to the advance screening of THE LAZARUS EFFECT on Wednesday, Feb. 25th at 7:00PM in the ST. LOUIS AREA. We will contact the winners by email.

Answer the following:

Olivia Wilde has played many film characters over the years.

Name the films where she portrayed:

Princess Inanna
Quorra
Suzy Miller

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWERS AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary.

The film has been rated PG 13.

Visit the film on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelazaruseffect

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Performance by an actor in a leading role

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

Performance by an actress in a leading role

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

Best animated feature film of the year

Achievement in cinematography

Achievement in costume design

Achievement in directing

Best documentary feature

Best documentary short subject

Achievement in film editing

Best foreign language film of the year

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)

Best motion picture of the year

Achievement in production design

Best animated short film

Best live action short film

Achievement in sound editing

Achievement in sound mixing

Achievement in visual effects

Adapted screenplay

Original screenplay

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5 out of 5 stars

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