Oscar Predictions: Best Directing and Best Picture

The clock is ticking down! The 86th Annual Academy Awards are just a few hours away, and self-proclaimed movie and Oscar fanatics Molly Oretsky and Stephen Proler are here in the knick of time to deliver their final predictions! It’s time for the big money categories: Best Directing, and even better, Best Picture. Who will win the coveted prize on Oscar night? Read below to find out.

Best Directing

Nominees: David O. Russell (“American Hustle”),  Alfonso Cuarón (“Gravity”), Alexander Payne (“Nebraska”), Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”), Martin Scorsese (“The Wolf of Wall Street”)

Molly: As I’m about to mention below, “12 Years a Slave” is an important movie, and I firmly stand by that. But while “12 Years a Slave” is important historically and as a way of holding up an essential mirror to the brutality of the human race, I believe “Gravity” is equally important in a whole different sense. Though it took four years, Alfonso Cuarón truly constructed a technological masterpiece that will change the future of cinema. Combining micro-animation with live action special effects and physical staging, Cuarón turned movie-making into a ballet of its own. The result is jaw-dropping. He took a simple idea and created roller-coaster ride that was as tense as it was beautiful and breath-taking. I personally saw “Gravity” twice in theaters because I immediately knew at its completion that it was something special that demanded a large screen more than once. “Gravity” is Cuarón’s futuristic baby, and he deserves the Oscar for creating a film that has completely changed the game.

Stephen: Now here is where things get interesting! My vote goes to Steve McQueen for “12 years a Slave.” Not the stunt-man race car driver, the director that created this roller-coaster of emotion and shock. McQueen expresses a story that is one of the most haunting and disgusting areas of the United States history. However, I may be lost in space with my vote because the other front runner is Alfonso Cuarón for his image of a tragic story of all places space. Both created incredible works of art, but in my opinion McQueen created a masterpiece that hasn’t been shown to the audience. Cuarón depicts a sci-fi phenomenon, but I predicted the ending of the movie before I even saw the film. McQueen, although a junior to the streets of Hollywood, gives me hope of a future with daring films of the horrors of our past.

Best Picture

Nominees:  American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Nebraska, Philomena, 12 Years a Slave, The Wolf of Wall Street

Molly: I’m very pleased with this year’s best picture list, but once again with this obscure number of nominees (9), it’s tough to tell where the Academy’s heads are. Five years ago, we wouldn’t have seen this kind of appreciation for small, independent gems like “Her”, “Nebraska” and “Philomena”. With the technological marvel of “Gravity” thrown in there as well, there’s a feeling of progression deeply rooted in this group. However, while I’m tempted to ride the innovation tidal wave and land on “Gravity” or a rare comedic winner like “American Hustle” or “The Wolf of Wall Street”, there is one film that has planted its feet in the ground and stands tall above the rest. “12 Years a Slave”. Yes, it’s a period piece, which is very “been there done that” with the Oscars, but what sets apart Steve McQueen’s harrowing slavery biopic is that it is important. It’s a film that shies away from nothing, and brutally depicts a very real part of American history that many wish to forget. It’s beautiful, heart-breaking, powerful and brave, and it’s a movie that everyone needs to see at some point in their lives. “12 Years a Slave” not only defines 2013 in film, but stands out among the most essential films of the decade.

Stephen: The race this year for best picture has been one of the closest race in Oscar history. There are so many amazing films to choose from that any choice on the nominees would be a possible winner. My vote goes to America, and by America I mean “American Hustle”. This movie just had it all. Incredible acting, outstanding cinematography, and an angle only a con-man could have seen coming filled cinemas throughout the world. A coalition of past Oscar winner and nominees just can’t be beat. This decision was very difficult for me to make, but every other movie just didn’t quite have that raw spark that “American Hustle” just brought to the screen. When I say this movie had it all, it had it all. There have been rumors that this year might be a tie for best picture. I wish good luck to every film nominated for this award, but my gut and my science oven goes with the big money of American Hustle.

There you have it! Molly and Stephen are completely split on the two biggest categories of the night. Who do you agree with? Vote in the poll below!