The Snubby Awards: 2014 Oscars

Welcome to the world-famous Snubby Awards.  The Snubby's take a look at all of the Best Picture nominees for a given year at the Academy Awards and ranks them from best to worst.  If the highest ranked film did not win Best Picture, it wins the coveted Snubby Award.

If the film that did win Best Picture is the highest ranked film, no Snubby is awarded.  They already have the Oscar.  They don't need another trophy.  Let's not be greedy.

This time we have nine films to look at: 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Gravity, Her, Nebraska, Philomena, and The Wolf of Wall Street.  12 Years a Slave won Best Picture.  Did it deserve to win, or did somebody else get snubbed?  Let's find out.

#9: America Hustle

America Hustle is the story of how two con-artists (Christian Bale and Amy Adams) are forced to work for the FBI.  What follows is a series of cons with all of the main characters trying to get the best of one another.  It's a technically well-made movie, but the problem is the main characters are so unlikeable that it isn't fun to watch.  The second act of the movie is somewhat confusing.  I had no idea who I was supposed to root for.  Christian Bale and Amy Adams are the main protagonists, but they aren't relatable at all.  Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Laurence, who did a great job portraying their characters, are so unlikeable that I wanted to put an ax though my TV.  I can understand why some people really like this movie, but it simply isn't my cup of tea.  It gave me a headache while watching it, and I have no choice but to put it in last place.

 5/10: Irritating 

#8: Gravity

Gravity follows two astronauts (Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) after their space shuttle is destroyed and they must find a way to get back to Earth.  It's a pretty simple, straightforward story of survival.  The special effects are dazzling and really impressive, but I find Sandra Bullock's character to be very annoying.  We hear her breathing and screaming far too often.  I get that it's realistic, but that doesn't stop my from being annoyed by it.  Also, some of spinning effects make me nauseous, so I can't enjoy Gravity as much as I would like to.

 7/10: Good 

#7: 12 Years A Slave

The actual winner of Best Picture, 12 Years A Slave follows the story of a free, black man (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who is kidnapped and forced into slavery.  I went into this movie expecting a historical-drama.  I got a horror movie.  It's a powerful movie, and absolutely brutal and disturbing to watch.  Ejiofor gives a masterful performance, as does Michael Fassbender.  Unfortunately, this movie has one flaw: Brad Pitt.  He plays a very important role in the climax of the film, but he feels very shoehorned in and is woefully underdeveloped.  He really takes me out of the movie, which is unfortunate because of the rest of this film is just fantastic.

 9/10: Great 

#6: Nebraska 

  

Nebraska is a father-and-son story that follows Will Forte's character taking his father (Bruce Dern) on a road trip to Nebraska.  They end up stopping in the hometown of Dern's character.  What follows is the most accurate depiction of small-town midwestern life I have ever seen.  I swear, they cast my own relatives in this movie.  It has amazing cinematography, acting, and a story that really tugs at the heart-strings.  If you've never been to the midwest, gives this one a watch.  You'll get a pretty good feel for what it's like.

 9/10: Great 

#5: Captain Phillips

Captain Phillips follows the titular Captain Phillips (Tom Hanks), a boat captain who's ship is taken by pirates.  It's up to Phillips to save the lives of his crew as well as his own.  The first half is basically Die Hard on a boat.  The second half is basically Zero Dark Thirty on a boat.  Put them together and you have a fantastic thriller with some great performances from both Hanks and Barked Abdi.

 10/10: Fantastic 

#4: Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club follows a homophobic, Texan redneck (Matthew McConaughey) who discovers he has been infected with HIV.  He teams up with a transgender woman (Jared Leto) to start a business getting affordable and accessible medications to people infected with HIV.  It's an incredible and tragic story that will give you some feels.  McConaughey and Leto have incredible chemistry and seeing McConaughey become more compassionate towards the LGBT community is a really powerful arc.

 10/10: Fantastic 


#3: The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is the insane story of a drugged-up, ruthless stockbroker (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his rise and fall.  It's a whopping three hours long, but it never drags and is wholly entertaining throughout.  It's fascinating, disturbing, and bat-s**t crazy.  And the fact that some of the craziest stuff actually happened is mind-blowing. 

 10/10: Fantastic

And now for the final two films.  I'll talk about both of them before I award the Snubby.

Her

Her is a love story between a man (Joaquin Phoenix) and a computer (Scarlett Johansson).  It's about as weird as it sound, but it's much more beautiful than one would expect.  I never thought I would be so emotionally invested in a love story between a man and computer, but here we are.  Her is an emotional roller coaster, and if you haven't seen it, I implore you to give it a chance.

10/10: Fantastic 

Philomena

Philomena follows a reporter (Steve Coogan) who decides to help a woman named Philomela (Judi Dench) track down her son, who was given up for adoption against her will 50 years prior. At first it's a road movie about an unlikely pair on an adventure.  But suddenly it takes a sharp turn into heartbreak.  I wasn't expecting it, and I certainly wasn't emotionally prepared for it.  The performances are excellent and the story is compelling.  Plus Steve Coogan's character is basically a British version of me.  Absolutely one of the year's best.

10/10: Fantastic

And now...the Snubby goes too...

 

Her!!!!!!!

Yes, I do think Her was snubbed.  It's such an unexpectedly beautiful, engaging, and relatable movie and it might be my favorite romance-drama of all time.  It really is amazing.  I know some may be off-put by how odd this movie is, and it is extremely odd, but do yourself a favor; give Her a watch.  You'll be glad you did.