My Oscar predictions

2014 has been a year of some great films in Hollywood, some are under rated and some over rated. But only a few will receive the adulation of the Academy Awards. Here is my prediction for this years Oscars

Best Picture : Boyhood 

Richard Linklater's epic struggle to shoot a young boy grow into an 18 year old adult is a mammoth effort and should be rewarded with the coveted Golden statue. Only Birdman is its closest challenger but might would loose the award to Boyhood since its similar to Black Swan. 

PS : i hope my prediction goes wrong and Whiplash wins the award since its my favorite film of the year

Best Actor Male : Eddie Redmayne

Even after the end credits have rolled, you still don't believe that Eddie Redmayne wasn't the actual Stephen Hawking. Micheal Keaton from Birdman is the only strong contender for the prize. But Eddie might just wheel off with the award.

Best Actor Female : Julianne Moore

I always thought Julianne Moore was an over rated actor but she out does herself in Still Alice. Felicity Jones is the only other worthy opponent to race away with the award. 

Best Director : Alejandro Gonzalez

This one is a tough one between Birdman and Boyhood but Alejandro Gonzalez might just squeeze through here for the sheer effort of shooting a difficult film.

Best Supporting Actor : J.K. Simmons

Aha the best thing about 2014, JK Simmons, as the authoritative teacher at a music school, is the sure shot winner for this category.

Best Supporting Actress : Patricia Arquette

Dedication to be in a single role for 12 years is a task in itself and Patricia Arquette has to be awarded for her brilliant portrayal as a troubled mother. She looks like a clear cut winner here as well.

Best Original Screenplay : Nightcrawler

Perhaps the most underrated film of 2014, Nightcrawler should win unless the Academy decides to stick to the big studios and give the award to Birdman.

Best Cinematography : Birdman

How can you not award a film which will become a chapter in cinematography schools. The single shot steady cam technique breaks molds and the cameraman should be applauded for being the biggest asset of the entire Film's team.

Best Adapted Screenplay : Whiplash

Even though my heart says Whiplash, the Academy might most probably award this to Theory of Everything.

Best Film Editing : Whiplash

This will a keen contest between Whiplash and American Sniper but Whiplash should pull through on merit

Badlapur

Dear Sriram Raghavan,

Let me first moan because i just went into a film orgasm after watching your movie 'Badlapur'. Aahhhhhhhh. The last time this happened was during 'Wasseypur'. (I am like a married housewife who doesn't climax easily, even if you use tongue). But on a serious note, with Badlapur you wash off your sins (Agent Vinod) and remind us of your masterpieces (Ek hasina thi & Jhonny Gaddar).

Badlapur is India's first Korean styled revenge drama about a hero (Varun) slowly becoming the anti-hero to take revenge against the Villain (Nawaz) who killed his family. But as the film progresses, lines between the hero and the Villain slowly blur out.

The film is sluggish in the first half and builds up too much without progessing in the story (All Korean films are like this). I wish we didn't have an interval for this film because we could have judged it as one film since the majority of the meat is in the second half. But once the film starts pounding post interval, you feel the pleasure of cinematic ecstacy. There are shades of the korean trilogy called the Venganance series, but the film is an original item.

The long single shots are expertly crafted. Its the moments in the story which makes this film stand out. For example - Nawaz trying to escape Jail, Varun & Radhika's intense bedroom scene, but the pick of the lot is where Varun and Nawaz have a conversation in the end. Both are flawed and both have valid reasons for the flaws. Whom do you support is the question ?

Varun is superb and acts with his eyes. He faulters in some scenes like the initial scene with Divya dutta but then he quickly regains his form in the violence. Its a big step for a mainstream actor to take such a risk by playing a 43 year old violent anti hero. But it paid off buddy.

Huma, Divya Dutta, Radhika Apte all are dependable actors and have done well but its Nawazzuddin Siddiqui who gives you Indian cinema's Joker. He is sly, evil, funny and human at the same time. He just takes all the other actors in a juicer, grinds them and gulps them down without even burping.

Overall, Badlapur might not be a classic like Jhonny Gaddar but its seriously haunting. Not many people would like such violence but its a refreshing changing face of Indian cinema so go ahead and grab this Violent, crazy, brilliant film and feel the pleasure of cinema (without the use of lubrication)

Rating - ***.75 (it would have been **** if it didn't have an interval)

Shamitabh

Dear R. Balki Sir,

You have given us wonderful films like 'Cheeni Kum' and 'Paa'. But, with 'Shamitabh' you are now pushing the envelope of same patterns films. Its repetitive and boring.

Shamitabh is about a mute actor (Dhanush) who hails from a small village and gets an expensive operation done in his vocal cord thanx to an assistant director (Sarika), who tries very hard to say dialogues (may b she was mute before as wel). They finally find a voice (Amitji) which doesnt suit him at all, but the voice has more attitude and ego than Salman khan. Later the voice and the actor have conflicts more than a couple who are on a valentines day holiday with the girl on her period. Finally, the AD solves the jhagda but then the film goes so long that Salman Khan makes his entry and crashes his car into someone. (Typical Sallu)

So how do you make a Balki film - Take Amitji + make him Ham more than Pizza Hut puts Ham in their Pizzas + take a touching story + put silly toilet jokes in it + take a life threatning disease + stretch the idea to the limit until the audiences squirt (tears ;)) + finish with a tragic end = viola R. Balki film is complete. 

The film is well made and the first half is a breeze. The amount of detailing is superb. But, Things get stretched like a 50year old's ass in the second half. The concept is unique and a more crispier  editng would have made this film into a festival favourite. The graveyard scenes are brilliant and worth a watch.

Amitji is too loud, you enjoy his monologue the first time, but at the 5th monologue you tell urself "chal yaar bahar moot k aate hai" even though you don't need to piss. 

Dhanush is brilliant. He steals the thunder from Amitji

Sarika is good looking. She acts wel in some scenes but she needs to get Dick-tion classes for her hindi. (Hey wait she wasn't Sarika ?)

Overall, Shamitabh can be seen once for the unique concept and the mehnat of the technicians for the detailing. Otherwise wait for the DVDrip print to come online. And please Balki sir, lets do something different from ur usual style of SHame-itabh.

Rating - **