20th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards (Winners)

And the Critics have spoken... 1st ever MVP award goes to Jessica Chastain.  Lifetime achievement award given to Kevin Costner.

This show is a perfect response to Oscar's nominations.

BEST PICTURE

Birdman

Boyhood (WINNER)

Gone Girl

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Nightcrawler

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Unbroken

Whiplash

BEST ACTOR

Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game

Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Jake Gyllenhaal – Nightcrawler

Michael Keaton – Birdman (WINNER)

David Oyelowo – Selma

Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS

Jennifer Aniston – Cake

Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night

Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore – Still Alice (WINNER)

Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon – Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Josh Brolin – Inherent Vice

Robert Duvall – The Judge

Ethan Hawke – Boyhood

Edward Norton – Birdman

Mark Ruffalo – Foxcatcher

J.K. Simmons – Whiplash (WINNER)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette – Boyhood (WINNER)

Jessica Chastain – A Most Violent Year

Keira Knightley – The Imitation Game

Emma Stone – Birdman

Meryl Streep – Into the Woods

Tilda Swinton – Snowpiercer

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS

Ellar Coltrane – Boyhood (WINNER)

Ansel Elgort – The Fault in Our Stars

Mackenzie Foy – Interstellar

Jaeden Lieberher – St. Vincent

Tony Revolori – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Quvenzhane Wallis – Annie

Noah Wiseman – The Babadook

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE

Birdman (WINNER)

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Into the Woods

Selma

BEST DIRECTOR

Wes Anderson – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Ava DuVernay – Selma

David Fincher – Gone Girl

Alejandro G. Inarritu – Birdman

Angelina Jolie – Unbroken

Richard Linklater – Boyhood (WINNER)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Birdman – Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr., Armando Bo (WINNER)

Boyhood – Richard Linklater

The Grand Budapest Hotel – Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness

Nightcrawler – Dan Gilroy

Whiplash – Damien Chazelle

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn (WINNER)

The Imitation Game – Graham Moore

Inherent Vice – Paul Thomas Anderson

The Theory of Everything – Anthony McCarten

Unbroken – Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese, William Nicholson

Wild – Nick Hornby

BEST CINEMATOGRAPY

Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki (WINNER)

The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman

Interstellar – Hoyte Van Hoytema

Mr. Turner – Dick Pope

Unbroken – Roger Deakins

BEST ART DIRECTION

Birdman – Kevin Thompson/Production Designer, George DeTitta Jr./Set Decorator

The Grand Budapest Hotel – Adam Stockhausen/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator (WINNER)

Inherent Vice – David Crank/Production Designer, Amy Wells/Set Decorator

Interstellar – Nathan Crowley/Production Designer, Gary Fettis/Set Decorator

Into the Woods – Dennis Gassner/Production Designer, Anna Pinnock/Set Decorator

Snowpiercer – Ondrej Nekvasil/Production Designer, Beatrice Brentnerova/Set Decorator

BEST EDITING

Birdman – Douglas Crise, Stephen Mirrione (WINNER)

Boyhood – Sandra Adair

Gone Girl – Kirk Baxter

Interstellar – Lee Smith

Whiplash – Tom Cross

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero (WINNER)

Inherent Vice – Mark Bridges

Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood

Maleficent – Anna B. Sheppard

Mr. Turner – Jacqueline Durran

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP

Foxcatcher

Guardians of the Galaxy (WINNER)

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Into the Woods

Maleficent

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (WINNER)

Edge of Tomorrow

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Interstellar

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Big Hero 6

The Book of Life

The Boxtrolls

How to Train Your Dragon 2

The Lego Movie (WINNER)

BEST ACTION MOVIE

American Sniper

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Edge of Tomorrow

Fury

Guardians of the Galaxy (WINNER)

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE

Bradley Cooper – American Sniper (WINNER)

Tom Cruise – Edge of Tomorrow

Chris Evans – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Brad Pitt – Fury

Chris Pratt – Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE

Emily Blunt – Edge of Tomorrow (WINNER)

Scarlett Johansson – Lucy

Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Zoe Saldana – Guardians of the Galaxy

Shailene Woodley – Divergent

BEST COMEDY

Birdman

The Grand Budapest Hotel (WINNER)

St. Vincent

Top Five

22 Jump Street

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Jon Favreau – Chef

Ralph Fiennes – The Grand Budapest Hotel

Michael Keaton – Birdman (WINNER)

Bill Murray – St. Vincent

Chris Rock – Top Five

Channing Tatum – 22 Jump Street

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Rose Byrne – Neighbors

Rosario Dawson – Top Five

Melissa McCarthy – St. Vincent

Jenny Slate – Obvious Child (WINNER)

Kristen Wiig – The Skeleton Twins

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE

The Babadook

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Interstellar (WINNER)

Snowpiercer

Under the Skin

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Force Majeure (WINNER)

Ida

Leviathan

Two Days, One Night

Wild Tales

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Citizenfour

Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me

Jodorowsky’s Dune

Last Days in Vietnam

Life Itself (WINNER)

The Overnighters

BEST SONG

Big Eyes – Lana Del Rey – Big Eyes

Everything Is Awesome – Jo Li and the Lonely Island – The Lego Movie

Glory – Common/John Legend – Selma (WINNER)

Lost Stars – Keira Knightley – Begin Again

Yellow Flicker Beat – Lorde – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

BEST SCORE

Alexandre Desplat – The Imitation Game

Johann Johannsson – The Theory of Everything

Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – Gone Girl

Antonio Sanchez – Birdman (WINNER)

Hans Zimmer – Interstellar

87th Academy Awards (OSCARS) Nominations

I feel bad for Jennifer Aniston who's being considered as a sure lock in the Best Actress category.  LEGO movie was one of the films which is both critical and financial success and it was shut out of the race.  Too bad also for Selma's female director who again was snubbed.

So who's in?  Here are the nominees

Best Picture

"American Sniper"

"Birdman"

"Boyhood"

"The Grand Budapest Hotel"

"The Imitation Game"

"Selma"

"The Theory of Everything"

"Whiplash"

Best Director

Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Alejandro González Iñárritu, "Birdman"

Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"

Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher”

Morten Tyldum, "The Imitation Game"

Best Actress

Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One Night”

Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"

Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"

Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"

Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"

Best Actor

Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"

Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”

Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"

Michael Keaton, "Birdman"

Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"

Best Supporting Actress

Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"

Laura Dern, “Wild”

Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game"

Emma Stone, "Birdman"

Meryl Streep, "Into the Woods"

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall, "The Judge"

Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood"

Edward Norton, "Birdman"

Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher"

J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"

Best Adapted Screenplay

Paul Thomas Anderson, “Inherent Vice”

Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"

Jason Hall, “American Sniper”

Anthony McCarten, "The Theory of Everything"

Graham Moore, "The Imitation Game"

Best Original Screenplay

Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye, "Foxcatcher"

Dan Gilroy, "Nightcrawler"

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, "Birdman"

Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"

Best Foreign Language Film

"Leviathan"

"Ida"

"Tangerines"

“Timbuktu”

"Wild Tales"

Best Documentary Feature

"CITIZENFOUR"

“Finding Vivian Maier”

"Last Days in Vietnam"

“The Salt in the Earth”

"Virunga”

Best Animated Feature

"Big Hero 6"

"The Boxtrolls"

"How to Train Your Dragon 2"

“Song of the Sea”

"The Tale of The Princess Kaguya"

Best Film Editing

"American Sniper"

"Boyhood"

“The Grand Budapest Hotel”

"The Imitation Game"

"Whiplash"

Best Original Song

"Everything is Awesome" from "The LEGO Movie" (written by Shawn Patterson)

"Glory" from "Selma" (written by Common and John Legend)

"Grateful" from "Beyond the Lights" (written by Diane Warren)

"I’m Not Gonna Miss You" from "Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me" (written by Glen Campbell)

"Lost Stars" from "Begin Again" (written by Gregg Alexander, Danielle Brisebois, Nick Lashley and Nick Southwood)

Best Original Score

Alexandre Desplat, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Alexandre Desplat, "The Imitation Game"

Johann Johannsson, "The Theory of Everything"

Gary Yershon, “Mr. Turner”

Hans Zimmer, "Interstellar"

Best Cinematography

Roger Deakins, "Unbroken"

Emmanuel Lubezki, "Birdman"

Dick Pope, "Mr. Turner"

Robert Yeoman, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"

Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, “Ida”

Best Costume Design

"The Grand Budapest Hotel"

“Inherent Vice”

"Into the Woods"

"Maleficent"

"Mr. Turner"

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

"Foxcatcher"

"The Grand Budapest Hotel"

"Guardians of the Galaxy"

Best Production Design

"The Grand Budapest Hotel"

“The Imitation Game”

“Interstellar”

"Into the Woods"

"Mr. Turner"

Best Sound Editing

"American Sniper"

“Birdman”

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"

"Interstellar"

"Unbroken"

Best Sound Mixing

"American Sniper"

"Birdman"

“Interstellar”

"Unbroken"

“Whiplash”

Best Visual Effects

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

"Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"

"Guardians of the Galaxy"

"Interstellar"

"X-Men: Days of Future Past"

Best Short Film, Live Action

"Aya"

“Boogaloo and Graham”

“Butter Lamp”

“Parvaneh”

"The Phone Call"

Best Short Film, Animated

"The Bigger Picture"

"The Dam Keeper"

"Feast"

"Me and My Moulton"

“A Single Life”

Best Documentary, Short Subject

“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1”

"Joanna"

"Our Curse"

“The Reaper”

"White Earth"

The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (Winners)

Hollywood's craziest awards show - the Globes, and the winners are in red...

Best Motion Picture – Drama

“Boyhood”

“Foxcatcher”

“The Imitation Game”

“Selma”

“The Theory of Everything”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama

Jennifer Aniston, “Cake”

Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”

Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”

Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”

Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”

Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”

Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”

David Oyelowo, “Selma”

Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”

Best Picture — Comedy or Musical

“Birdman”

“The Grand Budapest Hotel”

“Into the Woods”

“Pride”

“St. Vincent”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical

Amy Adams, “Big Eyes”

Emily Blunt, “Into the Woods”

Helen Mirren, “The Hundred-Foot Journey”

Julianne Moore, “Maps to the Stars”

Quvenzhané Wallis, “Annie”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical

Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Michael Keaton, “Birdman”

Bill Murray, “St. Vincent”

Joaquin Phoenix, “Inherent Vice”

Christoph Waltz, “Big Eyes”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”

Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”

Keria Knightley, “The Imitation Game”

Emma Stone, “Birdman”

Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

Robert Duvall, “The Judge”

Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”

Edward Norton, “Birdman”

Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”

J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”

Best Director — Motion Picture

Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Ava DuVernay, “Selma”

David Fincher, “Gone Girl”

Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman”

Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”

Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl”

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, “Birdman”

Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”

Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”

Best Animated Feature Film

“Big Hero 6″

“The Book of Life”

“The Boxtrolls”

“How to Train Your Dragon 2″

“The LEGO Movie”

Best Foreign Language Film

“Force Majeure”

“Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem”

“Ida”

“Leviathan”

“Tangerines”

Best Original Score from a Motion Picture

“The Imitation Game”

“Theory of Everything”

“Gone Girl”

“Birdman”

“Interstellar”

Best Original Song — Motion Picture

“Big Eyes,” from “Big Eyes,” by Lana Del Ray

“Glory,” from “Selma,” by John Legend and Common

“Mercy Is,” from “Noah,” by Patty Smith and Lenny Kaye

“Opportunity,” from “Annie”

“Yellow Flicker Beat,” from “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1,” by Lorde

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

“Fargo,” FX

“The Missing,” Starz

“The Normal Heart,” HBO

“Olive Kitteridge,” HBO

“True Detective,” HBO

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Matt Bomer, “The Normal Heart”

Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”

Colin Hanks, “Fargo”

Bill Murray, “Olive Kitteridge”

Jon Voight, “Ray Donovan”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Uzo Aduba, “Orange is the New Black”

Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story”

Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”

Allison Janney, “Mom”

Michelle Monaghan, “True Detective”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy

Louis C.K., “Louie”

Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”

Ricky Gervais, “Derek”

William H. Macy, “Shameless”

Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama

Claire Danes, “Homeland”

Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder”

Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”

Ruth Wilson, “The Affair”

Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy

“Girls,” HBO

“Jane the Virgin,” The CW

“Orange is the New Black,” Netflix

“Silicon Valley,” HBO”

 “Transparent,” Amazon Instant Video

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Musical or Comedy

Lena Dunham, “Girls”

Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”

Julia Louis Dreyfus, “Veep”

Gina Rodriguez, “Jane the Virgin”

Taylor Schilling, “Orange is the New Black”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman”

Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”

Francis McDormand, “Olive Kitteridge”

Frances O’Connor, “The Missing”

Allison Tolman, “Fargo”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Martin Freeman, “Fargo”

Woody Harrelson, “True Detective”

Matthew McConaughey, “True Detective”

Mark Ruffalo, “The Normal Heart”

Billy Bob Thornton, “Fargo”

for complete list of winners and flow of events go to Guardian's website.

Into The Woods (2014)

I should commend Disney for venturing a dark and for mature audiences musical consisting of fairy tale characters, based on a broadway musical of the same name by Stephen Sondheim.

The film is complex having intertwined conflicts which kudos should be given to Rob Marshall for pulling it off.  The ensemble cast did an amazing job but I have to say that Streep and Blunt were such stellar.

However, it's not Les Mis nor Chicago but it settles just fine, right where it should be - chanting an entertaining chorus.

As taken from the movie - "You're so nice. You're not good; you're not bad; you're just nice."

Birdman or [The Unexpected Virtue Of Ignorance] (2014)

This is Michael Keaton's movie and Riggan Thomson will be his role of a lifetime.  The film has all the ingredients to be a worthy Oscar nominee - original screenplay, an Oscar nominated director, homage to theater, washed-up actors, and a little bit of nudity.

Keaton was at his best when he's doing a monologue or dialogue with his ghost.  Edward Norton and Emma Stone proved to be worthy supports to Keaton.  Naomi Watts should be praised as well for her role.

I am impressed how the movement of camera went from one place to another, it's as if it's  shot continuously.  However, it didn't engage me as much as I would love to. I find the drum score too distracting although I understand that it was placed there aesthetically.

It's a unique film and will diversify the race but compared between Boyhood and this one, personally - Boyhood is a clear winner.