The GAFAs – Gordon’s Academy Film Awards

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Last year I set myself a goal of watching all the movies in the major categories at the Oscars. I wanted to have an informed opinion on the films that were and were not honoured. I also wanted to be able to bestow or beseech the Academy with some level of authority. So, over a few weeks I watched about twenty films, including many I would never have chosen to watch without this ‘challenge’. Some of them were surprisingly good (such as Bruce Dern’s Nebraska) and some were quite a chore (like Meryl Streep’s August Osage County).

A comparison of my choices and the actual winners is below…

Academy Award Winners 2014

 

For 2015 I wanted to take things to the next level and see how my opinions fared against not only the US centric Academy Awards (Oscars), but also the flagship British equivalent, the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs). This was quite a mammoth task as there were 31 films in the 18 major, non technical BAFTA categories. Adding in the additional 13 films that were nominated in the 16 Oscar categories takes the total up to 44 films!

I started watching the films on 12th January 2015 (although a couple of films I had already seen, such as Guardians of the Galaxy and X-Men) and managed to watch them all in less than a month.

So to celebrate this weekend’s BAFTA ceremony, here are my choices from their nominations…


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Nominees: Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything

 

Close but no cigar: The Theory of Everything
I can’t believe they weren’t nominated: Nightcrawler and Selma


Nominees: The imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, '71, Pride, Under the Skin

Nominees: The imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, ’71, Pride, Under the Skin

Close but no cigar: ’71
I can’t believe they weren’t nominated: Lilting


Nominees: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Ralph Feinnes (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nighcrawler), Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Nominees: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Ralph Feinnes (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Jake Gyllenhaal (Nighcrawler), Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Winner: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
Close but no cigar: Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler)
I can’t believe they weren’t nominated: David Oleyowo (Selma) or Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner)


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Nominees: Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Reese Witherspoon (Wild), Amy Adams (Big Eyes), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Winner: Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
Close but no cigar: Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)


Nominees: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Edward Norton (Birdman), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)

Nominees: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Edward Norton (Birdman), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)

Winner: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
Close but no cigar: Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher)


Nominees: Keira Knightly (The Imitation Game), Imelda Staunton (Pride), Emma Stone (Birdman), Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Rene Russo (Nightcrawler)

Nominees: Keira Knightly (The Imitation Game), Imelda Staunton (Pride), Emma Stone (Birdman), Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Rene Russo (Nightcrawler)

Winner: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
Close but no cigar: Imelda Staunton (Pride)
I can’t believe they weren’t nominated: Laura Dern (Wild)
I can’t believe they were nominated: Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game) and Emma Stone (Birdman)


Nominees: Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), James Marsh (The Theory of Everything), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), Alejandro G. Inarritu (Birdman)

Nominees: Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), James Marsh (The Theory of Everything), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), Alejandro G. Inarritu (Birdman)

Winner: Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Close but no cigar: Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)
I can’t believe they weren’t nominated: Ava DuVernay (Selma) and Mike Leigh (Mr. Turner)

Nominees: The Imitation Game (Graham Moore), American Sniper (Jason Hall), Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn), Paddington (Paul King), The Theory of Everything (Anthony McCarten)

Nominees: The Imitation Game (Graham Moore), American Sniper (Jason Hall), Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn), Paddington (Paul King), The Theory of Everything (Anthony McCarten)

Winner: Gone Girl (Gillin Flynn) 
Close but no cigar: The Theory of Everything (Anthony McCarten)
I can’t believe they were nominated: Paddington (Paul King)


The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson), Boyhood (Richard Linklater), Whiplash (Damien Chazelle), Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy), Birdman (A Inarritu, N Giacobone, A Dinelaris Jr, A Bo)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson), Boyhood (Richard Linklater), Whiplash (Damien Chazelle), Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy), Birdman (A Inarritu, N Giacobone, A Dinelaris Jr, A Bo)

Winner: Nightcrawler (Dan Gilroy)
Close but no cigar: Whiplash (Damien Chazelle)


Nominees: The Boxtrolls, The Lego Movie, Big Hero 6

Nominees: The Boxtrolls, The Lego Movie, Big Hero 6

Winner: Big Hero 6
I can’t believe they weren’t nominated: The Tale of Princess Kazuya


Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Interstellar, Mr. Turner, Birdman, Ida

Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Interstellar, Mr. Turner, Birdman, Ida

Winner: Birdman
Close but no cigar: Mr. Turner
I Cant Believe they weren’t nominated: Selma


Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, Mr. Turner, Into the Woods

Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, Mr. Turner, Into the Woods

Close but no cigar: Mr. Turner


 

Nominees: Guardians of the Galaxy, Into the Woods, Mr. Turner, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Theory of Everything

Nominees: Guardians of the Galaxy, Into the Woods, Mr. Turner, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Theory of Everything

Close but no cigar: Mr. Turner


Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Interstellar, Birdman, Under the Skin, The Theory of Everything

Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Interstellar, Birdman, Under the Skin, The Theory of Everything

Winner: Interstellar
Close but no cigar: Under the Skin


Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Mr. Turner, Interstellar, Big Eyes

Nominees: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Mr. Turner, Interstellar, Big Eyes

Close but no cigar: Interstellar and Mr. Turner
I can’t believe they weren’t nominated: Selma


Nominees: American Sniper, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash, The Imitation Game, Birdman

Nominees: American Sniper, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Whiplash, The Imitation Game, Birdman

Winner: Whiplash
Close but no cigar: Birdman


Nominees: The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, Guardians of the Galaxy, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Interstellar

Nominees: The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, Guardians of the Galaxy, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Interstellar

Winner: Interstellar
Close but no cigar: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

 


Nominees: Stephen Beresford and David Livingstone (Pride), Gregory Burke and Yann Demange ('71), Elaine Constantine (Northern Soul), Hong Khaou (Lilting), Paul Katis and Andrew De Lotbiniere (Kajaki: The True Story)

Nominees: Stephen Beresford and David Livingstone (Pride), Gregory Burke and Yann Demange (’71), Elaine Constantine (Northern Soul), Hong Khaou (Lilting), Paul Katis and Andrew De Lotbiniere (Kajaki: The True Story)

Winner: Paul Katis & Andrew De Lotbiniere (Kajaki: The True Story)
Close but no cigar: Greg Burke and Yann Demange (’71)


So there you have the results of this years GAFAs. Eleven different films receiving an imaginary statuette. Despite not being my favourite film of the year, The Grand Budapest Hotel is the big winner on the night with five awards, including the big two of Best Director and Best Film.
The 2014 GAFAs for the best films in 2014 went to….
The Grand Budapest Hotel (5): Film, Director, Costume Design, Make-up and Hair, Production Design
Whiplash (2): Supporting Actor, Sound
Interstellar (2): Music, Visual Effects
Kajaki: The True Story (2): British Film, British Debut
Nightcrawler (1): Original Screenplay
Big Hero 6 (1): Animated Film
Birdman (1): Cinematography
Boyhood (1): Supporting Actress
Gone Girl (1): Adapted Screenplay
Still Alice (1): Actress
The Theory of Everything (1): Actor
Feel free to rubbish my choices in the comments below 🙂
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