Nearing the finish line in our countdown of 2014 releases, we’re just inches away from our top 10, which means it’s time to present the year’s honorable mentions. But first, in case you missed it, here’s what we’ve covered so far.
Nos. 92-79 (Tiers 12 and 11)
Nos. 78-71 (Tier 10)
Nos. 70-64 (Tier 9)
Nos. 63-56 (Tier 8)
Nos. 55-48 (Tier 7)
Nos. 47-40 (Tier 6)
Nos. 39-32 (Tier 5)
Nos. 31-24 (Tier 4)
Nos. 23-17 (Tier 3)
As the Manifesto continues its countdown of every movie we saw in 2014, we’ve now entered the top quartile. If you missed it, here’s what we’ve covered so far:
Nos. 92-79 (Tiers 12 and 11)
Nos. 78-71 (Tier 10)
Nos. 70-64 (Tier 9)
Nos. 63-56 (Tier 8)
Nos. 55-48 (Tier 7)
Nos. 47-40 (Tier 6)
Nos. 39-32 (Tier 5)
Nos. 31-24 (Tier 4)
The Manifesto is ranking every movie we saw in 2014. If you missed it, here’s what we’ve covered so far:
Nos. 92-79 (Tiers 12 and 11)
Nos. 78-71 (Tier 10)
Nos. 70-64 (Tier 9)
Nos. 63-56 (Tier 8)
Nos. 55-48 (Tier 7)
Nos. 47-40 (Tier 6)
Nos. 39-32 (Tier 5)
As I frantically scrolled through the list of Oscar nominations this morning, I realized something odd: For the most part, I didn’t really care who was nominated. Sure, I preferred some candidates to others, and as a matter of quasi-professional pride, I wanted to perform well in my predictions. (For the record, I went 55-for-69, good for a solid but unremarkable 80%.) But as I started scanning the collective of this year’s Academy Award representatives, I realized that only one scenario would break my heart: if Whiplash failed to receive a Best Picture nomination. Beyond that, my casual rooting interest seemed disproportionate to the level of obsession I place on analyzing the Oscars in the first place.
Still, one omission from yesterday’s announcement infuriated me, and it came in one of the few categories I didn’t even bother to predict. I’ve had an uneasy relationship with the Best Animated Feature category for some time, though I’ve gradually, grudgingly acknowledged its utility (highlighting the merits of a number of movies that would other be ignored as “kiddie fare”), even as I remain wary of its larger implications (marginalizing those same movies by roping them off into their own special category, a form of cinematic discrimination). But my general antipathy toward the category couldn’t prevent my eyes from bulging in disbelief as I read the five contenders that will comprise this year’s field. Not among them: The LEGO Movie.
Don’t look now, but a dynasty is being built in America, as an unstoppable juggernaut—captained by an unflappable, charismatic leader—is seeking to become champion of the world for the second consecutive year. No, I’m not talking about the Seattle Seahawks’ ongoing efforts to repeat at the Super Bowl. I’m talking about the Manifesto and its quest to perfectly predict the slate of the Oscars’ Best Picture nominees two years running. Now, I recognize that I just compared myself to Russell Wilson, but let’s not be ridiculous: Russell Wilson never won this.
Besides, Wilson’s presence accounts for roughly 1.9% of the Seahawks’ game-day roster; I’m doing this all on my own. In terms of astonishing repeat performances, if I can pull this off, I’d slot it somewhere between Johnny Vander Meer pitching back-to-back no-hitters and Jed Bartlet winning reelection despite the American public discovering that he’d spent the last four years in the Oval Office concealing a life-threatening disease. We’re on the brink of history here, people.