86th Academy Awards - The winners

86th Academy Awards - The winners

Here's a full list of the winners of the Oscars 2014:

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Best Actor Matthew McConaughey
Best Actress Cate Blanchett
Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita N'Yong'o
Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Best Foreign Language film: The Great Beauty
Best Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
Best Original Screenplay: Her
Best Animated Feature: Frozen
Best production: The Great Gatsby
Best sound mixing; Gravity
Best cinematography: Gravity
Best Sound editing: Gravity
Best Original Score: Gravity
Best Original song: Let It Go - Frozen
Best costume - The Great Gatsby
Best documentary feature: 20 Feet From Stardom
Best documentary short: The Lady in Number 6
Best film editing: Gravity
Best Makeup and hairdressing: Dallas Buyers Club
Best animated short: Mr Hublot
Best live action short: Helium
Best visual effects: Gravity

Here's a full list of the Oscar nominees for 2014

1. Best Picture: "American Hustle," ''Captain Phillips," ''Dallas Buyers Club," ''Gravity," ''Her," ''Nebraska," ''Philomena," ''12 Years a Slave," ''The Wolf of Wall Street."

2. Actor: Christian Bale, "American Hustle"; Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"; Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"; Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"; Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club."

3. Actress: Amy Adams, "American Hustle"; Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"; Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"; Judi Dench, "Philomena"; Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County."

4. Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"; Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"; Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"; Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"; Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club."

5. Supporting Actress: Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine'''; Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"; Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"; Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"; June Squibb, "Nebraska."

6. Directing: David O. Russell, "American Hustle"; Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"; Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"; Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"; Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street."

7. Foreign Language Film: "The Broken Circle Breakdown," Belgium; "The Great Beauty," Italy; "The Hunt," Denmark; "The Missing Picture," Cambodia; "Omar," Palestine.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, "Before Midnight"; Billy Ray, "Captain Phillips"; Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, "Philomena"; John Ridley, "12 Years a Slave"; Terence Winter, "The Wolf of Wall Street."

9. Original Screenplay: Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell, "American Hustle"; Woody Allen, "Blue Jasmine"; Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack, "Dallas Buyers Club"; Spike Jonze, "Her"; Bob Nelson, "Nebraska."

10. Animated Feature Film: "The Croods"; "Despicable Me 2"; "Ernest & Celestine"; "Frozen"; "The Wind Rises."

11. Production Design: "American Hustle," ''Gravity," ''The Great Gatsby," ''Her," ''12 Years a Slave."

12. Cinematography: "The Grandmaster," ''Gravity," ''Inside Llewyn Davis," ''Nebraska," ''Prisoners."

13. Sound Mixing: "Captain Phillips," ''Gravity," ''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," ''Inside Llewyn Davis," ''Lone Survivor."

14. Sound Editing: "All Is Lost," ''Captain Phillips," ''Gravity," ''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," ''Lone Survivor."

15. Original Score: "The Book Thief," John Williams; "Gravity," Steven Price; "Her," William Butler and Owen Pallett; "Philomena," Alexandre Desplat; "Saving Mr. Banks," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Alone Yet Not Alone" from "Alone Yet Not Alone," Bruce Broughton and Dennis Spiegel; "Happy" from "Despicable Me 2," Pharrell Williams; "Let It Go" from "Frozen," Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; "The Moon Song" from "Her," Karen O and Spike Jonze; "Ordinary Love" from "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," Paul Hewson, Dave Evans, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen.

17. Costume: "American Hustle," ''The Grandmaster," ''The Great Gatsby," ''The Invisible Woman," ''12 Years a Slave."

18. Documentary Feature: "The Act of Killing," ''Cutie and the Boxer," ''Dirty Wars," ''The Square," ''20 Feet from Stardom."

19. Documentary (short subject): "CaveDigger," ''Facing Fear," ''Karama Has No Walls," ''The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life," ''Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall."

20. Film Editing: "American Hustle," ''Captain Phillips," ''Dallas Buyers Club," ''Gravity," ''12 Years a Slave."

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Dallas Buyers Club," ''Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa," ''The Lone Ranger."

22. Animated Short Film: "Feral," ''Get a Horse!," ''Mr. Hublot," ''Possessions", "Room on the Broom."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)," ''Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just before Losing Everything)," ''Helium," ''Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)," ''The Voorman Problem."

24. Visual Effects: "Gravity," ''The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," ''Iron Man 3," ''The Lone Ranger," ''Star Trek Into Darkness."

Newstalk ZB: Movie Review - Non-Stop, Her, Lone Survivor - and the 86th Oscars

Newstalk ZB: Movie Review - Non-Stop, Her, Lone Survivor - and the 86th Oscars

Talking the Oscars as well as the latest movie reviews with Jack Tame on Newstalk ZB:

This week, reviews are Non-Stop, Her and Lone Survivor.

The Act of Killing: DVD Review

The Act of Killing: DVD Review

Rating: R13
Released by Madman Home Entertainment

The Act of Killing is an utterly extraordinary piece of film-making. 

It follows Indonesian death squad leaders and demands that they re-enact their killings from the 1965/66 coup. Specifically, director Joshua Oppenheimer takes in gangster Anwar Congo and his acts of genocide as well as other leaders in the movement and those who supported the murders from the sidelines. 

As a peek into the mindset and psychology of a mass murderer, it's actually quite chilling as those involved matter of factly discuss how they killed people, avoided the blood of many by using wire from a distance to slaughter and how they feel they're like gangsters from Hollywood films. 

It's completely shocking to realise what they've done, but what's even more shocking is how little they initially seem to feel about it all. 

Gradually though, Anwar begins to realise what he's done as this trippy piece, with its Hollywood re-enactments and lavish musical number nears its end. 

As they realise they're troubled by hallucinations and show some signs of remorse for what they've done, you begin to realise the strangest doco is also the most powerful, affecting and haunting. 

Extras: Directors' cut audio commentary, theatrical cut of film, Werner Herzog on the film, MasterClass

Rating:

Oscar predictions - who will - and who should - win

Oscar predictions - who will - and who should - win

On Monday NZT, we will know who will be celebrating taking home the Oscars for 2014.

But as every critic is wont to do at this time of year, it's time for me to nail the courage of my convictions to the whole and try and pick the winners.

Best picture:
Who will win - 12 Years A Slave - there's no better film around this year. While DBC strings together a couple of great performances, it doesn't soar into the skies in the way 12 Years does. Sure, it's tough material to watch in places, but as a masterclass of film, Steve McQueen has put together something powerful, moving and self-assured. 
Who should win - 12 Years A Slave (see above)
Wild cards - Gravity tied in the recent PGAs with 12 Years, but while its effects are tremendous, the story can't hold up next to the better narrative of 12 Years - but it could win on second choice votes...
Nominees - "American Hustle," ''Captain Phillips," ''Dallas Buyers Club," ''Gravity," ''Her," ''Nebraska," ''Philomena," ''12 Years a Slave," ''The Wolf of Wall Street."

Best actor
Who will win - Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club. He's got form from winning over awards season, but sometimes, that could throw a curveball from this sure thing
Who should win - Matthew McConaughey. Strong performance and a resurgence of career from this one time rom-com stable
Wildcards - Is this Leo's year? 4 times nominee, and lost each time - could the Academy finally pour some love on him, fifth time around?
Nominees - Christian Bale, "American Hustle"; Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"; Leonardo DiCaprio, "The Wolf of Wall Street"; Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"; Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club."

Best actress - 
Who will win - Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine. A strong performance in a return to form for director Woody Allen should see Blanchett continue her awards run.
Who should win - Cate Blanchett. 
Wild cards - don't rule out Dame Judi Dench.... word is Philomena's long run campaign may be helping it.
Nominees - Amy Adams, "American Hustle"; Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"; Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"; Judi Dench, "Philomena"; Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County."

Best supporting actor:
Who will win - A tough one in this field - I'm torn between Jared Leto's Rayon in DBC and Abdi's utterly captivating turn holding his own in Phillips. 
Who should win -  I'm calling it - Barkhad Abdi - no other debut was more astonishing than his.

Nominees: Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"; Bradley Cooper, "American Hustle"; Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"; Jonah Hill, "The Wolf of Wall Street"; Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club."

Best supporting actress:

Who will win - Jennifer Lawrence - she's picked up pre-awards which makes her the favourite. Though previous wins in as many years may count against. And her turn in Hustle seemed oddly miscast. I'm thinking Lupita Nyong'o may take it though in a last minute surge.

Who should win - Lupita Nyong'o. Expect the 12 Years a Slave actress to get the nod for role, and to make up for the fact that in a strong year, which sees awards more evenly split, there will be a need to give love to those in this film.

Nominees:  Sally Hawkins, "Blue Jasmine'''; Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"; Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"; Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"; June Squibb, "Nebraska."

Best director: 

Who will win - Either Steve McQueen, who did a sterling job of handling something difficult and made something powerful - or Alfonso Cuaron, who redefined the space film in just 90 mins.

Who should win - See above

Wildcard - I'd love to see Payne pick something up for Nebraska, but I reckon, with the split this year, the odds are against this happening.

Nominees -David O. Russell, "American Hustle"; Alfonso Cuaron, "Gravity"; Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"; Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"; Martin Scorsese, "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Best foreign language film - 

Who will win - I've only seen 2 of the nominees, but I'm hearing good things about The Great Beauty

Who should win - Again, hard to call given the above confession, but The Hunt was some pretty compelling cinema, pinned by a strong lead from Mads Mikkelsen.

Nominees : "The Broken Circle Breakdown," Belgium; "The Great Beauty," Italy; "The Hunt," Denmark; "The Missing Picture," Cambodia; "Omar," Palestine.

Best adapted screenplay: 

Who will win - Philomena

Who should win - Philomena; Steve Coogan's Baby Cow production pulled together a sensational piece that was rich and resonated with many.

Nominees : Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke, "Before Midnight"; Billy Ray, "Captain Phillips"; Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, "Philomena"; John Ridley, "12 Years a Slave"; Terence Winter, "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Best original screenplay

Who will win - Her

Who should win - Her. Spike Jonze's story captured the essence of something that's just around the corner for this tech-infested world. But he infused it with a heart, an aching universality and a soulful fragility that deserves to be recognised. 

Wildcard - Nebraska - I'd love to think this downplayed story deserved something too - can't we call it a tie?

Nominees - Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell, "American Hustle"; Woody Allen, "Blue Jasmine"; Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack, "Dallas Buyers Club"; Spike Jonze, "Her"; Bob Nelson, "Nebraska."

Best Animated Feature Film: 

Who will win - Horrible feeling Frozen may take it. This was a film that left me cold - and offered nothing fabulously new except a nice twist on love saving the day.

Who should win - The Wind Rises. It'd be nice to see the Academy award a career that's ending - but will they find love for Miyazaki?

Nominees - "The Croods"; "Despicable Me 2"; "Ernest & Celestine"; "Frozen"; "The Wind Rises."

Check back on Monday and see how I did - and hit me up in the comments with your picks and tips!

Call of Duty®: Ghosts Onslaught DLC Pack Now Available

Call of Duty®: Ghosts Onslaught DLC Pack
Now Available for PlayStation and Windows PC Players

First DLC Pack Features Four New Multiplayer Maps, All-New “Maverick” Dual-Purpose Weapon, Iconic Horror Character Michael Myers, and

“Nightfall” – the First Installment in Extinction's Four-Part Episodic Story

Call of Duty: Ghosts players on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC can now purchase the first DLC Pack – Onslaught.  The new DLC Pack delivers four unique and classically designed Call of Duty multiplayer maps, the all-new “Maverick” dual-purpose Assault Rifle/Sniper Rifle, and the first installment in Extinction’s four-part episodic narrative, “Episode 1: Nightfall.”

New multiplayer maps in Onslaught include:

-          Fog: Set alongside the banks of a murky lake, players skilled enough to pick up the map’s unique Field Order can become the embodiment of evil and don the mask of Michael Myers, one of cinema’s most iconic horror characters, in this chilling homage to classic horror films.

-          BayView: A coastal Californian boardwalk that offers players fast-paced run-and-gun gameplay amid a seaside town. Clever players will be able to climb onto the map's moving trolley to engage enemies, as well as call in devastating artillery strikes from the Naval Destroyer anchored offshore.

-          Containment: This map drops players into a raging battle amidst a war-torn Mexican village, where the action centers on the crippled remains of a small bridge holding a hi-jacked truck leaking radioactive material.

-          Ignition: Is a reimagined version of "Scrapyard" – the fan-favorite multiplayer map from Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 2, placing players into a deserted space launch facility with frenetic action amongst abandoned warehouses, flame trenches, a massive transport crawler, and dynamic map elements that can take players out if they're not paying close attention.

Onslaught also arms players with the Maverick, a deadly new, dual-purpose addition to their multiplayer arsenal. Outfitted with a lightweight wood stock, players can choose to use the Maverick as either an Assault Rifle or Sniper Rifle, depending on their tactical needs.

Anchoring Onslaught is "Episode 1: Nightfall," the first installment in Extinction's new, four-part episodic narrative. As the initial foray into this single, connected story that will be told across each DLC Pack launch throughout the year, "Episode 1: Nightfall" takes fans to a remote research facility hidden deep within the Alaskan wilderness, where a small recon team must infiltrate the facility to find out what happened to the mysterious Nightfall Program. This expanded Extinction storyline introduces new characters, plus two all-new alien species, and debuts an exclusive Venom-X weapon that pulverises the Cryptids, as players delve deeper into the story of what happened following mankind's first contact with the Cryptids in Colorado.

Fans can purchase Onslaught as either a standalone DLC Pack or purchase the Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC Season Pass.  Season Pass holders not only get all four epic DLC Packs* for the suggested retail price of $69.95, but they also get instant access to the downloadable multiplayer map “Free Fall” as well as the Team Leader Digital Pack, which comes with a unique multiplayer character head, weapon camo, reticle, player patch, player card and player background.

Call of Duty: Ghosts game sold separately and is required to play this DLC Pack.

Doctor Who: The Moonbase: DVD Review

Doctor Who: The Moonbase: DVD Review

Rating: PG
Released by BBC and Roadshow Home Entertainment

The second ever story to feature the Cybermen is a traditional tale of a base under siege from the Second Doctor Patrick Troughton's reign at the helm of the TARDIS.

When the Doctor, Polly, Ben and Jamie land on the moon, they soon find themselves threatened by the creatures as they try to take over a base which controls the Earth's weather...

The Moonbase is 50% live action and 50% animated with 2 episodes missing. While the animation's impressive, it can't really make up for a traditional and slightly plodding Who story that's not as gripping as you'd hope for from the return of the silver meanies.

A Behind the scenes doco is fairly gentle stuff and perhaps the biggest drawcard of the extras, but this release is nothing more and nothing less than a Doctor Who release. It's not exactly gripping, but not exactly a disaster.

Rating:

Dark Souls 2: : Dark Intentions BTS Video drops

Dark Souls 2: : Dark Intentions BTS Video drops

Just released is  the new Developer video for DARK SOULS II called ‘Dark Intentions'

DARK SOULS II will launch in Australia and New Zealand on March 13, 2014 on the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft with the PC edition to follow shortly in 2014