2014 BAFTA Awards - The Winners and The Losers

First of all we want to say well done to everyone involved in the BAFTAs and also to all those nominated for the great films that have been produced for this years event.  Here we will discuss the winners and losers of this years BAFTAs.

Here are our winners and losers of the Awards but please note when we say 'loser' we mean those unlucky in not winning when we feel they deserved to. 

Winner - Gravity

Sandra Bullock in Gravity

Gravity came away with no fewer than 6 awards.  The film won Outstanding British Film, Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron, Best Cinematography,  Best Music, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. We are yet to see the film but it obviously touched a chord with the voters as it ended up as the most successful film of the night.  A true winner on awards night, Gravity goes into the Oscars full of confidence.

Loser - Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio caused a racket of screams on the red carpet before the awards but unfortunately the actor came away empty handed from the BAFTAs. Nominated for the Best Actor award for his role in "The Wolf of Wall Street" many thought this would be his year to win the BAFTA's before heading to the Oscars next month.  DiCaprio still looked good as always and is still a contender for the Oscars.

Winner -  Stephen Fry

One big winner from the BAFTAs did not even win an award and that was the host, Stephen Fry.  It was the comedians 9th time hosting the Awards and he really has perfected it.  Charming, funny and honest, Fry really delivered a great BAFTA Ceremony, one that was worth all of the talent that had come together to celebrate film.

Loser - Lupita Nyong'o  

Lupita Nyong'o was up for two awards individually; Best Supporting Actress and Best Rising Star.  Unfortunately she did not win either losing out to Jennifer Lawrence and Will Poulter respectively.  This was a shame for Nyong'o who we felt really deserved an award for her outstanding performance in "12 Years a Slave".

Winner - The Great Gatsby

Brilliant production and costumer design in The Great Gatsby

Baz Lurhman's "The Great Gatsby" for us was a surpise winner at this years BAFTAs, winning 2 awards.  The film won Best Production Design as well as Best Costume Design and for us this was a surprise.  However, it was not a surprise because we though it did not deserve it but because no one really predicted it.  We loved the film and are glad to see it win these awards.

Loser - Her & Dallas Buyers Club

Whether you can count "Her" and "Dallas Buyers Club" as losers is difficult as they were not nominated for an award between them.  However, we have chose to include them in our list.  These two films are definitely up there with the rest and in our opinion should have been nominated at least for something, however they were both snubbed and we felt they were harshly done by in this regard.

Winner - 12 Years a Slave

Ultimately, the film that won the 'BIG' awards, "12 Years a Slave" was the front runner for this years BAFTAS.  Based on the true story of Solomon Northup the film picked up the Best Film and Best Actor Award for Chiwetel Ejiofor. It is hard to argue with these as the film was incredible. As we have said before it truly was a powerful masterpiece that deserves the success it gets. You should not need any reasons to watch the film but in case you do we have compiled 12 reasons why you should go and watch "12 Years a Slave".

You can see a full list of winners for this years BAFTA Awards here.

We hope you have enjoyed reading our winners and losers of this years BAFTA Awards and if you agree or disagree feel free to comment below and join in the discussion before the Oscars next month.

Best Film Winner: 12 Years A Slave

Best Film Winner: 12 Years A Slave

Best Film Winner: 12 Years A Slave

Best Film Winner: 12 Years A Slave

Best Film Winner: 12 Years A Slave

Best Film Winner: 12 Years A Slave

12 Reasons to Watch Steve McQueen's "12 Years a Slave" Movie

After watching "12 Years a Slave" last night we have decided to do a feature on the film and give you 12 reasons as to why you should watch the movie.  So here we go in no particular order:



Director Steve McQueen and actor Chiwetel
 Ejiofor (AP Photo/Fox Searchlight, Jaap Buitendijk)

1. Steve McQueen

   That's right, we start the list with the man behind it, director Steve McQueen.  The British director came across the book for the film after his wife found it while they were looking for a true slave story to tell. His excellent skills set this film up perfectly and he certainly helps make it the success it is.



2. The Storyline

   The unbelievable yet extraordinary  story of Solomon Northup is next on the list.  A true story of deception, death, desperation, despair and pain, it really has it all.  Solomon wrote Twelve Years a Slave in 1853 the year he was reunited with his family.  It is still not known how or where he died.



3. Chiwetel Ejiofor

   Chiwetel Ejiofor was the actor chosen by McQueen to play Solomon and what a choice it was.  He brings an incredible performance and portrayal of Solomon that is near on perfect. The emotions he displays are so sincere and really add to the overall depth and feel of the film.



4. It's Powerful

   Powerful. The whole film is powerful. Whatever way you look at it. A powerful story. Powerful actors. Powerful scenes. The whole film has a essence surrounding that reaches out to the audience and pulls them in.



5. It's More Than Just a Film

   "12 Years a Slave" is more than just a film. It is a opportunity to absorb our past. What we see is not nice but its true.  It is something that should be shown and accepted for the truth it shows rather than just being branded as another film.



6. It's Emotional

   Of course a film of this nature is going to bring up emotions. It will not just have you crying though. The emotion we felt more of was anger. Anger at what we were seeing. We know this was only a film adaptation but it provoked these emotions from within us.  The portrayal of the story and slavery in particular really struck a chord with us and it is because we did not like what we were seeing and knew it was wrong. A film that can stir these emotions is certainly one worth watching.



7. It's a Must See

There is no doubt about it, if you do not see this film you are missing out. It really is a spectacle that needs to be viewed. It will be spoken about for years and there is a reason for this - so go and see it.




8. It Will Make You Think

You will not finish this film and just go back to your usual life without thinking about this film.  It raises too many questions and emotions for you to simply forget.  What is a great movie if it does not do this?




9. Lupita Nyong'o

   Relatively unknown before her portrayal of Patsey, Lupita Nyong'o really steps up to the big screen. Patsey was at the same plantation as Solomon and suffered tremendous amounts of assault, battery and rape.  A sad and tragic life which was quite difficult to watch.  Lupita plays the role incredibly well considering the circumstances her character faced. An inspirational performance.
   
   
   

   

   Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o and Chiwetel Ejiofor
    as Edwin Epps, Patsey and Solomon Northup

    

10. It's Relevant

It has been asked as to why this film has been released now and not years before.  One answer for this is that it is now relevant.  With Barack Obama the President of the United States and people ready to talk about and discuss slavery there is no better time for the film to be released and watched.  Recently we saw the release of "Django Unchained" (2012) - a totally different film that involves some aspect of slavery.



11. It Raises Questions

    You will have tonnes of questions after watching this film and the majority of them will not be answered.  What happens to Solomon? Why was he taken? Was he the only one? These questions cause great discussion and really show the effect this story can have on you.



12. It's Good

    There is no questioning it, "12 Years a Slave" is an incredible film.  One that will leave you speechless. There will be parts that are uncomfortable to watch and difficult to stomach but it is worth it. A real masterpiece of emotional truth.

 

That completes our 12 reasons as to why you should go and watch "12 Years a Slave". It really is worth the time and effort of seeing.  We have also written a full review of "12 Years a Slave" and hope you decide to watch this film.

Question Time: What Actors Would You Like To See Work Together Again?

With rumours starting that  "The Wolf of Wall Street" pair Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill are to work together again on an Olympic bomber drama called ‘The Ballad of Richard Jewell’ we want to ask what actors you would like to see team up again.

 

We will get things rolling with our picks:

 

1 - George Clooney and Brad Pitt

 

We loved these two working together in the Oceans franchise and would like to see them collaborate again. Clooney has recently teamed up with Matt Damon who also starred in Oceans for "The Monuments Men" (2014). It would be great to see Clooney and Pitt back together for a film that could be as good as their previous collaborations.

 

Pitt and Clooney in "Oceans Eleven" (2011)

 

2 - Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz

 

These two came together for Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" (2012) and worked very well together.  A great balance on screen - both bringing a range of skills for the audience to see. It would be interesting to see if they could work together again and produce something as entertaining as Django.

 

Waltz and Foxx in "Django Unchained" (2012)

 

Let us know who you would like to see back together by commenting below.

RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

This is the type of news we do not like to have to report on. Unfortunately today Philip Seymour Hoffman has passed away. While it is still unclear and rather speculative - reports suggest that his death was drug related.  The actor has had a previous history with drug use and re-admitted himself into rehab last year. The news comes as a shock to everyone.

 

Oscar winner Hoffman had recent success in "The Master" (2012) and also featured in the Hunger Games film franchise, with the latest still to be filmed.  It is terrible news and we send out condolences to his family and friends.

 

Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Hunger Games

 

Jonah Hill - SNL, The Wolf of Wall Street and Becoming a Movie Star

Now and again we are going to do a small feature on an actor/director who we feel at the moment is rising to the top or has certainly stepped up their game.  It could be that they have recently starred in and excelled in a few movies which compared to their previous work is a great step up or for other related news in the press.  Anyway, we will see how it goes.

For our first actor feature - we have chosen Jonah Hill. Now you should know who he is by now. Having starred in comedies throughout his career such as "Superbad" (2007) and "21 Jump Street" (2012), Hill has recently shown that he can become a real movie star in a more serious film.




Jonah Hill alongside Brad Pitt in "Moneyball" (2011)

In 2011 he played Peter Brand in "Moneyball" (2011), along side Brad Pitt and in 2013 he shared the big screen with none other than Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013). Both of these performances were something that we had not seen from Hill before and people are starting to take notice - and so they should.  He adds something else to the screen and can alter a movie. We are not sure we can think of anyone else who would have played Donnie Azoff better than himself. 

Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff in "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013)

 

A recent news story broke about the amount of money that Hill was paid for his role in "The Wolf of Wall Street." He asked only for $60, 000 (£36,000). His reason? He wanted to work with director Martin Scorsese so much that he said he would have "done anything in the world," as "You should do things you care about." If you didn't like Hill before, you are going to find it very difficult not to now.  It shows his love for film and even more so his respect for one of the greatest directors of our time and for that we respect him.

Recently, Hill hosted SNL (Saturday Night Live) and this in itself caused a Twitter storm. Don't worry though it was a Leonardo DiCaprio shaped one. The sketch saw Hill speaking highly of himself and putting down DiCaprio's performance in the film. Cue DiCaprio...

You can tell it is all scripted but it's a good laugh and shows how far Hill has come to have DiCaprio by his side.  We look forward to see future movies with Jonah Hill in and do hope he can collaborate with DiCaprio and Scorsese again sometime soon.

Margot Robbie as Jane in Warner Bros Tarzan Movie?

Fresh from breaking onto the big screen with an outstanding performance in "The Wolf of Wall Street" - Margot Robbie is in talks to star as Jane in the planned "Tarzan" movie.  Not only that she is also being lined up to star in "Z for Zachariah" - replacing Amanda Seyfried. Here at M+F Talk we welcome this news. We loved Robbie playing the wife of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) in the recent black comedy by Martin Scorsese.

The latest adaptation of "Tarzan" is set to be directed by David Yates who directed four of the "Harry Potter" films.  Off that success it looks like Tarzan could turn out to be an impressive movie with rumours linking the likes of Samuel L. Jackson and Christopher Waltz to parts in the film.

If you have read the book then you'll know "Z for Zachariah" is an interesting story.  The story evolves around a young girl who survives a nuclear war in America.  Chris Pine and 12 Years a Slave star Chiwetel Ejiofor are also being cast in this post-apocalyptic film. 

Here at M+F Talk, we cannot wait for more information to be released about these two films and also look forward to seeing Margot Robbie on the big screen again.  Her performance in "The Wolf of Wall Street" was one to take notice of. She held a good screen presence which was impressive alongside the likes of DiCaprio and Jonah Hill.  

UPDATE: Tarzan 3D has been given an official release date for 2016.