Movies of a Petite Aspie

Oscar nominations won't be announced until January 16th, but many -- like myself -- are already predicting the nominees (and winners).  Here, I'm ranking the nominees in each category (except for the shorts and the sound mixing and sound editing categories, which have no wins and/or nominations thus far), based on early wins and nominations.  FYI: I'm ranking the 10 possible nominees, and starring the ones that may make the Oscar ballot.  Picture: *1. 12 Years a Slave *2. Gravity *3. American Hustle *4. Captain Phillips  *5. Her *6. Saving Mr. Banks *7. Inside Llewyn Davis *8. Nebraska 9. The Wolf of Wall Street 10. Fruitvale Station Director: *1. Steve McQueen -- 12 Years a Slave *2. Alfonso Cuaron -- Gravity *3. Spike Jonze -- Her *4. David O'Russell -- American Hustle *5. Paul Greengrass -- Captain Phillips 6. Alexander Payne -- Nebraska 7. Martin Scorcese -- The Wolf of Wall Street 8. Lee Daniels -- The Butler Actor: *1. Chiwetel Ejiofor...

With Christmas just hours away, let me compile a list of my favorite (in my opinion, the best) Christmas movies: 1. It's a Wonderful Life 2. Miracle on 34th Street (original) 3. The Family Man 4. A Christmas Story 5. Home Alone  6. Love, Actually 7. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 8. The Santa Clause 9. Frozen River 10. While You Were Sleeping 11. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 12. Elf  13. Trading Places 14. Disney's a Christmas Carol 15. Home Alone 2

Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, and Chiwetel Ejiofor Director: Steve McQueen Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt Genre(s): Biography; Drama; History Release Date: November 8, 2013 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97% 12 Years a Slave is one of those rare movies that is magnificent yet not one that can be viewed multiple times; it is so masterfully executed, but equally terrifyingly difficult to watch.  It more than lives up to the hype, and is currently the top contender for Best Picture at the 2014 Oscars (airing March 2).  But, with its scenes of torture, rape, and the like, the film is not exactly cheerful; merely, it presents slavery as it happened, as realistically as can be done, without making it seem less severe or terrible than it was. 12 Years a Slave tells the true story of Solomon Northup, Chiwetel Ejiofor ( American Gangster ), a free man who had made a great life for himself and his children and...

Here is a list of 30 movies you may -- or may not -- want to see before Oscar night, according to early award nominees and winners, and my semi-outrageous predictions.  Also, I've included how/where you can watch them.   1. 12 Years a Slave -- now playing 2. Gravity -- now playing 3. Captain Phillips -- now playing 4. All is Lost -- now playing 5. Inside Llewyn Davis -- now playing 6. American Hustle -- in theatres 12/13 7. Dallas Buyers Club -- now playing 8. Nebraska -- now playing 9. Her -- in theatres 12/18 10. The Wind Rises -- now playing 11. Saving Mr. Banks -- in theatres 12/13 12. Blue Jasmine -- on DVD 1/20 13. Fruitvale Station -- on DVD 1/14 14. Lee Daniels' The Butler -- DVD release date TBD 15. Prisoners -- on DVD 12/10 16. Frozen -- now playing 17. Stories We Tell -- on DVD 18. Before Midnight -- on DVD 19. Philomena -- now playing 20. The Past -- in theatres 12/20 21. Enough Said -- now playing 22. Blue is the Warmest Color -- now playing...

Greta Gerwig & Mickey Sumner Director: Noah Baumbach Stars: Greta Gerwig, Mickey Sumner, Adam Driver, Grace Gummer Genre(s): Comedy; Drama DVD Release Date: N ovember 12 , 2013 Rotten Tomatoes Score : 93% Frances Ha is, to put it mildly, an unusual movie, that at first glance appears to be nothing special or glamorous.  It is special, in its own quirky way, but it isn't glamorous, and literally so, seeing as the film was shot in black-and-white (a rarity in cinema these days, aside from the Oscar-winning The Artist ).  Frances Ha stars indie darling Greta Gerwig ( Damsels in Distress ) -- who also co-wrote -- as mostly-likable 27-year-old Frances, who has been spending the majority of her time with her best friend, Sophie (Mickey Sumner).  Frances aspires to be a dancer, and is apprentice in a renowned company in New York, but can't quite seem to get her footing, metaphorically speaking.  Frances Ha is only 86 minutes long, but that is more...