BAFTA Awards Live-Blog!

So we have the wonderful Stephen Fry hosting. This, as always, is an excellent choice as he is such an excellent ambassador for our little island. Lauren Mvula and Tinie Tempah opened splendidly. emind me to have some Lauren Mvula songs as upcoming song of the days. Also DID TINIE TEMPAH JUST BRO-FIST PRINCE WILLIAM? Winning.

There are so many films I didn't get to see like Saving Mr Banks and Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom. I did see Gravity, which takes the first award, and I feel this was deserved. Gravity was one of my favourite films of 2013 and I thought that it was a real cinematic triumph. Oprah Winffrey, who is giving the award, looks stunning.

Can we talk about how stunning Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie looked on the red carpet tonight? They are honestly my favourite Hollywood couple.

For animation I feel like Frozen is going to win the award. Hell, it has been in the cinema for two months now. It's only up against Monsters University and Despicable Me 2. YEP! Frozen won. I thought so.

Emma Thompson is charming but also a little scatty. She's had a lot of rather excited appearances at awards ceremonies lately.

I think Michael Fassbender should take the award for playing a character so vile that I couldn't find him attractive at all in this performance. He played the most unredeemable, loathsome man. The award goes to Barkhad Abdi - I've not seen Captain Phillips but I've heard good things about the film and of his performance.

I love seeing American actors in the crowd trying to wrap their heads around British humour.
Whoever wrote the jokes for Stephen Fry should win a BAFTA of their own. Excellent punning!

Awards for cinematography could go to Gravity, Inside Llewyn Davis, 12 Years A Slave, Captain Phillips and Nebraska. I could see Gravity taking the award. That said it's the only film in the category I've seen the whole way through.
Yep - Gravity took it. Do people bet on the BAFTAs? I feel like I should have bet on the BAFTAs.


The award for supporting actress now. I don't even need to hear who is nominated. My vote lies with Lupita N'yongo. I've not seen all of 12 Years a Slave but the parts I've seen have shown how harrowing a performance she gave. LEONARDO, STOP BEING CHARMING. Jennifer Lawrence gave a good performance, I think it was the only redeeming point of American Hustle, but I think Nyong'o deserves the award more. I think she had to go to a very dark place emotionally for her role. Julia Roberts was fine in August Osage Country but in terms of characterisation she played herself mostly... just with many emotions. Lupita had to act out some truly disturbing scenes and it was horrifyingly believable. Then there's Oprah. Jennifer Lawrence just beat Oprah and Lupita Nyong'o. I'm going to be honest, I don't really agree with it. I like Jennifer Lawrence.

I didn't get to see Philomena. It was in my local cinema for such a short time.

Now for the award for original screen play. The nominees are Nebraska, Blue Jasmine, Gravity, American Hustle, Inside Llewyn Davis. The BAFTA goes to American Hustle. Cate Blanchett looks piiiiiiissssssseddddd. I think we've learned now to not piss off Galadriel already.

Stephen Fry correcting grammar. STOP MAKING ME LOVE YOU, SIR, YOU SAUCY FIEND.
12 Years a Slave - I really hope this film wins best picture. I'm seeing it in entirety on Wednesday. I've seen lots of the film but not the whole thing. I'm not ready to feel that much. What I've seen is already enough to leave me feeling uneasy. Chiwetel Ejiofor is brilliant. Lupita Nyong'o is utterly luminous. Michael Fassbender is terrifying and Brad Pitt is charming as ever. 

Now for the nominations for best adapted screenplay. The nominees are The Wolf Of Wall Steet (which is a winner for me already - one of the best films I've seen in a long time), Captain Phillips, 12 Years A Slave, Behind The Candelabra and Philomena. The award goes for Philomena which, unfortunately, I have not seen. 

Can the EE Rising Star award go to Lupita Nyong'o please? Thank you.
It didn't go to Lupita Nyong'o.
WRONG. 

Now we come to the part where we remember lost stars and people within the film industry.
God, I want to be a part of the film industry in some small way. If it's screen writing or directing one indie movie - anything. I'd love to be a part of this crazy world. 

Man, Uma Thurman has such swagger when she walks. She's such a stunning human being. Her hair and make up look awesome tonight and that's a wonderful dress - classic but simple.
GIVE THE AWARD TO CHIWETEL EJIOFOR RIGHT THE FUCK NOW.
Ok, I'd understand an award for Leonardo DiCaprio because Leonardo DiCaprio but Chiwetel has my vote. Yes! You go, Chiwetel! Ooh, he got a kiss from Brad Pitt. That's probably better than a BAFTA. Everyone in the room seems so happy for him and rightly so. 

MICHAEL SHEEN IS ON SCREEN.
OH MY GOD.
THAT MAN.
I can't wait for another season of Masters of Sex.
It's one of my favourite new shows. 

The award for best director goes to Alfonso Cuaron and this seems fair - he took on such a massive project that was no doubt a challenge to direct and adapt from paper to screen. 

The award for best leading actress goes to Cate Blanchett.
I think Sandra Bullock should have won. We know Bullock for her gutsy comedic roles but in Gravity she really turned the tide and took on a new genre. She played something much outside herself and the roles we've previously seen her in. She allowed herself to appear strong at times and vulnerable at others. That said I've not seen Blue Jasmine so I'm not sure what to say but I'm sure it was fabulous and a well deserved win. It's sweet that Blanchett dedicated her role to Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He seems to have touched so many people in the world of film. It looked like Blanchett was tearing up a little as she left the stage - bless her sweet heart. 

The final two awards are for best film and the BAFTA fellowship which will go to Helen Mirren. So strange that Prince William will deliver the award to someone who has played his own grandmother in a film.

Best film I think will go to 12 Years A Slave. It's such a human film and it explores a really dark period of human history in a candid, unapologetic manner. Ok, so the nominees for this award are Gravity, 12 Years A Slave, American Hustle, Captain Phillips and Philomena.
I suppose Gravity could take this.
Oh yes!
12 Years A Slave!
I really should have bet on the BAFTAs. Steve McQueen is awards gold after his success with 12 Years A Slave and, previously, with the film Shame. I think that McQueen is a rising star and the director to look out for in the future. Although he has only made three feature films (excluding short films here) they have had relative success. This is the director to work with. This is the man to stand beside when his next project rolls around. He also delivered a short but poignant speech reminding us that slavery isn't just a dark thing of the past. 

There were a lot of hits and a few misses but overall it was a good awards season.
So many Hollywood stars made it over to the BAFTAs and I think that the awards are truly becoming a bigger and grander event.
Now the countdown to the Academy Awards begins.
And the Oscar goes to...