Gold Rush Gang Members 2013/2014

Our Gold Rush Gang is made up of some of AwardWatch’s top prognosticators in last year’s Gold Rush, an annual competition on our forums in which members not only predict the Oscars, but also the most important precursors. Their accuracy rate is often higher than most gurus out there so if you want know what’s really going to happen, look no further than right here. They will be predicting the Top 8 categories all season and adding the tech, animation and foreign language categories as the season progresses.

This year’s Gold Rush Gang members are:

ERIK ANDERSON
Erik blames his mother for his love of all things Oscar, having watched them together since he opened his eyes. They also watched Miss Universe religiously every year and Erik came to the conclusion that the combination of these two things ultimately led him down the path to ACTRESSING. He is a member of the International Cinephile Society, GALECA (Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association) and co-founder/co-editor of AwardsWatch. (erikdean in the forums)

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BEN HANN 
Ben is a part-time student and full-time movie enthusiast living in Southern California. His fascination with the Oscars began with the success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and has stuck ever since. He consistently places in the top 5 of Gold Rush, finishing #2 last year. (ben123234 in the forums)

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BETH STEVENS
Beth is a member of the International Cinephile Society, editor of the ICSfilm website, and a former contributor to the Awards Daily blog. A California poet and film buff, she placed in the top 10 of last year’s Awards Watch Gold Rush contest. (ladylurks in the forums)

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CÉDRIC SUCCIVALLI
Cédric has been an Oscarwatcher for 30 years; when Fanny & Alexander won Best Foreign Language Film. He is the President of the International Cinephile Society and formerly of ARTE France Cinéma and Fluctuat (French Premiere).(Cédric in the forums)

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DENNIS KELLY
Dennis fell in love with film when he saw Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation in theaters. Instantly obsessed with the film’s Oscar prospects, he was crushed when it only won Original Screenplay (he still weeps for Bill Murray). Now he predicts awards so that will never happen again. That’s the theory, anyway. (guany in the forums)

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EVAN KOST
For anyone that knows Evan, it’s no surprise that he was first introduced to the insanity known as Oscarwatching through his grandmother. He was instantly hooked, and they’ve closely followed each season since then – from Shakespeare in Love‘s shocking triumph to Argo’s history-defying win last year. He also serves as manager, and participant, of the infamous Gold Rush contest, where he ruled the roost once and has finished in the Top 5 every other year. (Submerge in the forums)

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KENNETH POLISHCHUK
First and foremost, Kenneth likes awards because he loves movies, but he also loves the glamour and the pageantry of the shows themselves. The horseracing aspect of it all also appeals to him. He’s participated in the Gold Rush the last four years and has placed 5th, 6th, 3rd and 4th. (Moviefreak in the forums)

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LONG PHAM
Long’s favorite parts of awards season are the Gold Rush Tournament, forum meltdowns, and dispensing Keira Knightley shade. A former Gold Rush tournament champion, he placed 6th in the tournament last year, but is looking to reclaim the crown. (boondoggle in the forums)

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MICHAEL RIORDAN
Michael has followed the Oscars since childhood and won last year’s Gold Rush, much to the dismay of forum members ldw and McTeague. His religion is Nicole Kidman. (filmy in the forums)

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PETER CIOTH
Peter has been on the forums since the start of 2012. He’s a student in the real world and a student of pop culture, and he enjoys predicting who will win awards because it combines his love of pop culture with his love of competition and speculating about the future! (Rage Colored Glasses in the forums)

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RICHARD ANTHONY 
Richard would like to thank the Academy for recognizing Quvenzhané Wallis’ transcendent turn as Hushpuppy in Beasts of the Southern Wild. He has placed 4th in Gold Rush for the last three years, but has his sights set on snatching all wigs (especially Long’s) this year and sashaying away with the emerald and ruby encrusted crown. (with_one_voice in the forums)

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