Oscar Nominations 2016
Another year, another list of Oscar nominations which doesn’t at all represent diversity. Alas, there are quite a few good nominees on this list, so let’s just dive right in:
Best Picture
What is all the hype with The Big Short!? It’s a good film, not a great film. And The Martian – it’s a comedy, and not a funny one at that. Stop giving it dramatic accolades, or at least nominate a really good and valid comedy in this category instead (ie Trainwreck). The Revenant and Spotlight are the frontrunners with The Big Short doing well in the critics circles. Happy to see Mad Max amongst the best picture nominees – a surprising but absolutely correct choice. And the lack of Carol? Well, it’s not because it’s female-fronted or about lesbian characters – it’s just dull as eff.
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Actor in a leading role
Going to see Trumbo soon to try and figure out what the big deal is. Matt Damon in The Martian? So vanilla of a performance / film. Eddie Redmayne? The man puts on a dress and gets an Oscar nomination – nevermind how terrible the film and his performance are. Why not nominate an actual LGBT actor? I think it might finally be Leo’s year!
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne in, The Danish Girl
Actress in a leading role
Good choices – and correct. Glad to see Charlotte Rampling in here, especially as BAFTA overlooked her in this category. Brie Larson and Charlotte Rampling are my personal favourites.
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Actor in a supporting role
Tom Hardy and Mark Ruffalo gave awful performances in these otherwise excellent films. Christian Bale and Mark Rylance are outstanding. I have yet to see Creed. Mark Rylance is my favourite.
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Actress in a supporting role
Some good competition here with Rooney Mara, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Alicia Vikander all frontrunning – notably the two former. My hope is JJL.
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Directing
Again, while I enjoyed The Big Short, it’s not the best. What George Miller did with Mad Max is superior. As tough as The Revenant was to make, Mad Max is more of a directorial spectacle. But I would suspect the Academy is currently loving Iñárritu.
The Big Short, Adam McKay
Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller
The Revenant, Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Room, Lenny Abrahamson
Spotlight, Tom McCarthy
Writing (Adapted screenplay)
Money on The Big Short.
The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
The Martian
Room
Writing (Original screenplay)
Spotlight is my guess.
Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina
Inside Out
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Animated feature film
I desperately want to see Anomalisa, but Inside Out has to take this one home. Hands down.
Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There
Documentary (feature)
Amy has been getting some serious awards love. Can it continue the hot streak?
Amy
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
Foreign language film
Son of Saul has to take this home. It is an absolute masterpiece.
Embrace of the Serpent, Colombia
Mustang, France
Son of Saul, Hungary
Theeb, Jordan
A War, Denmark
Cinematography
These are all beautiful films in their own right. I can’t choose.
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
Costume design
Carol is stunning from a costume perspective – but I’m surprised that Brooklyn didn’t get a nomination as the costumes are outstanding and the highlight of that film!
Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Documentary (short subject)
???
Body Team 12
Chau, beyond the Lines
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Last Day of Freedom
Film editing
Mad Max impressed me most. Spotlight perhaps the least from an editing perspective.
The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Makeup and hairstyling
What a strange selection.
Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared
The Revenant
Music (Original score)
I actually hated the music of Bridge of Spies, but LOVED The Hateful Eight score! Fingers crossed.
Bridge of Spies, Thomas Newman
Carol, Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight, Ennio Morricone
Sicario, Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens, John Williams
Music (Original song)
That song in Youth really heightened the film, but I have no idea what’s going on in this category.
Earned It, Fifty Shades of Grey
Manta Ray, Racing Extinction
Simple Song #3, Youth
Til It Happens To You, The Hunting Ground
Writing’s On The Wall, Spectre
Production design
Mad Max again is ridiculously technically brilliant.
Bridge of Spies
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Short film (animated)
I actually saw Sanjay’s Super Team!!! No idea what will happen here…
Bear Story
Prologue
Sanjay’s Super Team
We Can’t Live without Cosmos
World of Tomorrow
Short film (live action)
???
Ave Maria
Day One
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
Shok
Stutterer
Sound editing
Loved the sound of Star Wars! Classic and brilliant.
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Sound mixing
STAR WARS!
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Visual effects
Mad Max and Star Wars are both excellent choices in their own rights.
Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
