NAMELESS AND FAMELESS

 

Best Screenplay - Original

Matt Charman, Joel and Ethan Coen - Bridge of Spies

Alex Garland - Ex Machina

Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley - Inside Out

Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff - Straight Outta Compton

 

In Best Original Screenplay, we have a category ripe with two major shocks; Straight Outta Compton and Ex Machina. Firstly, the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton garnered an impressive box-office tally and strong support from the film community, but has been largely absent from the awards season, an oversight that the Academy chose to fix by showing it some love. Right next to it is Alex Garland’s directorial debut Ex Machina, also one of my favourite films of the year. So far only recognised for Alicia Vikander’s incredible performance as Ava, Ex Machina is a film finally being acknowledged for the other impressive attributes it displays, including the screenplay. An intense little film, Ex Machina is likely being chucked more than a bone here; it has a shot at taking the prize. Of those expected to be nominated, however, Spotlight is a strong contender for the Best Picture Oscar, although the Academy has certainly shown a fondness towards Steven Spielberg’s recent Cold War effort Bridge of Spies. These two could engage in a fight to the death over the prestigious golden trophy.

 

And the Oscar goes to…… Ex Machina. It is easy to forget that these awards come down to more than just the words on the page, especially in the original screenplay category. A large part of it is also the story. And of the five films competing, Ex Machina was certainly the most impressive in the story that it told. However, if the Academy decides to focus their attention on the words being written, don’t be surprised to see the Coen Brothers walk away with the statuette for Bridge of Spies.

 

Best Screenplay - Adapted

Nick Hornby - Brooklyn

Phylis Nagy - Carol

Emma Donoghue - Room

Charles Randolph and Adam McKay - The Big Short

Drew Goddard - The Martian

 

This category here is defined less by the films that got nominated and more by the one that didn’t; Steve Jobs. Though not an Oscar darling outside of the acting categories, Steve Jobs was an incredibly well-written film penned by both the most controversial and the most famous writer in the screenplay game; Aaron Sorkin. The man behind The West Wing and The Social Network was oddly absent from this category for his work on Steve Jobs, made all the more confusing by his Golden Globes win just days ago in a category that merged both Adapted and Original Screenplays. Though Sorkin’s snub left me huffing and puffing with anger (it was the biggest shock of the night for me), there are still five films nominated! Of those five, the two standouts appear to be The Big Short and The Martian. The Big Short was a film that challenged the normal form of a film, while The Martian was a depressing story somehow written to be uplifting, hilarious and speak more about the human soul that any other film this year. You can expect the battle to come down to these two.
 

And the Oscar goes to…… The Martian. Although The Big Short was highly entertaining and unique in how it told its tale, there was a charm to The Martian that can’t quite be defined. Perhaps it was in how Matt Damon delivered the lines, but there was a humour and a beauty to how the characters were written and acted like real people in this extraordinary situation. Any film that can have the line “I’m gonna have to science the shit out of this” and get nominated for an Oscar deserves to go all the way. Drew Goddard, I’m rooting for you!

 

Best Visual Effects

Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
The Martian
The Revenant

 

We can immediately cross The Revenant off of this list. Though the beat attack scene was impressive, it was the only reason this film got a Visual Effects nod, and you simply can’t be given the win for one scene. Next, I believe we can cross off The Martian and The Force Awakens. Though both films deserved their nominations, the special effects weren’t special enough to rise above the kind of space fare you would expect from these high budget films. This award really comes down to Ex Machina and Mad Max: Fury Road. Ex Machina utilised CGI to create Ava, the films AI (played by Alicia Vikander).  Her movements and overall demeanour were incredibly effective and the visual effects completely sold me on it; I believed I was looking at a real life AI. On the flip side, Mad Max: Fury Road opts the path of practical effects, and boy do they look gorgeous. The trail blazing scenery of the film mixed with the real explosions and stunts is undeniably breathtaking, and the scale of it makes you truly appreciate the hours of effort that must have gone into creating this high-octane adventure.
 

And the Oscar goes to…… Mad Max: Fury Road. Though the battle between this and Ex Machina is at first very tight, one cannot argue the brilliance of practical effects over CGI. Although the creation of Ava’s body is admirable, the level of effort that went into Mad Max: Fury Road is gobsmacking, and the result is gorgeous. Serious Dramas: 0. Action Movies: 1.

 

Best Sound Mixing
Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew Kunin - Bridge of Spies
Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben Osmo - Mad Max: Fury Road
Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac Ruth - The Martian
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom and Chris Duesterdiek - The Revenant

 

Best Sound Editing
Mark Mangini and David White - Mad Max: Fury Road
Alan Robert Murray - Sicario
Matthew Wood and David Acord - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Oliver Tarney - The Martian
Martin Hernandez and Lon Bender - The Revenant

 

Best Short Film (Live Action)
Ave Maria
Day One
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
Shok
Stutterer

 

Best Short Film (Animated)
Bear Story
Prologue
Sanjay’s Super Team
We Can’t Live Without Cosmos
World of Tomorrow

 

Best Production Design
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Danish Girl
The Martian
The Revenant

 

Best Music – Original Score
Thomas Newman - Bridge of Spies
Carter Burwell - Carol
Jóhann Jóhannsson - Sicario
John Williams - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Ennio Morricone - The Hateful Eight

 

Best Music (Original Song)
“Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey
“Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction
“Simple Song #3” from Youth
“Til It Happens To You” from The Hunting Ground
“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre

 

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared
The Revenant

 

Best Foreign Language Film
A War
Embrace of the Serpent
Mustang
Son of Saul
Theeb

 

Best Film Editing
Margaret Sixel - Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom McArdle - Spotlight
Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey - Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Hank Corwin - The Big Short
Stephen Mirrione - The Revenant

 

I’m not going to be talking about all of the categories, because believe it or not even a film buff like me knows absolutely nothing about Sound Mixing. And to an extent, Film Editing is another category I’m not well versed in. But I had to throw it in because I am extremely confident of the winner here. I mentioned earlier that this film challenged the form of a film, and this shone most brightly in the editing. Few movies make you think “Wow, that was really well put together in the editing room”, but I actually did have that oddly specific thought when I finished this movie.

 

And the Oscar goes to…… The Big Short. Good job, Hank. You deserve it.

 

Best Documentary Shory
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Body Team 12
Chau, beyond the Lines
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
Last Day of Freedom

 

Best Documentary Feature
Amy
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom

 

 

Best Director
George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road

Lenny Abrahamson - Room

Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

Adam McKay - The Big Short

Alejandro G. Iñárritu​ – The Revenant​

 

As someone who wants to be a film director in the future, this is one of my favourite categories. First off, I want to express my disappointment that Ridley Scott was not included amongst these men. Secondly, I have to immediately apologise to Lenny Abrahamson, Tom McCarthy and Adam McKay because I am immediately cancelling them out. This Oscar comes down to the Road Warrior and the Mad Genius. George Miller’s work on Mad Max: Fury Road shows a seasoned director who has reached the point in his career where he knows exactly what he wants and he’s sick of doing what the studios want. This is a man who has taken a large group of people out into the desert to speed in cars, blow shit up (for real) and have a damn good time (while leaving a little bit of room for a storyline). That is a man who should be given an Oscar purely for not giving a damn. But now we enter the Mad Genius, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, the man looking for back-to-back Best Director Oscars after winning last year for Birdman. And god damn him, he’s in with a strong chance. Filming in only natural light, once again utilising the one-take style of Emmanuel Lubezki and commandeering what sounds like the harshest film shoot ever, Iñárritu is so sick of the rules that I don’t think he even knows that they are anymore. The very definition of an experimental director, Iñárritu promises a unique and unforgettable experience with every film he releases, and although I just couldn’t get into The Revenant, the film is still a visual marvel that is masterfully directed by Iñárritu.

 

And the Oscar goes to…… Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Congratulations, The Revenant. Two in a row for Iñárritu! However, I would like to note that this is a prediction and not a personal choice. I’m rooting for George Miller and I want to see him take home the golden statuette (and it’s NOT purely because I’m Australian [although I admit it is part of it]). However, I do see the Academy choosing to oversee The Revenant’s frightening shortcomings in storytelling in order to award the technical genius of it. Though I disagree with this train of thought, history shows that Academy favours technique over story.

 

Best Costume Design
Sandy Powell - Carol
Jenny Beavan - Mad Max: Fury Road
Paco Delgado - The Danish Girl
Jacqueline West - The Revenant

 

Best Cinematography
Ed Lachman - Carol

John Seale - Mad Max: Fury Road

Roger Deakins - Sicario

Robert Richardson - The Hateful Eight

Emmanuel Lubezki - The Revenant

This is a fairly open-and-shut category. Although I am really disappointed that Maryse Alberti did not get nominated for the incredible camerawork in Creed, this category is still already over. Roger Deakins has been trying so hard to get an Oscar for Best Cinematography, and the man deserves one more than Leonardo DiCaprio. Two years ago, I was furious when Emmanuel Lubezki won for Gravity and beat out Deakins, who did superb work on Prisoners. That is why I hate myself so, so much for who I have tipped to win the category in 2016…

 

And the Oscar goes to…… The Revenant. What else? Emmanuel Lubezki has a stranglehold on this category, and this year will see him win for a third straight ceremony. The worst part? He deserves it. Although it is the exact same style that won him an Oscar for Birdman, the one-take, dream-like style of The Revenant has not yet gotten old and still feels revolutionary, taking you into the heart of the action like no other film can. Maybe next year Lubezki will ease up, but for now he is still killing it, and a win in this category for anything other than The Revenant will be a travesty. Sorry, Roger!

 

Best Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shaun The Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There

 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl
Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight
Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs
Rachel McAdams - Spotlight
Rooney Mara - Carol

 

As someone who has only seen one of these films, I really shouldn’t be commenting on this, should I? However, it is one of the acting categories so I really can’t be leaving it absent either.

 

And the Oscar goes to…… Kate Winslet. Although the only performance I’ve seen, Kate Winslet was incredible in Steve Jobs, and I do really feel she should win it. That being said, I look forward to seeing all of the other four nominated actresses, although the bar has been set extremely high for them.

 

 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Christian Bale - The Big Short

Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight

Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies

Sylvester Stallone - Creed

Tom Hardy - The Revenant

 

First off, let me say that what we have here is the single tightest category in this year’s Oscar race. Secondly, SYLVESTER STALLONE, YOU DID IT! After watching Creed, I had to keep telling myself I was overreacting when I felt that Stallone deserved an Oscar nomination for it. But here we are, and I was right! However, he is in very good company, and will have a hell of a mountain overcoming both Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy to take home the gold. Though Bale was superb in The Big Short, it was certainly not the performance that I would have gone with, as I felt Steve Carrel was far more deserving to be among these men. I have not yet been able to see Spotlight, and so I’m holding all judgement on Mark Ruffalo (although I’m certain he killed it). However, Mark Rylance was the very best thing about Bridge of Spies, which is an incredible thing considering he starred opposite the legendary Tom Hanks. But Rylance wasn’t the only one who stood up a legendary actor; Tom Hardy decided to show Leonardo DiCaprio what he has to do to get an Oscar. Playing the film’s sort-of-villain, Hardy was menacing in a natural way, playing the kind of man who was villainous in the situation, and yet relatable. The kind of man you could come across any day. Outshining Leonardo DiCaprio is no small feat, and yet Tom Hardy managed to do it. That being said, if anyone is going to climb the mountain these two actors have created, it’s gotta be Rocky Balboa. Stallone is incredible in Creed, and make no mistake; he is giving it everything he’s got to claim the Oscar he missed out on in 1977. Will Stallone, just like his character, make it a million-to-one shot at a comeback? Or will the victory be spoiled by Mark Rylance or Tom Hardy?

 

And the Oscar goes to…… Sylvester Stallone. Cometh the man, cometh the moment. 39 years after his first nomination, Rocky Balboa is back to finish what he started. In a performance where he has to fight an opponent unlike any he’s come across, Stallone brought his iconic character back to life with new challenges and made us feel deeply for one cinema’s greatest characters. If he can get through Apollo Creed (twice!) and Ivan Drago, Tom Hardy and Mark Rylance won’t be able to hold him back. Let’s just pray that when he gets up on stage, he’ll hold the Oscar in the air and screams “Yo, Adrian! We did it!”

 

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Brie Larson - Room
Cate Blanchett - Carol
Charlotte Rampling  - 45 Years
Jennifer Lawrence - Joy
Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn

 

It continues to be disappointing that the films nominated for Best Actress are never the ones that are leading in Oscar nominations. In fact, these films often receive best Actress as their onlynomination. Is it really that hard for a film to be produced with a female leading character that can be supported and pushed to be recognised in various categories. It is as if Hollywood is only capable of producing an Oscar powerhouse if there is a man in the lead role. It needs to change, and it needs to change soon. That also happens to be my long-winded way of saying “I’ve only seen one of the films nominated in this category”. That being said, the performance given in that film was extraordinary, although I doubt it will end up being the very best of the year.

 

And the Oscar goes to…… Brie Larson. As I said before, her performance in Room was extraordinary and immersive, though I am sure that one of the other four nominees were better. Having seen Charlotte Rampling in the TV series Broadchurch, I know the type of performance she can give. She is a fantastic actress. That being said, I have a strong feeling that this year will see the Jennifer Lawrence hype train go all the way to the Oscars, with Joy taking out Best Actress. Though I’d like to believe that Jennifer Lawrence won’t win an Oscar purely for being Jennifer Lawrence, I’m afraid to admit that I fully believe there will be a similar case in our next category…

 

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Bryan Cranston - Trumbo
Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant
Matt Damon - The Martian
Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs

 

So many questions in one category. Will Eddie Redmayne go back-to-back? Can Matt Damon get another Oscar? Will Michael Fassbender finally hit awards gold? Will Leonardo DiCaprio end years of torment and suffering by hearing his name finally called out? Let’s talk about that last one. Leonardo DiCaprio is a fantastic actor. His performance in The Revenant is fantastic. But, he doesn’t deserve to win his first Oscar with it. In a stretched out film in which he does little more than grunt, grimace, spit and make angry faces, DiCaprio is completely outshined by Tom Hardy and, to an extent, Will Poulter. Of all his Oscar nominated performances, I would have to say that this is DiCaprio’s weakest. Cranston was a surprise to me, as he was great in Trumbo but hardly Oscar worthy. Matt Damon was magnificent in The Martian, and truly deserved his Golden Globe considering who else was in that category, but I just don’t see him pulling off a win. The man in this group who truly deserves to walk away with the statuette is Michael Fassbender for his incredible performance as Steve Jobs in, you guessed it, Steve Jobs. Incredibly dedicated to the role and truly transformed, I honestly believe he is the most deserving of the bunch. But there’s just one problem.

 

And the Oscar goes to…… Leonardo DiCaprio. Yep, this is the year that DiCaprio wins his Oscar. But it’s not because of The Revenant. DiCaprio wins this year purely because he is Leonardo DiCaprio. The Best Actor race is weak enough this year that the Academy can be political and give DiCaprio his Oscar without any overwhelming complaining that he wasn’t the Best Actor. Michael Fassbender is the only actor in the group who can compete with DiCaprio, and the Academy will be able to use Steve Jobs’ disappointing box-office performance as a means of overseeing him for the award he truly deserves. DiCaprio won’t be winning the Oscar this year for his performance in The Revenant. He will win because the Academy wants to put an end to all the criticism they have received for (rightfully) having not given DiCaprio one already. However, if they choose to avoid politics and choose a winner based on their performances, Michael Fassbender is the man. But unfortunately the Academy Awards are often more of a political game than a genuine awards ceremony.

 

And now, the one you've all been waiting for...

 

Best Picture

Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
Room
Spotlight
The Big Short
The Martian
The Revenant

 

There are just two films on here that I have not yet seen; Spotlight and Brooklyn. This is particularly troublesome because Spotlight appears to be the frontrunner to win at the moment, despite The Revenant’s Golden Globes triumph. The biggest shock of this group would have to be Bridge of Spies, a great film that was largely ignored upon release but made a resurgence during awards season. Mad Max: Fury Road likely stands little chance to win and has been thrown in as a crowd-pleaser, but stranger things have happened. It’s great to see smaller films like Room receiving nominations, but it likely will not amount to anything in the Best Picture race. And although I loved The Big Short and is my personal favourite of all those nominated that I’ve seen, I honestly can’t see the Academy picking it over some of the others. Of those I’ve seen, this battle comes down to The Martian and The Revenant, but The Martian does remain an outside chance. I liked it more, I personally would pick it over The Revenant, but the Academy are far too predictable in a situation like this. As I said earlier, the Academy favours technique over story, and this will once again work in The Revenant’s favour. However, from what I’ve heard the real battle is between Spotlight and The Revenant, and the common opinion seems to be that Spotlight is the clear winner. But on Oscar night, it remains true that absolutely anything could happen.

 

And the Oscar goes to.... 

 

The Revenant. I have a strong, strong feeling that the Academy will be suckered by the technical brilliance of The Revenant and be blind to anything else. Though I am holding out hope that the Academy does see the immense value in both The Big Short and The Martian, all of my chips are with Spotlight, and once I’ve seen it I may be able to shake that feeling that the Academy are going to infuriate me when they read out The Revenant on Oscar night.

 

And that’s all she wrote! In closing, the shocks of the nominations were that Aaron Sorkin was snubbed for Best Adapted Screenplay, while Ex Machina and Straight Outta Compton snuck into best Original Screenplay. Alicia Vikander apparently wasn’t good enough in Ex Machina to get a nomination, and Bridge of Spies went all the way to the Best Picture race. The locks, so far, are for The Revenant to home Best Cinematography and The Big Short to shut everyone else out in Best Editing, and Mad Max: Fury Road will be acknowledged for it’s incredible effort in the Visual Effects department. The big unknowns, however, are Best Actor in a Supporting Role and the big one, the Best Picture Oscar.

 

So what did you think of this year’s Oscar nominations? What were your shocks, locks and unknowns, and most importantly what are your picks to win? In particular, which film is going to take out the biggest prize of the night, Best Picture? Be sure to like us on Facebook and check us out on Instagram and Tumblr!