2016 Oscar Nomination Thoughts

So another year of nominations comes with snubs, surprises and white washing. Below you will find my thoughts on each major category (and technical ones I care about). My predictions for winners will be in bold, who I personally think should win will be in italics

Best Picture

Nominees

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies*

Brooklyn

Mad Max: Fury Road*

The Martian*

The Revenant*

Room

Spotlight

So I have only seen four of these films (with an asterix) but I will see them all by Feburary 28. There are other major films I have not seen like Carol but with their addition in several other categories it makes me wonder if having between 5-10 movies is the right option. The major film I have seen that is not included here is Creed (which I will talk about more in later categories. Steve Jobs seems to be one of the most snubbed films of the year espically after winning best screenplay at the golden globes. The Hateful Eight and Sicario are movies I hope almost made here too.

Best Director

Nominees

Lenny Abrahamson - Room

Alejandro G. Inarritu - The Revenant

Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

Adam McKay - The Big Short

George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road

The two suprises here is Abrahamson, who didn't get a DGA nomination, snubbing out Ridley Scott who was a favorite to win. Todd Haynes seems like he should've been here.

Best Actor

Nominees

Bryan Cranston - Trumbo

Matt Damon - The Martian

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant

Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl

So let the white washing begin. So Eddie Redmayne has gotten here again for a oscar bait role and i'm not happy when Michael B. Jordan gave one of the best perforances in the year in Creed (not Fantasic Four). While I have not seen Concussion Will Smith has been denied a nomination.

Best Actress

Nominees

Cate Blanchett - Carol

Brie Larson - Room

Jennifer Lawrence - Joy

Charlotte Rampling - 45 Years

Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn

For what they are lacking in colour the oscars have made it up in age here. With two first time nominations (Ronan and Larson, who I both hope they continue doing great roles in the future) along with two matured actresses (Blanchett and Rampling) and Oscar fav Jennifer Lawrence. J-Law's nom is odd since it seems to be have been excluded everywhere else except the Golden Globes.

Best Supporting Actor

Nominees

Christain Bale - The Big Short

Tom Hardy - The Revenant

Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight

Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies

Sylvester Stallone - Creed

The major exclusion here for me is Michael Shannon in 99 Homes who stole the show in every scene but the choices here are all strong. While Mark Rylance seems to be the early favorite Stallone's Globe win and Revenant's 12 nominations might help Hardy and the pair might snatch the prize in the end.

Best Supporting Actress

Nominees

Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara – Carol

Rachel McAdams – Spotlight

Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl

Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs

So here we have the acting category that nobody know who will win. While Alicia Vikander has a strong chance so does Kate Winslet (Golden Globe winner) and Rooney Mara (Cannes Best Actress Winner). Also Jennifer Jason Leigh and Rachel McAdams round off the five nominations to make this one of the strongest years for this category.

Best Orginal Screenplay

Nominees

Bridge of Spies

Ex Machina

Inside Out

Spotlight

Straight Outta Compton

I personally find the addition of Straight Outta Compton in this category very dubious since it knocked out Tarrantino's The Hateful Eight and Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs as I believe that these two screen writers are the two best working today. It is nice to see Ex Machina make the list as it truly is a deep and meaningful screenplay. Bridge of Spies doesn't yell great screenplay when I think of the 2015 films but maybe with the Coen brothers on board it gave it a push as they are oscar favorites with movies like Fargo, No Country for Old Men and True Grit.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Nominees

The Big Short

Brooklyn

Carol

The Martian

Room

When it comes to adapting another medium for film it's always important to consider if it's a faithul adaption. While I have only seen The Martian it seems that all of these movies have kept themes and stories of their orginal material (which were all novels this year)

Best Animated Film

Nominees

Anomalisa

Boy & the World

Inside Out

Shaun the Sheep Movie

When Marnie Was There

I am so glad Shaun the Sheep is here but I don't think it will win. Inside Out is the in and out favorite here and it has been even before it came out in May. However I am suprised to see Boy & the World (which I have never heard of before) and When Marnie Was There included in the list as I though Minions and The Good Dinosaur would make the list even though they weren't strong movies.

Best Film Editing

Nominees

The Big Short

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Spotlight

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

So with The Revenant's 12 nominations it certainly helps each category in their odds of winning but for Film Editing it needs to go to Mad Max: Fury Road. MM:FR is easily the best edited action film ever. Where as The Revenant's editing was more directing with it's longer takes and low angles. The Big Short and Spotlight are here for sure because of great directing mixed with editing that suits the film pacing and themes. Star Wars: The Force Awaken's nomination I don't understand at all espically when compared to A New Hope.

So those are the main categories but some other categories I found interesting included Best Animated Short Film with a nomination going to World of Tomrrow, probably a short film that will be remembered for years to come. Best Make-up and Hairstyling for The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared. Fifty Shade of Grey is now an oscar nominated film (but the plenty of Golden Raspberry nominations make up for it. Sicario only got three nominations which was no where near enough. Son of Saul is basically a shoe in for Foregin Film but I look forward to watching the other nominations, espically Mustang.

So another year, more snubs, suprises and wondering where coloured people are in hollywood.

What are your thoughts? Let me know, I would like to hear them.