Just like 2015, this author fills out an Oscar ballot, predicting who will win and providing in-depth analysis in anticipation of Hollywood's biggest night.
Best Picture
The Revenant
Inspired by the historical fiction, "The Revenant", authored by Michael Punke in 2002, the film is an incredibly graphic and visceral example of a man’s will to survive against nature and his redemption under very unforgiving circumstances. Coming off last year’s Oscar-winning Birdman, director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu strikes again, brilliantly creating an immersive cinematic experience by showing the intoxicating beauty and brutal force of the untamed, frontier land with the aid of Emmanuel Lubezki's fantastic camera work, utilizing only natural light.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays the fierce Hugh Glass, who was working as a guide for the Rocky Mountain Fur Co. when he was brutally mauled by a bear. Assuming he wouldn’t survive, he was left with two companions who were to care for him but instead left him to die in a heinous act of betrayal. In one of the greatest performances of his illustrious career, DiCaprio displays the man's desperation, endless pain and unrelenting anger almost entirely through physical mannerisms and very limited dialogue and he does it with untapped depth, commitment and empathy.
The Martian
Presumed dead after getting hit by debris during a violent storm and reluctantly left behind by his crew, astronaut/botanist Mark Watney (Matt Damon) finds himself all alone on Mars and must rely on his ingenuity and resourcefulness to survive. With limited resources and death surrounding him on the arid planet, Damon convincingly conveys Watney’s subtleties of emotion from an unrelenting resolve and high-spirited optimism to the rare but occasional moments of fear and despair.
After the shock of his unlikely survival, NASA and his crew contemplate a risky rescue mission that could take years and put their lives in danger. The suspense is palpable but the movie has a positive, upbeat exuberance that is fueled by the confident, humorous performance of Damon and a disco soundtrack, which is unlike anything director Ridley Scott has done before as most of his films have dark and dire undertones. Screenwriter Drew Goddard did a superb job of adapting Andy Weir’s novel which is based on science and physics and making a thrilling and unpredictable movie that appeals to all audiences.
Spotlight
A captivating and intriguingly detailed account of the Boston Globe's 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation of how it uncovered child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church involving 70 local priests, over 1,000 victims and the widespread cover-up in Boston. Arriving as the Globe’s new editor-in-chief, Marty Baron, intrigued by a column about a lawyer that said the Archbishop of Boston knew of a priest abusing children, assigns the Spotlight team to dig deeper.
Director Tom McCarthy could not have assembled a better cast as every actor has a strong performance and a distinctive, compelling role. Also, even though the outcome is clear, the movie does a phenomenal job of creating suspense as the team slowly but surely realizes the sheer magnitude and importance of the story. Next to "All the President’s Men", it is hands down one of the best films about the art of journalism as all the grunt work is laid out and one doesn’t have to be a news addict to enjoy it.
Bridge of Spies
Tom Hanks plays James Donovan, a Brooklyn insurance claims lawyer and former Nuremberg trials prosecutor, who is appointed to defend captured Russian spy Rudolf Abel (played by British actor Mark Rylance in an Oscar-worthy performance of great subtlety, nuance and dry humor). Though not acquitted, Donovan convinces the court to spare Abel’s life so he can serve as prisoner to exchange if an American is captured in Soviet territory.
As fate would have it, U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Russia in 1960 and in 1962, Donovan was called upon to negotiate the exchange of Abel for Powers. As only Steven Spielberg can, he has taken an important but otherwise pedestrian part of the Cold War and turned it into a thrilling character study and docudrama despite lacking traditional action. The picture also makes subtle parallels with the present by comparing the paranoia of the Cold War with today’s terror As a side note, Spielberg’s long tenured cinematographer and two-time Oscar winner Janusz Kaminski, using window light for interior scenes and dark colors for a frenzied Berlin, immerses the audience in the time.
The Big Short
Based on Michael Lewis’ bestseller, "The Big Short" is an angry tragic-comedy that aims to explain how the U.S. housing market went from secure and reliable to bone-dry worthless seemingly overnight and how a group of outlandish investors (Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Christian Bale and Brad Pitt) foresaw the collapse, seeking to profit from it. it’s hard to comprehend how writer-director Adam McKay, best known for incendiary comedies such as "Anchorman" and “Step Brothers” has turned this mundane albeit boring material into one of the funniest and most entertaining movies of 2015.
McKay utilizes several creative film techniques, from a caustic, vulgar narrator to producing entertaining cameos in which celebrities like Margot Robbie in a bathtub break down some of the most complicated jargon of economic theory. McKay also simultaneously entertains and angers the viewer by getting the audience to care about these over-the-top sharks, laughing at their outrageous dealings but mad that all this actually occurred as millions of Americans lost their jobs and homes because of the actions of a few.
Brooklyn
It appears at first glance another typical romance novel catered to women but it’s anything but that as it is a strong emotional rollercoaster with a universal, coming-of-age theme that applies to everyone. Based on the 2009 novel by Colm Toibin, the film takes place in the early 1950’s, where a young women named Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is reluctantly emigrating from Ireland to New York, where she soon gets a job at a fancy department store and room at a boarding house.
She soon attracts the attention of an Italian-American and eventually falls in love but a tragedy sends her back home and a new man emerges. Eilis must now choose between two men and each one represents a different life for Eilis. From the outside, she may appear like a statue and difficult to read, but there is a lot of solid acting that relies exclusively on her facial expressions and physical mannerisms so the audience can feel her inner struggles.
Room
Room is mesmerizingly tense and arresting, astonishingly moving and evocative. Brilliantly adapted by Emma Donoghue from her own bestselling novel, the film is focused on a young woman abducted as a teen and held against her will in a sound-proof shed for nearly seven years, and her relationship with her son Jack. As a five year old, he believes the only world is the enclosed area known simply as “Room” and considers the few fixtures in it his friends. Joy (Brie Larson) or simply Ma shelters Jack (Jacob Tremblay) by having him believe everything he sees on television to be fake and confines him to the closet when her captor Old Nick comes in every night to assault her.
The second half of the movie is just as harrowing and emotionally turbulent when Jack discovers the outside world for the first time. Larson’s Oscar-worthy performance is profoundly emotional and complex and Tremblay is just immaculate as he brings an exquisite depth to the boy and convincing childlike innocence to the screen. This is the kind of movie that has a lasting effect and is one you never forget you saw.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Fury Road is a nonstop thrill-ride, the epitome of an exceptional action movie that is a tempestuous blend of adrenaline and excitement. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, former police officer Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is captured by the War Boys, the army of warlord Immortan Joe and taken to his citadel to be used as a blood donor for sick War Boy, Nux. Meanwhile, Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), one of Joe’s lieutenants, defies him by going rogue on a routine trip to Gas Town, taking along his five wives, and Joe sends his army after her as Max is strapped to the front of a vehicle driven by the unpredictable Nux.
Along with the mayhem, director George Miller spends time creating compelling, well defined characters that are not like the flimsy, weak shells of a Michael Bay action flick. Most intriguing is the fearless, intimidating Furiosa, sporting a face painted in grease, a shaved head, and a mechanical arm. Just like Sigourney Weaver in “Alien”, Theron has presented to the masses a bad-ass female heroine for the ages. In addition, the lack of computer generated imagery adds believability to the scenes.
Will Win: The Revenant
Should Win: Spotlight
The Revenant looks like the favorite after winning the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama, best film at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, and the Directors Guild of America (DGA), which has predicted the Best Picture Oscar 15 times in the past 20 years. The other two front-runners are “The Big Short”, which got the top honor from Producers Guild of America (PGA) and “Spotlight”, which received the ensemble award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG). Due to its important social relevance and subject matter, not to mention its flawless production, this author feels Spotlight is the best film of 2015 but it will go to the flick critics feel is the most innovative cinematic journey and that is the Revenant.
Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Matt Damon – The Martian
Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Will/Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio
In his most physically-demanding, visceral role in a flick, DiCaprio is the clear front runner to take home his very first Oscar statue, following recent wins at the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards and BAFTA Awards. It will also be a reward for his incredible career as he has been never won an Oscar despite being nominated six times (five for acting; one for co-producing "The Wolf of Wall Street"). Hollywood has given long overdue actors unofficial career awards in the past like when Paul Newman won for best actor in "The Color of Money" in his seventh nomination. It’s his time.
Best Supporting Actor
Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Tom Hardy – The Revenant
Christian Bale – The Big Short
Will Win: Sylvester Stallone
Should Win: Mark Ruffalo
Ruffalo gave the performance of a lifetime while Hardy was just as good, arguably even better than DiCaprio but fans of "Rocky" should cue up the ever popular tune of “Gonna Fly Now” by Bill Conti because unlike the first time in 1976 when Stallone lost for Best Actor to Peter Finch ("Network"), Rocky will reign supreme on Oscar night.
Best Actress
Brie Larson – Room
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Will/Should Win: Brie Larson
Two years after her role in “Short Term 12”, an unheralded, dramatic gem, Larson delivers an empathetic and harrowing breakout performance, showing the many intricate layers of a mother’s love and being a victim confined to a 10x10 foot room with her son, Jack. She’s already won critics’ awards, the Golden Globe, and, most crucially, the SAG prize making this category hers to lose.
Best Supporting Actress
Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
Rooney Mara – Carol
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Rachel McAdams – Spotlight
Will Win: Alicia Vikander
Should Win: Rooney Mara
Winslet took the Golden Globe and BAFTA and Vikander the SAG award but Mara had such a strong portrayal of a free-spirited store clerk seduced by Blanchett’s sophisticated Carol. It be hard to pick against Winslet as she’s an Academy favorite (6 nominations; 1 win) but isn’t her best film ever and this author just can’t see her taking the golden statue over Vikander.
Best Director
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – The Revenant
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Adam McKay – The Big Short
Lenny Abrahamson – Room
Will Win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Should Win: George Miller
Besides the Golden Globe and BAFTA, Inarritu became the first-ever back-to-back DGA winner as he was named Best Director for "The Revenant" having won last year for "Birdman". Over the last 20 years, 16 winners at the DGA's have gone on to win the Oscar for Best Director. Only two other men (John Ford and Joseph L. Mankiewicz) have won back-to-back Oscars for directing and Miller did a phenomenal job of resurrecting Mad Max, but history is made to be broken and Inarritu will join elite company for his bold, audacious film.
Best Original Screenplay
1. Spotlight
2. Inside Out
3. Straight Outta Compton
4. Bridge of Spies
5. Ex Machina
Will/Should Win: Spotlight
With the prospect of "Spotlight" not taking any of the top awards, here is the voter’s one chance to reward an incredible movie though "Straight Outta Compton" was so gripping from start to finish and deserved more nominations.
Best Adapted Screenplay
1. The Big Short
2. The Martian
3. Room
4. Brooklyn
5. Carol
Will/Should Win: The Big Short
Just like "Spotlight", this is a way for voters to show their support for "The Big Short" not winning Best Picture though it could also be a sign of a huge night. The fact a crowd-pleasing narrative could be derived from such dry subject matter is a huge accomplishment not to mention it won the BAFTA.
Best Animated Feature
1. Inside Out
2. Anomalisa
3. Shaun the Sheep Movie
4. When Marnie Was There
5. Boy and the World
Will/Should Win: Inside Out
The way "Inside Out" creatively shows meticulous mental processes in silly, childish ways is remarkable and has won all the precursor awards up until this point. Pixar will rule once again.
Best Production Design
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. The Danish Girl
3. The Martian
4. Bridge of Spies
5. The Revenant
Will/Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
The vehicles are just downright sick looking though "Danish Girl" is a potential spoiler
Best Cinematography
1. The Revenant
2. Sicario
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
4. Carol
5. The Hateful Eight
Will/Should Win: The Revenant
As aforementioned in this article, Emmanuel Lubezki pulled off an incredible achievement of using only natural light to create intense closeups and extraordinary panoramics
Best Costume Design
1. Cinderella
2. Carol
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
4. The Danish Girl
5. The Revenant
"Cinderella’s" iconic dress exquisitely fits the time period though the Revenant or Mad Max could sneak in if they are having a big night. The costumes in those latter films may not be as diverse or colorful but are no less impressive.
Best Film Editing
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. The Big Short
3. Spotlight
4. The Revenant
5. Star Wars: TheForce Awakens
Will/Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Margaret Sixel pieced together a film filled with action and chaos in such a harmonious, emotional way the audience connects with the characters and environmental despite few words.
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. The Revenant
3. The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
Will/Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Each character has such unique, distinctive features that were applied in the sweltering heat of the desert.
Best Sound Mixing
1. The Revenant
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
4. The Martian
5. Bridge of Spies
Will Win: The Revenant
Should Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The way the Revenant uses silence throughout the film really makes any simple noise stand out greatly and the sparse dialogue even more poignant but music/sound effects go together so well for Star Wars.
Best Sound Editing
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
3. The Martian
4. Sicario
5. The Revenant
Will/Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
How awesome did the flame-throwing guitar sound? Enough to win an award
Best Visual Effects
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. The Martian
4. The Revenant
5. Ex Machina
Will/Should Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The brutal depiction of Iñárritu’s bear was so real/vivid and Miller gets mad props for largely using practical effects but nothing compares to the dynamic large-scale effects that drive the narrative impeccably for Star Wars.
Best Original Score
1. The Hateful Eight
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
3. Carol
4. Sicario
5. Bridge of Spies
Will/Should Win: The Hateful Eight
Acquiring 87-year-old Enio Morricone out of retirement to work with him again was a stroke of genius by Quentin Tarantino. It will be Morricone’s first competitive Oscar (received honorary one in 2007).
Best Origi
1. The Hunting Ground (Til It Happens to You)
2. Spectre (Writing’s on the Wall)
3. Youth (Simple Song #3)
4. Racing Extinction (Manta Ray)
5. Fifty Shades of Grey (Earned It)
Will/Should Win: The Hunting Ground (Til It Happens to You)
Whether you like her or not, Lady Gaga did a great job especially given the seriousness of the subject, sexual assault on campus.
Best Documentary Feature
1. Amy
2. The Look of Silence
3. Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
4. Cartel Land
5. What Happened, Miss Simone?
Will/Should Win: Amy
A powerful tribute to the life and tragic death of Amy Winehouse and her impact on the music industry
Best Foreign Language Feature
1. Son of Saul
2. Mustang
3. A War
4. Theeb
5. Embrace of the Serpent
Will/Should Win: Son of Saul
Can’t see any other film knocking off this universally-acclaimed Holocaust drama.
Best Animated Short
1. Sanjay’s Super Team
2. World of Tomorrow
3. Bear Story
4. We Can’t Live Without Cosmos
5. Prologue
Will Win: Sanjay’s Super Team
Should Win: World of Tomorrow
Going to go with Sanjay and his wild daydream of Hindu gods as superheroes though the way the World of Tomorrow uses stick figures to illustrate a deep-layered science fiction story is amazing.
Best Documentary Short
1. Body Team 12
2. Claude Lanzmann: Specters of the Shoah
3. Last Day of Freedom
4. Chau, Beyond the Lines
5. A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Will Win: Body Team 12
Should Win: Claude Lanzmann: Specters of the Shoah
Tossup between the harrowing Body Team 12 and the fascinating Claude Lanzmann: Specters of the Shoah. Going with 12 but it would be such a fitting tribute to Lanzmann, whose original Holocaust documentary Shoah is considered one of the most important films ever.
Best Live Action Short
1. Ave Maria
2. Shok
3. Day One
4. Stutterer
5. Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
Will Win: Ave Maria
Should Win: Shok
Going with the humorous Ave Maria, which is about a family of Jews that crash their car in front of a convent whose nuns have taken a vow of silence, but the story about two boys growing up in the 90’s Kosovo conflict is so much more powerful.
