So, the Oscar nominations were announced a few days ago, and like many, I had my own personal reactions to films that made or did not make the list.
This post will be covering my reactions to the categories that I think are worth talking about. Categories like Best Documentary or Best Foreign Language Film will be overlooked.
Along with my reactions, there'll also be my predictions for who will win in their respective categories.
Let's start things off with the less prestigious ones.
Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Production Design
No real surprises here.
Super happy for Star Wars: The Force Awakens though, I think it really deserved all these nominations for technical categories.
It's unlike The Academy to nominate franchise or comic book movies for them major categories, which is a shame.
I'm a bit surprised to see Star Wars, Avengers: Age of Ultron and SPECTRE missing out on Best Production Design. And to those who were nominated... Really?
I don't remember the sets being that fantastic in Bridge of Spies, and were there even sets in The Revenant?
Oh well. Not a major category.
Nice to see Mad Max: Fury Road get so many nominations as well. My friend has been raving about it to me and I trust her judgment entirely. I can't wait to watch it.
PREDICTIONS:
Best Visual Effects - Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Sound Mixing - The Martian
Best Sound Editing - Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Production Design - The Danish Girl
Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay), and Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
No real surprises here either, other than the Best Original Screenplay category.
I felt that Quentin Tarantino should have gotten a nod for The Hateful Eight.
Tarantino has proven to the world of cinema that he is one hell of a talented filmmaker and scriptwriter, and all of his work has been so impressive.
Take his original works of Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained, just to name a few. He wrote them all.
His new movie is all but certain to be fantastic, but the fact that he wasn't even nominated for writing or directing shows that perhaps he isn't being as recognised as he should rightfully be.
PREDICTIONS:
Best Costume Design - Cinderella
Best Film Editing - Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - The Martian
Best Writing (Original Screenplay) - Spotlight
Best Cinematography
These five films that were nominated were all heaped with praise for their camera work, and here they are now, nominated.
Some pretty tough competition here as well.
You have The Hateful Eight which was shot in 70mm, and looks absolutely stunning even in just the trailer.
Then, you have The Revenant from Birdman director Alejandro G. Iñárritu which was filmed using only natural lighting from the sun.
Along with Mad Max: Fury Road and Sicario, competition is very tough this year.
Imagine if other well-shot films like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, SPECTRE or Bridge of Spies were nominated. Boy, would it have been a stunning year for cinematography.
Glad to see filmmakers of franchise films putting extra effort into the camera work and shots of their movies, especially for SPECTRE which followed up from the Academy Award-nominated cinematography for Skyfall.
PREDICTION: The Revenant
Best Directing
Not many familiar names this year, only Alejandro G. Iñárritu and maybe George Miller.
I think this category will just be a fight between Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant.
Surprises? Well, just one. Why wasn't Steven Spielberg nominate for Bridge of Spies?
PREDICTION: George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Music - Original Score
Some tough competition in this category, man.
Two veterans (Ennio Morricone and John Williams), as well as established younger faces like Thomas Newman and Jóhann Jóhannsson (I just laughed at his name, I'm so sorry) squaring up against each other.
I've yet to hear Morricone's score for The Hateful Eight, but I was so impressed by Williams' score for Star Wars that I think it wins this category with ease.
PREDICTION: John Williams for Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Best Music - Original Song
Perhaps the biggest upset of this year's Academy Awards. Where on earth is "See You Again" from Furious 7 and "Love Me Like You Do" from Fifty Shades of Grey?
Unbelievable how they missed out on nominations.
Worse for the latter too cos some other song from the movie was nominated, and I've never heard of it before?
Odd choices, man.
But then, there's "Writing's On The Wall" from SPECTRE, and in my honest opinion, it is the best James Bond song I have ever heard.
And that's coming from a massive Bond fan too.
I also think that it's one of the best songs I heard in 2015, so it better win this Oscar else I'd be pretty disappointed.
PREDICTION: Sam Smith for "Writing's On The Wall" from SPECTRE
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
I've seen better years for Supporting Actresses.
I've seen better years for actresses, actually. Not many outstanding or groundbreaking performances.
I predict a fight between Rooney Mara, Rachel McAdams and Kate Winslet.
PREDICTION: Rooney Mara for Carol
Best Actress in a Leading Role
This category used to have such tough competition yearly.
This time, however, I think J. Law runs away with the statuette for her fantastic performance in the not-so-fantastic Joy.
Looking at the quality of the other nominations, however, I wonder why even Léa Seydoux missed out for her performance in SPECTRE.
Not saying that she's bad or anything (on the contrary, she was fantastic), but I feel as though the Academy just nominated decent performances just to fill up the empty slots due to a lack of groundbreaking performances from actresses this year.
PREDICTION: Jennifer Lawrence for Joy
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
What a year for the Supporting Actor category, some fantastic performances all-round.
I think, however, that Sylvester Stallone deserves the Oscar for his truly fantastic performance as Rocky Balboa in Creed.
Close competition would be from Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies, he was so cool and relaxed in his role.
It would truly be a well-deserved win should Sly take home the statuette.
PREDICTION: Sylvester Stallone for Creed
Best Actor in a Leading Role
I genuinely think that this is Leo's year to win.
Sure, the Academy does love actors who portray historic figures or transgender people, but I think Leo will prevail.
Surprises? Well, I think Tom Hanks deserved a nomination for Bridge of Spies, and Michael B. Jordan for Creed.
A genuine upset for me, that Jordan missed out.
PREDICTION: Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant
Best Picture
Here it finally is, the big one - Best Picture.
Again, not great competition.
I'd say the frontrunners would be Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant and Spotlight.
No real surprises to state, perhaps just Creed, Carol or The Danish Girl.
PREDICTION: The Revenant
And there you have it, guys. My take on this year's Academy Award nominations.
Can't wait for the awards on February 28th.
For more information and for the full list of nominees, do check out the official website at http://oscar.go.com/nominees
Cheers.
Comments
Post a Comment