2016 Oscar Nominations! - CineFix Now
Thu Jan 14 12:55:53 EST 2016
New Regency"s "The Revenant" led the lily-white field with 12 nominations, followed by George Miller"s "Mad Max: Fury Road" with 10. Also: why Tom Hardy was in and Ridley Scott was out.
00000152-4079-db9a-a77a-7c7d81ce0000
I always go to the live announcement of the Academy Award nominations at the AMPAS headquarters on Wilshire at the crack of dawn because I want the packet that lays out the stats. We know that Twentieth Century Fox had a good day: "The Revenant" led the field with 12 nominations, more than expected, because they landed a surprise nod for first-time nominee and Supporting ActorTom Hardy (a sign of strength) along with every possible technical category. (Arguably, the actors branch rewarded Hardy for his amazing year, including "Mad Max" and "Legend"). Altogether with "The Martian" (seven), "Joy" (for 25-year-old Jennifer Lawrence, the youngest actress ever with four noms), and Fox Searchlight"s "Brooklyn" (three) and "Youth" (one), the studio nabbed an astonishing 24 nominations. While Fox handled foreign territories, Disney managed the domestic release of "Bridge of Spies" (producer Steven Spielberg"s ninth nomination), with six nominations including Picture, as well as "Star Wars: Force Awakens" (five), Pixar"s "Inside Out," (two), and animated short "Sanjay"s Super Team," for a studio total of fifteen.
Tom Hardy in "Mad Max: Fury Road"
Warner Bros." "Mad Max: Fury Road" scored its expected10 nominations including Best Picture and Director. (Distributor Warners can also claim Supporting Actor frontrunnerSylvester Stallone for MGM/New Line"s"Creed.")But the duel of the titans between Miller and fellow septuagenarian Ridley Scott was not to be. Although "The Martian" landed seven nominations, including Best Actor Matt Damon, Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay, there wasnothing for Scott, who will have to hope for a DGAwin.
Photo by Aidan Monaghan - courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
This is as dramatic an omissionas Ben Affleck"s directing snub for "Argo," which led to that film"s underdog status and eventual Best Picture win. The Academy directors are a snobbygroup, and seem to have given the directors who also write (whether credited or not) the advantage: George Miller ("Fury Road"),Adam McKay ("The Big Short"), Lenny Abrahamson ("Room"), Tom McCarthy ("Spotlight") and last year"s "Birdman" winnerA.G.Irritu("The Revenant"). Scott is one of the great technical directors working todaywith classic films behind him,from "Blade Runner" to Best Picture-winner "Gladiator"but he"s not an articulate spokesman for his movies, nor does he identify as an artisthe"s more of a commercial studio player for hire, proud of his advertising experience, who delivered on"The Martian" as everything fell into place. (He is nominated as a producer for "The Martian.") While Fox has turned the narrative of "The Revenant" into a story of an artist"s triumph against formidable odds, they weren"t ableto give"The Martian" that same cred. Only twice in Oscar history has a director won twice in a row: John Ford ("The Grapes of Wrath," 1941, and "How Green Was My Valley," 1942) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz ("A Letter to Three Wives," 1950, "All About Eve," 1951). Will the entire Academy go for Irritu?In a year when Best Picture and Director could split, I"m betting Australian auteur Miller wins this one for his long career, from the original "Mad Max" through Best Picture nominee "Babe," Animated Oscar winner "Happy Feet," and now the superbly crafted and executed action spectacle "Fury Road." Does the genre count against him? Well, that"s why it might not win Best Picture.
Indie Best Picture contenders "Brooklyn" (three, Searchlight), "Room" (four, A24, which also got four nominations for "Ex Machina" and handled doc frontrunner "Amy") and "Spotlight" (six, Open Road) prove yet again that voterpassion and appreciation forskillcan also triumph overscale. Alas,"Carol" didn"t make the cut (six, The Weinstein Co., which also notched three for "The Hateful Eight").
"Brooklyn" star Saoirse Ronan (her second nomination, after "Atonement") will compete against first-timer Brie Larson in "Room," who should win for her layered performance as a kidnapped mother trapped in a shed with her five-year-old son. "45 Years" veteran Charlotte Rampling slipped into Best Actress without SAG, BAFTA or Golden Globe nominations, no mean feat; it"s her first nomination. The Academy actors often make room for a respected European thespian like Juliette Binoche or Marion Cotillard.
The Weinstein Company "Carol"
Supporting Actress is harder to call: will "Carol" star Rooney Mara (her second nomination, after "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo") beat first-timer Alicia Vikander in "The Danish Girl" (four, Focus Features)? Or will respected Golden Globe winner Kate Winslet, who was nominated for Universal"s "Steve Jobs" along with Michael Fassbender, carry the day? (Winslet took home the Oscarfor "The Reader.") "Steve Jobs"failed to land any other nominations, not even Adapted Screenplay for Oscar perennial Aaron Sorkin, which was a surprise. Clearly its strongest support came from actors. Both "Carol" and "The Danish Girl" could score some craft wins; Sandy Powell, with the most nominations for a living costume designer with 12, could win for "Carol," if she doesn"t split the vote with "Cinderella."
Lionsgate grabbed three tech nominations for "Sicario," including Roger Deakins, earning his 13th nomination, the most for any cinematographerhe has never won. He competes with "The Hateful Eight" cinematographer Bob Richardson, who was not nominated by his guild, for his stunning Ultra-Panavision photography. His director Quentin Tarantino did not wind up with an Original Screenplay nomination, but veteran Ennio Morricone, with an Honorary Oscar, is the favorite to win Best Original Score over "Stars Wars" veteran John Williams, with a record 45 nominations for score, not to mention five songs! No other living person has logged more nominations, and historically, only Walt Disney beats him, with 59.
Photo by Jaap Buitendijk - Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
As usual, the British had a good day, with41 nominations for films and/or talent from the UKa third of the nominations.Film 4 backed "Room" and "Ex Machina" (A24), "Carol" (TWC), "45 Years" (IFC"s Sundance Selects) and "Youth" (Fox Searchlight"), which landed no acting love but a Best Original Song nod. And the BFI Fund supported both "45 Years" and "Brooklyn."Which movie has momentum at this stage? Sometimes being the frontrunner is a negative, as small-scale "Spotlight," with backing from actors, directors, writers and editors, has to hang on to voter goodwill against two late-inning releases with box office surges behind them, Paramount"s sharp political comedy "The Big Short" and frontier epic "The Revenant," which boasts a surefire Best Actor win for Leonardo DiCaprio, getting a boost for suffering for his art. Can"The Revenant" win Best Picture? That Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu"s "Birdman" won last year counts against itbut gave New Regency backer Arnon Milchan (Best Picture contender "L.A. Confidential") a reason to support the filmmaker with his first big-budget production, to the tune of $135 million. With that money, Irritugranted cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki ("The Tree of Life," "Gravity") unusual latitude to pursue the best light for the best shot, no matter what the cost in stress for the crew or the financial bottom line. Lubezki could win his third Oscar in a row. If "Spotlight" and "The Big Short" have support from the same quarter, then "The Revenant" could take home the statuette.
One unfortunate narrative is 2016 Oscar voters"lily-white selections. Yet again, as last year, among the actors there were no people of color, as Idris Elba did not land an expected supporting nomination for Netflix"s "Beasts of No Nation," which was shut out. (Netflix continues to dominate the doc category, with "Winter on Fire" and "What Happened, Miss Simone?") The one nomination for Ryan Coogler"s "Creed" was for Sylvester Stallone, reprising his role as Rocky Balboa, while "Straight Outta Compton" scored only aScreenplay nod (for its four white writers), butno Best Picture slot. With only eight nominees versus the PGA"s list of ten, "Compton"did not make the cut.
Nor did global blockbuster"Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which scored five technical nods including VFX and Score, or animated feature "Inside Out," which will handily win its category, if not Original Screenplay, which should go to "Spotlight."
Yes, this year"s Oscar show boasts plenty of popularcompetitors to draw viewers. Just not ones that reflect the world we live in.
Nominations for the 88th Academy AwardsWinner picks in bold
Performance by an actor in a leading role:
Bryan Cranston in TrumboMatt Damon in The MartianLeonardo DiCaprio in The RevenantMichael Fassbender in Steve JobsEddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Christian Bale in The Big ShortTom Hardy in The RevenantMark Ruffalo in SpotlightMark Rylance in Bridge of SpiesSylvester Stallone in Creed
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett in CarolBrie Larson in RoomJennifer Lawrence in JoyCharlotte Rampling in 45 YearsSaoirse Ronan in Brooklyn
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful EightRooney Mara in CarolRachel McAdams in SpotlightAlicia Vikander in The Danish GirlKate Winslet in Steve Jobs
Best animated feature film of the year
Anomalisa Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa TranBoy and the World Al AbreuInside Out Pete Docter and Jonas RiveraShaun the Sheep Movie Mark Burton and Richard StarzakWhen Marnie Was There Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura
Achievement in cinematography
Carol Ed LachmanThe Hateful Eight Robert RichardsonMad Max: Fury Road John SealeThe Revenant Emmanuel LubezkiSicario Roger Deakins
Achievement in costume design
Carol Sandy PowellCinderella Sandy PowellThe Danish Girl Paco DelgadoMad Max: Fury Road Jenny BeavanThe Revenant Jacqueline West
Achievement in directing
The Big Short Adam McKayMad Max: Fury Road George MillerThe Revenant Alejandro G. IrrituRoom Lenny AbrahamsonSpotlight Tom McCarthy
Best documentary feature
Amy Asif Kapadia and James Gay-ReesCartel Land Matthew Heineman and Tom YellinThe Look of Silence Joshua Oppenheimer and Signe Byrge SrensenWhat Happened, Miss Simone? Liz Garbus, Amy Hobby and Justin WilkesWinter on Fire: Ukraines Fight for Freedom Evgeny Afineevsky and Den Tolmor
Best documentary short subject
Body Team 12 David Darg and Bryn MooserChau, beyond the Lines Courtney Marsh and Jerry FranckClaude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah Adam BenzineA Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness Sharmeen Obaid-ChinoyLast Day of Freedom Dee Hibbert-Jones and Nomi Talisman
Achievement in film editing
The Big Short Hank CorwinMad Max: Fury Road Margaret SixelThe Revenant Stephen MirrioneSpotlight Tom McArdleStar Wars: The Force Awakens Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey
Best foreign language film of the year
Embrace of the Serpent ColombiaMustang FranceSon of Saul HungaryTheeb JordanA War Denmark
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
Mad Max: Fury Road Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega and Damian MartinThe 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed out the Window and Disappeared Love Larson and Eva von BahrThe Revenant Sin Grigg, Duncan Jarman and Robert Pandini
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
Bridge of Spies Thomas NewmanCarol Carter BurwellThe Hateful Eight Ennio MorriconeSicario Jhann JhannssonStar Wars: The Force Awakens John Williams
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
Earned It from Fifty Shades of GreyMusic and Lyric by Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Daheala Quenneville and Stephan MoccioManta Ray from Racing ExtinctionMusic by J. Ralph and Lyric by Antony HegartySimple Song #3 from YouthMusic and Lyric by David LangTil It Happens To You from The Hunting GroundMusic and Lyric by Diane Warren and Lady GagaWritings On The Wall from SpectreMusic and Lyric by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
Best motion picture of the year
The Big Short Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, ProducersBridge of Spies Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt and Kristie Macosko Krieger, ProducersBrooklyn Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, ProducersMad Max: Fury Road Doug Mitchell and George Miller, ProducersThe Martian Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam, ProducersThe Revenant Arnon Milchan, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Irritu, Mary Parent and Keith Redmon, ProducersRoom Ed Guiney, ProducerSpotlight Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin and Blye Pagon Faust, Producers
Achievement in production design
Bridge of Spies Production Design: Adam Stockhausen; Set Decoration: Rena DeAngelo and Bernhard HenrichThe Danish Girl Production Design: Eve Stewart; Set Decoration: Michael StandishMad Max: Fury Road Production Design: Colin Gibson; Set Decoration: Lisa ThompsonThe Martian Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Celia BobakThe Revenant Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Hamish Purdy
Best animated short film
Bear Story Gabriel Osorio and Pato EscalaPrologue Richard Williams and Imogen SuttonSanjays Super Team Sanjay Patel and Nicole GrindleWe Cant Live without Cosmos Konstantin BronzitWorld of Tomorrow Don Hertzfeldt
Best live action short film
Ave Maria Basil Khalil and Eric DupontDay One Henry HughesEverything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut) Patrick VollrathShok Jamie DonoughueStutterer Benjamin Cleary and Serena Armitage
Achievement in sound editing
Mad Max: Fury Road Mark Mangini and David WhiteThe Martian Oliver TarneyThe Revenant Martin Hernandez and Lon BenderSicario Alan Robert MurrayStar Wars: The Force Awakens Matthew Wood and David Acord
Achievement in sound mixing
Bridge of Spies Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom and Drew KuninMad Max: Fury Road Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff and Ben OsmoThe Martian Paul Massey, Mark Taylor and Mac RuthThe Revenant Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montao, Randy Thom and Chris DuesterdiekStar Wars: The Force Awakens Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio and Stuart Wilson
Achievement in visual effects
Ex Machina Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington and Sara BennettMad Max: Fury Road Andrew Jackson, Tom Wood, Dan Oliver and Andy WilliamsThe Martian Richard Stammers, Anders Langlands, Chris Lawrence and Steven WarnerThe Revenant Rich McBride, Matthew Shumway, Jason Smith and Cameron WaldbauerStar Wars: The Force Awakens Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach, Neal Scanlan and Chris Corbould
Adapted screenplay
The Big Short Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKayBrooklyn Screenplay by Nick HornbyCarol Screenplay by Phyllis NagyThe Martian Screenplay by Drew GoddardRoom Screenplay by Emma Donoghue
Original screenplay
Bridge of Spies Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel CoenEx Machina Written by Alex GarlandInside Out Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del CarmenSpotlight Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthyStraight Outta Compton Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff
Academy members from 17 branches voted for the nominees in their respective categories, while multi-branch committees picked animated feature and foreign language. Both categories featured surprises: "Embrace of the Serpent" from Colombia was likely added by the foreign language executivecommittee, for example.All voting members are eligible to select the Best Picture nominees.
Official screenings of movieswith one or more nominations will unspool startingSaturday, January 23, at the Academys Samuel Goldwyn Theater,Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood and in London, New York and the Bay Area.Active members of the Academy are eligible to vote for the winners in all 24 categories which will be announcedon Sunday, February 28, 2016 and televised live by ABC at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. as well as more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.
Source: http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/oscar-nominations-2016-snubs-and-surprises-winner-picks-analysis-20160114
