The nominees for the Oscars celebrating the best films of 2015 were announced yesterday, and after a day of consideration, I’ve decided to put together my predictions and preferences for the awards. In case anyone’s curious, here’s the list of all the films I saw in 2015 in order of how much I enjoyed them, so you know where I’m coming from. So without further ado:
BEST PICTURE
WILL WIN: Room
SHOULD WIN: The Martian
To be honest, I have no clue who will win Best Picture, so, using a mix of Rotten Tomatoes scores and common sense, I took a shot in the dark and decided that Room seems like as likely a candidate as any. Keep in mind that I haven’t seen it yet and I’m as shocked to say that a film sharing its name with one of the worst films of all time is a likely contender. I almost put The Revenant, but something tells me the Academy will want to resist giving the award to the same director twice in a row.
As shown in my above list, The Martian is my favorite film of the year, so obviously I’d like it to win Best Picture. Also keep in mind that I have not seen all the nominees, so when I do, my opinion very well may change.
BEST DIRECTING
WILL WIN: Adam McKay for The Big Short
SHOULD WIN: George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road
Much like for Best Picture, I almost put Alejandro G. Iñárritu for The Revenant, but I’m sticking by my theory that the Academy won’t want to honor him for the same award twice in a row.
I feel like the Academy might honor McKay due to him expanding his range from his history with comedic films as well as the film’s eclectic, almost documentarian style. He made a film that was funny, informative, and had solid performances all across the board, and I think the Academy will take note of that.
However, I think George Miller deserves the award for making one of the most creative, inventive action movies in years (if not ever), that mixes solid acting, a breakneck pace, and excitement….while in his SEVENTIES. They probably don’t have many more chances to honor him and may want to use this as an award for his vast career, not just this film. The only reason I’d say that this may not win is action films rarely get high honors.
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
WILL WIN: Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant
SHOULD WIN: Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant
I haven’t yet seen the film, and although I’m sure he’s very good in it, or at least he’s gone overboard in trying, the real reason I think he will and should win is so THE INTERNET CAN SHUT UP. They’re obsessed with the fact that he’s never won (even though all the times he’s lost, it was because someone else was just better), and maybe they’ll finally shut up and we can all have some piece.
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
WILL WIN: Brie Larson for Room
SHOULD WIN: Brie Larson for Room
Even ignoring her Golden Globe win, this is largely a process of elimination. The only nominated performance I’ve seen was Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn, and while she was excellent, it wasn’t exactly heavy. All of the others have Oscars, except Rampling, who I’d never even heard of before writing this. Therefore, Larson seems like the likely bet. I’ve always liked her anyway, and this would be great for her career.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
WILL WIN: Sylvester Stallone for Creed
SHOULD WIN: Sylvester Stallone for Creed
Another film I’ve regrettably yet to see (along with the whole Rocky franchise), this is another one that I think will and should be won as a testament to the entire career. I doubt the Academy will be able to resist awarding the Oscar to someone who goes back into the role that made them famous and gave them early acclaim (as well as a screenwriting Oscar). And, despite never having been a big Stallone fan (I was born in the nineties, after all, after his prime), I think he deserves it.
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
WILL WIN: Rooney Mara for Carol
SHOULD WIN: Alicia Vikander for Ex Machina The Danish Girl
It’s between the two LGBT films, because the Academy loves their politics. I think Mara will win because she’s an indie darling and in my experience a damn good actress.
I want Vikander to win because 2015 was her year, and if she has to win for The Danish Girl instead of the movie that made me fall in love with her, so be it.
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
WILL WIN: Son of Saul
SHOULD WIN: Something in Klingon.
It’s the only one I know anything about. Plus the poster’s kinda neat.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
WILL WIN: Inside Out
SHOULD WIN: Inside Out
I could write a whole essay on why this film is beautiful, important for children (but mostly adults), and is one of Pixar’s best, but this essay is a bit long as is, so I’ll just leave it as is.
While Inside Out is a shoo-in, I wouldn’t be mad if Shaun the Sheep or Anomalisa swept in under the radar, the former due to how delightful it was, and the latter (unseen by me), because I like Charlie Kaufman and Dino Stamatopoulos.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
WILL WIN: What Happened, Miss Simone?
SHOULD WIN: A documentary about me.
Simply due to the basic premise of an under-appreciated black singer who wasn’t conventionally attractive, I feel like this is right up the Academy’s alley.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
WILL WIN: Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight
SHOULD WIN: Alex Garland for Ex Machina
I almost said that Inside Out should win, but I really want Ex Machina to win something.
I feel like Spotlight will win due to the solid, if conventional screenplay, the fact that McCarthy seems overdo for a win, but especially the subject matter.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
WILL WIN: Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for The Big Short
SHOULD WIN: Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for The Big Short
I almost wanted to put Drew Goddard for The Martian, because I’ve always felt a weird connection to him (due to having the same first name and his Ascended Fanboy status in regards to Buffy), but The Big Short is just plain a better script, simply due to making these boring, complicated terms understandable and even interesting.
NOTE THAT MOST OF THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES WILL BE LIGHT AT BEST ON EXPLANATION DUE TO THIS ESSAY’S LENGTH AND THE FACT THAT YOU DON’T CARE ANYWAY.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
WILL WIN: Emmanuel Lubezki for The Revenant
SHOULD WIN: John Seale for Mad Max: Fury Road
Based on the trailers, The Revenant has it, but Mad Max was the prettiest movie of the year.
BEST FILM EDITING
WILL WIN: Hank Corwin for The Big Short
SHOULD WIN: Hank Corwin for The Big Short
The earlier mentioned style of The Big Short is why it will win.
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
WILL WIN: Ennio Morricone for The Hateful Eight
SHOULD WIN: Ennio Morricone for The Hateful Eight
As Quentin Tarantino so, ahem, eloquently put it at the Golden Globes, Morricone has never won an American award. It’s about damn time.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
WILL WIN: Simple Song #3 from Youth
SHOULD WIN: Feels Like Summer from Shaun the Sheep
I know Feels Like Summer isn’t nominated, but it should be because like the film it’s from, it’s delightful. As long as the song from Fifty Shades of Grey or that shitty Sam Smith Bond song don’t win though, I’ll be alright.
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
WILL WIN: The Danish Girl
SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
WILL WIN: The Danish Girl
SHOULD WIN: The Danish Girl
BEST SOUND EDITING
WILL WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road
SHOULD WIN: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
BEST SOUND MIXING
WILL WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road
SHOULD WIN: Mad Max: Fury Road
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Honestly, this is between The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and I’d be cool with any.
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
WILL WIN: The Revenant
SHOULD WIN: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
Honestly, I just like the title.
I’m not going to predict BEST SHORT FILM – LIVE ACTION, BEST SHORT FILM – ANIMATED, or BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT due to a lack of familiarity with the nominees.
Well, there we have it. I hope I’m more right than not. I may write a post-Oscars essay in response to this. We’ll see. In the meantime, I’ll see you at the movies. Continue reading
All Along The Wallpaper 