Year in Review: Terry's Top Ten Films of 2015

It's been a long time coming, but I have finally seen enough films to feel confident enough to write my top ten list of last year.  I try to make it a rule that I don't finalize my top ten list of the year until I have at least seen all the Best Picture nominees.  With my busy schedule, it usually takes until around now for that to happen.  As I think I say every year, it is better late than never.

To date, I have watched 28 films from 2015.  I realize probably all of my counterparts have seen that many, if not more, already in 2016 (my 2016 total right now is 3), however I have seen enough quality throughout the 2015 canon that I have no problem proclaiming my top ten of the year.  Here we go!

Honorable Mention

Southpaw

(dir. by Antoine Fuqua)

The Good Dinosaur

(dir. by Peter Sohn)

The Big Short

(dir. by Adam McKay)

10.  Beasts of No Nation

(dir. by Cary Joji Fukunaga)

Many people complained this year about racial bias in the Academy voting.  I think that is an unfair assessment and evaluation of the situation.  Yes, there were no African-Americans nominated in a major category this year.  However, the issue wasn't racial bias but a bias against streaming services.  The best chances African-Americans had at getting nominated was in Beasts of No Nation, a beautifully tragic film about the abduction, recruitment, brainwashing, and training of child soldiers in third world countries.  The film's star, Abraham Attah, deserved a nomination similar to Quvenzhane Wallis is 2012.  Idris Elba looked destined for his first nomination and an outside chance at winning.  At the very least, it would get the attention of the tech categories for the beautiful work of Fukunaga and his crew, showing that the first season of True Detective was a sign of the greatness to come from this young filmmaker.  However, it got no recognition.  Why?  It wasn't because of the all black cast.  It was because it was released on Netflix.  It received enough of a theatrical run to qualify for awards season, but everyone could see the film streaming online as soon as it was released.  Maybe this meant none of the important people saw it.  Maybe it meant all the moneymakers in Hollywood refused to vote for a film that refused to bring in a box office income.  Either way, Beasts of No Nation didn't get the credit it so much deserved.  Go find it on Netflix now if you haven't seen it.  It will break your heart.

9.  Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

(dir. by JJ Abrams)

Now to shift gears in the furthest direction possible from the last film, here's Star Wars, the biggest box office darling of 2015.  There is a reason it made so much money though.  It was that good.  It was a film that brought the franchise back down to earth ... or whatever planet they happened to be on.  George Lucas ruined the prequels with overuse of the digital.  JJ Abrams made it all look real again.  Sure, there are way too many parallels between this and A New Hope to ignore, however it doesn't change the fact that it was possibly the most entertaining theatrical experience of the year.

8.  Room

(dir. by Lenny Abrahamson)

This was the last film I required myself to watch before I made my list, and I am so glad I did.  This film is very similar to 2011's Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close as it explains a horrific experience and ordeal through the eyes of a child.  However, where Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close resorted to mental illness and puzzles to connect with the audience, Room stayed much more down to earth as we see possibly the most honest and genuine performance of the year, and I am not talking about Oscar-winner Brie Larson.  Jacob Tremblay's performance in this should go down as one of the greatest child performances of all time.  His unique perspective on life and the world is shown in every moment he, or his voice, is on screen.  Somehow, this heartbreaking story of abduction and captivity is made heartfelt and inspiring through both Larson's and Tremblay's performances.

7.  The Revenant

(dir. by Alejandro G. Inarritu)

He did it again.  Who, you might ask?  There are several perfectly acceptable answers to this question.  Let's start with director Alejandro G. Inarritu.  Just one year earlier, Inarritu took home Oscars for Best Director and Picture for his groundbreaking film Birdman.  Now, he goes in a completely opposite direction and tells this story of struggle and survival in the wilderness.  His keen eye for beautiful filmmaking and setting in this might be rivaled only by Ang Lee in today's Hollywood.  Now, the other very acceptable answer to my original question is, of course, Leonardo DiCaprio.  Although he may have finally been recognized by the Academy with his first Oscar for this film, he once again proves that he might go down as one of the greatest actors of all time.  He has such a natural ability to disappear into any role he plays, and not in a campy, makeup way like Johnny Depp.  Leo just simply is whoever he needs to be.  Whether it be as the "King of the World" in Titanic, a con-artist kid in Catch Me If You Can, an eccentric entrepreneur in The Aviator, an undercover cop in The Departed, a plantation owner in Django Unchained, a crooked stock broker in The Wolf of Wall Street, or a man mauled by a bear determined to survive and live in The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio delivers the most believable performances in any film he makes.  He is simply the best of his generation, and it is about time the Academy honored him as such.

6.  Ex Machina

(dir. by Alex Garland)

This was definitely the biggest surprise of the year.  This brilliant film by Alex Garland, who had written several screenplays but was making his directorial debut here, explored the world of true artificial intelligence.  Appearing yet again on this list, Oscar Isaac (Star Wars) and Domhnall Gleeson (Star Wars, The Revenant) star as the mad scientist and his guinea pig.  Alicia Vikander plays a robot that is very hard to recognize as such because she acts, thinks, reacts, and speaks just like a human.  It is an endlessly fascinating film that gets in your head and doesn't go away for awhile.  If you haven't seen it, do whatever you can to change that.

5.  The Hateful Eight

(dir. by Quentin Tarantino)

Why did I every doubt the master?  When I heard the plot and even saw the trailer for The Hateful Eight, it felt like a film that was bound to disappoint.  Quentin Tarantino makes films like no one else has ever even thought of.  However, a second consecutive film about a bounty hunter; this time stuck in a room for two hours with a bunch of other people?  Really?  I was skeptical to say the least.  Then I saw it and hated myself for ever thinking Tarantino could produce anything but a masterpiece.  This film's closest relative is definitely Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino's first film.  However, he also does things Tarantino has never done before.  He takes the time for long, landscape shots.  A filmmaker obsessed with dialogue let this film breathe almost more than any other film he has made.  I have said before that Quentin Tarantino has created his own genre.  The Hateful Eight shows that he is still the king of that genre he created.

4.  Brooklyn

(dir. by John Crowley)

Brooklyn is a beautiful story of love, loss, and self-discovery.  It is like a 20th century Jane Austen tale.  Saoirse Ronan is absolutely brilliant as a young Irish girl leaving everything she knows to find a new and better life for herself in America.  You know it is a good film when you are sad it ends because you want to live in these characters' lives a little longer.  I loved every minute of it.  On a side note, let's recognize the amazing year Domhnall Gleeson put together.  This is his fourth appearance in my top ten.  Few actors find enough work to put out four movies in a year.  Not only did Gleeson accomplish that, but all four films are among the very best of 2015.  Well done!

3.  The Martian

(dir. by Ridley Scott)

I have very high standards for movies in outer space, especially realistic ones.  Apollo 13 has scarred me for life.  With that said, The Martian is the closest thing to the greatness of Apollo 13 I have seen.  Matt Damon plays an astronaut left for dead on the Martian surface.  To everyone's surprise, including his own, he is still alive and must survive on Mars until someone can come get him.  Everyone made fun of the fact that this was categorized as a comedy at the Golden Globes.  Although I wouldn't classify it as such, it is quite funny.  Matt Damon and others are able to keep this potentially tragic survival story light and humorous throughout.  I normally am not a huge fan of Ridley Scott, but he really produced a masterpiece with this one.

2.  Spotlight

(dir. by Tom McCarthy)

The surprise winner of Best Picture deserved every accolade it received.  I have been a fan of Tom McCarthy's work for some time.  His unique way of telling stories in films like The Station Agent, The Visitor, and Win Win is always heartfelt and approachable, not matter the topic.  I even liked The Cobbler much more than I should have!  Now we find McCarthy's masterpiece.  Spotlight tells the true story of the investigation done by the Boston Globe surrounding child abuse and molestation in the Catholic church.  It is a heavy and depressing topic that could easily be preachy.  However, the film takes a very different approach.  It simply tells the story from the point of view of the reporters.  At no point do we "see" anything because the reporters didn't see anything.  Every character is a real person as the performances are some of the most understated and brilliant you will see on screen.  This is led by Liev Schreiber, an outsider new to the area that brings a fresh set of eyes to a topic many seemed to turn a blind eye to in the close-knit community of Boston.  It is a quiet, real, yet intense movie you cannot take your eyes off of.  Movies don't get much better than this.

1.  Inside Out

(dir. by Pete Docter & Ronnie Del Carmen)

Pixar is king when it comes to animated films.  They simply operate on a different level than every other animated studio.  Their secondary film this year made my honorable mention!  However, every now and then, they make a film that is truly a masterpiece regardless of whether it is animated or live action.  Inside Out is one of those films.  It is fun and entertaining for the kids, yet it has a message that is profound and genuine.  This film takes you inside the head of a young girl where her five key emotions (Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness) control her actions and attitude.  The intricate world that is built to represent her mind is a genius way to describe how our brains work.  As chaos enters the young girl's life, chaos erupts in the brain's control room as Joy must try and fix what has been broken.  Being someone who works with kids often, I had such a deeper appreciation for the immense thought and care that was put into such a story that really explores the psyche of a pre-teen better than any film I have ever seen.  When Pixar makes films like this and WALL-E, they are not only making a fun kid's film.  They are making a cinematic masterpiece that will stand the test of time.

So there's my list.  What do you think?  Check our page later this week to see what films made our site's top 5 films of 2015.

Reaction to the 2015 Academy Awards: Was "Spotlight" the Most Shocking Win of the Last 25 Years?

            The 2015 Academy Awards put the “guilt” back in guilty pleasure.  If Chris Rock didn’t make you feel ashamed for watching a broadcast (and supporting an industry) which actively promotes discrimination and racism, then Lady Gaga made you feel bad for turning a blind eye to the epidemic of rape on college campuses.  If Leo didn’t make you feel bad for polluting our planet, then Sam Smith made you feel bad for following a ceremony that had never previously awarded an openly gay recipient (never mind the historical accuracy of that claim).

            Then there were the moments when you really should have felt bad: Alexandro G. Inarritu, the first director to win back-to-back Oscars since the Truman Administration, giving what was clearly the night’s most impassioned and sincere speech, void of any vanity or insincerity . . . only to be abruptly cut off by Wagner’s “March of the Valkyries” (Wagner, Max!).  By contrast, Lady Gaga got a warm introduction from her “friend” Vice-President Biden, and five minutes for a song that didn’t even win.  Does anyone even remember the name of the film her song was from?  But I suppose it could be worse; you could have been one of the two Song nominees (“Manta Ray” or “Simple Song #3”) that wasn’t even invited to perform onstage.  It felt reminiscent of Rock’s witty joke about sorority racism – “we like you, but not that much.”

            And then there’s the moment that everyone is (or should be) talking about: Stacey Dash.  If you had Stacey Dash on your betting slip for person most likely to be talked about after the Oscars, congratulations and I would like to borrow some of your millions.  In keeping with the passive aggressive spirit of this year’s awards, many have said that if you didn’t understand the Stacey Dash joke, it’s because you’re an ignorant opponent of #BlackLivesMatter.  My response is that I didn’t understand the joke because Stacey Dash actually is an ignorant opponent of #BlackLivesMatter.  In theory, it may be funny to suggest that she could serve as a director of minority outreach – but when Dash actually strutted on stage and gave a diabolical laugh like Elle Driver in Kill Bill, the joke became uncomfortable confusion.  Was she satirizing herself?  Was she in on the joke, making the audience feel like dupes?  At a time which Donald Trump’s parody of himself is one of the two people that will be elected President, uncomfortable self-reflexive meta humor has become the norm.

            Finally, there was the thing that no one really talked or cared about: the movies themselves, crudely disregarded by the Compton audiences polled on the street by Chris Rock in a sketch which somehow managed to feel mean-spirited toward both black lives as well as the nominated films.  Mad Max set some kind of record by winning six Oscars in the first 75 minutes of the broadcast, while the colorful acceptance speeches went a long way in further cementing the unlikely diplomatic ties between Australia and Namibia. Then, a series of surprising upsets woke up the few audience members who actually cared about the identities of the recipients: First, the Mad Max: Fury Road train was abruptly halted when Ex Machina upset it in the category of Visual Effects (eliminating the chance of anyone filling out a perfect Oscar ballot).  Then, Oscar voters decided that Creed wasn’t a serious enough film and gave Best Supporting Actor to Mark Rylance as the avuncular, friendly, cute old Soviet spy onscreen for ten minutes in Bridge of Spies.  Finally, Lady Gaga didn’t get another platform to talk for five minutes about giving consent when the unmemorable song from Spectre upset it.

            The rest of the night followed in predictable fashion: Inarritu’s small fraction of a speech, Brie Larson, Leo, and Morgan Freeman announcing that The Revenant had taken Best Picture.  Just like we all thought it would.  Except, OH WAIT.  Out of nowhere, Spotlight – a film which had only won one prior award, a film with no special effects, historical backdrop or over-the-top acting, a film grossing under $40 million and produced by Open Road – was the name read by a stunned Freeman.  Huh?  Going into the night, Spotlight certainly had a shot of winning Best Picture . . . but The Big Short was the film fresh off key wins in award season, Mad Max was the film that was dominating the evening, and The Revenant was the heavy overall favorite. 

            Needless to say, I, along with everyone else (except Terry), was in complete shock.  Nothing in the evening had prepared anyone for Spotlight taking the top prize; Mark Ruffalo had lost to Mark Rylance, Rachel McAdams had lost to Alicia Vikander-Saltz, Tom McCarthy had lost to Inarritu, and Spotlight failed to pick up Best Editing (which in the last few decades has become a key predictor of Best Picture).  I believe that Spotlight was the right choice, although Mad Max and The Revenant were excellent films in their own right.  But it didn’t win the Golden Globe, the Director’s Guild, the Producer’s Guild, or the BAFTA. 

            The only question left to ask: How shocking was Spotlight’s win?  I’ve been watching the Oscars the last two decades and have seen plenty of upsets.  So let’s break down Spotlight’s Best Picture win in the context of the biggest Oscar upsets of the last 25 years:

10. 1999 Best Actress: Hilary Swank over Annette Bening

Perhaps it’s not as shocking in retrospect, but it’s worth remembering that American Beauty was the overwhelming favorite in 1999 and for the most part, it absolutely delivered on awards night.  Bening was a high-profile actress who, by all accounts, did the best work of her career.  Swank was an unknown whose film (Boys Don’t Cry) was made for $2 million and almost wasn’t released.  Furthermore, while American Beauty was an uplifting, polished and constantly witty throughout, Boys Don’t Cry was a stark, depressing true story set in a Nebraska trailer park and released in a time when honest depictions of LGBT issues were taboo.  Most critics knew that Swank was the more deserving choice, but they had said the same thing about Emily Watson in 1996, Linda Fiorentino in 1994, and Ellen Burstyn the next year in 2000.  In other words, the critic’s favorite is usually not the winner at the Oscars.  But Swank’s win was a rare bucking in the trend.

9. 2006 Best Foreign Film: The Lives of Others over Pan’s Labyrinth

Foreign Film isn’t exactly the sexiest of categories, and is in fact often really difficult to predict, but Pan’s Labyrinth appeared to be the clear favorite in 2006.  It was made by a director who was well-known in the United States (Guillermo Del Toro); it had already won three awards for the evening, and was even nominated for its screenplay; it was a huge hit with critics (see this if you don’t believe me) and fans loved its mixture of lowbrow fantasy and highbrow historical and cultural memory.  If it had a “lock” on any category, it was Best Foreign Language Film; but out of nowhere, it was upset by The Lives of Others, a little-known film not yet released in America.  Furthermore, it was a German historical drama that wasn’t about the Holocaust.  I mean, look at Cate Blanchett’s reaction when she reads the envelope – it is total and complete shock.  Today, the award makes a little more sense; The Lives of Others turned out to be just as great as Pan’s Labyrinth.  For those who really pay attention to the Oscars, this upset should perhaps rank higher, but again, Foreign Film is a relatively obscure category where upsets aren’t too uncommon or significant.

8. 2002 Best Actor and Director: Adrien Brody over Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicolas Cage, Jack Nicholson, and Michael Caine; Roman Polanski over Rob Marshall.

Yes, I’m cheating a little here but very few people predicted The Pianist to perform as well as it did in the major awards.  Best Actor was wide open, with Day-Lewis as perhaps the slight favorite (in Gangs of New York), so perhaps Brody winning was not so much of an upset as much as it was a surprise that he beat the other four actors, each of whom was a towering previous winner.  Polanski was a major shock.  It’s important to remember that Chicago was a Miramax-backed spectacle in an era right after Moulin Rouge when musicals were hot again.  It was nominated for 13 Oscars.  The Pianist was financed in Europe, featured an unknown lead actor, and was released in the United States the last week of December.  The only reason it wasn’t a bigger shock?  Polanski was long overdue for an Oscar (with his scandalous past a distant memory for many voters) and most everyone knew that The Pianist was a better film than Chicago.  But ultimately, the voters chose to award style over substance. 

7. 2001 Best Actor: Denzel Washington over Russell Crowe

A little like Annette Bening losing to Hilary Swank, except Crowe seemed like even more of a shoo-in than Bening.  Coming off a rather undeserving victory the year before for Gladiator, winning Best Actor for the second consecutive year would cement his legacy as the best performer working in Hollywood.  Furthermore, his performance in A Beautiful Mind was spellbinding; he’s in 95% of the movie and is unquestionably the biggest reason why the film ultimately won Best Picture.  But an ugly little thing called “Oscar politics” began to sneak into the race in January 2002; Crowe received negative publicity for his gruff attitude and unfriendly family image.  It didn’t help that A Beautiful Mind got some backlash for deceptively cleaning up the life of an adulterer and communist sympathizer.  Enter the all-American Denzel Washington, whose performance in Training Day gave no bones about him being a villain.  Training Day had just enough 30-second clips of Washington screaming to satisfy Oscar voters and in a stunning and unjust upset, one of the best performances of the decade was denied an Oscar victory. And nothing against Washington, who is of course a great actor, but Training Day set the benchmark for better performances of his after 2001. 

6. 1993 Best Supporting Actress: Anna Paquin over Rosie Perez and Winona Rider

Like 2002 Best Actor, this race was as wide open as any in Oscar history.  Perez and Rider were mostly the favorites, since they were well-known young actresses who were on the brink of major stardom.  Both Fearless and The Age of Innocence were high-profile, well-reviewed films.  The Piano had received more nominations than either film, but Paquin was an unknown first-time performer from New Zealand and was only 11 years old.  Her win is generally considered one of the most shocking in Oscar history, but it’s worth remembering that The Piano performed very well at the 1993 Oscars (with additional wins for Best Actress and Original Screenplay).  Additionally, Paquin had more screen time in The Piano than anyone else in both her film and her category, and although Supporting Actress was wide open in 1993, none of the performances were that memorable except Paquin’s.  It’s always shocking when the Academy honors someone that young, but in this circumstance, the stars aligned perfectly to enable one of the more memorable and entertaining of recent Oscar upsets.

5. 1996 Best Supporting Actress: Juliette Binoche over Lauren Bacall.

This is the first thing that pops in many people’s minds when the words “Oscar upset” are uttered.  Let’s run down a few reasons why it wasn’t really all that shocking, albeit with the luxury of hindsight.  First, Binoche’s film (The English Patient) was the overwhelming favorite at the 1996 Oscars, and ended the evening with nine wins.  It was a historical drama based on a best-selling book that had been praised by critics and audiences all around the world.  Bacall’s film (The Mirror Has Two Faces) was a minor romantic comedy (minor even by Barbra Streisand’s standards) which got mixed responses from critics and received only one other nomination, for Best Song.  Binoche’s role was a pivotal one in the story, while Bacall’s role was mostly for the purposes of bitchy one-liners and perfectly-timed comebacks.  The English Patient was produced by the Weinsteins, while Barbra Streisand’s films had always been well-documented for their repeated failure to receive considerable Academy Award attention (justified or not).  Still, it seemed apparent to everyone in the room that night that Bacall would win what was generally tantamount to a lifetime achievement award; instead, the Academy honored Binoche, a well-known actress in the European art house circuit and someone who wasn’t exactly tough to stare at either.

4. 2006 Best Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin over Eddie Murphy

This was a shocker.  Dreamgirls was Eddie Murphy’s triumphant comeback, a perfect blend of comedic timing and powerful onscreen presence.  The film was well-received (although not overwhelmingly so), but perhaps even more importantly, it was heralded as a breakthrough – the first film to receive considerable award attention with an all-black cast.  It was also a musical made in the heyday of the Moulin Rouge/Chicago musical resurgence.  It was shocking when Dreamgirls didn’t receive a Best Picture nomination, but the prevailing logic was that acting awards for Murphy and Jennifer Hudson – each of who won practically everything during award season – would compensate.  Instead, Hudson won while Murphy lost to Arkin’s rather vulgar and embarrassing turn as the dirty grandpa in Little Miss Sunshine.  Maybe Oscar voters didn’t like that the February 2007 ceremony coincided with the theatrical release of Murphy’s follow-up to Dreamgirls, the abominable Norbit.  Maybe the writing was on the wall for Dreamgirls when it failed to secure a Best Picture nomination.  Maybe they just liked the sight of Arkin swearing.  Whatever the case, this was an inexplicable and surprising outcome.

3. 2005 Best Picture: Crash over Brokeback Mountain

The 2005 Academy Awards ended like the infamous Seahawks-Packers “Fail Mary” game: It was extremely controversial and everyone had an opinion about it, one way or another.  Looking back on it today, the consensus is that it was a poor decision by the Academy – Crash is remembered as a TV-like diatribe on race relations, with poorly-developed characters getting involved in obvious situations resolved by an overly simplistic liberal message.  Meanwhile, Brokeback is revered as the great love story of this generation, with the second-best performance from the most tragic actor of this generation (Heath Ledger).  Not awarding it Best Picture was just another example of homophobia destroying what is pure and true in the world.  The reality, however, is different and somewhere in the middle.  Both are good films, with Crash slightly underrated and Brokeback slightly overrated as a result of the Academy’s vote.  It was genuinely surprising – especially considering that Crash was a low-budget film with no A-list talent that had been released in March and had received virtually no prior awards – but critics like Roger Ebert championed it, and the film had momentum heading into the night.  There was no single dominant film that year (Crash and Brokeback won three Oscars each, tied for the most).  But judging by Jack Nicholson’s timeless expression, a win for Crash was unexpected to say the least.

2. 1998 Best Actor: Roberto Benigni over Tom Hanks, Edward Norton, Ian McKellan, and Nick Nolte.

Here’s the category everyone forgets.  Even when people remember the 1998 Oscars, they tend to only remember one thing – Shakespeare in Love upsetting Saving Private Ryan.  I didn’t even include that on this list because (A) Shakespeare in Love was backed by Miramax, (B) It had more nominations and wins than Saving Private Ryan, and (C) Saving Private Ryan was released in July while Shakespeare was released in December. No, the great surprise of 1998 was Roberto Benigni beating the likes of Tom Hanks, Edward Norton, Ian McKellan, and Nick Nolte.  It remains the only time a non-English-speaking role won Best Actor.  So what happened?  Nolte was overshadowed in his own film (Affliction) by James Coburn, who won Best Supporting Actor; McKellan’s film (Gods and Monsters) was too small; Norton’s film (American History X) was too violent and threatening for conservative Oscar voters; and Hanks was overshadowed by the visual effects spectacle of Private Ryan.  In addition, there were a handful of Best Actor snubs, the most notable of which were Jim Carrey (The Truman Show), John Travolta (Primary Colors) and Warren Beatty (Bulworth).  I suppose this meant that the race was up in the air, and even though Life is Beautiful was a hit with audiences and critics as well as a Best Picture nominee, Benigni’s performance was rarely mentioned.  On top of that, Best Actor is typically the least conducive category to comedic roles.  My theory about this race is that if today’s voters decided the outcome, Norton would be the winner.  But at the time, American History X was considered too low-budget, too grisly, too in-your-face.  Norton played a profoundly unlikeable character and the movie barely grossed $20 million.  But both at the time, as well as in this very moment today, it has to be considered the most shocking upset in Oscar history, until . . .

1. 2015 Best Picture: Spotlight over The Revenant, Mad Max and The Big Short

Spotlight didn’t come out of the blue like Benigni, Paquin, or Arkin.  In fact, it was the front-runner for Best Picture for at least a month or two and had all the chops to back it up: Great reviews, depicting not just one but two Important Topics (the Catholic clergy sex abuse scandal as well as the collapse of investigative journalism), A-list cast, a shoo-in for Original Screenplay.  But once the 2016 award circuit commenced, it was clear that Spotlight had serious shortcomings as a Best Picture contender.  Tom McCarthy was not an A-list director (and he was coming off The Cobbler); it was a quiet, talky film with no explosions, sex scenes, or characters who scream (minus one oft-repeated award-bait moment); it was financed by a low-profile studio (Open Road) which couldn’t afford a major campaign blitz; and it became pretty clear that The Revenant and Mad Max would dominate most of awards.  Both it and The Big Short were in a similar third-place position heading into last night – topical films with a few big stars that were talky and probably wouldn’t win much.  Even with that said, The Big Short had Brad Pitt producing, portrayed a more recent Important Topic (the economic collapse), and won the most predictive of all pre-Oscar awards (the Producer’s Guild Award for Best Picture).

            So why did Spotlight prevail?  It may have to do with the relatively new balloting system installed by the Academy, a preferential system which benefits films with wide appeal over films which receive the most first-place ballots.  In other words, a film like The Revenant may have garnered considerable first-place votes, but it may have also turned off voters who didn’t like the violence or the somewhat preachy and superficial message about colonialism and encounters between settlers and natives. Mad Max surely got many first-place votes, but perhaps also as many lower-place votes as a result of being a summer action movie which was (technically) a sequel.  Both Spotlight and The Big Short had excellent reviews, and probably many 2^nd and 3^rd place votes.

            But it still doesn’t answer the question of why it beat The Big Short.  And did The Revenant truly contain more uncompromising or potentially divisive content than Inarritu’s previous film, the 2014 Best Picture winner Birdman?  Furthermore, Spotlight was having a poor showing for almost the entire night; it’s a wonder that its producers and cast hadn’t bailed out and preemptively exited for the after-parties.  Kenneth Turan wrote a good piece today which contends that of the three or four major Best Picture nominees, Spotlight was the most emotionally satisfying.  The economy is still in recovery, indigenous people (and the earth’s temperature) are still suffering, and summer action movies still have no place winning Best Picture.  But in Spotlight, Goliath (the Catholic church) was defeated by David (ragtag journalists) and at the end of the day, Academy voters prefer emotional uplift and a happy ending.  And although I enjoyed Spotlight thoroughly and would have gladly awarded it my first place vote, the shocking conclusion of the 2015 Academy Awards may go down as less Frank Capra and more M. Night Shyamalan.

            What were your thoughts?  Were there any other moments or awards that deserve attention? Let me know below! 

Year in Review: Adam's Top Ten Films of 2015

2015 is finally in the books.  What a year it was too, not only for the big box office movies but also for the small indie films as well.  We had 9 movies this year have opening weekends of 80 million dollars or more (American Sniper, Fifty Shades of Grey, Furious 7, Avengers 2, Jurassic World, Inside Out, Minions, Hunger Games, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens).  6 of those films had opening weekends of 100 million dollars or more (Furious 7, Avengers 2, Jurassic World, Minions, Hunger Games, and Star Wars).  Then 2 of those films broke 200 million dollars for an opening weekend (Jurassic World and Star Wars).  In the first 20 days of being released, Star Wars has already broke the all time domestic record, set by Avatar in 2006.  Star Wars has made, as of 1/9/2016, 781,141,043 dollars and still going strong!  

We saw some sequels make some huge comebacks.  Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Creed, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Jurassic World and Furious 7, have showed us that these franchises are a live and well.  They showed us that sequels can actually be better than some of the films in previous installments.  

As for indie films, we were giving some really good ones (Spotlight, '71, Mississippi Grind, Love and Mercy, Brooklyn, It Follows, Slow West, 5 Flights Up, The Revenant, Sicario), just to name a few.  Though there was some duds too (The Danish Girl, Welcome to Me, Adult Beginners, Big Game).  I feel like even though there was a lot of good ones, this year just doesn't stack up for quality to last year.  

As for performances, we witness a lot of good ones that will wreck havoc on Oscar voters.  Leonard DiCaprio (The Revenant), Alicia Vikander (Ex-Machina), Jenifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), and Johnny Deep (Black Mass) gave us some really gripping performances.  Directors can be stars as well.  Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant), J.J. Abrams (Star Wars 7), George Miller (Mad Max:Fury Road) and F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton) gave us some of the most iconic images of the year.  

Before we get to my Top 10 list, lets hand out some awards to the people who make the films of 2015!

Total 2015 films seen: 120

Thumbs up percentage: 64%

Movies I need to see, that could make my list: Carol, The Martian, Son of Saul, The Look of Silence, and Amy

Actor of the Year:

Domhnall Gleeson

(Ex-Machina, Brooklyn, The Revenant, Star Wars: The Force Awakens)

Actress of the Year:

Alicia Vikander

(Testament of Youth, Ex-Machina, Seventh Son, Burnt, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Danish Girl)

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant, Johnny Deep - Black Mass, Oscar Issac - Ex-Machina, Michael B. Jordan - Creed, Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs

Best Actress: Emily Blunt - Sicario, Charlize Theron - Mad Max:Fury Road, Brie Larson - Room, Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn, Amy Schumer - Trainwreck

Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro - Sicario, Idris Elba - Beast of No Nation, Sylvester Stallone - Creed, Tom Hardy - The Revenant, Jason Mitchell - Straight Outta Compton

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander - Ex-Machina, Jenifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight, Cate Blanchett - Cinderella, Rachael McAdams - Spotlight, Elizabeth Banks - Love and Mercy

Best Breakout Performance: Alicia Vikander - Ex-Machina, Daisy Ridley - Star Wars:The Force Awakens, Shameik Moore - Dope, Taron Egerton - Kingsmen, Lilly James - Cinderella

Best Director: George Miller - Mad Max:Fury Road, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - The Revenant, Ryan Coogler - Creed, Pete Doctor - Inside Out, Tom McCarthy - Spotlight

Best Original Screenplay: Inside Out, Spotlight, Sicario, Ex-Machina, Straight Outta Compton

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Revenant, Creed, Steve Jobs, The Big Short, Brooklyn

Most Underrated Films: Dope, Steve Jobs, Unfriended, McFarland USA, Mississippi Grind, The Gift

Most Overrated Films: The Big Short, Trumbo, The Good Dinosaur, Legend, Tomorrowland, Chappie, The Danish Girl

Biggest Surprise: Parallels, Creep, The Intern, Danny Collins

Biggest Disappointment: Avengers:Age of Ultron, Chappie

Best Sequel: Creed

Best Laughs: Trainwreck, Sleeping with Other People, Let's Kill Ward's Wife, Spy 

Best Scares: It Follows, Cartel Land, Insidious Chapter 3,  

Bottom Five of the Year (from bad to worse): Sinister 2, Hot Pursuit, The Gallows, Paranormal Activity:The Ghost Dimension, Mortedecai 

Check out my Top Ten Worst Films of 2015

Honorable Mentions: Kingsmen, Southpaw, McFarland USA, Jurassic World, Beast of No Nation, 

It Follows (David Robert Mitchell)

Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (Brett Morgen)

Sleeping with Other People (Leslye Headland)

Trainwreck (Judd Apatow)

 Star Wars: The Force Awakens (J.J. Abrams)

10.

The Hateful Eight 

(Quentin Tarantino)

It seems like every time Tarantino makes a film, its always on peoples Top Ten list.  This year is no different.  The Hateful Eight can easily be compared to the movie Clue.  Its a western 'who done it' movie, with a ton of character!  This movie follows a bounty hunter (Kurt Russel) and his prisoner (Jenifer Jason Leigh) as they journey through the Wyoming winter.  They come across a few crazy characters along the way (Samuel L. Jackosn and Walton Goggins) and they all must hold up in a cabin due to a blizzard.  Their they meet a few more characters (Dern, Madsen, Roth, Bichir) that make the story even more interesting.  The characters are so rich in backstory, it makes it really enjoyable to see them interact with one another.  The second half might be even better than the first.  The 'who done it' part is really well written and paced.  It might not be Tarantino's best work (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs) but its definitely deserving of a spot on this list.  You should check this out if your a fan of a good Tarantino flick, heck they are all good.

9.

Brooklyn

(John Crowley)

Brooklyn, to me, is a beautiful movie about growth and independence.  Saoirse Ronan plays Eilis, a young lady who leaves her small Irish town for Brooklyn, New York.  Now, Eilis isn't necessarily brave and adventurous, she is shy and cautious.  She is on the cusp of womanhood and she has to take those finally steps on her own.  She has to learn how to overcome her shyness by making new friends at the department store she works at as well as the boarding house she resides.  She falls in love with a local man and begins planning her life with him.  But after a tragic incident in her hometown, she must journey back, and figure out what her heart is telling her is right.  It's a beautiful movie of how we must grow into adulthood and to follow our heart.  Saoirse Ronan gives us one of the best performance of the year!

8.

Straight Outta Compton

(F. Gary Gray)

This movie was my most anticipated movie of the summer!  This film shows us the rise of N.W.A., the world's most dangerous group.  Jason Mitchell (Easy E), O'Shea Jackson Jr (Ice Cube), and Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre) are amazing in their roles.  I enjoyed the journey that this movie took us on.  This movie came out at the right time, considering all the negative press about police brutality recently.  I enjoyed singing along with the songs in the theater (along with everyone else) and seeing how this group along with other rappers came up in the business.  This movie would make an awesome HBO series as well.

7.

Spotlight

(Tom McCarthy)

This the true story about how the Boston Globe uncovered the child molestation cover up with in the Catholic church.  Another perfect timing movie.  As I was watching this, I was blown away with the amazing performances and how well this film was put together.  Even though I enjoyed this movie a lot, I still had a hard time watching this knowing what the final outcome will be.  I have a daughter myself and I want to protect her from anything like this from ever happening to her.  It's hard believing that an organization, like the Catholic church, would do something like this to kids.  Truly breaks my heart.  I'm glad McCarthy and Singer penned this script and made this movie so the world knows about these things.  Going to be one to look out for come award season!

6.

Mad Max: Fury Road

(George Miller)

In the time of big CGI movies (Avengers:Age of Ultron, Jurassic World), its good to see a movie that uses practical effects.  It is so good to be back in this world and it feels like we never left.  Tom Hardy steps into the shoes of Max, taking them from Mel Gibson.  Even though this is a Mad Max film, his limelight is stolen from him by one of my favorite character this year.  Charlize Theron plays Imperator Furiose, a kick ass female movie character on par to the likes of Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) from the Alien franchise.  This was a non stop thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  

5.

Inside Out

(Pete Doctor)

This movie is such a unique experience that is super enjoyable for the whole family.  Pixar is finally back with a fresh new idea and it pays off.  It's a movie about the emotions in our head.  It follows little girl, Riley, as she moves with her family to San Francisco.  Now as a person who moved around a lot as a kid, made this movie hit home even more.  Having a daughter made it hit even harder.  I actually teared up 3 times in this movie and I'm glad I did.  It's such a sweet movie about our feelings.  This is a good movie for the kids and adults.  

4.

Ex Machina

(Alex Garland)

The movie that made, Alicia Vikander, a star!  It follows a young programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) as he is selected to particapte in an experiment in A.I. by evaluating the human qualities of a female A.I. (Vikander).  The creator (Oscar Isaac) of the A.I. Nathan, and Caleb (Gleeson) build a strange relationship as they work on their project.  What's even stranger is the relationship between Caleb and Ava (Vikander), which is some of the best parts of the movie.  What movie that makes you think, and will leave you with even more questions after it is over.  Definitely a god conversation starter.

3.

Sicario

(Denis Villeneuve)

I am sensing a trend,  A third perfect timing movie.  This movie follows FBI agent (Emily Blunt) who in enlisted by a government task force to aid against the war on drugs.  This is such a hard movie to watch.  The way it is shot, makes you want to take a hot shower right after it.  The performance of Blunt, Del Toro, and Brolin are amazing and it is such a same that they are not getting recognized for any awards.  If you watch the documentary 'Cartel Land', it will make this movie even better.  

2.

Creed

(Ryan Coogler) 

 The last time Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler made a film (Fruitvale Station) it was amazing and made my top ten too.  The amazing thing about this is that Ryan Coogler actually wrote this a pitched it to Sylvestor Stallone.  Stallone liked it and the rest is history.  It follows Adonis Creed (Jordan) as he struggles to make an name for himself in the boxing world.  He turns to his late fathers best friend, Rocky Balboa.  Stallone gives one of the best performances of his carer, Oscar worthy.  I enjoyed the chemistry between Stallone and Jordan.  Jordan has continued to show us how he is one of the best young actors out there today.  The cinematography is one of the most underrated parts of this film too.  

1.

The Revenant

(Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)

The Revenant, is my favorite movie of the year and hears why! 1) Leonardo DiCaprio is amazing as Hugh Glass.  Granted, he is one of my favorite actors working today.  My favorite film he is in is 'The Departed' though I feel that this role is even better.  I totally feel like he should finally receive the Oscar he has been chasing for such a long time.  2) Inarritu has shown us the last two years, how to direct a movie.  His long, beautiful, and gripping shots are truly breathe taking.  He builds the tension, that leaves you on the edge of your seat.  3) The score played perfectly with the way the movie was paced.  I love John Williams (Star Wars) but Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto, totally put an amazing score together that shines in the film. 4) Tom Hardy, is amazing and totally being overlooked during award season.  I really like Hardy as an actor and usually enjoy ever role he is in.  But man, I hate this guy in this film.  5) Now I didn't watch a single trailer for this film, so I went end completely unaware of what I was going to witnessed.  So glad I did.  6). Last thing, is that out of every movie this year, this was the one movie that is head and shoulders above the rest.  I realy enjoyed every shot and I can't wait to see this again!  The tense moments between characters and the the tense moments between Leo and the environment make for one amazing cinematic experience.  I can't say enough good thing about this movie!  This movie is not for the faint of heart and won't be liked by everyone, but for this guys it's my favorite film of the year!

Well that's my list an awards!  What do you think about them?  What is your Top Ten?

Thank you again!

Heres to an even better 2016 at the movies!

Adam 

2016 Oscar Predictions: Final (Major Categories)

We are getting close to the announcement of the Academy Award nominations! The race has changed a lot throughout the year, even throughout the past month. No one had really seen Star Wars, but now that everyone has, it is popping up on top 10 lists and even got a write-in nomination from the Critics Choice Awards after getting snubbed in every conceivable category from every awards circuit. It is shattering records and will have something to say about how the Oscars go. This year is filled it average movies with incredible performances and technical aspects, but far too few combine them into actual noteworthy masterworks. My predictions for the major categories are below, and be sure to check out the rest of the categories HERE.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Predicted Five

1. The Big Short – Charles Randolph, Adam McKay – It has the timely subject matter and the dynamite cast speaking the words. If this movie is going to get recognized somewhere, it is this category.

2. Steve Jobs – Aaron Sorkin – Under ordinary circumstances, this would be the clear favorite. It was actually one of the biggest flops of the year, but Sorkin’s name alone should warrant a nomination and maybe still get the win.

3. Room – Emma Donoghue – The screenplay is not all that great, but the movie is a massive indie hit. There hasn’t been a solo female winner in this category since 1995.

4. The Martian – Drew Goddard – Goddard isn’t exactly the most polished screenwriter, but this movie has all of the political notes in order to be remembered, and it was a surprise box office smash. I’d be shocked if this isn’t one of the nominated five.

5. Carol – Phyllis Nagy – The movie has underwhelmed in the previous awards circuits, but this nomination seems fairly secure. If Haynes had his name attached to the script, then it would be guaranteed.

Others in contention

6. Brooklyn – Nick Hornby – Hornby is a popular writer, but the movie hasn’t exactly shown up outside of Ronan’s performance so far this season. Maybe a BAFTA nom could put him back in the running.

7. Anomalisa – Charles Kaufman – There has been nothing but good words spoken about the film, but not enough people have seen it yet. Kaufman is always in contention when he decides to let us in on one of his crazy head trips.

8. Trumbo – John McNamara – The screenplay is sketchy, but the movie is about Hollywood, which is almost always good enough. We will have to see how much the Academy takes to it.

9. The Revenant – Alejandro G. Inarritu, Mark L. Smith – It doesn’t seem like much of a screenplay achievement, but that is not always the most important thing in these situations. It needs a nom here to have a chance at taking Best Picture.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

The Predicted Five

1. Spotlight – Thomas McCarthy, Josh Singer – This is the obvious frontrunner and winner in the category. The movie doesn’t exist without this outstanding script.

2. The Hateful Eight – Quentin Tarantino – Tarantino is going to be a nominee whenever he makes a movie. It is one of his more obvious screenplay achievements with how talky it is, but I just can’t see him beating out Spotlight.

3. Inside Out – Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley – When great Pixar movies are created, and this is absolutely one of the best, then it gets the screenplay nod.

4. Bridge of Spies – Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Matt Sharman – The Coens are seemingly yearly nominees, but with how Inside Llewyn Davis was snubbed, it makes one wonder if they have had enough of the filmmaking duo. Plus, they didn’t direct, which is normally a bad sign. I am still thinking they get in, but it is not as easy as we once thought.

5. Sicario – Taylor Sheridan – This would be a surprise nomination, but sometimes the best screenplay of the year (Margin Call, The Messenger, etc) that has almost no awards love still gets in at the last minute.

Others in contention

6. Ex Machina – Alex Garland – The screenplay and movie are marvelous, but a nomination in this category is going to be difficult. Sci-fi is not always well received by the older voters.

7. Son of Saul – Laszlo Nemes, Clara Royer – There is usually room for a foreign film in this category. Son of Saul is clearly the foreign film of the year, but its lack of US distribution so far might hurt its chances at being a player for the awards outside of the Foreign Language Film category.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

The Predicted Five

1. Rooney Mara – Carol – She and Vikander have some of the most extreme category fraud in recent memory. I don’t think both will be properly be placed in lead. Mara gets the supporting nod/win.

2. Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight – She has been snubbed throughout her underrated career, but playing in the Tarantino flick might finally be her ticket.

3. Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs – She is the classic also-ran. There is no chance this performance wins or even deserves to be in contention, but there is no chance she gets snubbed, either.

4. Helen Mirren – Trumbo – Mirren is one of those actresses that always gets in when she is in a popular movie. I am not 100% on this one since it is the same performance as she gave in Hitchcock, which she was snubbed for, but the Academy just loves her and these Old Hollywood movies.

5. Jane Fonda – Youth – Fonda hasn’t been invited since 1987. It is about time she gets her name back in the fold.

Others in contention

6. Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl – I have Vikander getting the lead nom, or else she would be placed #2 in this one.

7. Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina – She has the best chance of anyone to get a double nod after getting exactly that at the Globes. How much will the Academy take to this oddball sci-fi movie?

8. Rachel McAdams – Spotlight – McAdams is arguably the actress of the year, and this part is her best chance yet to get an Oscar nod. She will need to beat out one of the old veterans.

9. Joan Allen – Room – This is somewhat of a forgotten performance, but she has always been well-liked and these types of roles (Laura Dern last year, for instance) get nominated every now and again.

Annual Tommy Lee Jones – In the Valley of Elah Shocker Nomination – Julie Walters - Brooklyn

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

The Predicted Five

1. Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation – This seems to be the only slam dunk nomination for the Netflix original movie. Elba has been in and around the race for a few years now, and this is finally his ticket.

2. Christian Bale – The Big Short – Bale has been getting some category confusion, but he will settle into this category and get an easy nomination here.

3. Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies – Rylance doesn’t feel like a winner, but his nomination is about as secure as any actor in any category.

4. Michael Keaton – Spotlight – Keaton has gotten the shaft from almost everyone so far, except he did take a Best Actor award at one point. Maybe the category confusion is hurting him, but this is just one of those types of roles that will wind up getting in despite everyone finally writing him off and giving up on him.

5. Michael Shannon – 99 Homes – Shannon is one of our best actors, and this performance was on my shortlists last year even. It’s good to know that my instincts still are solid sometimes.

Others in contention

6. Sylvester Stallone – Creed – Stallone should absolutely be one of the five, but he has to campaign for it. It would be a nice bookend for his career as Rocky. The movie is unfairly getting overlooked, though.

7. Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight – Ruffalo is one of the most well-liked actors around, and his performance is certainly the most difficult and scene-stealing in the movie. He just got a nom last year, so maybe he has to wait for another.

8. Jacob Tremblay – Room – This is as much category fraud as has ever existed. They never put male actors this young in the lead categories. The SAG nom is promising, but I think he loses out to the bigger names and personalities.

9. Tom Hardy – The Revenant – He hasn’t had such a good run so far this season, but once audiences see The Revenant and fall for it, I think he has a good chance at stealing a last-minute nomination.

10. Paul Dano – Love & Mercy – Dano’s performance has been heralded by a host of awards circuits as lead and supporting. Is this a broken record? Category fraud is rampant this year. He just feels way too similar to Daniel Bruhl in Rush, who got the important supporting noms, but got snubbed because of the category fraud and other more veteran actors.

Annual Tommy Lee Jones – In the Valley of Elah Shocker Nomination – Oscar Isaac - Ex Machina

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

The Predicted Five

1. Brie Larson – Room – Larson is probably the frontrunner? I really don’t know. This category is as stacked as it ever has been. Her performance is raw and deep, but for some reason those types don’t normally take awards. The movie is popular enough for her to remain in the top spot for now.

2. Cate Blanchett – Carol – This seems like a fairly obvious nomination. Blanchett…another movie, another nomination. Unless Mara gets the lead nod and splits votes, she is getting in for sure.

3. Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn – This is the best performance in contention, but she hasn’t really been stacking up awards like she should be. If she takes the Globe and gets the rightful Best Picture nod at BAFTA, then she could gain frontrunner status.

4. Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl – Vikander will probably go lead for this movie to open up the door for the double nom. This is either the classic Felicity Jones also-ran nom, or she is Reese Witherspoon in 2005. I haven’t decided yet. The movie sucks, though, so she probably can’t win.

5. Jennifer Lawrence – Joy – The movie has been snubbed all over the place because it supposedly isn’t all that good. Lawrence can withstand a bad movie and still get a nom, though. Just watch.

Others in contention

6. Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years – Rampling is an intriguing addition to this race because she is so rarely a player in American cinema, despite acting for about 50 years. She has shown up at the right moments so far, she just needs enough eyeballs on her movie.

7. Rooney Mara – Carol – Mara is right there trying to get into this category. I don’t even know how these rules work anymore for situations like this. The category you receive more votes in is the category you get nominated for? I hope it doesn’t end up being like Leo in 2006 and gets snubbed for the best performance of the year.

8. Helen Mirren – Woman in Gold – The SAG nom puts her in contention here. I can’t see it happening, but weirder things have happened. Oh who am I kidding…she will probably score a double nom.

9. Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road – This would be one of the more bizarre nominations ever, but I would dig it. She has the support from a few key spots already.

10. Sarah Silverman – I Smile Back – Sarah Silverman Oscar nominee is just too weird, despite her SAG nom. But then again, Oscar-nominee Kristen Wiig, two-time nominee Jonah Hill, Oscar-winner Common, Trent Reznor, Juicy J, etc. sound weird too. I am rooting for her, but this seems like Jennifer Aniston in Cake. She will come up just short because not enough people sought out her movie or take her seriously quite enough.

Annual Tommy Lee Jones – In the Valley of Elah Shocker Nomination – Cate Blanchett - Truth

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

The Predicted Five

1. Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant – Leo has been notoriously snubbed by the Academy throughout his career. He has worked with every major director that the Academy loves, but it appears that Inarritu is finally his ticket to Oscar gold. If he loses, I will riot.

2. Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs – This seems like a shoo-in nomination for one of our best actors. He nailed everything about Jobs, which is really not an easy task. Plus, he speaks Sorkin’s words as well as anyone.

3. Johnny Depp – Black Mass – Depp is rarely overlooked when he tries. This is one of his best performances ever, and the physical transformation puts him solidly in the final five.

4. Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl – Speaking of physical transformations…two years in a row Redmayne gives the best physical performance of the year. If he gets snubbed, I will be shocked.

5. Bryan Cranston – Trumbo – This would be a bit of an upset, but I think Cranston has enough goodwill that he snags the last spot over two megastars. His performance is funny and dramatic, and movies about movies are always the Academy’s thing.

Others in contention

6. Will Smith – Concussion – Smith normally would get in when he makes a movie like this, but this category is really full, despite none of them really being as transcendent as many years past.

7. Matt Damon – The Martian – Damon deserves a nom as much as anyone who has given a solo performance (Tom Hanks in Cast Away, for example), but he just isn’t as popular with the Academy as he should be. This just feels all too similar to how his work in The Informant! was treated.

8. Paul Dano – Love & Mercy – I almost feel like Dano has a better shot at getting the lead nom over the supporting one. It would absolutely help his cause to choose one and do it quickly. It would be so cool for Dano to finally get in and not have it be for something where he was begging for it like There Will Be Blood.

9. Michael Keaton – Spotlight – If Keaton isn’t announced with the supporting actors, I can already almost picture his name coming up here. It would be a shocker, but I wouldn’t count him out.

Annual Tommy Lee Jones – In the Valley of Elah Shocker Nomination – Mark Ruffalo – Infinitely Polar Bear

BEST DIRECTOR

The Predicted Five

1. George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road – Miller has this thing seemingly wrapped up, but especially in the past half dozen years, the obvious directing winners have been losing to the Best Picture directors.

2. Thomas McCarthy – Spotlight – His direction is not going to win anyone over by itself, but being the director of the frontrunner gives him a great chance. A DGA win would all but end this race.

3. Ridley Scott – The Martian – He seems to be in for another nom and another loss.

4. Alejandro G. Inarritu – The Revenant – Inarritu has become as much of a favorite with the Academy as any director, American or not. This seems like an obvious nomination, just a year after his victory in the category.

5. Lenny Abrahamson – Room – This would be an interesting one, but I just feel like Room is so similar to Beasts of the Southern Wild that this nomination is almost expected at this point.

Others in contention

6. Todd Haynes – Carol – Haynes getting snubbed would be a shame, but he has yet to be mentioned in this category for even more flashy movies.

7. Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies – Spielberg is always a threat, but his movie just hasn’t hit as hard as his past few.

8. Adam McKay – The Big Short – His movie is one of the ones to beat for Best Picture, but there is no chance McKay gets a Best Director nom, right?

9. Cary Fukunaga – Beasts of No Nation – If the Academy is ok with the instant streaming movie thing, then Fukunaga could make a run at that fifth spot. He deserves it for his work on such a difficult movie.

10. Laszlo Nemes – Son of Saul – Foreign directors have been popular choices in this category over the years. The lack of distribution might be his downfall, but I wouldn’t necessarily count him out just yet.

11. John Crowley – Brooklyn – Crowley is a talented director, and with some BAFTA love, he could get the British vote quite easily.

BEST PICTURE

The Predicted Ten (I predict 7 will get nominated)

1. Spotlight (Thomas McCarthy) – It is the frontrunner at this point, but the ACE Eddie snub is troubling. Driving Miss Daisy is the last to win Best Picture without an ACE nom.

2. The Martian (Ridley Scott) – Its status is faltering a bit, but enough people saw it and loved it that it still warrants the #2 spot.

3. The Big Short (Adam McKay) – It is a movie of our times, and while its Best Picture nomination is secure, its chances of winning are almost zero.

4. The Revenant (Alejandro G. Inarritu) – I can’t really see this movie getting left off, unless they really want to spread the wealth after Inarritu swept a year ago.

5. Carol (Todd Haynes) – This would be Haynes’s first mention in this category, something that is almost ridiculous to say when he has Far from Heaven on his filmography.

6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (JJ Abrams) – The box office and word of mouth are ridiculous, and if it gets snubbed from this category, there will be serious backlash.

7. Room (Lenny Abrahamson) – The movie doesn’t stand much of a chance at winning, but its nomination is becoming more of a sure thing. It is the indie hit also-ran in the category that is becoming a yearly thing.

8. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller) – I don’t know if there are enough industry members who would vote this with #1 as much as critics, but it is knocking at the door of that elusive action movie Best Picture nom.

9. Inside Out (Pete Docter) – If you told me six months ago that Inside Out would be on the outside looking in, I would have called you crazy. There seems to be a bit of hesitation with Pixar with The Good Dinosaur flopping.

10. Bridge of Spies (Steven Spielberg) – Spileberg even got nominated in this category for War Horse, but I just can’t see the first place votes for this one.

Others in contention

11. Straight Outta Compton (F. Gary Gray) – Its box office was huge, but the way the precursors have gone, this would be its only nomination. That hasn’t happened since the 1930s.

12. Brooklyn (John Crowley) – It needs BAFTA domination to get into realistic consideration.

13. Trumbo (Jay Roach) – I still think this stands a decent chance at winning some awards if it gets in this category. It might have been too small and too slight to do so, but the Academy loves movies that are easy to take in.

14. Steve Jobs (Danny Boyle) – It isn’t completely dead yet. They actors and filmmakers are too good to count out, but its steam has certainly dissipated.

15. Son of Saul (Laszlo Nemes) – It would be a major surprise at this point, but the word of mouth is so outstanding that it could take ones of those open spots. 5% of first place votes is quite a bit for a foreign film, though, and it isn’t exactly a name like Michael Haneke directing…Nemes is actually a first-time director.

16. Beasts of No Nation (Cary Fukunaga) – The Academy really needs to accept that it is a Netflix original and instant streaming movie. All of the other awards circuits have taken to the format for TV and such, but if they can get over themselves, then this can still be a threat.

ARTISTIC AND TECHNICAL CATEGORIES

That’s a wrap for the major categories! Check out the rest of the categories for your Oscar pool with the link above. And as always, stay tuned for our 8^th Annual Oscar Challenge once the nominations are announced!