Oscars Challenge 2016

As I do every year, I’ll attempt to get through a good chunk of the Academy Award nominated films before the awards night on February 28th 2016, this year hosted by Chris Rock. Some I’ve seen, some I’ll get to, and some I won’t manage. As I go I’ll update the list below with links to my reviews and the occasional note here and there and then I’ll post my predictions a day or at least a few hours before the ceremony begins.

Print off or email this PDF OSCAR BALLOT 2016 sheet and challenge your friends to see who can predict the most winners!

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Directing

Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson, Room
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Best Film Editing

The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Foreign Language Film

Colombia, Embrace of the Serpent
France, Mustang
Hungary, Son of Saul
Jordan, Theeb
Denmark, A War

Best Original Score

Thomas Newman, Bridge of Spies
Carter Burwell, Carol – Not seen the film but I’ve listened to the soundtrack, it’s got a lightness and elegance to it that’s lovely, however I did find most of the tracks to be little more than a variation o the main theme, I’d like a bit more variety in the score.
Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight – I haven’t seen the film but I have had chance to listen to the score around the house and it really adds a lot of tension to buttering toast!
Jóhann Jóhannsson, Sicario
John Williams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Picture

The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Best Production Design

Bridge of Spies
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant

Best Visual Effects

Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
The Martian
Room

Best Original Screenplay

Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina
Inside Out
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton – Not meaning to belittle the writers’ work, this film apparently has one offensive word every 10 seconds. I was always told that swearing profusely was a deficiency in one’s use of the English language, so I can’t see how a film with that level of strong language can win this award.

Best Animated Feature Film

Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There

Best Cinematography

Carol
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario

Best Costume Design

Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant

Best Documentary – Feature

Amy
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom

Best Documentary – Short Subject

Body Team 12
Chau, Beyond the Lines
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
Last Day of Freedom

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
The Revenant

Best Original Song

“Earned It,” Fifty Shades of Grey
“Manta Ray,” Racing Extinction
“Simple Song No. 3,” Youth
“‘Til It Happens to You,” The Hunting Ground
“Writings on the Wall,” Spectre