Here are the nominees of the 88th Annual Academy Awards. The ceremony will be held on 28 February 2016.
Who are you rooting for? Which of your favourite movies didn't make the list? Whose performance did you like best? Whose was the worst? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comment section of this post.
* Winner
Best Picture The Big Short Brooklyn Bridge of Spies Mad Max: Fury Road The Martian The Revenant Room * Spotlight
Best Directing Adam McKay for The Big Short George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road * Alejandro González Iñárritu for The Revenant Lenny Abrahamson for Room Tom McCarthy for Spotlight
Best Actor in a Leading Role Bryan Cranston for Trumbo Matt Damon for The Martian * Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl
Best Actress in a Leading Role Cate Blanchett for Carol * Brie Larson for Room Jennifer Lawrence for Joy Charlotte Rampling for 45 Years Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Christian Bale for The Big Short Tom Hardy for The Revenant Mark Ruffalo for Spotlight * Mark Rylance for Bridge of Spies Sylvester Stallone for Creed
Best Actress in a Supporting Role Jennifer Jason Leigh for The Hateful Eight Rooney Mara for Carol Rachel McAdams for Spotlight * Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs
Best Original Screenplay Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen for Bridge of Spies Alex Garland for Ex Machina P. Docter, M. LeFauve, J. Cooley, R. Del Carmen for Inside Out * Josh Singer, Tom McCarthy for Spotlight A. Berloff, J. Herman, S. L. Savidge, A. Wenkus for Straight Outta Compton
Best Adapted Screenplay * Charles Randolph, Adam McKay for The Big Short Nick Hornby for Brooklyn Phyllis Nagy for Carol Drew Goddard for The Martian Emma Donogue for Room
Best Cinematography Edward Lachman for Carol Robert Richardson for The Hateful Eight Joh Seale for Mad Max: Fury Road * Emmanuel Lubezki for The Revenant Roger Deakins for Sicario
Best Film Editing Hank Corwin for The Big Short * Margaret Sixel for Mad Max: Fury Road Stephen Mirrione for The Revenant Tom McArdle for Spotlight Maryann Brandon, Mary Jo Markey for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Best Production Design A. Stockhausen, R. DeAngelo, B. Henrich for Bridge of Spies Eve Stewart, Michael Standish for The Danish Girl * Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson for Mad Max: Fury Road Arthur Max, Celia Bobak for The Martian Jack Fisk, Hamish Purdy for The Revenant
Best Costume Design Sandy Powell for Carol Sandy Powell for Cinderella Paco Delgado for The Danish Girl * Jenny Beavan for Mad Max: Fury Road Jacqueline West for The Revenant
Best Makeup and Hairstyling Love Larson, Eva Von Bahr for Hundraåringen som klev ut genom fönstret och försvann * L. Vanderwalt, E. Wardega, D. Martin for Mad Max: Fury Road S. Grigg, D. Jarman, R. A. Pandini for The Revenant
Best Original Score Thomas Newman for Bridge of Spies Carter Burwell for Carol * Ennio Morricone for The Hateful Eight Jóhann Jóhannsson for Sicario John Williams for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Best Original Song "Earned It" from Fifty Shades of Grey "Til It Happens to You" from The Hunting Ground "Manta Ray" for Racing Extinction * "Writings on the Wall" from Spectre "Simple Song #3" from Youth
Best Sound Mixing A. Nelson, G. Rydstrom, D. Kunin for Bridge of Spies * C. Jenkins, G. Rudloff, B. Osmo for Mad Max: Fury Road P. Massey, M. Taylor, Mac Ruth for The Martian J. Taylor, F.A. Montaño, R. Thom, C. Duesterdiek for The Revenant A. Nelson, C. Scarabosio, S. Wilson for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Best Sound Editing * Mark A. Mangini, David White for Mad Max: Fury Road Oliver Tarney for The Martian Martín Hernández, Lon Bender for The Revenant Alan Robert Murray for Sicario Matthew Wood, David Acord for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Best Visual Effects * A. Whitehurst, P. Norris, M.W. Ardington, S. Bennett for Ex Machina A. Jackson, T. Wood, D. Oliver, A. Williams for Mad Max: Fury Road R. Stammers, A. Langlands, C. Lawrence, S. Warner for The Martian R. McBride, M. Shumway, J. Smith, C. Wadlbauer for The Revenant R. Guyett, P. Tubach, N. Scanlan, C. Corbould for Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Best Animated Feature Film Anomalisa O Menino e o Mundo * Inside Out Shaun the Sheep Movie Omoide no Mânî
Best Foreign Language Film El abrazo de la serpiente (Colombia) Krigen (Denmark) Mustang (France, Turkey) * Saul fia (Hungary) Theeb (Jordan)
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 War Within the Walls Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah * A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness Last Day of Freedom
Best Animated Short Film * Historia de un oso Mi ne mozhem zhit bez kosmosa Prologue Sanjay's Super Team World of Tomorrow
Best Live Action Short Film Ave Maria Day One Alles wird gut Shok * Stutterer
Finally, award season is coming to an end. But before we all go back to our everyday routine after months spent in the cinema watching and reviewing potential Oscar winners as well as following campaigns and award frenzy, we get one final treat: Oscar Night. An event abounding with Hollywood stars and wannabes, glorious and not so glorious fashion moments, exciting and not so exciting musical acts and lovely to downright boring acceptance speeches.
But we know what's actually most fun about the film event of the year: the guessing game. We all have our favourite Oscar contenders and would like to see them take home an award or two today. However, there can only be one winner in each category and predicting who'll eventually claim Oscar glory can really spice up any Oscar viewing party.
So if you're in for the game, go here, download our Oscar Ballot and have your guess. In the meantime, we over here at BSP present you with our predictions for the Academy Awards 2016. Will we be right in the end?
Squuls
Rina
Nata Lie
What are your predictions? Let us know in the comments below or via social media.
Alrighty, BSPeeps, the Oscars are near, and we know you love a good guessing game. All you have to do is print out our very own Oscar Ballot, tick the nominees you think will win in their respective categories, and wait until the winners are announced this coming Sunday to check whether you've guessed correctly. See? It's that easy.
We hope you enjoy watching this year's Academy Awards and wish you good luck reaching a high score. May the odds be ever in your favour.
In case you didn't know, the Academy Awards are approaching. So if you're still not sure who to root for on Sunday, 28 February, we provide you with a neat collection of all our reviews on films that were able to grab a nomination this year. Just follow the links below and you'll be sure to hold your ground on every Oscar-themed watching party. Additionally, you can find our full list of all the nominees here.
Brooklyn
Nominated for 3 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominated for 10 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design
Nominated for 12 Oscars: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design
This Monday we are leaving the manic behind for once and are trying us on some #MondayMotivation. There's a new project coming your way - our very own, very serious contribution to award season:
BIG SCREEN PHILOSOPHERS AWARDS
Look forward to some fun categories and the big award revelation next week after the Oscar buzz has died down. We kindly invite you to check in with us on social media or on our new and so far underused YouTube channel during this week. We'll be revealing new categories and nominees every day :)
Writing: Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer; based on a series of articles by The Boston Globe Spotlight team
Cinematography: Masanobu Takayanagi
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
"If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse them." - Mitchell Garabedian
While summer is a time for flashy, light movies the darker part of the year comes along more subtle and, well, deep. Whether or not it’s that our attention span is actually shorter during the hot months or whether we are conditioned that way by film studios, the fact remains that heavily plot-based movies are more likely to hit us in winter. One of those films is Spotlight, a promising Academy Award prospect, which truly deserves to be – wait for the bad pun – in the spotlight. Tom McCarthy’s 2015 motion picture is based on the true story and articles of the 2003 Pulitzer-Prize-winning Spotlight team of The Boston Globe. It provides an in-depth look at the investigation into a grand-scale child molestation scandal within the Catholic Church at the beginning of the new millennium. In a deeply Catholic city such as Boston, this is an even bigger scandal and – as it turns out – much harder to unravel. While there had been reports of isolated incidents before, it is the impulse given by an outsider, new editor Marty Baron (Live Schreiber), which starts a systemic investigation of this problem. So the Spotlight team starts to turn over every rock available – putting in hours at the archives, tracking down witnesses, filing law suits to get access to hidden data – all with significant hindrance and harassment by the local archdiocese. While more and more people come forward (victims, lawyers, private investigators), it also becomes more and more apparent that this is not only a cover-up by the church, but by the whole devoutly Catholic community. Spotlight shows the struggle of a newspaper editorial team to fulfill its duty of informing the reluctant public of their home base, while trying to discretely hold their competitors in the dark. Their thorough research is rewarded with a detailed series of articles that not only document and uncover one of the biggest religious scandals of recent times, but move many people to come forward and finally shed the cloak of secrecy. Many a movie of the 2015-2016 season comes along with breathtaking visual features, be it action-packed special effects or breathtaking, wide-angle scenic shots. If that’s your thing, Spotlight is not for you. There is no visual spectacle to be found here. Instead there are small, fluorescent-lit rooms, hectic tracking shots of a character trying to meet one deadline or the other, and close-up personal shots that reflect interview situations and in-depth conversations. As I said earlier, Spotlight is all about the story: the shots complement it, the subtle yet nervous score underlines it, and the cast’s performances highlight it. And really, it does not disappoint. There is a scandal that is socially relevant and even more shockingly: true. It is a problem we all have heard of and that in its deceit and inappropriateness is appalling to most of us. It shakes our very foundation of who we can trust and what is good in the world. Luckily enough, Spotlight also has a team of morally righteous investigators, who stop at nothing (no personal failures, religious beliefs, old friends and connections) to uncover the truth. As a spectator you can really feel their effort. The movie does a brilliant job at intriguing its audience, inviting us to make guesses about different characters’ loyalties, and grasping the perceived urgency and danger of the situation. While in some parts the conspiracy aspect might seem a little exaggerated and the cover-up on a slightly too grand scale, simply because it’s too awful to be true, I find that it only serves the purpose of highlighting the audacity of the system. Also, if you regard the number of incidents and people involved by the real Spotlight team, it kind of puts things into perspective. Tom McCarthy and his team did an excellent job in trusting the material they had and not making a graphic action flick out of it, but rather a gripping and deep biographical and social thriller. Apart from the story, it really is the cast that makes Spotlight stand out. It’s not for nothing that the actors took home the SAG Award for Best Ensemble Cast (the equivalent to Best Picture at the Oscars) this year. Everyone, and I mean everyone, on screen in this film does an excellent job of being true to their roles, but it is the main cast that really brings home the story. Mark Ruffalo plays Mike Rezendes, a Boston journalist of Portuguese decent. His portrayal reflects a stop-at-nothing mentality that makes this assignment not a job, but a personal vendetta as well. His desperation is palpable. Walter “Robby” Robinson (Michael Keaton), another Boston native, is the chief editor of the Spotlight team at The Boston Globe. He went to Catholic school and knows many of the high-ups involved in the scandal. Keaton’s portrayal shows that Robinson is determined to unravel this system of abuse, but is also deeply shocked and ashamed by his own failure to detect a scandal of this scale on his home turf. Rachel McAdams impersonates Sacha Pfeiffer, the only female member of the team. She is close to her grandmother, a devout Catholic, and it hits her hard to have to shatter her grandmother’s beliefs. McAdams does a great job at portraying both the relentless journalist and the compassionate granddaughter. On the one hand, I can’t shake the notion that, because she is a woman, she was given more private and emotional and less tough, investigative screen time. On the other hand, McAdams has one of the most gripping scenes of the movie when her character directly confronts a retired priest about allegations against him. Martin Baron (Live Schreiber) is the new chief editor of The Boston Globe. Born in Florida and of Jewish faith, he is the true outsider that gets the investigation going. His devotion to good journalism and difficulty at getting to know how things are run in Boston are well portrayed. John Slattery is Ben Bradlee Jr., a reluctant believer in the story. As supervisor to the Spotlight team, he is not central to the actual investigation, but Slattery manages to make his unwillingness to believe in the scandal leave a constant air of suspicion against him in the audience’s minds. Matt Caroll (Brian d’Arcy James) is the member of the group with the most personal fear involved. The actor portrays the urgency of a father to protect his and his neighbors’ kids from known perpetrators in their street. Finally, the always amazing Stanley Tucci plays Mitchell Garabedian, an attorney of child abuse victims. Tucci’s portrayal is slightly eccentric as per usual, but mellows down to a sincere and fiercely protective personality when talking to the victims. In most cases a big cast has some standout performances, but in the case of Spotlight the star is the ensemble. Tom McCarthy’s 2015 feature film Spotlight comes along as a visually humble and seemingly understated motion picture. Yet, the seeming simplicity of the movie in reality is a brilliant testament to confidence in a story that is socially relevant and emotionally gripping. There is no need for any flashy extras when you have plot, performers, and audio-visuals all moving in sync to make a thrilling and highly relevant contribution, not only to this year’s award season, but to motion picture history in general.
Folks, it's Monday again and two weeks from today we'll all be talking about last night's (Feb 28) Academy Awards. This is a big night for the film industry and we've been preparing you all with reviews of the major nominees over the past few weeks. But today we are just not up for it. It's another one of those Manic Mondays and we don't feel like bullshitting anyone today. We therefore present you with the blunt truth about those fancy nominees in form of honest movie posters. So you can decide for yourself what all the fuss is about:
So there you have it. Now you can at least pretend to have seen all the films once Oscar night comes along. And it only took you what? - like 3 minutes? Pretty good, eh? If you want to see more of those movie posters, you can visit the guys over at theshiznit.co.uk. If you can't get enough of these movies, however, you might want to check out our in depth reviews on them by clicking right here and starting your week right ;)
Writing: John McNamara; based on the biography Dalton Trumbo by Bruce Cook
Cinematography: Jim Denault
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Louis C.K., Michael Stuhlbarg, Elle Fanning, Alan Tudyk, David James Elliott, Dean O’Gorman, Stephen Root, John Goodman
“Friends? What friends? Who the hell has the luxury of friends? I’ve got allies and enemies. There’s no room for anything else.”– Dalton Trumbo
The early Cold War period is not only the time in which the USA fought the Soviet Union in a proxy war far away in Korea. It is also the time in which they heavily prosecuted their own people right at home. Men and women who were suspected of favouring socialist views and communist doctrines found themselves indicted, imprisoned, shamed, blacklisted, sometimes even deported. McCarthyism scarred lives, destroyed careers and endangered one of the pinnacles of modern democracy: the freedom of speech.
Jay Roach’s biopic Trumbo tells the story of one of those men who suffered under a regime dominated by oppression and the Red Scare. In the film, Dalton Trumbo (Bryan Cranston), a celebrated Hollywood script writer, is under scrutiny for his passionate support of organised labour and his membership in the Communist Party of the USA. When summoned in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee and questioned about his political views, Trumbo refuses to answer and, in 1947, is convicted for contempt of Congress. Blacklisted after an eleven-month prison term, he has a hard time finding work and keeping his family afloat. Yet, continues to try.
Let me state right away, Trumbo is definitely flawed. Attempting to depict both a significant historical era and the personal struggle of a talented writer and dedicated family man, the film hardly moves beyond the surface. We see a man up against a tyrannical regime, we see a father working his butt off trying to earn money for his wife (Diane Lane) and three children (Elle Fanning, amongst others), we see a man facing betrayal by the hand of a very good friend. There’s a pretty basic formula at work here, guiding us through cornerstones of Trumbo’s life story, channelling some soapy drama, teary eyes and tenacious defiance while doing so. The characters fall rather flat, and an effort to explain McCarthyism rests on pointing out that everybody is plainly hysterical and nuts. Not to say that this isn’t true at its core, but a more in-depth look at the machinery behind this malicious political agenda would have been nice and could have helped to elevate the film out of triviality. Despite the overly simplistic approach, however, I can’t claim that I didn’t enjoy Trumbo. While its triviality prevents the film from really gaining ground, it also offers a rather engaging 101 on the McCarthy era and its influence on Hollywood. The reason why I say ‘engaging’ is that I found myself perfectly intrigued by the way in which the film brings the classic movie industry of the 1940s, 50s and 60s to life. The set and costume design is lovely. Characters such as John Wayne (David James Elliott) and Kirk Douglas (Dean O’Gorman) appear. The use of fictional as well as actual radio and movie footage gives the whole thing a documentary style and evokes Hollywood greatness. For example, the voices of Lucille Ball and Gregory Peck are featured, and scenes from Roman Holiday (1953) and Spartacus (1960) incorporated. Combined with the at times vivid editing, the film boasts a rich and energetic atmosphere that is fun to watch.
Besides, the cast manages to move beyond the platitudes of the script and deliver memorable performances. Cranston’s Oscar-nominated portrayal of Trumbo carries the film through a bumpy script. He brings a loveable, slightly neurotic charm to the character, presents wit and passion with ease and has me invested in his journey from start to finish. Helen Mirren shines as fancy-hat-wearing, gossip-spreading Hedda Hopper. A character that could have easily been a mere evil-minded broad becomes a complex, classy, quick-witted evil-minded broad in her capable hands. She spices up the screen every time she’s on it. Furthermore, John Goodman delivers a fun stint as foul-mouthed B-movie producer Frank King, Louis C.K. adds some dry humour as fellow blacklisted screen writer Arlen Hird, and Michael Stuhlbarg steals the show as (apparently historically inaccurate) treacherous actor Edward G. Robinson.
Story- and character-wise Trumbo keeps things very much on the lighter side. It’s thanks to the atmospheric execution, dedicated cast and witty one-liners that the film makes for engaging and entertaining popcorn cinema after all. Trivial it may be, but never incomprehensible or alienating. In the end, Dalton Trumbo and his spirit of defiance against a ramshackle political system resonate strongly.
Writing: Nick Hornby; based on the novel of the same name by Colm Tóibín
Cinematography: Yves Bélanger
Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Fiona Glascott, Jane Brennan, Brid Brennan, Eileen O'Higgins, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters
“I wish that I could stop feeling that I want to be an Irish girl in Ireland.”– Eilis Lacey
Financial crises, Cold War politics, a Mars expedition gone wrong, child molestation, sex slaves and the animalistic side of human nature – this year’s Oscars Best Picture contenders deal with a rather grim subject matter. Amidst all this dark and heavy fare (oh, I forgot, The Martian is actually a comedy...), one film might appear like the odd one out. But don’t get me wrong. John Crowley’s filmic adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel Brooklyn by Irish author Colm Tóibín may come across as a more light-hearted, small-scale entry, but it’s every bit as engaging and important as the ‘big’ pictures crowding last year’s Top 10 lists.
In 1952, Eilis (Saoirse Ronan), a young girl from a small town in Ireland, migrates to Brooklyn, New York, to find a better job and better educational opportunities. She leaves behind her mother (Jane Brennan) and her beloved sister Rose (Fiona Glascott), feeling terribly homesick for the first weeks of her new life abroad. When she meets young Italian plumber Tony (Emory Cohen) and the two fall in love, Eilis finally begins to feel as if she has arrived in the USA. However, a sad stroke of fate requires her to travel back to Ireland where she finds that her prospects have changed. Will a promising job opportunity and the attentions of handsome fellow Irishman Jim (Domhnall Gleeson) draw Eilis back into her old life, or will she follow the call of the American dream?
In Brooklyn, there aren’t any big explosions à la Mad Max: Fury Road, no CGI fests like in The Revenant, no grand political themes or crimes to uncover. Brooklyn is the tale of a young woman trying to find her way in the world. While doing so, she’s facing all kinds of relatable struggles and emotions: there’s grief for home and the ones she holds dear, love, temptation and the striving for self-reliance and empowerment. What makes it so easy to follow this journey is, firstly, that Eilis is an instantly likeable character. She’s decent and reserved, yet incredibly witty and, once she knows what she wants, determined to follow her goals. Secondly, actress Saoirse Ronan plays her with tremendous dedication, embracing all the complex aspects of the character, from sadness to humour, vulnerability to inner strength and foolishness to smartness.
As a period piece, Brooklyn shines with its beautiful set and costume design. Not only do the locations and clothes bring to life an era gone by, they also help to characterise the difference between urban New York and rural small-town Ireland. Additionally, they bring out Eilis’ different ways of life in either of those spots. While, in the beginning, her wardrobe features mostly muted colours and simple cuts, her life in the US has her embrace the latest fashion, with her sporting playful blouses and sunglasses.
What is also refreshing to see is that, despite the 1950s setting, for once, gender isn’t too much of a focus. There are occasional allusions to how pre-marital sex should be prevented and how marrying rich would be a spiffy thing to do, but, despite these things, Eilis’ journey isn’t a mere fight against gender bias. Her independence feels natural. Men and women alike respect her for her efforts and intelligence, and find her to be a talented book keeper. While many period dramas with a female lead tend to focus on the women’s struggle against patriarchal structures, in Brooklyn, Eilis’ status is a given. The film endows her with more complex layers regarding fears and motivations than the usual aim to break the glass ceiling.
One of the most appealing aspects of the film is to watch the relationship between Eilis and Tony form and deepen. Actor Emory Cohen brings a wonderfully Brando-esque quality with a good squeeze of James Dean to his Tony. There’s a classic charm to him, a dreaminess and innocence that’s rare in today’s romantic genre. His character could have easily been a mere plot device, but his performance and chemistry with Ronan contribute to establishing one of the sweetest on-screen romances of the past year. It’s also nice to have their romantic dynamics evade stereotypes, with him being the head-over-heels, in looooove guy and her the reasonable, reserved other half.
The second part of the film, Eilis’ return to Ireland, is not as engaging as the first in which she has to deal with homesickness and her newfound love. If I should find a fault in Brooklyn, even if it’s just a minor one, it’s that Eilis’ coming-of-age moment near the end appears rather suddenly. Her stay in Ireland is meant to show how her home attachment could eventually overthrow her life in Brooklyn after all, but, from a narrative perspective, I find her experiences in the US to be much more vibrant and engaging. While Domhnall Gleeson gives a lovely performance as Eilis’ shy and quiet Irish love interest, I never really believed that going back to Ireland could actually have been a plausible option for Eilis. I guess a bit more time and effort could have gone into fleshing out her affection for Ireland in order to make her conflict of choosing between Brooklyn and Ireland more apparent.
In Brooklyn, we find beautifully drawn out characters and especially a strong and likeable female lead. Then there’s also a motivated young cast (with memorable supporting stints by Jim Broadbent and especially Julie Walters, no less) and a gripping tale of finding one’s own way in life. The film evokes old-school Hollywood charm with ease, and allows for 111 minutes of delightful escapism. In a Best Picture race that is dominated by movies handling universal conflicts and grand themes, it’s good to know that there’s still room for smaller, more intimate stories to be told.
Writing: Lucinda Coxon, based on the novel of the same name by David Ebershoff
Cinematography: Danny Cohen
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw, Matthias Schoenaerts, Amber Heard, Sebastian Koch
“I think Lili's thoughts, I dream her dreams. She was always there.” -- Einar Wegener
In his previous films, The King’s Speech (2010) and Les Misérables (2012), director Tom Hooper has already proven that he’s capable of portraying grand emotions. Now, his newest piece seems to gather all the right ingredients to also pull some heartstrings, but, surprisingly, The Danish Girl feels rather void of sincere and heartfelt sensations. It’s bloodless Oscar bait which can only slightly be mended by gorgeous visuals and the dedicated performance of its lead actress Alicia Vikander.
The film is set somewhere in the 1920s and tells the story of real-life Danish painter Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) who became the first recorded person to undergo sex reassignment surgery. As a woman trapped inside a man’s body, Einar relies on the support of his devoted wife Gerda (Vikander) and their very good friend Hans Axgil (Matthias Schoenaerts), while he’s emotionally as well as physically transforming into his alter ego Lili Elbe.
Instead of focusing on a more realistic and character-driven approach towards Lili’s transformational journey and her tense relationship with Gerda, Hooper offers a more stylised take. Told in beautifully composed and coloured images, Lili’s story comes across as one abstract, life-like painting in which the brush strokes of destiny turn her from a marvellous looking man into a marvellous looking woman. No matter how much Lili might suffer underneath her flawless exterior, never does Hooper sacrifice the beauty of his visuals to display raw and honest emotions. While in Duncan Tucker’s 2005 film Transamerica I felt every ounce of pain in the gender struggle depicted by Felicity Huffman, Hooper’s Lili always remains beautiful to look at. On the one hand, there certainly is pleasure to be found in such eye candy of the highest order. On the other hand, however, this abstract kind of portrayal makes it hard for me to feel Lili’s emotions and form an attachment to the character. Throughout the film, she’s nothing more than a pretty girl with a fabulous wardrobe.
Yet, Redmayne is definitely able to dig deeper than the surface. Unfortunately, he’s not only restricted by dominant visuals. The script rushes us through events and leaves no room for an in-depth exploration of Lili’s character. Her desire to abandon her manhood and live as a woman seems to come out of nowhere, even though we’re told that it “was always there”. And rather than to evoke sympathy for her ordeal and misunderstood sexuality, Redmayne’s portrayal remains very one-sided and bloated with contrived pieces of monologue. Eventually, Lili seems more whiney, artificial and self-centred than strong, revolutionary and – above all – real.
This is especially apparent in her relationship with Gerda. Hooper turns the latter into a martyr who’s willing to sacrifice her own dreams and aspirations for Lili’s transformation. Similar to all the other supporting characters, from Schoenaert’s Hans to Ben Whishaw’s Lili supporter Henrik, Gerda only exists in order to assist Lili in her self-fulfilment. There’s no room for real interaction between the individual characters which makes watching them quite tedious after a while. It is thanks to Vikander’s strong performance that Gerda is allowed to stand out as more than just a plot device. The Swedish actress gives us self-confidence and insecurity, defiance and pain, kindness and determination. In this heap of pretty pictures and one-dimensional characters, Gerda is the only one to come across as a person made of flesh and blood. Rather than the Danish girl, it is in fact the Danish girl’s wife that shines here.
Hooper had the potential to tell an inspiring, powerful tale of self-determination and love as well as make a case for tolerance and respect. Instead, he drowned his characters in a sloppy script and all-engrossing images. And while he has Lili sob and suffer through most of the two hours of the film, I was utterly unmoved. It seems as if Hooper was so distracted by fishing for an Academy Award, that he forgot to actually make a good movie.
The Globes, Oscars et al. are closing in on us. And while the previous months have already given us a bunch of good movies highly eligible to take home one prestigious statue or the other (I'm basically talking about you, Sicario and Mad Max: Fury Road), there are still some award-bait-y films at the ready which have yet to be released in either or both the UK and the USA.
So, if you're resident in one of those regions, and you're anxious to know which movies you shouldn't miss in the upcoming weeks in order to take part in a hearty award race discussion, fret no more. Here are the flicks to watch out for:
Creed
Director: Ryan Coogler | Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone
Release: 25 Nov 2015 (USA) | 15 Jan 2016 (UK)
Remember when Rocky won best picture at the Oscars in 1977? It outdid Alan J. Pakula's All the President's Men and Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver. Maybe Creed, a spin-off/sequel to the popular boxing franchise, can become the victorious odd one out this year. With a charismatic Jordan in the lead and Stallone in his far-famed role as Rocky Balboa, who knows what can happen?
Room
Director: Lenny Abrahamson | Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers
Release: 25 Nov 2015 (USA) | 15 Jan 2016 (UK)
This film tells the story of a mother and her five-year-old son who both have been trapped in a single room for the entire span of the boy's life. When the two manage to escape from their confinement, real life awaits them with all its joys and troubles. While it has still to be seen whether the film itself can leave a mark in the race, Brie Larson's raw, powerful performance is most certainly set to turn her into one of the Best Actress top contenders of the year.
Black Mass
Director: Scott Cooper | Starring: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Peter Sarsgaard, Adam Scott, Corey Stoll, Julianne Nicholson, Juno Temple
Release: 25 Nov 2015 (UK)
Black Mass is a slow, visually appealing crime thriller about real-life gangster James 'Whitey' Bulger that ultimately lacks innovation and a truly gripping story angle. Depp's cold-blooded performance has received some praise, though, and Edgerton will probably not stand a chance in the award race but still delivers an engaging performance as naive FBI agent John Connolly, an eventual accomplice to Bulger's crimes.
Bridge of Spies
Director: Steven Spielberg | Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan
Release: 27 Nov 2015 (UK)
Probably the most Oscar-bait-y film in the competition this year, Steven Spielberg's newest piece features war, moral conflicts and lots of heavy music playing in the background. While the historical aspects of the plot and the talented cast might turn this into an engaging Cold Warspy thriller, the trailer makes the whole thing look like a bloated mess of melodramatic proportions. Still, major award juries might take to it, so a Best Picture nomination is actually not out of the question.
Adapted from a Patricia Highsmith novel, Carol tells the story of a young shop assistant falling head over heels for an older married woman in the New York of the 1950s. Domestic drama is about to unfold in beautifully composed pictures, and the two leading ladies Blanchett and Mara are bound to impress.
The Danish Girl
Diretor: Tom Hooper | Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Amber Heard, Ben Whishaw, Matthias Schoenaerts
Release: 27 Nov 2015 (USA) | 1 Jan 2016 (UK)
After winning Best Actor for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything last year, Eddie Redmayne is determined to go for the big prize once again. As real-life transgender woman Lili Elbe, one of the first people to undergo sex reassignment surgery, Redmayne will most certainly stun audiences yet again with another emotional, transformative performance. If the trailer is any indication, Hooper's film will impress with beautiful visuals, interpersonal drama and a wonderful supporting cast led by Alicia Vikander.
The Big Short
Director: Adam McKay | Starring: Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, Marisa Tomei, Selena Gomez, Melissa Leo Release: 23 Dec 2015 (USA) | 22 Jan 2016 (UK)
This certainly looks a bit like a tamed version of The Wolf of Wall Street, but it remains to be seen whether The Big Short can really hit it big at the awards. With the Financial Crisis of 2007-2010 at its centre and a promising cast along with it, who knows? The film might win over juries with topicality and star power.
45 Years
Director: Andrew Haigh | Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay
Release: 23 Dec 2015 (USA)
Shortly before their 45th wedding anniversary, a man and a woman's life are changed by the arrival of an unexpected letter. British actors Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay are both masters of their craft and get to unleash all their talent in this small, yet engaging-looking marital drama. Rampling, especially, has the potential to land a nomination.
Joy
Director: David O. Russell | Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, Elizabeth Röhm, Dascha Polanco, Virginia Madsen, Édgar Ramírez, Isabella Rossellini
Release: 25 Dec 2015 (USA) | 1 Jan 2016 (UK)
FINALLY another film made by David O. Russell starring Jennifer Lawrence! And if you think I'm being ironic here, I'm not. We already know that Russell knows how to bring out the best in Lawrence, and her take on real-life business woman/matriarch Joy Mangano, who invented the Miracle Mop, by the way, will certainly be a sight to behold. And since award juries love Russell and Lawrence just as much as I do, nominations should be a given. And rightly so. Seeing Lawrence channel her inner Michael Corleone at the end of the trailer makes my heart giddy with, well, joy.
The Hateful Eight
Director: Quentin Tarantino | Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, Channing Tatum
Release: 8 Jan 2016 (UK & USA)
Tarantino is back, and with a western no less. Big awards seem to have a hard time favouring the unconventional film maker, so we have to wait and see how The Hateful Eight will fare with them. However, it's always good to have him shake up the competition with his fun, engaging mash-up odes to cinema. Maybe someone from the impressive cast can snag a nomination. Jennifer Jason Leigh has some buzz going for her.
The Revenant
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu | Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter
Release: 8 Jan 2016 (USA) | 15 Jan 2016 (UK)
BSPeeps, I'm happy to announce that Leo has never been closer to winning an Academy Award. Everything is pointing into his direction right now, but I'm not gonna jinx it by saying that he'll definitely win. I'll just sit in my quiet, little corner and cross my fingers for him. Besides, I'm happy to see how well Tom Hardy is doing in the polls. A Best Supporting Actor nomination might be heading his way and, hell, we all know it's about time. Having said all this, I can only add that I'm fully willing to make love to this trailer. The Revenant simply looks Spec.Tac.U.Lar. Epic cinematography - as we've come to expect from Iñárritu - breathtaking scenery and special effects, and a gut-wretching story about abandonment and revenge. Did I mention that this looks epic?
Our Brand Is Crisis
Director: David Gordon Green | Starring: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie, Joaquim de Almeida
Release: 22 Jan 2016 (UK)
Our Brand Is Crisis flopped in the USA. Maybe it can score some points with UK audiences. While Bullock certainly makes for a charming lead, Mackie for a likeable anchor and Thornton for a charismatic antagonist, I guess awards buzz is over for this flick. Bad reviews aren't helping either. But, hey, it could still be worth a try.
Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy | Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
Release: 29 Jan 2016 (UK)
Unlike Our Brand Is Crisis, Spotlight has gained critical acclaim and seems to be set for a Best Picture nomination (some might even say win). The film about the real-life Boston Globe reporters who investigated multiple cases of child abuse by Roman Catholic priests is an ode to the freedom of press and the power of journalism. Mark Ruffalo and Michael Keaton have chances in the Best Actor categories.
Concussion
Director: Peter Landesman | Starring: Will Smith, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Stephen Moyer, Alec Baldwin, Luke Wilson, Eddie Marsan
Release: 25 Dec 2015 (USA) | 29 Jan 2016 (UK)
Bennet Omalu is the forensic pathologist who found out that repetetive brain trauma can lead to CTE, a degenerative brain disease. The film follows his struggle with the National Football League which tried to surpress his research on CTE in professional football. While the film has gained mostly average reviews, Will Smith has gained momentum in the lead and could land a Best Actor Nomination for his dedicated portrayal.
Trumbo
Director: Jay Roach | Starring: Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ellen Fanning, Alan Tudyk, Louis C.K., John Goodman
Release: 5 Feb 2016 (UK)
Dalton Trumbo has written the screenplays for movies such as Roman Holiday, Spartacus and Exodus. But even though he was a celebrated writer, he was also blacklisted and imprisoned during the McCarthy era. This, however, didn't stop him from winning two Academy Awards. In this year's awards race, Bryan Cranston's performance as Trumbo has garnered some attention. Competition is tough, though, but maybe the man who knocks stands a chance. In any case, it's nice to see Michael Stuhlbarg be so present this year. He also stars in Steve Jobs, which came out a few weeks ago.
Alrighty, this is it. Now you should be all set for the upcoming weeks in which we get closer and closer to the finish line of this year's awards race. Which movies are you looking forward to? Which actors and actresses do you think stand a chance to win? Feel free to let us know below.
