Awards Season 2015

[domino harvey]

Another Oscar voter's ballot

[mfunk9786]

I had no idea that my great aunt was an Oscar voter!

[domino harvey]

I haven't seen the Danish Girl yet, but Alicia Vikander is one of the most boring actresses ever to pull a whirlwind year like she's had. Completely anonymous work in her other films from this year and she's so unremarkable that she literally looks like a SIMS template. But I'm assuming she's being bolstered for this year's ingenue award because her character is either a victim, affable audience surrogate, or dies tragically (or all three)

[lacritfan]

I haven't seen the Danish Girl yet, but Alicia Vikander is one of the most boring actresses ever to pull a whirlwind year like she's had. Completely anonymous work in her other films from this year and she's so unremarkable that she literally looks like a SIMS template. But I'm assuming she's being bolstered for this year's ingenue award because her character is either a victim, affable audience surrogate, or dies tragically (or all three)

I would say she's mostly favored because she has more screen time than the others, her role is practically a lead.

[Ribs]

I had pretty much accepted her stealing the one-award-Carol-could-actually-win until the SAG Awards when they showed clips of the nominees and it really clicked with me that she's nominated for The Danish Girl. Even though I've seen the movie, I couldn't even process that was what she was being nominated for.

I feel like Danish Girl is one film that voters feel free to skip and vote for anyway - Vikander's being awarded for her year, the movie's not that great, etc.

[domino harvey]

From the Gold Derby:

Best Supporting Actress:

Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Total running time (minutes): 129
Screen time (minutes): 32:55
Percentage of screen time to movie length: 25.5%

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Total running time (minutes): 122
Screen time (minutes): 35:55
Percentage of screen time to movie length: 29.4%

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Total running time (minutes): 119
Screen time (minutes): 73:27
Percentage of screen time to movie length: 61.7%

Rooney Mara, Carol
Total running time (minutes): 118
Screen time (minutes): 80:08
Percentage of screen time to movie length: 67.9%

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Total running time (minutes): 187
Screen time (minutes): 86:01
Percentage of screen time to movie length: 45.9%

[mfunk9786]

I loved Jennifer Jason Leigh, and frankly would slot Vikander in Ex Machina somewhere around #2 were she nominated for that, but I have no idea how Rooney Mara isn't going to win this award. It baffles me. It's her second time being nominated, both for excellent work - maybe her red carpet demeanor as sort of a female answer to Joaquin Phoenix isn't doing her any favors, but give this woman an Oscar already

[domino harvey]

There is a 100% chance she'll be nominated next time for this year's Una, at least

[captveg]

Another Oscar voter's ballot

This is the type of voter that drives people that frequent this board nuts. Most of her considerations are based on things outside the actual films, such as not voting for Stallone because she dislikes him personally. Of course, he'll gain a lot of other votes because others like him. But the frustration in reading these ballot reveals every year is being reminded just how little actual movie craft is being taken into consideration for voters.

[mfunk9786]

Open question to the forum at large: Is anyone feeling hyper-invested in the Best Picture race this year? I have my preferences, I guess (I didn't like The Revenant or The Martian much but that doesn't compare to my significant dislike of Birdman and my love of The Grand Budapest Hotel, Boyhood, and Whiplash last year) and it seems like it'll just elicit a big ole shrug from me if anything save maybe Mad Max Fury Road snags the award. It's just a slate of films that I can't build up too much of a strong opinion of in either direction with regard to their long term reputations. I didn't know if I'm alone in this or if others are experiencing the same malaise.

[Ribs]

I think the two worst of the BP nominees are Big Short and Revenant; so I've got a pretty big investment in the anything-but-those narrative. I'm holding out for a crazy upset becuase of the split, though, something like Brooklyn or Room or please maybe give Spielberg a second BP before Innaritu.

For whatever reason I'm less invested in it than last year probably because I know it'll probably end with what is in my opinion the worst winner in more than a decade. If something I loved breaks it through I'll be delighted.

[DarkImbecile]

My lack of excitement results from being honestly fine with any of the three front-runners winning, unlike most years where I'm either strongly in favor of one leading contender over another (Brokeback v. Crash, or Social Network v. King's Speech) or desperate for any upset of a weak likely winner (Return of the King, The Artist, Chicago).

Some of this is also a function of it being a pretty weak year in my book - at least compared to 2013 and 2014 - and the usual number of snubs and oversights only further undermines my investment.

[hearthesilence]

I don't have an ounce of passion for any category given the number of snubs, which is a complete reversal from last year when I was thrilled to see Linklater and Wes Anderson nominated for their respective films - just too bad neither went home with a trophy of their own.

[Luke M]

I actually preferred Birdman to The Revenant so I'm less enthused about this year's front runners. I'd like to see Mad Max and Mara win but since they're long shots I'm pretty meh about the whole event. Seeing Leo win will be fun, I guess.

[Omensetter]

I have some of my cinephilea invested in a film by Todd Haynes (a great one, at that!) performing well at this parade, but it looks like Mara will be edged out by Vikander. I was hoping Vikander's Danish Girl performance would bump into Leading, creating a path for Mara, but here we are. Perhaps Carol was a bit too Cannes-y and Haynes too much an outsider still. It doesn't look to be forecasted in any of the other categories.

Me tuning into this year's edition (it would've been on in the background) evaporated once they axed ANOHNI from the performance slate.

Last year---with Boyhood, Selma, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Foxcatcher, Whiplash, Inherent Vice, and Cotillard in a Dardennes film---really did spoil us with regard to the quality of film usually honored at this ceremony. I'll be on the lookout for Kelly Reichardt next year.

[Newsnayr]

I think the two worst of the BP nominees are Big Short and Revenant; so I've got a pretty big investment in the anything-but-those narrative. I'm holding out for a crazy upset becuase of the split, though, something like Brooklyn or Room or please maybe give Spielberg a second BP before Innaritu.

For whatever reason I'm less invested in it than last year probably because I know it'll probably end with what is in my opinion the worst winner in more than a decade. If something I loved breaks it through I'll be delighted.

I'm in exactly the same boat (aside from Room) though I'm rooting for Mad Max and/or Bridge of Spies, which just might have the two worst odds of any of the nominees. Best case scenario is if Spotlight wins, but that seems less likely now.

[lacritfan]

Another brutally honest Oscar ballot, this time from the executives branch. When you wonder how the Academy could've made some of their choices remember this guy. Some jaw droppers :

(Carol) is more about decor and what everyone wears than anything of substance.
...one of the writers is also the director, which gets it bonus points with me.
I am voting for Mad Max solely because I want to stop The Revenant.
MY VOTE Adam McKay (The Big Short)

[domino harvey]

And yet surprisingly they saw all five foreign language nominees!

[jindianajonz]

Carol gets on my nerves because people who are revolutionary usually don't think of themselves as very revolutionary, and besides, I'm not especially interested in or sympathetic to the problems of a rich white woman.

[Zot!]

While you're at it, does anybody want to run the numbers on holocaust dramas, just so we can stop beating around the bush.

Maybe it's because I'm Jewish, but I'm voting for Son of Saul

This is like a Carnac the Magnificent bit.

[tarpilot]

...one of the writers is also the director, which gets it bonus points with me.

In college, I had a friend who believed that if a song was written by the artist(s) performing it, it was automatically "better" than it would have been otherwise. He also had an Insane Clown Posse tattoo.

[domino harvey]

Another brutally honest ballot

[captveg]

That was the least eye-rolling one yet.

[DarkImbecile]

Before the self-flagellating among us partake in the masochistic ritual that is the Academy Awards, here are some predictions and preferences; I mostly kept to those categories in which I've seen all or nearly all of the nominees and/or those where I felt capable of offering an informed opinion.

Best Picture:
Haven't Seen: Room
Prediction: The Revenant
My Pick (Nominees): The Revenant (I know it's not cool to like what Inarritu is putting out there these days, but I do have a weakness for self-serious epics with amazing cinematography)
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Carol (Still unreal to me that this wasn't nominated)

Best Director:
Haven't Seen: Room
Prediction: Inarritu
My Pick (Nominees): Inarritu
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Todd Haynes, Carol

Best Actress:
Haven't Seen: Room
Prediction: Larson
My Pick (Nominees): Ronan
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Nina Hoss, Phoenix (Rooney Mara should be in this category, but since she's nominated elsewhere... I also strongly considered Emily Blunt in Sicario)

Best Actor:
Haven't Seen: The Danish Girl
Prediction: DiCaprio
My Pick (Nominees): DiCaprio
My Pick (Non-Nominees): David Thewlis, Anomalisa (I didn't really feel there were many huge snubs here, though I am on the Michael B. Jordan in Creed over Cranston bandwagon)

Best Supporting Actress:
Haven't Seen: The Danish Girl
Prediction: Vikander
My Pick (Nominees): Mara
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Chiara D'Anna, The Duke of Burgundy (As with Phoenix, I doubt this film was technically eligible this year, but it is in my Academy)

Best Supporting Actor:
Haven't Seen: None
Prediction: Stallone
My Pick (Nominees): Hardy
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Walton Goggins, The Hateful Eight (Also considered Benicio Del Toro in Sicario)

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Haven't Seen: Room
Prediction: The Big Short
My Pick (Nominees): Carol
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Anomalisa

Best Original Screenplay:
Haven't Seen: None
Prediction: Spotlight
My Pick (Nominees): Spotlight (Really low ceiling in this category; nothing I feel particularly strong about)
My Pick (Non-Nominees): The Duke of Burgundy

Best Animated Feature:
Haven't Seen: Shaun the Sheep, When Marnie Was There, Boy & The World
Prediction: Inside Out
My Pick (Nominees): Anomalisa (Clearly should have seen more, but I have a hard time believing anything would top this film for me)
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Can I pick Anomalisa again? No? Then screw this category...

Best Cinematography:
Haven't Seen: None
Prediction: Lubezki
My Pick (Nominees): Lachman
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Nicholas Knowland, The Duke of Burgundy

Best Editing:
Haven't Seen: None
Prediction: The Big Short
My Pick (Nominees): Mad Max: Fury Road
My Pick (Non-Nominees): Carol

Best Visual Effects:
Haven't Seen: None
Prediction: The Revenant
My Pick (Nominees): The Revenant (That bear attack is the best use of CGI I've ever seen on a big screen, though Mad Max is about the closest second possible)
My Pick (Non-Nominees): I honestly can't think of anything that should be on this list of nominees and isn't; maybe the Mission: Impossible movie?

Best Original Score:
Haven't Seen: None
Prediction: The Hateful Eight
My Pick (Nominees): Sicario (Though I love Burwell's score and thoroughly enjoyed Morricone's work as well, this was the one that most enhanced the film for me in the theater)
My Pick (Non-Nominees): It Follows (The only soundtrack I made sure to buy this past year)

[Werewolf by Night]

Another brutally honest ballot

So many of these voters seem not to have seen The Hateful Eight. Have there been few for Academy members or no screeners sent to them? Or are these voters just opting not to see it? From my cursory Googling, it seems to be the latter.

It's also interesting (though perhaps not surprising) that so many are voting for Alicia Vikander because of her work in the film she was not nominated for.