2015 Awards and Critic Lists

[Spinal]

Well, apparently, we're doing this already.

2016 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARD NOMINATIONS

BEST FEATURE
Anomalisa
Beasts of No Nation
Carol
Spotlight
Tangerine

BEST FIRST FEATURE
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Director: Marielle Heller
James White
Director: Josh Mond
Manos Sucias
Director: Josef Kubota Wladyka
Mediterranea
Director: Jonas Carpignano
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
Director/Producer: Chloé Zhao

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer.

Advantageous
Writer/Director/Producer: Jennifer Phang
Writer/Producer: Jacqueline Kim
Christmas, Again
Writer/Director/Producer: Charles Poekel
Heaven Knows What
Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie
Writers: Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie
Krisha
Writer/Director/Producer: Trey Edward Shults
Out of My Hand
Writer/Director: Takeshi Fukunaga
Writer/Producer: Donari Braxton

BEST DIRECTOR
Sean Baker
Tangerine
Cary Joji Fukunaga
Beasts of No Nation
Todd Haynes
Carol
Duke Johnson & Charlie Kaufman
Anomalisa
Tom McCarthy
Spotlight
David Robert Mitchell
It Follows

BEST SCREENPLAY
Charlie Kaufman
Anomalisa
Donald Margulies
The End of the Tour
Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
Spotlight
Phyllis Nagy
Carol
S. Craig Zahler
Bone Tomahawk

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
Jesse Andrews
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Jonas Carpignano
Mediterranea
Emma Donoghue
Room
Marielle Heller
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
John Magary, Story by Russell Harbaugh and Myna Joseph
The Mend

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cary Joji Fukunaga
Beasts of No Nation
Michael Gioulakis
It Follows
Ed Lachman
Carol
Reed Morano
Meadowland
Joshua James Richards
Songs My Brothers Taught Me

BEST EDITING
Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie
Heaven Knows What
Tom McArdle
Spotlight
Nathan Nugent
Room
Julio C. Perez IV
It Follows
Kristan Sprague
Manos Sucias

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Cate Blanchett
Carol
Brie Larson
Room
Rooney Mara
Carol
Bel Powley
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez
Tangerine

BEST MALE LEAD
Christopher Abbott
James White
Abraham Attah
Beasts of No Nation
Ben Mendelsohn
Mississippi Grind
Jason Segel
The End of the Tour
Koudous Seihon
Mediterranea

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Robin Bartlett
H.
Marin Ireland
Glass Chin
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Anomalisa
Cynthia Nixon
James White
Mya Taylor
Tangerine

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Kevin Corrigan
Results
Paul Dano
Love & Mercy
Idris Elba
Beasts of No Nation
Richard Jenkins
Bone Tomahawk
Michael Shannon
99 Homes

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

Spotlight
Director: Tom McCarthy
Casting Directors:Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee

Ensemble Cast: Billy Crudup, Paul Guilfoyle, Neal Huff, Brian d’Arcy James, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Jamey Sheridan, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci

BEST DOCUMENTARY
(T)ERROR
Directors/Producers: Lyric R. Cabral & David Felix Sutcliffe
Best of Enemies
Directors/Producers: Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville
Heart of a Dog
Director/Producer: Laurie Anderson
The Look of Silence
Director:Joshua Oppenheimer
Meru
Directors/Producers: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
The Russian Woodpecker
Director/Producer: Chad Gracia

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Embrace of the Serpent
(Colombia)
Director: Ciro Guerra
Girlhood
(France)
Director: Céline Sciamma
Mustang
(France, Turkey)
Director: Deniz Gamze Ergüven
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
(Sweden)
Director: Roy Andersson
Son of Saul
(Hungary)
Director: László Nemes

19th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 19th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Darren Dean

Mel Eslyn

Rebecca Green and Laura D. Smith

22nd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 22nd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.

God Bless the Child
Directors: Robert Machoian & Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck
King Jack
Director: Felix Thompson
Songs My Brothers Taught Me
Director: Chloé Zhao

21st TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 21st annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Among the Believers
Directors: Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Hemal Trivedi
Incorruptible
Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
A Woman Like Me
Directors: Elizabeth Giamatti and Alex Sichel

Link (http://www.spiritawards.com/nominees/)

[Ivan Drago]

The Independent Spirit Awards will be a bigger joke than the Golden Globes if Me and Earl and the Dying Girl wins Best First Screenplay.

[Spinal]

I've only seen two of these films, but I was pleasantly surprised to see Roy Andersson's film get a nomination.

[Ezee E]

I like how the Spirit Awards always seek out one true indie to nominate amongst all the "low-budget Hollywood" movies.

[baby doll]

The Independent Spirit Awards will be a bigger joke than the Golden Globes if Me and Earl and the Dying Girl wins Best First Screenplay.I would say they're already a bigger joke than the Golden Globes, since the latter isn't trying to fool anybody. The Globes are what they are: a silly award show to promote Hollywood product. On the other hand, it's been a long time since "independent film" was a meaningful category rather than merely a marketing tool (hence, the de facto exclusion of non-American films from all the major categories), so for the Spirit Awards to position themselves as an alternative to the Oscars is plainly dishonest, especially as the last three winners were Birdman, 12 Years a Slave, and Silver Linings Playbook (all of which I liked, by the way).

[baby doll]

I like how the Spirit Awards always seek out one true indie to nominate amongst all the "low-budget Hollywood" movies.I gather you mean Tangerine, but then how could they not nominate it, given its subject matter? Handing out awards is how Hollywood tells the world how much they disapprove of Holocaust and slavery, and how much they love gay and trans people. It has fuck all to do with art.

[Henry Gale]

Jennifer Jason Leigh is such a deserved voice-only nomination, to the point where I almost didn't think of it that way when I skimmed past it. When she came out at TIFF for the post-screening Q&A, I genuinely had a mental lapse where I thought to myself, "Nah, that's not Lisa."

But yeah, this a good reminder of just how much I need to catch up on, considering how much nominated there is already available at home.


The Independent Spirit Awards will be a bigger joke than the Golden Globes if Me and Earl and the Dying Girl wins Best First Screenplay.

Shhh!! Just be happy that's all they gave it!


I would say they're already a bigger joke than the Golden Globes, since the latter isn't trying to fool anybody. The Globes are what they are: a silly award show to promote Hollywood product. On the other hand, it's been a long time since "independent film" was a meaningful category rather than merely a marketing tool (hence, the de facto exclusion of non-American films from all the major categories), so for the Spirit Awards to position themselves as an alternative to the Oscars is plainly dishonest, especially as the last three winners were Birdman, 12 Years a Slave, and Silver Linings Playbook (all of which I liked, by the way).

I mean, they'll give it to Carol or Spotlight, but the other nominations don't feel particularly obvious. (Beasts is arguable since I'd say only its Netflix release and subsequent audience gives it that essence, along with Fukunaga's post-Detective profile.)

[Spinal]

Handing out awards is how Hollywood tells the world how much they disapprove of Holocaust and slavery, and how much they love gay and trans people. It has fuck all to do with art.

I will probably steal this line in the future.

[Irish]

Sight and Sound's 20 best films of 2015 (http://www.bfi.org.uk/best-films-2015)
"as chosen by 168 critics from around the world"

Top 5:

Nie Yinniang (The Assassin)
Hou Hsiao-Hsien, France/Hong Kong/Taiwan
38 votes

Carol
Todd Haynes, United Kingdom/USA
35 votes

Mad Max Fury Road
George Miller, Australia/USA
33 votes

As mil e uma noites (Arabian Nights)
Miguel Gomes, Switzerland/France/Germany/Portugal
23 votes

Cemetery of Splendour
Apichatpong Weerasethakul, France/United Kingdom / Germany/Malaysia/Thailand
18 votes

http://www.bfi.org.uk/best-films-2015

[Dead & Messed Up]

Every damn time I see that title, I think

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rLEIeK_YxVU/hqdefault.jpg

[baby doll]

Sight and Sound's 20 best films of 2015 (http://www.bfi.org.uk/best-films-2015)
"as chosen by 168 critics from around the world"

Top 5:

Nie Yinniang (The Assassin)
Hou Hsiao-Hsien, France/Hong Kong/Taiwan
38 votes

Carol
Todd Haynes, United Kingdom/USA
35 votes

Mad Max Fury Road
George Miller, Australia/USA
33 votes

As mil e uma noites (Arabian Nights)
Miguel Gomes, Switzerland/France/Germany/Portugal
23 votes

Cemetery of Splendour
Apichatpong Weerasethakul, France/United Kingdom / Germany/Malaysia/Thailand
18 votes

http://www.bfi.org.uk/best-films-2015I call bullshit on all the people voting for No Home Movie. Akerman is a major figure and it's sad she killed herself, but this movie still sucks.

[Watashi]

National Board of Review:

Best Film: Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Director: Ridley Scott – The Martian
Best Actor: Matt Damon – The Martian
Best Actress: Brie Larson – Room
Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Best Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
Best Adapted Screenplay: Drew Goddard – The Martian
Best Animated Feature: Inside Out
Breakthrough Performance: Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation & Jacob Tremblay – Room
Best Directorial Debut: Jonas Carpignano – Mediterranea
Best Foreign Language Film: Son of Saul
Best Documentary: Amy
William K. Everson Film History Award: Cecilia De Mille Presley
Best Ensemble: The Big Short
Spotlight Award: Sicario for Outstanding Collaborative Vision
NBR Freedom of Expression Award: Beasts of No Nation & Mustang

Top Films
Bridge of Spies
Creed
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
The Martian
Room
Sicario
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton

Top 5 Foreign Language Films
Goodnight Mommy
Mediterranea
Phoenix
The Second Mother
The Tribe

Top 5 Documentaries
Best of Enemies
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
The Diplomat
Listen to Me Marlon
The Look of Silence

Top 10 Independent Films
’71
45 Years
Cop Car
Ex Machina
Grandma
It Follows
James White
Mississippi Grind
Welcome to Me
While We’re Young

[Spinal]

Best Director: Ridley Scott – The Martian


Laughing. Yeah ...... no.

[Dead & Messed Up]

Mad Max, eh?

Nice.

[Watashi]

Laughing. Yeah ...... no.

Eh. It could have been way worse. It's Scott's best directed movie in eons.

[Ivan Drago]

Top 5 Documentaries
Listen to Me Marlon


Fuck yes. More people need to see this.

[Irish]

New York Critics Circle (http://www.nyfcc.com/awards/)


Best Director
Todd Haynes CAROL

Best Screenplay
Carol

Best Actress
Saoirse Ronan BROOKLYN

Best Actor
Michael Keaton SPOTLIGHT

Best Supporting Actress
Kristen Stewart CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

Best Supporting Actor
Mark Rylance BRIDGE OF SPIES

Best Cinematographer
Edward Lachman CAROL

Best Animated Film
Inside Out

Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary)
In Jackson Heights

Best Foreign Film
Timbuktu

Best First Film
László Nemes SON OF SAUL

Special Award
William Becker and Janus Films

Special Award
Ennio Morricone

http://www.nyfcc.com/awards/

[Irish]

Cahiers du Cinéma (http://www.cahiersducinema.com/Top-Ten-2015.html)

1. My Mother (Nanni Moretti)
2. Cemetery of Splendour (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
3. In the Shadow of Women (Philippe Garrel)
4. The Smell of Us (Larry Clark)
5. Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller)
6. Jauja (Lisandor Alonso)
7. Inherent Vice (Paul Thomas Anderson)
8. Arabian Nights (Miguel Gomes)
9. The Summer of Sangaile (Alante Kavaite)
10.Journey to the Shore (Kiyoshi Kurosawa)

http://www.cahiersducinema.com/Top-Ten-2015.html

[Watashi]

I still think Spotlight is the Oscar front-runner. I would love to see Carol or Mad Max take it, but I don't think that will happen.

[Spinal]

Ridley Scott is like the missionary position of film directors.

[Watashi]

Ridley Scott is like the missionary position of film directors.

What would be Lars Von Trier?

[Dead & Messed Up]

What would be Lars Von Trier?

Ruined orgasm.

[Spinal]

What would be Lars Von Trier?

Not sure. But I'm gonna say the butt's probably in play.

[Mysterious Dude]

Todd Haynes seems like a critic's director. Remember when Far From Heaven won a bunch of critic awards and was at the top of so many top ten lists? Does anyone still talk about Far From Heaven?

[Irish]

Does anyone still talk about Far From Heaven?

I saw some film twitter types talking about it when Carol won. But, that was the first time since Heaven's release.

[baby doll]

I haven't seen Far From Heaven since it came out but I'd like to watch it again.

[megladon8]

I remember Far From Heaven being strikingly beautiful.

[Ezee E]

Far From Heaven... Couldn't describe a single thing that happened in it.

[Pop Trash]

Far From Heaven... Couldn't describe a single thing that happened in it.

I remember a lot of gay guilt from Dennis Quaid's character.

[Idioteque Stalker]

Lots of Fear Eats the Soul style interracial couple shaming as well.

[Ezee E]

More Bone Tomahawk awards please.

[Morris Schæffer]

I remember Far From Heaven being strikingly beautiful.

I recall the "not-meant-to-be" almost romance between Cathy and the gardener (Dennis Haybert) to be among the most sorrowful moments of that year. I recall Dennis Quaid to give a very strong performance.

[Irish]

Boston Online Critics (http://bofca.com/2015-bofca-awards/)

THE TEN BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR:

1. MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

2. CREED

3. BROOKLYN

4. CAROL

5. SPOTLIGHT

6. CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA

7. BRIDGE OF SPIES

8. THE MARTIAN

9. ANOMALISA

10. TANGERINE

BEST PICTURE: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
BEST DIRECTOR: George Miller, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
BEST ACTOR: Michael B. Jordan, CREED
BEST ACTRESS: Saoirse Ronan, BROOKLYN
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Sylvester Stallone, CREED
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Kristen Stewart, CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA
BEST SCREENPLAY: Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, SPOTLIGHT
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: SON OF SAUL
BEST DOCUMENTARY: AMY
BEST ANIMATED FILM: INSIDE OUT
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: John Seale, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
BEST EDITING: Margaret Sixel, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Junkie XL, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
BEST ENSEMBLE: SPOTLIGHT

http://bofca.com/2015-bofca-awards/

[Irish]

Boston Society of Film Critics (http://www.bostonfilmcritics.org/current-winners)

Best Picture - Spotlight

Best Actor - (tie) Paul Dano for Love & Mercy and Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant

Best Actress - Charlotte Rampling for 45 Years

Best Supporting Actor - Mark Rykance for Bridge of Spies

Best Supporting Actress - Kristen Stewart for Clouds of Sils Maria

Best Director - Todd Haynes for Carol

Best Screenplay - Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight

Best Cinematography - Edward Lachman for Carol

Best Documentary - Amy

Best Foreign-Language Film - The Look of Silence

Best Animated Film - (tie) Anomalisa and Inside Out

Best Film Editing - Margaret Sixel for Mad Max: Fury Road

Best New Filmmaker - Marielle Heller for The Diary of a Teenage Girl

Best Ensemble Cast - Spotlight

Best Use of Music in a Film - Love & Mercy

http://www.bostonfilmcritics.org/current-winners

[Irish]

Los Angeles Film Critics Association (http://www.lafca.net/years/2015.html)

BEST PICTURE
"SPOTLIGHT"

BEST DIRECTOR
GEORGE MILLER
"MAD MAX: FURY ROAD"

BEST ACTOR
MICHAEL FASSBENDER
"STEVE JOBS"

BEST ACTRESS
CHARLOTTE RAMPLING
"45 YEARS"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
MICHAEL SHANNON
"99 HOMES"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
ALICIA VIKANDER
"EX MACHINA"

BEST SCREENPLAY
JOSH SINGER & TOM MCCARTHY
"SPOTLIGHT"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
JOHN SEALE
"MAD MAX: FURY ROAD"

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
COLIN GIBSON
"MAD MAX: FURY ROAD"

BEST EDITING
HANK CORWIN
"THE BIG SHORT"

BEST MUSIC SCORE
CARTER BURWELL
"ANOMALISA" AND "CAROL"

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
"SON OF SAUL"
DIRECTED BY LÁSZLÓ NEMES

BEST DOCUMENTARY/NON-FICTION FILM
"AMY" DIRECTED BY ASIF KAPADIA

BEST ANIMATION
"ANOMALISA" DIRECTED BY DUKE JOHNSON & CHARLIE KAUFMAN

SPECIAL CITATION
FILM PRESERVATIONIST DAVID SHEPARD

CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
ANNE V. COATES

http://www.lafca.net/years/2015.html

[Irish]

British Independent Film Awards (https://www.bifa.film/awards/winners)

Best British Independent Film
Ex Machina - Alex Garland

Best Director
Ex Machina - Alex Garland

Best Screenplay
Ex Machina - Alex Garland

Best Actress
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actress
Olivia Colman - The Lobster

Best Actor
Tom Hardy – Legend

Best Supporting Actor
Brendan Gleeson – Suffragette

Most Promising Newcomer
Abigail Hardingham - Nina Forever

The Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director)
The Survivalist - Stephen Fingleton

The Discovery Award
Orion: The Man Who Would Be King - Jeanie Finlay

Best Documentary
Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance - Louise Osmond

Producer of the Year
Paul Katis, Andrew de Lotbiniere - Kajaki: The True Story

Outstanding Achievement in Craft
Andrew Whitehurst, Visual Effects – Ex Machina

Best British Short Film
Edmond - Nina Gantz

Best International Independent Film
Room - Lenny Abrahamson

https://www.bifa.film/awards/winners

Has anyone heard of these? They've got weird corporate sponsorships ("Best Actor ... brought to you by Movado"), so I'm not sure how legit these are.

Edited to add: Been around since the late 90s. Not quite legit. Roughly equivalent to the "Hollywood Film Awards."

[baby doll]

Boston Society of Film Critics (http://www.bostonfilmcritics.org/current-winners)

Best Picture - SpotlightYeah, that's surprising.

[Irish]

https://vimeo.com/148026900

THE 25 BEST FILMS OF 2015: A VIDEO COUNTDOWN by David Ehrlich (lately of Little White Lies and Rolling Stone).

These cuts are fun. Best mix: Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun over clips from Magic Mike XXL, Clouds of Sils Maria, and Mad Max: Fury Road.

[Irish]

Screen Actors Guild (http://sagawards.org/)


THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

BRYAN CRANSTON / Dalton Trumbo – “TRUMBO” (Bleecker Street)

JOHNNY DEPP / James "Whitey" Bulger – “BLACK MASS” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / Hugh Glass – “THE REVENANT” (20th Century Fox)

MICHAEL FASSBENDER / Steve Jobs – “STEVE JOBS” (Universal Pictures)

EDDIE REDMAYNE / Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

CATE BLANCHETT / Carol Aird – “CAROL” (The Weinstein Company)

BRIE LARSON / Ma – “ROOM” (A24)

HELEN MIRREN / Maria Altmann – “WOMAN IN GOLD” (The Weinstein Company)

SAOIRSE RONAN / Eilis – “BROOKLYN” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

SARAH SILVERMAN / Laney Brooks – “I SMILE BACK” (Broad Green Pictures)


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

CHRISTIAN BALE / Michael Burry – “THE BIG SHORT” (Paramount Pictures)

IDRIS ELBA / Commandant – “BEASTS OF NO NATION” (Netflix)

MARK RYLANCE / Abel Rudolph – “BRIDGE OF SPIES” (DreamWorks)

MICHAEL SHANNON / Rick Carver – “99 HOMES” (Broad Green Pictures)

JACOB TREMBLAY / Jack – “ROOM” (A24)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

ROONEY MARA / Therese Belivet – “CAROL” (The Weinstein Company)

RACHEL McADAMS / Sacha Pfeiffer – “SPOTLIGHT” (Open Road Films)

HELEN MIRREN / Hedda Hopper – “TRUMBO” (Bleecker Street)

ALICIA VIKANDER / Gerda Wegener – “THE DANISH GIRL” (Focus Features)

KATE WINSLET / Joanna Hoffman – “STEVE JOBS” (Universal Pictures)


Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

BEASTS OF NO NATION (Netflix)

THE BIG SHORT (Paramount Pictures)

SPOTLIGHT (Open Road Films)

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON (Universal Pictures)

TRUMBO (Bleecker Street)


TELEVISION PROGRAMS


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

IDRIS ELBA / DCI John Luther – “LUTHER” (BBC America)

BEN KINGSLEY / Grand Vizier Ay – “TUT” (Spike)

RAY LIOTTA / Lorca/Tom Mitchell – “TEXAS RISING” (History)

BILL MURRAY / Himself – “A VERY MURRAY CHRISTMAS” (Netflix)

MARK RYLANCE / Thomas Cromwell – “WOLF HALL” (Masterpiece/PBS)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries

NICOLE KIDMAN / Grace – “GRACE OF MONACO” (Lifetime)

QUEEN LATIFAH / Bessie Smith – “BESSIE” (HBO)

CHRISTINA RICCI / Lizzie Borden – “THE LIZZIE BORDEN CHRONICLES” (Lifetime)

SUSAN SARANDON / Gladys Mortenson – “THE SECRET LIFE OF MARILYN MONROE” (Lifetime)

KRISTEN WIIG / Delores DeWinter – “THE SPOILS BEFORE DYING” (IFC)


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

PETER DINKLAGE / Tyrion Lannister – “GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)

JON HAMM / Don Draper – “MAD MEN” (AMC)

RAMI MALEK / Elliot – “MR. ROBOT” (USA Network)

BOB ODENKIRK / Jimmy McGill – “BETTER CALL SAUL” (AMC)

KEVIN SPACEY / Francis Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series

CLAIRE DANES / Carrie Mathison – “HOMELAND” (Showtime)

VIOLA DAVIS / Annalise Keating – “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER” (ABC)

JULIANNA MARGULIES / Alicia Florrick – “THE GOOD WIFE” (CBS)

MAGGIE SMITH / Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham – “DOWNTON ABBEY” (Masterpiece/PBS)

ROBIN WRIGHT / Claire Underwood – “HOUSE OF CARDS” (Netflix)


Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series

TY BURRELL / Phil Dunphy – “MODERN FAMILY” (ABC)

LOUIS C.K. / Louie – “LOUIE” (FX Networks)

WILLIAM H. MACY / Frank – “SHAMELESS” (Showtime)

JIM PARSONS / Sheldon Cooper – “THE BIG BANG THEORY” (CBS)

JEFFREY TAMBOR / Maura Pfefferman – “TRANSPARENT” (Amazon)


Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series

UZO ADUBA / Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren – “ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK” (Netflix)

EDIE FALCO / Jackie Peyton – “NURSE JACKIE” (Showtime)

ELLIE KEMPER / Kimmy Schmidt – “UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT” (Netflix)

JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS / President Selina Meyer – “VEEP” (HBO)

AMY POEHLER / Leslie Knope – “PARKS AND RECREATION” (NBC)


Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

DOWNTON ABBEY (Masterpiece/PBS)

GAME OF THRONES (HBO)

HOMELAND (Showtime)

HOUSE OF CARDS (Netflix)

MAD MEN (AMC)


Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

THE BIG BANG THEORY (CBS)

KEY & PEELE (Comedy Central)

MODERN FAMILY (ABC)

ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK (Netflix)

TRANSPARENT (Amazon)

VEEP (HBO)


SAG AWARDS® HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

“EVEREST” (Universal Pictures)

“FURIOUS 7” (Universal Pictures)

“JURASSIC WORLD” (Universal Pictures)

“MAD MAX: FURY ROAD” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

“MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION” (Paramount Pictures)


Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series

“THE BLACKLIST” (NBC)

“GAME OF THRONES” (HBO)

“HOMELAND” (Showtime)

“MARVEL'S DAREDEVIL” (Netflix)

“THE WALKING DEAD” (AMC)


LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD


52nd Annual SAG Life Achievement Award

CAROL BURNETT


http://sagawards.org/

[Irish]

Golden Globes

Best Motion Picture, Drama
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight


Best Motion Picture, Comedy
The Big Short
Joy
The Martian
Spy
Trainwreck


Best Director – Motion Picture
Todd Haynes, Carol
Alejandro Iñárritu, The Revenant
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max
Ridley Scott, The Martian


Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl


Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Melissa McCarthy, Spy

Amy Schumer, Trainwreck


Maggie Smith, Lady in the Van

Lily Tomlin, Grandma


Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Jane Fonda, Youth
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Helen Mirren, Trumbo
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs


Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Will Smith, Concussion


Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Matt Damon, The Martian
Al Pacino, Danny Collins
Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear


Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Paul Dano, Love & Mercy
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed


Best TV Series, Drama

Empire
Game of Thrones
Mr. Robot
Narcos
Outlander


Best TV Series, Comedy
Casual
Mozart in the Jungle
Orange Is the New Black
Silicon Valley
Transparent
Veep


Best TV Movie or Limited-Series
American Crime
American Horror Story: Hotel
Fargo
Flesh and Bone
Wolf Hall


Best Actor in a TV Series, Drama
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
Wagner Moura, Narcos
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan


Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Emma Donoghue, Room
Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer, Spotlight
Charles Randolph, Adam McKay, The Big Short
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight


Best Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa

The Good Dinosaur

Inside Out

The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie


Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Limited-Series, or TV Movie
Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
Regina King, American Crime
Judith Light, Transparent
Maura Tierney, The Affair


Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy
Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex Girlfriend
Jamie Lee Curtis, Scream Queens
Julia Louis Dreyfus, Veep
Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin
Lilly Tomlin, Grace & Frankie


Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Limited-Series or TV Movie
Alan Cumming, The Good Wife
Damian Lewis, Wolf Hall
Ben Mendelson, Bloodline
Tobias Menzies, Outlander
Christian Slater, Mr. Robot


Best Original Song – Motion Picture
"Love Me Like You Do" 50 Shades of Grey
"One Kind of Love" Love and Mercy
"See You Again" Furious 7
"Simple Song No. 3" Youth
"Writing's on the Wall" Spectre

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/golden-globe-nominations-complete-list-847554

Nominating The Martian in "Musical or Comedy" is ridiculous, even for the Globes.

[Dukefrukem]

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Ugh

[Spinal]

The Martian is a comedy? Says a lot about that film's shortcomings that it's not immediately considered a drama.

[TGM]

I would consider The Martian a comedy before I'd consider it a drama. *shrug*

[Spinal]

I would consider The Martian a comedy before I'd consider it a drama. *shrug*

IMDb says Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi. That makes a lot more sense to me. I mean, 'Ridley Scott comedy' is like an oxymoron.

[Pop Trash]

The Martian is a comedy? Says a lot about that film's shortcomings that it's not immediately considered a drama.

That's narrow-minded. I thought one of the more unique qualities was Mark's self-deprecating sense-of-humor about everything (straight out of the book I believe).

[Watashi]

A lot what makes The Martian work is its humor.

[Dead & Messed Up]

You figure The Martian advocates simply figured it'd have a better shot in the "Comedy" category and pitched it as such. And the Golden Globes, being a pretty awful awards organization, said, sure, why not.

[Spinal]

A lot of what makes Hamlet work is its humor. The presence of humor does not make a film a comedy.

[Spinal]

That's narrow-minded.

I'm open-minded to the idea of the film being a comedy. However, I consider the evidence and find it to be an inaccurate categorization.

Then again, this is the same organization that still thinks Orange is the New Black is a comedy, so what are you gonna do?

[TGM]

The Martian is ultimately very light hearted in tone throughout, and places humor first and foremost, even in the most dramatic of scenarios. It's clearly a comedy, far more so than it is a drama.

[transmogrifier]

It's funny, but it's in no way a comedy. I'm with Spinal.

[TGM]

How is it not, though?

[Spinal]

How is it not, though?

The main purpose of the film is not to make people laugh.

[TGM]

The main purpose of the film is not to make people laugh.

Right, it's to make 'em feel all warm inside, 'cause it's a feelgood movie that largely accomplishes its goal through comedy.

[TGM]

A better question then, what about the movie actually makes it more of a drama than a comedy?

[transmogrifier]

A better question then, what about the movie actually makes it more of a drama than a comedy?

It's premise, story beats, characters and much of the dialogue. And the score.

[TGM]

It's premise, story beats, characters and much of the dialogue. And the score.

All of which are purposefully delivered in about as un-dramatic a manner as possible, to consistently keep the tone light throughout.

[Ezee E]

The Martian sucks and shouldn't be nominated for either.

[DavidSeven]

The Martian was pretty light on effective drama, but if it's main goal was to make me laugh, then it was an even bigger failure than I thought.

[baby doll]

There's a pretty simple test to figure this out, folks: If the poster shows a character in front of a pure white backdrop it's a comedy. Anything else is not a comedy.

http://www.moviepostermaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Movie_Poster_one_character_whi te_background.png

[Irish]

Toronto Film Critics Association (https://twitter.com/TFCA)

And the Best Picture of 2015, according to us, is CAROL.

And our Best Director award goes to Todd Haynes for CAROL.

Double congratulations to Tom Hardy, repeating as a Best Actor winner this year for LEGEND.

Best Actress! Nina Hoss! PHOENIX!

And this year's Best Supporting Actor is Mark Rylance for BRIDGE OF SPIES.

Best Supporting Actress goes to Alicia Vikander in @ExMachinaMovie.

Congratulations to @GhostPanther and Charles Randolph, winners of this year's Best Screenplay award for THE BIG SHORT.

Someone call @aardman! Our Best Animated Feature goes to SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE!

And following really quickly, the Best Documentary award goes to @JoshuaOppenheim's THE LOOK OF SILENCE.

Our award for Best Foreign-Language Film goes to Christian Petzold's PHOENIX.

The first #tfca15 award is for Best First Feature, and the winner is Alex Garland's @ExMachinaMovie.

https://twitter.com/TFCA

[Irish]

Critics Choice Awards (http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/)

(aka Broadcast Film Critics Association)

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

BEST ACTOR
Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
Matt Damon – The Martian
Johnny Depp – Black Mass
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
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
Tom Hardy – The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone – Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara – Carol
Rachel McAdams – Spotlight
Helen Mirren – Trumbo
Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation
RJ Cyler – Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Shameik Moore – Dope
Milo Parker – Mr. Holmes
Jacob Tremblay – Room

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Big Short
The Hateful Eight
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Trumbo

BEST DIRECTOR
Todd Haynes – Carol
Alejandro González Iñárritu – The Revenant
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott – The Martian
Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen – Bridge of Spies
Alex Garland – Ex Machina
Quentin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley – Inside Out
Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy – Spotlight

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Charles Randolph and Adam McKay – The Big Short
Nick Hornby – Brooklyn
Drew Goddard – The Martian
Emma Donoghue – Room
Aaron Sorkin – Steve Jobs

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Carol – Ed Lachman
The Hateful Eight – Robert Richardson
Mad Max: Fury Road – John Seale
The Martian – Dariusz Wolski
The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario – Roger Deakins

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Bridge of Spies – Adam Stockhausen, Rena DeAngelo
Brooklyn – François Séguin, Jennifer Oman and Louise Tremblay
Carol – Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
The Danish Girl – Eve Stewart, Michael Standish
Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson
The Martian – Arthur Max, Celia Bobak

BEST EDITING
The Big Short – Hank Corwin
Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
The Martian – Pietro Scalia
The Revenant – Stephen Mirrione
Spotlight – Tom McArdle

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Brooklyn – Odile Dicks-Mireaux
Carol – Sandy Powell
Cinderella – Sandy Powell
The Danish Girl – Paco Delgado
Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP
Black Mass
Carol
The Danish Girl
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ex Machina
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
The Walk

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

BEST ACTION MOVIE
Furious 7
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Sicario

BEST ACTOR IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Daniel Craig – Spectre
Tom Cruise – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Tom Hardy – Mad Max: Fury Road
Chris Pratt – Jurassic World
Paul Rudd – Ant-Man

BEST ACTRESS IN AN ACTION MOVIE
Emily Blunt – Sicario
Rebecca Ferguson – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Bryce Dallas Howard – Jurassic World
Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST COMEDY
The Big Short
Inside Out
Joy
Sisters
Spy
Trainwreck

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Christian Bale – The Big Short
Steve Carell – The Big Short
Robert De Niro – The Intern
Bill Hader – Trainwreck
Jason Statham – Spy

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Tina Fey – Sisters
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
Melissa McCarthy – Spy
Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
Lily Tomlin – Grandma

BEST SCI-FI/HORROR MOVIE
Ex Machina
It Follows
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Assassin
Goodnight Mommy
Mustang
The Second Mother
Son of Saul

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Amy
Cartel Land
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
He Named Me Malala
The Look of Silence
Where to Invade Next

BEST SONG
Fifty Shades of Grey – Love Me Like You Do
Furious 7 – See You Again
The Hunting Ground – Til It Happens To You
Love & Mercy – One Kind of Love
Spectre – Writing’s on the Wall
Youth – Simple Song #3

BEST SCORE
Carol – Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
The Revenant – Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Noto
Sicario – Johann Johannsson
Spotlight – Howard Shore

http://www.criticschoice.com/movie-awards/

[number8]

You figure The Martian advocates simply figured it'd have a better shot in the "Comedy" category and pitched it as such. And the Golden Globes, being a pretty awful awards organization, said, sure, why not.

That's what I would have guessed if this was the Emmys, but I'm not sure GG works that way.

[Henry Gale]

I feel like Hateful Eight should've given the Comedy campaigning a shot, if it's at all similar in tone to Basterds and Django.

They gave a nod Quentin a Best Screenplay nod but failed to fit it in anywhere else outside of Leigh in Supporting.

[Irish]

Short of the Week's Best Short Films of 2015 (https://www.shortoftheweek.com/news/best-short-films-of-2015/)

Best Documentary: Offline Dating (Samuel Abrahams)

Most Inspiring: Le Gouffre (Carl Bouchemin and team)

Best Student: He Took His Skin Off for Me (Ben Aston)

Best Action: Odin’s Afterbirth (Joseph Bennett)

Best Drama: Melville (James M. Johnston)

Best Interactive: {The And} Marcela and Rock (Topaz Adizes)

Best Animation: Oh Willy… (Emma De Swaef and Marc James Roels)

Short of the Year: Kung Fury (David Sanberg)

https://www.shortoftheweek.com/news/best-short-films-of-2015/

[Irish]

AFI Awards (http://www.afi.com/afiawards/)

MOVIES OF THE YEAR

THE BIG SHORT

BRIDGE OF SPIES

CAROL

INSIDE OUT

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE MARTIAN

ROOM

SPOTLIGHT

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON


TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR

THE AMERICANS

BETTER CALL SAUL

BLACK-ISH

EMPIRE

FARGO

GAME OF THRONES

HOMELAND

MASTER OF NONE

MR. ROBOT

UNREAL


SPECIAL AWARD

MAD MEN

http://www.afi.com/afiawards/

lol star wars

[Pop Trash]

lol star wars

What? Have you seen it? It's getting very good reviews.

[Irish]

Chicago Film Critics Association (https://twitter.com/chicagocritics)

Let's get started. Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, EX MACHINA.

Best Cinematography: John Seale, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Best Editing: Margaret Sixel, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Best Art Direction/Production Design: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Best Original Score: Ennio Morricone, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro, SICARIO

Most Promising Performer: Jacob Tremblay, ROOM

Most Promising Filmmaker: Alex Garland, EX MACHINA

Best Original Screenplay: Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer, SPOTLIGHT

Best Adapted Screenplay: Adam McKay & Charles Rudolph, THE BIG SHORT

Best Foreign Language Film: SON OF SAUL

Best Documentary: AMY

Best Animated Feature: INSIDE OUT

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, THE REVENANT

Best Actress: Brie Larson, ROOM

Best Director: George Miller, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Best Picture: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

And that's it for us! FURY ROAD takes five, ROOM and EX MACHINA grab two each, and we'll see you at the movies.

https://twitter.com/chicagocritics

[Spinal]

A.V. Club Top 20 (http://www.avclub.com/article/20-best-films-2015-229810)

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Phoenix
3. It Follows
4. The Duke of Burgundy
5. The Look of Silence
6. Sicario
7. The Assassin
8. Carol
9. Brooklyn
10. Anomalisa
11. Inside Out
12. Bridge of Spies
13. Hard to Be a God
14. 45 Years
15. Crimson Peak
16. The Forbidden Room
17. Approaching the Elephant
18. The Martian
19. Mustang
20. James White

[Spinal]

Peter Travers (http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/10-best-movies-of-2015-20151217)

1. Spotlight
2. Steve Jobs
3. Carol
4. Mad Max: Fury Road
5. Brooklyn
6. Straight Outta Compton
7. Tangerine
8. The Martian
9. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
10. Inside Out/Anomalisa

[Dukefrukem]

There's a pretty simple test to figure this out, folks: If the poster shows a character in front of a pure white backdrop it's a comedy. Anything else is not a comedy.

http://www.moviepostermaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Movie_Poster_one_character_whi te_background.png

Combobreaker....

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/91ozOSc83BL._SL1500_.jpg

[Pop Trash]

Have not enough people seen The Hateful 8? I've noticed a distinct lack of it on these lists, but most of the reviews have been very positive (Ignaity V at AV Club gave it an A- which seems pretty dang high for him).

[Spinal]

RogerEbert.com (http://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/the-ten-best-films-of-2015)

1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Inside Out
3. Anomalisa
4. Spotlight
5. Brooklyn
6. 45 Years
7. Carol
8. Son of Saul
9. Creed
10. Chi-Raq

[Spinal]

Film Comment (http://www.filmcomment.com/blog/best-films-of-2015/)

1. Carol
2. The Assassin
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
4. Clouds of Sils Maria
5. Arabian Nights
6. Timbuktu
7. Spotlight
8. Phoenix
9. Inside Out
10. The Look of Silence
11. Hard to Be a God
12. Anomalisa
13. In Jackson Heights
14. Son of Saul
15. Horse Money
16. Jauja
17. Tangerine
18. Brooklyn
19. The Diary of a Teenage Girl
20. Bridge of Spies

[Spinal]

Every time Inside Out appears on one of these, I'm rolling my eyes.

[TGM]

Every time Inside Out appears on one of these, I'm rolling my eyes.

... :\

[Irish]

Every time Inside Out appears on one of these, I'm rolling my eyes.

Same feeling with Amy. But then, having copied and pasted a lot of these lists, I am surprised how uniform they are. It's the same dozen movies over and over and over again.

[Ezee E]

I get it for Inside Out. There's some clever stuff there. It won't hit mine.

Amy, though, I feel like has nothing new to offer, and is the same type of fall from grace we see in a lot of documentaries. Take on Montage of Heck and it's mix of animation, interviews, song clips, diary pulls... And there's something that's quite affecting.

[Watashi]

Every time Inside Out appears on one of these, I'm rolling my eyes.

http://imagesmtv-a.akamaihd.net/uri/mgid:file:http:shared:mtv.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ek5amg-1439732946.gif

[Spinal]

I mean, these are professional film critics. Not our aunts and uncles. I just can't imagine sitting through hundreds of films and then saying, "You know what? .... Bing Bong, man. Bing Bong."

[Melville]

A compilation of top 10 lists: http://criticstop10.com/

I haven't seen or even heard of most of the movies appearing on these lists. My movie watching has been weak this year.

[TGM]

I mean, these are professional film critics. Not our aunts and uncles. I just can't imagine sitting through hundreds of films and then saying, "You know what? .... Bing Bong, man. Bing Bong."

And, professionally speaking, what exactly is wrong with Bing Bong?

That character was involved in some of the most emotionally stirring scenes of any movie this year, so I fail to see how he should somehow discredit that movie. Just because his name and appearance seem a bit childish on first glance? I don't suppose you also rolled your eyes at Toy Story 3 being included on such lists a few years back?

[Spinal]

And, professionally speaking, what exactly is wrong with Bing Bong?

I mean ... I'm not a psychiatrist ... :)

Pixar consistently gets a free pass on their cloying sentimentality. The film is actually quite problematic if you start to take it seriously.


I don't suppose you also rolled your eyes at Toy Story 3 being included on such lists a few years back?

Oh, I totally did.

[TGM]

Pixar consistently gets a free pass on their cloying sentimentality. The film is actually quite problematic if you start to take it seriously.

I personally think the film's quite brilliant actually, and is definitely worth taking seriously while watching. And that's not me giving Pixar a free pass, I've given plenty of their movies grief over the years, but this one I thought handled its topic matter particularly well and respectably all around. But I supposed we'll just have to disagree on that then.


Oh, I totally did.

Ah, well very well, at least you're being consistent then. :p

[Melville]

Pixar consistently gets a free pass on their cloying sentimentality.
Heartily agree.

[Watashi]

If Pixar gets a pass, why is The Good Dinosaur being mostly ignored on critics' lists? It's probably their most sentimental film.

I think this is a personal problem, Spinal.

[Watashi]

I mean, these are professional film critics. Not our aunts and uncles. I just can't imagine sitting through hundreds of films and then saying, "You know what? .... Bing Bong, man. Bing Bong."

This is really bad. Even from you.

[Watashi]

http://www.rogerebert.com/mzs/in-praise-of-sadness-the-healing-insight-of-inside-out

Here's a professional film critic (one of the best) pouring out over why Inside Out is meaningful to him.

[Irish]

If Pixar gets a pass, why is The Good Dinosaur being mostly ignored on critics' lists?

Can't speak for Spinal, but --

Because the Good Dinosaur sucks?

I think he meant that critics don't come down on Pixar for being highly manipulative in ways that would get other films slammed.

Anyway, this is a list of the current animated frontrunners:

“Anomalisa”
“The Boy and the Beast”
“Boy and the World”
“The Good Dinosaur”
“Home”
“Hotel Transylvania 2”
“Inside Out”
“Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet”
“The Laws of the Universe – Part 0”
“Minions”
“Moomins on the Riviera”
“The Peanuts Movie”
“Regular Show: The Movie”
“Shaun the Sheep Movie”
“The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water”
“When Marnie Was There”

Of those, I'm surprised that Anomalisa and Shaun the Sheep aren't showing up on more lists. The voting seems too uniform and kneejerk across the board.

[TGM]

The Good Dinosaur did not suck. ;)

[Irish]

http://www.rogerebert.com/mzs/in-praise-of-sadness-the-healing-insight-of-inside-out

Here's a professional film critic (one of the best) pouring out over why Inside Out is meaningful to him.

Mini rant inc:

Personally, I've long thought MZS to be a complete twit (and gratingly, a smug one), but even baring that this is a terrible film essay. Dude burned a thousand words responding to PC scuttlebutt, restating the film's own themes, and injecting himself into his own argument. It's the worst kind of navel gazing.

Aside from that, how does Seitz's livejournal help your argument? He doesn't mention Bing Bong and nobody can claim that having a personal attachment to a film automatically makes it good.


The Good Dinosaur did not suck. ;)

:D

[Dead & Messed Up]

I like MZS. Overwrites at times, that'd be my only complaint.

[Watashi]

lol at saying rogerebert.com is a livejournal.

[Spinal]

The essay is fine, but it's exactly what I'm talking about. Critics are overstating the film's worth based on coarse sentimentality (his reasons for liking the film are HUGELY sentimental) and ignoring large flaws, like the film's troublesome stereotyping of disconnected fathers or the fact that it makes little sense that Joy would need to be the one to learn this lesson.

[Watashi]

the fact that it makes little sense that Joy would need to be the one to learn this lesson.

Uh, the essay explained exactly this.

[number8]

Huh. It didn't even occur to me that Anomalisa would be a contender for Best Animated.

I got too used to thinking of that category being reserved for family films, I guess.

[Spinal]

Uh, the essay explained exactly this.

Not really. It (over)explains something that should be perfectly obvious to Joy to begin with. How does the brain not know how the brain works? That makes no sense.

In other words, the essay is answering the question of what Joy learns, but not why it is Joy that needs to learn it. Why else would Sadness be there? On a very basic, logical level, why would she show up for work each day if not to serve some kind of function?

Again, it's a fine movie for what it is. But my initial point was not that the movie is bad. My initial point was that surely, in the hundreds of films that were released this year, there has to be something that reached deeper, that took more chances, that was more significant artistically.

[Winston*]

Huh. It didn't even occur to me that Anomalisa would be a contender for Best Animated.

I got too used to thinking of that category being reserved for family films, I guess.

It's crazy that the award has only been given to two movies that weren't American CGI children's films, and both years that happened a Pixar film wasn't in contention. Pointless award.

[number8]

It's crazy that the award has only been given to two movies that weren't American CGI children's films, and both years that happened a Pixar film wasn't in contention. Pointless award.

I think Chico & Rita is still the only R-rated movie to ever be nominated for the award. It is pretty sad, but I suppose it's a relatively young category.

[Irish]

lol at saying rogerebert.com is a livejournal.

You linked to Seitz's personal blog. smh


Huh. It didn't even occur to me that Anomalisa would be a contender for Best Animated.

Figure a lot of voters approach it that way too, which ultimately works to Pixar's advantage.

[Winston*]

I think Chico & Rita is still the only R-rated movie to ever be nominated for the award. It is pretty sad, but I suppose it's a relatively young category.

The fact that both those films won in the first five years of the award doesn't really give you hope of it improving though.

[Irish]

I think Chico & Rita is still the only R-rated movie to ever be nominated for the award. It is pretty sad, but I suppose it's a relatively young category.

I don't think it's the category, but the wider perception that animated equals kids. There is no market in the United States for adult animation (well, outside weird porn).

[number8]

I don't think it's the category, but the wider perception that animated equals kids. There is no market in the United States for adult animation (well, outside weird porn).

Sure, I get that, but they do get made, especially since the category does like to include foreign films like Persepolis and Chico & Rita. I'm just saying that it's easy to forget that those are in the cards. But maybe a few more years of one non-kiddie nominee here and there would help alleviate that perception over time.

To contrast, though, the Animated Short category has had a much wider diversity.

[TGM]

Not really. It (over)explains something that should be perfectly obvious to Joy to begin with. How does the brain not know how the brain works? That makes no sense.

In other words, the essay is answering the question of what Joy learns, but not why it is Joy that needs to learn it. Why else would Sadness be there? On a very basic, logical level, why would she show up for work each day if not to serve some kind of function?

Again, it's a fine movie for what it is. But my initial point was not that the movie is bad. My initial point was that surely, in the hundreds of films that were released this year, there has to be something that reached deeper, that took more chances, that was more significant artistically.

In the movie, Joy has shown herself to be pretty self centered and oblivious, always jumping in to try and save the day and make things about her. This is why she never really saw what was really happening, this is why she has a lesson to learn. And seeing things from a pulled back perspective, from the outside looking in, only then does that lesson finally dawn on her.

And as to the logic behind all of this, as to why Joy needs to learn a lesson in the first place, the brain is a very complicated thing, and not all minds function alike, let alone properly, as is the case with Riley. She's suffering from a chemical imbalance in her system which is causing her depression, as is the case with actual sufferers of depression. That imbalance is in the form of her emotions initially not functioning properly, until she reaches a point where she very literally is incapable of feeling certain emotions. Again, like ACTUAL sufferers of depression.

I covered all of this pretty in depth in my own piece on the movie if you care to look: http://cwiddop.blogspot.com/2015/07/inside-out.html
But as far as I'm concerned, of the hundreds of movies that released this year, Inside Out most certainly is one of the deepest, most insightful, and most cleverly artistic films of the whole year, and one that took plenty of chances, putting out a family friendly film with so much depth that it has been bound to go over a lot of people's heads, and I'm not just talking about the kids here. Without question, it's one of the most brilliant works of the year, and deserves to be mentioned alongside all the other true greats.

[Spinal]

Thanks for sharing that. I'm glad you found much in the film to enjoy. :)

[Mysterious Dude]

A compilation of top 10 lists: http://criticstop10.com/
The Hateful Eight finally appears! I was expecting it to do a lot better. At this point, I wonder if it will even crack the top 20.

The Revenant isn't doing as well as I expected, either.

[Irish]

The Revenant isn't doing as well as I expected, either.

Not too surprised at that because I don't think a lot of critics saw The Revenant. Unlike Hateful 8 or Star Wars, it wasn't the kind of movie anybody would wait on.

More surprised that The Assassin and Anomalisa aren't higher as both topped some lists and generally got high marks all around.

[transmogrifier]

Based on the movies I've seen (Phoenix, The Martian, Inside Out, Mad Max, Ex Machina) that's shaping up to be a very uninspiring Top 10.

[Irish]

BAFTA Nominations (http://www.screendaily.com/awards/baftas-2016-full-list-of-nominations/5098611.article)

BEST FILM
The Big Short Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Brad Pitt
Bridge Of Spies Kristie Macosko Krieger, Marc Platt, Steven Spielberg
Carol Elizabeth Karlsen, Christine Vachon, Stephen Woolley
The Revenant Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Arnon Milchan, Mary Parent, Keith Redmon
Spotlight Steve Golin, Blye Pagon Faust, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
45 Years Andrew Haigh, Tristan Goligher
Amy Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees
Brooklyn John Crowley, Finola Dwyer, Amanda Posey, Nick Hornby
The Danish Girl Tom Hooper, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Anne Harrison, Gail Mutrux, Lucinda Coxon
Ex Machina Alex Garland, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich
The Lobster Yorgos Lanthimos, Ceci Dempsey, Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Efthimis Filippou

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
Alex Garland (Director) Ex Machina
Debbie Tucker Green (Writer/Director) Second Coming
Naji Abu Nowar (Writer/Director) Rupert Lloyd (Producer) Theeb
Sean Mcallister (Director/Producer), Elhum Shakerifar (Producer) A Syrian Love Story
Stephen Fingleton (Writer/Director) The Survivalist

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
The Assassin Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Force Majeure Ruben Östlund
Theeb Naji Abu Nowar, Rupert Lloyd
Timbuktu Abderrahmane Sissako
Wild Tales Damián Szifron

DOCUMENTARY
Amy Asif Kapadia, James Gay-Rees
Cartel Land Matthew Heineman, Tom Yellin
He Named Me Malala Davis Guggenheim, Walter Parkes, Laurie Macdonald
Listen To Me Marlon Stevan Riley, John Battsek, George Chignell, R.J. Cutler
Sherpa Jennifer Peedom, Bridget Ikin, John Smithson

ANIMATED FILM
Inside Out Pete Docter
Minions Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
Shaun The Sheep Movie Mark Burton, Richard Starzak

DIRECTOR
The Big Short Adam Mckay
Bridge Of Spies Steven Spielberg
Carol Todd Haynes
The Martian Ridley Scott
The Revenant Alejandro G. Iñárritu

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Bridge Of Spies Matthew Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Ex Machina Alex Garland
The Hateful Eight Quentin Tarantino
Inside Out Josh Cooley, Pete Docter, Meg Lefauve
Spotlight Tom Mccarthy, Josh Singer

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short Adam Mckay, Charles Randolph
Brooklyn Nick Hornby
Carol Phyllis Nagy
Room Emma Donoghue
Steve Jobs Aaron Sorkin

LEADING ACTOR
Bryan Cranston Trumbo
Eddie Redmayne The Danish Girl
Leonardo Dicaprio The Revenant
Matt Damon The Martian
Michael Fassbender Steve Jobs

LEADING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander The Danish Girl
Brie Larson Room
Cate Blanchett Carol
Maggie Smith The Lady In The Van
Saoirse Ronan Brooklyn

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Benicio Del Toro Sicario
Christian Bale The Big Short
Idris Elba Beasts Of No Nation
Mark Ruffalo Spotlight
Mark Rylance Bridge Of Spies

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander Ex Machina
Jennifer Jason Leigh The Hateful Eight
Julie Walters Brooklyn
Kate Winslet Steve Jobs
Rooney Mara Carol

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Bridge Of Spies Thomas Newman
The Hateful Eight Ennio Morricone
The Revenant Ryuichi Sakamoto, Carsten Nicolai
Sicario Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens John Williams

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Bridge Of Spies Janusz Kamiński
Carol Ed Lachman
Mad Max: Fury Road John Seale
The Revenant Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario Roger Deakins

EDITING
The Big Short Hank Corwin
Bridge Of Spies Michael Kahn
Mad Max: Fury Road Margaret Sixel
The Martian Pietro Scalia
The Revenant Stephen Mirrione

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Bridge Of Spies Adam Stockhausen, Rena Deangelo
Carol Judy Becker, Heather Loeffler
Mad Max: Fury Road Colin Gibson, Lisa Thompson
The Martian Arthur Max, Celia Bobak
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Rick Carter, Darren Gilford, Lee Sandales

COSTUME DESIGN
Brooklyn Odile Dicks-Mireaux
Carol Sandy Powell
Cinderella Sandy Powell
The Danish Girl Paco Delgado
Mad Max: Fury Road Jenny Beavan

MAKE UP & HAIR
Brooklyn Morna Ferguson, Lorraine Glynn
Carol Jerry Decarlo, Patricia Regan
The Danish Girl Jan Sewell
Mad Max: Fury Road Lesley Vanderwalt, Damian Martin
The Revenant Sian Grigg, Duncan Jarman, Robert Pandini

SOUND
Bridge Of Spies Drew Kunin, Richard Hymns, Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom
Mad Max: Fury Road Scott Hecker, Chris Jenkins, Mark Mangini, Ben Osmo, Gregg Rudloff, David White
The Martian Paul Massey, Mac Ruth, Oliver Tarney, Mark Taylor
The Revenant Lon Bender, Chris Duesterdiek, Martin Hernandez, Frank A. Montaño, Jon Taylor, Randy Thom
Star Wars: The Force Awakens David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Matthew Wood, Stuart Wilson

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
Ant-Man Jake Morrison, Greg Steele, Dan Sudick, Alex Wuttke
Ex Machina Mark Ardington, Sara Bennett, Paul Norris, Andrew Whitehurst
Mad Max: Fury Road Andrew Jackson, Dan Oliver, Tom Wood, Andy Williams
The Martian Chris Lawrence, Tim Ledbury, Richard Stammers, Steven Warner
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
Edmond Nina Gantz, Emilie Jouffroy
Manoman Simon Cartwright, Kamilla Kristiane Hodol
Prologue Richard Williams, Imogen Sutton

BRITISH SHORT FILM
Elephant Nick Helm, Alex Moody, Esther Smith
Mining Poems Or Odes Callum Rice, Jack Cocker
Operator Caroline Bartleet, Rebecca Morgan
Over Jörn Threlfall, Jeremy Bannister
Samuel-613 Billy Lumby, Cheyenne Conway

THE EE RISING STAR AWARD (VOTED FOR BY THE PUBLIC)
John Boyega
Taron Egerton
Dakota Johnson
Brie Larson
Bel Powley

http://www.screendaily.com/awards/baftas-2016-full-list-of-nominations/5098611.article

[Dukefrukem]

Amazon beats Netflix to take home two Golden Globes

[Dukefrukem]

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 Haunting Ground
"Writings on the Wall," Spectre

Best Animated Short Film
Bear Story
Prologue
Sanjay's Super Team
We Can't Live Without Cosmos
World of Tomorrow

Best Live Action Short Film
Ave Maria
Day One
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
Shok
Stutterer

Best Sound Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Best Sound Mixing
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens


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

Best Director
Adam McKay, “The Big Short”
George Miller, “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Alejandro Inarritu, “The Revenant”
Lenny Abrahamson, “Room”
Tom McCarthy, “Spotlight”

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

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

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

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, “The Big Short”
Tom Hardy, “The Revenant”
Mark Ruffalo, “Spotlight”
Mark Rylance, ‘Bridge of Spies”
Sylvester Stallone, “Creed”

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”

Best Animated Feature
“Anomalisa”
“Boy and the World”
“Inside Out”
“Shaun the Sheep”
“When Marnie Was There”

Best Foreign Language Film
“Embrace of the Serpent”
“Mustang”
“Son of Saul”
“Theeb”
“A War”

[Dukefrukem]

Awesome that Mad Max nominated for best picture. I'm rooting for it.

[transmogrifier]

On the face of it, the most boring looking list of nominations in a long, long time.

[Dukefrukem]

On the face of it, the most boring looking list of nominations in a long, long time.

Except we now will hear "Academy Award Nominee, Sylvester Stallone"

[Stay Puft]

Wow, I've never heard of three of the Foreign Language noms. Pretty random makeup nom there for a Swedish comedy, too. Music Box must have been putting in work.

[Peng]

That's one strong and varied group of Animated nominees.

[TGM]

Except we now will hear "Academy Award Nominee, Sylvester Stallone"

He was already that, though. :P

Hopefully what we'll hear is Academy Award Winner Sylvester Stallone. ;)

[number8]

It's boring, yes, but I've liked more Best Picture noms this year than in previous years.

[dreamdead]

Small victories:

Brooklyn getting a best picture nod
Hertzfeldt's World of Tomorrow getting a best animated short nod

They were saying Boo-urns:

No Haynes for best director
No Kristen Stewart for Sils Maria
No Emory Cohen for Brooklyn (especially in such a weak best supporting actor)
Nothing for Magic Mike XXL or Tangerine in cinematography
Likely loss of Oppenheimer to Amy
Likely loss of Ruffalo to Stallone

[Spinal]

Reasons to be excited:
World of Tomorrow
Mustang
George Miller
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Ennio Morricone

Side note: African Americans are not going to be happy!

[Spinal]

Except we now will hear "Academy Award Nominee, Sylvester Stallone"

How about Academy Award Nominee, Adam McKay?

[Irish]

http://i.imgur.com/iErJrm3.png

If each of this year's Best Director nominees had been nominated for the last film they made. (https://twitter.com/charlielyne/status/687640804953866241)

[Spinal]

Happy Feet 2 is great!

[number8]

Happy Feet 2 is great!

Best movie out of those five, really.

[Dukefrukem]

He was already that, though. :P

Hopefully what we'll hear is Academy Award Winner Sylvester Stallone. ;)

Wow. I had no idea he was nominated for Rocky.

[Watashi]

I can't imagine someone saying the Oscar Nominations were boring when a crazy anti-Oscar rebootquel like Mad Max: Fury Road can score 10 nominations.

It's likely it won't win a single one though.

[number8]

The Academy has always loved big production epics, though.

[Watashi]

Mad Max is not a mainstream crowdpleaser like Return of the King, Ben Hur, or Titanic.

[Spinal]

I really want to believe that Miller can take Best Director, because it just seems so obvious. But I am tempered by Watashi's skepticism and Baby Doll's truism that Oscar voters like to vote based on the social issues they want to highlight.

[Watashi]

I think it's McCarthy and Spotlight's to lose. I do not see Inarritu winning again or his film, though the Academy has surprised me before.

[number8]

I really want to believe that Miller can take Best Director, because it just seems so obvious. But I am tempered by Watashi's skepticism and Baby Doll's truism that Oscar voters like to vote based on the social issues they want to highlight.

Whew, good thing The Danish Girl isn't in the same major categories as Mad Max.

[TGM]

With only 8 best picture noms this year, at this point I'm pretty certain the Academy is gradually and quietly trying to slip that category back down to only 5, like the other categories. Not a bad batch, and I'm certainly pleased that Mad Max got its best picture and direction nominations. Though some notable snubs include Steve Jobs, Carol, and arguably Creed as well. This is made all the more notable when something as mediocre as Bridge of Spies gets by with one of those nominations (and The Martian, but really, at this point it was kinda obvious this was getting one, though at least its generic direction from Ridley Scott didn't steal away one of the directing noms), but alas...

I'm also happy to see Inside Out actually get its best screenplay nomination, though it honestly probably should've gotten one of those best pic noms as well.

In the supporting actress category, it's pretty ridiculous how they managed to nominate TWO actresses who are actually the LEADS in their respective movies, those being Mara and Vikander. Come on now! And meanwhile, Kristen Stewart is robbed at gunpoint this awards season, which is just a damn shame, really.

All in all though, as is the case every year, there are some questionable choices, but I'm overall not too displeased...

[Spinal]

Whew, good thing The Danish Girl isn't in the same major categories as Mad Max.

Hee hee. Don't make me choose!

[Spinal]

I do not see Inarritu winning again or his film, though the Academy has surprised me before.

Unless, I'm missing something, I don't think a director has had a film win Best Picture in consecutive years.

[DavidSeven]

Giving the top award to Mad Max would be exactly the type of thing that could make the Academy seem relevant again, without compromising its integrity since the film is awesome and inventive and represents everything that's wonderful about the form.

But it won't happen.

[number8]

By the way:



Parts win prizes, not actors. You always know a part that’s got ‘prize winner’ written all over it, and it’s almost like anybody could say those lines and somebody will hand them a piece of metal. If you get the part, you may be halfway to the prize, because that’s just the way the thing works.

[Spinal]

So very true!

[Spinal]

Also, Vin Diesel was wrong (http://variety.com/2015/film/news/vin-diesel-predicts-furious-7-will-win-the-oscar-for-best-picture-1201458635/).

[Ezee E]

I'd be completely fine with a Revenant win.

Not sure Spotlight is as obvious as it's out to be. I think it seems that way because it's won mostly journalists awards, which just makes sense.

Of course, once PGA/DGA/WGA announce... Then it may seem obvious after all. I think I'm just hoping a movie as average as Spotlight isn't a Best Picture winner.

[Spinal]

I think I'm just hoping a movie as average as Spotlight isn't a Best Picture winner.

It seems like that's a pretty common occurrence. I mean, is it better than Argo, The King's Speech, Million Dollar Baby?

[Ezee E]

It seems like that's a pretty common occurrence. I mean, is it better than Argo, The King's Speech, Million Dollar Baby?

Heh, I guess I should say Average TO ME... :lol: To me, it's a very good piece of acting, with a focus on journalism that's nice, although there's never anything memorable about the movie. There's never even any suspense in the thing to me.

I actually think Argo and Million Dollar Baby are very good movies, with Million Dollar Baby being great, especially with a top-notch performance by Swank, and some scenes that I found truly affecting throughout the whole thing. I've never seen King's Speech, but it looks like there's some good cinematography in it, even if the Dutch Tilt is overused.

Spotlight... Looks like a solid TV movie that cleans up every TV Award possible.

SAG - Spotlight (I'll give the movie this, it's the definition of what winning an ensemble should be)
DGA - Revenant or Mad Max (Inarritu probably cares more about this, so I'll guess him)
WGA - Spotlight (deserving of this too...)
PGA - Here's your tiebreaker. I think if Spotlight wins this, there's no question it'll win. I do not think it'll win this though.

[Spinal]

Spotlight... Looks like a solid TV movie that cleans up every TV Award possible.


Yeah, I can't say I'm eager to rush out and see it.

[Dead & Messed Up]

There's no one element of Spotlight that really takes it to the moon, but I thought it was a ton of good work that slowly sneaks up on you. The ending affected me more than I expected. In a way, its modest technique and brick-by-brick storytelling is a gift and a curse, because it feels proper for this topic but never really gives the story Huge Moments or the possibility for style flourishes (there is some style here, but of a quiet kind that these reporters would respect and others might not have the patience for). There's nothing there like the aggressive editing style of The Big Short.

Going back to huge moments, the most impactful scene probably isn't even in the diegesis, it's the credits listing all the parishes where molestation occurred. It's one thing to know this was a churchwide conspiracy, and it's something else to see those names in white-on-black text. Screen after screen. Until you want to cry.

[ledfloyd]

I like Spotlight, but I'm a journalist. It totally feels like an HBO movie.

Better than The Big Short, though.

[Pop Trash]

Here's everyone's favorite! Reverse Shot shits on your favorite movie(s)! So wrong about Sicario, but I mostly agree with them about Goodnight Mommy.

http://reverseshot.org/features/2165/offenses_2015

[Yxklyx]

Really surprised to see Mad Max get all these nominations. You should see all the hate the film gets on IMDB from people who are apparently watching all the nominees. I have to think that it got in because of George Miller. He's been in the business for a long time and sometimes these decisions are influenced by politics more than you'd think. It's cool to see it in - hope it wins them all!

[TGM]

Having now seen all of this year's Best Picture nominees, I'd rank them as such:

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

[baby doll]

I really want to believe that Miller can take Best Director, because it just seems so obvious. But I am tempered by Watashi's skepticism and Baby Doll's truism that Oscar voters like to vote based on the social issues they want to highlight.I stand by my original point that the Academy often votes for the issue rather than the movie (12 Years a Slave is a fine film but that's not why it won). However, there are certain exceptions: not only lavish historical dramas (Titanic), but also adaptations of prestigious novels and plays (No Country for Old Men, Chicago), films about Hollywood (The Artist) and heart-tugging melodramas (Kramer vs. Kramer, Ordinary People, Million Dollar Baby, Crash). I haven't seen Mad Max: Fury Road yet, but from what I've read it doesn't belong to any of these categories. (Of course, neither do The Silence of the Lambs or It Happened One Night, while Schindler's List and Forrest Gump combine several.)

That said, Watashi's description of Mad Max as "anti-Oscar" drives me crazy because it implies, first that the movie has an opinion on the Oscars (which it can't), and that the Academy, in giving ten nominations to a commercial blockbuster, is somehow sticking it to the man (that is, itself) rather than affirming the corporate status quo. In fact, there have been quite a few action blockbusters nominated for best picture in the last few years (notably, District 9), though to my knowledge this is the first time since The Lord of the Rings that one's also been nominated for best director. Still, of all the tiresome fanboy traits, surely the most tiresome is their desperate need to portray themselves as scrappy underdogs sticking it to the man (a trait that may or may not be related to the tendency of angry neoconservative white men to view themselves as an oppressed minority).

[Pop Trash]

More Reverse Shot haterade.


http://reverseshot.org/features/2171/two_cents_2015

[Izzy Black]

I stand by my original point that the Academy often votes for the issue rather than the movie (12 Years a Slave is a fine film but that's not why it won). However, there are certain exceptions: not only lavish historical dramas (Titanic), but also adaptations of prestigious novels and plays (No Country for Old Men, Chicago), films about Hollywood (The Artist) and heart-tugging melodramas (Kramer vs. Kramer, Ordinary People, Million Dollar Baby, Crash). I haven't seen Mad Max: Fury Road yet, but from what I've read it doesn't belong to any of these categories. (Of course, neither do The Silence of the Lambs or It Happened One Night, while Schindler's List and Forrest Gump combine several.)

That said, Watashi's description of Mad Max as "anti-Oscar" drives me crazy because it implies, first that the movie has an opinion on the Oscars (which it can't), and that the Academy, in giving ten nominations to a commercial blockbuster, is somehow sticking it to the man (that is, itself) rather than affirming the corporate status quo. In fact, there have been quite a few action blockbusters nominated for best picture in the last few years (notably, District 9), though to my knowledge this is the first time since The Lord of the Rings that one's also been nominated for best director. Still, of all the tiresome fanboy traits, surely the most tiresome is their desperate need to portray themselves as scrappy underdogs sticking it to the man (a trait that may or may not be related to the tendency of angry neoconservative white men to view themselves as an oppressed minority).

Crash is an "issues" film. Definitely a melodrama too. You could also argue the others you mentioned have agreeable politics to earn votes.

One thing in Mad Max's potential favor is that it does have pretty obvious political subtext. Not sure if that's enough for the Academy to buck the trend against actioners. I'd love to see it win though.

[Spinal]

More Reverse Shot haterade.


http://reverseshot.org/features/2171/two_cents_2015

Oh, did they not get enough attention from the last one? Let's ramp up the baiting. The Good Dinosaur is better than The Revenant! Silly, silly website.

[TGM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omuCeZ-xVJg

[Yxklyx]

I can't imagine someone saying the Oscar Nominations were boring when a crazy anti-Oscar rebootquel like Mad Max: Fury Road can score 10 nominations.

It's likely it won't win a single one though.

Just rewatched this - most likely win will be:

Margaret Sixel for Editor

I can't believe it didn't get a music nomination when I can't remember a note from star wars - I have no idea why star wars got a single nomination - oh wait disney...

[TGM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rkirbTtb4I

[TGM]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcRUDuWL9ws

[TGM]

In addition to that Sly snub, I have beef with Inside Out losing out on best original screenplay, and The Revenant taking director from George Miller, despite every other technical aspect going to Mad Max, not to mention Spotlight taking best picture after it didn't even win shit else (ie, solely a political win, like when 12 Years A Slave won a couple years back).

However, Mad Max DID get a good decent chunk, and the acting wins other than Sly were all on par, especially Leo, who finally got his big win, so I suppose things coulda been worse. *shrug*

Mad Max shoulda won best picture and director, though.

[Spinal]

Was it really a snub? Mark Rylance was amazing in that movie.

[Ezee E]

Rylance won the SAG too. One of the main reasons he wasn't favored to win (in my opinion) was because he wasn't well-known and not "exciting" on the awards stage.

[Spinal]

Really excellent Oscar ceremony in my opinion. Chris Rock was hilarious, pointed, provocative and unifying all at the same time. Masterful work.

The award presentations were mostly really well written and presented. You know, apart from the Minions.

I loved the way they highlighted each discipline. I love seeing the acting clips, love hearing key bits of dialogue. And the sound categories were really fun.

I like ceremonies where the awards get spread around. The Best Picture winner was different from Best Director and neither was the film with the most awards!

Ex Machina winning .... great choice. Nice surprise. Ennio Morricone winning ... great choice. Beautiful moment.

And so many different accents being used to accept different awards. Good stuff.

My only major complaint was trying to play off Innaritu early. The guy just won back-to-back Best Director awards! Come on.

[TGM]

I thought it was a good, solid performance, sure, but unless I missed something about it, I've personally been confused by his continued wins and nominations this whole awards season.

[Ezee E]

Louis CK for host please.

Funniest moment is Tracie Morgan's Danish Girl.

[Dead & Messed Up]

In addition to that Sly snub, I have beef with Inside Out losing out on best original screenplay, and The Revenant taking director from George Miller, despite every other technical aspect going to Mad Max, not to mention Spotlight taking best picture after it didn't even win shit else (ie, solely a political win, like when 12 Years A Slave won a couple years back).

However, Mad Max DID get a good decent chunk, and the acting wins other than Sly were all on par, especially Leo, who finally got his big win, so I suppose things coulda been worse. *shrug*

Mad Max shoulda won best picture and director, though.

Spotlight won for original screenplay. It has been a very long time since a BP winner only won two total awards, though, so I see your point.

[Morris Schæffer]

How can anyone have any issues with the Academy's proclivities towards ethnic minorities when, seemingly at the touch of a button, a black man literally pops out of the floor?

[Morris Schæffer]

My only major complaint was trying to play off Innaritu early. The guy just won back-to-back Best Director awards! Come on.

But in their defense they wouldn't dare to play off Morricone. And rightly so as that would have been even more embarassing. Didn't think he was going to win it as it was a spartan, rather minimalistic, sometimes entirely absent score, but an unbelievably emotional moment. Especially when everyone got up.

[transmogrifier]

My only major complaint was trying to play off Innaritu early. The guy just won back-to-back Best Director awards! Come on.

Eh, he didn't deserve either of them....

[Morris Schæffer]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCWwbsGjcT6/?taken-by=schwarzenegger

:)

[Irish]

Jesus, and I thought last year's ceremony was bad.

Where did Rock think he was? A Vegas lounge off the Strip? "Harvey Weinstein, kiss my ass"-- seriously?

I think they made a huge mistake playing into the controversy. Outside the president's speech, they should have ignored it entirely. Because now they've turned an event that used to be about fantasy and glamour into one that's about messages and politics.

I am sympathetic to every single sentiment expressed on stage tonight, but I don't watch this shit so any rando can sell me their message. Black lives matter, sexual assault, LGBT, global warming. Go fuck yourself. Every other person accepting an award had something IMPORTANT to say and the Academy, by letting Rock and Goldberg loose with their dumb skits, opened the door to that now for years to come.

And good God, talk about completely tone deaf. Whose idea was it to deliver a personal "fuck you" to Will Smith via a global audience? Whose idea was it to talk about black opportunity but to continue to cut away to the image of a large black man in an orange prison jumpsuit? Jesus Christ.

The only thing worse -- and God, it was so bad -- was ABC's awkward product placements for LucasFilm and Pixar. Hey, here's another intro theme from Star Wars for, uh, no reason at all! And look, those funny droids everybody loves, for again, no reason at all! And Toy Story! Twenty years! Here's two characters and some awkward dialogue, for uh, no reason at all! Here's JJ! Here's Serkis! Total coincidence they are both involved in the new Star Wars movies, we swear!

[Dukefrukem]

I think they made a huge mistake playing into the controversy. Outside the president's speech, they should have ignored it entirely. Because now they've turned an event that used to be about fantasy and glamour into one that's about messages and politics.


Because it wasn't the first time someone wanted to get their personal political message across?

SHAME ON YOU MR IRISH.

[Dukefrukem]

I hope Louis Ck hosts it next year, since he was probably the best part of the show.

You wanna talk Vegas strip now? Wait until his act!

I was fine with Rock mostly. Loved the personal FU to Will Smith. But I hated the cut away gags and SNL skits and Letterman on the street bits.

I think it's funny how people are up in arms about Rock's racial messages, while he, in the very next bit, uses three kids as a prop in a racial stereotype.

[Spinal]

My favorite part of the monologue was when he questioned the need to separate acting categories by gender. "It's not like Robert DeNiro is like, 'I need to slow down so Meryl Streep can catch up.'"

[Watashi]

Never thought I would see the day when Byung-hun Lee was at the Oscars.

I loved Rock's approach, though I wish he could have channeled some of that hostility into Hollywood's lack of diversity in regards to Asian talent as well.

[Watashi]

Also, that Stacey Dash moment. Best Oscar moment ever?

[Watashi]

I want to see what Irish's Oscars are like.

It's probably just David O. Russell masturbating on stage for 3 hours.

[Spinal]

Also, that Stacey Dash moment. Best Oscar moment ever?

It's really strange to base a joke on people knowing who she is on sight. I had no idea who was on stage. Not sure how this one made the final cut.

[Spinal]

Also, really strange to see so much fuss over Stallone in the media. It's an acting award. Stallone is an extremely limited actor. Not sure why it's so surprising that it went to a highly skilled Brit instead.

[Lazlo]

Ignoring the controversy would have been doubling down on the reasons for it. Can't imagine anything more insulting. Irish is a weirdo.

[Ezee E]

The fuck you to Jada Pinkett-Smith was one of the better bits of the whole thing.

I enjoyed the filmed bits. Those are typically always funny. Tracie Morgan's made me laugh the most.

The show had a really boring hour as Mad Max started winning every category. Glad it was winning stuff, but damn, it was boring. I wonder how they could speed that process along.

Louis CK for host indeed.

Rock's girl scout cookies was alright, but too similar to Ellen's pizza bit.

Ali G's an old joke....

[amberlita]

Tina Fey agrees, at least in part, with Irish. :)


2. She was a little put off by this year's politicized Oscar ceremony.

"I will say, being at the Oscars...I'm so glad I live here, because like halfway through I was like, 'this is some real Hollywood bullshit.' Everyone's telling me what to do, and people yelling at me about rape and corporate greed, but really it's climate change. I was like, guys, pick a lane!...You're all rich, why are you yelling at me about corporate greed?"


Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/news/tina-fey-on-howard-stern-6-big-highlights-from-todays-interview#fWLBZVWCZFHqZ8Rh.99

[Spinal]

Corporate greed and climate change go hand in hand.