Lisa’s Oscar Predictions For December!


For the final time this year, here are my monthly Oscar predictions.  Usually, the critic groups and the guilds help to make it a bit more clear what is going to be nominated.  That’s not so much the case this year.  It’s been a very good year for film and let’s hope the actual Oscar nominations reflect that.

You can also check out my predictions for January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, and November.

Best Picture

Beasts of No Nation

The Big Short

Carol

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Trumbo

Best Director

Tom McCarthy for Spotlight

Adam McKay for The Big Short

George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road

Jay Roach for Trumbo

Ridley Scott for The Martian

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston in Trumbo

Johnny Depp in Black Mass

Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant

Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett in Carol

Brie Larson in Room

Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years

Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn

Sarah Silverman in I Smile Back

Best Supporting Actor

Idris Elba in Beasts of No Nation

Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies

Michael Shannon in 99 Homes

Sylvester Stallone in Creed

Jacob Tremblay in Room

Best Supporting Actress

Jennifer Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight

Rooney Mara in Carol

Helen Mirren in Trumbo

Kristen Stewart in Clouds of Sils Maria

Alicia Vikander in Ex Machina

Here Are The Just-Announced Florida Film Critics Circle Nominations!


BEST PICTURE
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
Spotlight
The Big Short
The Martian

BEST ACTOR
Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
Paul Dano – Love and Mercy
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Brie Larson – Room
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone – Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Elizabeth Banks – Love and Mercy
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara – Carol
Kristen Stewart – Clouds of Sils Maria
Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
BEST DIRECTOR

Todd Haynes – Carol
Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Ridley Scott – The Martian

BEST ENSEMBLE
The Big Short
Mistress America
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
Tangerine

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Ex Machina
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Mistress America
Spotlight

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
Room
Steve Jobs

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
Youth

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The Walk

BEST ART DIRECTION/ PRODUCTION DESIGN
Brooklyn
Carol
Crimson Peak
Love & Mercy
Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SCORE
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Love & Mercy
Mad Max: Fury Road
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Amy
Best of Enemies
Cartel Land
Heart of a Dog
The Look of Silence

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Assassin
Mommy
Mustang
Phoenix
Son of Saul
BEST ANIMATED FILM

Anomalisa
Inside Out
The Good Dinosaur
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

FFCC BREAKOUT AWARD
Bel Powley – Diary of a Teenage Girl
Daisy Ridley – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez – Tangerine
Jacob Tremblay – Room
Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina and The Danish Girl

The Kansas City Film Critics Are Mad For Max!


MadMaxFuryRoad

The Kansas City Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2015 yesterday and they love Mad Max!  You can check out a full list of their nominees here!  Check out the winners below!

Best Picture: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Director: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Best Actress: Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon, 99 Homes

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Best Original Screenplay: Spotlight

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Big Short

Best Foreign Language Film: Phoenix

Best Animated Feature: Inside Out

Best Documentary: Amy

Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror Film: Ex Machina

 

The Utah Film Critics Are Mad About Max!!


MadMaxFuryRoad

The Utah Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2015 and they’re mad about Max!

BEST PICTURE
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
(runner-up: The Martian)

BEST DIRECTING
Winner: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
(runner-up: Ridley Scott – The Martian)

BEST ACTOR
Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
(runner-up: Matt Damon – The Martian)

BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Brie Larson – Room
(runner-up: Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Sylvester Stallone – Creed
(runner-up: Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Rose Byrne – Spy
(runner-up: Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina)

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Winner: Inside Out
(runner-up: Spotlight)

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Winner: The Martian
(runner-up: Brooklyn)

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
(runner-up: The Revenant)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner: The Hunting Ground
(runner-up: Amy)

NON-ENGLISH FEATURE
Winner: Timbuktu
(runner-up: Son of Saul)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Winner: Inside Out
(runner-up: Shaun the Sheep)

Spotlight Wins In St. Louis!


Spotlight

You can check out the full nominations of the St. Louis Film Critics by clicking here.  And you can see the winners below!

Best Film of 2015: SPOTLIGHT
Runner Up: INSIDE OUT

Best Director of 2015: TOM MCCARTHY – SPOTLIGHT
Runner Up: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Actress of 2015: BRIE LARSON – ROOM
Runner Up: SAOIRSE RONAN – BROOKLYN

Best Actor of 2015: Leonardo DiCaprio – THE REVENANT
Runner Up: Ian McKellen – MR. HOLMES

Best Supporting Actress of 2015: Alicia Vikander – EX MACHINA
Runner Up: (TIE) – KRISTEN STEWART – CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA, Rooney Mara, CAROL

Best Supporting Actor of 2015: Sylvester Stallone – CREED
Runner Up: Mark Rylance – BRIDGE OF SPIES

Best Cinematography of 2015: EMMANUEL LUBEZKI – THE REVENANT
Runner Up: CAROL

Best Original Screenplay: JOSH SINGER AND TOM MCCARTHY – SPOTLIGHT
Runner Up: Alex Garland, Ex Machina

Best Adapted Screenplay of 2015: DREW GODDARD: THE MARTIAN
Runner Up: Nick Hornby: Brooklyn

Best Editing: MARGARET SIXEL: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Runner Up: THE REVENANT

Best Art Direction of 2015: COLIN GIBSON – MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Runner Up: (A 3-Way Tie) CAROL, BROOKLYN, THE DANISH GIRL

Best Visual Effects of 2015: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
Runner Up: THE WALK

Best Film Score of 2015: Ennio Morricone – THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Runner Up: INSIDE OUT

Best Film Soundtrack of 2015: ATTICUS ROSS – LOVE AND MERCY
Runner Up: STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

Best Foreign Language Film: GOODNIGHT MOMMY
Runner Up: SON OF SAUL

Best Documentary of 2015: AMY
Runner Up: The Look of Silence

Best Comedy: TRAINWRECK
Runner Up: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Best Song: WRITING’S ON THE WALL (Spectre)
Runner Up: SEE YOU AGAIN (Furious 7)

Best Scene of 2015: Hugh mauled by grizzly in THE REVENANT
Runner Up: Walk between Twin Towers in THE WALK

Worst film of 2015: “FANTASTIC FOUR
Runner up: “ALOHA”

The Chicago Film Critics Are … wait for it … MAD ABOUT MAX!


MadMaxFuryRoad

The Chicago Film Critics announced their picks for the best of 2015 yesterday and it was another lovely day for Mad Mad: Fury Road!  You can check out the nominees here and view the list of winners below!

Best Picture: Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Director: George Miller Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Actress: Brie Larson, Room
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Animated Film: Inside Out
Documentary: Amy
Foreign Language: Son of Saul
Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Cinematography: Mad Max: Fury Road
Editing: Mad Max: Fury Road
Production Design: Mad Max: Fury Road
Score: The Hateful Eight
Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
Most Promising Performer: Jacob Tremblay, Room
Original Screenplay: Spotlight
Adapted Screenplay: The Big Short

The Phoenix Critics Circle Circles Around Spotlight!


Spotlight

The Phoenix Critics Circle announced their picks for the best of 2015 yesterday.  You can check out a full list of nominees here and you can see the winners below!

Best Picture: Spotlight

Best Director: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Animated Film: Inside Out

Best International Film: Youth

Best Documentary: Amy

Best Horror Film: It Follows

Best Musical Film: Straight Outta Compton

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Best Actress: Brie Larson, Room

Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Best Screenplay: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy for Spotlight

Best Score: Junkie XL, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Comedy Film: The Big Short

Best Science Fiction Film: Ex Machina

Best Mystery or Thriller Film: Sicario

The Las Vegas Film Critics Announces A Huge Amount of Nominations!


Creed

Here are the nominations for the Las Vegas Film Critics!  They loved Creed but, for some reason, not Saoirse Ronan!

Best Picture
1. Spotlight
2. Creed
3. Ex Machina
4. Straight Outta Compton
5. Beasts of No Nation

Best Director
1. George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
2. Ridley Scott (The Martian)
3. Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
4. Cary Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation)
5. Ryan Coogler (Creed)

Best Actor
1. Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
2. Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)
3. Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
4. Matt Damon (The Martian)
5. Michael B. Jordan (Creed)

Best Actress
1. Emily Blunt (Sicario)
2. Cate Blanchett (Carol)
3. Brie Larson (Room)
4. Lily Tomlin (Grandma)
5. Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)

Best Supporting Actor
1. Sylvester Stallone (Creed)
2. Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight)
3. Tom Hardy (The Revenant)
4. Michael Shannon (99 Homes)
5. Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation)

Best Supporting Actress
1. Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)
2. Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
3. Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)
4. Elizabeth Banks (Love & Mercy)
5. Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)

Best Screenplay (Original)
1. Ex Machina
2. Inside Out
3. Spotlight
4. Trainwreck
5. The Hateful Eight

Best Screenplay (Adapted)

1. Steve Jobs
2. The Martian

3. Room
4. Brooklyn
5. The Big Short

Best Cinematography
1. Roger Deakins (Sicario)
2. Emmanuel Lubezki (The Revenant)
3. John Seale (Mad Max: Fury Road)
4. Cary Fukunaga (Beasts of No Nation)
5. Robert Richardson (The Hateful Eight)

Best Film Editing
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. The Martian
3. Spotlight
4. Steve Jobs
5. The Revenant

Best Art Direction
1. The Hateful Eight
2. Brooklyn
3. The Danish Girl
4. Mad Max: Fury Road
5. The Martian


Best Costume Design

1. The Hateful Eight
2. Mad Max: Fury Road
3. The Danish Girl
4. Carol
5. Cinderella

Best Visual Effects
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Ex Machina
3. The Martian
4. The Walk
5. In the Heart of the Sea

Best Score
1. The Danish Girl
2. The Revenant
3. Spotlight
4. Sicario
5. The Hateful Eight

Best Song
1. ‘See You Again’ (Furious 7)
2. ‘One Kind of Love’ (Love & Mercy)
3. ‘It’s My Turn Now’ (Dope)
4. ‘Simple Song #3’ (Youth)
5. ‘Writing’s on the Wall’ (Spectre)

Best Ensemble
1. The Big Short
2. The Hateful Eight
3. Straight Outta Compton
4. Trumbo
5. Spotlight

Best Animated Film
1. Anomalisa
2. Inside Out
3. The Good Dinosaur
4. Shaun the Sheep Movie
5. The Peanuts Movie

Best Documentary
1. Meru
2. Amy
3. Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
4. Cartel Land
5. Best of Enemies

Best Foreign Film
1. Goodnight Mommy
2. Mustang
3. Phoenix
4. Respire
5. Tu Dors Nicole

Best Action Film
1. Mad Max: Fury Road
2. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
3. Kingsman: The Secret Service
4. Avengers: Age of Ultron
5. Ant-Man

Best Comedy Film
1. Trainwreck
2. The Big Short
3. Dope
4. Sisters
5. Spy

Best Family Film
1. Goosebumps
2. Cinderella
3. Pan
4. Ant-Man
5. Tomorrowland

Best Horror / Sci-Fi Film
1. Ex Machina
2. The Martian
3. Jurassic World
4. It Follows
5. Krampus

Best Breakout Filmmaker
1. Rick Famuyiwa (Dope)
2. Alex Garland (Ex Machina)
3. David Robert Mitchell (It Follows)
4. Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl)

Youth in Film Award

1. Abraham Attah (Beasts of No Nation)
2. Jacob Tremblay (Room)
3. Milo Parker (Mr. Holmes)
4. Shameik Moore (Dope)
5. Imogene Wolodarsky (Infinitely Polar Bear)

Austin Loves Carol!


mara_blanchett_carol

The Austin Film Critics Association announced their nominations earlier today and guess what?  They really, really like Carol!

Love you, Austin!

(I don’t know if I love Carol but seriously, Austin’s the best!)

Best Film:
Anomalisa
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
Spotlight
Trumbo

Best Director:
Todd Haynes, Carol
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight

Best Actor:
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Michael B. Jordan, Creed
Jacob Tremblay, Room

Best Actress:
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Rooney Mara, Carol
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Supporting Actor:
Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation
Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Best Supporting Actress:
Elizabeth Banks, Love & Mercy
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Best Original Screenplay:
Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, Inside Out
Alex Garland, Ex Machina
Taylor Sheridan, Sicario
Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Quentin Tarantino, The Hateful Eight

Best Adapted Screenplay:
Emma Donoghue, Room
Charlie Kaufman, Anomalisa
Phyllis Nagy, Carol
Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, The Big Short
Aaron Sorkin, Steve Jobs

Best Cinematography:
Roger Deakins, Sicario
Edward Lachman, Carol
Emmanuel Lubezki, The Revenant
Robert Richardson, The Hateful Eight
John Seale, Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Score:
Carter Burwell, Carol
Michael Giacchino, Inside Out
Tom Holkenborg (as Junkie XL), Max Max: Fury Road
Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight
Rich Vreeland (as Disasterpeace), It Follows

Best Foreign-Language Film:
Mustang
Phoenix
Son of Saul
The Tribe
Victoria

Best Documentary:
Amy
Best of Enemies
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
Where to Invade Next

Best Animated Film:
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best First Film:
Bone Tomahawk
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Ex Machina
Mustang
Son of Saul

The Robert R. “Bobby” McCurdy Memorial Breakthrough Artist Award:
Abraham Attah, Beasts of No Nation
Amy Schumer, Trainwreck
Mya Taylor, Tangerine
Jacob Tremblay, Room
Alicia Vikander, Ex-Machina

Best Austin Film:
Arlo and Julie (dir: Steve Mims)
A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story (dir: Sara Hirsh Bordo)
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (dir: David Zellner)
Peace Officer (dir: Brad Barber, Scott Christopherson)
Two Step (dir: Alex R. Johnson)

Here Are Nominations of the Kansas City Critics!


Sicario_poster

Hi!  We briefly interrupt our nonstop Star Wars coverage to bring you the latest developments in awards season!  First off, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle — the 2nd oldest critical group in America (the National Board of Review is the oldest) — announced their nominations for the best of 2015 and guess what?  They liked one of my favorite movies of the year, Sicario!

BEST PICTURE:
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Sicario
Spotlight

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR:
Alex Garland, Ex Machina
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
Denis Villeneuve, Sicario
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

BEST ACTOR:
Steve Carell, The Big Short
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

BEST ACTRESS:
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Emily Blunt, Sicario
Bel Powley, The Diary of a Teenage Girl
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Benicio Del Toro, Sicario

Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Michael Shannon, 99 Homes
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Elizabeth Banks, Love & Mercy
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Ex Machina
The Hateful Eight
Inside Out
Sicario
Spotlight
Trainwreck

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
The Big Short
Carol
The Martian
Room
Steve Jobs

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:
Anomalisa
Inside Out
Minions
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
The Assassin
Goodnight Mommy
Phoenix
Son of Saul
The Tribe
White God

BEST DOCUMENTARY:
Amy
Best of Enemies
The Look of Silence
Where to Invade Next
The Wrecking Crew

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION, FANTASY or HORROR FILM:
Ex Machina
Goodnight Mommy
It Follows
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian