The Academy Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars, or even better known as the one ceremony that has yet to end with Leonardo DiCaprio walking away with an award in hand…whatever you want to call it, is coming up fast. Airing on Sunday, Feb. 28, this event will come just in time as
many students are on their way to tropical islands, stateside road trips, or spring break outreach programs. But whether you’ll be home for the show or not, it’s still worth knowing the competition, as well as casting your own votes for this year’s winners.
Every year when the Oscars roll around, I find myself scrambling to watch as many movies as possible that feature the nominees. Since my movie-going has been lacking as of late, I don’t have much first-hand knowledge of this year’s films, but will do my best to make my own predictions of this year’s winners based on what I’ve read and heard.
Best Picture Nominees:
“Spotlight”
“The Big Short”
“The Revenant”
“Mad Max: Fury Road”
“The Martian”
“Bridge of Spies”
“Brooklyn”
“Room”
After watching the Golden Globes and seeing the immense amount of praise that “The Revenant” received, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it win Best Picture, especially with its whopping 12 nominations. This being said, movies such as “Spotlight,” “The Big Short” and “The Martian” also present solid competition, judging by the attention they have gotten over the past few months. The movies on this list differ so greatly in their cinematography and plots that it is difficult to single out just one. Consensus appears to point towards “Spotlight,” however, I have decided to place my bets on “The Revenant.”
Winner: “The Revenant”
Best Actor Nominees:
Bryan Cranston (“Trumbo”)
Matt Damon (“The Martian”)
Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”)
Michael Fassbender (“Steve Jobs”)
Eddie Redmayne (“The Danish Girl”)
Going along with the Best Picture, I’m automatically settling on Leonardo DiCaprio as the winner for Best Actor. This might be a bit of a pity vote, but regardless, DiCaprio deserves this win. I think we, as members of the audience, have been pulling for this actor to win an Oscar probably more than he has himself. Aside from the obvious fact that DiCaprio has yet to win an Oscar, there is significant proof of his superb acting abilities and willingness to push himself for the sake of getting into character as he did in “The Revenant.”
Winner: “The Revenant”
Best Actress Nominees:
Cate Blanchett (“Carol”)
Brie Larson (“Room”)
Jennifer Lawrence (“Joy”)
Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years”)
Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”)
“Brooklyn” is the only movie on this list that I had the pleasure of seeing, and side note: it truly was a pleasure. If you haven’t had the chance to see it, it is worth a watch. Despite her talent, I don’t see Saoirse Ronan winning the Oscar, and I find myself town between Blanchett, Larson, and Lawrence. I’ve included Lawrence in this mix because of her consistent ability to win over audiences with her charm and creativity in every role she takes on, but considering the varying reivews of “Joy,” I’m not so certain that she’ll be the winner. For the sake of settling on a name, I’ve chosen to go with Brie Larson after hearing of her resonant performance in “Room,” in addition to the fact that she appears to be a rising star to keep an eye on.
Winner: Brie Larson (“Room”)
Best Supporting Actor Nominees:
Christian Bale (“The Big Short”)
Tom Hardy (“The Revenant”)
Mark Ruffalo (“Spotlight”)
Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies”)
Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”)
Though Christian Bale has had a lot of Oscars success in the past, I don’t see him winning the award this year. Based solely on knowledge of his past performances, I’m choosing Sylvester Stallone for Best Supporting Actor. It has been almost 10 years since Stallone last graced us with his iconic role as Rocky Balboa, and it is time he won this fight.
Winner: Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”)
Best Supporting Actress Nominees:
Jennifer Jason Leigh (“The Hateful Eight”)
Rooney Mara (“Carol”)
Rachel McAdams (“Spotlight”)
Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”)
Kate Winslet (“Steve Jobs”)
My vote goes to Alicia Vikander, hands down. The actress seemed to come out of nowhere, appearing as the beautiful, talented wife of a troubled artist played by Eddie Redmayne. The chemistry between the two, especially considering the circumstances of the film, is tangible and Vikander proves herself as the actress we want to see more of. To remove any of my biases, I would also consider Rooney Mara as a runner-up.
Winner: Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”)
Feature Image: Loren Javier Photo, Courtesy of Flickr URL