And the 2015 Nominees Are...
Our take on this year's Oscar Nominees
The nominations are out and the countdown to the big night is underway.
Below we list the nominees with links to our reviews of the films so you can see where we agreed or disagreed with the Academy.
BEST PICTURE
- Scott:
"One of my favorite movies of the year." - Patrick:
"A talented ensemble cast, a compelling script and stylish direction." - Eric:
"It tries hard to make a complicated subject understandable."
- Scott:
"Another winning collaboration between Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg." - Eric:
"A quality piece of entertainment but it is not without its flaws." - Patrick:
"A taut spy thriller from a master storyteller."
- Scott:
"A beautifully filmed coming of age story." - Eric:
"I loved Brooklyn!" - Patrick:
"The most romantic movie of 2015."
- Eric:
"Seriously? This is Oscar Material?." - Scott:
"The action movie of the summer." - Patrick:
"A feminist statement and a nonstop thrill-ride."
- Eric:
"Science can be fun but this movie is not." - Scott:
"Too long. Too littered with plot holes." - Patrick:
"I enjoyed it."
- Scott:
"A visual masterpiece." - Patrick:
"The best movie of 2015!" - Eric:
"The most entertaining of this year's award worthy movies."
- Patrick:
"A film you won't soon forget." - Eric:
"I applaud the effort." - Scott:
"Despite some strong performances, this is not the Best Picture of the year by any means."
- Scott:
"Gripping." - Patrick:
"An acting showcase." - Eric:
"Puts the spotlight on something ugly."
BEST DIRECTOR
- Scott:
"McKay reins it in and delivers a movie that will make you laugh and think." - Patrick:
"Directs in a breezy stylish manner." - Eric:
"Mostly succeeds at making a dry subject entertaining."
George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
- Eric:
"Keeps the pace racing along." - Scott:
"Miller returns to the world he created and in top form." - Patrick:
"George Miller took a chance, and it paid off."
Alejandro G. Inarritu - The Revenant
- Scott:
"One of the most innovative directors working today." - Patrick:
"Inarritu directs with his own distinct visual flair." - Eric:
"With direction this great, dialogue is pointless."
- Patrick:
"Simple yet powerful." - Eric:
"Directed from a child's perspective but only partially succeeds." - Scott:
"Abrahamson raises the story above movie of the week level."
- Scott:
"McCarthy manages a large cast and a complex story." - Patrick:
"Does a nice job." - Eric:
"McCarthy points the camera, and blame, in directions not reported in the news."
BEST ACTOR
- Scott:
"Cranston is one of the finest character actors working today." - Eric:
"Makes Trumbo real, if not likable." - Patrick:
"Buries himself in the role."
- Eric:
"Damon plays an arrogant know it all as if he had been playing the part his whole life." - Scott:
"His charm helps cover many of the film's flaws." - Patrick:
"Acts well by himself."
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
- Scott:
"Leo says little with his voice, but he still speaks volumes." - Patrick:
"Should win the Oscar." - Eric:
"Makes you suffer every moment with him."
Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs
- Scott:
"Fassbender isn't a dead ringer for Jobs, but he embodies him nonetheless." - Patrick:
"A sublimely realized portrait of Steve Jobs." - Eric:
"As he is not going for a realistic portrayal, why is he being rewarded with a nomination?"
Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl
- Eric:
"Redmayne's transformation from man to woman is subtle and seamless." - Scott:
"Buries himself in the part." - Patrick:
"Exudes femininity from every pore."
BEST ACTRESS
- Patrick:
"Her usual solid performance." - Scott:
"Is Blanchett even capable of giving a bad performance?" - Eric:
"She plays Carol as a flame, making the audience mere moths."
- Patrick:
"A star is born." - Eric:
"Her performance is not as noteworthy as the subject matter is timely." - Scott:
"A career changing performance."
- Patrick:
"A joy to watch." - Scott:
"She's the best thing about this movie." - Eric:
"She has a natural screen presence and comes across as a very real person."
- Scott:
"A nuanced and subtle performance from an old pro." - Eric:
"You feel every one of her emotions." - Patrick:
"Anyone who has ever felt the pain of heartbreak will recognize every petty reaction and hurt expression that flickers across her face."
- Scott:
"Ronan succesfully transitions to grownup roles." - Eric:
"She's sweet as sugar and sincere as summer sunshine." - Patrick:
"Effortlessly conveys innocence and wonder."
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale - The Big Short
- Scott:
"The somber heart of this comic tale." - Patrick:
"Gives another of his method performances." - Eric:
"What exactly does Bale do in this film that is awardworthy?"
- Scott:
"Hardy buries himself in the part." - Patrick:
"Matches Leo's intensity." - Eric:
"Plays intense better than anyone, especially when wearing an ugly skullcap."
- Scott:
"Manages to standout from an impressive cast." - Patrick:
"Worthy of the nomination." - Eric:
"Simmers throughout but I kept waiting for him to hulk out and let someone have it."
Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies
- Scott:
"The veteran stage actor delivers an understated, but excellent performance." - Eric:
"Deserves the Oscar." - Patrick:
"Certainly worthy of the nomination."
- Patrick:
"The sentimental favorite." - Scott:
"The character he was born to play and he does some of his finest work here." - Eric:
"My sentimental favorite."
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight
- Scott:
"In this bucket of blood called a movie, she's a scene stealer." - Patrick:
"One hell of a committed performance." - Eric:
"Leigh makes ugly very entertaining."
- Patrick:
"As good as her more celebrated costar." - Scott:
"Mara quietly holds her own against Blanchett." - Eric:
"Mostly forgettable."
- Scott:
"More than holds her own in this cast of mostly men." - Patrick:
"For once she didn't annoy me." - Eric:
"Her nomination demonstrates how shallow the award pool was."
Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl
- Eric:
"How in the hell does the star of the film get nominated for a supporting award?" - Scott:
"Cements her position as Hollywood's latest It Girl." - Patrick:
"Matches Redmayne -literally- scene for scene."
- Scott:
"Goes toe-to-toe with Fassbender." - Patrick:
"A colorful role done with feeling." - Eric:
"Steals the film from Fassbender. "
OTHER CATEGORIES
ANIMATED FEATURE
ART DIRECTION
CINEMATOGRAPHY
COSTUME DESIGN
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
- Amy
- Cartel Land
- The Look of Silence
- What Happened, Miss Simone?
- Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
FILM EDITING
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
- Embrace of the Serpent
- Mustang
- Son of Saul
- Theeb
- A War
MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING
ORIGINAL SCORE
ORIGINAL SONG
- "Earned It," 50 Shades Of Grey
- "Manta Ray," Racing Extinction
- "Simple Song #3," Youth
- "Til It Happens to You," The Hunting Ground
- "Writing’s on the Wall," Spectre
SHORT FILM (Animated)
- Bear Story
- Prologue
- Sanjay's Super Team
- We Can't Live Without Cosmos
- World of Tomorrow
SHORT FILM (Live Action)
- Ave Maria
- Day One
- Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
- Shok
- Stutterer
