Oscar Nomination Thoughts

Oscar nominations were announced bright and early this morning. I'm not a morning person but there's something about the Oscar nominations announcement that make me pop right out of bed. Maybe it's seeing the movies that you enjoyed over the year being rewarded or just watching the announcement live seeing the nominations announced at the same time as the people being nominated. When you're a big movie fan two of the best days of the year are the day the nominations are announced and the awards themselves. Here some quick of thoughts of mine on the nominations.

Best Picture

Arrival

Fences

Hacksaw Ridge

Hell or High Water

Hidden Figures

La La Land

Lion

Manchester by the Sea

Moonlight

La La Land and it's record tying 14 Oscar nominations is a major competitor for Best Picture. Standing in it's way is Moonlight. This will be a very tight race between the two. It really just depends on which way the Academy will lean. They love movies about movies and the way La La Land acted as a modern throwback to classical musicals makes it hard not to fall in love with. However, Moonlight is a very gripping film that explores important themes and the Academy's push for more diversity could give this film the push it needs.

Directing

Arrival - Denis Villeneuve

Hacksaw Ridge - Mel Gibson

La La Land - Damien Chazelle

Manchester by the Sea - Kenneth Lonergan

Moonlight - Barry Jenkins

Barry Jenkins for Moonlight, Damien Chazelle for La La Land, and Kenneth Lonergan for Manchester by the Sea were locks for nominations in this category. The last two spots remained open. Mel Gibson's nomination was well deserved, especially for his gritty and realistic depictions of the war scenes from Hacksaw Ridge. A comeback of sorts for Gibson? Villeneuve's nomination for Arrival was also well deserved. He's quickly becoming one of the most talented directors working and continues to add to his impressive filmography. Usually, the winner of this category determines what will win Best Picture but lately the two categories have been split up. However, this year I don't think that will be the case. If Jenkins wins, Moonlight will be Best Picture but if Chazelle wins it will be La La Land.

Actor in a Leading Role

Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea

Andrew Garfield - Hacksaw Ridge

Ryan Gosling - La La Land

Viggo Mortensen - Captain Fantastic

Denzel Washington - Fences

Casey Affleck has been leading the way in this category so far and I'd be surprised if the Oscars are any different. Casey Affleck has been the shadow of his brother Ben for most of his career but you could make a case for him being more talented, at least in front of the camera. Ben has become quite a talent working behind the camera.

Actress in a Leading Role

Isabelle Huppert - Elle

Ruth Negga - Loving

Natalie Portman - Jackie

Emma Stone - La La Land

Meryl Streep - Florence Foster Jenkins

Meryl Streep is just padding her stats now. She extends her record to now 20 Oscar nominations and counting, a record that may never be broken. However, I'm not so sure it's deserved. Amy Adams not getting a nomination for Arrival is a major snub. I would substitute her in for Streep. This category will likely come down to Portman or Stone. Portman has won before for Black Swan and La La Land will be one of the biggest winners on Oscar night so it will be interesting to see who wins here.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Mahershala Ali - Moonlight

Jeff Bridges - Hell or High Water

Lucas Hedges - Manchester by the Sea

Dev Patel - Lion

Michael Shannon - Nocturnal Animals

I think this category belongs to Mehershala Ali. He didn't have as much screen time as I expected in Moonlight but he made every second count. Other actors and actresses have had nominations and even wins with just as much or less screen time. I was glad to see Michael Shannon get a nomination for Nocturnal Animals. He's one of the hardest working yet most underrated actors today.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Viola Davis - Fences

Naomie Harris - Moonlight

Nicole Kidman - Lion

Octavia Spencer - Hidden Figures

Michelle Williams - Manchester by the Sea

This could be one of the most competitive categories this year as Viola Davis, Naomie Harris, and Michelle Williams could all have a shot at winning the statue. When you're constantly hearing and reading about who's the favorite it's nice to have a category like this that isn't as easily predicted. Looking forward to seeing which actress wins here.

Animated Feature

Kubo and the Two Strings

Moana

My Life as a Zucchini

The Red Turtle

Zootopia

2016 was a great year for animation. Even movies that didn't get nominations such as Finding Dory and The Secret Life of Pets were two of the top grossing movies of the year. Kubo and the Two Strings is a movie I really loved and not enough people gave it the love it deserved at the box office. This category will most likely go to Zootopia. I think the best animated movies have something for kids and adults and Zootopia had that. I wouldn't rule out Moana though.

Original Song

Audition (The Fools Who Dream) - La La Land

Can't Stop the Feeling - Trolls

City of Stars - La La Land

The Empty Chair - Jim: The James Foley Story

How Far I'll Go - Moana

Disney has a long history of it's catchy tunes winning this category and a win for How Far I'll Go from Moana would net Lin-Manuel Miranda the coveted EGOT. However, City of Stars from La La Land will likely win here. The music from La La Land was great and will likely win for score as well.

I didn't touch on every category. Just the bigger ones. Here are the rest of the nominations.

Best Original Screenplay:

Taylor Sheridan - Hell or High Water
Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthymis Filippou - The Lobster
Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea
Mike Mills - 20th Century Women

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Eric Heisserer - Arrival
Luke Davies - Lion
August Wilson - Fences
Allison Schroeder & Theodore Melfi - Hidden Figures
Barry Jenkins & Tarell Alvin McRaney - Moonlight

Best Cinematography:

Bradford Young - Arrival
Linus Sandgren - La La Land
Greig Fraser - Lion
James Laxton - Moonlight
Rodrigo Prieto - Silence

Best Documentary:

Fire at Sea
I Am Not Your Negro
Life, Animated
O.J.: Made in America
13th

Best Documentary Short Subject:

4.1 Miles
Extremist
Joe's Violin
Watani My Homeland
The White Helmets

Best Foreign Language Film:

Land of Mine
A Man Called Ove
The Salesman
Tanna
Toni Erdmann

Best Film Editing:

Joe Walker - Arrival
John Gilbert - Hacksaw Ridge
Jake Roberts - Hell or High Water
Tom Cross - La La Land
Joi McMillon & Nat Sanders - Moonlight

Best Sound Editing:

Arrival
Deepwater Horzion
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Sully

Best Sound Mixing:

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
Arrival
Hacksaw Ridge
La La Land
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Production Design:

Arrival
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Hail, Caesar!
La La Land
Passengers

Best Visual Effects:

Deepwater Horizon
Doctor Strange
The Jungle Book
Kubo and the Two Strings
Rogue One

Best Original Score:

Micachu - Jackie
Justin Hurwitz - La La Land
Hauschka & Dustin O'Halloran - Lion
Nicholas Britell - Moonlight
Thomas Newman - Passengers

Best Makeup and Hair:

A Man Called Ove
Star Trek Beyond
Suicide Squad

Best Costume Design:

Allied
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Florence Foster Jenkins
Jackie
La La Land

Best Animated Short:

Blind Vaysha
Borrowed Time
Pear Cider and Cigarettes
Pearl
Piper