With the 88th Annual Academy Awards this Sunday, I figured I would let everyone know who I am rooting for at this year's awards presentation as well as an explanation to as to why I chose the nominee (NOTE: These are not my official picks (those will be out on the night of the Oscar's) though I may already go ahead and pick a couple that I have my mind made up on. So without further ado...
Best Animated Short Film, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Documentary-Short Subject and Best Documentary-Feature
I don't really know a lot about the nominees in each of these films, so I can't really root for something that I don't know a lot about.
Best Visual Effects
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, and Neal Scanlan
I think a lot of you know why I am wanting this to win. I was a huge fan of Star Wars Episode VII and I want it to win every award possible. Now while I may be joking by putting it here, it actually has a shot to win. I think it will either go to Mad Max: Fury Road or The Revenant, but all 5 nominees in the category have a shot to walk away with Oscar gold.
Best Film Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
This film had some of the best editing of the year and with frantic pace the moves at, there are going to be a lot of spectacualr and fast cuts. When you do fast cuts they have to precise and smooth and this film has those precise cuts. Editing is where the film is made and without the editing, this film would've been absolutely terrible and that's why I'm not only rooting for it, but I'm probably going to pick it when that time comes.
Best Costume Design
Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan
One thing you need to make the future/apocalypse believable in in film is the costumes and the costumes in this film are simply fantastic. The clothing was raggedy, worn out and torn all to pieces and they just looked so realistic and they make you feel like you are in the world. It's going to face a lot of competition
Best Makeup & Haristyling
Mad Max: Fury Road – Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin
Makeup and Hairstyling are two of the most important jobs on a movie production. It basically make the characters look the way they do while in costume and Mad Max: Fury Road was able to make the characters look terrific. The black makeup on the top of Charlize Theron's character was perfect to show both her lights side, as well her potential to have a dark side. The way Immortan Joe looked was terrifying and haunting add that wouldn't be possible without the Makeup & Hairstyling.
Best Cinematography
Sicario – Roger Deakins
Roger Deakins is an amazing Cinematographer and he has had an illustrious career, but one thing that has eluded him is an Oscar. Deakins has been nominated 12 times before this current nomination and he has lost every single time. While everyone is clamoring for Leo to win an Oscar, Deakins deserves an Oscar as well. It's going to be tough due to Emmanuel Lubezki doing such an amazing job with The Revenant, I don't see Deakins (who did his best work with Sicario) coming out with an award.
Best Production Design
Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson
You may be thinking to yourself, how is it possible for a film that is set in the desert be up for a production design Oscar? Well, the thing is about production design is that it can relate to a number to different settings in a film and the way George Miller was able to help make the desert look so rough and down that you truly believe the apocalypse truly happened. Plus the set of The Citadel were just perfect and represented the apocalypse well.
Best Sound Mixing
The Revenant – Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom, and Chris Duesterdiek
Sound is something that I'm not too versed in, but when it comes to movies I know a little about it. In this cast the sound effects in The Revenant were really fantastic and the way you were able to hear the snow falling from the sky is just beautiful. Now it does face some competition from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in the sense that they have snow and you can hear it perfectly as well.
Best Sound Editing
The Revenant – Martin Hernández and Lon Bender
Just like Sound Mixing, Sound Editing is just as important and without these two the this movie would've been unwatchable. the sounds that they were able together together while being outside are tremendous and there is such an attention to detail that makes you feel you are in the wilderness with Leonardo DiCaprio. As it is sound mixing, The Revenant is going to face some tough competition and I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't win.
Best Original Song
"Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre – Music and Lyrics by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
This category has gotten a lot of resentment from pundits over time and it's understandable because sometimes the songs that are nominated are only present in the end credits and really don't due much for the film. That's an understandable argument, but it's an award so we have to talk about it. As for the nominees, I've heard this one and Earned It by The Weeknd from Fifty Shades of Grey and to be honest I like this one better. I like Sam Smith's music and I thought he was a great choice for a Bond song and while this wasn't the best Bond song, it did really fit the movie and I think it should win.
Best Original Score
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – John Williams
You all know how much I love Star Wars and I really enjoyed Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. One of the reasons why I am such a big fan of the franchise is due to the score and the one person who scored all seven of the films so far is Mr. John Williams. John Williams did some amazing work on this film and I think him getting this Oscar will be a tribute to his services because this might be the last chance he could get an Oscar.
Best Foreign Language Film
Son of Saul (Hungary) in Hungarian – László Nemes
Foreign films are the toughest to sell to an audience mainly due to subtitles, but this is a film that everyone needs to see and it is the odds on favorite to win the award. It's an emotionally powerful film based in one of the most haunting time periods in the world history and the way the story was told was a great way to not focus on the holocaust itself, but rather how it effected this one man. It does face some tough competition from Mustanf and Cartel Land, but I think this wins the Oscar easily.
Best Animated Feature
Anomalisa – Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson, and Rosa Tran
Going into 2015 I virtually guaranteed Inside Out was going to win this award hands down without any competition and boy was I wrong. This film was just so beautiful and I fell in love with the animation. If I had gotten the chance to see this film before making my top 10 favorite films of 2015 list, then this film would've been ahead of Inside Out. I think the film has a shot to win it, but The Academy does love to give the award to Pixar films and seeing Inside Out win the award would neither bother me or surprise me.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Martian – Drew Goddard from The Martian by Andy Weir
One of the more exciting films of the year was The Martian and it's mainly due to what Drew Goddard was able to do in adapting this fantastic novel. The film itslef was funny, heartbreaking, and just flat out exciting and I don't know if anyone could've done a better job than Drew Goddard. It's going to face some tough competition from Room and The Big Short, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Goddard walk away with the award.
Best Original Screenplay
Ex Machina – Alex Garland
One of the most original films of the year was Ex Machina and not only is it mainly due to Alex Garland's direction, but to his outstanding writing as well. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat and the ending is one of the best endings to a film I've ever seen. I don't think the film has a chance to win, but it would be amazing for a film this small to off an upset over films like Bridge of Spies, Spotlight, Inside Out and Straight Outta Compton.
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight as Daisy Domergue
One of the greatest traits about Quinton Tarantino is that he is able to take actors and actresses who were once on top of the mountain and who have basically fallen back into the shadows and then putting them into his films and getting the best performance of their career. Jennifer Jason Leigh was amazing in this film and she looked like she was having so much being in this type of film. Her character was absolutely crazy and she was the best part of the film. She probably won't win due to the stacked category and the award will mostly likely go to either Alicia Vikander or Rooney Mara.
Best Supporting Actor
Sylvester Stallone – Creed as Rocky Balboa
This is an easy choice to cheer for. Sylvester Stallone is a great actor and he has brought a lot of great characters the big screen and one of those was Rocky Balboa back in Rocky in 1976. It's crazy to think that he was able to play the same character 40 years later and do it even better than back then is just mind-blowing. This is going to basically be a lifetime achievement award for Stallone and if he gets the award he'll get a lengthy standing ovation. This is the closest and most unpredictable race for Best Supporting Actor that I can remember and while I think Stallone has got it in the bag, but I wouldn't be shocked if someone else took the award.
Best Actress
Brie Larson – Room as Joy "Ma" Newsome
Brie Larson is slowly becoming one of my favorite actresses and it's mainly due to her performance in this film. She is just simply amazing in the film and her performance is both heartbreaking and passionate and she fully deserves the award. she has some stiff competition from previous Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Lawrence as well as Charlotte Rampling who could pull off an upset due to the Academy's history of awarding older actresses who have never won or been nominated before. It wouldn't shock me if one of those women won the award, but all of the recent award shows have given the award to Larson and I don't see why the Academy won't do the same thing.
Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant as Hugh Glass This would be the best moment of the night if Leo were to finally win an Oscar. Not only do I want him to win, I think he will win. I've been predicting that he would win for over a year now and I'm not backing down anytime soon. He owns the role and he did a lot to make sure that this role would get a lot of attention and usually the things he has done is what the Academy loves and I would be somewhat shocked if he didn't win. I say somewhat because if he doesn't win I wouldn't be shocked because Micheal Fassbender has an amazing shot to win as well for his portrayal of Steve Jobs and if either one of those two win I would be pleased.
Best Director
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
His would be an awesome achievement. As I've mentioned before, George Miller himself didn't even think he would see this make be completed and after almost 30 years the film was a beautiful masterpiece. Other than Miller himself, I don't know of any director who put so much time and effort into one project for so long and by just completing the film he deserves the award. The film itself was amazing in every aspect and he has legitimate shot. I think however that the award will go to Alejandro G. Iñárritu for the second straight year mainly because of the momentum the film has gotten as of late or it will go to Tom McCarthy for Spotlight who has been the favorite for quite a while, but it wouldn't shock me if Miller leaves The Oscars with the award.
Best Picture
Mad Max: Fury Road – Doug Mitchell and George Miller
One of the more obvious reasons why I want this to win is due to the fact that it was my second favorite film of they year and since my number one film didn't get nominated, this is the next best thing. It would also be a great achievement for George Miller who had one of the worst experiences developing the film as it took him nearly 30 years to complete his vision. I think it has a really decent chance to win, but I think Spotlight and The Revenant are the two frontrunners for the award, but it wouldn't shock me if Mad Max: Fury Road walked away with the Best Picture Oscar.
So ladies and gentlemen who are you rooting for at this year's Academy Awards which air on February 28th at 8:30pm on ABC and what do you think of the people I'm rooting for. Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
Best Animated Short Film, Best Live Action Short Film, Best Documentary-Short Subject and Best Documentary-Feature
I don't really know a lot about the nominees in each of these films, so I can't really root for something that I don't know a lot about.
Best Visual Effects
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, and Neal Scanlan
I think a lot of you know why I am wanting this to win. I was a huge fan of Star Wars Episode VII and I want it to win every award possible. Now while I may be joking by putting it here, it actually has a shot to win. I think it will either go to Mad Max: Fury Road or The Revenant, but all 5 nominees in the category have a shot to walk away with Oscar gold.
Best Film Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
This film had some of the best editing of the year and with frantic pace the moves at, there are going to be a lot of spectacualr and fast cuts. When you do fast cuts they have to precise and smooth and this film has those precise cuts. Editing is where the film is made and without the editing, this film would've been absolutely terrible and that's why I'm not only rooting for it, but I'm probably going to pick it when that time comes.
Best Costume Design
Mad Max: Fury Road – Jenny Beavan
One thing you need to make the future/apocalypse believable in in film is the costumes and the costumes in this film are simply fantastic. The clothing was raggedy, worn out and torn all to pieces and they just looked so realistic and they make you feel like you are in the world. It's going to face a lot of competition
Best Makeup & Haristyling
Mad Max: Fury Road – Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin
Makeup and Hairstyling are two of the most important jobs on a movie production. It basically make the characters look the way they do while in costume and Mad Max: Fury Road was able to make the characters look terrific. The black makeup on the top of Charlize Theron's character was perfect to show both her lights side, as well her potential to have a dark side. The way Immortan Joe looked was terrifying and haunting add that wouldn't be possible without the Makeup & Hairstyling.
Best Cinematography
Sicario – Roger Deakins
Roger Deakins is an amazing Cinematographer and he has had an illustrious career, but one thing that has eluded him is an Oscar. Deakins has been nominated 12 times before this current nomination and he has lost every single time. While everyone is clamoring for Leo to win an Oscar, Deakins deserves an Oscar as well. It's going to be tough due to Emmanuel Lubezki doing such an amazing job with The Revenant, I don't see Deakins (who did his best work with Sicario) coming out with an award.
Best Production Design
Mad Max: Fury Road – Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson
You may be thinking to yourself, how is it possible for a film that is set in the desert be up for a production design Oscar? Well, the thing is about production design is that it can relate to a number to different settings in a film and the way George Miller was able to help make the desert look so rough and down that you truly believe the apocalypse truly happened. Plus the set of The Citadel were just perfect and represented the apocalypse well.
Best Sound Mixing
The Revenant – Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom, and Chris Duesterdiek
Sound is something that I'm not too versed in, but when it comes to movies I know a little about it. In this cast the sound effects in The Revenant were really fantastic and the way you were able to hear the snow falling from the sky is just beautiful. Now it does face some competition from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in the sense that they have snow and you can hear it perfectly as well.
Best Sound Editing
The Revenant – Martin Hernández and Lon Bender
Just like Sound Mixing, Sound Editing is just as important and without these two the this movie would've been unwatchable. the sounds that they were able together together while being outside are tremendous and there is such an attention to detail that makes you feel you are in the wilderness with Leonardo DiCaprio. As it is sound mixing, The Revenant is going to face some tough competition and I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't win.
Best Original Song
"Writing's on the Wall" from Spectre – Music and Lyrics by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith
This category has gotten a lot of resentment from pundits over time and it's understandable because sometimes the songs that are nominated are only present in the end credits and really don't due much for the film. That's an understandable argument, but it's an award so we have to talk about it. As for the nominees, I've heard this one and Earned It by The Weeknd from Fifty Shades of Grey and to be honest I like this one better. I like Sam Smith's music and I thought he was a great choice for a Bond song and while this wasn't the best Bond song, it did really fit the movie and I think it should win.
Best Original Score
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – John Williams
You all know how much I love Star Wars and I really enjoyed Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. One of the reasons why I am such a big fan of the franchise is due to the score and the one person who scored all seven of the films so far is Mr. John Williams. John Williams did some amazing work on this film and I think him getting this Oscar will be a tribute to his services because this might be the last chance he could get an Oscar.
Best Foreign Language Film
Son of Saul (Hungary) in Hungarian – László Nemes
Foreign films are the toughest to sell to an audience mainly due to subtitles, but this is a film that everyone needs to see and it is the odds on favorite to win the award. It's an emotionally powerful film based in one of the most haunting time periods in the world history and the way the story was told was a great way to not focus on the holocaust itself, but rather how it effected this one man. It does face some tough competition from Mustanf and Cartel Land, but I think this wins the Oscar easily.
Best Animated Feature
Anomalisa – Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson, and Rosa Tran
Going into 2015 I virtually guaranteed Inside Out was going to win this award hands down without any competition and boy was I wrong. This film was just so beautiful and I fell in love with the animation. If I had gotten the chance to see this film before making my top 10 favorite films of 2015 list, then this film would've been ahead of Inside Out. I think the film has a shot to win it, but The Academy does love to give the award to Pixar films and seeing Inside Out win the award would neither bother me or surprise me.
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Martian – Drew Goddard from The Martian by Andy Weir
One of the more exciting films of the year was The Martian and it's mainly due to what Drew Goddard was able to do in adapting this fantastic novel. The film itslef was funny, heartbreaking, and just flat out exciting and I don't know if anyone could've done a better job than Drew Goddard. It's going to face some tough competition from Room and The Big Short, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Goddard walk away with the award.
Best Original Screenplay
Ex Machina – Alex Garland
One of the most original films of the year was Ex Machina and not only is it mainly due to Alex Garland's direction, but to his outstanding writing as well. The film keeps you on the edge of your seat and the ending is one of the best endings to a film I've ever seen. I don't think the film has a chance to win, but it would be amazing for a film this small to off an upset over films like Bridge of Spies, Spotlight, Inside Out and Straight Outta Compton.
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight as Daisy Domergue
One of the greatest traits about Quinton Tarantino is that he is able to take actors and actresses who were once on top of the mountain and who have basically fallen back into the shadows and then putting them into his films and getting the best performance of their career. Jennifer Jason Leigh was amazing in this film and she looked like she was having so much being in this type of film. Her character was absolutely crazy and she was the best part of the film. She probably won't win due to the stacked category and the award will mostly likely go to either Alicia Vikander or Rooney Mara.
Best Supporting Actor
Sylvester Stallone – Creed as Rocky Balboa
This is an easy choice to cheer for. Sylvester Stallone is a great actor and he has brought a lot of great characters the big screen and one of those was Rocky Balboa back in Rocky in 1976. It's crazy to think that he was able to play the same character 40 years later and do it even better than back then is just mind-blowing. This is going to basically be a lifetime achievement award for Stallone and if he gets the award he'll get a lengthy standing ovation. This is the closest and most unpredictable race for Best Supporting Actor that I can remember and while I think Stallone has got it in the bag, but I wouldn't be shocked if someone else took the award.
Best Actress
Brie Larson – Room as Joy "Ma" Newsome
Brie Larson is slowly becoming one of my favorite actresses and it's mainly due to her performance in this film. She is just simply amazing in the film and her performance is both heartbreaking and passionate and she fully deserves the award. she has some stiff competition from previous Oscar winners Cate Blanchett and Jennifer Lawrence as well as Charlotte Rampling who could pull off an upset due to the Academy's history of awarding older actresses who have never won or been nominated before. It wouldn't shock me if one of those women won the award, but all of the recent award shows have given the award to Larson and I don't see why the Academy won't do the same thing.
Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant as Hugh Glass This would be the best moment of the night if Leo were to finally win an Oscar. Not only do I want him to win, I think he will win. I've been predicting that he would win for over a year now and I'm not backing down anytime soon. He owns the role and he did a lot to make sure that this role would get a lot of attention and usually the things he has done is what the Academy loves and I would be somewhat shocked if he didn't win. I say somewhat because if he doesn't win I wouldn't be shocked because Micheal Fassbender has an amazing shot to win as well for his portrayal of Steve Jobs and if either one of those two win I would be pleased.
Best Director
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
His would be an awesome achievement. As I've mentioned before, George Miller himself didn't even think he would see this make be completed and after almost 30 years the film was a beautiful masterpiece. Other than Miller himself, I don't know of any director who put so much time and effort into one project for so long and by just completing the film he deserves the award. The film itself was amazing in every aspect and he has legitimate shot. I think however that the award will go to Alejandro G. Iñárritu for the second straight year mainly because of the momentum the film has gotten as of late or it will go to Tom McCarthy for Spotlight who has been the favorite for quite a while, but it wouldn't shock me if Miller leaves The Oscars with the award.
Best Picture
Mad Max: Fury Road – Doug Mitchell and George Miller
One of the more obvious reasons why I want this to win is due to the fact that it was my second favorite film of they year and since my number one film didn't get nominated, this is the next best thing. It would also be a great achievement for George Miller who had one of the worst experiences developing the film as it took him nearly 30 years to complete his vision. I think it has a really decent chance to win, but I think Spotlight and The Revenant are the two frontrunners for the award, but it wouldn't shock me if Mad Max: Fury Road walked away with the Best Picture Oscar.
So ladies and gentlemen who are you rooting for at this year's Academy Awards which air on February 28th at 8:30pm on ABC and what do you think of the people I'm rooting for. Let me know in the comments section and let your voice be heard.
Jonah Sparks
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