The Guilds are starting to release their nominees for the best work done on film in 2015 and it’s creating quite an interesting alteration to the landscape for the Oscar nominations that will be unveiled next Thursday, January 14. Considering those guilds are a decent size of the voting block that comprise the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, some would say their nominees could be a forecast of Oscar nominees.
Straight Outta Oscar
First, the Producers Guild and the Writers Guild both have Straight Outta Compton listed as a potential winner of Best Picture. Couple that with the fact that it scored a Best Ensemble nod from the Screen Actors Guild and it looks like the biopic about NWA is a sure-fire addition to the Best Picture landscape come nomination day in one week’s time.
The film was high up on our top 15 of 2015, so The Movie Mensch could not be more thrilled. It also is a huge leap forward that it is even in the discussion. We thought that Notorious was a fantastic biopic on the late Biggie Smalls, and not too many guilds or Academy members were showering it with love less than a decade ago. So, to see Straight Outta Compton making waves like this is a huge inspiration for all those seeking to shine a light on stories that deserve Oscar attention that aren’t period pieces, white-laced biopics or films about people who overcome obstacles (you know you love those, Oscar!)
Ex Machina Moves Forward
Ex Machina was a film that landed on many critics’ best-of list, but it has largely been left out of the guild nominations and larger film circles’ awards cavalcade. It was a huge shot in the arm for Ex Machina that it scored a Producers Guild Award and will certainly now have its case made for a nomination for Best Picture when we get a peek at those Oscar nominations next week. Will it get one? We’re still thinking no, but the Oscar Isaac-starring powerhouse film surely has never been in a better position than it is right now.
Room for Room?
A film that we walked out of back in October that we thought had Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Director nominations all but assured was Room. It has been all over critics’ top 10 lists for 2015 (including ours) and is at or near the top of all the metacritics’ collective lists that one can find. Yet, in a huge blow to the film’s chances for Oscar gold, it was noticeably absent of any nominations from the Writers Guild or Producers Guild. Does this mean that it will walk away with only acting nominations come Oscar nomination day? Could be, but we think it is more likely that Ex Machina is left off the final Oscar list and Room makes its way onto those contending for Oscar gold.
Bridge of Spies Spies a Nod
Another film that seemed to be on the bubble looking in got a jolt from the Producers Guild and Writers Guild and that is Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies. We have said, since the film came out, that it was Best Picture worthy and even made a guarantee that it would on a recent Screen Picks Oscar Podcast. That prediction is looking a little less out of left field with its Guild nominations.
We know the Academy adores Spielberg and there is no question that Bridge of Spies is his best work in years. Many reviews hailed it as his best since Saving Private Ryan. That got a ton of Oscar nods! Consider Spielberg a lock for walking the red carpet at the Dolby Theater as he is in contention for Best Picture. Oscar Watch still thinks it’s unlikely that he will get a nomination for Best Director… That field is simply too crowded.
Animated Excellence
The Writers Guild nominees for Animated Movies provides a unique insight into who might be getting a Best Animated Feature nod from the Academy. Notice the presence of The Good Dinosaur. The Pixar-Disney film was not on a slew of “best-of” lists for animated films this year, but has been scoring throughout awards season, including a nomination for a Golden Globe. Looks like Pixar-Disney will have two of the five spots for Best Animated Feature, with Inside Out a lock for the other. In fact, we think Inside Out is your sure bet to win the whole thing. Joining The Good Dinosaur on the Producers Guild list as well as being a Golden Globe nominee is The Peanuts Movie. Look for that film to get an Oscar nod as well.
Sicario & Steve Jobs Get New Life
Sicario was one of those motion pictures that we thought, back in October, would also be showered in nominations – from Best Picture to Best Actress (for Emily Blunt) and Best Supporting Actor (for Benicio Del Toro). Yet, time has passed and it seems that voters (and many critics groups) have forgotten about the intense little drug war movie. Yet, there it was scoring a Producers Guild and Writers Guild nomination! Looks who’s back in the running…
As is Steve Jobs, who even Universal gave up on when it seemed that no one saw the movie that astounded us. It is a Best Picture worthy film and glad to see that the Writers Guild awarded Aaron Sorkin with a Best Adapted Screenplay nod. When we left the theater back in October, we thought that award was his to lose. Time had us worried, and now, Sorkin may be back in the winners’ circle.