George Miller was a working ER doctor when he set off on making his first movie, the independently financed Mad Max.
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Jaws will drop if best actor doesn’t go to Leonardo DiCaprio for “The Revenant”, 22 years after his first of five acting nominations. “You realize if they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t even get this job”, joked Rock, 51, who continued with a series of jibes against the Academy throughout the night. Therefore, if “Mad Max” does not win, conventional wisdom would have it that one of these four films has a better shot than “The Martian”, “Bridge of Spies” and “Brooklyn”.
The Best Film Oscar went to Spotlight.
George Miller speaking with Charlize Theron at the pre Oscar party. “We didn’t expect to be here so that just makes it a lot of fun”. Should Tom McCarthy’s unobtrusive work in “Spotlight” get celebrated?
Kiwi make-up and hair designer Lesley Vanderwalt has received the ultimate nod for her work on Mad Max: Fury Road.
McKay thanked the Hollywood studio Paramount for taking a risk on a movie about “financial esoterica” and introduced a sharp political note when he said: “If you don’t want big money to control government, don’t vote for candidates that take money from big banks or weirdo billionaires”.
Should Have Been a Contender: There are so many this year – Ridley Scott (“The Martian”) and Todd Haynes (“Carol”) among them – but I would like to have seen Sean Baker in here for his incredibly inventive and utterly engaging “Tangerine”.
It’s been reported that the amount of Oscars will be 10. Tom Hardy, 38, plays a villain turned hero whose character arc gave the epic it’s weight.
Fourteen Australians are nominated for Fury Road, with Miller up for both producing and directing.
Best supporting actress favorite Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”) faces tough competition from “Carol” star Rooney Mara, on her second nomination, and previous best actress victor Kate Winslet, acclaimed for her work in “Steve Jobs“.
Will Win: No one really knows.
On the back of her Golden Globe and BAFTA wins for Room, Brie Larson (above) has emerged as the favourite in the Best Actress award, and if she wins there’ll be no arguments.
Famed for the scene with Steve McQueen chasing a Dodge Charger in a Ford Mustang around San Francisco, Bullitt won the “Best Film Editing” Oscar – one of the awards that Mad Max: Fury Road is up for this year too. If Cate Blanchett goes home empty-handed (and I think she will), the Academy may feel inclined to recognize her counterpart, who shares roughly the same amount of screen time.
James Smith, marketing assistant: “If I was to choose the winners, without a shadow of a doubt my choice for best picture would be Mad Max: Fury Road”.
“That’s just the nicest feeling that Margaret’s up there with a good chance”, he said.
“Mad Max: Fury Road” was vying for the golden trophy with “The Big Short”, “The Revenant”, “Spotlight” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. No other film this year had the same impact on audiences across the world. The film is virtually assured of becoming the most awarded film.
Jack Hussey, a retired professor of English who taught literature, writing and film at Fairmont State, believes “Mad Max” and Miller will both take their top awards.
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Regardless of who wins, it should be an interesting awards show for the first time in years.
