Exhibit A: “The Revenant” – a violent, grueling slog through the wilderness in winter – which led the pack with 12 nominations, including best picture, best actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) best director (Alejandro G. Inarritu) and best supporting actor (Tom Hardy).
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Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs described “The Revenant” as a “cinematic masterpiece”, in comments to reporters.
Stallone bookended his time playing Rocky Balboa, by being nominated for best supporting actor almost four decades and seven Balboa films after getting a best actor nomination in 1977 for the original “Rocky”.
“Of course I am disappointed”, Isaacs told Deadline in response to the Oscar nominations, adding that 2015 was a great year in film, nonetheless. The producers, screen actors and writers guilds nominated Compton as among the year’s best.
Room was considered a lock for a best actress nomination for star Brie Larson, though it wasn’t necessarily seen as a strong contender in other categories – but it ended up with a best picture and best director nomination for Lenny Abrahamson.
Even previous year there was a difference.
The Mexican director, who specifically thanked the Native American cast of The Revenant as he picked up his Golden Globes, was also vocal about the controversy surrounding this year’s Academy Awards, with critics noting the lack of black actors up for the biggest awards, and the best-director category all male. This is an epic art film, it really is.
The biggest challenge for “The Revenant” coming off its Globe win, though, is the fierce competition it faces for the Best Picture and Best Director awards.
She has made diversity both in membership and awards recognition a touchstone of her presidency.
“Carol”, the tender portrayal of a female photographer who falls in love with a married older woman in the 1950s’ NY, boasted six nominations in total, though it failed to pull one for best picture or director Todd Haynes.
The nominees for best supporting actress are Mara (“Carol”), Kate Winslet (“Steve Jobs”), Jennifer Jason Leigh (“The Hateful Eight”), Rachel McAdams (“Spotlight”) and Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”).
Films nominated for best animated feature include writer/director Charlie Kaufman’s downbeat stop motion drama “Anomalisa”, “Boy and the World”, Disney’s “Inside Out”, “Shaun the Sheep Movie” and “When Marnie Was There”.
The box office tent pole “Star War: The Force Awakens”, the highest grossing film of all time in North America, received five nominations – for film editing, original score, sound editing, sound mixing and visual effects.
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It should be fun to hear how all this filters through the mind of Chris Rock, when he hosts the show.
