The nominations for the Academy Awards or Oscars as they are popularly known was revealed today via a live telecast and here is the list of the movies, actors, actresses, directors that made the cut.
Let's start with the most important and the most anticipated category - Best Film. Here are the nominations...
The Big Short
The Big Short is based on the 2010 book of the same name by Michael Lewis, about the financial crisis of 2007–2008. The crisis was brought on by the build-up of the housing market and credit bubble. The film stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt. The 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film directed and co-written by Adam McKay. The film’s IMDB rating is 8.
Bridge of Spies
The film is based on the real-life arrest and trial of US spy pilot Gary Powers, who was shot down by Soviet forces when flying over the Russian city of Sverdlovsk in 1960.
The American historical drama-thriller is directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Scott Shepherd, Amy Ryan, and Alan Alda.
Based on the 1960 U-2 incident during the Cold War, the film tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers—a pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union—in exchange for Rudolf Abel, a captive Soviet KGB spy held under the custody of the United States. The name of the film refers to the Glienicke Bridge, which connects Potsdam with Berlin, where the spy exchange took place.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is an Irish-British-Canadian historical period drama film directed by John Crowley and stars Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters.
Set in 1952, the film tells the story of a young Irish woman's immigration to Brooklyn, where she quickly falls into a romance. When her past catches up with her, however, she must choose between two countries and the lives that exist within them for her.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road is a 2015 action film directed and produced by George Miller and is the fourth instalment in the Mad Max franchise. It is set in a future desert wasteland where gasoline and water are scarce commodities. It follows Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), who joins forces with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) to flee from cult leader Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and his army in an armoured tanker truck, which leads to a lengthy road battle.
Fury Road was in "development hell" for many years, with pre-production starting as early as 1997. Early attempts were made to shoot the film in 2001 and 2003, but were delayed due to the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. In 2007, after focusing on Happy Feet, Miller decided to pursue producing the film again. He briefly considered producing it as a computer-animated film but abandoned it in favour of live-action. In 2009, Miller announced that filming would begin in early 2011. Hardy was cast as Max in June 2010, with production planned to begin that November. Principal photography was delayed several more times before beginning in July 2012. The film wrapped in December 2012, although additional footage was shot in November 2013.
The film had its world premiere on 7 May 2015 at the TCL Chinese Theatre. It began a worldwide theatrical release on 14 May 2015, including an out-of-competition screening at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, in 2D, 3D, IMAX 3D and 4DX. It has grossed over $375 million worldwide, making it the highest grossing film in the Mad Max franchise.
The Martian
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
The movie is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Matt Damon. It has grossed over $595 million worldwide, becoming Scott's highest-grossing film to date, as well as the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2015.
The Revenant
The Revenant is the story of a frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820's fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.
It is an American semi-biographical western film set in 1823 Montana and South Dakota, which was inspired by the experiences of frontiersman and fur trapper Hugh Glass. The film was directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, and Domhnall Gleeson.
The film was originally set to be directed by Park Chan-wook with Samuel L. Jackson in mind to star, and later by John Hillcoat with Christian Bale in negotiations to star.
Both directors left the project, and Iñárritu signed on to direct in August 2011. In April 2014, after several delays in production due to other projects, Iñárritu confirmed that he was beginning work on The Revenant and that DiCaprio would play the lead role.
It is the second on-screen collaboration of DiCaprio and Tom Hardy (the first was Inception).
The movie also picked up the maximum number of nominations this year.
Congratulations to #TheRevenant on receiving 12 nominations from @TheAcademy! #Oscars #OscarNoms @NewRegency pic.twitter.com/jOExojPI0e
— 20th Century Fox (@20thcenturyfox) January 14, 2016
Room
A 5-year old boy Jack and his young mother Ma (Brie Larson) are living in a small squalid room, crowded with a bed, toilet, bathtub and rudimentary kitchen. There are no windows, just one skylight in the ceiling. Gradually, it unfolds that they are captives of a man she calls Old Nick (Sean Bridgers).
Up until the present, Ma has protected Jack from the reality of their situation, but Jack has reached the milestone of his 5th birthday and Ma knows he's old enough that she can enlist him in a plan to escape. Her motivation to act is also fired by learning that Old Nick is out of work and short on money, and she knows this will affect their safety. Ma activates her plan with Jack's key participation.
Spotlight
The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.
The film stars Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci, Brian d'Arcy James, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup.
Here is the complete list of nominees:
Best Picture
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Performance by an actor in a leading role
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Performance by an actress in a leading role
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Best director
Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max
Alejandro Inarritu, The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson, Room
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Best Original Song
Earned It
Manta Ray
Simple Song #3
Til It Happens to You
Writing’s On The Wall
Adapted screenplay
The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
The Martian
Room
Visual Effects
Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Editing
The Big Short
Mad Max
The Revenant
Spotlight
Star Wars
Score
Bridge of Spies
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Sicario
Star Wars
Best Foreign Film
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
Mustang (France)
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Theeb (Jordan)
A War (Denmark)
Best animated feature film
Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shawn the Sheep Movie
When Marley Was There
Cinematography:
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
Achievement in costume design
Carol
Cinderella
Danish Girl
Mad Max
The Revenant
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
The Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out a Window and Disappeared
The Revenant
Achievement in sound editing
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Animated short film
Bear Story
Prologue
Sanjay's Super Team
We Can't Live Without Cosmos
World of Tomorrow Tomorrow
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