Oscars 2016 Predictions: Guesses & Wishes

With the Academy Awards Ceremony around the corner, I guess it's time to come up with some predictions, root for some movies, actors, technicians - end up being happy for some, being sad for some and all that but what goes on paper before, stays on it. So,.....

Here are my predictions (and wishes) for some prominent categories.

Best Editing:
Nominees: Mad Max Fury Road, The Big Short, The Revenant, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Spotlight

My Guess & My Wish: Mad Max is the overwhelming favourite in this race, beating some other films with its unconventional and flashy edits but I somehow have this feeling that Hank Corwin edited The Big Short is going to surprise itself and others for its scintillating work in maintaining the cohesion amidts the chaos surrounding the 4 parallel tracks

Best Cinematography:
Nominees: The Hateful Eight, The Revenant, Carol, Sicario, Mad Max Fury Road

My Guess & My Wish: Even though the efforts of the other nominees are there to be clearly seen in the films they have worked on and have been nominated for, nothing comes as clear and as close to doing the unthinkable as Emmanuel Lubezki's work with his variety in The Revenant. The camera travels with Hugh Glass in many of his ridiculous escapes, stays with the characters in the Bear fight & climax duels, shoots up the heroism with natural lighting when the troops get to see Glass to their utter surprise and evokes nostalgic memories of the 60s spaghetti westerns in its long range wide shots (which the work in The Hateful Eight also manages to do)

Best Supporting Actress:
Nominees: Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl), Rooney Mara (Carol), Rachel McAdams (Spotlight), Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

My Guess: I am bemused at Alicia Vikander being in receipt of a 'supporting actress' nomination given the significance of her role in the film but that's going to tip the balance in her favour as she goes past Kate Winslet's meticulous portrayal of Joanna Hoffman in Steve Jobs. McAdams and JJL didn't have the sort of impact in their roles to get to the winner's circle but the same cannot be said of Rooney Mara.

My Wish: I fervently wish and hope that the Jury gets bowled over by Rooney Mara's representation of the meek, passionate and confused Therese Belivet in Carol and give her the award.

Best Supporting Actor:
Nominees: Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight), Sylvester Stallone (Creed), Tom Hardy (The Revenant), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), Christian Bale (The Big Short)

My Guess & My Wish: I am a big Rocky fan and I know I would be delighted to see the Italian Stallion get decorated with an Oscar; I liked the seasoned performance of Mark Rylance as the spy in Bridge of Spies & the devotion and confidence that Bale shows on his skills in The Big Short; I thought Tom Hardy was a revelation in The Revenant with his villainy and scary idealogies BUT the mind stays with my heart on this one in predicting that the ambitious 'go-getter' in Mike Rezendes of Spotlight is going to help Mark Ruffalo go get his much deserved Oscar in his third such attempt at Oscar glory.

Best Screenplay (Original):
Nominees: Bridge of Spies, Spotlight, Ex Machina, Inside Out, Straight Outta Compton

My Guess & My Wish: To be fair, I haven't seen 3 out of the 5 films nominated here. So, all I can guess is to just go by instincts and I just feel it would be a mighty task for any of these films to have something on them to power over the magic that the simplicity in Spotlight's screenplay commands. Coens' work in Bridge of Spies was simple and charming but Spotlight beats it by a considerable margin

Best Screenplay (Adapted):
Nominees: The Martian, The Big Short, Room, Carol, Brooklyn

My Guess & My Wish: It is very difficult to recreate the magic that a great page-turning book offers but if McKay and Randolph are getting praised for doing just that in The Big Short, I can see why! The film is totally devoted to its unconventional 'Scorsese-Thelma'ish treatment of a technical subject and it works incredibly well! Who wouldn’t like Selena Gomez explain synthetic Collaterized Debt Obligations from a casino table or Margot Robbie in a bathtub explaining sub-prime mortgages comparing it with shit?!

Best Actor:
Nominees: Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs), Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Matt Damon (The Martian), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)

My Guess & My Wish: By virtue of the nominations, it could be a three way battle with Redmayne's bid to defend his Award from last year in a role tailor-made for Oscar glory and the nonchalance associated with the Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston for his role in Trumbo but the weight of his previous nominations, his winning spree this year and his display of LITERALLY 'getting-into-the-skin', I am quite bullish on the prospects of the man who fought with the Bear. The Oscar is going to decorate Leonardo DiCaprio's accomplishments come Sunday, with Roger Federer cheering him on from the gallery. Well, that's going to be 'some moment' and hopefully, it happens!

Best Actress:
Nominees: Brie Larson (Room), Charlotte Rampling (45 Years), Cate Blanchett (Carol), Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn), Jennifer Lawrence (Joy)

My Guess: I join the bandwagon in calling Brie Larson the overwhelming favourite to win this one, just like Patricia was last year for her Boyhood role. Being cast as a mother has its benefits, I see! Cate didn't do anything exceedingly special to warrant an additional Oscar and Saoirse has years and talent to take her to the finish line in the years to come but Jennifer Lawrence can spring a surprise if the Jury saw what I saw with her show in Joy

My Wish: Jennifer Lawrence getting it just for expressing herself so convincingly that I came out of the perception of JLaw's suave image and mediocre talent and instead, started seeing the struggles of Joy, empathises and rooted for her success in her business and enjoyed every bit of her swag at the end.

Best Director:
Nominees: George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road), Adam McKay (The Big Short), Lenny Abrahamson (Room), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant), Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)

My Guess & My Wish: McKay, McCarthy and Abrahamson have been impressive coming to the limelight displaying immense promise and potential but Miller and Inarritu have still not given them an easy path to glory ruling their chances out with their own glorious outings. As a Steven Spielberg fan, I sincerely admonish his snubbing in this category but I don't see anything that can stop the genius and vision that Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has translated to a vivid viewing experience handling his troop mighty well in the tumultous experience of shooting in the wilderness in The Revenant.

Best Picture:
Nominees: The Revenant, The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Spotlight, The Martian, Brooklyn, Room, Mad Max: Fury Road

My Guess: After guessing The Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Director for the same film and knowing how the patterns work, it is tough to not guess that the same film would win the Best Picture award as well but that's exactly what I am going to do in placing this risky bet. With due respect to all the nominees, I feel it is going to be a two-way shootout between Spotlight that charms with its magic & simplicity and The Revenant that manifests magnificence with its painstaking brilliance; Only this time, the charm might go on to outwit the grandeur!

Spotlight is going to be in the spotlight as the curtains are drawn on the Academy Awards ceremony, for an 88th time!

Predictions for some of the other categories:
Best Animated Film - Inside Out
Best Costume Design - Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Foreign Film - Son of Saul
Best Make up & Hair Styling - Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Music - Ennio Morricone, for The Hateful Eight
Best Production Design - Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Sound Editing - The Revenant
Best Sound Mixing - The Revenant
Best Visual Effects - Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Who are you placing your bets on?

Two Line Reviews - #448

Movie: Lincoln (2012)

Plot: The movie is a record of Lincoln's resolve in getting the Bill on 13th amendment related to the abolition of Slavery passed in the cabinet.

What Works?

• Steven Spielberg shall spit and I might end up liking watching it! This one's no spit by the way. The film narrates a historically significant event in American Politics and gives the attention to detail the event deserves.
• Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln amazes one with his realistic portrayal and voice modulation! Bad that he hasn't done as many films as one would feel someone of his calibre should have done. He showcases Lincoln stubbornness and persuasive skills quite effortlessly.
• In a cameo is Tommy Lee Jones and his portion is typically enjoyable Spielberg stuff!
• The core technical team of Spielberg never changes and this film is one more reason as to why the longevity of the combination makes sense.
• The voting scene at the cabinet is that one scene anyone would love watching.

What Doesn't?

• More than Lincoln, the focus is on the Amendment and a lot of minute details are difficult to understand for anyone ignorant(like me) of the politics surrounding it.
• Same is the case with the details shown on his wife and sons; It sends a message but it seems irrelevant.

A neat and carefully researched and executed record of a historical event!

Two Line Reviews - #395

Movie: Duel (1971)

Plot: Anything revealed about this film might spoil the mystery and bring out an experience of a far lesser magnitude!

What Works?

• Steven Spielberg's debut film!!!! The idea works big time; The same could well be said of the execution too!
• Excellent Camera-work!

A stupendous film of the 'must-watch' kind!

Two Line Reviews - #382

Movie: Jaws (1975)

Plot: The beaches of Amity Island get ready for treating the tourists over a long weekend. A dreadful shark is on the prowl in the seas which makes the police chief feel it isn't right to allow tourists into the sea before the predator gets captured. The chief, an oceonaography expert and a shark-expert go into the seas on a nightmarish mission!

What Works?

• The animal isn't non-existent, there is not much scope to show many thrilling scenes - Still, Spielberg ekes the maximum out of it to give a classic edge-of-the-seat thriller!
• The prominent characters play their roles casually accentuating the 'this one is for real' feeling.
• There are plenty of Spielberg touches, none better than the conversation the three get into in the rocking boat during the night in their mission.
• The camera work is ingenious and some tough to capture sea moments have been taken without hassles.

What Doesn't?

• The shark shown is very much unreal. But given the times the film was made, this barely qualifies to be a negative.

Jaw-dropping stuff!(Sometimes, can't avoid the cliches)

Two Line Reviews - #352

Movie: War Horse (2011)

Plot: A teenager raises the horse he had admired from its birth; When WWI begins, the family has no option other than to lease the horse out for war. After 4 years of transfers from the Brit to the Germans to the French, the brave stallion's unwavering grit and destiny take it back to its master who had warred just to trace back his horse!

Pluses:

• Steven Spielberg has it in him to make a massive Indian film! He makes a horse an idol in this film showering heroism and sentimental scenes (which work!) upon it and its master.
• In combination with the amazing orchestration of John Williams, extremely believable war sets ( cakewalk for Spielberg's team though!) and captivating visuals, he makes this sort of yet another epic.
• The soldier bonding scene where they free the horse from the barbed wires, unrealistic as it may be, is touchy and symbolic.

Minuses:

• There are plenty of predictable portions in this drama.
• The film carries the 'All's happy and all men are good' Vikraman effect

Spielberg has made heroes out of horses this time!

Two Line Reviews - #304

Movie: The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Plot: There are three ships and in them, there are three chits a combination of which would give the clue for an ancestral treasure. Tintin & captain Haddock are on the trail & so is the villain who happens to be the descendant of the villain to the Haddock lineage. Who'l get hands on the tickets to the treasure!

Highlights:

• Steven Spielberg and his innovation seems to know no bounds. This master entertainer pulls his trick once again fitting a legendary cartoon character in his experimental human-like animation feature.
• The 'Spielberg-Jackson' duo known for their individual brilliance in grandeur combine to give an enjoyable spectacle.
• The heroics of the adorable Tintin-Snowy duo & the drunkard Haddock with Arabic setting, Bullet etc. take the viewer nostalgically to Dr.Indy's adventures.
• The animation team, other contributors to SFX,3D & the creative stunts (climax stunt with swaying cameras in particular) deserve a healthy applause.

Nostalgic wholesome treat from Spielberg!

Two Line Reviews - #290

Movie: Back to the Future 3 (1990)

Plot: The second part's climax sees the scientist accidentally go to 1885. To bring him back, the hero makes an audacious trip to the 1885 in typical spaghetti western style. When he attempts to save his scientist from an impending death, he also sees the impossible happen - his scientist falling in love! Finally, all is well as things get back to the present.

Highlights:

• Zemeckis takes creativity to the next level in this edition which is more or less a tribute to the Western films of Sergio Leone and the likes. 
• The hero's character naming itself Clint Eastwood & enjoying its presence in the past makes way for some special entertaining stunts.
• The romantic angle on the scientist and the lady who bowls him over along with the train climax make this an engrossing film.

Hatrick! Sadly, The time-travel ends with this part..

Two Line Reviews - #289

Movie: Back to the Future 2 (1989)

Plot: The scientist travels into the future 2015 and sees the trouble that his prodigy is about to face. He comes back to the present 1985 to take the guy into the future and correct things. In doing so, the past gets affected for which a travle back to 1955 becomes essential.

Highlights:

• The crazy duo experience together another adventurous trip which takes them back and forth to prevent the space-time continuum & Mcfly & Dr.Brown donot disappoint in this edition as well.
• Zemeckis/Spielberg duo, with yet another edition, show how complex creative plots could be presented in a simple enjoyable method.
• Here again, the work of graphics is appreciable & the same theme music by Alan Silvestri, by now becomes an anthem of sorts; The Hover-board & the Nike Shoes are delightful additions!

The future is as good as the past!

Two Line Reviews - #288

Movie: Back to the Future (1985)

Plot: A crazy scientist invents a time machine & when he is about to take the journey of his lifetime, he is shot by terrorists. A student, his follower, gets into the machine and travels to 1955 to set right the tale of his parents.

Highlights:

• The film oozes creativity and provides an overwhelming entertainment of fun & action. All credits to Robert Zemeckis for making a film that I thought was only possible for the producer Spielberg to make.
• The characters of McFly, Dr.Brown & Einstein are absolutely lovable.
• The graphics around the DeLorean time-machine is brilliant and so is the background score

One from the past & one for the past,present & future audience!

Two Line Reviews - #243

Movie: Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Plot: Financial misfortunes and parents' divorce make a confused teenager carve himself a path of felony,fraudulence and impersonation. When his cheque forgeries cross limits, the FBI is after him. He gives his FBI agent a tough time outwitting him on every occassion but finally the agent gets the better of him and gives him an opportunity to earn some solace for his misdeeds

Highlights:

• Leonardo DiCaprio plays the major role - and as a forger and a flirt master, the guy is at his best providing moments to enjoy.
• As the dutiful FBI agent who gets pissed off with his culprit's ways Tom Hanks plays a super foil and shows his class time and again.
• Spielberg, as usual, is out with a different plot and succeeds (not spectacularly though) in giving a comical chase story aided well by John Williams' jazz chase sound tracks.

Lowlights:
Some scenes are serious but the depiction of the police is very comical and that's inconsistent.

A Different & Enjoyable ride! But, I expected more from a film that boasts of Spielberg,Hanks,DiCaprio.

Two Line Reviews - #228

Movie: Amistad (Multiple Languages, 1997)

Plot: Illegally transferred slaves in the boat 'La Amistad' surge to kill their masters but unfortunately land in American shores where they are convicted as legal slaves of Spanish interests. A willful attorney tries the case in favour of the captured slaves - wins it in 2 lower courts but the American-Spanish political games take the case to the highest of courts where the case gets decided.

Highlights:

• Steven Spielberg always keeps showing his name up to the question of 'Who is the biggest of them all?' & here again proves his mettle by deftly handling an absolutely intense sensitive subject.
• The roles that walk away with top honours are those of the African Cinque, the relentless attorney played by McConaughey & the ex president Hopkins' cameo!
• The core team members of Spielberg - cameraman,editor & music director are at their best again with John Williams providing some touching background tracks.
• There are appreciable scenes aplenty - The differing idealogies of the so-defined 'sophisticated' Americans & 'backward' Africans are expressed with tactful sarcasm in their varied definitions of terms like 'Almost';'Chief' etc.

Another jewel on Spielberg's Crown!

Two Line Reviews - #179

Movie: Munich (2005)

Plot: A retribution team is formed to kill the terrorists who were responsible for the killing of Israeli Munich Olympic athletes. The execution of the vengeance mission makes the crew involved realise the meaninglessness of war and how a revenge only builds the rage of the fire of anger.

Highlights:

• The core members of the team are characterised brilliantly. Steven Spielberg's expertise is on show with the plans, the executions, the locations to which they travel, the intermitten emotions shown etc.
• Eric Bana as the passionate but sensible/sensitive Israeli & Daniel Craig as the passionate Israeli are the show stealers.
• With his non chalant music John Williams, as always, gives good company to the Spielberg narrative. The murder scenes are engaging , especially the one involving the Arab fighters and KGB officials. 

Lowlights:
A series of bombings are unsuccessful or done in public places and yet the crew escapes very easily which is tough to believe.

A slow-paced yet engaging film on a 'meticulous' retribution