It's all over but the voting! Share your final FYCs...
Friday, February 12, 2016 at 9:30AM 
Oscar ballots are out today so we've reached the homestretch. Beginning today and continuing on through February 23rd, Academy members can decide if Carol takes costuming and Mad Max takes editing or whether they'd like something far inferior to win those particular statues?
I kid I kid. They should vote on what they believe is "best". And that includes the Acting categories. Obstinate voters who refuse to run with the crowds / accept the status quo can decide who they'd most like for an "upset" in the Acting categories if they're not feeling the frontrunning quartet of Brie, Leo, Alicia, and Sly. But what the hell will they vote for in Best Picture and Best Director? It's a real scrappy fight this year but since it's the 25th anniversary of Silence of the Lambs, which happens to be both an atypical winner and one of their best, we hope they treat Mad Max Fury Road well. If they can't go there in Best Picture (even though they should) can't they at least hand George Miller a well-earned statue? That's my final prayer!
What's your final wish as they begin voting?
P.S. If you're curious to see how pundits are viewing the races, here's the new Gurus of Gold chart. And here's our index of Oscar charts
Carol, FYC, George Miller, Mad Max, Oscars (15)
Reader Comments (34)
I'd love to see an unexpected upset that lands an Oscar in Charlotte Rampling's hand.
Inside Out for Original Screenplay. There wasn't a more creative, ORIGINAL screenplay this year, let alone one as consistently hilarious and ultimately heart-rending.
I have this funny feeling instead of a surprise in Supporting Actress, it will be in Supporting Actor and Ruffalo takes the Oscar.
George Miller x 100.
If you're handing out honours for arduous shoots, pick the one that wasn't arduous for the audience.
Don't rule out World of Tomorrow for Best Animated Short!
I would love to see Michael Fassbender win Leading Actor for the bringing the best performance in the category. Ditto to Saoirse Ronan who has never been better than her turn in Brooklyn.
Winslet for supporting.
FYC's:
Best Adapted Screenplay - "Room"
Best Director - George Miller
Best Supporting Actor - Tom Hardy
Best Animated Short - "World of Tomorrow"
Best Documentary Feature - "The Look of Silence"
Nothing too crazy - just George Miller and Kate Winslet, please.
I'm thinking the same with supporting actor. Stallone doesn't feel like a lock to me. Nostalgia doesn't always work out the way we hope see Lauren Bacall, Julie Christie and Michael Keaton. Not to say those weren't spectacular performances but nostalgia had a lot to do with it. I could see Stallone winning as a consolation for forgetting 'Creed' in other categories thou. I'm hoping for Ruffalo.
Charlotte Rampling!!! And Carol winning more awards than The Revenant.
Spotlight for BP! Because let's be honest, it's the choice you won't regret in a few years.
Rampling for Best Actress!
Could this be future Oscar bait - D-Day Churchill biopic with Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson and Stanley Tucci as Eisenhower
: http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/berlin/churchill-biopic-to-be-directed-by-jonathan-teplitzy-adds-cast/5100223.article#.Vr2F6qXXxIU.twitte
CONSIDER CHARLOTTE RAMPLING FOR BEST ACTRESS!!!
Ex-Machina to win VFX and The Force Awakens to win Best Original Score. They're my two favorite films of 2015, these are the likeliest categories they could win in and they deserve to win them (well I haven't seen The Hateful Eight, so I can't fully say that about TFA in Score). I'm pretty sure both films won't pick up anything but this is a wish list, after all.
Mustang for Foreign Film :) Am I the only one who thinks it could upset Son of Saul?
Oh, and World of Tomorrow PLEASE!!!
1.George Miller for something - either director (because he is) or best picture (because it is).
2. Kate Winslet for best Supporting Actress - because she is the best & supporting.
3. Saoirse Ronan for Best Actress - although trauma (Larson) usually trumps everything else, think differently this time.
These apply to both Oscars & Baftas.
I hope that the most likely acting upset - that Mara will win instead of Vikander - happens and that Inarritu goes home empty-handed.
Is Gaga really going to win an Oscar??
Carter Burwell for "Carol"'s score.
"What Happened, Miss Simone" for documentary.
"Last Day of Freedom" for documentary short (see it if you can, it's amazing).
Brie Larson. I have zero tolerance for the American ingenue who does nothing but gets high praise from everyone because they project a performance onto her. Brie Larson is young and white but she can act. Her supporting work in Trainwreck along with Colin Quinn and an unrecognizable Tilda Swinton were acting highlights of the movie. She held my attention doing subtle work which I'm hardly ever drawn to.
Rampling fucked herself with the reverse racism rant. I will villainize her like the American press did Bill Cosby.
I was coming here to say the same thing about Supporting Actor. If I had to guess, I'd say that Sylvester Stallone will win. But I'm not certain of that prediction in the least, which makes me surprised that everyone's predictions have coalesced around him. This SA race reminds me of 2012 and like that year, I won't flinch if someone unexpected ekes out the win.
My FYCs:
Original Screenplay - Inside Out
Adapted Screenplay - Carol
Animated Short - World of Tomorrow
Costume Design - Carol
Not a fan of the prospect of Stallone winning (he's been responsible for too much cinematic pollution over the years), nor of Vikander winning the Supporting Actress award for a leading role. I don't really care who wins supporting actor but I'd rather Kate Winslet win for supporting actress. I'm totally on board with Brie Larson winning Actress, but wouldn't be sad if Ronan somehow pulls it out, as she was really wonderful in Brooklyn.
My 2 FYCs:
- Sicario for Original Score
- Miller for Director
I am also not a fan of Larson. I think she was strong in Room, but I think she gives the least impressive performance in that category.
I'm with LadyEdith - George Miller, Saoirse Ronan and Kate Winslet.
My final wish is that academy members read my letter.
Dear Academy of Motion Pictures,
I understand that you have your hands full with #OscarsSoWhite and #OscarSoStraight etc, and I get that most of the blame belongs to movie studios for not making diverse films in the first place. But, while you may not have the power to correct these problems overnight, you could easily do something about the flagrant category fraud that’s been corroding your integrity.
In 1937, you created the supporting acting categories to recognize those actors and actresses who shine in roles that aren’t the main focal points of their movies. They have limited screen time. Their characters rarely make the plot synopsis on the Netflix DVD sleeve. But they do a lot with a little, and they make the world of the film richer and more believable because of it. Hattie McDaniel in Gone With The Wind, Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love, and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting are all great examples of true supporting performances.
Singularity is critical to the meaning of the word “Best.” No matter what people say, you can only have one best friend. So why do you so often cave to studio campaigns and let the categories devolve into Best Actor and Best Actress Part 2? If it’s about nothing other than marketing movies so people can say, “Starring Oscar Winner _____” why not just abandon the category distinctions altogether and have ten nominees and give bronze, silver, and gold statues?
This year boasts two outrageous examples of category fraud from the studios supporting Rooney Mara and Alicia Vikander, who are the frontrunners in a category they have no business being in. They’re the co-leads of their respective movies, and terrific ones at that. But if you loved their performances so much, say more than Larson’s, Ronan’s, Blanchett’s, Lawrence’s, or Rampling’s then you should’ve given them a place in the lead category. If not, then why should they be given a statue for “best” unless you actually want "best" to become synonymous with sixth place? If you’re going to give two leading performances Oscars, why not reward both Larson and the devastatingly amazing Ronan or Rampling instead?
I get why the studios campaign lead performances in the supporting categories. But why do you allow it? A lead performance has a clear advantage over a truly supporting one. Leading performers get more screen time to flush out their characters and add layer upon layer. They get their own story arcs. Audience gets invested in their characters' fate. They root for them. I’m not suggesting it’s easier to be a lead. It takes tremendous craft, presence, and talent to pull it off, but you already have categories to reward excellence in carrying the weight of a film. They’re called Best Actor and Best Actress. Voting for a leading performance in a supporting category is like picking a chocolate chip cookie made with real butter in a vegan cookie competition. Of course you like it more. It’s filled with butter.
I get that there are grey areas, especially when it comes to antagonists like Heath Ledger in The Dark Night, but that’s not really my point. I’m more concerned with the blatantly obvious examples that anyone can spot. Was Jake Gyllenhaal supporting in Brokeback Mountain just because he bottomed? Was Jennifer Hudson supporting in Dreamgirls just because she wasn’t Beyonce?
Leading and supporting players have different functions in a movie the same way costumes and makeup do. Sure, you could lump them together and just call it “Appearance,” but you don’t, and it’s not just so you can give two awards instead of one. You do it because they’re totally different animals and each deserves a chance to shine and be recognized. You made the distinction nearly eighty years ago. Don’t lose sight of why now.
I’m not a member of The Academy, and I don’t get a vote, but for those of you who are, I hope you’ll choose from the three actual supporting performances, Winslet’s, Leigh’s, or McAdams’s and help restore the supporting categories to their intended purpose. And in the future, I hope you’ll tell the studios, “Nice try!” and nominate lead performances in lead categories.
Sincerely,
Jeff
Fassbender
Larson
Bale
Winslet
Miller
Mad Max
Carol - Costumes, Original Score, Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actress, Cinematography
Ex Machina - Original Screenplay, Visual Effects.
45 Years - Best Actress
The Revenant - Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor
Spotlight - Best Picture, Best Director
Jeff -- COSIGN
Carter Burwell winning a very deserved oscar for Carol
Charlotte Rampling as Best Actress (and i liked Larson, but tbh Tremblay was far better than her)
Shaun the sheep movie as Animated feature (but any of the nominees will make a worthy winner)
Leo & Kate, Brie & Sly (who won me over with that pic where he boxes with Tremblay)
Thank's a bunch, AMPAS.
The two things I really want to happen at the Oscars;
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Inside Out
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Sicario
If you're going to give out two lead actress trophies please give one to Rooney Mara instead of Alicia Vikander, for both outright superior quality in both their performances and in their vehicles. Kudos to Vikander for having a stellar year but no. Rooney. Go to Rooney and Carol wherever you can give them your love. And Mad Max, since that actually did get your love everywhere. Especially George Miller and John Seale!!
I am with the group that thinks Stallone is not the lock many expect him to be. I think Ruffalo could win - I think they want to honor Spotlight in at least one of the major categories and Spotlight is not a clear favorite in some of the others. A similar situation that the film Michael Clayton had a few years ago - well liked movie, 7 nominations but up against No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood in all the other categories. Tilda Swinton wins Supporting Actress in a bit of a surprise.