It’s the finish of the year, which in Hollywood indicates one essential factor: Awards season. Over the next three months you’ll be hearing about tour de force performances, visionary directors, and spellbinding films in the run around the industry’s large Oscar night, set for February 26th. Although the Academy Awards is considered the climax from the honoring season, much of the buzz that leads to the grand occasion comes from the smaller awards shows that precede it.
In an attempt to build a foundation for which to make your Oscar predictions, we’ll be bringing the nominees from different awards shows, starting with all the Independent Spirit Awards, which celebrates a lot more beneath the radar films and which has become a straight larger influence about the Academy in recent years.
We’re likely to see most of these show up on the Oscar ballot, so be aware, and go see them if you haven’t already. With out further ado, here are the nominees:
Best Feature
50/50
Beginners
Drive
Take Shelter
The Artist
The Descendants
Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Mike Mills, Beginners
Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive
Best Screenplay
Joseph Cedar, Footnote
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Tom McCarthy, Win Win
Mike Mills, Beginners
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, The Descendants
Best First Feature
Another Earth
In the Family
Margin Call
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Natural Selection Director
Best First Screenplay
Mike Cahill, Brit Marling, Another Earth
J.C. Chandor, Margin Call
Patrick deWitt, Terri
Phil Johnston, Cedar Rapids
Will Reiser, 50/50
John Cassavetes Award – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000
Bellflower
Circumstance
Hello Lonesome
Pariah
The Dynamiter
Best Female Lead
Lauren Ambrose, Think of Me
Rachael Harris, Natural Selection
Adepero Oduye, Pariah
Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Best Male Lead
Demián Bichir, A Better Life
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Ryan Gosling, Drive
Woody Harrelson, Rampart
Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Best Supporting Female
Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter
Anjelica Huston, 50/50
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Harmony Santana, Gun Hill Road
Shailene Woodley, The Descendants
Best Supporting Male
Albert Brooks, Drive
John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
John C. Reilly, Cedar Rapids
Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris
Best Cinematography
Joel Hodge, Bellflower
Benjamin Kasulke, The Off Hours
Darius Khondji, Midnight in Paris
Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist
Jeffrey Waldron, The Dynamiter
Best Documentary
An African Election
Bill Cunningham New York
The Interrupters
The Redemption of General Butt Naked
We Were Here
Best International Film
A Separation
Melancholia
Shame
The Kid With a Bike
Tyrannosaur
Is there a ‘Best Music’ from a film category? If so, I recommend the music from the musical saw scene in ‘Another Earth’. You can hear it on the composer’s website http://www.scottmunsonmusic.com/news/music-in-film-another-earth-soundtrack