Analysis: Best Makeup/Hairstyling 2015

Best Makeup/Hairstyling

Oscar nominees:

1. Mad Max: Fury Road: I'm talking specifically about the Warboys here as each and every one of them, despite all being technically of the same 'status', were so easily identifiable from one another by the subtle little ways in which their makeup distinguishes them from one another. Past that there's just a little bit done for every character in the film that makes them shine all the more.

2. The Revenant: First off it must be said that this film takes the cake for facial hair this year, as DiCaprio, Hardy and Gleeson all sport some spiffing beards (Will Poulter apparently opted to keep his usual boyish clean-cut looks, possible reflection of the untainted, kind-hearted innocence of his character?) Anyway besides that, there's some great work in this respect, especially with the very realistic scalped head of Hardy's Fitzgerald and DiCaprio's increasingly haggard, worn-down appearance.

3. Can't comment on The 100-Year-Old-Man Who Climbed Out of a Window and Disappeared

My nominees:

1. Mad Max: Fury Road

2. The Hateful Eight: Everyone's hairstyles are just like their costumes, so full of character, but in terms of overall impact I'd pick our Michael Madsen's oddly compelling long jet-black hair, Kurt Russell's glorious moustache, and Jennifer Jason Leigh's blood-spattered face as among the highlights in this department.

3. The Revenant

4. Mr Holmes: Subtle work but the excellence of the makeup team in turning McKellen's Holmes into a man in two very distinct periods of his life should not be overlooked. Obviously McKellen's performance contributes a lot to the ageing effect but the makeup only accentuates it all the more.

5. Ex Machina: Flawless work here in making the robots not only seem both robotic and 'human, but the whole peeling/layering of their 'human' exterior just quite compelling to watch.

6. Carol
7. Crimson Peak
8. The Danish Girl
9. Black Mass (controversial I know, but I felt Depp could've given a great performance even without the makeup, which did prove to be a bit distracting after a while, though it did have a strong enough immediate visceral impact)
10. Cinderella

(Not so sure with regards to Bridge of Spies. Mark Rylance was aged really well into Rudolf Abel but there really didn't seem to be any makeup work done in that respect. Same goes for the two Tom Hardys in Legend.)