Very Early Oscar/Award Campaigns

Best Picture: Captain America: Civil War

Case to be made: Arguably the best Marvel film to date (I’d still put Guardians of the Galaxy slightly higher but that’s more to do with my unabashed love for that film, flaws and plot holes and all), with uniformly great performances across the whole ensemble, a fantastic blend of exciting action setpieces and wonderfully played dramatic scenes, a true sense of tension interspersed with well earnt humour, and somehow managing to encompass the huge scope of the Marvel universe while never losing sight of its main hero.

Also worthy of awards contention: The Russo Brothers (#2 for Best Director), Chris Evans (#4 for Best Actor), Robert Downey Jr (#1 for Best Supporting Actor, #2 for Best Actor if I were to switch him over to lead), Chadwick Boseman (#3 for Best Supporting Actor), Scarlett Johansson (#2 for Best Supporting Actress), Elizabeth Olsen (#5 for Best Supporting Actress), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects, Best Editing, Best Sound Effects/Mixing, Best Cinematography.

Best Director (s): The Coen Brothers, Hail, Caesar!

Case to be made: It’s the Coen Brothers on form. You can tell how much investment and joy was put into the making of this film, fittingly since it is essentially a tribute to their love of cinema, they basically get a chance to show off here and not only is it fun to watch, it makes for some marvelous directorial flourishes.

Also worthy of awards contention: Best Picture, Alden Ehrenreich (#2 for Best Supporting Actor), Tilda Swinton (#3 for Best Supporting Actress), Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Cinematography.

Best Actor: Don Cheadle, Miles Ahead

Case to be made: Cheadle has been a routinely snubbed actor over the years, or rather he’s been given too many thankless roles. Anyway he deserves a return to the Oscars ceremony, and even a trip to the stage itself, for his terrific depiction of Miles Davis in his very own directorial debut. As Hotel Rwanda showed few actors have the emotional range andthe emotional range and compellingly understated screen presence as Cheadle does. As Davis, even when his directorial touches may have been a bit too much, his acting as the legendary musician though extremely mannered never seems so. He gives a funny, heartbreaking and all-round amazing portrayal of a career musician with a life of joy and regrets.

Also worthy of awards contention: Best Costume Design, Best Original Screenplay, Best Score.

Best Actress: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, 10 Cloverfield Lane

Case to be made: Hardly a flawless film but the fact I was so drawn to it throughout and kept on my toes has to go down to the efforts of MEW. She has a incredibly difficult role, even more so than John Goodman, as she has to be the audience’s avatar into the film, a strong reactive and emotional presence, as well as make her character compelling enough to make the audience root for her even though we barely know anything about her. She does all this and more. Shame because she’s in a genre picture she might get virtually no awards attention…but oh well.

Also worthy of awards contention: Best Editing, Best Sound Effects/Mixing.

Best Supporting Actor: Alden Ehrenreich, Hail, Caesar!

Case to be made: In a star-studded cast with excellent performances across the board, nevertheless the biggest impact made by a member of the Hail, Caesar! Cast was by Alden Ehrenreich and his endearing portrayal of Hobie Doyle, the western star trying to break into ‘serious’ movies. Ehrenreich is hilarious in the whole conception of his character, he sings and moves in an extremely entertaining fashion, and more importantly he always stays ‘true’ to the character which entirely makes sense for his portrayal.

Best Supporting Actress: Kirsten Dunst, Midnight Special

Case to be made: It’s once again the role of the ‘caring mother’ the likes of Close Encounters of the Third Kind liked to make use of. Don’t let that diminish Dunst’s work here one bit though, she gives a powerful emotional performance that alongside Michael Shannon, gives such gravitas and grandeur to the centre of Midnight Special that does far more than any special effects would’ve mustered.  

Also worthy of awards contention: Best Picture, Michael Shannon (#3 for Best Actor), Jeff Nichols (#5 for Best Director), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing.

Best Soundtrack: Sing Street

Case to be made: Drive it Like You Stole It is probably the best song number I’ve heard onscreen all year so far. This film about a bunch of Irish Catholic schoolboys starting a band is an entertaining and moving romp in many aspects, but the best thing about it is easily the music which captures the 80’s vibes of Duran Duran, Hall & Oates and Abba perfectly.

Also worthy of awards contention: Best Picture (#6), Jack Reynor (#5 for Best Supporting Actor), Best Editing, Best Costume Design.  

Best Ensemble: Everybody Wants Some!!

Case to be made: Probably the most purely entertaining film I’ve seen so far this year, Linklater’s masterful depiction of another side of the 80’s is just sublime, and a lot of it must go down to the work of his excellent cast in delivering his perfectly stylized yet naturalistic dialogue. All of them range from good to very good but my personal favourites were Glen Campbell’s pretentious yet endearing Finnegan, Temple Baker’s perennially spaced out and good-natured Plummer, and Zoey Deutch’s adorably energetic Beverly.

Also worthy of awards contention: Best Picture (#3), Richard Linklater (#2 for Best Original Screenplay), Best Original Screenplay (#1), Best Soundtrack.

Best Original Screenplay: Eye in the Sky

Case to be made: Drone warfare and Just War Theory is fascinating stomping ground for a writer to sink one’s teeth into, and Guy Hibbert’s work here is excellent in depicting both sides of the do/do not dilemma. Of course it’s bolstered by the sterling work of its cast, but the script itself is both accessible in its depiction of the political and military spectrum, while also subtly packing quite the emotional punch in its finale.

Also worthy of awards contention: Helen Mirren (#2 for Best Actress), Aaron Paul (#4 for Best Supporting Actor), Alan Rickman (#6 for Best Supporting Actor).

Best Adapted Screenplay: Captain America: Civil War

Case to be made: like Eye in the Sky it depicts both sides of the Sokovia Records conflict and never makes a statement on whether one is right or wrong, gives the whole cast material to work with (even the shortchanged Don Cheadle/War Machine gets a great final scene), and crafts an immersive, epic and thought-provoking story within the confines of the Marvel universe.

Comeback Award: Ryan Reynolds

With his amazing performance in Mississippi Grind coupled with the realization of Deadpool in his final perfect form, Reynolds has turned from A-list laughing stock for the failures of Green Lantern and X Men Origins: Wolverine back to being the bona fide cool cat on the block. As he should be.