Critics loved this piece of art about being Being Gay Vs Being a Man in the black community. It's a heartbreaking tale and a journey inside the drama of a young man discovering his own sexuality in three chapters of his life. Fall film festival season gave Moonlight a lot of Oscar traction but then you remember movies like Carol or Blue Is the Warmest Color missing some of the top categories at Academy Awards - but maybe the AMPAS members go for a gay tale about two men instead of a lesbian one (remember Oscar favorite Brokeback Mountain?).
"[Barry Jenkins] made a film that urges the viewer to look past Chiron’s outward appearance and his superficial signifiers of identity, climbing inside familiar stereotypes in order to quietly dismantle them from within... [Moonlight] doesn't say much. It says everything." - Justin Chang in Los Angeles TimesContending for:
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Barry Jenkins
- Best Actor - Trevante Rhodes
- Best Supporting Actor - André Holland
- Best Supporting Actor - Mahershala Ali
- Best Supporting Actress - Naomie Harris
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
2. LOVING
"Nichols ... tells the Lovings' story in a way that feels immediate and modern, and not just like a history lesson." - Stephanie Zacharek in TIME MagazineContending for:
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Mike Nichols
- Best Actor - Joel Edgerton
- Best Actress - Ruth Negga
- Best Original Screenplay
3. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Captain America and his fellow mates known as the Avengers are in trouble and Bucky comes back just to divide them and they start fight each other and go on different directions in a superhero movie that almost works more like a political thriller with some awesome action scenes inside. It's Marvel at its most spectacular and a movie audiences can cherish. The third Capt installement is pure joy and I see the AMPAS managing to get the highest-grossing movie of the year (so far!) recognized in a big couple of technical categories - with a Visual Effects nom being a lock for this one!
"Tear away the powers, abilities and egos, though, and the third Captain America movie is at its core a deep exploration of friendship and family and what sacrifices should be made to hold onto both." - Brian Truitt in USA TodayContending for:
- Best Editing
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Sound Mixing
- Best Visual Effects
Mel Gibson's next directed picture seems to be less controversial and more critics and Oscar friendly than his last too efforts (2004's The Passion of Christ and 2006's Apocalypto), more in the same vein as Braveheart (1995). Based on the true story about US Army medic Desmond T. Doss, a Seventh-day Adventist conscientious objector who refused to bear arms during WWII, Hacksaw Ridge got an enthusiastic reception at Venice and the trailer promises a respectable award player. AMPAS loves WWII (epic) dramas and they haven't honored one in recent years in the major categories, so...
"It immerses you in the violent madness of war - and, at the same time, it roots its drama in the impeccable valor of a man who, by his own grace, refuses to have anything to do with war." - Owen Gleiberman in VarietyContending for:
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Mel Gibson
- Best Actor - Andrew Garfield
- Best Editing
- Best Cinematography
- Best Sound Editing
- Best Sound Mixing
- Best Makeup & Hair
5. LOVE & FRIENDSHIP
Who doesn't love Jane Austen? Well, truth be told it is not called Lady Susan, but it is as delicious as the original. But what's the stand-out of this little indie that turned to become a critical darling? Lady Susan Vernon. In fact, Kate Beckinsale's performance illuminates this piece - it is the center and the piece that makes this one so irresistible. Bennett is hilarious and the costumes show a lot of beautiful details, but Love & Friendship is all about Lady Susan.
"The language, a lyrical blend of Jane Austen and Whit Stillman, bewitches even as it stings. A sublime Kate Beckinsale digs into the role of her career. Pure pleasure." - Peter Travers in Rolling StoneContending for:
- Best Actress - Kate Beckinsale
- Best Supporting Actor - Tom Benett
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design
6. HAIL, CAESAR!
The Coen's wants you to join this party about Hollywood. Hail, Caesar! is like the duo of directors decided to make a movie about private jokes about the cinematic industry and the result is delicious for some and a question point for others. Critics loved this one and while the audience didn't fall in love for Caesar, truth is the Academy members love the Coen brothers and a movie from them is always an Oscar contender. Plot discussions aside, there's no way to deny the stunning period details able to transport you back to Hollywood Golden Era to the screen and the cast is just stellar (an ensemble piece with some chances in the supporting categories race considering what promises to be a weak year in those fields).
"Underneath the laff-riot and the Hollywood satire, "Hail, Caesar!" is a curiously delicate film built on profound affection for American movies and the illusions they build..." - Andrew O'Hehir in Salon.comContending for:
- Best Supporting Actor - Alden Ehrenreich
- Best Supporting Actress - Scarlett Johansson
- Best Cinematography
- Best Production Design
- Best Costume Design
- Best Makeup & Hair
7. The sole contender - THE LOBSTER
Contending for:
- Best Original Screenplay
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