2017 Oscar selections come into focus before awards night
2016’s film season overall was less than stellar; however, a few movies stood out above the rest, hence the lack of diversity in this year’s nominations. And after the breakout hit La La Land swept the 2017 Golden Globes and subsequently secured 14 Oscar nominations (tying for most nominations ever with 1997’s Titanic), pressure mounted for other pieces to contest with the film’s rare lead. One day out from awards night, these are, as they stand, the strongest contenders for the top 2017 categories.
Best Picture–
“Arrival”
“Fences”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Hell or High Water”
“Hidden Figures”
“La La Land”- The most prestigious award the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (“The Academy”) grants, a best picture winner must display elements of all other applicable categories, be visually appealing and entertaining, and directly comment on the state of affairs of the modern world. La La Land, a 50’s-era musical revival and a commentary on the nature of romance and wants in modern Hollywood, so expertly utilizes sound, light, placing, and dialogue, and crafts a beautiful and lasting narrative, that its win for best picture is inevitable. Its capturing of audiences and critics alike propelled it forward after being a relatively surprising up-and-comer in the late 2016 movie landscape.
“Manchester by the Sea”
“Moonlight”
Best Actress–
Isabelle Huppert, “Elle”
Ruth Negga, “Loving”
Natalie Portman, “Jackie”
Emma Stone, “La La Land”- While Jackie’s Natalie Portman delivers and intense, gripping take on the titular First Lady, La La Land‘s Emma Stone melds song and story with one of the best performances of her career, bringing life to a well-worn character archetype of a starving artist and hopeless romantic in Hollywood.
Meryl Streep, “Florence Foster Jenkins”
Best Actor–
Casey Affleck, “Manchester by The Sea”- At first glance, Affleck’s performance in Manchester by The Sea is a tightly wound, rigid interpretation of a character with the same qualities. As the film progresses and characters develop, however, Affleck settles into his character and delivers a stunning, intense performance.
Andrew Garfield, “Hacksaw Ridge”
Ryan Gosling, “La La Land”
Viggo Mortensen, “Captain Fantastic”
Denzel Washington, “Fences”
Best Supporting Actor–
Mahershala Ali, “Moonlight”- An unexpectedly beautiful film, Moonlight brings a new and unique cast into the spotlight. Mahershala Ali, who plays the heretofore estranged father of the main character, effectively and eloquently reconnects with his son in the midst of a cruel and hardening environment.
Jeff Bridges, “Hell or High Water”
Lucas Hedges, “Manchester by the Sea”
Dev Patel, “Lion”
Michael Shannon, “Nocturnal Animals”
Best Supporting Actress–
Viola Davis, “Fences”
Naomie Harris, “Moonlight”
Nicole Kidman, “Lion”
Octavia Spencer, “Hidden Figures”- Although Spencer delivers a somewhat lightly-toned performance on a serious yet inspiring subject, her emotional connection to both her work, her ambitions, and the audience produce a powerful take on a story not often enough told.
Michelle Williams, “Manchester by the Sea”
Best Director–
Denis Villeneuve, “Arrival”
Mel Gibson, “Hacksaw Ridge”
Damien Chazelle, “La La Land”
Kenneth Lonergan, “Manchester by the Sea”
Barry Jenkins, “Moonlight”- Because of his vision for a film about a gay African-American boy facing poverty, homophobia, violence, and drugs in the South Side of Miami, his adaptability while filming on-location, and stunning cinematic choices, director Barry Jenkins and his second feature Moonlight win out over Damien Chazelle and his powerhouse La La Land.
Best Original Screenplay–
“Hell or High Water”
“La La Land”- Blending more than a dozen original songs and witty, romantic dialogue with realistic characters, events, and plot, La La Land delivers an idyllic yet ironically down-to-earth view of modern Hollywood, a subject critics love to see and discuss. Despite the uniqueness of competitors like Hell or High Water and The Lobster, La La Land‘s near-clinical precision puts it on top for the category.
“The Lobster”
“Manchester by the Sea”
“20th Century Women”
Cinematography–
“Arrival”
“La La Land”- La La Land‘s use of lighting, color, contrasting costuming, lengthy, fluid shots, gorgeous, cinematic pans, and other minute yet explicit and vital details put the critically acclaimed film in place for the win, despite an extremely vivid, appealing, and gritty indie piece Moonlight.
“Lion”
“Moonlight”
“Silence”
Best Sound Editing–
“Arrival”
“Deepwater Horizon”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“La La Land”- The fluidity of transitions between song, dialogue, and atmospheric noise from scene to scene paint La La Land as an all but granted winner, despite unexpected performance from Deepwater Horizon and Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge.
“Sully”
Best Original Score–
“Jackie”
“La La Land”- La La Land faces essentially no competition in this category. All of its songs, lyric or otherwise, inspire the audience, enhance the plot and character development, and are lovely to listen to. The repeated theme “City of Stars” is one of the best in the film, and, played in a variety of tones and keys throughout, tugs on the audience’s heartstrings. A smattering of solos, duets, and choir pieces, the film’s score is truly a masterpiece.
“Lion”
“Moonlight”
“Passengers”
VFX–
“Deepwater Horizon”
“Dr. Strange”- While 2017’s addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe faces strong competition from each of its competitors, its mind-melding use of dramatic, large-scale effects throughout the film put it on top.
“The Jungle Book”
“Kubo and the Two Strings”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”