The Revenant – 2016 Golden Globe winner for Best Picture, Drama. Check back this Thursday to see if The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio, and director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu are listed among the names of this years Oscar nominees.
Last night, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) soared. The film about the redemption of a Hollywood has-been won Best Picture, Best Director (Alejandro González Iñárritu), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography. Over the last few weeks, Birdman has gained momentum by picking up the top prize from Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild of America, and Producers Guild of America, to name a few. It was probably this last minute push that allowed Birdman to win Best Picture over the early front-runner, Boyhood.
Boyhood only won Best Supporting Actress for Patricia Arquette’s performance as a struggling single mother. Her speech was one of the most talked about of the night. Arquette took the time to point out the disparity in wages between women and men. The audience whole heartedly agreed, especially Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lopez. When Meryl Streep starts cheering for you that enthusiastically, you know you said something right.
J.K. Simmons won Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a tyrannical music teacher in Whiplash. Whiplash surprised many by walking away with three of the five awards it was nominated for, including Best Sound Mixing and Best Editing.
The leading actor categories each went to a depiction of physical or mental decline. Eddie Redmayne won Best Actor for his performance as physicist Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. Hawking was diagnosed with ALS in the early 1960s, and has been unable to speak with his own voice since 1985. Julianne Moore took home the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a linguistic professor diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease in Still Alice.
The other big winner of the night was The Grand Budapest Hotel, which won four Oscars: Best Score, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design. That sound of cheering you hear is managing editor of Moviefied NYC Myrna Duarte. Her love of this film knows no bounds. I actually have the sneaking suspicion that she may be receiving a percentage of the profits.
The award show itself was very underwhelming. Host Neil Patrick Harris began with a strong opening number dedicated to movies. After that initial performance, Harris’s jokes seemed forced and not very funny. He gave the impression that he got his jokes from a book on joke-telling. The one bright spot was Harris’s spoof on Birdman. Harris appeared on stage in a pair of tight white underwear after being locked out of his dressing room during a costume change. He nailed it.
Below is a full list of night’s winners:
Best Picture
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Best Director
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Best Original Screenplay
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo, Birdman
Best Adapted Screenplay
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Best Animated Feature Film
Big Hero 6
Best Foreign Language Film
Ida (Poland)
Best Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Best Editing
Tom Cross, Whiplash
Best Production Design
Adam Stockhausen, Anna Pinnock, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Costume Design
Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Frances Hannon, Mark Coulier, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Original Song
Common and John Legend, “Glory” from Selma
Best Sound Mixing
Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, Thomas Curley, Whiplash
Best Sound Editing
Alan Robert Murray, Bub Asman, American Sniper
Best Visual Effects
Paul J. Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, Scott R. Fisher, Interstellar
Best Documentary Feature
Citizenfour
Best Documentary Short
“Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1”
Best Animated Short
“Feast”
Best Live-Action Short
“The Phone Call”
Every year, Hollywood recognizes the efforts of independent film making through the Independent Spirit Awards. This year marks the 30 anniversary of the Spirit awards. Back in 1985, the awards were known as the FINDIE (Friends of Independents) and the awards were presented by Jaime Lee Curtis and Peter Coyote. The awards presentation was at the now closed 385 North restaurant.
Things have changed quite a bit in 30 years. While the Spirit Awards maintain the laid back sensibility of those first few ceremonies, the award has become very prestigious and can launch careers. It has also helped highlight independent film making and bring it into the consciousness of the movie-going public. For example, four of the five nominated films for Best Feature are also Academy Award Best Picture nominees.
The Independent Spirit Awards, hosted by Kristen Bell and Fred Armisen, will be announced Saturday, February 21 on the IFC Channel.
—Ariadne Ansbro
BIRDMAN OR (THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) PRODUCERS: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole
BOYHOOD PRODUCERS: Richard Linklater, Jonathan Sehring, John Sloss, Cathleen Sutherland.
LOVE IS STRANGE PRODUCERS: Lucas Joaquin, Lars Knudsen, Ira Sachs, Jayne Baron Sherman, Jay Van Hoy
SELMA PRODUCERS: Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey
WHIPLASH PRODUCERS: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster, Michael Litvak
A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT DIRECTOR: Ana Lily Amirpour PRODUCERS: Justin Begnaud, Sina Sayyah
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Justin Simien PRODUCERS: Effie T. Brown, Ann Le, Julia Lebedev, Angel Lopez, Lena Waithe
NIGHTCRAWLER DIRECTOR: Dan Gilroy PRODUCERS: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy, Jake Gyllenhaal, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak
OBVIOUS CHILD DIRECTOR: Gillian Robespierre PRODUCER: Elisabeth Holm
SHE’S LOST CONTROL DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Anja Marquardt PRODUCERS: Mollye Asher, Kiara C. Jones
(Award given to the best feature made for under $500,000; award given to the writer, director, and producer) * Executive Producers are not awarded.
BLUE RUIN WRITER/DIRECTOR: Jeremy Saulnier PRODUCERS: Richard Peete, Vincent Savino, Anish Savjani
IT FELT LIKE LOVE WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Eliza Hittman PRODUCERS: Shrihari Sathe, Laura Wagner
LAND HO! WRITERS/DIRECTORS: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens PRODUCERS: Christina Jennings, Mynette Louie, Sara Murphy
MAN FROM RENO WRITER/DIRECTOR: Dave Boyle WRITERS: Joel Clark, Michael Lerman PRODUCER: Ko Mori
TEST WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Chris Mason Johnson PRODUCER: Chris Martin
DAMIEN CHAZELLE – Whiplash
AVA DUVERNAY – Selma
ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
RICHARD LINKLATER – Boyhood
DAVID ZELLNER – Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
SCOTT ALEXANDER, LARRY KARASZEWSKI – Big Eyes
J.C. CHANDOR – A Most Violent Year
DAN GILROY – Nightcrawler
JIM JARMUSCH – Only Lovers Left Alive
IRA SACHS, MAURICIO ZACHARIAS – Love is Strange
DESIREE AKHAVAN – Appropriate Behavior
SARA COLANGELO – Little Accidents
JUSTIN LADER – The One I Love
ANJA MARQUARDT – She’s Lost Control
JUSTIN SIMIEN – Dear White People
DARIUS KHONDJI – The Immigrant
EMMANUEL LUBEZKI – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
SEAN PORTER – It Felt Like Love
LYLE VINCENT – A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
BRADFORD YOUNG – Selma
SANDRA ADAIR – Boyhood
TOM CROSS – Whiplash
JOHN GILROY – Nightcrawler
RON PATANE – A Most Violent Year
ADAM WINGARD – The Guest
ANDRÉ BENJAMIN – Jimi: All Is By My Side
JAKE GYLLENHAAL – Nightcrawler
MICHAEL KEATON – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
JOHN LITHGOW – Love is Strange
DAVID OYELOWO – Selma
MARION COTILLARD – The Immigrant
RINKO KIKUCHI – Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter
JULIANNE MOORE – Still Alice
JENNY SLATE – Obvious Child
TILDA SWINTON – Only Lovers Left Alive
RIZ AHMED – Nightcrawler
ETHAN HAWKE – Boyhood
ALFRED MOLINA – Love is Strange
EDWARD NORTON – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
J.K. SIMMONS – Whiplash
PATRICIA ARQUETTE – Boyhood
JESSICA CHASTAIN – A Most Violent Year
CARMEN EJOGO – Selma
ANDREA SUAREZ PAZ – Stand Clear of the Closing Doors
EMMA STONE – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
FORCE MAJEURE (Sweden) DIRECTOR: Ruben Östlund
IDA (Poland) DIRECTOR: Pawel Pawlikowski
LEVIATHAN (Russia) DIRECTOR: Andrey Zvyagintsev
MOMMY (Canada) DIRECTOR: Xavier Dolan
NORTE, THE END OF HISTORY (Philippines) DIRECTOR: Lav Diaz
UNDER THE SKIN (United Kingdom) DIRECTOR: Jonathan Glazer
20,000 DAYS ON EARTH DIRECTORS: Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard PRODUCERS: Dan Bowen, James Wilson
CITIZENFOUR DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Laura Poitras PRODUCERS: Mathilde Bonnefoy, Dirk Wilutzky
STRAY DOG DIRECTOR: Debra Granik PRODUCER: Anne Rosellini
THE SALT OF THE EARTH DIRECTORS: Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, Wim Wenders PRODUCER: David Rosier
VIRUNGA DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Orlando von Einsiedel PRODUCER: Joanna Natasegara
(Award given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)
INHERENT VICE DIRECTOR: Paul Thomas Anderson
CASTING DIRECTOR: Cassandra Kulukundis ENSEMBLE CAST: Josh Brolin, Hong Chau, Martin Donovan, Jena Malone, Joanna Newsom, Joaquin Phoenix, Sasha Pieterse, Eric Roberts, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Serena Scott Thomas, Benicio del Toro, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Kenneth Williams
FOXCATCHER
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Bennett Miller WRITERS: E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman PRODUCER: Anthony Bregman, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik
CAST: Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, Channing Tatum
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| Michael Keaton and Edward Norton in Birdman |
I saw Ed Norton speak about Birdman the day before I was due to see it at New York Film Festival with its cast, and he said “film schools will be talking about and dissecting this film for years to come”, and he is absolutely right. The entire film is one take, or rather, it is the illusion of one take. Without a single cut the film covers the rehearsal period and opening night of the production, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love that Keaton’s character is attempting to put on. If you look very closely, you can perhaps see where the camera lines up between each scene, but even so the film is largely seamless. You have to give him props for trying something so original and never-before-seen in one hundred years of cinematic history. The score is equally unrelenting: a non-stop, eccentric, jazzy drum beat, which maximizes the film’s almost clausterphobic backstage setting, creating an immersive and slightly stressful tone—which definitely works
Despite the psychological depth in the unconventional cinematic techniques of the film, the plot itself is chronological and completely comprehendible. You might let out a “huh?!”or a “what!” every now and then but never a “why am I here?”. The protagonist’s descent into madness runs through the DNA of the film–in every transition, angle, and close-up. And in here lies the essence of the movie: that with fame and success comes a series of breakdowns and crippling insecurities that shatter the Hollywood image we have come to love. It shows us a world beyond the movies and the cameras and the lights—or rather behind the curtain—where the actors are ripped from their pedestals and held to public ridicule. Inevitably it all falls apart, and they are stuck with the same problems we all have. Not to sound like a frat-boy, but the word ‘meta’ springs to mind.
Yet there is something that still doesn’t quite add up for Birdman. While it has everything a moviegoer like myself could wish for–spellbinding performances, intense, psychological filmmaking, innovative story–it still doesn’t quite leave you speechless. Perhaps it’s the elements of realism in the film, where the problems of marital breakdown, drug addiction, terror of being considered obsolete are all lain out with absolute honesty that it is sometimes hard to watch. [SPOILER ALERT] Or maybe it is the ending. With so much building to the final performance, it seems a shame when the director breaks his pattern and has his first cut in the film. This is where the problem lies: we are shown a world so close to ours, and therefore so capable of touching us in our very souls that once it is suddenly all mended and Keaton can literally fly away in the end we are left deflated and unsatisfied. This is not what we signed up for–not what we connected to for an hour and a half. It’s too easy, and too Hollywood. So while Iñárritu might have changed the game, he certainly leaves the player unchanged.
–Lottie Abrahams
5. Maleficent – Robert Stromberg
Sleeping Beauty is one of my favorite Disney toons. Angelina Jolie just looks so freakin’ beautifully evil.
1. Inherent Vice – Director Paul Thomas Anderson
Joaquin Phoenix + Paul Thomas Anderson + Thomas Pynchon = I am speechless with joy.
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel – Director Wes Anderson
I always want to visit the world’s Wes Anderson creates.
3. Gone Girl – Director David Fincher
Fincher is back with another adaptation of a thrilling, page turning best-seller.
4. Interstellar – Director Christopher Nolan
More of the McConaughey-renaissance with some Christopher Nolan on the side.
5. Midnight Special – Director Jeff Nichols
I’m up for anything Jeff Nichols does, but I’m especially curious about this film center on a father and son who go on the run when it’s discovered that the boy possesses special powers.
6. Only Lovers Left Alive – Director Jim Jarmusch
Vampires in love (Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston), with a rumored return to for by Jim Jarmusch.
7. Snowpiercer – Director Joon-ho Bong
Can’t resist anything from the director of Mother, and one Tilda Swinton is in it.
8. The Immigrant – Director James Gray
More Joaquin!
9. Boyhood – Director Richard Linklater
Linklater’s experimental look at the life of a boy and his family film in real time over a 12-year period.
10. Birdman – Director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu
My beloved and gloomy Iñárritu (Amores Perros, Babel) makes his comedy debut with the dark tale of of a has been comic book movie star (Micheal Keaton),
How To Train Your Dragon 2 (Toothless!)
Cuban Fury
The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos – Dogtooth)
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby
