The OFCS announced their winners. In case you were wondering, “Didn’t they just announce the nominees like a week ago?” the answer is yes. Yes they did.
I don’t take them seriously as a precursor, but I am interested intellectually in what they chose as their favorite films and performances.
So let’s see who they voted for this year:
Best Picture
Brooklyn
Carol
Ex Machina
Inside Out
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Sicario
Spotlight
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
I can see that. If we’re voting the way the Academy votes, which is the film that appears highest on the most lists, that would end up being the winner. It’s either that or Inside Out. Go ahead. Rank these ten films in the order you love them. You might have Sicario #1. A lot of people would have Sicario at 7 or 8. Everyone will have Mad Max in the top five. Most will have it in the top 3. That’s how it wins this. Now, does this mean we take it seriously as a Best Picture winner? No. For reasons that have nothing to do with quality and everything to do with spite, but we have a whole two months to get to that.
Best Director
Todd Haynes, Carol
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott, The Martian
Denis Villeneuve, Sicario
Winner: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Shocker. Look at the rest of the category. The only real competition he had was Villeneuve. And I guess Ridley. No one should be surprised there. Especially after knowing how Best Picture turned out. These are online critics. This should surprise nobody.
Best Actor
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Michael B. Jordan, Creed
Ian McKellen, Mr. Holmes
Winner: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Having not yet seen The Revenant, and possibly even after I do, I agree with this. It was pretty much one or the other. Fassbender made the most sense if you’re glancing at this from afar. He might have the inside track to the Oscar, too.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road
Winner: Cate Blanchett, Carol
Ehh, okay. I’d put Larson and Ronan over here. But sure. Vote for her.
Best Supporting Actor
Benicio Del Toro, Sicario
Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Winner: Oscar Isaac, Ex Machina
I really like this category quite a bit. I was happy with however they went with this (well… maybe not Ruffalo). Not sure how I’d vote when presented with the category, but hey, I’m not arguing with Isaac, who is finally getting some recognition somewhere. Plus, the dancing.
Best Supporting Actress
Rooney Mara, Carol
Cynthia Nixon, James White
Kristen Stewart, Clouds of Sils Maria
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Winner: Rooney Mara, Carol
Haven’t seen Nixon’s performance, but outside of that, Kate Winslet is my vote in this category. Otherwise, Mara makes sense, after the Blanchett win.
Best Original Screenplay
Ex Machina
Inside Out
Mistress America
Sicario
Spotlight
Winner: Spotlight
No surprise there. It’s the class of the category. It’ll probably win the Oscar too.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Brooklyn
Carol
The Martian
Room
Steve Jobs
Winner: Carol
No. It’s fine, but no. Steve Jobs and The Martian and Room are all better scripts. They’re all good, and this would be a fine Oscar category, but I don’t think Carol should have won this.
Best Editing
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Steve Jobs
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
No shit.
Best Cinematography
The Assassin
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
Winner: Mad Max: Fury Road
Okay, sure. But maybe let’s get Deakins some love.
Best Animated Feature
Anomalisa
The Good Dinosaur
Inside Out
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep Movie
Winner: Inside Out
Whaaaaaaaaaaat? Who saw that coming?
Best Foreign Language Film
The Assassin
Goodnight Mommy
Mustang
Phoenix
Son of Saul
Winner: The Assassin
Son of Saul was better.
Best Documentary
Amy
Best of Enemies
Cartel Land
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
The Look of Silence
Winner: The Look of Silence
Hard to argue with that at all.
– – – – – – – – – – –
So those are your winners. Can’t speak much about this because they don’t mean anything as a precursor. So it’s not like this will affect Oscar voting in any way. But now I know people on the internet really liked Mad Max and Carol. So there’s that.
