The results are in for the 2016 Oscar nominations! Amidst the snubs, successes and movies you just haven’t heard of it can be hard to understand just what the heck is going on. So, here is your helpful guide so that you can seem like you know what you’re talking about and maybe even make a few correct predictions on awards night. (Is this the year of Leo? It just might be!)
Courtesy of Collider
“The Big Short”
It’s Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt. All in one movie. Does it get much better? Your favorite guys in Hollywood predict the 2000 financial crash and then go after the banks in an amusing drama.
- What to Know: Christian Bale is up for Best Supporting Actor and is putting up a pretty good fight, and Adam McKay is nominated for Best Director.
Courtesy of Fox Movies
“The Martian”
Matt Damon gets stuck on Mars and has to find a way to get brought home. Brilliant special effects and terrific acting are a given. How it was described as a comedy at the Golden Globes is less clear, but hey, a good movie is a good movie!
- What to Know: Matt Damon is deservedly nominated for Best Actor, but famed director Ridley Scott got snubbed for a directing nomination (Ouch. Better luck next time!)
Courtesy of SBS
“Room”
Imagine growing up and spending your entire life trapped in one small room, trapped by a man who kidnapped your mom. Those are the circumstances are the odds that young Max and his mother, played by Brie Larson are fighting against in this movie.
- What to Know: Brie Larson is up for Best Actress for this film, and she is going to be a very tough act to beat.
Courtesy of Screen Rant
“Bridge of Spies”
The ever so talented Tom Hanks is back, this time as a lawyer during the Cold War, defending a Soviet spy and trying to get a U.S. pilot back home. It is not about an actual bridge of spies, as some kids thought, despite how amusing that might be.
- What to Know: Nominated for six awards, including Mark Rylance for Best Supporting Actor and the Coen brothers for best screenplay.
Courtesy of Variety
“Brooklyn”
An Irish immigrant, played by Saoirse Ronan, comes to America in the 1950s where she finds work, love and new opportunities. But trouble back home soon forces her to choose between Brooklyn and Ireland.
- What to Know: Saoirse Ronan- an Irish immigrant- is nominated for Best Actress for her role- as an Irish immigrant. Of course, her difficult to pronounce name may leave us with another “Adele Dazeem” fiasco this year.
Courtesy of Business Insider
“Mad Max: Fury Road”
You know that movie where the guy played a heavy metal solo on a guitar that was also part flame thrower as his army rode into battle? Yeah, that movie has 10 Oscar nominations. A kick ass female cast, stunts done the old-fashioned way without CGI and an expansive world that keeps you engrossed puts this movie at the top of the Academy’s list.
- What to Know: Most of Mad Max’s nominations are for editing, cinematography, and costuming and they are all very well deserved. The details in this movie are crazy.
Courtesy of Daily Motion
“Spotlight”
An ensemble cast of Boston reporters uncovers a scandal of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church that has been covered up for decades. Another movie about people fighting the good fight—just what the Oscars thrives on.
- What to Know: Both Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams are up for Best Supporting Roles. Who knows? Maybe they’ll win together!
Courtesy of Telegraph
“The Revenant”
If you’re only going to see one movie in prep for the Oscars, see this one! Based on the true story of a frontiersman left for dead, who then goes on a revenge spree, this is the movie set to win it all. It’s up and ready to win for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor and, what we’ve all been waiting for—Leonardo DiCaprio up for Best Actor.
- What to Know: This is the top ranking movie with 12 nominations. And while winning Best Picture and Director would be nice, this movie may make this the year when we can finally show Leo a little bit of Oscar love.
Courtesy of Photobucket
The Oscars are on Feb. 28, so you have until then to watch as many movies as possible! Good luck!
Feature image courtesy of Disney Insider