Can you hear that,
folks? That’s the sound of Oscar buzz! Yes, it may only be September and the
ceremony doesn’t take place until early next year, but the festival circuit has
given us an insight as to what the nominations may look like…
Leading the pack is Damien Chazelle’s sophomore picture La La Land, the writer/director’s follow
up to his 2014 critical smash Whiplash.
Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone as Sebastian and Mia, an aspiring musician
and actress respectively, who attempt to navigate the choppy waters of
Hollywood and their budding romance simultaneously. A musical of seemingly
large nostalgic proportions, critics have been wowed and wooed by the charming
musical numbers, particularly the film’s opening sequence that shows L.A
traffic grinded to a halt which quickly turns into an all-singing, all-dancing
fest. Expect La La Land to be the
front runner of the awards race, and prepare yourself for a toe-tapping good
time.
Whilst La La Land is proving
to arguably the biggest hit amongst critics, Amy Adams has dominated
conversation in terms of acting performances. Starring in Tom Ford’s seductive
thriller Nocturnal Animals and Denis
Villeneuve’s intelligent sci-fi Arrival, 2016
seems to be the year where Adams will finally be rewarded for her unfaltering
and immense talent. However, she faces stiff competition from fellow red-head
Emma Stone in La La Land and Rooney
Mara in Una, a film that left
audiences rattled but in agreement of Mara’s towering performance. Having been
nominated at the Academy Awards five times previously without a win, the golden
statuette should surely be within Adams’ grasp.
Hollywood may love giving awards to talent that is long overdue (a la
Leonardo DiCaprio), but do you know what they love more? A comeback story. This
has been demonstrated many a time, such as Matthew McConaughey’s
“McConaissence” that subsequently lead to his win for Dallas Buyers Club and Michael Keaton’s return to glory with Birdman. Mel Gibson’s war drama Hacksaw Ridge made its debut at Venice –
but how forgiving can Hollywood be in regards to Gibson’s misogynistic and
anti-semitic tirades a few years ago? Can he redeem himself? Thus far, it seems
he can as Hacksaw Ridge reportedly
received a ten-minute standing ovation from a crowd of critics. Only time can
tell as to whether this acclaim will continue and result in triumphs come award
season, and whether Gibson can be welcomed back into the Hollywood fold.
Hacksaw Ridge may be a question mark for awards
contention, but features such as Manchester
By The Sea and Sully are sure to
garner some recognition. Starring Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams in a
supporting role, critics and audiences alike have been floored by the wrought,
emotional drama Manchester By The Sea when
it premiered at Sundance earlier this year. With incredibly positive
word-of-mouth, it’s a sure bet for awards consideration. With regards to Sully, the feature already has
considerable momentum – Clint Eastwood at the helm, Tom Hanks taking the
titular role…it’s got “gunning for gold” written all over.
Although there are a plethora of upcoming films that have the potential
for awards, the aforementioned contenders above have made the biggest impact on
the festical scene. Let the battle for gold commence!
