Each month I will be rounding up the most likely Oscars 2015 and Razzie nominees. This month’s focus is Christopher Nolan’s new science-fiction masterpiece Interstellar, starring Matthew McConaughey and the Benedict Cumberbatch starring The Imitation Game. Also studied is Winter’s Tale, a dire attempt to adapt a pretty great novel.
It seems strange that the man behind such classic films as Insomnia, Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception does not have an Oscar nomination for best director to his name, yet hopefully 2015 is the year that changes for Christopher Nolan. Having received a best picture nomination for Inception – and original screenplay nomination for Inception and Memento – Nolan’s name has been strangely absent considering his reputation as one of the greatest living directors. Notoriously elusive about any details of his upcoming film, the little that is known about Interstellar implies that it is the story of mankind’s mission to find an alternative place to live due to the impending certainty of Earth’s inhabitability. After discovering the ability to navigate through a wormhole – and therefore find distinctly different environments – McConaughey’s character decides to join the quest, leaving his family behind.
Matthew McConaughey stands a decent chance of receiving his second consecutive nomination for best actor but is less likely to win the award – due to heavy competition, and the Academy’s desire to award different actors. Early indications suggest that this could finally be Nolan’s year for a best director nomination, even if he doesn’t necessarily pick up the award, and Interstellar itself could very well be up for best film – thanks, in part, to Gravity knocking down the previous barriers that separated science-fiction and the Oscars.
Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway are very likely to receive best supporting actress nominations, although neither are expected to leave with the statue. Michael Caine is a heavy – heavyyyy – outsider for best supporting actor, yet, his position as Nolan’s lucky charm remains intact.
The Imitation Game is an almost certainty for a best picture nomination, receiving major hype for both the film’s content and star player Benedict Cumberbatch. The film tells the story of World War II code-breaker Alan Turing, and his efforts during the war, whilst also focussing on his unhappy childhood and later conviction of gross indecency – due to Turing’s admission to having a homosexual relationship. In a despicable act of sheer inhumanity, Turing’s punishment of chemical castration is a horrific moment of ignorance in history and whether the film controversially skips over it – as has been reported – should be significant in the debate as to whether it merits an award or not.
Speculation persists as to the likelihood of Cumberbatch receiving a nomination, and it seems the Sherlock star is odds-on to receive that nomination, though he faces intense competition for the award, and Steve Carrel and Michael Keaton remain heavy favourites. Director Morten Tyldum is extremely unlikely to be nominated in the very impressive best director category this year. Keira Knightley is very likely to be nominated for best supporting actress and stands a chance of receiving the win.
On a side note, not many films have taken a real chance with female leads this year, which is unfortunate considering the outstanding amount of genuinely talented actresses available. The heavy favourite for best actress remains Julianne Moore for Still Alice (a film we will cover alongside Reese Witherspoon starrer Wild next month) and hopefully the next few months will showcase a depth of talent in the best actress category.
Colin Farrell may have recently been announced as one of the leads for critically-acclaimed TV show True Detective (alongside Vince Vaughan and, potentially, Rachel McAdams and Taylor Kitsch) but his film career suffered a slight stutter with dour-fantasy Winter’s Tale. Currently holding a 13% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the tale of an Irish burglar who sets out to use his magical powers of reincarnation to revive his upper-class love was a critical-flop. Also starring Jessica Findley Brown, Russell Crowe and a Will Smith cameo, the story – which involves a flying horse – failed to capture any of the charm of Mark Helprin’s original, beloved novel. Farrell must be hoping for the same sort of revival McConaughey received after starring in True Detective.
Best Picture: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Foxcatcher, Birdman, Boyhood, Interstellar, The Imitation Game
Best Director: Bennett Miller, Wes Anderson, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Richard Linklater, Christopher Nolan
Best Actor: Michael Keaton, Channing Tatum, Steve Carrel, Matthew McConaughey, Benedict Cumberbatch
Best Actress: Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon
Best Supporting Actor: Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave, Emma Stone, Particia Arquette, Jessica Chastain, Keira Knightley
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