Awards Season Look Ahead – Part 2

As the 2015 summer movie season is starting to enter its twilight days with fewer tent pole pictures being released, looking at you THE MAN FROM UNCLE and HITMAN: AGENT 47, we are starting to see more posters, teasers and general information about the films that we could be seeing being big contenders at this year’s awards ceremonies.

Click here if you haven’t read my previous entries into this feature, mentioning other highly talked about films.

Suffragette

Directed by Sarah Gavron

Written By Abi Morgan

Starring: Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan, Romola Garai, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson.

The Story:

What’s sure to be a film of historical importance and one to be shown at schools around the UK. Suffragette tells the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement in 19^th and early 20^th century England. Where women who were fighting for gender equality in an unfair world where forced into hiding due to a violent and patriarchal society.

Awards Likelihood:

When your cast list includes Meryl Streep, its almost a certain that your film will receive critical praise, everything that we’ve seen so far from Suffragette looks to be one of this years most emotionally raw and empowering films.

Likely Nominations:

Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Hair and Make-up, Best Costume Design, Best Original Score.

Me, Earl And The Dying Girl

Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon

Written By Jesse Andrews

Starring: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman

The Story:

Based on the young adult novel of the same name (of which the writer returns as screenwriter), Me, Earl and The Dying Girl is a indie coming of age tale about high-schooler, Greg (Thomas Mann), who spends most of his time making parody versions of classic films with his co-worker Earl (RJ Cyler). After a girl at his school is diagnosed with cancer (Olivia Cooke) his life is thrown into complete disarray as he rethinks what it means to be truly alive.

Awards Likelihood:

This years ‘Little Miss Sunshine’, the little indie film that could seems to be gaining such momentum as awards season gets closer with it becoming one of the most praised teen dramas of all time. Being both funny and heartbreaking, it picked up the audience award at this year’s Sundance film festival.

Likely Nominations:

Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing.

 

Everest

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur

Written By William Nicholson, Simon Beaufoy

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Robin Wright, Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, Sam Worthington

The Story:

Based on true events, EVEREST documents the journey of an expedition who are challenged beyond their limits when a freak blizzard hits the group on their way back down from the world’s highest mountain. The climbers face nearly impossible obstacles as what started out as an journey to achieve personal greatness turns into a fight for survival.

Awards Likelihood:

It could either be a terrifying, edge of your seat, man vs the elements movie or just another disaster flick masquerading as something more. It may be a little to early to predict anything, but it does boast a impressive ensemble cast full of actors that are due their turn for a nomination.

Likely Nominations:

Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography.

 Mad Max: Fury Road

Directed by George Miller

Written By George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nick Lathouris

Starring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne

The Story:

In a post apocalyptic desert world, where fuel is currency and water is a luxury, two rebels are looking for their place and peace within the world. Max, an isolated man of action and few words and Imperator Furiosa a woman of vengeance who is looking for a way to make it back home.

Awards Likelihood:

Okay, so maybe that plot summery above isn’t the best representative of what makes Mad Max: Fury Road one of the best films of the year. Anyone who has seen it can tell you that it’s a mind-blowing piece of action cinema, the likes of which has never really been seen before. Boasting outstanding directing work, breath-taking cinematography and one of this years most memorable cinematic characters (Furiosa). With both critics and audiences agreeing that Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the years stand out films, with some scholars already studying its subject matter or female liberation and the depiction of women in film, don’t be surprised if come awards season this could be the dark horse that upsets a lot of standard awards bait material.

Likely Nominations:

Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing.

 

Sicario

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Written By Taylor Sheridan

Starring: Emily Blunt, Jon Bernthal, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro

The Story:

After rising through the ranks of her male-dominated profession, An Idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by and elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S.A and Mexico.

Awards Likelihood:

Emily Blunt and Denis Villeneuve are both well overdue some awards recognition, so it would be great to see their names up on the list of potential candidates and for cinematographer Roger Deakins to win this year, after being nominated twelve times never have won, would be a well earned reward for the cinematographer.

Likely Nominations:

Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Editing.

Remember to keep checking back to Film and TV Now as we continue to explore the films that will be lighting up the awards calendar come the end of the year.