Couldn't Resist--88th Oscars

So, I couldn't stay away. I have tried. The past few award shows I have kept mum. Even the Tony awards. I need an award for showing so much restraint. But, The Oscar nominees were announced almost 24 hours ago and all I want to talk to talk about is the nominees. Some of my friends are movie snobs (I don't mean that in a mean way), they love foreign films, and indie films that Netflix didn't introduce them to. I admire them for it. But, I am an entertainment snob. The film that your friends-cousins-college roommate made, that was part of a hip film fest in Portland... BORING. DiCaprio being nominated for yet ANOTHER Oscar, with this year being THE year that he even has a fighting chance in hell since his tear jerking role in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape." Now that is what excites me. So lets talk about that for a moment. 2015 was the year for blockbuster hits and fan favorites. 2015 brought us big hits like: "Star Wars: The Force Awakens",  "Jurassic World", "Furious 7", "Mad Max: Fury Road", "The Minions", "Pitch Perfect 2", "Train wreck", "Cinderella", "Magic Mike XXL", "ANT-MAN", the 2nd installment of the Divergent series, "Insurgent" and the final installment of the Hunger Games series, "Mocking Jay: part 2".
 This award season more so than the award seasons in the past are chalked filled with nominations of movies that have flown under the Radar.

Bryan Cranston as Dalton Trumbo--Courtesy Groundswell productions

"Trumbo", Starring Bryan Cranston,a riveting story about an american screenwriter who, along with others were blacklisted for their political beliefs in the 1940's ( I loved it, a MUST see). "Trumbo" opened in theaters Thanksgiving. But we were all too busy making sure Katnis saved the world to see Trumbo (tisk tisk).

Emory Cohen and Saoirse Ronan in Brooklyn--courtesy of  Wildgaze Films

Another film with more noms than buzz is Nick Hornby's, "Brooklyn." Anyone who has read a Nick Hornby book knows the power this man has when it comes to pulling you in and then pulling apart your heart. "Brooklyn" is on my list to watch. A young Irish immigrant is torn between staying in America with her new found love, or returning home to deal with a past.

Brie Larson- Golden Globes 2016

DiCaprio--"The Revenant"

Room, granting Brie Larson her first Golden Globe for best actress in a movie drama is nominated for quite a few categories, along with "The Martian", "The Big Short", "The Danish Girl", "Carol", "45 Years", "Joy", "Spotlight", "Bridge of Spies", and of course with the most nominees, "The Revenant" (12) beating out "Titanic". DiCaprio always seems to involved in such grand movies. Yet, still no Oscar. I am not a DiCaprio fan, so his 0 Oscar tally doesn't bother me. Maybe DiCaprio pissed someone in the Academy off and will never win an Oscar. Maybe his manager and publicist struck a gold mine with "The Revenant" being one of the most anticipated movies of 2016 making the Oscar cut off for this year. I guess we will find out on Feburary 28th.
Here are the nominees in their categories:

Performance by an actor in a leading role

• Bryan Cranston in "Trumbo"

• Matt Damon in "The Martian"

• Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Revenant"

• Michael Fassbender in "Steve Jobs"

• Eddie Redmayne in "The Danish Girl"

Performance by an actor in a supporting role

• Christian Bale in "The Big Short"

• Tom Hardy in "The Revenant"

• Mark Ruffalo in "Spotlight"

• Mark Rylance in "Bridge of Spies"

• Sylvester Stallone in "Creed"

Performance by an actress in a leading role

• Cate Blanchett in "Carol"

• Brie Larson in "Room"

• Jennifer Lawrence in "Joy"

• Charlotte Rampling in "45 Years"

• Saoirse Ronan in "Brooklyn"

Performance by an actress in a supporting role

• Jennifer Jason Leigh in "The Hateful Eight"

• Rooney Mara in "Carol"

• Rachel McAdams in "Spotlight"

• Alicia Vikander in "The Danish Girl"

• Kate Winslet in "Steve Jobs"

Best animated feature film of the year

• "Anomalisa," Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and Rosa Tran

• "Boy and the World," Alê Abreu

• "Inside Out," Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera

• "Shaun the Sheep Movie," Mark Burton and Richard Starzak

• "When Marnie Was There," Hiromasa Yonebayashi and Yoshiaki Nishimura

Complete Nominee List

So lets be honest. How many of these films have you heard of? Not many right. How many do you want to see now? Many right? Some are still in Theaters. Be sure to tune into the 88th Oscar celebration, Sunday, Feburary 28th on ABC with host Chris Rock. This shall be interesting.