The Madisonian Oscar Preview
December 12, 2016
With the Oscars coming up in February, the race is underway to unleash the brightest and best pictures and actors of 2016. There are a few movies who stand out above the rest in each category which are catching the eye of viewers and critics alike. Here are the frontrunners for each major category in the 2017 Oscars.
Best Picture
Current frontrunner: Manchester by Sea
Directed by: Kenneth Lonergan
Starring: Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges
Manchester by the Sea delivers affecting drama populated by full-bodied characters and a stellar story about a janitor from Boston who goes back to his hometown to take care of his nephew whose father recently passed away. Lead actors Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges give an incredible performance which tugs at your heart strings the whole time.
Other possible films:
The Jungle Book (Jon Favreau’s Rudyard Kipling adaptation)
Fences (Denzel Washington & August Wilson)
Best Director
Current Frontrunner: Kenneth Lonergan
Film: Manchester by Sea
Kenneth Lonergan poured his heart and soul into his movie Manchester by Sea as the director and screenwriter for the film. It marked a strong step forward for Mr. Lonergan shoving him to the forefront of the Oscar race not only for himself but for his film.
Other possible directors:
Denzel Washington (Fences)
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
Best Actor
Current frontrunner: Casey Affleck
Film: Manchester by Sea
Casey Affleck, younger brother of Ben Affleck, gave a stellar performance as Lee Chandler in the best picture frontrunner Manchester by Sea. Casey, who has acted in other films such as Good Will Hunting and Gone Baby Gone, really shone as a lead actor portraying the uncle and sole guardian of a young boy whose father has recently passed on. Casey gave an incredible and emotional performance making you feel as if he was really struggling with the situation that his character was facing.
Other Actors:
Joel Edgerton (Loving)
Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
Best Actress
Current frontrunner: Amy Adams
Film: Arrival
Amy Adams portrays Dr. Louise Banks in the recently released film Arrival about a professional linguist who is brought in to help communicate with a species of aliens who have just landed on Earth. Mrs. Adam’s portrayal of the character is very reminiscent of Sandra Bullock as Dr. Ryan Stone in the 2013 film Gravity.
Other Actresses:
Annette Bening (20th Century Women)
Ruth Negga (Loving)
Best Supporting Actress
Current Frontrunner: Viola Davis
Film: Fences
No stranger to accolades, Viola Davis has been nominated for an academy award for best supporting actress in her role in Doubt in 2008. She also didn’t disappoint when she took on the role of “Amanda Waller” in the recent comic book movie Suicide Squad. Davis became the role of Rose Maxson in the upcoming Fences as one of the most powerful and dramatic characters; Viola sweeps the stage with her performance as a strong woman coping with layers of anxiety from years of racial discrimination.
Other supporting actresses:
Greta Gerwig (20th Century Women)
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Best Supporting Actor
Current Frontrunner: Mahershala Ali
Film: Moonlight
With a rapidly increasing popularity and demand in Hollywood, Ali is becoming one of the hottest actors around. He shows an outstandingly diverse repertoire when it comes to his acting, surprising everyone by always pulling new tools out of his tool belt. In Moonlight, Ali plays Juan, a drug dealer who sees young Chiron, the main character, running from bullies and takes him under his wing.
Other Supporting Actors:
Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
Aaron Eckhart (Sully)
Best Animated Movie
Current Frontrunner: Finding Dory
Directed By: Andrew Stanton, Angus Maclane
Starring: Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill
Dory is a wide-eyed, Blue Tang fish who suffers from memory loss every 10 seconds or so. The one thing she can remember is that she somehow became separated from her parents as a child. With help from her friends Nemo and Marlin, Dory embarks on an epic adventure to find them. Her journey brings her to the Marine Life Institute, a conservatory that houses diverse ocean species. Dory now knows that her family reunion will only happen if she can save mom and dad from captivity.
Other Films:
Kubo and the Two Strings (Laika/Focus Features)
Moana (Disney)
The leading 3 in each category:
Best Picture:
Manchester by Sea (Kenneth Lonergan)
The Jungle Book (Jon Favreau’s Rudyard Kipling adaptation)
Fences (Denzel Washington & August Wilson)
Best Director:
Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by Sea)
Denzel Washington (Fences)
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)
Best Actor:
Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)
Joel Edgerton (Loving)
Ryan Gosling (La La Land)
Best Actress:
Amy Adams (Arrival)
Annette Bening (20th Century Women)
Ruth Negga (Loving)
Supporting actress:
Viola Davis (Fences)
Greta Gerwig (20th Century Women)
Naomie Harris (Moonlight)
Supporting Actor:
Mahershala Ali (Moonlight)
Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water)
Aaron Eckhart (Sully)
Animated Film:
Finding Dory (Pixar/Disney)
Kubo and the Two Strings (Laika/Focus Features)
Moana (Disney)