The beauty of the Oscars is the fact that it is at the very end of the awards season, therefore critics and fans alike already have some idea of who will be nominated and more importantly, who will win.
After the Golden Globes that have just taken place, La La Land (Lionsgate) is looking like the front-runner for a number of awards this year. The film picked up seven awards on the night of the Golden Globes, including Best Film, Actor (Ryan Gosling) and Actress (Emma Stone) in the Comedy and Musical category. The film has been called a love letter to Hollywood with the writing and direction being described as ‘mesmerising’ and is likely to do very well at The Academy Awards for its cinematic experience that can delight an audience.
Another film that has been tipped for success has been Manchester by the Sea (Amazon), this film arguably has much more drama and emotion compared to La La Land. Starring Casey Affleck, the film has been praised for its emotional appeal to the audience as the character Lee is named the legal guardian of his older brothers son after his death. Jumping from the present to the past, we the see the struggle of the characters and the moving story focusing on recovery and redemption.
Similarly to Manchester by the Sea, there have been films this year that have the emotional appeal to the audience, which could lead them to glory. However, a persistent issue that raises its head in Hollywood every year may overshadow this. The nominations for the BAFTA’s have just been announced and once again award ceremonies have been criticised for white actors dominating major awards. With that being said, two films this year could certainly buck that trend at the Oscars. Lion is an emotional rollercoaster of a film that depicts a adopted man looking for his real family using Google Earth. The film has been called visually stunning with superb acting from Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. Also the film Hidden Figures has thought to be contender this year. Based on a true story, a team of African- American women provide NASA with mathematical data to launch the first successful space mission. The film has been called an inspiration to young people to never give up on their dreams. Both films could well be considered for the main prizes this year, however it is hard to tell so far as they have not dominated the nominations for other awards.
The last thing I would like to touch on is the accomplishments of an individual, rather than Hollywood as a whole. Critics can be known to favour certain stars above others, so could this year be the year we see Meryl Streep nominated for her twentieth academy award nomination? As a favourite for the awards over the years, Streep could again be tipped for glory for her film Florence Foster Jenkins about a New York heiress desperate to play at Carnegie Hall. Even though the film has been snubbed in the awards season so far, I wouldn’t count it out of the Oscars just yet.
What are your predictions for the 2017 Oscar nominations? Let us know by posting a comment here or going to our Twitter and tweeting us.
By Sophie Banham
WeAreNiche 