We're about to wrap up the "traditional" portion of the Film Bitch Awards which are essentially Nathaniel's Oscar ballot were he to have one in every category. (There will be more awards each day until we're finished -- before the Oscars, mind you! -- but they're the fun "extras")
Oscar's costume branch and I were fairly sympatico on our shortlists this year differing by only two pictures. Yet citing only 7 pictures (all featured after the jump) feels stingy. Costume heavy period pictures like Macbeth, Crimson Peak, The Assassin and Brooklyn definitely had their moments. Two contemporary pictures worth noting for their clever work were Youth and Chi-Raq. And then there are the pictures that have one costume so special it's what you always think of later on when you're picturing the movie: that lime green slit-to-there dress in M:I - Rogue Nation, the perfect action hero simplicity of Chris Pratt's functional but very tight outfits in Jurassic World, the barely visible sight of Jennifer Jason Leigh under huge furry everything in The Hateful Eight, that stylish pilot jacket in Star Wars: The Force Awakens that traded hands and so on...
In short, if you don't love costumes -- get outta here! Let's celebrate the five Oscar nominees plus two Nathaniel nominated in his own awards after the jump. Crazy gorgeous photos ahead...
OSCAR'S COSTUME DESIGN NOMINEES
CAROL designed by Sandy Powell
Powell received both her 11th and 12th Oscar nomination this year. She's won thrice before for Shakespeare in Love (1998), The Aviator (2004), and The Young Victoria (2009)
CINDERELLA designed by Sandy Powell
Which of her two nominations do you prefer this year? Or would you like her to have two statues in a tie for the same designer?
THE DANISH GIRL by Paco Delgado
Paco Delgado is a Spanish designer who is arguably best known for his work with Pedro Almodovar including Bad Education (2004) and The Skin I Live In (2011) and was He was previously nominated for an Oscar for Les Miserables. He's also a favorite of The Film Experience medalling thrice consecutively (2011-2013) for his costume work from The Skin I Live In, through Les Miserables and on to the silent film Blancanieves.
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD by Jenny Beavan
She was nominated six times early in her career for her partnership with John Bright, they won the Oscar 30 years ago for A Room With a View. After going solo in the late 90s she's been nominated four times, most recently for The King's Speech. Mad Max Fury Road is a huge departure from her usual prestige period work.
THE REVENANT by Jacqueline West
This is her 3rd Oscar nomination. She was previously honored for Quills (2000) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). Don't miss our interview with West here.
The Academy chose quite well this year going way out on a genre limb by honoring Jenny Beavan's work on Mad Max Fury Road. And who can fault their double nod for the best designer in the business Sandy Powell? It's her second time pulling off that trick since she also did it in 1998 with Shakespeare in Love and Velvet Goldmine.
But my own ballot (which you can see with commentary here) is slightly different than Oscars. My year of drooling over movie costumes and all that they can bring to a cinematic experience includes the following two pictures as well.
NOT OSCAR NOMINATED BUT THEY SURE WERE WORTHY
FAR FROM MADDING CROWD by Janet Patterson
According to IMDb Patterson, who is best known for working on Jane Campion's singular films, is a "known recluse" and that could account for her very skimpy filmography. Yet every time she deigns to work it is completely beautiful. Her character costumes are always well attuned to the films moods, the character in question, and the period with occassionally inventive modern flair that never feels anachronistic.
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. by Joanna Johnston
Joanna is best known for frequent work on Steven Spielberg movies but whenever she escapes his filmography she is more likely to let loose. Witness that glossy dress on Rebecca Ferguson in this past summer's Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. Her best work outside of Spielberg's filmography includes films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Death Becomes Her, About a Boy (remember Toni Collette's character-quirky wardrobe?) and this surprisingly entertaining 60s romp from Guy Ritchie.
