Surprises Abound for the PGA Nominations
Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 5:58PM Chris here. In addition to the Art Directors Guild earlier in the morning, today the Producers Guild of America announced their feature film nominations, and we have some surprises.
The omissions included Carol (take a breath, everyone) and Room, both also left out from the ADG nominations. We may be passionate fans of Carol around these parts, but the miss here is a sign that our pony still has to capitalize on its momentum to continue in the race. Room on the other hand is a tiny, non-American produced film that was probably overestimated to show up in a group that has leaned populist enough nominate the likes of Star Trek and Skyfall.
Speaking of blockbuster candidates, The Force Awakens also missed out here. While thought to potentially upset here, the franchise's Oscar hopes can now likely be put to bed for major categories. Here are our nominees:
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Motion Picture
- The Big Short
- Bridge of Spies
- Brooklyn
- Ex Machina
- Mad Max: Fury Road
- The Martian
- The Revenant
- Sicario
- Spotlight
- Straight Outta Compton
The biggest surprises are Ex Machina and Sicario, also surprising at the ADG - are you sensing a trend? While they are not major Best Picture threats for the Oscar race, their place here shows passionate support brewing and certainly raises their profile. Straight Outta Compton, whose ensemble was recognized by SAG, is one of the bigger financial successes here and a nice nod to Universal's outstanding year at the box office.
Check after the jump for who got the biggest boost...
Brooklyn and Bridge of Spies needed a little heat to stay ahead after missing with SAG and the Golden Globes, and have mostly only had actors Saoirse Ronan and Mark Rylance representing the film in the season thus far.
Out in front, there are season staples Spotlight and The Big Short laying in wait to be potential powerhouses - and frontrunners this weekend at the Globes. The Revenant continues to grow, and could become a major player if its success in limited release is repeated as it goes wide this weekend. The race is about momentum and while these three feel like the freight trains, the one that could really surprise and advance its chances with a win is Mad Max: Fury Road. The likely winner is among these four, and a Max could use the recognition to help curb trepidations against genre and sequeldom.
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
- Anomalisa
- The Good Dinosaur
- Inside Out
- Minions
- The Peanuts Movie
The PGA has not been so kind to the smaller Oscar-nominated GKIDS and independent films in years past, so don't expect a repeat come Oscar nomination morning.
The Stanley Kramer Award - The Hunting Ground
Given to films that promote "public awareness important social issues," the nomination helps push forward the documentary (also previously nominated for Outstanding Documentary) when its field has been dominated by Amy and The Look of Silence.
Reader Comments (47)
I insist that the excitement of this year's Oscar race is directly connected to the unexciting year in film that preceded it. I think I'd rather have a boring Oscar race, though, and be passionate about more of the movies.
No, no, no, no, no, NO. This is all wrong. Did they even SEE Carol?!
Did Harvey wait too long to expand it??
WHAT is going ON.
Ugh.
Cannot believe Straight Outta Compton, Bridge of Spies, Sicario, Ex Machina are all now realistically closer to scoring Best Picture.
I kinda had a feeling either Room or Brooklyn would drop off tbh.
"are you sensing a trend?"
I'd say "Sicario and Ex Machina and Straight Outta Compton and Bridge of Spies and Mad Max: Fury Road and The Martian and Spotlight all came out early", but that doesn't explain The Revenant and The Big Short. Or maybe they just figured "dudes".
No Carol, Joy or Room? Well once again - just when you thought you were confident o your Oscar predix - WHAM!
How does a film that gets the most Globe noms and won a few Critics awards not get nominated by the PGA?
I predicted Carol to get a Best Pic nom but Todd Haynes missing out. Now I have to have a rethink.
Did the PGA confuse Carol with the Danish Girl? Both LGBT period dramas.
Are we going to see another Brokeback backlash against LGBT films?
I just don't get the Guilds, really. And Paul, frankly, I prefer a "boring" Oscar precursor' season, because the "excitement" of theses nominations is proportional at my not understanding at all the love Big Short or Revenant are receiving across the board. And, at this point, I don't see how Carol gets in (or even Brooklyn or, sheeez, Creed) An exciting race offers some curveballs. Creed could have been one in PGA, as Ex-Machina is.. Now, the only sure things are The Revenant AND The Big Short. How is that for your excitement? I
And snubbing Carol in production design (I'm not even talking about PGA) is just ridiculous. You may not like the movie. But you simply canmot deny its supremely thoughtful craftsmen behind it. I am not laughing right now. I'm sick.
I’m bummed about CAROL. Considering its long journey to the screen, the PGA should have been a shoe-in. How bad is this snub???
I wrote this in another post. I stand by it.
"Welcome to the end of cinema, BIG SHORT! I hope CAROL is bullying you until you beg your pardon!!"
Guess who's bullying now? Such a turd.
Where the fuck is carol?!?!?
I've been a longtime skeptic on Straight Outta Compton's chances for a nomination, but it's looking more and more possible. Conversely, unless it's a big surprise it feels like Creed's momentum never really got going; granted, the Academy's relationship to sequels is fraught and generally not all that receptive.
Brooklyn finally gets some good news, after a precursor season that has been pretty dispiriting for them outside of Ronan.
I'm still very excited about this Oscar race, because it is all over the place and impossible to predict, with a few exceptions. And there are a few unexpected films in the race, as well as a few that I liked, so I'm engaged in that way, too. That doesn't make me any more passionate about 2015 in general, though.
Happy for all the Mad Max love. Must be a lock now for an Oscar BP nom?
Paul, fair enough. I would be relieved if your likes don't include THAT talky stinker who thinks it's smarter than it is. I would be hard-pressed to call it even a film. Now, all the posers will start making films breaking the fourth wall as its something revolutionary or new.
Glad Brooklyn got in, at least. So much testosterone in the list. Still, no Creed despite the box office numbers. Weird.
chofer, are you referring to The Wolf of Wall Street? ;-)
Yes, this stings, but let's not mourn Carol just yet, shall we? I'd say it still has a pretty good chance of making it to the Oscar Best Picture lineup. Don't forget that every year, there is at least one Best Picture nominee that was snubbed by the PGA, and that includes the last our years that have had the current "up to 10" system.
2011: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Tree of Life
2012: Amour
2013: Philomena
2014: Selma
Also, these films were snubbed from the guilds mostly across the board (I may be forgetting a mention or two for one of them) and they all did well elsewhere.
I feel that now Carol might be in prime Philomena position, in the sense that it did well with Globe nominations and it's backed by Harvey Weinstein (a little help from the BAFTAs would be appreciated). It also did well with Spirit nominations, which Selma did as well, and Carol at least has the benefit of having Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as very likely-to-locked in their respective acting categories. Room could also be in that same position, except that I think not having Weinstein might hurt Room and Open Road has not had as much luck in the Oscar race yet.
Anyway, just saying there's still hope for Carol, even if it misses out on nominations from every single Guild (remember Atonement? Shut out of all the Guilds, then it won the Globe for Picture-Drama and was still nominated at the Oscars. The Reader was also not very popular at the Guilds outside of Kate Winslet, and we all know what happened there. Just a few more examples)...
Chris Feil: No argument this helps Brooklyn (I'd now say it's above Carol and Room), but I think The Revenant is helped by this way more than Bridge of Spies. Bridge of Spies might not have been cited at the Globes or SAG ensemble, but it made both NBR and AFI's top 10 while The Revenant made neither. Missing both of those is most of the reason I have The Revenant at more of a barely holding on position (8th).
Carol might be a victim of its own hype, people hear so much overwhelming praise for it, they go in expecting a big blustering masterpiece, and then it ends up being this understated melodrama which they may or may not connect with. Boyhood had similar problems. I feel like this kind of low key movie might end up doing better if it comes as something of a sneak attack like Million Dollar Baby (the last analogous). For what it's worth, I think it's still probably a lock to be nominated. It clearly has a passionate following and it's going to get number one votes. Whether it will do good in the other categories remains to be seen.
carol will be fine, guys. Harvey will push her through. And don’t forget the tastes of the average Academy member who are FAR more likely to vote for something like Carol over say Mad Max, Straight Outta Compton or Star Wars 7.
The sheer hysteria from the Carol fans is fucking hilarious tbh. I hope it doesn't get nominated so everyone can make good on their threats of taking their ball and going home.
I still have no sense of how these Oscar nominations are going to turn out. For my part, I'm more sad about "Room" missing here than "Carol". And they shouldn't have to be in competition, but I wonder if "Brooklyn" and "Carol" are splitting some votes, purely on being period romances? It shouldn't have to be that way, but... Team Brooklyn, if so.
re Russ
Exactly, if it weren't for Harvey id be worried. THE READER and PHILOMENA didn't have half the passion/ fanbase as carol and they both made it in
I'm glad that Ex-Machina, Brooklyn & Sicario are finally getting some luv,
Its shocking but I'm still optimistic that Carol has enough goodwill to get into Best Pic.
The tink tt really worries me is Todd Haynes' chance at best director. I'm prayin hard that DGA will recognize him, thus increases his chance of a nom. Look like the dir race is shaping up to be a battle o veterans (Miller vs Scott)
Russ- right on the money with Harvey. The movie is still building momentum, too, guys. It'd feel like more of a setback if a) it wasn't such a weird year b) PGA didn't have their particular follow-the-money habits
the Guild nominations have been a SHITSHOW this year...
SAG shutout Martian and Charlotte Rampling while Woman In Gold, Sarah Silverman and Beasts of No Nation made it. Best Picture frontrunner Spotlight was left out of the Eddies. Now this PGA mess. I’m not expecting the WGA or DGA to turn the tide either. Let’s just hope BAFTA makes things cheery again.
There is NOTHING awards worthy about the BIG SHORT. Nothing. Four members of the Hollywood elite and the director of Anchorman and Talladega Nights explain the financial crisis with obnoxious jokes and rapid editing. That it’s gone beyond a Globe comedy and SAG ensemble nom is infuriating. I really hope Academy viewers can see through it.
The big short is voters shiny, fun December toy. If it had been released in October, it'd be toast
I guess there have been greater snubs than Carol in the course of film history. But I don't really get this one. It's a gorgeous film, impeccably produced, directed, filmed and acted. Doesn't attack anybody, it's not shouting any gay agenda from the roofs. What the heck does Todd Haynes have to do to get in??
Whatever, it's still the best of the aughts so far for me.
Nathaniel, I love your writing but why do you waste it on such drivel as Oscar buzz? We are not talking about movies anymore but just voting patterns
Add me to the list of people annoyed that Room and Carol were shut out. Bridge of Spies was nicely made, sure. Sicario brought the tension and had great performances from Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro. The Martian was great fun. They were all good films. But I really don't see how any of them came anywhere close to the brilliance of either Room or Carol.
And I've decided that, to hell with it, I'm just going to judge The Big Short from the trailer. Rich straight white guys act like arseholes and we are meant to find it amusing and entertaining. I don't.
Is there any chance that Carol's snub is backlash against Harvey? After all he is a douche.
Is there any chance that Carol's snub is backlash against Harvey? After all he is a douche.
Where the fuck is CAROL????????????
Just read MEL FUCKING ANTI-SEMITE, HOMOPHOBIC, WIFE BEATER GIBSON will be presenting at the GG. Plus the Stallone hysteria will be going full tilt by then. Maybe we can invite Ted Nugent also.
Right now I'm just hoping BAFTA sorts a few things out. Thank God Brooklyn made it in, or I would be even more depressed. Bigger budgets and guy films take precedence again.
I don't think this is an older demographic problem, to me this is very much a male dominated guild problem.
Remember last year when the Writer's guild didn't nominate Gillian Flynn for "Gone Girl"?
70 - 90% men is the problem.
Orrin -- i have to make a living and people come here to read Oscar stuff this time of year. but we talk about movies all year round and i'll get back to just writing about the love of them soon.
//Just read MEL FUCKING ANTI-SEMITE, HOMOPHOBIC, WIFE BEATER GIBSON will be presenting at the GG.//
Could he be presenting Best Director? Good sign for George Miller if he does!
I hope Carol and Room have enough passionate supporters to make it through for best picture. Both of them are two of the most memorable films of the year for me.
Does anyone think there is some prejudice against Todd Haynes in the sense that he makes female-driven, queer cinema? I don't understand how his films are continuously ignored by the industry in this sense. Seriously, if Adam McKay gets an Oscar nomination over him I might scream (and I actually enjoyed The Big Short but I don't think its directing, while sometimes clever, was as strong as say Haynes's, or Miller's, or Abrahamson's).
Another gag-inducing inclusion is The Martian. Seriously??? It's so freaking blahhhhhhhh
I can't stress this enough: the vast majority of the country is not currently able to see Carol. It will expan into more markets this weekend, slowly but surely. Buzz is still growing!
So keep the faith. Carol was never a sure thing with a group like PGA... too blockbuster focused and bro-y. The Academy should be more receptive.
Not surprised Carol was left off. That movie leaves a lot of people cold and/or bored.
Todd Haynes' films may not get Guild love, but Mildred Pierce was a nomination magnet. So they're not indifferent to all of his work.
Carol will have enough actors' support at the Oscars to get in for BP. Costume and music branch will also vote for it.
Blanchett will still get nominated, she's third right now, but Mara in Lead feels questionable at this point.
I had this feeling all along last year... Not because Carol is about lesbians. The Academy has nominated two films with lesbian leads (The Kids are all right) or lesbian fantasy contend (Black Swan) the last 5 years. Carol somehow is a SERIOUS lesbian romance with (I hope it's not too spoilerish) an optimistic ending, that's why I also felt it would be hard to connect with the majority of AMPAS voters.
I don't want to call them homophobic at all, but I just don't think they will reaspond to it as much as many of us hopes.
Of course there could be a lot of "surprises" come Oscar nomination morning, so take a deep breath. It's going to be a long week till that.
Meh- I don't think this is that big of a deal. Last year, Foxcatcher, Gone Girl, and Nightcrawler got in at PGA then underperformed at the Oscars. The only difference to me between those three and Ex Machina, Sicario, and Straight Outta Compton is that Oscar-lovers had more respect for the three last year.
Substitute one or two of those with Carol +/- Room, and people would be 200% happier. That doesn't take much of a swing.
The article headline says surprises aboud, yet we only really talk about the Carol snub. One name off a list is hardly abounding. Maybe for the monotonous BFCA crowd, but not the regular folk.
Carol disappointed a lot of people who saw it late in the year. They heard a lot of hype, then saw the film, and thought, that's it? By contrast, The Big Short came out of nowhere and surprised everyone with how good it was.
If you don't believe me, compare and contrast the comments on Sunday's "what did you see this weekend?" thread.
(And of course Room is underperforming. It's A24. They couldn't even get Chastain a nomination for A Most Violent Year last year. They don't know how to campaign. I'm not sure why people are upset about Ex Machina's inclusion, but I'm sure it won't make much of a dent at the Oscars, since it's A24 as well.)
I'm reminded of this time last year when Grand Budapest reemerged in the race as the Guilds went wild for it. The PGA announcement makes me think that we'll be seeing the same type of resurgence for films like Ex Machina, Sicario and Straight Outta Compton. I think all three could make it into the race, and Gray or Villenueve could be a spoiler in director. I think between Carol and Room, only one will score a best pic mention with the DGA clearing up whether or not Haynes is preparing to stay on the bench once again. A Haynes omission wouldn't necessarily be that surprising either, if we all wan't to be honest for a moment and put aside emotional attachment and love for the film. As great a job as he did, the Academy rarely picks restraint over boldness and Spotlight may have already gobbled that quota up. Add Alejandro Inarritu, Ridley Scott and George Miller to the mix and that last spot becomes extremely competitive. You've got Spielberg, David O. Russell & Tarantino (Academy favorites, all) in the mix with popular films that made more money, and as mentioned above F. Gary Gray and Dennis Villenueve are on the edges alongside Cary Fukunaga (who could spoil if the Academy takes a shine to Beasts of No Nation).
I still think Academy members will like Room enough to make it. Not convinced about Carol - it's easy to show love for Blanchett without rewarding the film - they've done it numerous times.
The movie that really took a hit was Inside Out. Up and TS3 both had PGA noms.
My predictions:
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
9. Straight Outta Compton
10. Carol
If Boyhood or The Imitation Game had been released this year, they would have won Best Picture easily.
I'm predicting Adam McKay gets a DGA nomination to seal the deal on Big Short emerging as a serious contender, but misses out with the Academy in favor of a more eclectic pick. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Todd Haynes makes it into the Director lineup without a Best Picture nod for Carol, ala Bennett Miller last year. In a year with little consensus beyond the top 4 or 5 contenders, another lone Director nomination wouldn't surprise me.
I guess I'm somewhat sad that CAROL didn't make it in (go BROOKLYN), but the one that is shocking to me is the one no one is mentioning: STAR WARS.
I thought for sure that the box-office momentum, plus potential backlash if it was bad, would be too big for the PGA to ignore.