Oscar Luncheon
Tuesday, February 9, 2016 at 10:15AM 
Yesterday the Academy held their annual Oscar luncheon for the nominees from 2015 cinema. Maybe we're all eager to move on to 2016 but all in good time. There's still 21 days of the 2015 film year given that it doesn't wrap up until the credits roll on Oscar night.
The luncheon is the event with the cheesy "class photo". So let's look at that and talk noteworthy moments and how we're all feeling at this point after the jump.
Ka-Pow! Jacob Tremblay socks Sly Stallone right in the kisser. This is from Stallone's instagram and we really hope he was using a filter because no one should be that orange. FYI Stallone reportedly offered to boycott the ceremony but Ryan Coogler urged him to attend to represent the film. We're unclear why Tremblay was there since generally the invite list is nominees but we're glad they invited him as its a pity he wasn't nominated. He will be presenting on Oscar night though. I'm guessing animated feature or short films because Oscar gets cutesy like that.
Both of these beautiful women, Brie Larson (Room) and Deniz Gamze Erguven (Mustang) are nominees right here, too.
Rachel McAdams taking selfies with fans. She does seem to be enjoying this moment so good on her. Why can't Leo crack a smile, for example, just once in awhile. Show that your glad to be receiving honors!
Look at this triple-handsome set! That's the team behind Short Film, Live Action nominee Shok.
They make beautiful music... though not together. It's Carter Burwell (who we just interviewed), nominated for Carol, and songstress Diane Warren "Til It Happens To You". Do you think she's finally winning Best Song this year?
Five Favorite things about the Luncheon Photo...
1. That costume design goddess Sandy Powell is the easiest to spot with her bright red hair. And that she's standing beside cinematographers 'Chivo' and Roger Deakins so it's like GIANTS OF SCREEN ARTISTY & OSCAR LOVE all bunched together.
2. How bored Ridley Scott looks, or perhaps he's longing to leave the bleachers and return to his table? And whose idea was it to stick the short guy behind the tall guy? Is that Charlie Kaufman?
3. This is, like, your hipster cool kids section. You've got your Mad Max Marrieds (Margaret, editor & George, director), your pop stars (The Weeknd and Lady Gaga), your A+ Lister of the A List (Leo), your ascending actresses (Rooney Mara & Alicia Vikander who we just interviewed!), your legend (Rampling), two fresh directors who are probably in sudden demand (Lenny Abrahamson and Alex Garland) Two handsome Matts side by side (the non-famous one is Matthew Heineman who directed Documentary Cartel Land) and tall scribe Josh Singer (who wrote Spotlight) right behind them.
4. It's a triangle of three of our favorite recent interviewees: Jack Fisk (Production Design, The Revenant), Phyllis Nagy (Screenwriter, Carol), and Deniz Gamze Erguven (Foreign Film, Mustang)
5. That Rosa Tran, the producer of Anomalisa wasn't shy with the red - it really catches the eye in group photos. It helps that she's in the frontrow. (Vikander also tried that trick but she's kind of buried in the photo.)
Here's that annual 'class photo,' the 88th Annual Academy Awards nominees. Click on the image to see a really large version.
click to open huge version
Now that we're three weeks away from Oscar night, how would you rate both your excitement level on a scale of 1-10 and you're eager-to-leave-it-behind aggravation on the same scale?
Reader Comments (27)
I always love this photo, its great to see Speilberg happy to be there this must be what, his 12th class photo? And Gaga is definitely having the best month ever!
I wanna see Tremblay present Best Foreign Language Film :) (They'll likely get Vikander to do it).
My excitement level always raises on Oscar night whether I like the nominees or not. There is tension in the room and history being made before your eyes.
Jennifer Jason Leigh also wore color. I suspect color is key in standing out in a sea of neutral.
The absence of Bale*, Fassy, Blanchett, Hardy, Rylance and Winslet makes this a dull, dull group photo.
*unless he's there and I'm just not finding him.
I think the nominees get to bring a guest, or at least some of them do - Laura Poitras brought Norman Lear last year, and Mark Ruffalo mentioned on twitter that he brought his publicist this year. So someone from the Room crew must have invited Jacob Tremblay.
My enthusiasm level for this year's Oscars is very low, but I do enjoy seeing photos from this event.
Yeah, Lenny Abrahamson brought Tremblay as his guest, and Emma Donoghue brought his hot dad as her guest.
And my excitement level is an 11 (as usual), unless The Revenant ends up winning...in which case, it will revert back to a 4.
I searched for Bale, but I just assumed he's currently doing another role where he's changed his physical appearance and I wouldn't be able to pick him out anyway.
Is anyone else tired of the Gaga "comeback"/"She Really Can Sing!" narrative sucking up media coverage for the other more deserving nominees? I wish more mainstream outlets were discussing Saoirse, Brie, Alicia, or practically ANYONE else at this point.
Yes, she has a good voice, but this ploy is exhausting.
The luncheon photo is always a nice memento of the year of film. I'm not terribly enthusiastic about the upcoming awards because of certain winners that seem locked in.
Excitement level = 3,
I'm hoping for some nice surprise wins at the BAFTA's.
That photo with Gaga and Charlotte Rampling in such close proximity--bliss-inducing.
Rami, ITA--I've renamed this month Gagayary.
Very over this season but hoping for some surprises on Oscar night. I'm just bored stiff by most of the acting nominees and can barely summon enthusiasm for even half of the films. Mainly just frustrated at how this season has treated Carol. Oh well!
After Carol was ruthlessly snubbed, my enthusiasm is at about negative two.
Some of the most milquetoast movies I saw all year could potentially win best picture or, god forbid, The Revenant. Gross.
Best case scenario: Mad Mad sweeps all its nominations and Leo loses.
I'm kind of excited for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor, which are the most probabilities of surprise.
Brie Larson will be a deserving winner, though I prefer Cate Blanchett. And yes, Carol missing in key categories makes these awards less attractive to me. Still, if the film were nominated, it's highly doubtful it would win.
I hate to be the guy who brings up #OscarSoWhite, but I will. The focus seems to be on the acting categories, but one look at the larger nominee field underscores how white (and male) Hollywood is. Even behind the scenes it's not a very diverse crew.
Please give up the racial aspects ... it is getting tiring .. I am a part Latino.. so it is my feelings about the need for more diversity, too... but I ,love the Oscars and this mis overdoing.
Tremblay is like a natural born. No Haley Joel Osment here - he's gonna be a huge movie star. You can feel his charisma in every single photo.
Co-sign Raul.
Oscar knows that kid is going to be a big star
Yeah, Lenny Abrahamson brought Tremblay as his guest, and Emma Donoghue brought his hot dad as her guest.
Thanks Cinemunch for that info. I was wondering this as well and assumed as much (i.e. they were plus ones). And great choice indeed. That kid is gold.
Cal -- oh why you gotta diss Haley Joel Osment. He was SUCH a good actor. He's just amazing in huge roles in two wildly different movies (A.I. and THE SIXTH SENSE)... i wish he coulda found a way to stay in the game.
who's the blonde woman behind rosa tran? you'd think someone working in the film industry would have more camera sense
@paul outlaw
I guess you know everything...
Haley Joel Osment is STILL in the game though not as high-profile. But he's got "hipster comedy" credentials, guesting on "Comedy Bang Bang" and doing "The Spoils Before Dying".
Irvin: PLUS, he's been voicing the main character of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. So, yeah, not unimportant.
Volvagia -- what is Kingdom Hearts?
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