Last night, Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu won his second DGA Award in a row, for “The Revenant.” Last year, he levitated Michael Keaton and made a whole movie look like one long shot. This year, he went into the woods, where no one wants to go, and shot a magnificent looking movie in which Leonardo DiCaprio bears up.
But Best Picture? “The Revenant” is basically a revenge movie. On the other hand, Tom McCarthy’s “Spotlight” has the Big Idea, the social issue, and one that is still resonating. The Critics Choice Awards agreed, and SAG gave “Spotlight” Best Ensemble.
My guess at this point? “Spotlight” gets the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. “The Revenant” takes Best Director and Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio). That’s a good split, everyone gets something.
Innaritu’s next movie should be an adaptation of John Irving’s “Setting Free the Bears.” It’s too obvious.
Brie Larson looks on track for Best Actress. I hope it’s a good thing for her. Jennifer Lawrence seems to have turned around the bad luck best actresses have had in the past. She’s working and getting more nods. Since her win in 1998, Gwyneth Paltrow hasn’t had one nomination. Ditto Helen Hunt, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Halle Berry, and Natalie Portman.
Supporting actor should go to Mark Rylance, because he’s the best actor in the world. But Sylvester Stallone will win, and rightly so, for a beautiful performance as Rocky in “Creed.” Rylance will be back.
Supporting actress is the hardest. Kate Winslet — I just re-watched “Steve Jobs.” She’s superb. Jennifer Jason Leigh- hilarious and sad in “Hateful Eight.” But she has a Best Actress statue in her future. Soon. Rooney Mara– if “Carol” had caught on a bit more, she might have had it. I think it’s Winslet. And who doesn’t want to see Leo and Kate reunited from “Titanic” 18 years later? It’s a Hollywood ending.
