The Best Movies of the Year!

The nominations are given in advance and many moviegoers will use this information to determine which movies to watch and then cast their ballot on who will win. Many friend groups or families (including mine!) will offer prizes to whoever guesses the most categories correctly.  Want some help filling out your ballot or determining which movies to watch? Check out the recommendations below!   

 

General Recommendations:

Often, but not always, the person who wins best director also wins best picture. So while there can be up to ten movies nominated for best motion picture at the Academy Awards, by focusing on the movies that were both nominated for best motion picture and best director, it narrows which films might win and which ones you should watch first!

In the last 5 years, 3 movies that have won best picture have been about Hollywood and its actors (The Artist (2011), Argo (2013) and Birdman (2014)).  The Academy seems to love movies about Hollywood and this year is no exception with the film La La Land. In fact, La La Land received 14 Oscar nominations, tying it with Titanic and All about Eve for most nominations ever. La La Land is a great movie and there is a good chance it will win an Oscar, possibly because it is a movie about Hollywood and there has been a lot of hype surrounding the movie. However, other opinions  are that movies such as Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea should win due to powerful performances.

The Golden Globes premiered January 8, 2017 and the Academy Awards will premiere on February 26, 2017 at 7:00pm on ABC. Many movies are still in theaters or can be watched at home. Check out which movies are still in theaters near Ann Arbor: Michigan Theater and Rave Cinema.

 

 

 

2017 Academy Award Nominations

Best Picture: Arrival, Fences, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, La La Land, Lion, Manchester By the Sea, Moonlight

Actress in a Leading Role: Isabelle Huppert (Elle), Ruth Negga (Loving), Natalie Portman (Jackie), Emma Stone (La La Land), Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Actor in a Leading Role: Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Ryan Gosling (La La Land), Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), Denzel Washington (Fences)

Actress in a Supporting Role: Viola Davis (Fences), Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Nicole Kidman (Lion), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)

Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Jeff Bridges, (Hell or High Water), Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea), Dev Patel (Lion), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

Directing: Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By the Sea), Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)

 

Check out all of the Oscars categories and nominations!

 

 

 

2017 Golden Globe Nominations and Winners

The Golden Globe nominees and winners are often predictors of who will be nominated and ultimately win the Oscars. However, the Golden Globes separate drama from musical/comedy for best picture, actor and actress. The two different categories in the Golden Globes allows for some suspense and guessing at who will win the Oscar for the single category of best picture, actor and actress.

 

Best Motion Picture- Drama: Moonlight

  • Nominees: Hell or High Water, Lion, Manchester by the Sea, Hacksaw Ridge

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: La La Land

  • Nominees: 20th century Women, Deadpool, Florence Foster Jenkins, Sing Street

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture- Drama: Isabelle Huppert (Elle)

  • Nominees: Amy Adams (Arrival), Jessica Chastain (Miss Sloane), Ruth Negga (Loving), Natalie Portman (Jackie)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture- Drama: Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea)

  • Nominees: Joel Edgerton (Loving), Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), Denzel Washington (Fences)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy: Emma Stone (La La Land)

  • Nominees: Annette Bening (20th Century Women), Lily Collins (Rules Don’t Apply), Hailee Steinfeld (The Edge of Seventeen), Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy: Ryan Gosling (La La Land)

  • Nominees: Colin Farrell (The Lobster), Hugh Grant (Florence Foster Jenkins), Jonah Hill (War Dogs), Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture: Aaron Taylor Johnson (Nocturnal Animals)

  • Nominees: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water), Simon Helberg (Florence Foster Jenkins), Dev Patel (Lion)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture: Viola Davis (Fences)

  • Nominees:  Naomie Harris (Moonlight), Nicole Kidman (Lion), Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures), Michelle Williams (Manchester by the Sea)

Best Director - Motion Picture: Damien Chazelle (La La Land​)

  • Nominees: Tom Ford (Nocturnal Animals), Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)

 

Check out all of the Golden Globe categories and winners!

 

 

Contributed By: Marisa Tucci-Berube