Gold Standard: ‘Silence’ could pile on the crafts category Oscar nominations
This time last year, people were realizing what an Oscar powerhouse “Mad Max: Fury Road” would become. The movie’s strength came from its prevailing presence in so many crafts categories. It’s simple arithmetic: When multiple academy branches love a film, it’s going to show up on a lot of best picture ballots too.
That’s a lesson all those doubting Martin Scorsese’s monumental “Silence” should heed. If “Silence” earns nominations — as I’m predicting — for cinematography, production design, film editing, costume design, sound editing and sound mixing, there’s a strong chance you’ll see this profound exploration of faith among the best picture nominees as well.
Here’s a full look at my predictions for the crafts categories:
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Linus Sandgren, “La La Land”
Rodrigo Prieto, “Silence”
Stephane Fontaine, “Jackie”
Bradford Young, “Arrival”
James Laxton, “Moonlight”
Prime contenders: Robert Richardson, “Live by Night”; Simon Duggan, “Hacksaw Ridge”; Roger Deakins, “Hail, Caesar!”; Vittorio Storaro, “Cafe Society”; Bill Pope, “The Jungle Book”
Analysis: I wrote about this race several weeks ago, predicting the same five nominees and thinking then that my picks bordered on wishful thinking. And while it’s possible that academy favorites like Richardson and Deakins wind up with nods, it looks like we could see four first-time nominees this time joining the great Prieto, who was last nominated in 2006 for “Brokeback Mountain.” (Prieto also shot the beautiful “Passengers,” the critically derided sci-fi curiosity that could pop up in a couple of crafts categories.)
PRODUCTION DESIGN
“La La Land”
“Silence”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Jackie”
“The Jungle Book”
Prime contenders: “Live by Night,” “Passengers,” “Hacksaw Ridge,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Arrival,” “Rules Don’t Apply, “Hail, Caesar!”
Analysis: Even though “The Jungle Book” was released in April, I have to think that Jon Favreau’s vivid, splendid reworking of the Disney film will be remembered and rewarded in a few places. One deserving spot would be for the immersive, amazing jungle that production designer Christopher Glass created, mixing photo-realistic CG and practical sets to superb effect.
FILM EDITING
“La La Land”
“Moonlight”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Manchester by the Sea”
“Silence”
Prime contenders: “Arrival,” “Jackie,” “Hell or High Water,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “The Jungle Book”
Analysis: Every once in awhile, a movie not nominated for best picture squeaks in here (and in the case of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” even wins), but for the most part, this category belongs to films competing for Oscar’s big prize. That should spell good news for the three leading best picture contenders — “Moonlight,” “Manchester” and “La La Land” — with the final two spots going to three-time Oscar winner Thelma Schoonmaker for “Silence” and John Gilbert for his brilliant cutting in “Hacksaw’s” battle sequences.
COSTUME DESIGN
“Jackie”
“La La Land”
“Florence Foster Jenkins”
“Silence”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
Prime contenders: “Allied,” “Live by Night,” “Love and Friendship,” “Hidden Figures,” “Rules Don’t Apply”
Analysis: The only “Harry Potter” movie to earn a costume design nomination was the first in the series. But that drought should end with three-time Oscar winner (and 11-time nominee) Colleen Atwood on board for “Beasts” — unless she’s nominated for “Alice Through the Looking Glass” or “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.”
MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
“Florence Foster Jenkins”
“Star Trek Beyond”
“Deadpool”
Prime contenders: “Hail, Caesar!”, “The Dressmaker,” “Suicide Squad,” “A Man Called Ove”
Analysis: Idris Elba’s “Star Trek” alien. Ryan Reynolds’ scarred “Deadpool” face. Meryl Streep’s frumpy “Florence” songbird. Two of those three will probably hit. But this branch always has a surprise up its sleeve and this time it could be “Ove,” the Swedish crowd-pleaser that has the Oscar-nominated team of Love Larson and Eva Von Bahr performing some terrific aging makeup work.
VISUAL EFFECTS
“The Jungle Book”
“Doctor Strange”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Arrival”
Prime contenders: “Captain America: Civil War,” “The BFG,” “Kubo and the Two Strings,” “Deepwater Horizon,” “Passengers”
Analysis: “Rogue One” makes it in, but I’d imagine there’s some healthy discussion among voters about the effectiveness — and ethics — of its most talked-about visual effects breakthrough.
SOUND EDITING
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
“Sully”
“Silence”
“Arrival”
Prime contenders: “The Jungle Book,” “Deepwater Horizon,” “La La Land,” “Doctor Strange,” “Passengers”
Analysis: War, action and sci-fi movies always do well here, as do Bub Asman and Alan Robert Murray, Clint Eastwood’s “Sully” supervising team.
SOUND MIXING
“La La Land”
“Hacksaw Ridge”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
“Silence”
“Sully”
Prime contenders: “Arrival,” “Passengers,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” “Deepwater Horizon,” “The Jungle Book”
Analysis: Same as sound editing but subbing “La La Land” for “Arrival.” Voters like music-heavy movies here.
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Twitter: @glennwhipp
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