How Did I Do?: A Look Back at My August Oscar Predictions

Scene from Carol

Back in August, I wrote my premature, pre-Oscar season predictions for the main categories for this year's nominees. To say the least, it's an interesting list that manages to miss the point, ignoring films like Room, Brooklyn, and The Big Short all together. But, did I really do as bad as I have made it out to be? The following is a rundown of the list that will feature my original picks first followed by the actual results. If there's any embarrassing or profound comment to accompany this, I will also share them. So, step into the time capsule and recognize just how surprising 2015's Academy class ended up being and how rapidly things could change between August and January.

A Look at the 20 Titles On the Best Special Effects Shortlist

Scene from Mad Max: Fury Road

In today's cinema, there's a lot of reliance on special effects to compliment the story. It's something that is both accepted and controversial to purists. The best examples of special effects are those that don't draw attention to themselves and end up making it look like practical effects. The Academy has released its 20 nominees on the shortlist vying for this year's Best Special Effects Oscar nominations. While there are a few familiar big budget blockbusters, there's also a few that are likely to make you a little confused. The following is the list of films on the list followed by any additional thoughts.

The First Trailer of "The Walk" Hopes That You Haven't Seen "Man on Wire." Otherwise, What's the Point?

Joseph Gordon Levitt

In 2008, director James Marsh released the documentary Man on Wire. It followed the journey of real life tightrope walker Philippe Petit as he infamously performed a routine between both of the World Trade Center buildings. It was an astounding achievement in film making as it turned an unnerving real life story into a cinematic heist film as well. It was a film that was so acclaimed that it remains one of the highest rated titles on critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes and took home the Best Documentary award at that year's Oscars ceremony. With The Walk, director Robert Zemeckis is looking to reenact these events with Joseph Gordon Levitt in the central role. The better question is why this is even necessary.