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CONTENDERS
AWARDS SEASON LAUNCH
51
Maestros
en Masse
Fresh and established
artists pack lively race
By Steve Chagollan
As the awards season gathers
momentum like an impending
tsunami, the continuing
refrain around the Variety
offices — whether talking
about movies or the individual talents
behind them —quality films are so abundant
it’s almost overwhelming.
Whether it’s voters in the Academy or the
Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. or the guilds
or a critics organization, there’s something
for every taste, and consensus appears
almost inconceivable at this juncture.
The mix might be more multi-generational
than ever: There are the old masters like
Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott; the Sundance
generation of David O. Russell and
Todd Haynes; bad boys-turned-seasoned
vets like Quentin Tarantino and Danny
Boyle; trailblazers like Alejandro G. Inarritu
and Charlie Kaufman; and rising stars like
Denis Villeneuve and John Crowley.
Among the actors, new-generation stars
such as Rooney Mara and Carrie Mulligan
hold their own when paired with film royalty
like Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep,
respectively. And talents little known 10
years ago, from Michael Fassbender and
Tom Hardy to Brie Larson, are maturing
with startling magnitude.
As film gives way to digital, and 3D
extends beyond gimmickry, tech innovations
abound and below-the-liners have
stepped up their game as a result.
That’s not to say everyone has jumped on
the high-tech bandwagon: Tarantino’s “The
Hateful Eight” was shot on 70 mm and will
be released in the old roadshow fashion;
while last year’s Oscar winners Inarritu and
his “Birdman” d.p. Emmanuel Lubezki clung
exclusively to natural light to film their latest,
“The Revenant.”
But whether you favor old-school vs.
up-to-the-minute production methods, linear
vs. free-form narrative, or traditional vs.
synthetic instrumentation, there’s an embarrassment
of riches from which to choose.
ILLUSTRATION BY SAM BREWSTER