The general consensus of what reigned supreme in 2015 cinema was declared on Jan. 15 with the 88th annual Academy Award nominations.
That same week, a few of us at the Emerald discussed what surprises (or lack thereof) and diversity (or lack thereof) was boasted throughout the Oscar nominations. The Revenant mauled through the nominations list like a mama bear protecting her cubs with 11 nods total; Mad Max: Fury Road garnered 10 nominations itself; 7 for The Martian; Bridge of Spies, Carol and Spotlight tied for 6 apiece; and Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Big Short received 5 noms.
Nonetheless, some of our favorite movies, like the documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief or Creed, the latest installment in the Rocky Balboa: The Next Generation saga, received minimal, if any, attention from the Academy, which makes the whole ceremony (we’ve decided) a sham.
Before the Oscars ceremony takes place on Feb. 28, take a listen to the podcast below, with Emerald writers Jordyn Brown, Craig Wright, Chris Berg, and Emerson Malone. Spoilers for Room, The Big Short, The Revenant and Spotlight abound!

Special thanks to Braedon Kwiecien and Craig Wright for production.
You can also find a full list of this year’s Academy Award nominations here:
 
Best Picture
The Big Short – Brad Pitt, Debe Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner
Bridge of Spies – Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, and Kristie Macosko Krieger
Brooklyn – Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey
Mad Max: Fury Road – Doug Mitchell and George Miller
The Martian – Simon Kinberg, Ridley Scott, Michael Scaefer, and Mark Huffam
The Revenant – Arnon Milcahn, Steve Golin, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Mary Parent, and Keith Remon
Room – Ed Guiney
Spotlight – Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust
Best Director
Adam McKay – The Big Short
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Best Actor
Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
Matt Damon – The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Brie Larson – Room
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale – The Big Short
Tom Hardy – The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara – Carol
Rachel McAdams – Spotlight
Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Best Original Screenplay
Bridge of Spies – Matt Charman, Joel Coen, and Ethan Coen
Ex Machina – Alex Garland
Inside Out – Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, and Ronnie del Carmen
Spotlight – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Straight Outta Compton – Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff, S. Leigh Savidge, and Alan Wenkus
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short – Adam McKay and Charles Randolph (from The Big Short by Michael Lewis)
Brooklyn – Nick Hornby (from Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín)
Carol – Phyllis Nagy (from The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith)
The Martian – Drew Goddard (from The Martian by Andy Weir)
Room – Emma Donoghue (from Room by Emma Donoghue)
 
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