It’s nearing the end of Oscar season! In addition to the usual questions of who will win, who should win, and what was snubbed, there have been additional questions surrounding the disgraceful lack of diversity in nominations. And while the world awaits to see how host Chris Rock will handle that awkward elephant in the room, probably with lots of Bruce Vilanch-approved zingers, it’s a good time to reflect on the various films nominated for the awards.
To that end, there’s a pair of great montage videos that present powerful moments, images, and dialogue from the assorted nominees. The first, edited by Sleepy Skunk, is a short overview of the various nominees in multiple categories, using select images and audio bites that underscore those films. It’s a stirring reminder that there was some excellent work this past year (not even counting what was seemingly forgotten by the Academy), and a good primer to get excited for the big awards show.
The other video, created by Tomas Medero, is longer but spans a lot more films and incorporates a lot more dialogue and shots from the disparate nominees. It’s more in-depth, (as far as montages go, anyways) and crystallizes a few of the more stirring moments from the nominated films.
2016: The Oscars Promo from Tomas Medero on Vimeo.
True, the actual awards show will be jam-packed with self-congratulatory style tributes throughout the night, but these are made by fans of cinema and are not just pats on the back by the industry itself. Either way, they serve as reminders of what’s been nominated and why some of these films will linger in the minds of cinephiles for years to come, no matter the outcome of the awards ceremony.