5. Everest
While certainly not the worst movie to have come out last year and it’s certainly better than the other entries on this list, there’s no denying this movie came off as Oscar Bait
With the films plot being based on a true story and an ensemble cast consisting of Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Keira Knightly, Robin Wright, and Jake Gyllenhaal it seems like the perfect kind of film to pick up awards right?
While it was decently received some people, such as author Jon Krakuer who was featured as a character in the movie, denounced the movie as fiction and called it out for historical inaccuracy.
4. Steve Jobs
Okay. Okay. It’s better than Jobs by a long stretch, but you think Universal would’ve waited a little longer before making this movie? This one only came out two years after Jobs.
Now that the small rant is over, the movie did garner a couple of nominations in the Acting category (Best Actor for Michael Fassbender and Best Supporting Actress for Kate Winslet) some people criticized the movie for making Steve Jobs more sympathetic compared to how colleagues of Jobs viewed him.
Since this one failed to win Oscars, it seems like another studio might try to take a crack at another Steve Jobs movie. This film can only make a person wonder. Imagine how many movies they’ll make about Bill Gates when he dies.
3. Concussion
Ah. The movie that made Will Smith’s wife mad that her husband didn’t get an Oscar nomination to the point where an Academy Awards boycott began. It is a movie about sports, but don’t go in expecting the whole “underdog becomes a huge star of the team” kind of movie.
Based off the true story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, Concussion follows Omalu researching a wide array of suicides and deaths in a majority of Football players. While the story sounds interesting the execution is off. The story isn’t as daring or as revealing about the dark secrets of the NFL as it could have been and Will Smith’s accent as Omalu just sounds strange. To put it simply he makes Keanu Reeves look like Meryl Streep as far as accent mastery goes in this movie.
2. The Walk
Oh hey! It’s one of those inspiring true story movies about someone who did the unthinkable and wound up earning recognition for it! The Academy sure does love those!
The movie is based on the real life story of Philippe Petit, a man who performed a high wire act walking between the twin towers in 1974. Seems like a great idea for a movie right? While the movie does have some gorgeous CGI visuals (courtesy of director Robert Zemeckis, who blends CGI with live action more flawlessly then any director) the movie consists of some good and bad.
While Joseph Gordon Levitt is spectacular as Petit, and the build up to the eventual walk between the towers is exciting the movie can’t decide if it wants to follow the path of a traditional biopic similar to The Imitation Game or be an artsy one like the Bob Dylan Biopic I’m Not There. While the movie flows as you’d expect the film has some bizarre things like Petit breaking the fourth wall to flash back to a specific moment.
Even though it didn’t nab any Oscars. It’s still a decent movie based on a wonderful and inspiring true story. If you’re curious, check it out.
1. In the Heart of the Sea
Filmmaking is like cooking. It’s a fun job and everyone can do it and make great recipes (films) but sometimes, even a master chef can make a bad dish. That’s the case with In the Hearts of the Sea.
Helmed by Ron Howard, The film follows the voyage of the crew of the ship the Essex, led by Owen Chase, played by Chris Hemsworth, who get stranded at sea and have to fight off Whales…kind of.
The movie barely features any whale fighting action and is mostly a survival story, which is fine, if the film hadn’t been mismarketed as a thrilling movie where Chris Hemsworth and crew fight off whales.
To top that off, the movie features all the clichés that make it the biggest failed Oscarbait movie of last year. Based on a true story? Check. Ensemble cast? Check. Deals with an underdog character pitted up against a man put in charge because of nepotism? Check. Thankfully the movie nabbed no nominations or wins. Hopefully this year’s possible awards contenders can take notes on how not to make an Oscarbait movie like this one.