It is common to see dramatic films, costume melodramas, and festival hits in the lists of Oscar nominees. And action films with races, gunfights, military conflicts or fantasy worlds are most often content with technical nominations for the American Film Academy Award. But if you look closely at the list of films nominated for the Oscars over the past 20 years, you can see that nothing human is alien to film academics either – they also value drive, adrenaline and energy in cinema. Only the best examples of this genre were included in the “Oscar: Best Action” selection.
Logan (2017)
Directed by James Mangold
Nominations (1): Best Adapted Screenplay
One of the key characters of the “X-Men” movie universe – Wolverine, also known as Logan, appeared in an unusual image. The film takes place in the near future. Tired of life, the hero takes care of the sick professor Xavier. However, he will have to remember his combat past after meeting a young mutant who is being pursued by dark forces. This is the first film adaptation of a graphic novel about superheroes, which became an Oscar nominee in the script category.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Director – George Miller
Winner (6): Best Costumes; Better sound; Better installation; Better sound editing; The best make-up and hairstyles; The best work of a production designer
Nominations (4): Best Film; Best director; Better operator work; Better visual effects
George Miller, the author of three post-apocalyptic Mad Max films, has been nurturing the idea of making a sequel for more than twenty years. And now the new reincarnation of the adventures of the cult hero burst onto the cinema screens with crazy drive, chases and action. True, almost the entire film was “stolen” by Charlize Theron from the character played by Tom Hardy.
True Grit (2010)
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen
Nominations (10): Best film; Best Actor (Jeff Bridges); Best Supporting Actress (Hailee Steinfeld); Best director; Best Adapted Screenplay; Better operator work; The best scenery; Best suits; Better sound; Better sound editing
Fourteen-year-old Mattie leaves her home to find and punish her father’s killer. After selling off what remains of her property, she hires one-eyed federal marshal Reuben Cogburn. Later, Texas Ranger LaBeouf joins them. The eternal controversy – a remake (in 1969, the film that brought John Wayne an Oscar) or a new screen adaptation (a novel by Charles Portis) – did not pass by the film of the Coen brothers, who in both cases created a new reading of the classic western.
Avatar (2009)
Director – James Cameron
Winner (3): Best Operator Work; The best scenery; Better visual effects
Nominations (6): Best Film; Best director; Better sound; Better installation; Better sound editing; The best music for the film
Skeptics broke their spears, exposing in Cameron’s film about the confrontation between people and the inhabitants of the planet Pandora in petty plagiarism and stilted plot vicissitudes. Despite this, the film still holds the record for the highest grosser in history. And for good reason: the unique magical world of Pandora and the creatures that inhabit it, complex production scenes using advanced film technologies and a story that is easy to catch – this is a simple formula for success, which the director has always used and created beautiful films.
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Winner (6): Best Film; Best director; Best case scenario; Better sound; Better installation; Better sound editing
Nominations (3): Best Actor (Jeremy Renner); Better operator work; The best music for the film
In the same year that “Avatar” seemed to capture the minds (and money) of moviegoers around the world, Kathryn Bigelow (Cameron’s ex-wife) came out with a strong military drama about the everyday life of American sappers in Iraq. A poignant story focused on the psychology of war-obsessed soldiers. In addition, the picture is filled with extremely tense scenes with demining bombs. This tape won the Oscar in the main nominations. In addition, many viewers called the confrontation between Bigelow and Cameron the exit of David and Goliath. Without this drama, the list of “Oscars: the best action” would not be complete.
A History of Violence (2005)
The director is David Cronenberg
Nominations (2): Best Supporting Actor (William Hurt); Best Adapted Screenplay
David Cronenberg’s crime drama based on John Wagner’s comic book of the same name. This is the story of a simple American family man, Tom Stoll, who accidentally becomes a local hero. Publicizing this fact brings with it a dark past, from which the hero wants to protect himself and his family. For this he has to pick up a weapon. Due to ridiculous distribution rules related to the rating, American distribution had to mute some episodes and make them less gory. In particular, the censors were concerned about the distinct crunch of broken noses and the excess of blood in the gunfight scenes. Although, it is strange to expect anything else from Cronenberg.
Trilogy: The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
Director – Peter Jackson
The Fellowship of the Ring:
Winner (4): Best Operator Work; Better visual effects; The best makeup; The best music for the film
Nominations (9): Best film; Best Supporting Actor (Ian McKellen); Best director; Best Adapted Screenplay; The best scenery; Best suits; Better sound; Better installation; The best song
The Two Towers:
Winner (2): Best Sound Editing; Better visual effects
Nominations (4): Best Film; The best scenery; Better sound; better installation
The Return of the King:
Winner (11): Best Film; Best director; Best Adapted Screenplay; The best scenery; Best suits; Better sound; Better installation; Better visual effects; The best makeup; Best song; The best original music
At one time, the producers who were approached by New Zealander Peter Jackson with the idea of transferring the world of Middle-earth to the big screen, twirled a finger at the temple. Then they said that the project would not pay off. Moreover, the issues of ownership of the rights to Tolkien’s book trilogy have not been finally clarified. But Jackson’s persistence and the development of computer technology convinced the producers to allocate funds. As a result, we got a standard fantasy triptych, with a detailed world and favorite characters.
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Director – Ridley Scott
Winner (2): Best Sound; better installation
Nominations (2): Best director; Better operator work
Somalia, 1993. The American operational-tactical group is participating in the operation to eliminate illegal paramilitary formations. The result of a fierce battle is the loss of 19 American soldiers. In addition, a number of Black Hawk helicopters and more than a thousand rebels did not return from the battle. Classic military action based on real events. In it, Ridley Scott drew both a panoramic excursion into the hell of war and found a place for humanism. The filmmaker managed to reveal each of the soldiers not only as a cog in the military machine, but also as an individual.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Directed by Ang Lee
Winner (4): Best Operator Work; The best scenery; The best music for the film; Best film in a foreign language
Nominations (6): Best Film; Best director; Best Adapted Screenplay; Best suits; Better installation; The best song
The story of love and hatred, betrayal and loyalty, bravery and cowardice. During his career, Ang Lee was able to film both an adaptation of the classic British novel by Jane Austen and a western about the love of two cowboys, show the beauty of the ocean and the desire for survival of a boy and a tiger, and build the drama of a small town during an ice storm. It is the “tiger-dragon” that stands out in such a titled filmography. Cinematic calligraphy of this picture will leave few people indifferent. With his light hand, the adventure genre of Chinese fantasy – Wusia has become a global trend. This is an absolutely must-see film in the Oscar selection: the best action movies.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Director – Steven Spielberg
Winner (5): Best Director; Better operator work; Better sound; Better installation; Better sound editing
Nominations (6): Best Film; Best Actor (Tom Hanks); Best case scenario; The best scenery; The best makeup; The best music for a dramatic film
Can a small squad be sacrificed for the life of a single soldier to bring him home safe and sound? The question, posed by screenwriter Robert Rodet and embodied by director Steven Spielberg, runs as a central refrain through the entire film. The viewer will answer it himself. But before that, he will go with the heroes through the bloody meat grinder of the famous landing of the allies in Normandy and rural France destroyed by the war.