The Golden Globes traditionally blaze a trail for Hollywood in January, giving us a few clues about who is hot and who is not in the awards season – but make no mistake, it’s the Academy Awards that matter most.
Detracting from the festivities this year are some shocking snubs – Star Wars: The Force Awakens, one of the biggest movies in history, failed to make the best-picture cut, while Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation) and Michael Keaton (Spotlight) were likewise ignored.
Most notably, though, all-white acting nominations for a second year in a row has dented Oscar’s reputation. We fully expect brassy host Chris Rock to join in the diversity debate during the show.
But without diminishing the importance of the issues, let us set the political brouhaha aside for a moment and focus on the event itself. Here’s what to expect in the main categories.
• The 88th Academy Awards airs at 5.30am (live) and 11am (rerun) on Monday on OSN Movies Premiere. Red carpet coverage begins at 2am (live) and 9.30am (rerun). Ryan Seacrest and Giuliana Rancic will also cover the red carpet from 2.30am on E! Entertainment
Best Picture
Nominees: The Big Short; Bridge of Spies; Brooklyn; Mad Max: Fury Road; The Martian; The Revenant; Room; and Spotlight
The Buzz: In 2011, balloting rules were changed to allow up to 10 nominees (double the previous five) for Best Picture. This year, nine are in the running.
Three have pulled ahead of the pack at other awards ceremonies: financial comedy-drama The Big Short, about four outsiders who saw the writing on the wall before the housing-bubble burst; Spotlight, the true story of how Boston journalists shook the Catholic church to its core by uncovering a child-abuse scandal; and The Revenant, about a bear-mauled, grief-stricken frontiersman in 1825 who braves the winter wilderness to exact revenge on a "friend" who left him for dead.
With Golden Globe and Bafta victories already under its belt, momentum clearly favours The Revenant.
Prediction: The Revenant
newslide
Best Actor
Nominees: Bryan Cranston, Trumbo; Matt Damon, The Martian; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant; Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs; and Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
The Buzz: This is the strongest field in years, with each actor delivering a tour-de-force performance. Bryan Cranston soars as screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, whose courage to fight for individual liberty helped to put an end to the shameful Hollywood blacklist of the 1950s, while Michael Fassbender injects a captivating icy coolness into his portrayal of the late Apple guru Steve Jobs.
But it is Leonardo DiCaprio’s gut-wrenching crawl through frozen mountains, plus the fact he’s gone home empty-handed four times, that has Hollywood in his corner.
Prediction: Leonardo DiCaprio
Best Actress
Nominees: Cate Blanchett, Carol; Brie Larson, Room; Jennifer Lawrence, Joy; Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years; and Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
The Buzz: Few expected Jennifer Lawrence to be nominated yet again (her fourth nod, with two wins already at the age of 25), this time for her portrayal of Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano.
Still, the real heat in this category radiates from two relative newcomers: Brie Larson, who in Room plays a woman held captive for years who finally escapes with her young son, and Saoirse Ronan, who stars in Brooklyn as an Irish immigrant in 1950s New York.
Prediction: Brie Larson, with Saoirse Ronan as a potential upset
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees: Christian Bale, The Big Short; Tom Hardy, The Revenant; Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight; Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies; and Sylvester Stallone, Creed
The Buzz: For his excellent reprisal of Rocky Balboa, now a retired prizefighter who steps back into the ring as a coach and mentor to his friend's son, Sylvester Stallone is the sentimental favourite and front-runner, bolstered by a Golden Globe win. If anyone can deliver a knockout blow to Rocky, it will be Tom Hardy, who enjoyed a wildly entertaining, crowd-pleasing surge this year, also appearing in Mad Max: Fury Road and Legend.
Prediction: Sylvester Stallone
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight; Rooney Mara, Carol; Rachel McAdams, Spotlight; Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl; and Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
The Buzz: This is the toughest category to call – it is really a wide-open race. Kate Winslet was great as a marketing executive and confidant to Apple legend Steve Jobs – but she is up against the rising star-power of Vikander, as a 1920s portrait artist confronted with her husband's transformation into a woman, and Mara, whose character falls into a complicated relationship with the elegant Carol (Cate Blanchett) in 1950s Manhattan. Winslet's credentials as an Oscar veteran (she won in 2008 for The Reader and is on her seventh nomination) might give her the edge.
Prediction: Kate Winslet
‘It’s probably going to be Leo’s year’
If you stand in a line long enough at the amusement park, you'll get the front of the queue – and with this, his fifth acting nomination, Leonardo DiCaprio is a shoo-in to soar to the top of the Hollywood rollercoaster, for his gruelling revenge odyssey in The Revenant.
Despite three Golden Globes – including top-acting honours in January for The Revenant – and many other acting awards over the years, DiCaprio has yet to stand at the winner's podium on Oscar night.
Kate Winslet, who played Rose to Leo's Jack in Titanic, recently told BBC News that a DiCaprio wave is at long last washing over Hollywood.
“I think you can sort of feel it, and I think that everyone wants it for him,” says Winslet, herself nominated for best supporting actress for her role in Steve Jobs. “I think you can sort of feel the temperature. It’s probably going to be Leo’s year.”
A Rock and a hard place
African-American Chris Rock may have a hard time joking his way through a ceremony in crisis – but you can be sure he’ll give it a good shot.
Without rehashing the controversy surrounding the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag, one thing is certain – the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is smarting – and has pinned its hopes on Rock to save their big night.
The best thing Rock has going for him is his snide fearlessness in front of an audience – and a track record that crackles with the kind of brash mental agility he will need to outshine the boycotts and protests.
For Rock, who’s expected to use his monologue to tackle the hullabaloo, it’ll be a tightrope walk The Flying Wallendas would envy. But even with the future of the Oscars on the line, just don’t expect much in the way of diplomacy from him.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Background: Chemical Weapons
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Stage result
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 4:42:34
2. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco
5. Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
6. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
7. Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team
8. Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
9. Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
10. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirate
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
