This year’s AFI Fest, which ended Thursday, offered world premieres of three high-profile movies — “The Big Short,” “By the Sea” and “Concussion” — but, as has been often been the case with the glitzy Hollywood festival, its programmed slate offered no dramatic jolts to the awards-season landscape.
With Oscar nomination voting beginning in six weeks, the post-AFI picture in the major categories remains cloudy, a marked contrast to last year, when three of the four eventual acting winners — Julianne Moore, J.K. Simmons and Patricia Arquette — were already seen as mortal locks in their races.
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Though there are currently several movies possessing clear Oscar potential — “Spotlight,” “The Martian,” “Room,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Brooklyn” — there’s no clear-cut favorite, leaving an opening for a trio of coming Christmas releases (“The Revenant,” “Joy,” “The Hateful Eight”) to make an impact.
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Noticeably missing from this AFI Fest were last-minute adds. Last year, “American Sniper” and “Selma” dropped into the schedule — on the same night, no less — lending the festival some drama and awards-season intrigue, as both movies proved to be potent award season fare and went on to be nominated for the best picture Oscar.
AFI Fest’s 2015 movies did offer some intrigue. Adam McKay’s scathing “The Big Short,” an adaptation of the Michael Lewis book chronicling the 2008 mortgage debt meltdown and the Wall Street outsiders who saw it coming, closed the festival, winning strong notices for its energy and timeliness as well as the strength of its ensemble, led by Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling and, in a small role, Brad Pitt.
McKay’s movie, shot earlier this year and quickly assembled, became a late add to the 2015 calendar, and Paramount has been quietly screening it for academy members in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco the last couple of weeks. Producer Lynda Obst and director Peter Bogdanovich hosted an industry screening recently at the Directors Guild, which elicited a wave of accolades on social media from the likes of filmmakers Peyton Reed, Rod Lurie and Nicholas Jarecki and some in-person endorsements from Robert Towne and Buck Henry.
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Actor Christian Bale takes pictures and signs autographs with fans lining Hollywood Boulevard before walking the red carpet for the premiere of “The Big Short” on the closing night of AFI.
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Actors Lily Rabe, left, and Hamish Linklater giggle on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Big Short.”
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Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale and other cast members leave the theater after director Adam McKay introduced the premiere of “The Big Short” on closing night of the AFI festival.
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Actor Steve Carell joins Melissa Leo on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Big Short” on closing night of the AFI Fest.
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Actress Karen Gillan does her thing on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Big Short” on the closing night of the festival.
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Actor Ryan Gosling is captured on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Big Short” on the closing night of the festival.
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From left, actors Ryan Gosling, Marisa Tomei and Steve Carell get chatty on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Big Short” on the closing night of the AFI festival.
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Actor Finn Wittrock is captured on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Big Short” on the closing night of the festival.
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Will Smith poses with fans near the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where he’d arrived Tuesday for the AFI Fest premiere of his film “Concussion.”
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Will Smith, with producer Giannina Facio and her partner, writer/producer/director Ridley Scott, have a laugh before the premiere of “Concussion” at AFI FEST 2015.
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Actor Will Smith poses for photos and signs autographs for fans lined up along Hollywood Boulevard on Tuesday.
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Dr. Julian Bailes, former team physician for the Pittsburgh Steelers, greets former NFL lineman Leonard Marshall, right, before the premiere of “Concussion.”
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Actor Will Smith, right, with director Peter Landesman on the red carpet.
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Musician Leon Bridges, left, and actor Will Smith before the premiere of “Concussion.”
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Actress Sara Lindsey on the red carpet for the premiere of “Concussion” at AFI Fest on Tuesday.
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Actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Hollywood for the premiere of “Concussion.”
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Actors Mike O’Malley, left, and Will Smith on the red carpet for their film “Concussion.”
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Actors Mike O’Malley, from left, David Morse, Sara Lindsey, Will Smith, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Albert Brooks pose before the premiere of their film “Concussion.”
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Sports broadcaster Bob Costas, second from left, greets actor Will Smith, right, on the red carpet.
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Actresses Gugu Mbatha-Raw, left and Sara Lindsey attend the Sony after-party following the premiere of “Concussion” at AFI Fest 2015.
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Actor Will Smith and Dr. Bennet Omalu, whom Smith portrays in “Concussion,” attend the Sony after-party at the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel.
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Producer and director Ridley Scott borrows a camera to take a group photo at the “Concussion” after-party.
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Actor Ewan McGregor speaks to reporters before the film “Last Days in the Desert” at AFI Fest 2015 on Wednesday.
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Actor Ewan McGregor, left, and director Rodrigo Garcia pose for photos before showing their film “Last Days in the Desert” on Wednesday at AFI Fest.
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The cast and four of the Chilean miners whose stories are told in the “The 33” pose on the red carpet before the film’s premiere at AFI Fest.
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Mario Gomez, from left, Luis Urzua, Edison”’Elvis” Peña and Juan Carlos Aguilar at the Hollywood premiere of “The 33,” the film that tells their story of being trapped in a Chilean mine.
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Actress Juliette Binoche before the premiere of “The 33” at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
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Actor Jacob Vargas, right, poses with Edison “Elvis” Peña, the Chilean miner he portrayed in “The 33.”
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A model of the rescue capsule used to save the Chilean miners is displayed at the premiere of “The 33.”
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Actor Antonio Banderas, who stars in “The 33,” and Nicole Kimpel on the red carpet at AFI Fest in Hollywood.
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Juliette Binoche and Antonio Banderas before the premiere of “The 33.”
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“The 33” actresses Kate Del Castillo, from left, Cote de Pablo and Juliette Binoche on the red carpet.
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Author and former Los Angeles Times reporter Hector Tobar on the red carpet for “The 33.” The film was adapted from Tobar’s book “Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free.”
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Oscar De La Hoya poses for photos before the premiere of “The 33” at AFI Fest.
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Sylvester Stallone and his wife, Jennifer Flavin, at “The 33” oremiere.
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Sylvester Stallone, right, gets a hug from Chilean miner Luis Urzua as actor Lou Diamond Phillips watches.
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Actress Cote de Pablo, center, poses with Chilean miners Luis Urzua, from left, Juan Carlos Aguilar, Mario Gomez and Edison “Elvis” Peña and producer Mike Medavoy before the premiere of “The 33.”
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The cast of the film “Mustang” and director Deniz Gamze Ergüven, far right, arrive to be photographed at AFI Fest.
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Sony Pictures Classics’s copresidents and cofounders, Michael Barker, left and Tom Bernard, pose with Hungarian director László Nemes, center, before the showing of his film “Son of Saul” on Monday.
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Hungarian director László Nemes, left, and his lead actor Geza Ršhrig before the showing of their film, “Son of Saul,” at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
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Director Michael Moore arrives Nov. 7 for the showing of his new film, “Where to Invade Next,” at AFI Fest 2015 at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
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Director Michael Moore walks the red carpet before showing his new film, “Where to Invade Next,” on Nov. 7 at Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.
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Actress Sally Kirkland poses on the red carpet before the showing of director Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next” on Nov. 7.
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Actor Richard Chamberlain poses for photographers on the red carpet before a showing of Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next” on Nov. 7.
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Actor Sam Waterston walks the red carpet before the showing of director Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next” on Nov. 7 in Hollywood.
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Director Michael Moore introduces “Where to Invade Next” at AFI Fest 2015.
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Producer Carl Dean, left, director Michael Moore and producer Tia Lessin introduce their new film, “Where to Invade Next,” at AFI Fest 2015 in Hollywood on Nov. 7.
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Movie fans line up along North McCadden Place in Hollywood for a showing of Michael Moore’s “Where to Invade Next” at AFI Fest 2015.
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Gr’mur Hakonarson, director of the Icelandic film “Rams,” is photographed before heading into the theatre to introduce his film at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres on the second night of AFI Fest 2015. There are 127 films from 45 countries showing in this year’s festival.
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Grimur Hakonarson, director of the Icelandic film “Rams,” does a brief interview with AFI Fest staff before introducing his film at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres on the second night of the AFI Fest 2015 in Hollywood.
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Rafaella Biscayn, left, Sarah Bigle and Andrew Godoski have fun in a photobooth at an AFI alumni party at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on the second night of the AFI Fest 2015.
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Director Nicholas Hytner, left, and actor Alex Jennings arrive to introduce “The Lady in the Van.”
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Movie fans wait -- some seemingly a little longer than others -- for director Nicholas Hytner and actor Alex Jennings to arrive and introduce their film, “The Lady in the Van.”
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Director Nicholas Hytner, left, and actor Alex Jennings introduce “The Lady in the Van.”
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The room was full for an AFI alumni party at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel on the second night of AFI Fest 2015 in Hollywood.
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Attendees of the AFI alumni reception at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel mix and mingle.
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A couple of attendees of the filmmaker AFI alumni reception share a moment away from the crowd.
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A person checks her phone outside the penthouse suite of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during a filmmaker welcome party that also previewed virtual-reality technologies.
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The scene outside the penthouse suite of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during a filmmaker welcome party.
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Volunteer Cecilia Martin watches virtual-reality content, including content created by Google, during a filmmaker welcome party in the penthouse suite of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
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People watch virtual-reality content during a filmmaker welcome party.
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People watch virtual-reality content produced by Vrse.Works.
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HOLLYWOOD, CA--NOVEMBER 05, 2015--Actress, writer, producer and director Angelina Jolie Pitt and her husband, actor Brad Pitt, pose on the red carpet for the opening night premiere of their new film, “By The Sea,” at AFI FEST 2015, presented by Audi, at TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, in Hollywood, CA, November 05, 2015. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Actors Melvil Poupaud and Melanie Laurent, left, pose alongside actress-writer-producer and director Angelina Jolie Pitt and her husband, actor Brad Pitt, on the red carpet for the premiere of “By the Sea” in Hollywood.
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Angelina Jolie Pitt and Brad Pitt walk the red carpet.
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Angelina Jolie Pitt answers questions.
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Festival director Jacqueline Lyanga poses on the red carpet before the premiere of “By the Sea.”
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Angelina Jolie Pitt and Brad Pitt draw a crowd, as usual.
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Actress Melanie Laurent of “By the Sea.”
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Melanie Laurent, left, and Angelina Jolie Pitt talk backstage at the premiere of “By the Sea.”
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An iPhone shows director Angelina Jolie Pitt speaking on the red carpet.
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Brad Pitt greets Donna Langley, chairman of Universal Pictures, on the red carpet for the premiere of “By the Sea.”
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Brad Pitt greets fans at the AFI Fest.
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Fans hope to get autographs from Angelina Jolie Pitt and Brad Pitt.
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Angelina Jolie Pitt greets fans.
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Jacqueline Lyanga, AFI Fest director, introduces Angelina Jolie Pitt, right.
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Angelina Jolie Pitt waits alongside Brad Pitt, before introducing her film, “By the Sea,” at AFI Fest.
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Angelina Jolie Pitt walks up to introduce “By the Sea.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Known for giddy comedies like “Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby” and the “Anchorman” movies, McKay is, to some, a surprising choice to handle serious-minded material, though a close inspection of his work reveals some sharp, sly critiques on the absurdities of American culture.
“I thought he was the perfect choice for this subject matter,” says Carell, whose hedge fund manager acts as the movie’s moral compass. “I couldn’t wait to do this with him.”
Carell will be campaigned in the lead category, where he will compete with Will Smith, another actor who found some good will at AFI Fest. In “Concussion,” Smith plays Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian immigrant forensic pathologist crusading against the National Football League over its whitewashing of the dangers posed by the sport’s constant on-field collisions.
Early critics applauded the movie’s intentions but not its execution. (It currently has a 47 score on the movie review aggregator site Metacritic.) But even most of the bad reviews have praised Smith, who, it should be noted, has won Oscar nominations in the past for “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Ali,” movies that weren’t roundly praised by critics.
And, if by chance he’s feeling down, Smith can take some comfort that his film wasn’t the fest’s most divisive entry. That would be “By the Sea,” the love-on-the-rocks marital drama written, directed and starring Angelina Jolie Pitt opposite husband Brad Pitt. Jolie’s attempt to mirror old-school European art cinema produced a fair amount of sighs, both on-screen between the couple and off among impatient festival-goers at the Chinese Theatre. Two people told me they fell asleep.
Organizers this year couldn’t persuade the studios behind a trio of highly anticipated Christmas Day releases — the westerns “The Revenant” and “The Hateful Eight” and “Joy,” filmmaker David O. Russell’s latest movie with Jennifer Lawrence — to unveil their projects at the fest.
But that doesn’t mean they weren’t being shown. Hours before “The Big Short” closed AFI Fest on Thursday, members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. filed into the Directors Guild’s theater to see Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight.”
Golden Globes voters’ reaction to the 70-millimeter, three-hour movie (yes, there’s an intermission), we’re told, was wildly divided — par for the course for an Oscar season sporting precious little consensus.
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