Academy Announces Seven Finalists for Makeup/Hairstyling Oscar

Ever since the Academy Award for Best Makeup was renamed the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling in 2012, competition has been truly intense. For proof, look no further than the announcement of the seven finalists competing for this year's Makeup and Hairstyling Oscar. It's a list that is notable less for the films included, and more for the movies excluded.

Among expected frontrunners, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Into the Woods, Get on Up and Unbroken were all snubbed by the Academy. Considering the ambitious nature of these four films, it seemed like they'd be virtual locks for the award. But they were ultimately unable to secure a spot among the seven finalists, which is all the more puzzling when you consider what got in.

Okay, "puzzling" is probably the wrong word, since there isn't a single undeserving finalist here, but it seems the Academy is privileging subtle makeup work this year over the more garish, over-the-top looks of years past. Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Theory of Everything make perfect sense as potential nominees, as Foxcatcher's makeup work transforms Steve Carrell, The Theory of Everything's makeup helps shape Eddie Redmayne's performance, and The Grand Budapest Hotel accentuates the absurdist, quirky nature of Wes Anderson's aesthetic. And hey, it's not as if ambitious, epic fare was left out. Box office hits Guardians of the Galaxy and Maleficent are just two of the finalists, alongside similarly widely-seen films like Noah and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. It's a really eclectic collection of films and makeup/hairstyling choices.

Check out the full list of finalists below:

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Maleficent
Noah
The Theory of Everything

We'll find out which three films are nominated for Oscar gold when the 87th Academy Award nominations are announced on Thursday, Jan. 15.

Credit: Marvel Studios