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What kind of difference are the newest Academy members having on what gets nominated for and wins an Oscar?

Their general observations about the nominations were candid and juicy.

Will the new voters have enough of an impact to deliver some surprising winners?

Here were their anonymous thoughts on those big races.

How Far is Hollywood From Achieving Equality?

People dont realize this is Lauries first major film role!

said one voter in the casting branch.

She is an American treasure thats been completely undervalued, so Im thrilled to see her get this recognition.

Many members said the Best Supporting Actress race was the most difficult race to decide.

ButAllison Janney is great, and I also thought Lesley Manville was incredible.

Indeed,thePhantom Threadscene-stealerwas neck and neck with Janney with our voters.

I think Lesley Manville might steal, said a member of the at-large branch.

Im a real sucker for Allison Janney, said a director we spoke to.

Said another member, She went deep with it and brought humor, pathos, and grit.

This performance will go down in the history books.

I think what Sam did is remarkable, said one of the voters.

I didnt expect that at all from him or the film.

The nomination is Rockwells first, but many voters felt he was still overdue.

Rockwell earned more than double the votes of his closest competition,The Florida ProjectsWillem Dafoe.

He really moved me.

Some of the other voters, though, werent sure why Dafoes low-key turn was even in the race.

I wouldnt consider that performance Oscar-worthy, said one new member.

I dont feel like he had a ton to do.

I find that really disappointing.

I love Frances, said one new member of the directors branch.

I love her, I love her, I love her.

I like everyone else in the category, but I didnt like any of their performances.

Other voters did, however.

She went to new territory for me, thats why I liked what I saw.

That seems like the old Oscars.

Theres something that doesnt seem fresh in that performance.

Gary Oldman was just fucking brilliant, said one voter.

Hes a journeyman actor, and Ive always loved his work.

You watch that movie and youre like, Fuck, hes chewing this up!

Oldmansmakeup-aided portrayalof Winston Churchill was especially singled out forthe amount of research and workthat went into it.

Younger voters were less enamored.

What Gary Oldman does is way beyond mimic, but Timothee created a person.

Thats the thing that blows me away.

I could never do that.

Hes obviously had a great year, but that performance stayed with me.

His performance is the one that stuck with me all year, said a member of the acting branch.

Denzel Washington, the fifth nominee in the category, did not receive a vote from our group.

Roman J. Israel, Esq.?

No, even though I love Denzel, said one member.

[Get Out] is a thousand percent a fresh perspective, said a producer.

I want to be like, They should all get a fucking Oscar because theyre my friends!

You have to completely separate yourself because Im insanely proud of all of these people.

I thought it was rad.

Expect that to change this Sunday.

It was moving and beautiful and my favorite film in that category, said one voter.

Comic-book entryLoganscored no votes with our crew, thoughMudboundandMollys Gameearned one each.

My husband loved it.

Maybe its a male thing, or I have James Franco fatigue.

Those can sway you, when you really understand the filmmakers vision.

By the way, seeing whats behind the curtain at the Academy … its so sad.

Campaigning starts in July!

I know Im not the first person to say Hollywood is disgusting, but Hollywoods fucking disgusting.

A woman in the documentary branch told us, Im really torn.

Is that a really horrible, provocative thing to say?

She got some great performances butThe Shape of Water, he created this whole other world.

Youre dealing with the fucking CGI!

And how do you incorporate that and get a real performance?

How do you art direct a whole world?

Could Jordan sneak in?

andDunkirks Christopher Nolan had his passionate partisans for and against.

Another was fatally unimpressed: Dunkirkis whatever, she said.

I think we shouldnt be making movies about that war anymore.

One new member we spoke to had a theory.

We have a director like Chris Nolan who is arguably one of the best directors working now.

He makes brilliant, big-budget, thoughtful action movies, but hes not being embraced.

What aboutGet Out, which took home the WGA award and feels like the most of-the-moment contender?

We needed this message now more than ever.

Said another besotted voter, Amongst many other remarkable things, its a love letter to Hollywood and movies.

It wears its heart on its sleeve, and that plays well with people who make movies.

It didnt move me.

Still, no one had an issue with its craft.

It really went for something, it created a world.

It just was apples and oranges toLady Bird.

But I enjoyed watching Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep together!

Will I vote for it for Best Picture?

Not in a bajillion years.

Some of the voters we spoke to had still not settled on their final pick.

I just dont know, said one publicist, who couldnt predict what she thought would win, either.

If you look at technical ability and pure filmmaking genius,Dunkirkhas that sewn up.

People are actuallygetting their own billboardsandputting them up, trying to tell a political story.

Thats organic, you know?

asked one director we spoke to.

What movie enlightened us to something in the way thatMoonlightdid?

Thats whats preventing me from [voting for it].

That is this yearsMoonlight, she complained.

That was a beautiful, unique, and passionate story that was so elegantly told.