Academy Awards: Travel to the Locations of Oscar-Nominated Movies

The Oscars will be held Feb. 28 this year, and movie buffs everywhere are eagerly waiting to find out which film takes home the award for Best Picture. Combine your love of film and travel with trips to the filming locations of these Oscar favorites.

The Big Short

With a cast of large male names like Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt and Steve Carell, The Big Short is a book-based drama revolving around financial scheming and the collapse of the housing market. Filming was conducted in both New Orleans and Manhattan, including at the New York State Department of Financial Service, where the lobby was used to create office scenes.

Bridge of Spies

Tom Hanks’ Bridge of Spies focuses on the thriller-drama tale of an American lawyer during the Cold War, negotiating the release of a spy plane pilot. The film received critical acclaim after it came out last October. The title is derived from the Glienicke Bridge in Potsdam, where the historical exchange actually took place and where the scene was filmed.

Mad Max: Fury Road

You probably wouldn’t want to visit the post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max: Fury Road, but the shooting locations are close enough to modern civilization to provide adventure travel with a twist. Head to the Namib Desert or Potts Hill and Penrith Lakes in Australia.

The Martian

Matt Damon’s The Martian was split between Hungary and Jordan for filming purposes. A small village known as Etyek was used for all of the interior scenes. Wadi Rum, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Jordan, was used for the Mars scenes, but this isn’t the first time the destination has served such a purpose. It’s acted as a Martian landscape for at least three other sci-fi movies.

The Revenant

Fans are hoping The Revenant will finally be Leo’s chance to win an Oscar. The filming was certainly a trying experience — the production team decided to use all natural lighting only, with as little reliance on green screens as possible. This decision took them to 12 shooting locations in three countries, often in inclement weather conditions. Head to Fortress Mountain in Alberta or southern Argentina for a look at the strenuous conditions the crew and actors were exposed to.

Spotlight

Spotlight is a biographical drama centered on the United State’s oldest newspaper’s investigative unit. There were quite a few authentic settings used for the film, including Fenway Park, Boston Globe offices, the Boston Public Library and McMaster University (http://www.mcmaster.ca).