I've done this for a couple years and the years in which I have correspond exactly to the years I'm not interested in watching the actual ceremony itself. You would think that having a "rooting interest" would make me more interested in watching but it's actually the opposite. I guess that knowing who you want to win takes away some of the "mystique" and a little bit of the "power" of the question "who will win?'
That's handy because the Oscar ceremony is exactly the same stuff every year. Every year people watch it and then complain about how long it was and how late it went. Every year the Academy agrees and takes steps to make sure it's shorter next year. And then the next year is always too long, and so on. It would make a great case study in cultural amnesia.
Best Actress
Nominees:- Cate Blanchett in “Carol”
- Brie Larson in “Room”
- Jennifer Lawrence in “Joy”
- Charlotte Rampling in “45 Years”
- Saoirse Ronan in “Brooklyn”
I'm starting with this category because it's the least interesting. No, not because of sexism (though all women do look the same to me) but because I wasn't blown over by anyone. Mind you, there were good performances by good actresses this year, but there is no performance that stands out as particularly amazing.
In particular would be Cate Blanchett and Charlotte Rampling. It really seems that they were nominated solely because they've been nominated in the past and seem to be safe choices. I don't see anything in the movies themselves that would usually warrant a nomination.
My Pick: Brie Larson in "Room". This is my best choice in a weak year. She's very good.
Best Actor
Nominees:
- Bryan Cranston in “Trumbo”
- Matt Damon in “The Martian”
- Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Revenant”
- Michael Fassbender in “Steve Jobs”
- Eddie Redmayne in “The Danish Girl”
It appears that Leonardo DiCaprio is the front-runner in this category and I have no idea why. Not only did he not give the best performance of the year, he didn't give the best performance in the movie that he's in (Tom Hardy makes him look like an amateur). People seem to be under the illusion that Leo is a great actor. He isn't. He's actually a pretty bad actor but he's nonetheless a popular one. One thing's for sure, if it turns out that all you need to do as an actor to win an Academy award is make a "crawling and grunting in the woods" movie, next year's nominees are going to be interminable.
My Pick: Matt Damon in "The Martian". From what I've heard, this seems to be an unpopular pick and he has no chance of winning. But I have to be honest with myself - and I don't even like Matt Damon usually - and say that, for me, his was the strongest performance. The perception is out there that he just played Matt Damon, Super Scientist Man but that isn't what I saw. From happy to confident to shattered to weak to depressed, there is more range in this performance than any other and Damon does it flawlessly. That's what I thought.
Best Picture
Nominees:
- “Mad Max: Fury Road”
- “The Martian”
- “Spotlight”
- “Bridge of Spies”
- “Brooklyn”
- “The Revenant”
- “Room”
- “The Big Short”
This felt like an average-to-below-average year. The movies, as a group, are good but not great. One exception: I don't see how "The Big Short" was nominated; it belongs nowhere near this category and I have no idea why it was. Good for Adam McKay though.
I was rooting for "Brooklyn" - it's the small, indie romance picture that would usually be my pick. But about three quarters into the movie, the plot takes a left turn which completely left me cold. Similarly, I went into "Bridge of Spies" with optimism because I like Spielberg and Hanks but it was just "okay". The story doesn't live up to the standard of the talent.
"The Revenant" is pure hype and no substance. It's probably the favorite to win but only because people are blinded by how difficult it was to film. Yes, they filmed it in freezing temperatures using only natural light but judge the movie not the process of film-making. There is no underlying message, there is nothing learned and there's hardly any invested emotion. Sure, when Leo is injured and crawling through the snow you hope he makes it to safety but that's literally all there is to the experience.
My Pick: "Mad Max: Fury Road". It was a toss up between Mad Max and "The Martian". Both are action/sci-fi adventures, which would normally be a handicap, but both are executed so well that they're my top two picks.
In the end, I give the edge to Mad Max. The world it creates is so original, the tension and pace it maintains is so rare, the spectacle of the visuals and stunts is amazing. Love it or hate it, you have to admit that it's completely original and unlike anything else you've seen. And that's definitely the deciding factor for me. I normally wouldn't consider a goofy action movie for Best Picture but in an era of endless sequels, reboots and comic book movies, it's incredibly rare to be able to say "I've never seen anything like that before". Any time a movie makes me say that, I can feel pretty secure in calling it the best picture of the year.
In the end, I give the edge to Mad Max. The world it creates is so original, the tension and pace it maintains is so rare, the spectacle of the visuals and stunts is amazing. Love it or hate it, you have to admit that it's completely original and unlike anything else you've seen. And that's definitely the deciding factor for me. I normally wouldn't consider a goofy action movie for Best Picture but in an era of endless sequels, reboots and comic book movies, it's incredibly rare to be able to say "I've never seen anything like that before". Any time a movie makes me say that, I can feel pretty secure in calling it the best picture of the year.
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