Predictions for the 88th Academy Awards

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh - “The Hateful Eight,” Rooney Mara - “Carol,” Rachel McAdams - “Spotlight,” Alicia Vikander - “The Danish Girl,” Kate Winslet - “Steve Jobs”

Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Will Win: Alicia Vikander - “The Danish Girl” - This is one of the hardest categories to predict this year.  On one hand, Winslet won the Golden Globe and BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Award, and on the other hand, Vikander won the Critics Choice Award and Screen Actors Guild Award.  While I do think this category could go either way on Oscar night, I think Vikander will manage to squeak by.  While Winslet was great in “Steve Jobs,” Vikander had the meatier role, and a win at the SAG Awards could give her an extra push to the Dolby Theatre stage.

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Should Win: Rooney Mara - “Carol” - As dazzling as Cate Blanchett was in the titular role, Mara actually turned out to play the more interesting of the two leading parts.  As Therese Belivet, a shopgirl and aspiring photographer who falls in love with Blanchett’s character, Mara brought Therese’s coming-of-age story to exquisite life.  With a display of innocence and quiet need to become the person she was meant to be, Mara lit up the screen as she brought viewers on her character’s transformative journey, one that had you completely absorbed in the film to see where Therese’s path would take her.  At this point, it’s unlikely Mara will win; but, with this being one of her best performances to date, it will certainly be a welcome surprise if she does.

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale - “The Big Short,” Tom Hardy - “The Revenant,” Mark Ruffalo - “Spotlight,” Mark Rylance - “Bridge of Spies,” Sylvester Stallone - “Creed”

Will Win and Should Win: Sylvester Stallone - “Creed” - This is another race that’s somewhat difficult to call.  While Stallone won the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award, Idris Elba won the Screen Actors Guild Award for “Beasts of No Nation” (although he wasn’t nominated for an Oscar), and Rylance won the BAFTA Award.  However, the reason I think the Oscar will go to Stallone is because of how well he transitioned back into the much-beloved character of Rocky Balboa.  This has become one of Stallone’s best performances, and the Academy may want to welcome his glorious return to his iconic and career-defining role.

Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett - “Carol,” Brie Larson - “Room,” Jennifer Lawrence - “Joy,” Charlotte Rampling - “45 Years,” Saoirse Ronan - “Brooklyn”

Will Win and Should Win: Brie Larson - “Room” - Honestly, if there could be a tie between Larson and Ronan, I would gladly welcome it.  After all, a tie in this category has occurred in the past.  For me, however, Larson’s performance edges out Ronan’s, but by a small margin, mostly because the former’s performance is centered in a film that has a more complex story, which makes for an equally complex performance.  She perfectly embodies the character that was written so beautifully and realistically in Emma Donoghue’s novel, and having won many honors during the awards circuit up to now, it’s guaranteed Larson will win the Oscar, and deservedly so.

Best Actor: Bryan Cranston - “Trumbo,” Matt Damon - “The Martian,” Leonardo DiCaprio - “The Revenant,” Michael Fassbender - “Steve Jobs,” Eddie Redmayne - “The Danish Girl”

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio - “The Revenant” - Ever since his win at the Golden Globes, it began to seem more and more likely this would be DiCaprio’s year to win an Oscar, having received five nominations over the course of his career, including this one.  At this point, it looks like it’s going to happen.  As of now, he has received many of the major awards leading up to the Oscars, all of which have further solidified his chance at winning the gold statuette come Sunday night.  Being one of the most celebrated actors of his generation, the Academy will most likely want to give DiCaprio recognition this year.

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Should Win: Michael Fassbender - “Steve Jobs” - I know I’m going to receive flack for this, but as wonderful as DiCaprio’s performance was, I think this is one year where he shouldn’t win, simply because when you place his work this year against his other Oscar-nominated performances, it doesn’t quite match up.  Fassbender should be given the Oscar because he had to do a lot more actual acting in his performance, whereas DiCaprio mostly had to do grunts and groans with some bits of dialogue added in.  Working with Aaron Sorkin’s script, Fassbender completely threw himself into the role of Steve Jobs and made use of every second of his screen time.  By bringing the complexity and genius of his character to the big screen, Fassbender gave one of 2015’s most blazing performances, one that will rank among his best in what will surely be a long and illustrious career.

Best Director: Lenny Abrahamson - “Room,” Alejandro G. Iñárritu - “The Revenant,” Tom McCarthy - “Spotlight,” Adam McKay - “The Big Short,” George Miller - “Mad Max: Fury Road”

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Will Win: Alejandro G. Iñárritu - “The Revenant” - You probably heard stories about the difficulties that went into filming “The Revenant,” which led to the question of whether or not choosing to film in natural locations would be worth it.  Clearly, it was, as Iñárritu delivered a truly visceral moviegoing experience, and he’s since been picking up awards for his accomplishments.  He won the Golden Globe, the BAFTA Award, and the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Feature Film.  The only reason I can think of as to why the Academy won’t award him is because he won last year, and they may want to recognize someone else this year.  However, after the many wins he has received up to this point, there’s a significant chance he will be winning his second consecutive Oscar.

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Should Win: George Miller - “Mad Max: Fury Road” - As much as I admired the beautiful and harrowing experience Iñárritu presented to moviegoers, the work done by Miller this year was extraordinary.  I never would have thought a “Mad Max” sequel would be one of the best films of the year, but here we are.  After 30 years since the franchise’s third film, Miller took viewers through the chaos of his post-apocalyptic world to deliver a visual marvel.  He upped his game significantly with this film, and even though the movie is basically one long car chase, he kept the film in high gear with an energy that didn’t go anywhere but up for the two-hour running time.  Miller crafted an action spectacle that caused the viewer to stare in awe at the screen, giving us one of the most exhilarating and supremely entertaining films of the decade.

Best Picture: “The Big Short,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Brooklyn,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Martian,” “The Revenant,” “Room,” “Spotlight”

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Will Win: “The Revenant” - This year’s Best Picture race is by far one of the most difficult to predict in recent years, as it looks like it can go to either “The Revenant,” “The Big Short,” or “Spotlight.”  That being said, let’s break it down: “The Revenant” won Best Picture at the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards, and it’s a rare possible winner that is not only a critical hit, but a commercial one, as well.  It also helps its chances that there’s a high probability of Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Leonardo DiCaprio winning in their categories.  Then, there’s “The Big Short,” which has mainly been picking up awards for its screenplay, but has also won the Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture, an award has been a very good indicator of who will win Best Picture.  Lastly, there’s “Spotlight,” which was one of the top contenders before the latter two films were released, but has still held onto some of its traction, winning “Best Picture” from many top critics groups.  However, with the combined praise “The Revenant” is receiving for its directing, acting, and technical accomplishments, it could end up winning the big prize come Oscar night.

Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Should Win: “Spotlight” - While I liked “The Revenant” for the filmmaking achievement it was, “Spotlight” carried a much more interesting story.  It was relevant, deeply layered, tense, tragic, and triumphant, and the screenplay was brought to life by Tom McCarthy’s direction and one of the best casts assembled for a 2015 film.  It was the type of movie that held you immobile in your seat as you watched the events play out on screen, and you were left shocked at what you learned.  Feeling that kind of power movies can have on you is one of the most unforgettable parts of the filmgoing experience, and “Spotlight” had that power in abundance. 

The 88th Academy Awards will air on Sunday, February 28 at 8:30PM on ABC.

He’s a Superhero, But He Never Said He’s a Role Model

Brianna Hildebrand and Ryan Reynolds in "Deadpool"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

With all of the movies based on comic-book characters that have come out since the early 2000s, we have become used to them following a certain format: the protagonists receive their powers, learn to use them, establish a code of ethics, save the world, and then prepare for any dangers they may have to face in the future.  Although most of these films have been supremely entertaining, there comes a point when you wish for the formula to be shaken up a bit, to add a bit of variety to a genre that now has more and more films coming out every year.

Director Tim Miller offers a change to the genre with the superhero comedy, “Deadpool,” which is based on the comic-book character by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld and takes place in the X-Men universe.  He certainly isn’t the kind of superhero you have seen on the big screen so far, making him almost like an anomaly among all the other heroes who have come before him.  In a film that delights in its rapid jokes and ultra-violence, this is a superhero story that gleefully undos not all, but many comic-book movie conventions we have seen in the past.

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces operative who now works as a mercenary in New York City and soon meets the love of his live, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin).  After Wade is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he’s approached by a recruiter for a secret program who has heard about his illness and Special Forces experience, and offers him a chance to undergo a procedure that will cure his ailment and give him superhero abilities.  When Wade learns this experiment is for much more nefarious purposes, he is left for dead in the destroyed facility by weapons expect Francis Freeman (Ed Skrein).  After Wade emerges from the rubble with new healing abilities, he will take the name of “Deadpool” and hunt down the man who almost killed him.

Ryan Reynolds reprises his role from 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” in which the film’s depiction of the character was disliked by viewers; but, Reynolds was fine in the part back then, in terms of his acting.  This film, however, brings the foul-mouthed, fourth-wall-breaking debauchery Deadpool’s character deserves.  Reynolds joyfully revels in his character’s quick-wittedness and unapologetic crudeness, making him not your usual Peter Parker or Tony Stark type of superhero.  You never know what outrageous words are going to come out of his mouth next, but you know you’re going to laugh, and Reynolds’ line delivery offers his dialogue a true punch.  Deadpool is someone who couldn’t care less what you think of him, and Reynolds hilariously projects this part of his character’s personality when he says and does whatever he pleases.  However, despite Reynolds providing a mostly comedic performance, he also brings Deadpool’s more dramatic side in certain moments of the film as he undergoes the experiment and later tries to deal with the consequences of what has happened to him. 

Although there are some supporting characters who are more memorable than others , there are two who make a significant impact, and they are X-Men mutants Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and Colossus (Stefan Kapičić).  Seeing the dialogue between these two characters and Deadpool is one of the most fun aspects of the film, with Colossus and Deadpool being complete opposites of each other in terms of superhero ethics, and NTW getting on Deadpool’s nerves with her humorously deadpan adolescent persona.  I hope to see them both back for the sequel so this trio can treat us to more of their humorous interactions.

The screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick offers a refreshing take on the superhero genre that includes a heavy dose of witty irreverence, thanks to the main character’s antihero sensibilities.  Because the narrative allows for Deadpool to break the fourth wall from time to time as a way to address the audience, it serves as a comical and uncommon method of letting us know what he’s thinking.  Reese and Wernick take this opportunity to write the character the way he’s meant to be and let him enjoy the unconventional superhero antics and inappropriateness we expect from Deadpool.

Seeing as the film is almost a half hour shorter than most superhero films, the story is rather thin and eventually goes into familiar territory with Wade trying to rescue his girlfriend when she’s kidnapped about two thirds into the film.  But, it’s a pretty forgivable flaw, seeing as the screenplay provides their relationship with behavior and dialogue you probably never imagined you would see in a superhero-film romance.

This is Miller’s directorial debut, and it’s clear he not only has what it takes to construct a superhero film, but is also able to handle taking us in a direction that is unfamiliar to audiences of the genre.  He can film highly charged action sequences that earn the film its R-rating, while also keeping it in balance with the humor, similar to what we saw in the two “Kick-Ass” films.  Although we have seen R-rated superhero movies before with those two films, the change to the superhero formula is still refreshing because this is a Marvel Comics character we’re dealing with; and, before Deadpool, the heroes we saw on screen from Marvel were more family friendly, a description that hilariously doesn’t apply to Miller’s film.

While we’re at a time where there are multiple superhero movies coming out in a given year (there are six this year alone, including “Deadpool”), a film such as Miller’s will show you this genre can be taken in a direction that breaks the norm of many comic-book movies we’ve seen before.  It all works because the film pulls it off without seeming like it’s trying too hard to be different, just like Deadpool himself.

Grade: B+

Finding Meaning in the Monotony of Life

Michael Stone (David Thewlis) and Lisa Hasselman
(Jennifer Jason Leigh) in "Anomalisa"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Charlie Kaufman is an individual who has written movies that encourage audiences to use their brains when watching them.  As the writer of films such as “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” “Adaptation,” and “Being John Malkovich,” he has delivered films that are both complex and fascinating.  

He has now written the illuminating, funny, and emotional stop-motion animated film, “Anomalisa,” which he also co-directed with Duke Johnson.  With the exemplary work they have committed to this film, we are given one of the strangest and most beautiful movies of 2015.

Michael Stone (David Thewlis) is a middle-aged, self-help author who finds very little excitement in life and can barely connect with anyone.  During a one-night stay in a Cincinnati hotel at which he’s set to give a presentation at a customer-service conference, he meets Lisa Hesselman (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a timid young woman who plans to attend Michael’s talk.  As he gets to know her, Michael comes to realize Lisa could be the one to make him love life again.

The voice work from David Thewlis offers his character a sense loneliness and melancholy.  The way in which his character delivers his dialogue with a soft and somewhat cynical voice gives us an idea of how he’s someone who has grown weary of the dreariness he experiences everyday in the world, unable to find a lasting bond with any individual.  When he’s with Lisa, we hear a subtle spark of life return to his speech, a transition Thewlis’ voice captures beautifully as the film progresses.

Jennifer Jason Leigh offers magnetic voice work as Lisa and offers a wonderful blend of bashfulness and free-spiritedness to her character.  She’s a somewhat enigmatic individual, and her demeanor makes the viewer want to learn as much as they can about her.  Once she begins to open up to Michael, it’s as if she offers a whole other world of possibilities for him, and we’re aching to see where these two will end up.

Besides Thewlis and Leigh, the only other actor who is part of the cast is Tom Noonan, who provides the voices for the rest of the characters.  What this does is place the viewer in the position of Michael as he listens to those around him and perceives everyone as the same person (besides sounding alike, they also have identical faces), letting us experience the environment of uniformity that is constantly bringing him down.

The screenplay by Charlie Kaufman offers much to think about.  This is the type of movie where, once the credits being rolling, you just sit back in your chair and try to think about what you just watched.  It’s a film that will have you dissecting it in your head afterwards, and you will be surprised at the theories you conjure in your mind if you think about the film long enough.  With the use of characters that look and sound identical, drab colors, and occasionally low lighting, you are placed in Michael’s life and encounter the mundanity that has been plaguing him.  Although you may be rolling your eyes that this film sounds like another story of a middle-aged man having a midlife crisis, this film takes it in an unexpected direction that makes it worthy of a viewing.

Kaufman and Johnson bring us a film that has us think throughout its duration; not because the story is difficult to follow, but because they encourage the audience to work out the meaning behind Michael’s existential journey.  “Anomalisa” is the type of film in which you feel like you’re watching something truly unique, and it offers a tremendous payoff for patient viewers.  You may even come out of the film thinking about life a little differently.

Final grade: A