By Anastasia Kadiyala and Jackie Lee
The Oscars are arguably the film industry’s most important and publicized annual event, and this year’s winners were almost as exciting as the #OscarSoWhite controversy.
In a move that surprised no one, Chris Rock refused to back down from the issue. He addressed the topic of race and discrimination head-on, and even threw a few jabs at a couple celebrities, most notably Jada Pinkett-Smith. But even without the political and social tension, the 88th Annual Academy Awards was something to remember.
However, that doesn’t mean we have to agree with every decision the Academy made. Here are the nominations for the more noteable categories, with our own special touch.
Best Actor
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant (winner)
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
We totally agree with this category. Nobody even came close to Leo’s stellar performance, and his Oscar was already long overdue. His acceptance speech, which involved themes of ecological activism, was also appropriate for his personal platform as well as the setting of the film.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room (winner)
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Once again, we totally agree with the Academy. Larson’s performance in Room was 10 times better than any of her competitors’. The best part of her winning was definitely getting to watch Jacob Tremblay’s (her nine year old costar). More on that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWUsrEKqfRc
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant (should have won)
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies (winner)
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
We felt that Bridge of Spies was just an awful movie when we saw it, and that Rylance’s performance didn’t really add much to the boring plot. Despite a minimal appearance in The Revenant, Tom Hardy made Leo shine, and we don’t think another actor could have come even close to the performance Hardy gave in that film.
Best Supporting Actress
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl (winner)
The Danish Girl, starring Eddie Redmayne (a Blockbusters favorite), was an insightful, thought-provoking movie. Although Vikander was definitely outshined by Redmayne’s riveting performance, this movie was too good not to give her the Oscar.
Best Song
“Earned It”, Fifty Shades of Grey
“Manta Ray”, Racing Extinction
“Simple Song #3”, Youth
“Til It Happens To You”, The Hunting Ground (should have won)
“ Writing’s on the Wall”, Spectre (winner)
The Gaga we remember from the days of “Bad Romance” and “Pokerface” is long gone, but the woman who has replaced her provided a powerful performance of the emotional ballad “Til It Happens to You”, a song about rape and the effects it has on the minds and souls of survivors.
Yes, Sam Smith’s vocals were killer in “Writing’s on the Wall”, but it lacked the undeniable emotion that “Til It Happens to You” possessed.
Best Cinematography
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
Sicario
The Revenant (winner)
At this point, any Oscar that goes to a Leo movie is especially appreciated by us, considering we thoroughly enjoyed The Revenant and we love that Dicaprio finally got an Oscar this year.
