Happy Oscar Day! I gotta say, 2016 was a pretty good year for movies! Overall I was quite pleased with the films that came out this year. It was a challenge picking just 10 of my favorites. What were your favorites of the year? Here are mine.
10. Hacksaw Ridge
That Mel Gibson might be bat shit crazy, but he makes freakin' good films! This movie tells the true story of Desmond Doss who served in WWII without firing a single weapon. He wants to join the military as a medic, but because it's against his religion to kill, he refuses to touch a weapon, even through training. Everyone thinks he's a joke and a coward, but he proves them all wrong when he rescues something like 75 wounded soldiers from the battlefield to safety. It's an amazing story and an amazing film! Andrew Garfield did a fantastic job! He won't win, but I'm glad he was recognized for his work. I see a very bright future ahead for him. Also, Sam Worthington is hot.
9. Moonlight
*Warning: Spoilers!* I really liked Moonlight. It was exactly what I was expecting and yet somehow also managed to exceed my expectations. It was what I expected in terms of plot, story, and structure. What took it above and beyond for me though was the delicacy of it. They handled very rough subject matter with such understated poise and grace. Only an incredibly skilled filmmaker and cast could pull that off. The story is about the life of a young gay black boy named Chiron in Florida told in three parts. In the first section, Chiron is a small boy, running away from bullies, dealing with his drug addict mother, and questioning his sexuality. He is taken under the wing of Juan, played masterfully by Mahershala Ali. In the second section, Chiron is a high school student, still being picked on by bullies, still handling his mother's addiction, and now experimenting with his sexuality. In the third section, Chiron is a young man in his 20s, who has now confronted and fought off the bullies, finally making amends with his mother, and trying to figure out who he wants to be in terms of his sexuality.
The whole movie is good, but there is one scene in particular that moved me nearly to tears. It's in the first section. Chiron, at the age of maybe seven or eight is sitting with Juan and Juan's girlfriend, Teresa. The scene goes like this:
Chiron: What's a faggot?
Juan: Faggot is a word used to make gay people feel bad.
Chiron: Am I a faggot?
Juan: No. You might be gay, but don't ever let nobody call you a faggot.
It was so touching and heartbreaking to see this innocent little boy asking a grown man - who is not his father - about such heavy subject matter. I mean stab a knife in my heart! THEN it gets even darker:
Chiron: Do you sell drugs?
Juan: Yeah.
Chiron: Does my mom buy drugs from you?
Juan: Yeah.
EEEEESSHHH! Talk about awkward! Okay sorry for giving away the best scene, but while I was watching, it was during this very scene where I knew this film is a masterpiece that grabs you right in the gut! I think Mahershala Ali will win Best Supporting Actor and he absolutely deserves it hands down. If La La Land doesn't win Best Picture tonight, I think Moonlight will. And I'd be okay with that.
8. War Dogs
It still cracks me up that Jonah Hill has two Academy Award nominations! He is a good actor! And he showcases once again that he's a true professional with this unnerving, yet hilarious performance. This is another true story (lot of true stories on this list!) about two 20 something year old kids who become arms dealers. Jonah plays Efraim Diveroli, who at the beginning of the film is doing small time arms deals. But after recruiting David Packouz (Miles Teller) to be his partner, they soon find themselves making bigger and bigger deals, winning a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm the Afghan military. Arms dealing isn't exactly the safest business, so the guys find themselves in very dangerous situations in the middle of violent foreign countries. It's scary and funny and trilling all at the same time!
7. Eddie the Eagle
When this movie first came out, I thought it was some kind of comedic parody. I didn't think it was a real movie. I mean, look at that poster! Also, I was too young to remember the real Eddie the Eagle so I had no idea it was based on a real event. But the film got people talking, so my curiosity was peaked. I'm glad I check it out because it made my heart soar along with Eddie's awkward, nearly death making 90 meter jump! The story is about Michael "Eddie" Edwards, who dreams of competing in the Olympics since he was a little boy. Only one problem: he's not athletic. Like, not at all. He tries his hand at dozens of sports, failing all of them, until he realizes that he's not supposed to go to the Summer Olympics, but to the Winter Games! That's when he decides, almost randomly, that ski jumping is for him. And because the qualifications to be eligible to compete in the Games for the ski jump are relatively easy compared to other sports, he miraculously qualifies and competes in the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. I loved this movie. Absolutely loved it! It's totally cheesy and goofy at times, but it was right up my alley! Never give up on your dreams, people! You might actually achieve them and piss off the professionals in the process!
6. Moana
Disney is just killing it! Moana is a BEAUTIFUL film! Oh my gosh the animation looked like real life at times! If the characters didn't look so cartoon-y, I would have thought I was watching a live action film. Moana, young daughter of the chef of of an island in ancient Polynesia, is drawn to the ocean, and the ocean, in turn, calls to her. Her father, however, forbids her to go past the beach. When the crops start to fail, and the fishermen can't catch any more fish, Moana, going against her father's wishes, heads off into the ocean to save her village. She seeks the demigod, Maui, who has stolen the heart of the goddess Te Whiti. Once Te Whiti's heart is restored, the island will flourish again. The music in this movie is fantastic! I think "How Far I'll Go" is going to win Best Song, and I think Moana is going to win Best Animated Feature.
5. Deadpool
Deadpool is freakin' GREAT. I love how self aware it is as a film, and especially as a superhero film. That's a thin line to walk - you could dangerously dip into parody - but they walked it, ran it, skipped it, then did a freakin' back flip, and STILL landed on the line! From the opening title sequence that said "starring God's perfect idiot" and "produced by asshats," I knew this was going to be a gutsy, envelope pushing film. I've been having a severe case of superhero fatigue lately - I didn't like Captain America Civil War, and X-Men Apocalypse disappointed me - but Deadpool felt refreshing and new! It's like no other superhero movie before. It's funny, it's daring, it's action packed, and thoroughly enjoyable!
4. Zootopia
More Disney! The thing that I love most about Zootopia is the creativity of it! The animators truly invented a very detailed world for animals! Every frame of the film had some kind of cute and creative treat for the eyes: the tiny hamsters in their tiny suites and ties; the raised ceilings for the giraffes, the underwater "subways" for the hippos. Disney thought of everything! The story takes place in a world where animals have evolved and predator and prey live peacefully together. Our hero is Judy, Zootopia's first bunny cop. She dreams of making a difference and doing cop things like putting all the bad guys away, but since she's "just a bunny" she gets stuck writing parking tickets. When twelve animals go missing, Judy and a sly con fox named Nick team up to try to solve the case. This movie is on Netflix and I've already watched it like five times. I can't get enough! It's very cute and inspiring, and of course creative as hell! It's my personal pick for Best Animated Film, though like I said earlier, I think Moana will win.
3. Hidden Figures
This was probably the most inspiring movie of the year! Yet another true story! I was so proud of each of the main characters and the accomplishments they achieved. Three black women, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson, in the 1960's fight racial and sexual prejudices at NASA where they help put John Glenn in space. It's a pretty spectacular story! I literally had no idea black people worked at NASA at that time, let alone black women. But they did, and they played a huge role in science, culture, and American history. The movie is very entertaining, emotional, and like I said inspiring! All actors turn in wonderful performances. I'm pleased with Octavia Spencer's nomination, but I think Viola Davis is going to win. Fun fact: Mahershala Ali is in this movie too!
2. The Nice Guys
I'm pretty sure nobody saw this one but please, all, do yourselves a favor and go see The Nice Guys! It's a RIOT, let me tell ya! It's laugh out loud funny, but also smart and suspenseful. Holland (Ryan Gosling) and Jackson (Russell Crowe) are two PIs in disco era LA who have totally different investigation styles. Holland is more "go with the flow," while Jackson is more "I'm gonna beat you up until you tell me what I want." The two are forced to team up when their separate cases end up merging. The deeper they dig, they discover that their typical missing person case is not typical at all. They end up uncovering a huge government conspiracy that involves porn stars, environmental activists, and the FBI! It sounds like a sleazy crime novel, and I'll admit, parts of the film plays off like one, but it works! I don't think I've ever seen Ryan Gosling do comedy, but I think he should do more of it because he really shined bright in this one! He even pulled off physical comedy! I wish this little gem got more exposure because I think all people would enjoy it! It's very entertaining!
1. La La Land
I know, I know! So predictable, Kim! Yes, I agree. I didn't want La La Land to be my number one because at this point it's so uncool to even like La La Land right now. But I can't help it!! You can always win me over with song, dance, and a love story! I'm a cheap date! I think by now we all know what it's about. Emma and Ryan play two people living in LA, trying to achieve their dreams. Emma as an actress, Ryan as a jazz club owner. They meet, fall in love, and try their best to support each other's dreams, while simultaneously pursuing their own. The only negative thing I would say about this film is that I wish Ryan and Emma were better singers. Not that they're bad! But I can't help but want to hear someone like Beyonce or Adele belt out "Fools Who Dream." I can't wait to hear John Legend sing it tonight! If their singing abilities were as good as a professional singer's the movie would have been elevated to another realm altogether! I'm rooting for both Ryan and Emma tonight. I think Emma has a good chance, but Ryan is in a three way battle between Denzel and Casey. I haven't seen Fences, and I like Casey (he's an Affleck after all) but I don't think he can beat Ryan's singing, dancing, AND piano playing!
My thoughts on the other nominated films:
Arrival: Didn't see it.
Fences: Didn't see it.
Hell or High Water: I liked this one! It was good old fashion bank robbery fun!
Lion: Didn't see it.
Manchester by the Sea: Total Oscar bait. Depressing for the sake of being depressing. The performances were good, but...ugh.
10. Hacksaw Ridge
That Mel Gibson might be bat shit crazy, but he makes freakin' good films! This movie tells the true story of Desmond Doss who served in WWII without firing a single weapon. He wants to join the military as a medic, but because it's against his religion to kill, he refuses to touch a weapon, even through training. Everyone thinks he's a joke and a coward, but he proves them all wrong when he rescues something like 75 wounded soldiers from the battlefield to safety. It's an amazing story and an amazing film! Andrew Garfield did a fantastic job! He won't win, but I'm glad he was recognized for his work. I see a very bright future ahead for him. Also, Sam Worthington is hot.
9. Moonlight
*Warning: Spoilers!* I really liked Moonlight. It was exactly what I was expecting and yet somehow also managed to exceed my expectations. It was what I expected in terms of plot, story, and structure. What took it above and beyond for me though was the delicacy of it. They handled very rough subject matter with such understated poise and grace. Only an incredibly skilled filmmaker and cast could pull that off. The story is about the life of a young gay black boy named Chiron in Florida told in three parts. In the first section, Chiron is a small boy, running away from bullies, dealing with his drug addict mother, and questioning his sexuality. He is taken under the wing of Juan, played masterfully by Mahershala Ali. In the second section, Chiron is a high school student, still being picked on by bullies, still handling his mother's addiction, and now experimenting with his sexuality. In the third section, Chiron is a young man in his 20s, who has now confronted and fought off the bullies, finally making amends with his mother, and trying to figure out who he wants to be in terms of his sexuality.
The whole movie is good, but there is one scene in particular that moved me nearly to tears. It's in the first section. Chiron, at the age of maybe seven or eight is sitting with Juan and Juan's girlfriend, Teresa. The scene goes like this:
Chiron: What's a faggot?
Juan: Faggot is a word used to make gay people feel bad.
Chiron: Am I a faggot?
Juan: No. You might be gay, but don't ever let nobody call you a faggot.
It was so touching and heartbreaking to see this innocent little boy asking a grown man - who is not his father - about such heavy subject matter. I mean stab a knife in my heart! THEN it gets even darker:
Chiron: Do you sell drugs?
Juan: Yeah.
Chiron: Does my mom buy drugs from you?
Juan: Yeah.
EEEEESSHHH! Talk about awkward! Okay sorry for giving away the best scene, but while I was watching, it was during this very scene where I knew this film is a masterpiece that grabs you right in the gut! I think Mahershala Ali will win Best Supporting Actor and he absolutely deserves it hands down. If La La Land doesn't win Best Picture tonight, I think Moonlight will. And I'd be okay with that.
8. War Dogs
It still cracks me up that Jonah Hill has two Academy Award nominations! He is a good actor! And he showcases once again that he's a true professional with this unnerving, yet hilarious performance. This is another true story (lot of true stories on this list!) about two 20 something year old kids who become arms dealers. Jonah plays Efraim Diveroli, who at the beginning of the film is doing small time arms deals. But after recruiting David Packouz (Miles Teller) to be his partner, they soon find themselves making bigger and bigger deals, winning a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm the Afghan military. Arms dealing isn't exactly the safest business, so the guys find themselves in very dangerous situations in the middle of violent foreign countries. It's scary and funny and trilling all at the same time!
7. Eddie the Eagle
When this movie first came out, I thought it was some kind of comedic parody. I didn't think it was a real movie. I mean, look at that poster! Also, I was too young to remember the real Eddie the Eagle so I had no idea it was based on a real event. But the film got people talking, so my curiosity was peaked. I'm glad I check it out because it made my heart soar along with Eddie's awkward, nearly death making 90 meter jump! The story is about Michael "Eddie" Edwards, who dreams of competing in the Olympics since he was a little boy. Only one problem: he's not athletic. Like, not at all. He tries his hand at dozens of sports, failing all of them, until he realizes that he's not supposed to go to the Summer Olympics, but to the Winter Games! That's when he decides, almost randomly, that ski jumping is for him. And because the qualifications to be eligible to compete in the Games for the ski jump are relatively easy compared to other sports, he miraculously qualifies and competes in the 1988 Winter Olympic Games. I loved this movie. Absolutely loved it! It's totally cheesy and goofy at times, but it was right up my alley! Never give up on your dreams, people! You might actually achieve them and piss off the professionals in the process!
6. Moana
Disney is just killing it! Moana is a BEAUTIFUL film! Oh my gosh the animation looked like real life at times! If the characters didn't look so cartoon-y, I would have thought I was watching a live action film. Moana, young daughter of the chef of of an island in ancient Polynesia, is drawn to the ocean, and the ocean, in turn, calls to her. Her father, however, forbids her to go past the beach. When the crops start to fail, and the fishermen can't catch any more fish, Moana, going against her father's wishes, heads off into the ocean to save her village. She seeks the demigod, Maui, who has stolen the heart of the goddess Te Whiti. Once Te Whiti's heart is restored, the island will flourish again. The music in this movie is fantastic! I think "How Far I'll Go" is going to win Best Song, and I think Moana is going to win Best Animated Feature.
5. Deadpool
Deadpool is freakin' GREAT. I love how self aware it is as a film, and especially as a superhero film. That's a thin line to walk - you could dangerously dip into parody - but they walked it, ran it, skipped it, then did a freakin' back flip, and STILL landed on the line! From the opening title sequence that said "starring God's perfect idiot" and "produced by asshats," I knew this was going to be a gutsy, envelope pushing film. I've been having a severe case of superhero fatigue lately - I didn't like Captain America Civil War, and X-Men Apocalypse disappointed me - but Deadpool felt refreshing and new! It's like no other superhero movie before. It's funny, it's daring, it's action packed, and thoroughly enjoyable!
4. Zootopia
More Disney! The thing that I love most about Zootopia is the creativity of it! The animators truly invented a very detailed world for animals! Every frame of the film had some kind of cute and creative treat for the eyes: the tiny hamsters in their tiny suites and ties; the raised ceilings for the giraffes, the underwater "subways" for the hippos. Disney thought of everything! The story takes place in a world where animals have evolved and predator and prey live peacefully together. Our hero is Judy, Zootopia's first bunny cop. She dreams of making a difference and doing cop things like putting all the bad guys away, but since she's "just a bunny" she gets stuck writing parking tickets. When twelve animals go missing, Judy and a sly con fox named Nick team up to try to solve the case. This movie is on Netflix and I've already watched it like five times. I can't get enough! It's very cute and inspiring, and of course creative as hell! It's my personal pick for Best Animated Film, though like I said earlier, I think Moana will win.
3. Hidden Figures
This was probably the most inspiring movie of the year! Yet another true story! I was so proud of each of the main characters and the accomplishments they achieved. Three black women, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson, in the 1960's fight racial and sexual prejudices at NASA where they help put John Glenn in space. It's a pretty spectacular story! I literally had no idea black people worked at NASA at that time, let alone black women. But they did, and they played a huge role in science, culture, and American history. The movie is very entertaining, emotional, and like I said inspiring! All actors turn in wonderful performances. I'm pleased with Octavia Spencer's nomination, but I think Viola Davis is going to win. Fun fact: Mahershala Ali is in this movie too!
2. The Nice Guys
I'm pretty sure nobody saw this one but please, all, do yourselves a favor and go see The Nice Guys! It's a RIOT, let me tell ya! It's laugh out loud funny, but also smart and suspenseful. Holland (Ryan Gosling) and Jackson (Russell Crowe) are two PIs in disco era LA who have totally different investigation styles. Holland is more "go with the flow," while Jackson is more "I'm gonna beat you up until you tell me what I want." The two are forced to team up when their separate cases end up merging. The deeper they dig, they discover that their typical missing person case is not typical at all. They end up uncovering a huge government conspiracy that involves porn stars, environmental activists, and the FBI! It sounds like a sleazy crime novel, and I'll admit, parts of the film plays off like one, but it works! I don't think I've ever seen Ryan Gosling do comedy, but I think he should do more of it because he really shined bright in this one! He even pulled off physical comedy! I wish this little gem got more exposure because I think all people would enjoy it! It's very entertaining!
1. La La Land
I know, I know! So predictable, Kim! Yes, I agree. I didn't want La La Land to be my number one because at this point it's so uncool to even like La La Land right now. But I can't help it!! You can always win me over with song, dance, and a love story! I'm a cheap date! I think by now we all know what it's about. Emma and Ryan play two people living in LA, trying to achieve their dreams. Emma as an actress, Ryan as a jazz club owner. They meet, fall in love, and try their best to support each other's dreams, while simultaneously pursuing their own. The only negative thing I would say about this film is that I wish Ryan and Emma were better singers. Not that they're bad! But I can't help but want to hear someone like Beyonce or Adele belt out "Fools Who Dream." I can't wait to hear John Legend sing it tonight! If their singing abilities were as good as a professional singer's the movie would have been elevated to another realm altogether! I'm rooting for both Ryan and Emma tonight. I think Emma has a good chance, but Ryan is in a three way battle between Denzel and Casey. I haven't seen Fences, and I like Casey (he's an Affleck after all) but I don't think he can beat Ryan's singing, dancing, AND piano playing!
My thoughts on the other nominated films:
Arrival: Didn't see it.
Fences: Didn't see it.
Hell or High Water: I liked this one! It was good old fashion bank robbery fun!
Lion: Didn't see it.
Manchester by the Sea: Total Oscar bait. Depressing for the sake of being depressing. The performances were good, but...ugh.
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