2016 Academy Awards Predictions

Every year, the Oscars are a big deal for myself and my family. We bet on winners and cast ballots while we watch the show. We make an effort to see every movie that is nominated. I've seen every film nominated in major categories this year, aside from a few obscure nominees in the acting categories. There's been a lot of controversy this year with the lack of diversity. I think it's unfortunate, and attention needs to be brought to it. However, I am glad that there is a year where I haven't the slightest idea what movie will win Best Picture. Here are all my Oscar picks for every category (except the two sound and editing categories).

Best Picture:

And the nominees are...
The Big Short- Four groups of people in the world of Wall Street and high finance predict the credit and housing bubble collapse of 2008, and decide to take down the banks for their greed and lack of foresight. Starring: Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt
Bridge of Spies- At the height of the Cold War, a lawyer is hired to defend a suspected Soviet spy in court, and attempts to give him a fair trial and exchange him for an American spy captured in the USSR. Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance
Brooklyn- An Irish immigrant in 1950s Brooklyn struggles with her life back home with her family and her new life with a suitor in America, and in a crisis, she must choose between two countries and the lives within. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson
Mad Max: Fury Road- In a post-apocalyptic Australia without water, a drifter stumbles upon a woman rebelling against a tyrant in search for her oasis homeland and seeking freedom for a group of women prisoners. Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron
The Martian- After his team has left him for dead on a manned mission to Mars, astronaut Mark Watney must use his limited to resources to try to survive alone until NASA can return for him. Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean
The Revenant- A frontiersman on a fur expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a grizzly bear and left for dead by his team, and travels across the country to get revenge on the man who wronged him. Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson
Room- After five-year-old Jack and his mother escape from their captor and enclosed surroundings, he is captivated by the outside world he is introduced to, while his mother struggles to be re-introduced after their horrifying ordeal. Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen
Spotlight- When four investigative journalists at the Boston Globe discover a local Catholic church covered up child molestation scandals, they dig deeper and find a dark and twisted story that goes much deeper than just one church. Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams

This is a confusing race. Spotlight has been the lock for months, but lately it looks like its "anti-Catholic" message might be hurting its chances. If it won, it's not really nominated in a lot of the technical categories, so it wouldn't have the "sweep" that the Academy sometimes likes to award. The Big Short is coming fast on its heels with a win from the Producer's Guild of America and strong box-office numbers. It's funny because Spotlight and The Big Short are polar opposites. Both tackle a group discovering something wrong and capitalizing on it, only one is dark and serious, and the other light and humorous. Both are excellent films, but both are only nominated in the major categories, which doesn't signify universal support. The real dark horse is The Revenant. I personally do not find it as deserving as the former two, but I think that it has a lot of things going for it. It's the audience favorite. It has Leonardo DiCaprio who has all of the attention right now for his possible win. It also has the most nominations, and will likely win in a lot of technical categories. If it wins, it could be that sweep I mentioned earlier. As for the other nominees, Mad Max is just lucky it got in, even if it deserves to win, and Room and Brooklyn will do better in other categories. Bridge of Spies is just Spielberg getting a deserved nomination for the excellent work he continues to produce, and The Martian has no steam. At the end of the day, I think the Academy will go with its gut and choose Spotlight.

Will Win: Spotlight
Could Win: The Big Short or The Revenant
Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should've Been Here: Inside Out

Best Director:

Lenny Abrahamson- Room
Alejandro González Iñárritu- The Revenant
Tom McCarthy- Spotlight
Adam McKay- The Big Short
George Miller- Mad Max: Fury Road 

There is only two people who could possibly win, and it's blockbuster vs blockbuster. If George Miller wins a major award for Mad Max: Fury Road,  that will satisfy all of the film's very vocal fans. But Alejandro Iñárritu, winner of the Director's Guild of America award, could win his second Best Director Oscar in a row. He won last year for Birdman, and he might win again, which would be a new achievement. I think Miller will win so they can avoid this repetition. If Ridley Scott was included, this would be interesting. Shockingly, he is absent. 

Will Win: George Miller
Could Win: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Should Win: George Miller
Should've Been Here: Ridley Scott- The Martian

Best Lead Actor:

Bryan Cranston- Trumbo
Matt Damon- The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio- The Revenant 
Michael Fassbender- Steve Jobs 
Eddie Redmayne- The Danish Girl

It's Leo's year. I'd give him a 90% chance of walking away with his first Oscar, and those are probably conservative odds. If anything else happens I will be utterly shocked. This is his year. None of the other nominees sacrificed what he did for his demanding role as Hugh Glass. I think if anyone is taking his statue away, it's Matt Damon, but that's a very small chance. The Academy like to keep people happy, so they'll reward Leo for The Revenant. It's interesting that in a year where Eddie Redmayne looked likely to win back-to-back Oscars for his performance as a transgender in The Danish Girl, those early odds have evaporated. Fassbender and Cranston are recognized for stellar work, but their chances are pretty nonexistent.

Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio
Could Win: Matt Damon
Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio
Should've Been Here: Ian McKellen- Mr. Holmes

Best Lead Actress:

Cate Blanchett- Carol
Brie Larson- Room
Jennifer Lawrence- Joy
Charlotte Rampling- 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan- Brooklyn

It's Brie Larson's year. Personally, I don't think it should be. Her performance is definitely deserving, but I believe it is Saoirse Ronan who should win for her delicately layered performance in Brooklyn. Larson is seeing that roles of abuse generally get a lot of attention from awards guilds. There is a lot of press surrounding Larson and her new "it-girl" status, and she's likely to repeat Jennifer Lawrence's ascent to stardom. She's already been cast in Kong: Skull Island, which is practically guaranteed to be a blockbuster. Speaking of Lawrence, all of the internet sources who say she can pull off a second win are so far from the truth. There is no chance she will win for a movie that has attracted so little attention. It's good to see Rampling nominated after a great and underappreciated career, and Blanchett also recently won. This will be Brie Larson's night, so don't bet against it.

Will Win: Brie Larson
Could Win: Saoirse Ronan
Should Win: Saoirse Ronan
Should've Been Here: Charlize Theron- Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Supporting Actor:

Christian Bale- The Big Short
Tom Hardy- The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo- Spotlight
Mark Rylance- Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone- Creed 

This is one of the toughest categories to predict. Mark Rylance gives a truly "supporting" performance as Rudolf Abel, a convicted Soviet spy in Bridge of Spies. His performance is so subtle yet he commands attention in every scene. It's simple and elegant. The opposite is true of Sylvester Stallone in Creed. His performance is not quiet, it is very emotional and poignant. I think he deserves to win, and it would be a wonderful return to form for Stallone. This is a success story I think the Academy will like. Tom Hardy could even win just because of The Revenant's hype. But I think Rylance is the safest choice, and the smartest choice, seeing as he is a veteran stage actor just transitioning to film, with some good years obviously ahead of him if they capitalize on it. The Big Short and Spotlight are both ensemble movies so I cannot see them awarding any acting from those films.

Will Win: Mark Rylance
Could Win: Sylvester Stallone
Should Win: Sylvester Stallone
Should've Been Here: Jacob Tremblay- Room

Best Supporting Actress:

Jennifer Jason Leigh- The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara- Carol
Rachel McAdams- Spotlight
Alicia Vikander- The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet- Steve Jobs

This is probably the most stacked category, but there are still some clear front-runners. I wish Jennifer Jason Leigh would win because she seemed to work the hardest. Her role in The Hateful Eight was so vile and disgusting, and she was immensely committed to becoming that horrible and dark character. Kate Winslet looks like she could win her second Oscar for her role as Joanna Hoffman, the manager of Apple who assisted and often fought with Steve Jobs. Her performance really makes the movie, and she definitely had more of an effect on me than Fassbender did. If Winslet is the veteran, Alicia Vikander is the rookie of the year. Her role as the wife of a man who chooses to become a woman is incredibly poignant and so heartbreaking. She also had an amazing performance in Ex Machina as a female android, and an Oscar would likely be rewarding both performances, but choosing the more dramatic film to recognize her. In a movie that should have been about transgender rights, it ended up being about how they sometimes hurt the ones they love. It's gotten some criticism for this risky move, but this choice has made Vikander shine with one of the best breakout performances in recent memory.

Will Win: Alicia Vikander
Could Win: Kate Winslet
Should Win: Jennifer Jason Leigh
Should've Been Here: Jane Fonda- Youth

Best Original Screenplay:

Bridge of Spies- Joel & Ethan Coen, Matt Charman
Ex Machina- Alex Garland
Inside Out- Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, Ronnie del Carmen
Spotlight- Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer
Straight Outta Compton- Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff, S. Leigh Savidge, Alan Wenkus

Bridge of Spies has one thing going for it and that's the Coen brothers. Unfortunately, they've won too many times (Fargo, No Country for Old Men) that they have no chance. I'd like to see Ex Machina get it because it's a fascinating script with a very complicated story of man vs machine that really blurs the line between humans and robots. Inside Out is also deserving, as its script was so complex and complicated for a children's film. However Spotlight is the clear winner. It's nominated for Best Picture, where it's a front-runner, and it's a script about writing. That is the kind of story the Academy likes to reward.

Also, Straight Outta Compton has no chance, because the Academy hates black people this year.

Will Win: Spotlight
Could Win: Inside Out
Should Win: Ex Machina
Should've Been Here: The Hateful Eight- Quentin Tarantino

Best Adapted Screenplay:

The Big Short- Adam McKay, Charles Randolph (The Big Short by Michael Lewis)
Brooklyn- Nick Hornby (Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín)
Carol- Phyllis Nagy (The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith)
The Martian- Drew Goddard (The Martian by Andy Weir)
Room- Emma Donaghue- (Room by Emma Donaghue)

I'm taking a shot in the dark. I have no idea who will, would, or should win this. I'm guessing The Big Short because it handles a dark subject with humor, but I honestly have no idea. All of these movies have awards-worthy scripts, characters, and dialogues. This is probably the category that best reflects the best talent of the year. Pick a random one, because it will be hard to figure out who gets the trophy.

Will Win: The Big Short
Could Win: Brooklyn
Should Win: The Big Short
Should've Been Here: Steve Jobs- Aaron Sorkin (Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson)

Best Animated Feature:

Anomalisa
Boy & the World
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There

As the larger image for Inside Out suggests, there is no way it is losing this award.
1.) It's Pixar and Pixar always wins.
2.) The movie was a massive box office and critical success.
3.) It just missed a Best Picture nomination. So Inside Out has been a lock since June.

Will Win: Inside Out
Could Win: N/A
Should Win: Inside Out
Should've Been Here: The Peanuts Movie

Best Documentary Feature:

Amy
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom
  
I cannot speak for any of the other nominees, but I can attest to Amy's greatness. Amy is an interesting story and a fantastically made film. The documentary is well paced with musical breaks of Winehouse's own songs, and it tells the story as true as it could ever be told after her death. It almost feels like you're watching a dramatic version of her life. I've head good things about The Look of Silence, but I'm betting on the one I saw.

Will Win: Amy
Could Win: The Look of Silence
Should Win: Amy

Best Original Score:

Bridge of Spies- Thomas Newman
Carol- Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight- Ennio Morricone
Sicario- Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens- John Williams

There really are only two contenders here. While I love the intense booms in Sicario, and the subtle tone shifts of Bridge of Spies' score, it's down to John Williams or Ennio Morricone, both veteran composers. Williams takes his iconic score from the original Star Wars, and modifies the key changes and passages to create music that sounds brand new, yet also nostalgic. His score makes the experience of Star Wars: The Force Awakens that much more exciting. Ennio Morricone also has some odes to the Westerns he used to compose like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, and The Hateful Eight's score is so complex with so many moving parts, it's amazing to listen to. I'd say Morricone's score made my experience in The Hateful Eight much more enjoyable than it would have been with any other composer, so I'm picking his work to be rewarded. The overture for that film is just a ridiculously impressive feat that I do not believe will go unnoticed.

Will Win: The Hateful Eight
Could Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Should Win: The Hateful Eight or Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Should've Been Here: Inside Out

Best Original Song:

"Earned It" by The Weeknd- Fifty Shades of Grey
"Manta Ray" by J. Ralph- Racing Extinction
"Simple Song #3" by Sumi Jo- Youth
"Til It Happens to You" by Lady Gaga- The Hunting Ground
"Writing's on the Wall" by Sam Smith- Spectre

This category is really hard to predict as well. If you've heard Lady Gaga's "Til It Happens to You", from the documentary The Hunting Ground about campus rape, you know how immensely powerful it is. It's the kind of ballad she will nail at the live performance. She will probably get an Oscar since she's Lady Gaga, and she's transitioning into a more serious musician. But don't underestimate The Weeknd. He's coming up fast as a hot commodity, and even if it's for a terrible film like Fifty Shades of Grey, "Earned It" is still a great song.

Will Win: "Til It Happens to You"
Could Win: "Earned It"
Should Win: "Til It Happens to You"
Should've Been Here: "See You Again"

Best Costume Design:

Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant

I'm confused as to why is The Revenant is here. The costumes are good, but certainly not something that ever caught my eye. The clothes in Carol are fantastic, but that same costume designer is nominated for her work in Cinderella, which is far more impressive. All anyone was talking about in March was how beautiful that blue dress was. The only competition is Mad Max: Fury Road, whose white gowns and "period-appropriate" clothing truly made the movie feel authentic. It's a tight race, but I'd give the edge to Cinderella.


Will Win: Cinderella
Could Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win: Cinderella

Best Set Design:

Bridge of Spies
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant

Mad Max: Fury Road is the only picture you need to see. While all the sets are good, there's just nothing like Mad Max's fast cars, sweeping desert landscapes, spiky trucks, and cave monuments. The setting is truly incredible. If it were anything else, I'd say The Revenant, but it did not really utilize designed sets.

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Could Win: The Revenant
Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Makeup/Hairstyling:

Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of a Window and Disappeared
The Revenant

Another category Mad Max has in the bag.

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Cinematography

Carol
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario

Easiest category of the night besides Inside Out for Best Animated Film. The camera angles and amazing cinematography from Emmanuel Lubezki, the winner of this category for the past two years for his work on Gravity and Birdman. It's stunning, sweeping, and so impressive. A lock.

Will, Could, Should Win: The Revenant

Best Visual Effects:

Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

There is a lot of great talent here. The only one that can't win is The Martian. As good as it is, it really uses traditional CGI effects and no new ground is broken. Ex Machina has amazing effects, but they're only on Ava's body to make her look like a robot. They're small and understated, so I don't think it has a good chance. Mad Max's visuals are fantastic, and its use of solely practical effects is a a narrative I think the Academy would like to reward. However, Star Wars combines both CGI and practical effects, and they have to give something to the biggest movie of the year, right? I predict that it will be The Revenant that will win for its incredible CGI bear attack scene. That bear was so realistic and so terrifying, that it will be rewarded.

Will Win: The Revenant
Could Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Should Win: The Revenant

Best Foreign Language Film:

Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
Mustang (France)
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Theeb (Jordan)
A War (Denmark)


Son of Saul is a lock. The film was a Cannes sensation and depicts the lives of the Hungarian POWs that the Nazis forced to work in their concentration camps. There's really nothing else that holds a candle to its amazing premise and supposed excellent execution.

Will and Should Win: Son of Saul

So here's my tally for the night

Mad Max: Fury Road- 4 (Director, Set Design, Makeup, Sound Editing)
Spotlight- 3 (Picture, O. Screenplay, Editing)
The Revenant- 3 (Actor, Cinematography, Visual Effects)
Amy- 1 (Documentary)
The Big Short- 1 (A. Screenplay)
Bridge of Spies- 1 (S. Actor) 
Cinderella- 1 (Costume Design)
The Danish Girl- 1 (S. Actress) 
The Hateful Eight- 1 (Score)
The Hunting Ground- 1 (Song)
Inside Out- 1 (Animated Feature) 
Room- 1 (Actress)
Son of Saul- 1 (Foreign Language Film) 
Star Wars: The Force Awakens- 1 (Sound Mixing)

Deadpool Review

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Ed Skrein, Gina Carano, Leslie Uggams

Deadpool was one of my most-anticipated movies of the year. If you're a fan of superhero movies, Deadpool is kind of a superhero film. It's essential for any X-Men fans, which I myself am. But much like the Marvel comics featuring Deadpool, this is a very different type of superhero film. It's actually a very unique movie. If you've seen the clean trailers, you can probably tell there is some risqué material, and if you've seen the red band trailers, or the movie itself, you know what's inside. Deadpool is violent, crass, rude, and incredibly inappropriate for children. It earned its R rating. But I found myself really enjoying my moviegoing experience. I had a blast watching Deadpool, and I've seen it twice. I think many people will just fall in love with the vulgar Deadpool and not notice the flaws. It definitely has some issues, but overall Deadpool is a wonderful venture into stylish filmmaking, and a change of pace for superhero movies.

I waited to see Deadpool twice to accurately review it. I was afraid that the hype of the first viewing would change my opinion. It's true, the first time I saw Deadpool was glorious. It's a very mature movie, but I laughed so hard. Upon the second viewing, it obviously was not as funny, as I saw the jokes coming. But I noticed something. The movie is actually surprisingly good when it's dramatic. The story goes like this: Wade Wilson gets terminal cancer and is given little time before he dies. He learns of a program that could save his life so he could go back to his fiancée (Baccarin), only they turn him into a mutant. He becomes a vigilante searching for the man (Skrein) who did this to him. There are a lot of sad scenes with a pretty high level of seriousness between Reynolds and Baccarin. For a movie that probably just cracked a masturbation joke, it surprisingly does well changing the tone. The two of them have an incredible chemistry. It's dirty and sloppy at times, but the viewer can see they really love each other, and are willing to forgive their flaws and move on by the film's end.

 The opening of Deadpool is nothing short of brilliance. An opening credits scene is set to Juice Newton's "Angel of the Morning", as generic credits like "A hot chick", and "The comic relief" are situated around a location only identifiable as the camera slowly zooms around and pans out. The opening action scene is pure artistry. It's full of fourth-wall breaks, inside jokes and meta-humor, hilariously gory violence, and camera angles that should belong in an indie film. The acting is also so good, across the board. Ryan Reynolds is absolutely perfect as Deadpool. I'm willing to forgive his horrible first outing as the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and his atrocious Green Lantern. What I think he lacks in seriousness he makes up for with perfect comedic timing. And he sells the drama pretty well too, though it's nothing amazing. Morena Baccarin also grounds the film with her very free performance. She's not a damsel in distress, and she's as foulmouthed as Deadpool. She gives her scenes such grace and elegance that I'd love to see her in this role again. A shout-out is deserved to up-and-coming comedian T.J. Miller as the aforementioned "Comic Relief". His performance isn't serious at all, but it's so funny you will look forward to every appearance he makes.

So where do my problems with Deadpool lie? It's the pacing. Deadpool starts with its best scene, and while the finished product is really great, it always feels like the film is trying to live up to that opening scene. It never reaches that height, and the climax doesn't feel as exciting as the beginning. I also didn't really see Leslie Uggams' role as Blind Al as necessary. I understand she's important to the comic, but I didn't particularly like her humor nor did I think she was really needed. Ed Skrein was also a very good villain, but he just couldn't live up to Magneto or Mystique, or even Phoenix and Juggernaut from the previous X-Men films. I spent the whole opening scene of my second viewing trying to remember what his name was, he made that little of an impact on me. If you haven't seen Deadpool, you probably should if superheroes are your favorite. The inappropriate humor might not sit well with you, but it's a very good movie in my opinion. I'm looking forward to a sequel, and with all the records it's breaking, I think we're bound to get one, as well as see Deadpool joining the X-Men. Also, you'll see the funniest Stan Lee (fans will understand this) cameo to ever exist.

Rating:

Best Male Performances of 2015

In this double feature, I will be counting down the best acting performances given by both male and female actors. They are separated by gender, because I really struggled to put a great male performance up against a great female performance and make a call. So I have split them, and below you will find the top ten performances given by male actors, with one honorable mention.

This is all leading up to my Top Movies of 2015, which will be published in the days to come.

HONORABLE MENTION: Steve Carell- Mark Baum- The Big Short

The Big Short is one of my favorite movies of the year. The whole ensemble is fantastic, but it's really Steve Carell and Christian Bale that excel. Carell plays Mark Baum, a pessimistic Wall Street man angry at the world after his brother was taken away from him too young. He has the backstory, and is the most human out of all the characters. I'm so excited that since Foxcatcher, Carell is still giving fantastic dramatic performances. It's slightly overshadowed by Bale, but worthy of an honorable mention.

Quote: "Eventually you get caught, things go south. When the hell did we forget all that? I thought we were better than this, I really did."

#10. Samuel L. Jackson- Major Marquis Warren- The Hateful Eight

Samuel L. Jackson is the heart and soul of Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. While Jennifer Jason Leigh may have the Oscar recognition, it just wouldn't be a great movie without Jackson at rge center. I've never seen him have so much fun in a movie, and I've seen some pretty ridiculous Samuel L. Jackson performances. He's witty, crass, and rude, but he's also serious when the script calls for him to be which grounds his performance. It's a very complicated performance in a complex movie.

Quote: "Move a little strange, you're gonna get a bullet. Not a warning, not a question...a bullet."

#9. Christian Bale- Dr. Michael Burry- The Big Short

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale is one of the best actors of our generation. In The Big Short he continues this legacy. He plays Dr. Michael Burry, the first man to discover the housing market bubble is about to burst. Burry is an unconventional Wall Street investor. He wears no shoes and plays drums in his office. He sees this problem, but he cannot communicate it with anyone because of his awkwardness. So he invests and profits off of the scandal, proving everyone wrong and himself right. It's a supporting role, but Bale's charisma makes it seem like the lead, and you eagerly wait for the scenes with this wild and quirky doctor.

Quote: "This business kills the part of life that is essential: the part that has nothing to do with business."

#8. Matt Damon- Mark Watney- The Martian

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR
The Martian is one of my favorite movies of the year, and it would not be possible without Matt Damon's performance. Damon is one of my favorite actors, and this movie is basically all him. Mark Watney is a hilariously funny character. In a movie that is so long, Matt Damon's inspired acting keeps the audience's attention. I mean, there are some actors that I would not prefer to follow around alone for three hours, and actually walk away invested in their character. Matt Damon is not one of those actors. The Martian is his movie, and he shines in the role with a combination of both comedy and drama.

Quote: "You just begin. You solve one problem, and you solve the next one, and then the next. And if you solve enough problems, you get to come home."

#7. Jacob Tremblay- Jack Newsome- Room

Jacob Tremblay is only 9 years old, 7 when he starred in indie sensation Room. Despite being that young, Tremblay is able to keep up with Brie Larson, whose acting talent will likely earn her the Oscar this year. Tremblay even outshines Larson sometimes. He brings such charisma to the role of Jack, a curious child who has never seen the outside world. He acts with the skill of someone much older, and I hope we get to see Jacob Tremblay act in the future. I really wanted him to get an Academy Award nomination, but I guess they have something against kids.

Quote: "When I was small, I only knew small things. But now that I'm five, I know everything!"

#6. Ian McKellen- Sherlock Holmes- Mr. Holmes

The fact that Ian McKellen isn't nominated for an Oscar is a huge shame. Mr. Holmes showcased a fantastic performance by him. While I praise Jacob Tremblay for acting so well for his age, McKellen is on the opposite side of the spectrum. McKellen is 76, and I'm surprised he can still act as well as he does. He takes a character that everyone knows, and one that everyone has a preconceived idea of. This is so far from the Sherlock Holmes we're all associated with. McKellen plays Holmes on his deathbed, as he tries to change the way people think of him to get it right. It's a powerful performance, and one that should have been rewarded.

Quote: "A man abandoned his family and wrote his son a story. He wouldn't be the first to cloak his cowardice in a flag of sacrifice."

#5. Tom Hardy- John Fitzgerald- The Revenant

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom Hardy is the kind of actor I've liked for a long time, but he had never really let himself go. He's good in Warrior, Inception, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Dark Knight Rises, but he never really "completely became" his character. In The Revenant, he becomes John Fitzgerald and all of his fierce temperaments. Fitzgerald, while hard to hear at times, is a ruthless and greedy killer, and Hardy represents this with his wild acting style. The kinds of choices this man makes are horrifying, and Hardy plays the moustache-twirling villain with ease. Let's just say that in a movie where he is opposite probable Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy does more than just hold his own. 

Quote: "You came all this way just for your revenge, huh? Did you enjoy it, Glass? 'Cause there ain't nothin' gon' bring your boy back."

#4. Michael Fassbender- Steve Jobs- Steve Jobs

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR
Nobody became his real-life character more than Michael Fassbender. The underrated actor (one of my personal favorites) is unrecognizable, simply because he fits so well into Steve Jobs' shoes. In a movie that many thought was a simple Jobs biopic, Fassbender, along with Kate Winslet, turned viewers on their heads with this study into Steve Jobs' psyche. It really brought to light some of the horrible personal things he did, and some of his personality traits that would make him hard to work with. Fassbender plays a tremendously unlikeable character from minute one, yet he commands attention. He's as deserving of the Oscar as anyone, were it any other year.

Quote: "Musicians play their instruments. I play the whole orchestra."

#3. Mark Rylance- Rudolf Abel- Bridge of Spies

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 
There's probably nobody I want to win this year more than Mark Rylance. In Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies, he plays convicted spy Rudolf Abel. Abel is labelled from Day 1 by everybody around him, and judged based on what people assume. In this inspiring movie, Tom Hanks plays the lawyer defending him from the electric chair, and giving him the fair trial he deserves. If you can steal every single scene from Tom Hanks, you've truly accomplished something. Rylance is a veteran of the stage with no starring film roles before this. He knows how to work with subtleties, and Rudolf Abel is a subtle character. It's a completely supporting role that is so deep. He's the secret heart of Bridge of Spies, and a large part of why it's such a great movie.

Quote: "The death sentence is not a foregone conclusion. But I am not afraid to die, Mr. Donovan. Although it wouldn't be my first choice."

#2. Leonardo DiCaprio- Hugh Glass- The Revenant

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR
Give the poor man his Oscar already. While some see DiCaprio's likely win as a consolation prize, it's simply not the case. If you've seen The Revenant, you know that this is his best work since What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and the first time I've really seen him sink into a role since that film. He completely deserves the awards. As Hugh Glass, he says very few words. His performance is mostly physical as he fights bears, the wilderness, vengeful Native Americans, and the will to live. It's one of the most bare performances I've ever seen, and one that only a committed actor like DiCaprio would ever take on. He's a six-time nominee, and I think he will finally win, and we can all stop with the jokes.

Quote: "I ain't afraid to die anymore. I done it already."
  
#1. Sylvester Stallone- Rocky Balboa- Creed

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
While Leo might be spectacular to watch, and Mark Rylance is inspirational, nobody made me feel more emotion that Sylvester Stallone in Creed. Keep in mind that this is the seventh time Stallone has played Rocky Balboa, and he gives as good a performance as in the first outing, albeit a completely different one. The man that was once a powerful fighter has been reduced to an emotional mess, even more tragic with his wife and best friend's deaths haunting him and his own diagnosis with cancer–the same disease that took Adrien's life. Rocky Balboa is such a "larger than life" character, it emotionally moves you to see him suffer so much. What is even more impressive is that Stallone took a character everyone knew and did a complete 180. Rocky isn't the fighter anymore, he has to overcome his past demons to train the new fighter. Is it a symbol for Stallone giving up the franchise and handing the reigns to a new Creed franchise? Whatever it is, Stallone's excellent acting (which has lately been called into question with his silly action films over the past decades) made Creed one of the most affecting movies I saw in 2015. That is why he is undoubtedly the best male performance I saw this year.

Quote: "Time takes everybody out. Time is undefeated."

Best Female Performances of 2015

In this double feature, I will be counting down the best acting performances given by both male and female actors. They are separated by gender, because I really struggled to put a great male performance up against a great female performance and make a call. So I have split them, and below you will find the top ten performances given by actresses, with two honorable mentions.

This is all leading up to my Top Movies of 2015, which will be published in the days to come.

HONORABLE MENTION: Rose Byrne- Rayna Boyanov- Spy

I missed Spy in theaters, and just recently caught it on DVD. Spy has the feel of a complete movie that fellow female comedy Trainwreck does not. While aspects of that film are great, the performances in Spy are just comedy gold, particularly Rose Byrne's as the antagonist. I now believe Byrne is one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood. She's consistently able to deliver comedic performances in Bridesmaids, Neighbors, and Spy, and never comes off as a star. Here she plays an obviously dangerous woman, but with enough tongue-in-cheek to come off as surely the worst Bond villain ever. It's a brilliant turn in a great movie, and she deservedly steals every scene.

Quote: "The moment I saw you standing in that abortion of a dress...It was as if to say: 'This is what I've got, world. It's hideous, but it's mine'."

HONORABLE MENTION: Rachel McAdams- Sacha Pfeiffer- Spotlight

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Over a decade after her star-making turn in Mean Girls, Rachel McAdams has her first Oscar nomination. In Spotlight she plays Sasha Pfeiffer, a journalist fighting for survivors of the Boston Catholic Church's sexual abuse. It's an incredibly subtle performance, and she has none of the big scenes that co-stars Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo have. It's just pure layered acting, and something I was incredibly surprised to see the woman who played Regina George capable of.

Quote: "I am here because I care. We're going to tell this story, and we're going to tell it right."

#10. Alicia Vikander- Ava- Ex Machina

Ex Machina is another movie I missed, and had to catch on DVD. It's about a scientist who believes his secret Artificial Intelligence is ready to be tested. Vikander plays Ava, the AI in question. An outsider is brought in to see if she really has emotions or if her software is just creating them. Ava could be a by-the-numbers character. A "Frankenstein's Monster" of sorts, especially with the way she pleads to be set free and be a human. But just like the film itself, Ava has darker layers. She knows what she wants, and she can be cold and calculating in her methods. Vikander's face is the only way for Ava to express, and she does an incredible job. After this roller coaster of a film, I truly believe she had emotions, and I'm a little scared of what she'd do in society.

Quote: "Is it strange, to create something that hates you?"

#9. Daisy Ridley- Rey- Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was a huge commercial success. But critically, it was just as successful. A lot of that praise was aimed at newcomer Daisy Ridley. In a film that could have gone in a number of directions, she grounds it and gives it so much depth with her character Rey. The greatness of Rey is her ability to hold back, and the audience discovers all the fun things about Rey as she herself does. I'm so interested to see what they do with this character in the future, and it's likely Daisy Ridley will knock it out of the park again. Here's a female action hero who truly holds her own.

(I could have written in much more detail, but I'm trying to keep it spoiler-free.)

Quote: "I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy."

#8. Rooney Mara- Therese Belivet- Carol

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
There's a lot that Rooney Mara does in Carol. Unlike her co-star Cate Blanchett, who has immense poise, Mara acts with nuances and subtleties. In Carol, she plays Therese, a self-labeled heterosexual woman swept into a homosexual relationship with a very strong-willed older woman. Therese is the one who keeps you guessing. Carol knows what she wants, yet Therese is always conflicted with her feelings. In a year full of very showy female performances, it's a breath of fresh air to see an actress perform just as well, without showing off.

Quote: "I don't know what I want. How could I know what I want if I say yes to everything?"

 #7. Cate Blanchett- Carol Aird- Carol

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
I had to put the Carol women together, since their performances rely on each others'. I gave Blanchett the edge because she has more screen time, and I think she gives a more effective performance than Mara. Carol comes off as extremely stalker-ish, and that was one of my main criticisms of the film. But at its core, I feel Blanchett brings layers to her portrayal of a lesbian woman struggling with her sexuality in a society that is repulsed by the very idea of homosexuality, aside from the idea of two women. Like I stated earlier, Blanchett has incredible poise. Carol has such a gravitas, she draws attention to herself in every scene, and steals from every other actor.

Quote: "Dearest, there are no accidents, and no explanations I offer will satisfy you. You seek resolutions because you are young, but you will understand this one day."

#6. Charlize Theron- Imperator Furiosa- Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road is an experience like no other. The movie completely took me by surprise with how incredibly amazing it was. The biggest surprise, however, was the name on the lips of all the fans walking out. It wasn't Max, it was Furiosa. Theron doesn't have many lines, but her expressions, spider-like stature, and endearing character arc make it one of the most interesting performances I've seen recently. Furiosa's ability to recognize the hell they live in, and her need to free the slaved women is truly commendable, but she's more complex. Who can forget the scene where she collapses into the sand  and screams upon learning her home has succumbed to drought? It still gives me chills.

Quote: "Out here, everything hurts. So pick up what you can and run."

#5. Kate Winslet- Joanna Hoffman- Steve Jobs

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kate Winslet is a pretty recognizable actress. She's built a very stable career. Yet in Steve Jobs, she's practically unrecognizable. She's dressed in a way I've never seen her before, with a thick Polish accent. While the movie's about Jobs, she is as integral as the inventor himself. She's his go-to, and she has to do most of the things he's too eccentric to do, and endures his verbal abuse. In three timelines, you see her character grow without any time in between. The final scene where she tells Jobs she's finished with him is incredibly intense. And for a character we only see in three years over three decades, there's a sense of familiarity and admiration only a veteran actress could create.

Quote: "What's been wrong with me for nineteen years, is I've been a witness. I've been complicit. I love you Steve, you know how much. I love that you care what a person can make. But what you make isn't supposed to be the best part of you."

#4. Brie Larson- Joy Newsome/Ma- Room

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
I'm a little startled Brie Larson is only #4. I mean, this is future Academy Award winner Brie Larson. It's true, she will likely win an Oscar for Room. And I believe it's deserved in a sense. She brings an emotional depth to her character, and really contributes to the mother-son bond that makes Room so incredible. As a young mother in captivity, she appears as the voice of reason, until the second half sees her re-enter society and fail. She cannot handle her life after being kidnapped, but sticks it out for her son. It's great, but anybody could do it. She doesn't have the grit that, say, a young Jennifer Lawrence had when she burst onto the scene. It's a great performance in a great little movie, but one that should not earn her the Oscar just yet. There are actresses who deserve it more this year.

"You have no idea what's going on inside my head. And every time you look at me, that's all you see."

#3. Jennifer Jason Leigh- Daisy Domergue- The Hateful Eight

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Quentin Tarantino has the ability to write fantastic roles for supporting actors. Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, and Christoph Waltz in both Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained to name a few. Continuing this trend is veteran Jennifer Jason Leigh, who appears as the most disgusting woman I've ever seen onscreen. Her entire performance as Daisy, this vile and violent convict, is full of so many little moments you just have to pay attention to her in every scene. She has brains blown up all over her face, and she still continues to act so fiercely, the whole setting collapses around her. This woman spits her own teeth out onto a man. Yet we see her outside in an early scene, as her handcuffs break in a stagecoach crash. She could run, but she sits in the snow, extends her tongue and collects a snowflake. Leigh deserves an Oscar, but she'll never get one for this role, even if it's amazing.

Quote: "When you get to hell, John, tell 'em Daisy sent you."

#2. Alicia Vikander- Gerda Wegener- The Danish Girl

 NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Alicia Vikander has appeared on this list twice. She gave the 10th best performance I saw in Ex Machina, and here in The Danish Girl, she is nominated for Academy Award. She's my favorite to win. In The Danish Girl, she robs Eddie Redmayne of the movie that was supposed to be his. Ultimately, the movie might suffer as a whole because of how her performance eclipses his and makes the "Danish Girl", aka Redmayne's portrayal of a struggling transgender woman, seem pitiful in comparison to the suffering her wife endures. Vikander commands the screen, in a role that will make you emotional. In a film that should have been about the self-identity of a trans woman, she made it into the struggle their partners face. What comes out of it is a beautifully layered performance. Gerda wants her partner to be happy, even if it means not loving her. But Lili just wants to meet other men and discover her identity, and doesn't give Gerda any time to think. While Redmayne plays his part perfectly, it is Vikander who creates a sympathetic character that the audience views the story through. She should be nominated for Lead, but that's a different argument.

Quote: "I need my husband. I need to hold my husband. I need to do these things. Not everything is about you."

#1. Saoirse Ronan- Eilis Lacey- Brooklyn

NOMINEE: ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
Undoubtedly, Saoirse Ronan is my pick for best performance by a woman in 2015. I didn't have the time to review Brooklyn, and neglected it mostly because it's a pretty straightforward movie. Ronan gives an outstanding performance as Eilis, an Irish immigrant in the late 1940s. The film is about Eilis' homesickness, and the firm belief that she is caught between a home in Brooklyn and in Ireland. Ronan is able to show the outer strength of her character while also allowing her inner weakness to shine through. Eilis is a beautiful character, but she's flawed. She makes mistakes so terrible, you'd hate her if it weren't for her acting ability. Eilis grows throughout the movie's 100 minutes. Nobody else this year was able to give a performance that was subtle when it needed to be, and showy when it was required. The entire movie centers on Eilis. And Saoirse Ronan creates a beautiful story of love, longing, and home.

Quote: "An then you'll notice yourself thinking about something or someone who has no connection with the past. Someone who's only yours. And you'll realize that this is where your life is."