Knee Jerk Reactions: 88th Academy Awards

I got locked out of my house just moments ago, so I was not able to watch the Academy Awards nominations live. After checking updates on Twitter, I am completely pissed. I did not win $200 gift card to Amazon because my predictions were so off. They were a couple of sneak attack in there.

Too Much Mayo:  Last year no actors of color were nominated in the acting categories. This year was no different. It is not like people of color are not giving standout performances, they are. Which makes the nominations extremely frustrating for me but I am not surprised. A lot of actors I adore got nominated but I was still disgusted by the nominations. I knew that no woman of color were going to get nominated for the acting categories.I was sure Idris Elba would get nominated for Beasts of No Nation but nothing. I knew Will Smith was not going to get nominated and Michael B. Jordan was unlikely but still a possibility. I wish my darling Jason Mitchell picked a nomination for his riveting performance of Eazy E. It would be been an Adrien Brody winning Best Actor surprise. Throughout the award season, Shameik Moore and the fantastic film Dope have been shut out. The Academy had a chance to make history with the nomination of Mya Taylor for Best Supporting Actress, but they did not happen. The whole acting category is a mess to me.
Best Actress:  Jennifer Lawrence is unstoppable. She just bagged her fourth Academy Award nomination in six years.That is insane especially considering she is getting the Anne Hathaway treatment of 2013. Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan picked up nominations for Room and Brooklyn. They are the frontrunners for this category and I do not care which one of them wins. They are both amazing and deserve all the success in the world. If Charlotte Rampling wins I would be happy too. She is amazing and this is her first nomination. What needs to said about Cate? She is acting royalty. 

Best Supporting Actor: Tom Hardy and Mark Ruffalo  were pleasant surprises in the Best Supporting Actor category. They are two of my favorite actors in the game right now and I am always elated when they get recognition. Idris was snubbed and I was hoping Michael Shannon would pick up a nomination. I would have jumped over the moon if Oscar Isaac snuck in there for Ex Machina. I feel that Sylvester Stallone has this one in the bag for Creed.

Best Actor: The only category I got completely right. A lot of acting perfection in this category. I think this is Leo's year. What else does this man need to do to win? What else?  If he does not win I hope Bryan Cranston brings it home. If Bryan does win,  he will be only one award short of the EGOT. Oh no, I think I'm rooting for Bryan now. I am officially a bad 90's kid.

Best Supporting Actress: I am pissed that Kristen Stewart did not get nominated for Clouds of Sils Maria. I knew that with a lack of Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA nomination she was a long shot, but I thought there was a chance. I was hoping my girl Alicia Vikander was going to get a double nomination for her roles in both Ex Machina and The Danish Girl. I am happy that she got nominated for The Danish Girl but I wish it was for Ex Machina instead. I think Jennifer Jason leigh is going to win for The Hateful Eight.

Best Picture: I was campaigning for Straight Outta Compton and Mad Max: Fury Road to get nominated for Best Picture. Unfortunately, I was not successful. Yes, Mad Max got nominated but it was not a victory for me. The Best Picture race is not too much Weisswurst festival. There are few films produced by women that are nominated. A few films about women were also nominated. The Revenant  is a victory for Latino filmmakers. I think it is a race between Spotlight and The Revenant for Best Picture. I would be doing cartwheels if Mad Max wins but I don't think it is going to happen. 

Achievement in Directing: The nominations of George Miller and Alejandro G. Inarritu make me happier than a clam. I am shocked that Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg got snubbed. This makes their Best Picture nominations bittersweet. 

Best Original/ Adapted Screenplay: There is a lot of female screenwriters recognized this year. I have no idea who is going to take the prize in either category. I am happy that Straight Outta Compton, Ex Machina and Inside Out picked up nominations. I have not watched any of the films nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay but I am thrilled at Nick Hornby's nomination for Brooklyn. 

Best Original Song: I am saddened that "See You Again" did not pick up a nomination for Best Original Song. It would have been such a great tribute to Paul. I always get emotional when I hear it.  It definitely should be there instead of the disaster that is "Writings on the Wall". That  song was atrocious and that is the nicest thing I can say about it. I am happy that The Weeknd snuck up in there, I was not expecting that. It not a song the Academy would usually go for it. I feel that this award is going to go to Lady Gaga and she deserves it.

Best Original Score: Ennio Morricone has this in the bag. 

Best Documentary Feature: Yes to Amy and What Happened, Miss Simone? 

Best Animated Feature Film: Inside Out has this category but Anomalisa is a strong contender. Shocked that The Peanuts Movie and The Good Dinosaur did not get nominated. I am happy that Shaun the Sheep Movie got nominated. 

Best Animated Short: Why is "Lava" not nominated? That gem made me cry like a 2 year old.  Rooting for "Sanjay's Super Team". 

Achievement in Production Design/ Costume Design: I am rooting for Mad Max for Production Design and Cinderella for Costume Design. Here are two categories that are flooded by female talents. I just wish more females were recognized in the bigger categories. 

Star Wars: It seems that Star Wars: The Force Awakens was not treated with much respect by the academy. It did pick up a lot of nominations but not in the major categories. 

Consensus: I am still going to watch because Chris Rock is going to kill it. He has so much material just based on the nominations alone. The Oscars are becoming my problematic fave. 

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Starring: Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry and Levy Easterly
Directed by: Benh Zeitlin
Written by: Benh Zeitlin and Lucy Alibar
Rating: 5/5 Unicorns

Six- year-old Hushpuppy( Quvenzhane Wallis) lives in the Bathtub (southern Louisiana bayou community) with her hot-tempered ailing father (Dwight Henry), who is preparing her for life without him. When a storm approaches threatening to destroy all that she loves, Hushpuppy must begin to apply all of his lessons. With the approaching storm, the melting of the ice caps unleash the prehistoric creatures called aurochs.

Beasts of the Southern Wild has been on my radar for a couple of months now. I was completely ecstatic to see the film pick up four Academy Award nominations last week and after finally watching it they were completely deserved.  Quvenzhane is a revelation as Hushpuppy. I remember when I was her age, I could barely read yet alone be able to have that emotional integrity. Dwight Henry as Wink was riveting. You loathed and felt for him at the same time. I can't believe this was his first acting credit, talk about acting from your soul. The last scene in this movie had me crying like a two year old. It was incredibly powerful. Just remember to bring your tissues when you watch this magnificent film.

There was level of fantasy in this film and it was just beautiful to witness. You are not sure what is real and it liked that the viewer was never made aware of it. I really like the directing style of Benh Zeitlin . He has a great career ahead of him. The cinematography in this film was breathtaking and the score was beautiful especially in the final scene. I can understand way these elements were recognized by critics. Do yourself a favor and immediately check out Beasts of the Southern Wild. You will not be disappointed.

When it all goes quiet behind my eyes, I see everything that made me flying around in invisible pieces. When I look too hard it goes away. And when it all goes quiet I see they are right here, I see that I'm a little piece of a big, big universe and that makes things right. When I die, the scientists of the future; their gonna find it all, their gonna know, once there was a hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in the bathtub.  Hushpuppy, Beasts of the Southern Wild 

Anna Karenina

Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Directed by: Joe Wright
Written by: Tom Stoppard
Rating: 3.5/5 Unicorns

Joe Wright's Anna Karenina is the bold retelling of the classic Leo Tolstoy tale. Set in the late 19th century, the Russian aristocrat Anna Karenina( Keira Knightley) enters a life altering affair with Count Vronsky( Aaron Taylor Johnson). Jude Law plays the role of Karenin, her long suffering husband.

I have not quite seen a drama quite like Anna Karenina. It was as elaborate as a musical, choreographed as if it was a ballet and as theatrical as a opera. Many ways Joe Wright's Anna Karenina felt more like a play than a motion picture. It was filmed as a continuous play and I felt that this direction choice was unique. If  anything the art direction and costume design in this film was absolutely spectacular.  By the time the Academy Awards nominations are announced I expect that Anna Karenina will pick up nominations in these two categories. At first I was hesitant about the idea of Aaron Taylor Johnson playing the part of Count Vronsky. I was thoroughly impressed with his performance but not so much impressed with his mustache. I felt that the chemistry between him and Keira Knightley was believable. It was not scorching but I was convinced that they cared for one another.  I am certain this film will not play well with everyone but if you like to watch films that are visually stimulating Anna Karenina is a great choice.