The Oscars vs. The O'scars

My thoughts on just a few of the categories up for grabs tonight:

Best Picture Nominees: Arrival, Fences, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, La La Land, Lion, Manchester by the Sea, and Moonlight

I did not see Fences, Hacksaw Ridge, or Hidden Figures, so I cannot comment on these films. However, Manchester by the Sea, La La Land, and Hell or High Water were numbers five, four, and three, respectively, on my 2016 O'scar List ©™. Sadly, neither of my top two, Love and Friendship and Sing Street, were nominated. 

I recently watched Moonlight, which some critics believe is chasing La La Land for the Oscar. While I found it to be a well-made film, after Moonlight ended, I felt as if the film were unfinished...not so much in the sense that I wondered what happened after the credits, but that the story seemed to be only partly told throughout the film. I wish the characters had been explored more fully (more about that below). As much as I liked La La Land and Manchester by the Sea, I believe that among this list of movies, Hell or High Water deserves the Oscar. The characters are fascinating and life-like, the story speaks to the times we live in, and Jeff Bridges is so solid in his role as the gritty Texas Ranger.

Best Actor Nominees: Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Ryan Gosling (La La Land), Viggo Mortensen (Captain Fantastic), Denzel Washington (Fences)

On principle, because I hated Captain Fantastic so much, I reject Viggo Mortensen's nomination. However, I do love Viggo in just about everything else. I did not see Garfield or Washington's films, so I cannot judge. I very much hope that Casey Affleck wins for Manchester by the Sea. I believe that this film makes him The Greatest Affleck. He was perfect for the role, and played all its emotional complexities with precision. Gosling shined in La La Land, but falls short of Affleck in this category.

Best Supporting Actor Nominees: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight), Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water), Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea), Dev Patel (Lion), Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals)

First off, Jeff Bridges probably ought to be in the Best Actor category. But he's not, and so, in this category, he should triumph. His performance is, by far, the best of the year. Though I didn't see Michael Shannon's film, he is always good, so I don't doubt he belongs. Patel and Hedges were both very good. Hedges, a young and relatively inexperienced actor, should get extra points for his excellent work. Mahershala Ali's best work has been in Netflix's House of Cards, as the lawyer and lobbyist Remy Danton. He does a very nice job of inhabiting the "drug dealer with a heart of gold" character in Moonlight. He plays it with a sensitivity and complexity that the role deserves. But there just wasn't enough of the character in the film. Perhaps if there had been more Ali in this picture, it would be a different story as to this category. However, in my mind, it would be hard for anyone to equal Bridges' work in Hell or High Water.

Best Song or Best Original Score:

To not nominate Sing Street in either of these categories is a crime. Check it out. That said, La La Land should be a shoo-in for everything musical.