Wonder Woman Review

Justin, Mike, and I saw Wonder Woman on June 3, 2017! 10 years ago today, I graduated from Elmira College. 10 years later, I finally witnessed my favorite superhero of all time in her first stand alone movie, and it was GLORIOUS (cue Bobby Roode's theme music here)! Wonder Woman is everything I wanted it to be and more. In my honest opinion, the DCEU has been rocking on all cylinders since Man of Steel, however, it's Wonder Woman that has made me feel more than any comic book movie I've ever seen. I legitimately shed a tear or two seeing all of this amazing action and storytelling unfold on screen. Patty Jenkins, Zack Snyder, and everybody else involved in this movie behind the scenes in terms of storytelling made an incredible movie that merits being called a film. Too many times in the past few years, we've seen comic book movies being considered excellent when they were subpar, but Wonder Woman is a true representation of good vs. evil, a protagonist faced with challenges that finds the courage to rise above, a role model for young girls that is appropriate to look up to and aspire to be: strong, confident, a leader, a symbol of hope, a beacon of truth, a role model for young boys to realize that women are just as incredible, if not, moreso than men, as well as showing that there are good men in this world, and not all of us are chauvinists or misogynist pigs. Man, I'm starting to tear up as I write this! Wonder Woman excels on all levels and made me want to instantly write a review in a similar fashion to Ashley Rickard's Jenna Hamilton feverishly typing her inner thoughts on her blog in Awkward.

Gal Gadot's performance in this movie was absolutely incredible! It's my favorite female performance of 2017, and I honestly don't think anything will come close to topping it. It's a performance that inspires. It's a performance that makes us remember why we watch movies. It's a performance that reminds us that women can kick just as much butt as men. Gal is a total package in my eyes...much like Wonder Woman is! There's this perfect symbiosis where Gal IS Wonder Woman. The actress disappears and the character is larger than life. That's the mark of a great performance when you're looking at the character on screen forgetting that it's another person entirely. Gal became Diana Prince as the movie progressed.  Gal understands the strengths and struggles of the character. She is an absolute goddess of a woman that brought so much natural courage and valor to the character that I can't see anybody else as the character. When Lynda Carter gave her blessing, I knew we were in for something great. Ever since Gal's first appearance as the Amazonian Bad Ass in Batman vs. Superman, I knew we were going to be in for something amazing here. Gal is an absolute bad ass in her own right and it's been seen as a member of the Israeli army, as well as her training sessions for this movie. Wonder Woman has always been a character I looked up to. I love strong female characters, and there's nothing stronger in my eyes than Wonder Woman. Gal really made that aura stand out throughout the whole movie. Her poise and grace mixed with her physical prowess and intensity make her a truly amazing woman. Thank you Gal Gadot! You'r an incredible woman!

Chris Pine's work as Steve Trevor might have been the best work of his career so far.  The struggle with being a good or bad man is always on display with his character as a spy. He's a smart man, but like all of us, he has his flaws. With Diana by his side, though, she is able to help him realize the good that does lie within all of us. That's a major symbol of the Wonder Woman character throughout the years. Pine displayed a level of vulnerablity, but when it counted, he also displayed a level of courage most people wouldn't. Steve represents the struggles of good vs. evil in man, as well as the capabilities of human beings. What can we be driven to do? How can we do our part to make the world a better place? Why is there so much evil in the world? All of these questions were on full display with the Steve Trevor character. Diana's discussions with him about these issues and her upbringing as a goddess were very intriguing. There's two different view points, but both are struggling with the same things, however, at the same time both are strong and compliment each other. There's some great comedy and drama between Gal and Chris.I really liked their chemistry throughout this movie.

I think the action sequences in this movie are so well done. The No Man's Land scene is excellent. When Wonder Woman climbs that ladder, you know business is about to pick up! Man, I loved that, and instantly got goosebumps from the amazing action unfolding. The Wonder Woman vs. Ares battle are some of the most epic scenes in a comic book movie. Incredible work by David Thewlis, who worked so well in the role! These battles also showed Diana physically and emotionally trying to decide who she should be fighting. Watching Diana rise above and choose the right path is incredible. It's at these moments where we see her at her strongest. Using all of her inner fire, courage, and strength, we kind of watch her become a phoenix and she becomes a true goddess, a woman full of wonder that exudes pure confidence in the realization that there is good in this world, based on the Steve Trevor character, and that Ares, chaos, war, and evil can be triumphed over. It's just such a beautiful movie! Of course, there's also the incredible soundtrack, scenery, costumes, and supporting characters that help the film progress as well!

This movie gets an obvious and definite 5/5 for Gal Gadot's incredible interpretation, performance, and presentation of the Wonder Woman character, Chris Pine's great work as Steve Trevor, phenomenal action sequences that redefine the word epic, incredible musical scores, beautiful scenery, and an all around seal of approval to the world that Wonder Woman is an immortal goddess that deserves respect. It is a huge success for comic book movies and movies in general.

Once Upon A Time-The Final Battle!

Words can't describe the emotions I'm feeling after watching the Once Upon A Time Season 6 finale! The Season 6 finale approached the Fantasia story from the Neverending Story in such a subtle and unique way that people may not have even noticed it! I absolutely loved it! This was an episode for fans that have been watching since the pilot! This is definitely in my Top 10 episodes of OUAT, perhaps Top 5. If this was the series finale of the show, I'd be perfectly content with it. Season 7 is going to be exciting, though, based on that last minute. Here are a few reasons why-10 exactly of why I liked this episode so much! People know my mind goes off on tangents while watching this-keep that in mind:

1. Jaime Murray's work as Fiona, the Black Fairy is just excellent! She played a phenomenal antagonist!

2. I firmly believe that the Black Fairy is Gmork from the Neverending Story in human form and I've felt that since she surfaced. Why? See Reason 3

3. The Black Fairy's curse was The Nothing-just look at it's purpose-take away hope, destroy the story realms, much like she tried to do with Fantasia. Henry is the new Bastien, and the Black Fairy has to re-think her strategy as he is what will be the kink in her plan. Sidenote: Where Henry is Bastien, Emma is Atreyu-the warrior/savior. She has to figure out a way to take out one, if not one, she'll try to take out both in some way.

4. Could the Black Fairy's wand be the Elder Wand? Hmm? It's possible! Her reaction to it's power and the unique design of the wand made me so excited, because I'm a nerd.

5. Gold legitimately putting everything aside to protect Belle, Gideon, Henry, Emma-basically anybody in his immediate family. He had to be on board with everybody for the final battle to work. The stories of duality with Regina and Gold have been beyond excellent. Lana Parrilla and Robert Carlyle know their characters so well-both the light and the dark!

6. It was genius to have the final battle be about Emma's soul/hope over an overall physical battle. Clever!

7. Light overcomes darkness, unites a family, and makes Storybrooke stronger. That group hug where everybody surrounds Jennifer Morrison's Emma Swan made me tear up. Good send-off for her!

8. That montage of the characters getting their happy endings...or should I say, their happy beginnings:)

9. That awesome Last Supper shot! I want to get a framed poster of that, because it was perfectly shot. Good connections to the savior in many ways. Connecting the story elements and magic of Once Upon A Time and the religious connotations of the word, this shot was incredible! The way everybody was situated makes everything work so well for that shot!

10. Great twist at the end with that little girl who seems to be Henry's daughter! Looks like we're heading several years into the future. I hope that girl turns out to be Moana in terms of characters. Let's see how this goes! I'm excited!

I want to thank Jennifer Morrison for her incredible work as Emma Swan over the last six years! She has created one of my all time favorite television characters ever. Her and Lana Parrilla's Regina Mills are two of the best layered, well written, well acted characters ever! Morrison has created an iconic character! I have Regina's Funko Pop! I'm definitely getting Emma's!

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 Review

Justin and I saw Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 on May 6, 2017! Most people that know me are well aware I'm not a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, namely anything related to The Avengers, but I make an exception for the excellence that is Guardians of the Galaxy. Both Guardians of the Galaxy movies are epic, well constructed, deeply layered movies that deliver in terms of character development, action sequences, and entertainment value. James Gunn knows what he's doing with these movies! This is the man that made Super ( a truly underrated dark super hero movie), so I'm confident with what this man puts together in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

I think the overall storyline of Peter Quill/Starlord exploring his parentage is extremely well done! It was a tremendous story where Chris Pratt may have given one of, if not, the best work of his career. He's a solid actor, but I think his work as Starlord is his best role. He was even better in this sequel than the original as he dealt with even more things on an emotional level. Realistically, I think you can say that about all the characters. Emotions were on an all time high, and I thought that was necessary since the group has become a closer unit since the first movie. Pratt went through an entire gamut of emotions reuniting with his father, Ego. Kurt Russell gave a fantastic performance as Ego. In my opinion, Russell is one of the most consistent actors, and has been for years. My favorite work of his was Stunt Man Mike in Death Proof, but his work here set the stage for the whole movie, and he succeeded in flying colors. Everything kind of revolved around the Peter Quill/Ego storyline. It was a well written story, which provided the audience with great twists connecting both movies.

Gamora is my favorite character. I have always been a big fan of Zoe Saldana. I think she's an absolute bad ass. The Gamora character is awesome looking, has amazing fighting skills, a personality that helps her rise above her past, and in this movie, she presented a more emotional version of the character. As the characters become closer, it makes sense that she makes sure she can protect everybody around her, especially Peter, and her estranged sister, Nebula. Saldana provided a great physical and emotional connection for the audience. She was a bad ass fighter, but she also showed that she knows how to act on that screen. Great work, Zoe!

I think we need to talk about the amazing Karen Gillan for a second! Since I first saw her as Amy Pond, I knew she would be a big deal. This red headed Irish goddess is just dominating right now. She just had a role in The Circle (which was a really underrated movie in my opinion), she's kicking butt as Nebula here, and she'll be in Jumanji and other projects coming up. This is a woman that just understands her roles. I think the Nebula character is extremely intriguing. The look of the character is awesome, but why is she constantly angry? This movie explores the reasons why. I fully empathize (thanks, Mantis!) with Nebula. Just thinking about the torture she suffered while Thanos reconstructed her is horrific to think about. Gamora understands the struggle as she had her own personal issues with Thanos for similar reasons. Gamora suffered physically, but Nebula suffered both physically and emotionally. I hope Gamora and Nebula beat the hell out of Thanos together. They are the best siblings since Sarah Manning and her sestras on Orphan Black! Great performance by Gillan that should be discussed more! It was a standout role that showed how solid of an actress she is.

Dave Bautista's Drax feels like the heart of the group at times. The line where Drax says they aren't friends, they're family was received well by the audience. People clapped at the line, which was pretty cool to see. Drax had some great humor throughout this movie, particularly in scenes with Mantis. I think Drax needs it based on what he's been through in the past. He has been able to calm down since the first movie due to this connection he has with Gamora, Starlord, Rocket, and Groot. Bradley Cooper once again delivers some of the best lines as Rocket, and he also showed how much the group means to him on many levels. Rocket is a character that feels like Logan/Wolverine. They both were created by scientists/dangerous programs, and become agitated easily, but they are integral parts of their groups and try to find a way to ensure survival.

Michael Rookers' Yondu was phenomenal! Great performance by Rooker portraying a solid anti-hero character in Yondu! The expansion of this character's motivations and personality are explained, and make you care even more about the character. Yondu definitely hits the audience on an emotional level. A lot of it has to do with Gunn's writing of the character, but Rooker's performance is what sells Yondu the best. Amazing work that results in some great twists and gut-wrenching emotion.

Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 is just as amazing as the first movie providing fans with compelling storylines, particularly the Starlord/Ego story, incredible character development, a pheonemanl cast, great action sequences, brilliant, vivid colors, great twists, and an overall epic universe that gives it a definite 5/5.

Power Rangers Review

Justin and I saw Power Rangers on March 25, 2017! Growing up in the 90s, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was one of the most intriguing things to be a fan of. Luckily, I grew up with the original era of Power Rangers, which is what this movie is based off of. Power Rangers was always a constant favorite among me and my brothers. We watched the series, we saw the movies, & we went to the Radio City: Power Rangers Live special on stage. We had the figures, the zords, etc. I have been waiting for years for a new version of Power Rangers borrowing influence from the original MMPR storyline. In 2017, it was high time that Power Rangers was made in a new light, with a more serious tone, and the results were simply amazing!

This movie is split perfectly. The first hour delves into character development & storytelling that make us care about the characters: Jason, Kimberly, Billy, Trini (don't call me Didi), & Zack. The second hour provides fans with incredible Rangers action.

The overall acting in this was really well done. Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, & RJ Cyler have the most character development of the five, however, Becky G (who I've been a fan of for years as I like her music) & Ludi Lin were fantastic in their roles as well. Each of the characters has an interesting back story to make you care more about them. I think Cyler gave the best performance as Billy (he really gets to you on an emotional level in so many scenes), but Naomi Scott as Kimberly & Dacre Montgomery as Jason were simply excellent in developing their characters and making their characters feel real. Becky G gave more depth to the Trini character, and reshaped it into a new version of the character. Great work on her part! I loved how sassy she was throughout the movie. Lin was kind of the comedic glue of the five, which makes sense as Zack was usually like that in the series. Each of the characters has complexity & flaws, which makes them easier to identify with. I felt like these five actually were friends on screen. They were all different in their own ways, but they also were able to put that aside to come together for the greater good.  Elizabeth Banks did so well shaping the Rita Repulsa character. This Rita was more cerebral, and so much darker than we're used to. Banks played it over the top, which worked so well as that's how Rita is in general. I was really impressed with the performances in this movie. Everybody made each character come off the screen, and put their all into shaping the characters for a new generation.

The battle sequences were simply excellent. The morphing sequences, the zords, the battle with Goldar & Rita, etc. were all amazing to watch on screen. Everything resembled the original series, but had a little bit of an updated twist to it that worked extremely well. The graphics looked great, and the battles felt like a real struggle. The zord battle with Goldar and Rita is one of the most incredible sequences you'll find. The zords charging forward as the Power Rangers theme blasted through the theater was a truly awesome moment.The Megazord looked awesome and was the perfect symbol to show that these five started from total strangers with nothing in common (except, for the fact that they are ostracized by those around them) into close friends that happen to save the world.

Great performances by Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, & Elizabeth Banks, excellent character development, amazing graphics for the Ranger outfits and the Zords, awesome battle sequences, and the ability for a Power Rangers movie to make you shed a tear make this a definite 5/5! Easily one of my favorite movies of 2017! Look out for some cameos at the end of the battle scene! Also, there's an end credit scene that definitely looks like it's setting up for a sequel! I can't wait to get this on DVD!

Beauty and the Beast Review

Justin and I saw Beauty and the Beast on March 23, 2017! I wanted to see this over the weekend, but every theater around me was sold out. I've always been a fan of Disney animated movies. If I had to rank my Top 5 animated movies, I'd say Beauty and the Beast is my second favorite after The Little Mermaid, with Aladdin, The Lion King, and Hercules rounding out the Top 5. I was so excited to finally see this movie today, and after seeing it, I liked it even more than I was anticipating. It's definitely one of my favorite movies of 2017! Beauty and the Beast has always held a special place in my heart, because, it makes me think of my mom and dad. Belle is my mother & The Beast is my father! I always joke about it with my brothers, but it's how I feel when I watch the characters interact. Also, I saw the play they have at the MGM theme park in Orlando, and I think of my mother singing Beauty and the Beast at the top of her lungs to annoy a woman in front of her, because she kept giving nasty looks at me and my brothers, Jake & Justin. Much like Belle, Mom is/was fearless. Much like The Beast, my dad is loud, sometimes temperamental, but has a great heart and does everything he can to protect those closest to him. Don't mess with him!

The new live action movie borrows influence from the 1946 fairy tale, the 1991 animated movie, and the Broadway play. It combines all of these elements into a magical adventure that does Beauty and the Beast justice. I'm definitely considering picking up the soundtrack and the commemorative Beast & Belle dolls for this movie.

I think the cast did a phenomenal job all around. I think everybody that knows me is aware how big of an Emma Watson fan I am. Here she is once again bringing life to a favorite character of mine in Belle. What an excellent performance in terms of acting and singing. I was blown away by her voice in Belle/Provincial Life. I liked how fealess they made Belle. While Belle has always been a fearless character, Emma Watson and Bill Condon took it a step further. She's such a proper, sophisticated, talented actress! Paige O'Hara even acknowledged Watson playing her as a great choice.

I loved the design of the Beast. The CGI never bothered me. At times, they even made the CGI look like actual prosthetics and make-up. I thought they matched the voice of The Beast from the animated movie extremely well. The Beast looked intimidating, and was a great composite of two forms of the finished Beast in the animated movie. The dancing sequence with The Beast & Belle was choreographed well, and the costumes were exquisitely made.

Luke Evans & Josh Gad did a fantastic job as Gaston & Lefou respectively. Evans seemed to really get into the character, which is great, because Gaston is supposed to be over the top. Gad was humorous and provided more depth to the Lefou character than we're used to, which I liked. His interactions with Emma Watson were great. Other supporting cast members like Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, & Ewan McGregor provided great voices for Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, & Lumiere.

Watching this movie, I can recall scenes straight from the animated movie. It was fun sitting back and watch them unfold in live action. I think Belle/Provincial Life, Be Our Guest, & Something There were performed really well. They were fun, and made you think about those memorable scenes. The battle with the enchanted objects vs. the villagers, and the scenes with Beast, Belle, & Gaston on the castle balcony were really well done. They expertly used the CGI and live action and created a visual masterpiece.

The performances, the music, the effects of the castle & the enchanted objects, the interwoven stories, the costumes, and the overall aura of Beauty and the Beast make this a definite 5/5 for me. I thoroughly enjoyed this.

Logan Review

Justin and I saw Logan on March 4, 2017! When it comes to Marvel, the only universe I truly like is X-Men! Wolverine is in my Top 5 superheroes of all time! The X-Men trilogies are two of my favorite superhero movie installments. What Logan accomplishes is transcendence from a comic book movie to an action adventure, modern day western incorporating elements of the X-Men storyline based off the Old Man Logan comics. This is an amazing achievement in comic book movies, and is easily the best movie of 2017 thus far.

Hugh Jackman has done an amazing job in the role of Logan/Wolverine since 2000. Seventeen years in the role has shown Jackman make the character an extension of himself. In X-Men, Wolverine seems invincible due to his accelerated healing and adamantium skeleton. In Logan, we see a completely different side of him. He's battered, broken, vulnerable, and suffering with every step physically and emotionally. This was a performance that I personally would nominate for a Golden Globe or Oscar. Forget that it's labelled a comic book movie. Jackman's work in this movie really hits you hard. He's trying to navigate through the world feeling what human beings feel on regular basis: pain. He's struggling to deal with that. He's struggling with his health. You have to remember that nobody quite knows how old Wolverine really is. His bones, even with the adamantium skeleton, would be extremely brittle by 2029, which is the year this movie takes place. It's a performance that really combined the anger and rage brought out by his mutant side blended with the compassion and loving side in his human heart. It's a layered, complete performance that was the perfect swansong for the character. He has a mission of protecting Laura Kinney, Charles Xavier, and the future of mutants throughout this movie, while maintaining his health and sanity.

Where Logan is the focal point, we can't discount Patrick Stewart's performance as Charles Xavier. He was great in the original trilogy, and Days of Future Past, but his work here was some of the best work of his career. Xavier acts as a father figure for Logan. We watch Xavier suffer much like Logan is. He's the one telling Logan how to cope. He's the one telling him he still has a purpose (protecting the next generation of mutants and taking them to Eden), even if he's hard on him throughout the movie. He knows there's more to Logan, and it's been that way ever since he stepped into Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Logan has actually cared for Xavier more than any of his pupils in my opinion. While somebody like Cyclops or Storm were leaders and listened to his advice, Logan always showed how much he cared by coming back to the mansion or what he's currently doing making sure Xavier doesn't suffer in his older years. I like their bond. It makes sense that both would get frustrated at each other, but at the same time love each other to their core. You can sense it on all fronts.

Jackman was excellent. Stewart was excellent. However, the person that stole the show for me was Dafne Keen as Laura Kinney a.k.a. X23! This young actress came on the screen with such presence and fire that everybody in the theater was immediately enthralled. She already has a life time of pain and anger built up in her young life. The expression on her face tells us this. Her movements are quick and sudden, with deadly purpose. Each movement is necessary to protect herself and those around her. She's a survivor-extremely resourceful and extremely intelligent and assessing the situations around her. She has so many elements of Logan in her, but at the same time, her core is not as damaged as Logan. She is a brilliant, young actress that has a bright future. I was so amazed by her interactions with Jackman and Stewart. To me, it felt like a little family working together. You had Keen acting as the fragile daughter, Jackman acting as the father, and Stewart as the grandfather. There was so much natural chemistry between them. Everything just seemed to come naturally for Dafne. I loved the dialogue scenes with her and Jackman. I was really into their conversations in the car on the road to Eden, and during the finale of the movie (which absolutely brought me to tears).

This is a movie where performances of our heroes were some of the best you'll find in any comic book related movie. The action sequences were excellent-brilliantly choreographed, with magnificent brutality. The slice and dice combination of Wolverine & X23 is amazing to watch unfold whether it's in the compound at the beginning, the farm, or in the woods. I think they did a brilliant job of incorporating some subtle comedic elements-such as the dinner scene. I was laughing so much at Laura eating her potatoes with her hand, and Logan handing her a fork. This is an in your face, serious comic book movie that gives Marvel an edge that it sorely needed.

The performances, the action sequences, the mission, the dialogue, and the overall intense nature of Logan makes this a 5/5. It's one of those movies that will make you feel so many emotions-you'll laugh and you'll damn sure cry at what you see. I definitely did at least 3 times watching this. It's just an amazing movie that hit all the points it was supposed to and then some!

89th Academy Awards Preview

This Sunday February 26, 2017 will be the return of an event that I look forward to each year for the dedication to cinema and the pageantry and tradition of what the event has meant since 1927. This year marks the 89th installment of this event and it should be an interesting night. What I will do is post the main awards nominees: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Director-these are the six I feel are the important ones, though I am always interested in Best Costumes, Best Score/Original Song, Best Visual Effects and Best Make-Up, they aren't necessarily the most important ones-just ones that interest me. I will post the ones I THINK/FEEL will win in bold. I will post the ones I WANT to win in italics. Keep in mind in one or more of these categories there may be one and the same for think and want. Then I will provide some commentary on my thoughts on the nominees involved. I will talk mostly about the choices I selected rather than discussing each nominee as I usually do as I didn't have the time. I needed to write something for my readers, though.

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

I think Moonlight is a poweful movie portraying social issues of the day. It creates some intriguing characters set amidst the backdrop of dangerous neighborhoods in Miami The first two acts are well done overall. The inclusion of Juan's character holds the first act together nicely, and Chiron & Kevin's relationship helps the second act. However, I thought the movie itself fell flat in the third act and took away everything that was working in the first two acts. I absolutely loved La La Land. The movie is colorful. People pushing through obstacles to achieve their dreams is inspiring, and the music is excellent.

Best Actor:

Casey Affleck-Manchester by the Sea

Andrew Garfield-Hacksaw Ridge

Ryan Gosling-La La Land

Viggo Mortensen-Captain Fantastic

Denzel Washington-Fences

Is Denzel Washington a great actor? Absolutely! His performance as Private Trip in Glory remains one of my all time favorite roles. Who could forget his excellent work as Alonzo Harris in Training Day that saw him take home Best Actor in 2001. However, do I think he should win for Fences? To be perfectly honest, I would say not quite.. I felt he gave a fantastic performance, but this is a role that basically felt like Washington was going through the motions. While it's based on a play which means there's already established dialogue in some form, you have to try to make the lines stand out and make the audience feel like they're immersed in a movie. I never felt that way with this performance. I think he deserves the nomination, though, because it's Denzel! Casey Affleck's work in Manchester by the Sea is amazing to watch. It's a depressing movie, but Affleck really captures the melancholy nature of the movie. The events of the movie show why Lee Chandler is how he is. That burning house scene still sticks with me. It was an excellent performance showing that Affleck is one of the best the industry has seen. He's always been a gifted actor, and it's great seeing him recognized for it. Recent news might derail him from winning, but he ultimately deserves to win for how much he put of himself into this role.

Best Actress:

Isabelle Huppert-Elle

Ruth Negga-Loving

Natalie Portman-Jackie

Emma Stone-La La Land

Meryl Streep-Florence Foster Jenkins

Isablle Huppert gave a truly great performance in Elle. She is a legend of French cinema, and her work as a video game designer combined with the intense overall theme of rape and survival showed an actress perhaps delivering her swan song performance. This would be a great cap to end her career. With her win at the Golden Globes, I see her picking it up based on respect from the Academy and how powerful the performance is. For the first time ever I'm torn on who I want to win., because I have two I want to win here: Natalie Portman & Emma Stone. Both of these actresses are in my Top 10 of all time. Their performances in their two respective movies are two of their strongest performances. Portman's work as Jackie Kennedy was in my Top 5 female performances of the year, which is why I listed her first in this category. Also,Jackie Kennedy is in my Top 5 historical figures list. Her voice, her demeanor, and her presence were perfect. She potrayed Jackie as a strong, but also vulnerable woman in her and the nation's darkest hour. It was simply an excellent performance that deserves to win. Stone was brilliant as Mia in La La Land. Her journey to become a successful actress as she navigates through Hollywood is inspiring. She always puts forth incredible effort, and succeeds. This could be her moment, and I'd absolutely love it. She has a great singing voice and her acting was on point. I'd like to also add for the Best Actress category that Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine in Edge of Seventeen & Amy Adams as Louise Banks in Arrival deserved nominations. Steinfeld's performance as Nadine was my favorite female performance of 2016, and Adams portrayal as Banks was possibly her best performance to date. Sometimes, you have to hate the Oscars for snubbing people that certainly deserve to be on the list. I would have nominated those two over Ruth Negga & Meryl Streep in a heartbeat.

Best Supporting Actor:

Mahershala Ali-Moonlight

Jeff Bridges-Hell or High Water

Lucas Hedges-Manchester by the Sea

Dev Patel-Lion

Michael Shannon-Nocturnal Animals

I think Mahershala Ali and Janelle Monae's performances were the best parts of Moonlight. Ali's Juan character is the best and worst part of Chiron's life in my opinion. You watch as he takes Chiron under his wing to provide stability, but at the same time he's the reason for his neglect from his mother, due to his drug dealing. It's very interesting to think about. It's a damn shame he was only in the first act, because after he's gone from the movie, the movie slowly starts deteriorating. Even though I wasn't a huge fan of this movie, I can't say enough good things about Ali's performance as Juan. If I had to pick another choice for who I want to win then it would be Dev Patel in Lion. Patel has been a great actor since I saw him in Skins. His performance here on a journey to find his birth mother and family as a whole is truly epic. It's basically a version of the Odyssey in some ways. It was based on a real story of Saroo. Patel actually rode the same trains and visited several of the same orphanages, even going as far as to meet the real Saroo in person. That shows extreme dedication to this project. He wanted to make it authentic. It's a performance of a journey to find love and unification. I was impressed with his work. Between Mahershala Ali & Dev Patel, it's going to be a close one. I loved both performances, so I'd be perfectly fine with either of them. If I had to choose another option of who I want to win, I'd definitely select Lucas Hedges performance in Manchester by the Sea! He was great as Lee's nephew. Instead of Jeff Bridges for Hell or High Water, I would have nominated Woody Harrelson's performance in Edge of Seventeen. He was on top of his game as Mr. Bruner-the sarcastic teacher that cares about his students, especially Nadine deep down.

Best Supporting Actress:

Viola Davis-Fences

Naomie Harris-Moonlight

Nicole Kidman-Lion

Octavia Spencer-Hidden Figures

Michelle Williams-Manchester by the Sea

There's a lot of controversy about Viola Davis being nominated for Best Supporting Actress as she should have been included in Best Actress for Fences, but she has a better chance of winning if she's nominated in this category, which is why the Academy put her in this category. Davis is one of the best actresses going today. She always puts forth a solid performance, and her work in Fences was no exception. I think she definitely did a better job than Denzel Washington in this movie. Davis has basically been the de facto choice since Day 1, so I really don't think anybody else has a chance of winning this. Her fire and demanding voice will lead her to victory. (While she's only on screen for a limited amount of time, I'd personally love to see Michelle Williams win this. That scene with her and Casey Affleck outside the church is enough to make me want to see her win. I mean, I've been a fan of Williams since she played Jen on Dawson's Creek. I thought she should have won Best Actress for My Week With Marilyn in 2011. I think her performance was indicative of a woman that felt the same hardships that Lee has been feeling, and when she sobs uncontrollably and apologizes for everything, it's extremely powerful. Williams is a great actress that I'd love to see pull off the upset. Unfortunately, I don't see it happening, but last year, I never saw Mark Rylance winning for Bridge of Spies,which was my choice last year as well and left me pleasantly surprised when they announced his name. Go Michelle!

Best Director:

Denis Villenueve-Arrival

Mel Gibson-Hacksaw Ridge

Damian Chazelle-La La Land

Kenneth Lonergan-Manchester by the Sea

Barry Jenkins-Moonlight

The Best Director category this year is stacked. Ultimately, I see Barry Jenkins pulling out the win. His style is similar to Boyhood in terms of splitting the acts through different phases of the main character's life. The overall movie in general has gotten so many positive reviews from critics and I feel the Academy wants to give him the win. Jenkins should have had an actor that slightly resembled Chiron in his earlier stages to make the movie more effective. I really didn't like the third act of that movie, and I think casting and overall pacing in the third act hurt the movie. Jenkins had a great vision and it's an extremely powerful movie, but I think and want Damian Chazelle should win this. He created such a fun musical movie loaded with a colorful palette that kept me invested in the movie. This, combined with the larger than life characters on the screen were excellent. La La Land is a feel good movie, which is why I want to see it win Best Picture and Best Director. Chazelle's vision just based on that opening freeway traffic jam alone is enough to convince me he should win. I wouldn't mind seeing Mel Gibson win, either. It's really great to see him back at the Oscars. I've always liked Gibson. The research he did to put this together is amazing. The way he shot it brought the audience into the battles! While Jenkins is the Academy's favorite, Chazelle's work should definitely win.

Now that I have covered the six major categories, I hope the readers of this blog will enjoy this look into the 89th Academy Awards. The only other thing I'd like to add is I hope to see Zootopia win Best Animated Feature. I am so picky on animated movies, but Zootopia was just so amazing. I love the unique characters as well as the entertaining plot. I enjoyed writing this Oscars piece and hope you enjoy reading it. There are some really competitive categories, and it should be interesting to see what Jimmy Kimmel does as the host.