First Annual Alternative Oscars
I love the Oscars. They're my Super Bowl. I love film with pretty much everything I have and I can't help but obsess over the Oscars despite the fact that they're completely arbitrary. Despite the fact that they hardly matter in the grand scheme. I love the pageantry. I love the competition. I love rooting for "my film." That all said, the Oscars often get it wrong. Of course that's my opinion but we all feel a pang when an actor we love or a film we were blown away by wasn't nominated. I've already done my top films of 2016 so briefly I'm going to give a few awards of my own in what I'd like to be my First Annual Alternate Oscars:
BEST PICTURE
- The Edge of Seventeen
- The Handmaiden
- Jackie
- The Lobster
- Moonlight
- The Neon Demon
- Swiss Army Man
- The Witch
The Winner is....
The Handmaiden is a gloriously feminine, erotic, hilarious and thrilling film. It's a meticulously crafted, expertly made film by one of the best in the business, Park Chan-Wook. Not a single frame or line of dialogue is wasted. This is peak cinema from a true master.
BEST DIRECTOR
- Barry Jenkins-Moonlight
- Daniels (Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan)-Swiss Army Man
- Nicolas Winding Refn-The Neon Demon
- Pablo Lorrain-Jackie
- Park Chan-Wook-The Handmaiden
- Robert Eggers-The Witch
What's left to say about Park Chan-Wook? He's made one of the ten greatest films of all time with Oldboy and with The Handmaiden, he returns to form (not that he ever really left) giving us a true masterclass in directing. Gorgeous, lush imagery combined with violent themes and even still combined with wonderful performances, Park Chan-Wook wastes nothing in this film.
BEST ACTRESS
- Anya-Taylor Joy-The Witch
- Hailee Steinfeld-The Edge of Seventeen
- Isabelle Huppert-Elle
- Natalie Portman-Jackie
- Ruth Negga-Loving
- Tae-Ri Kim-The Handmaiden
The Winner is...
Isabelle Huppert is widely considered the best actress in film. Not just internationally and not just in Hollywood but in film. Long overdue for an Oscar, Huppert gives the performance of her career in Elle. All at once, this post-feminist character is moral, amoral, tragic, blackly comic and powerful. She suffers brutal trauma, twice, and perseveres. Punishing anyone in her way with her devastating wit and cool, strong demeanor, Huppert delivers the performance of the year, rivaled only by Natalie Portman.
BEST ACTOR
The Winner is...
It's sometimes so easy to forget how powerful Denzel Washington is, how great he is. Fences is a good film but it's elevated in part by his absolutely magnetic performance. Washington will disappear into throwaway action films, one after the other almost every year. He's good in them but it's so easy to forget something that's immediately apparent in Fences: This man is the greatest living actor on the planet. Hands down. He takes scenes and and just destroys them with fierce intensity that we'll likely never see again. His character is never likable but always familiar and that has everything to do with Washington's brave performance. Scenes drag on and on with dialogue but you never feel the length because what he's doing on screen is absolute magic.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Abbey Lee-The Neon Demon
- Janelle Monae-Moonlight
- Michelle Williams-Manchester by the Sea
- Naomie Harris-Moonlight
- Rachel Weisz-The Lobster
- Viola Davis-Fences
The Winner is...
Once again, Fences, as well written as it is, does not work without the acting and of course Washington shines but Viola Davis is right there with him. She sometimes steals scenes right out from under him. The scene we've all seen in the trailers ("WHAT ABOUT ME!? WHAT ABOUT MY DREAMS!?") is devastating and if she doesn't bring you tears, nothing will. Davis has long been one of the best actresses without an Oscar despite deserving one since Doubt. Her grace, poise and dignity amidst her husband's disgusting actions are inspiring in Fences.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Ben Foster-Hell or High Water
- Daniel Bruhl-Captain America: Civil War
- John Goodman-10 Cloverfield Lane
- Mahershala Ali-Moonlight
- Michael Shannon-Nocturnal Animals
- Sunny Pawar-Lion
The Winner is...
What a year Mahershala Ali has had. In some ways, this award feels almost like a reward for his breakout appearances in Moonlight and Hidden Figures, as well as his electric performance in Luke Cage on Netflix. It's in Moonlight where he shines the brightest though. Only in a 1/3 of the film, Ali leaves a lasting image of kindness and the pained darkness of a man who desperately wants to do the right thing. He has such a power that he exudes with just a look that in some scenes it's almost breathtaking. There were few performances in 2016 that had as much of a lasting impact with such little screen time like Ali's. He just has a natural ability to pull you into the film and never look away.
BEST SCREENPLAY
- Barry Jenkins and Tarrell Alvin McCraney-Moonlight
- Josh Cambell, Matthew Strucken and Damian Chazelle-10 Cloverfield Lane
- Kelly Fremon Craig-The Edge of Seventeen
- Park Chan-Wook, Jeong Seo-Kyeong and Sarah Waters-The Handmaiden
- Robert Eggers-The Witch
- Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou-The Lobster
The Winner is...
The Handmaiden doesn't work without the winding, thrilling script which Park Chan-Wook and Jeong Seo-Kyeong adapted from Sarah Waters's novel. It's an incredibly intricate, deliciously rich narrative filled with brilliant dialogue and gripping twists that never let up. There was nothing quite like The Handmaiden last year and the script is a huge reason why.
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