It’s an exciting night for movie fans. The Oscars are about to be handed out and many of Hollywood’s biggest stars are expected to walk the red carpet. But to tell you the truth, we’re not really that interested in the Oscars. We’re much more interested in the movies. So, let’s take a look at the 2017 Oscars and which ones are worth watching (or at least, paying attention to).
Best Director
The Academy Award for Best Director is usually given to the person who managed to bring the most stunning imagery to life on screen. But this year it goes to a rather unconventional choice. In fact, it’s the first time in the history of the award that the director’s name is not on the card. Instead, we’ll be seeing a series of silhouettes (including many women) dancing – or at least trying to dance – in front of a white backdrop. It’s been said that this year’s Oscars will be memorable because of the way the nominees and winners have defied our traditional notions of what an Oscar-winning film looks like. And that could be true. But whether or not you agree, you’ll at least have to admit that it’s an odd look for an Oscar presentation.
Best Actor
It’s not that we don’t like our actors. It’s that we don’t like seeing them take a seat on the big chair. Give the man his due though, the 2017 Best Actor winner is not one to miss. While we’ve seen many a funny and charming performance from Peter Capaldi, this year he’s going to have to beat out two very popular guys. First, there’s the man we voted for – Donald Trump. Then, there’s the other guy, who happens to be one of Hollywood’s most famous and popular stars. Together, these two men have won an amazing 14 Academy Awards between them. Let’s give them some more!
Best Actress
This year is almost as exciting for actresses as it is for directors. Sure, we’re used to seeing them on screen in beautiful dresses and swimsuits – but this year they’re going to have to do more than that. They’ll be presenting this year’s Best Actress with a blank card. It’s like they don’t even know what to put on the card. They should probably just put “Best Actress” on there and leave it at that.
Best Supporting Actor
It’s always nice when a movie manages to unify a previously divided audience. That is exactly what happened with 1917. The film brought together the black and white communities in a powerful display of solidarity. While the film doesn’t necessarily deserve to be on this list, it is a testament to the beauty of its story that it unites people of all colors. So let’s give it some love. While we’re at it, let’s also give some love to Joe Mott – he plays a huge part in unifying these communities and is therefore deserving of some praise.
Best Supporting Actress
This category always makes us laugh. It’s not that we don’t believe that the actresses in question are good at what they do. It’s that we find it extremely difficult to pick a movie based on their performance alone. We want to see a variety of acting styles and performances. That is why we’ve included this category. Sometimes we like to see actresses go all out. Other times we like to see them save the drama for the screen. It’s all about personal preference I guess.
Best Original Screenplay
Speaking of varieties, we love seeing them on screen. That is why we always end up going to the movies. We want to see everything. We want to see the sad stories. We want to see the funny stories. We want to see the scary stories. We want to see everything. That is why we love going to the movies. It is a huge variety show and it’s something that we love about cinema. It is interesting to note here that we are not referring to the actual writing in the screenplay. We’re talking about the entire experience. We want to see the story told on screen, not read about it in a book. Besides, it’s not just about writing. We also love it when the director manages to bring the best out of their actors. That is what matters most.
Best Adapted Screenplay
We already talked about variety a little bit. Adapting a novel into a movie is a great way to do it. It can also be a very time-consuming process. That is why we love it when the studio finds a way to shortcut the process. They can take a book and make it into a movie in one fell swoop. Sometimes the process can take years. Sometimes it takes a little longer. But, in the end, it is still a great way to experience the story. Besides, sometimes the book is just way too thick to fit into a movie.
Best Sound Mixing
Another way to experience a story is through sound. The way that the director and the composer weave sound effects, music and narration into a single cohesive piece is very unique to movies. This year, the Academy is paying homage to a certain genre of movie by asking the nominees and winners to rework a classic Hitchcock theme. While some of the sound effects in the film will be familiar (such as the tapping of keyboards and phones), it is the way that they are woven together with the music that will be new. It’s a great example of how unique movies can be and how they offer a different way of experiencing stories. While some people love to read about the intrigue and twists and turns of the story, we can sit back and relax while the sounds surrounding us provide the thrills.
Best Cinematography
Getting back to variety for a moment, it would be a shame to restrict ourselves to just talking about the written word. Variety is important too, as it allows us to see how different colors and styles can be blended together to form one cohesive image. This year’s nominees for Best Cinematography all work together to bring to life one of the most unique and interesting landscapes ever put on film. It is difficult to describe without giving too much away, but if you’ve seen the movie then you know exactly what we’re talking about.
Best Film Editing
A good editor can make or break a film. They are the person who brings a rough cut to cinema’s final product. While they may not always get the credit that they deserve, editing is an extremely important aspect of the film-making process. It is a combination of art and craft that can take years to master. With so much information at our fingertips these days, it is amazing to see how fast editors can now make their cuts. With the ability to always have more information at our fingertips, it is only natural that we would look to technology to help us make sense of it all. While computers have definitely made our lives easier, they have also made our jobs easier as well. So while we might not always like to admit it, editing is an important part of our admiration for the skilled technicians behind the scenes.
Best Costume Design
We’re not just talking about the clothes here. It’s the entire look and feel of the film. While it might be fun to dress up as your favorite movie character every Halloween, the truth is that it’s a lot of work maintaining seven different costume changes throughout an entire movie. It takes a lot of time and effort to look this good. And let’s be honest, some of these costumes look better than others. So while it might be fun to dress up as Mullets And Masks from the Addams Family for Halloween, it gets rather tiresome wearing the same outfit for two hours. So let’s give this year’s costume design a round of applause although, we might be biased.
Best Makeup
Let’s switch gears now and talk about the women behind the scenes. While the men may get all the attention for the cool outfits and action scenes, it is the women who give these films their special spark. From subtle yet classy makeup tricks to creating incredible costumes, it is the ladies who make all the difference. It is no secret that women tend to be more involved in the making of movies than men. They typically start out in the industry as extras and then move up from there. While we might not always like to admit it, the fact is that women have been doing this for years. It’s time for them to step out of the shadows now and take their place amongst the greats.
It’s interesting to see how many different ways stories can be told. While most of us might be used to seeing movies with all white casts and nearly all straight men, this year we will be seeing a great range of films and individuals telling those stories. It’s a truly unique collection that should not be missed.