This was the year where I had to take a hard look in the mirror and face the fact that I use the Academy Award telecast to fuel my own cynicism and finally recognize the show for the sycophantic, insincere, self-serving, phony baloney stroke fest that everyone always knew it always was. I don't want to harp on Chris Rock's performance as emcee but if I wanted a prolonged guilt trip I would attend mass a couple times in a row. It would be impossible for him not to address the elephant in the room but for it to predominate the entire night without taking it anywhere interesting or constructive is a waste. As for the awards, it was cool to see Mad Max clean up in the technical categories, which wasn't all that much of a given considering competition from Star Wars and The Revenant. Everyone was thrilled Ennio Morricone won for Hateful 8. The movie was trash, the score forgettable, and at this point does he really need a competitive Oscar to validate an extraordinary career. Anyway I was really rooting for John Williams to win his 97th Oscar. Brilliant job at recycling the Imperial Death March. Mark Rylance was probably the biggest upset, winning in a disappointing supporting category. Sorry Sly. Maybe you can score one for Expendables 4. Alicia Vikander, meh. Brie Larson was the weakest of a surprisingly strong Actress lot and Leo. At last. You were so extraordinary in all those green screen scenes and you were probably really cold for like twenty minutes a day for a three month shoot. Plus thanks for the advice. I will carry the torch and fight the good fight against the "politics of greed" while you jet set with supermodels and get paid 20 million dollars to do commercials. Soldier on mate! Inarritu went to impressive places for his second straight directing award but how do you not give that one to George Miller. Finally, although its another social justice honoree for Best Picture, Spotlight was an excellent form of near defunct filmmaking and it was nice cherry on the top of a soul sucking Oscar sundae. See you next year folks.
