Design by Matilda S (Year 12)
On the 15th of March, finally came the day that everyone (me) had long awaited. The Oscars. As a very opinionated movie fanatic, the Oscars would either mean utter devastation or overwhelming joy, which was soon to be discovered. In fact, throughout the approximate 3-hour ceremony, I think I went through the entire range of human emotion. So, without further ado, let’s get to who won just a few of the categories, and more importantly, my own opinion.
Best Picture
My choice: Sinners
Winner: One Battle After Another
Now, unfortunately, One Battle After Another was one of the few Best Picture nominees I never got around to watching. So, I cannot comment on its quality, yet I still believe that, nevertheless, Sinners deserved to win. At least in my books.
For me, Sinners was the best new movie I have seen in, well, quite a while. Which is saying something, given the sheer volume of movies I watch. It held everything I look for in a movie, emotional tension, romance, action and some truly incredible scenes. Not only this, but the genuinely astounding soundtrack, unlike anything I had heard before, combined with the visuals of the dancing and burning of the juke joint, was phenomenal. Without a doubt in my mind, this film should have won Best Picture. Though who knows, this opinion may just change when I watch One Battle After Another.
Best Actor
My choice: Michael B Jordan
Winner: Michael B Jordan
As I’m sure you can imagine, I was ecstatic to hear them announce his name for the award. As a clear fan of Sinners, his acting was a large portion of what made the movie so amazing. From the second he appeared on screen, playing the role of twins, his subtle mannerisms and body language instantly allowed me to understand the characterisation and differences of each twin. This portrayal alone won him the Oscar, and despite there being other strong contenders, such as Timothee Chalamet (who, might I add, has somehow not won an Oscar yet, criminal I know), but in my mind I knew it was always going to be Michael B Jordan.
Best Actress
My choice: Jessie Buckley
Winner: Jessie Buckley
You should have heard my cheer that rang out when her name was called. Now, despite never having heard of her before seeing Hamnet, she most definitely left her mark afterwards. She had me on the edge of tears before anything had even happened, much less later in the movie, where there were full-fledged sobs. Her portrayal of Agnes was flawless; she somehow managed to give every single look and every single smile some sort of significance. If she had not won, I might have even had to contemplate quitting cinema altogether (only slightly joking). And of course, as a huge fan of La La Land, I love Emma Stone, but even I can admit that she stood no chance in this competition.
Best Original Score
My choice: Sinners
Winner: Sinners
I had no words listening to the music throughout this film for the first time. Miles Caton’s ‘I Lied to You’ alone was enough to win this award. The long note held at the end lifted me to another dimension. Not only this, but not a single song was not enjoyable. And I, personally, don’t tend to be a fan of Irish or Blues music, but this was something else. I felt every lyric, every beat in my soul. Even the sillier songs were able to be danced along with. I don’t think a single person doubted who would win; there was no soundtrack among the other nominees that could quite compare.
Best visual effects
My choice: Avatar 3
Winner: Avatar 3
Seeing this in the cinema in 3D might have made my opinion slightly biased, I think any movie where the action is literally coming out at you should probably be winning this award. But Avatar was a whole different level. Despite not having the strongest plot or structure, one thing it can be praised for is its visual effects. I have never seen another movie that makes me feel like I am in another world as much as this one. The sparkling waters and crystal-clear skies all seem completely real and managed to capture me in their astonishing effects. My jaw dropped every time the pure landscape was shown; words cannot describe how incredible it was. It must be seen for itself.
Costume design
My choice: Frankenstein
Winner: Frankenstein
This one was a closer call for me. Many of the films nominated had incredible costuming, with both Marty Supreme and Sinners taking on outfits from a different generation. And Avatars’ crafting of clothing for a whole new species was a close second contender. But part of me knew that Frankenstein would be the one to take the cake. Whilst Avatar’s costumes were interesting, they were quite basic and usually were generalised across the whole species. Whereas in Frankenstein, each character was equipped with different, personalised items of clothing, making each feel uniquely intimate to who they are.
Best song
My choice: ‘I Lied to You’
Winner: ‘Golden’
Now I hate to say it, but this one was just straight rage bait. I cannot tell you how mad it made me that the often-mocked, TikTokified song won instead of the masterpiece that Sinners created (let me be dramatic). I cannot even begin to fathom how Golden won. Though if I’m being honest, I knew it was coming, it does not mean that I don’t hate it with every fibre of my being. The only redeeming factor was that it was nice to see an animated film win an award other than the Best Animated Feature, as that doesn’t happen often; it still does not outweigh the injustice done to literally any other song.
Overall, it’s safe to say this year’s Oscars really put me through it. I celebrated ups and downs alongside many others all over the globe. But despite my personal opinions, every single movie made and nominated this year had its own outstanding qualities, and each had its own strengths. But ultimately, only one can win. So, who do you think should have?
