06.05.17
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Wonder Woman

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Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons and trained warrior. When a pilot crashes and tells of conflict in the outside world, she leaves home to fight a war to end all wars, discovering her full powers and true destiny.

I’ve had much less faith in DC ever since the disappointments of Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad were released last year. The plot and development of the universe in both films were rushed and horribly written, yet one thing stood out to me from DC’s films last year – Gal Gadot’s performance as Wonder Woman. She brought lots of heart into the character and didn’t let me down, so DC made a wise choice by making her the lead of their next film. Here, she’s even more impressive as one of the most surprising and entertaining superhero protagonists in a long time. Gadot showed us that she had talent in her minor role in the Fast and Furious films, but she does better when she carries the film in the leading role. Her charm, emotion, charisma, and determination build a fantastic heroine who kicks ass and brings hope to not only the discouraged and devastated soldiers of the war in the film, but to the DCEU franchise and its future. If it weren’t for Gadot’s outstanding performance, I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the movie as much. I hope we see much more of her talent and her character in the future. Chris Pine is more than just the love interest, he’s also an interesting and well-written hero who has great chemistry with Gadot.

Wonder Woman not only has great leading roles but also very good directing and action scenes. If you liked seeing Wonder Woman fight alongside Batman and Superman last year, you’ll definitely enjoy seeing her beat up Germans as she deflects bullets and explosives and smashes through buildings with her shield. The action is very well-realized and although there is too much slow-motion at some points, it’s very exciting to watch how the action plays out in the film. Although the movie’s runtime isn’t too focused on action, plenty of the writing is there to develop the characters and give them interesting moments. The story of a god/goddess searching for their destiny outside of their home reminded me of Thor, and the WWI setting is reminiscent of the WWII set pieces in Captain America: The First Avenger. I loved the scenes in which Wonder Woman explores her motivation to fight, what she believes in, and her view on mankind, yet this time they made me care more about it than in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman because it isn’t delivered through slow montages and boring dialogue. Although it was produced by Zack Snyder, and he’s also credited for the story, which shows through the excessive use of slo-mo and some unbalanced pacing like in the other DC films, I’m sure glad he didn’t direct it, because Patty Jenkins was able to deliver a groundbreaking female superhero story in a much higher league than what Snyder has done. Thankfully this movie also doesn’t try to build on the universe and set up a sequel too much, it just left me wanting more films with Gadot in the main role in the future. There are villainous roles that are horribly written, including a villain reveal in the messy and CGI-heavy climactic battle that I really didn’t care about, and it took a while for me to really get into the story in the beginning, which starts with exposition and dialogue that could have used improvement. I’m glad that what follows is a fun and thrilling origin story for one of the most awesome and interesting female superheroes on the big screen.

Wonder Woman improves on DC’s underwhelming disappointments from last year, with a fantastic leading performance and well-shot action sequences. The writing could have used some improvement, but this film overall raises the bar for female superhero films and the DCEU’s potential. I can tell this won’t be the last of Gadot’s on-screen glory as the titular badass heroine.

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05.31.17
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

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In the fifth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Captain Jack Sparrow is pursued by an old rival, Captain Salazar, who along with his crew of ghost pirates has escaped from the Devil’s Triangle, and is determined to kill every pirate at sea. Jack seeks the Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that grants its possessor total control over the seas, in order to defeat Salazar.

Disney has benefited with billions of dollars from this popular franchise based on the famous Disneyland ride, so it’s no surprise that they’ve gone and made a fifth one. Dead Men Tell No Tales is not the worst of the series but it’s not the return to form that many fans were hoping for. I did not walk in with high expectations so I can’t say I was disappointed, but I was not impressed either. Johnny Depp is back as Jack Sparrow, one of the most popular live action heroes of our time, and he’s still entertaining in the role, but his character barely serves a point in the plot this time around. He has lots of screen time and makes lots of jokes throughout but he’s never developed at all or given a reason to be there other than the fact that the villain wants revenge on him. Brenton Thwaites and Kaya Scodelario play two new protagonists to the series, and they both deliver solid performances, but their character arcs aren’t interesting enough to carry the film along. Javier Bardem stars as a frightening villain who starts out interesting but the dialogue and CGI make his character feel more comedic then threatening. Geoffrey Rush is also back as Hector Barbossa and is made a big part of the plot but his character’s writing failed to interest me.

I was never a huge fan of the series, but even those who loved the first few films won’t get much that they’re hoping for besides entertainment. The plot that drives the characters and the film forward are nothing near as compelling as the first film offered. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley didn’t reprise their roles in the last film, and here, they don’t appear much, either. The new young protagonists and the story that revolves around them just couldn’t fill that void or push the story forward well enough. There are some entertaining action scenes, such as a scene in which a bank is being robbed (not just the money, but the entire building is being dragged away), as well as one in which an execution is thwarted. There are moments that managed to entertain me and make me laugh, and shots that are done well, but the writers couldn’t come up with a story and character arcs that the audience could also enjoy. There are many magical concepts and backstories that were introduced but none of them made much sense or excited me at all. The movie doesn’t conclude terribly, but the post-credits scene sets up the potential sequel that I won’t be looking forward to.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales isn’t the sequel many were hoping for, and although it will manage to entertain viewers, especially younger audiences and fans of the previous films, but the uninspired and boring storyline and character arcs make this film far from the saga’s best use of its potential. You may like it for its action, but there are films in theaters right now that you’ll probably like much better, like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Alien: Covenant, and the new DC film Wonder Woman, which hits theaters this Friday.

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05.28.17
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Alien: Covenant

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After Ridley Scott tried to revive his franchise with a prequel series that started in 2012 with Prometheus, which was a huge disappointment, Scott redeems his franchise with this follow-up to Prometheus. The plot is similar to the other Alien films, with a crew of a spaceship traveling to an uncharted planet and then getting attacked by extraterrestrial life forms. However, this time, the characters are all developed well and Scott actaully gets you to care about them. I didn’t really care much about the characters in Prometheus, but here you actually are interested in them, and things like love and loss in these characters’ lives are handled well. Michael Fassbender reprises his role from the previous installment as David, and he also plays a new character named Walter, both of which are androids. Fassbender has never failed to impress me, and here he delivers such an impressive performance and he lives up to the responsibility of having to take on two roles. Katherine Waterson is also a great protagonist, and her emotion actually helps carry the film well. The ensemble supporting cast is also great, especially Danny McBride as the wise-cracking pilot of the Covenant.

The first act of this film builds up the conflict very well, from the opening scene which begins the story in an unexpected manner. When the intensity begins, I found myself thrilled during the very gruesome and bloody scenes of aliens breaking through bodies and chasing the human protagonists. The sequences are shot very well, and the CGI effects used to create aliens, planets, and spaceships are beautiful. The movie carries on some of the questions raised in Prometheus about life and existence, but this time the script actually makes you think about what the characters are talking about, and this helps the character arcs of David and Walter be even more compelling. There are also some twists that surprised me and made the film much more exciting. Scott inserts some of Jerry Goldsmith’s score to the original 1979 Alien which started it all, and tries to keep the feel of a ’70s science ficiton horror film in there, but it’s easy to notice that this film still follows the formula that Alien and Aliens established, and it’s easy to eventually get tired of seeing the same things so many times. However, the intense final act leading to a dark and unexpected ending promises that the next film will step away from that formula, and hopefully be just as great as this one.

Alien: Covenant is far from the franchise’s best but it uses what has made the saga great before to put it and Scott’s career back on a great track. The cast and writers try hard here, and their work definitely pays off and this disturbing and horrifying yet tense and exciting sci-fi horror film that will definitely amuse fans, as well as plot twists that will surprise many viewers. If you’re a teen or older, I’d suggest you help this film at the box office and give it a watch.

A black-and-white poster of a mass of people being surrounded/tortured by the aliens, not unlike the Renaissance depictions of Hell, with one alien at the center highlighted by a shaft of light from the upper-left.

05.06.17
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

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It’s been three years since Guardians of the Galaxy was released and became a huge hit for Marvel, and finally the Guardians have returned to the big screen in Vol. 2. This time, the Guardians travel throughout the cosmos as they help Peter Quill learn more about his true parentage. Thankfully, James Gunn knows how to make a standout superhero film for the second time. Vol. 2 doesn’t lose the charm, heart, and humor that made the first one so great. Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel are all still so brilliant and hilarious as the dysfunctional family who must save the galaxy for the second time. There’s something so refreshing about their characters that brings a smile to my face. Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, and Karen Gillan also return from the first film, and their characters are explored much more interestingly this time. I was also impressed by newcomer Pom Klementieff as Mantis, a charming new member of the Guardians.

With a great visual style, script, and action sequences, James Gunn shows he can make a Marvel film that’s special and heartfelt. Guardians Vol. 2 feels somewhat distinct from the classic MCU formula, and isn’t too caught up with setting up a universe, but with bringing the best out of its characters and visuals. If you loved Awesome Mix Vol. 1, prepare for another great soundtrack in Awesome Mix Vol. 2, which includes some great songs that are used very well in the film. It’s been a while since the first film came out, and the first one felt so fresh and new when it was released, but by now the visuals and humorous style don’t feel as new and special as they did back then, but I can’t really blame the film for that. There are a few characters that are useless and I wish did more, and there’s a twist thrown in that was foreshadowed a little too much, but it feels different than what Marvel has done before. However, Gunn’s creative style makes this movie as entertaining and awesome as it should be. He knows how to make a great soundtrack and shoot action sequences very well, and he even pays homage to Hitchcock’s North by Northwest in a certain scene. Also, stay during the credits for not one, but five post-credit scenes after the film.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is another great Marvel feature with a terrific cast, an excellent soundtrack, great action and visuals, and a script that doesn’t feel as well-realized and fresh as the first film, but this movie still demonstrates James Gunn’s great talent when it comes to making huge blockbusters, and leaves you excited for Vol. 3.

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04.22.17
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Get Out

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Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) is an African-American who visits his Caucasian girlfriend’s mysterious family estate, but things start to slowly unravel and nothing is as peaceful as it seems.

Get Out is easily one of the smartest, most intense, and most surprising thrillers I’ve seen in theaters, and it’s even more shocking that its director is comedian Jordan Peele of the sketch comedy duo Key and Peele, and that this is his first time ever directing a movie. He creates such a mysterious and creepy environment in the film’s first hour and everything advances and is developed so well. Not only is everything very thrilling but the message he has to say about modern-day race relations is done so well with very over-the-top satirical humor and some that is mild as well.  The themes in the film about race aren’t preached or told to you but rather through interactions and reactions of the characters in the film, and it feels like something some audiences could even relate to. When the horrifying truth of what’s been going on throughout the film is finally revealed, everything makes sense and it ends in a suspenseful carnage of blood and surprises. Daniel Kaluuya shows such wonderful talent in every scene, and his character feels very realistic and in no way overdone like most filmmakers would make a protagonist like him behave. Allison WIlliams is also very well-cast and her performance is too great to spoil. However, the best of the cast is obviously Lil Rel Howery. He has about five or six scenes, and there wasn’t a single one that didn’t leave me cracking up. His dialogue is so hilarious and he knows how to bring terrific comic relief to a film. I didn’t think the 2017 film that truly defines what a Hollywood movie should be would be the directorial debut of a comedian or a horror film, but Get Out is widely distributed Hollywood at its greatest. The trailers misled me to think it was something cliche and uninspired, but what I stepped into truly blew me away. Peele makes it so original, engaging, and unforgettable, with sequences, twists, and shocks that are better than most of what you see nowadays being advertised on billboards and television. Get Out is not only brutal and thrilling but it also gives you an important and honest look at America today. Whether or not you like to be thrilled, entertained, or cracking up at the movies, I think every film lover and person should see Get Out. It’s the most acclaimed and essential film of the year so far and it’s an experience you won’t forget.

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04.15.17
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The Fate of the Furious

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In this next Fast and Furious movie, the stakes are raised as Dom (Vin Diesel) is pitted against his team by a mysterious woman named Cipher (Charlize Theron), and his crew face trials that will test them as never before.

The Fate of the Furious proves that this series will never end, as they’re always successful and the studio is always compelled to make more, but it also proves that no matter how ridiculous the plot is, it can still live up to be as entertaining as its predecessors. This isn’t the best of the series, but I still enjoyed the hell out of it. It wasn’t a great decision by the studio to continue making these films after the tragic death of Paul Walker, one of the main stars of the franchise, but this film still brings insane stunts, incredible action sequences, and tons of great humor to the screen. The film is even able to pay tribute to Walker at the end, more subtly this time. Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnon are easily the heart of the film, with Diesel bringing the best out of his character as always, and Johnson is both hilarious and badass and a much larger role in the franchise now, and I’m sure glad he is. Jason Statham’s return is also great, and Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris are once again terrific comic relief. The twist of Dom betraying his team at first concerned me when it was revealed in the trailer, but the background and reason behind it is written well and a nice surprise. However, the writing of Charlize Theron’s antagonist was horrible and her performance is beyond forgettable. The story doesn’t really explore new territory other than that, revisiting the consistent theme of family that’s been used very well throughout the series, and sometimes the story is too over-the-top or rushed, but I was still entertained by the insane action sequences, which are some of the most awesome of the series. The directing and writing aren’t some of the most memorable in the franchise, but the action and humor sure is, and despite the plot being mostly forgettable, I can’t call this film a disappointment because of how much this saga still amuses me. There’s been so many sequels in this series, but thankfully I can still have a great time with this saga, despite the story not being the best. More follow-ups may be unnecessary, but if a ninth film is released, I’ll be sure not to miss it.

Who knew that the 8th installment of a series could still hold up? The Fate of the Furious is the saga at it’s most over-the-top but it keeps all the entertainment that has made the series great. You should watch it if you’re simply looking for an incredibly fun time at the movies.

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03.20.17
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Beauty and the Beast (2017)

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The tale as old as time returns to the big screen, this time in live-action, revisiting the classical story of a cursed, monstrous-looking prince and a beautiful young woman who fall in love. Disney has been remaking a lot of their best known films lately, including Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, and The Jungle Book, so it wasn’t a huge surprise that a remake of another one of the most influential and timeless animated films was being released. Although Beauty and the Beast shares many similarities with the original film, it’s still wonderfully heartfelt and entertaining. Emma Watson is perfectly cast as Belle, who brings lots of courage and heart to her character and the film, and she contributes her great voice to some of the film’s best musical numbers. Though Dan Stevens may not yet be quite a well-known actor, his leading performance in Marvel and FX’s hit series Legion, and now in this as the menacing Beast, demonstrate his excellent talent and his career is sure to soar from here. Luke Evans is well-cast as Gaston, who is bright but menacing and does justice to the original incarnation of the character. Kevin Kline is also great as Belle’s father, but my favorite of the cast has to be Josh Gad as Gaston’s hilarious and charming sidekick LeFou. Gad seems to be Disney’s favorite, first having played the lovable snowman Olaf in Frozen, and now he’s given more hilarity, great lines, and even another musical number, all of which you won’t forget. LeFou wasn’t a standout character for me before, but Gad entertained and surprised me like I thought no one could in the role. Also fantastic are the voices of Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts.

What makes Beauty and the Beast such a fun time is that although the story is pretty much the same as we know it to be, it’s still able to use the talents of its great cast, writing, and directing to bring new elements and twists into the iconic visuals and story we love. There isn’t much you can re-imagine very easily with this Disney classic, unlike last year’s The Jungle Book, which almost felt like a new adventure because its visuals made the film feel like a very new experience. Beauty and the Beast doesn’t do that as well, as the story doesn’t stride away from what’s already been established, but the director still makes similar shots and scenes interesting in a new medium. Although you already know the story, the film breathes new light into the visuals, humor, and style of the film. It’s very familiar yet exciting at the same time. The costumes and sets are gorgeous, but not as much of the budget is put into the CGI, which is solid but could have been better, especially the motion capture work on the Beast. It’s unfortunate that Hollywood will soon remake every movie we love because of how much money they’ll make off of it, but this movie is able to preserve the magic Disney had created with it before and re-imagine it on the big screen. It is still a remake, but it’s one that will inspire kids who are new to the plot, and fill older generations and especially fans with nostalgia. The movie sticks to the musical nature of the animated film,  so expect recreations of your favorite musical numbers, including “Belle”, “Gaston”, “Be our Guest”, and of course, the most famous “Beauty and the Beast”, just to name a few. These scenes are well-choreographed and the songs are so timeless that you still want to go back and listen to them after you watch the movie. Even if you know how the story ends, the movie will still make you rethink the film’s themes, want to sing and dance to the songs, and applaud at the end, like my entire audience did.

Beauty and the Beast follows the established formula that we know, but thankfully it’s not too familiar to not be enjoyed, with a great cast and visual appeal that do justice to its source material. Disney is coming at us with a handful of remakes, and thankfully this turns out to be one of the better ones. If you’re looking to revisit a classic or just have a good time at the movies with your family, then I’ll definitely recommend going out and paying to watch this on the big screen.

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03.05.17
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Logan

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In the near future, mutants are nearly extinct and a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.

Logan takes a new turn on Hugh Jackman’s clawed superhero who he’s portrayed for the last 17 years. Instead of being the wise-cracking hero we all know and love, Logan is now depressed, lonely, and has let go of the Wolverine mantle. There is little hope left in his life and his daily routine consists of caring for his fellow mutant Professor X, and working as a limo driver. The genre is slightly switched up, feeling more like a drama with action scenes and chases rather than just a big superhero action movie. Lots of the film focuses on Logan reflecting on his decisions and his identity while trying to protect a young mutant who needs his help. Also, the rating is cranked up from the familiar PG-13 to a hard R, allowing the violence to be as bloody, gory, and insane as necessary, and Logan to curse as much as he wants. The action is directed excellently, with every shot capturing the intensity perfectly, and lots of the elements within the action are thought of very well. The R-rating allows the action to reach its true potential, which is sure to satsify audiences and fans, but younger viewers who may have enjoyed previous X-Men films should be warned about this film’s graphic content.

James Mangold, who also directed 2013’s The Wolverine, creates a completely different film here, which is unbelievable as most superhero directors, even the greatest ones like Christopher Nolan and the Russo brothers, will make similar films in concept and tone. However, Mangold even takes the same protagonist as before and alters the reality, tone, genre, and target audience to make a potent, mature, and exceptional film that’s distinct from all the other X-Men movies. Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart give it their all in the roles they’ve played for so long, delivering more soul and emotion than ever before. Newcomer Dafne Keen does a great job as well, and her role is sure to launch a great career for her. The movie sometimes delivers some backstory and exposition unclearly, and it could have done a better job delivering the needed exposition at a right time and making it understandable. However, fans are still sure to love this unconventional superhero film that feels more like a mix of Western and melodrama than your typical superhero movie that you expect to be released nowadays. If you loved previous X-Men movies, even the hard-R Deadpool, this film stands outside of that genre so you should walk in with some more patience and an open mind than usual.

Logan has redefined the superhero genre with a poignant storyline and characters, that’s sure to satisfy fans of the series and action films, despite being distinct from the other films in its genre. Hugh Jackman gives it his best in his final performance as the iconic Wolverine character, and without a doubt the greatest one in the franchise.

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02.27.17
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The Oscars (89th Academy Awards)

Last night, the long-awaited 89th Oscars finally took place. There was some huge competition this year, despite some obvious winners, there were some surprises that I’ll get to later. Jimmy Kimmel did a great job hosting, and every joke he threw made me crack up. He was a fantastic choice to host the show. He poked at a lot of things, including his “rivalry” with Matt Damon and the president’s comments on the “overrated” Meryl Streep. We had great performances from John Legend, Auli’i Cravalho, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Justin Timberlake, and Sting. There were also some great segments including Jimmy Kimmel’s famous Mean Tweets, featuring stars from this year’s awards. Now, before I talk about the wins and awards, here are this year’s winners:

Best Picture: Moonlight
Best Director: Damien Chazelle – La La Land
Best Actor: Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea
Best Actress: Emma Stone – La La Land
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali – Moonlight
Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis – Fences
Best Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea
Best Adapted Screenplay: Moonlight
Best Animated Feature: Zootopia
Best Original Score: La La Land
Best Original Song: “City of Stars” (from La La Land)
Best Cinematography: La La Land
Best Film Editing: Hacksaw Ridge
Best Production Design: La La Land
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Suicide Squad
Best Costume Design: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Best Animated Short: Piper
Best Visual Effects: The Jungle Book
Best Sound Editing: Arrival
Best Sound Mixing: Hacksaw Ridge
Best Documentary Feature: O.J.: Made in America
Best Documentary Short: The White Helmets
Best Live Action Short: Sing
Best Foreign Language Film: The Salesman (from Iran)

I think that this year’s winners were mostly deserved. La La Land won 6 Oscars, the most of the night and I don’t think it won anything that it didn’t deserve. After some buzz that Denzel may make a surprise win for the third time, the award ended up going to the frontrunner, Casey Affleck. Affleck’s award was very well deserved for his brilliant work in Manchester by the Sea, which also won a well-deserving Original Screenplay award. I would have preferred Lucas Hedges or Dev Patel, but Mahershala Ali was also a great pick for Best Supporting Actor. One award I think was not well-deserved was Suicide Squad for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. I don’t think Suicide Squad is a good film at all, and even though it’s just the makeup/hairstyling category, I think the award should have gone to Star Trek Beyond. Another very well deserving win is for The Jungle Book, which brought some marvelous visual effects to the screen. Asghar Fahardi, the winner for Best Foreign Language Film for The Salesman (who also won this award five years ago for A Seperation), chose not to attend the Oscars in support of those from his nation and neighboring ones who have been affected by the recent immigration ban, which I believe was a brave thing for Fahardi to do.

Now, I’d like to talk about the biggest and most talked about event of the night, and that is the presentation of the Best Picture award. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway came onstage to present the award, and after opening the envelope, and a long confused pause, Beatty gave the card to Dunaway, who announced that the winner was La La Land. After the crew came up to the stage, they started to make their speeches when people from backstage came up to tell the crew about the mistake. One of the producers of La La Land told the crowd that the wrong card was read and that Moonlight was the actual winner. According to Beatty, he had accidentally been given the Best Actress card to read from. This may be one of the biggest moments in Oscar history. I feel bad for the La La Land crew, having experienced a huge Oscar win only to lose it minutes later. However, I’m surprised by how humble everyone acted during this mix-up, even one of the La La Land producers said he’d be happy to give the award to Moonlight. Even after this, I think La La Land really deserved the award. Despite being a powerful and deep film, Moonlight was an exceptional movie but I think that La La Land had the true spirit, beauty, and perfection that deserved to win Best Picture. La La Land was my favorite film of the year and an incredible achievement that’s already a classic. It has been in the making for years, and it took Chazelle a long time to finally get the film picked up by a studio. It also took a lot of hard work, including shutting down a highway for the opening scene, tons of set buildings, and lessons for the singers, dancers, and instrument players for the film. Moonlight is an excellent movie that addresses realistic and heavy themes but I think La La Land is a much more universally acclaimed and viewed film. Honestly, I even think Manchester by the Sea deserves the award slightly more than Moonlight. I’m at least glad that Damien Chazelle won Best Director. I knew he was an exceptional filmmaker ever since I saw Whiplash over two years ago. He’s the youngest director to ever win that award, and without a doubt, he deserves such an honor. Despite this upset, it was a great night for La La Land, and I enjoyed watching the Oscars this year. At least it’s only an awards ceremony, and I guess we all learned that even the Academy can sometimes make mistakes.

What did you guys think about this year’s Oscars? Who deserved to win, and who didn’t? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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02.24.17
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The 2017 Golden Slice Awards

The Oscars are coming up in two days, so over the past month, I held my own Oscar ceremony, the Golden Slice Awards. I’d like to thank my followers on Instagram for voting for these categories and determining these results. The nominees for the categories aren’t all the same as the Oscar nominees, as I also nominated popular films and performances on Instagram, as well as a few of my personal favorites that you guys also seemed to love. Many of these were close and nearly ties, but I was able to determine your favorites from each category. So without further ado, here are the winners of this year’s Golden Slice Awards:

Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon – Nocturnal Animals

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Best Visual Effects: The Jungle Book

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Best Editing: Arrival

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Best Scene: Vader Unleashed – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

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Best On-Screen Duo: Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone – La La Land

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Best Action: Hacksaw Ridge

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Best Animated Movie: Zootopia

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Best Superhero Movie: Deadpool

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Best Cinematography: La La Land

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Best Cast: Nocturnal Animals

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Best Character: Wade Wilson/Deadpool – Deadpool

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Best Score: La La Land

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Best Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea

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Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis – Fences

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Best Director: Damien Chazelle – La La Land

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Best Actor: Casey Affleck – Manchester by the Sea

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Best Actress: Emma Stone – La La Land

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Worst Picture: The Divergent Series: Allegiant

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Best Picture: La La Land

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Well, those are the winners you guys voted for to win this year’s Golden Slice Awards! Many of these winners were also nominated for the Oscars, so let’s see how these winners will do this Sunday! I had a blast holding these awards again, so thank you to everyone who voted and participated this year!