"All Booked Up" Episode 2

  The second episode of "All Booked Up" is out and ready for your enjoyment everyone! Click the link below or look it up on Soundcloud on your computer or phone. Dont forget to subscribe and let us know what you think!

   This week we cover the Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olson film "Wind River", give our thoughts on some good Native American books to read and also give our thoughts on "Lady Bird" and why its one of the best movies of the year.

https://soundcloud.com/allbookedup/all-booked-up-episode-2

Academy Award 2017 Predictions

   Well its that time of year again, the 89th Academy Awards are here and all of Hollywood is abuzz and blah blah blah. Despite all the annoying usual hype this year the Academy seemed to get it correct for the most part (AMY ADAMS!!!!) as every category is top to bottom stacked with amazing work in film over the past year. Now i'm not going to cover every category here because quite honestly i've seen none of the more obscure category nominees (sorry Best Short Form Documentary) but i'm gonna do my best to get into as many as i can truthfully give an opinion on. So without further adieu here's my picks for the 2017 Academy Awards:

Best Original Screenplay

• "Hell or High Water" - Tyler Sheridan
• "La La Land" - Damien Chazelle
• "The Lobster" - Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthimis Filippou
• "Manchester by the Sea" - Kenneth Lonergan
• "20th Century Women" - Mike Mills

What Will Win: "Manchester by the Sea" - Kenneth Lonergan

What Could Win: "Hell or High Water" - Tyler Sheridan

Best Adapted Screenplay

• "Arrival" - Eric Heisserer
• "Fences" - August Wilson
• "Lion" - Luke Davies
• "Moonlight" - Barry Jenkins; Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney
• "Hidden Figures" - Allison Schroeder and Theodore Melfi

What Will Win: "Arrival" - Eric Heisserer

What Could Win: "Moonlight" - Barry Jenkins; Story by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Best Visual Effects

• "Doctor Strange"
• "Kubo and the Two Strings"
• "Deepwater Horizon"
• "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
• "The Jungle Book"

What Will Win: "The Jungle Book"

What Could Win: "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"

  

Best Make-up and Hairstyling

• "A Man called Ove"- Eva von Bahr and Love Larson
• "Star Trek Beyond" - Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo
• "Suicide Squad" - Alessandro Bertolazzi, Giorgio Gregorini and Christopher Nelson

What Will Win: "Star Trek Beyond" - Joel Harlow and Richard Alonzo

What Could Win: "A Man called Ove"- Eva von Bahr and Love Larson

Best Editing

• "Arrival" - Joe Walker
• "Hacksaw Ridge" - John Gilbert
• "Hell or High Water" - Jake Roberts
• "La La Land" - Tom Cross
• "Moonlight" - Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon

What Will Win: "La La Land" - Tom Cross

What Could Win: "Arrival" - Joe Walker

Best Director

• Mel Gibson - "Hacksaw Ridge"
• Damien Chazelle - "La La Land"
• Denis Villeneuve - "Arrival"
• Barry Jenkins - "Moonlight"
• Kenneth Lonergan - "Manchester by the Sea"

Who Will Win: Damien Chazelle "La La Land"

Who Could Win: Denis Villeneuve "Arrival"

Best Animated Feature

• "Kubo and the Two Strings"
• "Moana"
• "Zootopia"
• "The Red Turtle"
• "My Life as a Zucchini"

What Will Win: "Kubo and the Two Strings"

What Could Win: "Zootopia"

Best Supporting Actress

• Viola Davis - "Fences"
• Octavia Spencer - "Hidden Figures"
• Michelle Williams - "Manchester by the Sea"
• Naomi Harris - "Moonlight"
• Nicole Kidman - "Lion"

Who Will Win: Viola Davis - "Fences"

Who Could Win: Michelle Williams - "Manchester by the Sea"

Best Supporting Actor

• Jeff Bridges - "Hell or High Water"
• Dev Patel - "Lion"
• Michael Shannon - "Nocturnal Animals"
• Lucas Hedges - "Manchester by the Sea"
• Mahershala Ali - "Moonlight"

Who Will Win: Mahershala Ali - "Moonlight"

Who Could Win: Jeff Bridges - "Hell or High Water"

Best Actress

• Meryl Streep - "Florence Foster Jenkins"
• Emma Stone - "La La Land"
• Isabelle Huppert - "Elle"
• Ruth Negga - "Loving"
• Natalie Portman - "Jackie"

Who Will Win: Emma Stone - "La La Land"

Who Could Win: Natalie Portman - "Jackie"

Best Actor

• Ryan Gosling - "La La Land"
• Denzel Washington - "Fences"
• Casey Affleck - "Manchester by the Sea"
• Andrew Garfield - "Hacksaw Ridge"
• Viggo Mortensen - "Captain Fantastic"

Who Will Win: Casey Affleck - "Manchester by the Sea"

Who Could Win: Denzel Washington - "Fences"

Best Picture

• "Arrival"
• "La La Land"
• "Fences"
• "Hidden Figures"
• "Hacksaw Ridge"
• "Lion"
• "Hell or High Water"
• "Moonlight"
• "Manchester by the Sea"

What Will Win: "La La Land"

What Could Win: "Moonlight"

2017 Academy Award Nominees

   OK well i didn't do badly on my predictions but didn't do as good as i had hoped. I did get Best Director and Best Supporting Actor completely right but Viggo Mortensen got me in Best Actor and no Amy Adams in Best Actress Academy? Come on guys. 
   
   Anyway this years crop of nominees in pretty much every category is one of the most solid and competitive in years. You can make a very solid case for every nominee and in a few, Best Actor for instance, it wouldn't be shocking for any of the nominees to win it. Thats a rarity as lately there's always been one glaring instance of "What are they doing here?" every year but the Academy seems to have avoided doing that this season.

   Anyway not going to do a full on prediction post yet as need some time to actually SEE everything thats up this year but here's a complete rundown of this years nominees:

Best Picture

• Arrival
• Fences
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Hell or High Water
• Hidden Figures
• La La Land
• Lion
• Manchester By The Sea
• Moonlight

Best Director

• Denis Villeneuve - Arrival
• Mel Gibson - Hacksaw Ridge
• Damien Chazelle - La La Land
• Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester By The Sea
• Barry Jenkins - Moonlight

Best Actor in a Leading Role

• Casey Affleck - Manchester By The Sea
• Andrew Garfield - Hacksaw Ridge
• Ryan Gosling - La La Land
• Viggo Mortensen - Captain Fantastic
• Denzel Washington - Fences

Best Actress in a Leading Role

• Isabelle Huppert - Elle
• Ruth Negga - Loving
• Natalie Portman - Jackie
• Emma Stone - La La Land
• Meryl Streep - Florence Foster Jenkins

Best Supporting Actor

• Mahershala Ali - Moonlight
• Jeff Bridges - Hell Or High Water
• Lucas Hedges - Manchester By The Sea
• Dev Patel - Lion
• Michael Shannon - Nocturnal Animals

Best Supporting Actress

• Viola Davis - Fences
• Noamie Harris - Moonlight
• Nicole Kidman - Lion
• Octavia Spencer - Hidden Figures
• Michelle Williams - Manchester By The Sea

Best Original Screenplay

• Hell or High Water
• La La Land
• The Lobster
• Manchester By The Sea
• 20th Century Women

Best Adapted Screenplay

• Arrival
• Fences
• Hidden Figures
• Lion
• Moonlight

Best Film Editing

• Arrival
• Hacksaw Ridge
• Hell or High Water
• La La Land
• Moonlight

Best Foreign Language Film

• A Man Called Ove - Sweden
• Land Of Mine - Denmark
• The Salesman - Iran
• Tanna - Australia
• Toni Erdmann - Germany

Best Animated Feature

• Kubo and the Two Strings
• Moana
• My Life As A Zucchini
• The Red Turtle
• Zootopia

Best Cinematography

• Arrival
• La La Land
• Lion
• Moonlight
• Silence

Best Production Design

• Arrival
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Hail, Caesar!
• La La Land
• Passengers

Best Visual Effects

• Deepwater Horizon
• Doctor Strange
• The Jungle Book
• Kubo and the Two Strings
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Best Make-Up and Hairstyling

• A Man Called Ove
• Star Trek Beyond
• Suicide Squad

Best Sound Mixing

• Arrival
• Hacksaw Ridge
• La La Land
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
• 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

Best Sound Editing

• Arrival
• Deepwater Horizon
• Hacksaw Ridge
• La La Land
• Sully

Best Costume Design

• Allied
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
• Florence Foster Jenkins
• Jackie
• La La Land

Best Original Score

• Jackie
• La La Land
• Lion
• Moonlight
• Passengers

Best Original Song

• La La Land - Audition
• La La Land - City of Stars
• Moana - How Far I'll Go
• Jim: The James Foley Story - The Empty Chair
• Trolls - Can't Stop the Feeling

Best Documentary Feature

• Fire At Sea
• I Am Not Your Negro
• Life, Animated
• O.J: Made in America
• 13th

Best Documentary Short

• Extremis
• 4.1 Miles
• Joe's Violin
• Watani: My Homeland
• The White Helmets

Best Live-Action Short

• Ennemis Intérieurs
• La Femme et le TGV
• Silent Nights
• Sing
• Timecode

Best Animated Short

• Blind Vaysha
• Borrowed Time
• Pear Cider and Cigarettes
• Pearl
• Piper

2017 Academy Award Predictions

   Tomorrow is a big day in Hollywood as the list of nominees for the 2017 Academy Awards is announced. There's a few that are locks....I'm looking at you "LaLaLand"......but what about everyone else? Well I've made a few predictions of my own for who will get nominated for this years Academy Awards, check it out below and lets see how i do:

Best Picture

• LaLaLand
• The Arrival
• Hell or High Water
• Moonlight
• Lion
• Rogue One
• Manchester by the Sea
• Hacksaw Ridge

Best Actor

• Casey Affleck - "Manchester by the Sea"
• Denzel Washington - "Fences"
• Ryan Gosling - "LaLaLand"
• Joel Edgerton - "Loving"
• Andrew Garfield - "Hacksaw Ridge"

Best Actress

• Natalie Portman - "Jackie"
• Amy Adams - "The Arrival"
• Meryl Streep - "Florence Foster Jenkins"
• Ruth Negga - "Loving"
• Emma Stone - "LaLaLand"

Best Supporting Actor

• Jeff Bridges - "Hell or High Water"
• Ben Foster - "Hell or High Water"
• Aaron Taylor-Johnson - "Nocturnal Animals"
• Hugh Grant - "Florence Foster Jenkins"
• Mahershala Ali - "Moonlight"

Best Supporting Actress

• Viola Davis - "Fences"
• Nicole Kidman - "Lion"
• Michelle Williams - "Manchester by the Sea"
• Octavia Spencer - "Hidden Figures"
• Naomie Harris - "Moonlight"

Best Director

• Damien Chazelle - "LaLaLand"
• Mel Gibson - "Hacksaw Ridge"
• Kenneth Lonergan - "Manchester by the Sea"
• Barry Jenkins - "Moonlight"
• Denis Villeneuve - "The Arrival"

"The Deer Hunter" Movie Review

   Last night i got the chance to jump way back in time to watch the 1978 Best Picture winner "The Deer Hunter" starring Robert DeNiro (Mike), Christopher Walken (Nick) and Meryl Streep (Linda) and folks boy do i have some things to say about it. Now of course there will be some spoilers in here but lets face it you've had 40 years to watch this movie and if you haven't well then sorry i can't help you.

Robert DeNiro shines in this movie

   OK so right off the top lets get my top peeve about this movie out there, this flick is way way way way too long and the time is misspent in my opinion. It clocks in at 3 hours and 3 minutes and while i can allow that length for certain films, whether they need it for plot purposes or its just that damn entertaining the whole way through, this one for sure could have left tons on the cutting room floor or refocused where that time is spent and been a superior movie. About 45 minutes right off the bat is spent at the opening wedding scene and it makes one wonder if Director Michael Cimino had maybe watched "The Godfather" recently and decided to borrow that technique to introduce the characters and their relationships. Now i will admit there are some character things in there to mine and setting up the hierarchy and interactions between the leads is helpful but its nothing that couldn't be handled in much briefer exchanges/scenes or that aren't already covered by the hunting scene immediately following. To modern audiences, myself included, this leads to a feeling of "get to the point or plot already" and can give you the itch to reach for your phone, not the things you want in a character drama like this. It becomes even more noticeable later on as the much more pivotal scenes in Vietnam and also back home after the war sometimes feel rushed. I understand that you need to see the stark difference between the men pre and post war but again there are more economical time ways to do that.

   The movie also does a dismal job of covering the passage of time in the story. You're given no idea how much time goes by throughout the course of the movie, except for the final Russian roulette scene happening at the same time as the fall of Saigon, and therefore have a hard time catching up to some of the severe personality shifts that occur as the movie progresses. We go from everyone enjoying a nice, quiet piano solo to a jump cut of villages destroyed and DeNiro lighting a guy up with a flamethrower with no idea that months have passed between these two events which are back to back. The length of time Nick, Mike and Steve (John Savage) spend in a POW camp is never addressed at all either so we have no context for Steve's mental break or the way it begins to break Nick's spirit as well. Plus we get shown Mike's inability to "go back home again" as they say but again it feels rushed and kind of out of nowhere. To me the real emotional pay dirt is in these scenes in Vietnam and afterward and the time we should have spent there is instead wasted on lengthy aisle walking and DeNiro streaking scenes.

   Now that we've gotten all the negatives out of the way lets get to the positives, of which there are many. First off this film is absolutely GORGEOUS! I'm not exactly the outdoors type but some of the views of the mountains of Pennsylvania/West Virginia made me want to go for a weekend hike and possibly not come back. The way the mist curls around the mountains is breathtaking and also makes you feel the stark difference between the cold/serene forests surroundings home to the hot/frantic jungles of Vietnam. This visual change of weather also ties into the story as DeNiro at one point comments on not being used to the cold after returning even though its where he grew up. A subtle hint that things have forever changed for Nick and nothing can ever be the same again. The town itself is also beautiful in its decay as well. You get the rundown town feeling in every inch from the church to the mill to the bar and really get the sense of the close knit small town community these men come from. Also this is the first movie set in Vietnam to actually be shot on location (Well Thailand at least) and this authenticity shows. You cant fake the way the jungles of Southeast Asia grow in a back lot and the decision to film there was a masterful one. You can feel the humidity in the air, see the sweat and muddy water covering everything and hear the bugs in your ear as they are trapped on/in the river. Allot of the punch of this movie could have been lost in less capable cinematography hands but Vilmos Zsigmond pulls it off masterfully.

Oh for the days Christopher Walken was a real actor

   Now lets get to the real highlight of this movie, the acting. When you have a film where you can say that Meryl Streep is the weakest performance then you know you have something special. Lets start at the top, Robert DeNiro was at the top of his game in this time frame and it shows as he gives one of his best performances. His ability to switch between overbearing macho man to concerned and loving friend, sometimes in the course of one scene is something to behold. His unbreakable loyalty to his friends and to his promise of bringing them home is the driving force behind this whole movie and if DeNiro was even slightly off the whole movie could have fallen apart. Luckily he was more then up to the task. Its hard to believe but he was actually a last minute replacement as Roy Scheider was originally cast but dropped out at the last minute, fortunately for us all i think. Christopher Walken won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Nick, the calming influence of the group who eventually loses all hope and ends up as a heroin addicted Russian roulette player in Saigon. Walken shows all the talent he possessed before he became a walking parody of himself. His unique look gives him an ethereal quality later in the film and draws your eyes to him early on as he fights for screen time. Far and away the best work of his career, especially as he sobs uncontrollably as he's unable to remember his parents birthdays. Just heartbreaking stuff. The rest of the cast is excellent and 100% believable as well, John Cazale puts in his usual outstanding performance in his last role before death as the loser or "Fredo" of the group if you will. Giving us the most obvious example of how DeNiro's viewpoint has changed by the end of the film. John Savage as the ill-fated Steve is also heartbreaking as he goes from life of the party at his wedding to near mute and shut in by the end, even forsaking his wife who is also overtaken by grief over whats happened and who's life is destroyed. Meryl Streep is servicable as the love interest but either through not understanding her characters arc or bad writing/direction this is the one role where the movie falters but otherwise its absolutely top notch!

   "The Deer Hunter" has a well-earned reputation as one of the best movies of all time and it is, its not without its fault though as it does drag in parts and the length of time the movie happens over is always muddy and does distract from the plot but those small qualms aside this is for sure a must watch for anyone who enjoys either excellent acting or amazing cinematography. If you havent seen it i highly recommend you give it a look.

**9/10 Stars**

Classic

Ranking last 10 "Best Picture" Oscar winners

Ranking last 10 "Best Picture" Oscar winners

10. "Crash" (2006)

Trash....pure trash. "Munich", "Good night and Good Luck" and most importantly "Brokeback Mountain" were all WAY superior movies to this melodramatic race-baiting piece of trash. An example of how politics can play an out sized role in who wins these awards. just skip this one folks. Not worth it

9. "The Artist" (2012)

A French silent movie huh? Yeah no thanks. Another example of the Academy being a bit too up their own ass with this pick. No one remembers this movie and its only been 4 years, not exactly a lasting legacy. Not a bad movie but a forgettable one that no one went to see and hasn't been watching since. Pass....hard pass

8. "The Kings Speech" (2011)

The movie for your favorite speech pathologist. This movie about overcoming the speech impediment of King George VI before World War 2 is a perfectly serviceable period piece of a movie but not exactly my cup of tea (yep a British joke). Good movie worth a watch for the performances alone but nothing overly special.

7. "Slumdog Millionaire" (2009)

The Hollywood version of Bollywood is up next with the musical drama "Slumdog Millionaire". A movie about a man remembering his life as he tries to win a million dollars on the Indian version of "Who wants to be a Millionaire". A very good emotional and surprisingly violent movie actually. Don't let the singing and stuff keep you away from this one, its well worth watching and even though it didn't kick off a Bollywood explosion here its still an excellent movie.

6. "The Hurt Locker" (2010)

While one of the lowest grossing Best Picture winners this examination of what happens to some soldiers after war and how some can't let it go is an excellent example of a movie with a message and timely topic. Jeremy Renner and Kathryn Bigelow bring us this Iraq war drama about a bomb defusing expert and how he becomes addicted to the thrills of his job so much so that he can't stand normal life. A movie that gets more and more important as the years go by and the war keeps dragging on. Watch this movie everyone, its more then worth it

5. "The Departed" (2007)

The movie that finally gave Scorsese his first and only Best Director and Best Picture win (a goddamn unbelievable fact that THIS is what won it for him). An excellent remake of the Hong Kong thriller series "Infernal Affairs" this is an excellent crime drama of backstabbing and shifting loyalties. All the actors in this movie are more then game for and everyone gives top notch performances that make up for the flimsy at times story. If you're looking for an excellent crime drama, and maybe the 5th best movie of Martin Scorsese's career, check this one out.

4. "Argo" (2013)

Who woulda thought Ben Affleck had this in him? He stars and directs in this excellent political drama about getting a group of US citizens out of Iran after the embassy they worked in was overrun in the 70's and they managed to escape from before it did. Mixing action, drama and comedy Affleck shines both in front and behind the camera and proves there's more to him then what most people thought and placed him as one of Hollywood's top youngish Directors. This movie was able to hold off an extremely tough group of nominees with "Lincoln", "Silver Linings Playbook", "Django Unchained" and "Les Miserables" also being up. Some would say it didn't deserve it but i disagree as this movie has tremendous re watch value. Great movie

3. "No Country for Old Men" (2008)

The best example of bringing a book to the big screen of movie history is the Coen Brothers "No Country for Old Men". A virtual scene for scene film version of the classic Cormac McCarthy book "No Country" brings us one of cinemas all time great villains in Anton Chigurgh (Javier Bardem) and features pitch perfect performances from Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones as well. This is what happens when you combine legendary directors with an amazing story and also shows that yes you can have success by just transporting a book to the screen word by word, see we told you it would work Hollywood!! Classic game of cat and mouse as Brolin is pursued by Bardem all in pursuit of a suitcase full of money Brolin found at a drug hit. Everything about this movie is perfect so go check it out

2. "Birdman" (2015)

Perfect performances, an arresting visual style and the added gravitas of forces outside of movie (Michael Keaton being Batman and all) "Birdman" was not only a surprise last year but a welcome one. Featuring Michael Keaton giving the performance of a lifetime as a washed up actor taking one last stab at legitimacy, see there's that real world subtext going on, "Birdman" takes us on a journey that can go from comedy to drama at the drop of a hat. The no cut camera work alone is reason enough to check this one out as it keeps you engaged at all times but its the performances that will hook you. Everyone is outstanding so go check this out right now!

1. "12 Years a Slave" (2014)

Want a ultra powerful drama that will force you to re-examine the history of our country? This is the one for you. I don't have to sell "12 years a slave" to anyone as it stands and sells itself as one of the most emotionally poignant movies ever. The story of Solomon Northrup's ordeal of being kidnapped and sold into slavery is a chilling portrait of an America that once was. This is what it costs to make our country and is it worth it is one of the many questions you'll be forced to ask yourself after watching this movie after you wipe away the tears. What an incredible piece of film making and one worthy of our top spot. Go watch this movie folks, just do it.

Written by Jacob Maracle (https://twitter.com/thedrizzle37)

Ranking last 10 "Best Actor" Oscar winners

Ranking last 10 "Best Actor" Oscar winners

   We're onto our list of the Best Actor winners for the last 10 years. Not going to count all the Leonardo Dicaprio loses over this time but if you want a fun activity keep a tally yourself. Anyway onto our list:

10. Jean Dujardin "The Artist" (2012)

OK we kick off our list with Jean Dujardin for "The Artist". A movie pretty much completely forgotten about even though it won Best Picture and in my opinion with good reason. Its a silent movie starring French actors that won in one of the weakest fields ever even though there were 10 nominees. Now I'm not saying Dujardin's performance is bad because it certainly isn't, its just mostly forgettable is all. Take it, leave it meh....

9. Sean Penn "Milk" (2009)

Next up is Sean Penn, now he's a very accomplished actor but in this occasion he absolutely did not deserve this win. Mickey Rourke for "The Wrestler" was the heavy favorite to win and certainly deserved to do so, unfortunately for him he made the horrible decision to start appearing for the WWE and subsequently torpedoed his chances to win. Sean Penn is good in "Milk" but its still a footnote and a victory undeserved.

8. Colin Firth "The Kings Speech" (2011)

Next we have Colin Firth, now don't take this spot entirely about his performance as its also a commentary about the rather dry movie that its in, Firth however is excellent as King George VI as he struggles to tame his stutter in order to steady the British public on the eve of World War 2. Excellent acting from the entire cast and Firth leading the way. 

7. Forest Whitaker "The Last King of Scotland" (2007)

Forest Whitaker playing cannibal dictator Idi Amin. Whitaker is perfect for this role, able to use his size and temperament to give Amin the intimidating edge he was known for. Amin was one of the worst African Dictators and while this movie doesn't get into all his atrocities he does give you an intimate view in his own household as to how dangerous he can be. Just a look from Whitaker is enough to chill most viewers. Outstanding and deserved win

6. Jeff Bridges "Crazy Heart" (2010)

A kind of lifetime achievement award here with Jeff Bridges. Bridges plays a washed up/alcoholic Country singer who gets a shot to make one last hit while also a chance at the family he never had with Maggie Gyllenhaal and her son. Bridges is great here, he makes you feel the regret and waste that Bridges character feels as he realizes he's wasted his life and missed the most important things but maybe has one last chance for it. A good movie anchored by an outstanding performance and well worth watching.

5. Philip Seymour Hoffman "Capote" (2006)

One of the dueling Truman Capote movies that came out at the same time but certainly the better of the two in both ways with Philip Seymour Hoffman leading the way. While in many ways a regular biopic but with the advantage of an amazing actor in the lead. Hoffman perfectly captures the eccentric authors idiosyncrasies  exactly and is unrecognizable in the role. A textbook example of how to star in a biopic and a excellent display of acting. 

4. Matthew McConaughey "Dallas Buyers Club" (2014)

Talk about somethhing you never thought you'd see am i right? Yep McConaughey got an Oscar for playing the AIDS infected Ron Woodruff. The physical transformation he went through, basically being skeletal in some parts, is amazing and even more so when you consider the usual toned physique he's known for. Not to mention he was also able to win in one of the tightest races in history as any of the nominees would have been worthy of a victory. (Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Dern and Chiwetel Ejiofor). This movie launched the McConausainse and showed there's more to him then just his stoner charm. Exceptional work here,

3. Eddie Redmayne "The Theory of Everything" (2015)

I myself was pushing for Michael Keaton in "Birdman" this year but you can't argue with Redmayne's win as Professor Stephen Hawking. Redmayne disappears into the role and is able to capture him perfectly. His slow decline losing the ability to move any part of his body is heartbreaking as you see the once vibrant genius reduced to a wheelchair only being able to move his eyes but never losing his sense of humor during it. He's both charming and tragic and thats the essence of acting really. Amazing performance.

2. Daniel Day-Lewis "Lincoln" (2013)

We now get to the Daniel Day Lewis portion of our list as he's taking both of the top spots. Really can't go wrong either way so lets start with Lincoln. For a President noone has ever met this is exactly what every American thinks he was like. Everything about this performance his perfect, the humanity of the man, the intelligence and the political cunning are all on display here. Day-Lewis was the perfect choice to play Lincoln as he just melts into the role and brings to life one of the iconic figures in American history. The idea of anyone else playing this role is laughable now as this stands as one of the best performances in movie history.

1. Daniel Day-Lewis "There Will Be Blood" (2008)

Talk about owning a movie! Thats exactly what Daniel Day-Lewis does here as he owns this movie. He's an absolute tour de force and is right on the edge of over the top but never quite overreaches. He stars as oil man Daniel Plainview who we watch over the years as he builds his oil empire and deals with a deaf "son", a preacher with a grudge and in the end himself. Day-Lewis shows the world why he's the greatest film actor alive as this movie completely hinges on his performance and he pulls it off perfectly. This is the kind of performance that actors try their whole lives to pull off and is exactly why it sits at the top of our list.

Written by Jacob Maracle (https://twitter.com/thedrizzle37)

Ranking last 10 "Best Actress" Oscar winners

We are getting to the big three awards now so lets kick these off with our ranking of the last 10 "Best Actress" Oscar winners. Why waste anymore time and lets jump right in shall we?:

10. Helen Mirren "The Queen" (2007)

Queens.....why do great actresses feel this need to play these boring, one-note parts? Fantasy queens sure i get that but historical ones? Not even an interesting one either here by Helen Mirren, at least in "Elizabeth" there was intrigue and actions scenes. "The Queen" revolves around the aftermath of Princess Diana's death and what response, if any, the British Royal Family would have. Sounds like a real barn burner doesn't it? Anyway last place for me in this category.

9. Kate Winslet "The Reader" (2009)

Again guilty of a mortal movie sin but i didn't see this movie so can't really speak to it. Moving on.....

8.  Sandra Bullock "The Blind Side" (2010)

OK so this role is fun, Bullock is sassy and in your face as Leigh Tuohy, a tough Texas mom who, after seeing Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a friend of her son and a promising football prospect, walking shivering down the street offers him a place to stay. The movie is about the family making Michael one of their own and the struggle/triumph that leads to. Not your typical Oscar winning performance here as it seems it was given more for a mixture of hype/everyone loving Sandra Bullock then actual on screen work but Bullock is still very good here. Her "no nonsense" demeanor and sense of wanting to do whats right was believable and the movie itself is pretty good, in addition to a relatively light year of competition, was enough to take home the gold. Good for her.

7. Reese Witherspoon "Walk The Line" (2006)

Everyone just thinks about Joaquin Phoenix for this movie, and for good reason, but it was actually Reece Witherspoon as June Carter Cash who took home the Oscar for her performance. Doing all her own singing I'm sure helped but her portrayal as June, a highly successful/feisty yet vulnerable woman in love with a man who is on a path to self destruction is really very touching. She wants to help but at a certain point realizes she can't without herself being dragged down too, the conflict she feels since she is truly in love with Johnny Cash is really quite moving. Even more so when you see the chemistry the two have on stage early on and later once they're married. Witherspoon perfectly embodies the wholesome on stage and not entirely so off June Carter Cash and certainly earned her award.

6. Meryl Streep "The Iron Lady" (2012)

Meryl Streep as former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher....almost seems a bit too on the nose but needless to say perfect casting. Streep perfectly embodies the legendary British political figure, or at least insofar as i know she does. She brings the toughness that begot the title of the film but is also able to show her humanity and softer side. Fully fleshing out a character who can seem one-note at times in history. Streep once again proving why she holds the record for most Academy Awards for women.

5. Jennifer Lawrence "Silver Linings Playbook" (2013)

The movie that started the award winning behemoth that is Jennifer Lawrence, or at least during awards season that is. Now i myself thought she was better in "Winters Bone" but that's not relevant here. What is relevant is how Lawrence took the world by storm with her performance as Tiffany, a young widow with depression and sex issues who forms a relationship with bi-polar Pat (Bradley Cooper). Lawrence is extremely charming and off center in the role. Her chemistry with Cooper is palpable and shows us why the two have worked together so often since then. Lawrence pulls off the damaged character flawlessly and you really feel the tragedy she's had and hows it lead her to who she is today.

4. Marion Cotillard "La Vie en Rose" (2008)

Biopics are usually the easiest route to an Oscar but when you can pull of the win in your first Hollywood movie, fend off one of strongest list of nominees in recent history ("Juno" Ellen Page, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" Cate Blanchett, "Away from her" Julie Christie, "Savages" Laura Linney) and do so in a movie that's about a 1930's French singer well then brother you know you've done something special. The film about the life of Edith Piaf is at the same time heartbreaking and inspiring. Seeing the tough life this woman led and how it all translated into her voice is fabulous. The way we can see all the hardship and loss turned into her music and how it eventually leads to her death, you simply can't look away. Cotillard loses herself in this performance and its easy to forget she's acting at all, a sign you've truly done something special. If you're usually wary of foreign movies just ignore that and go check this one out asap.

3. Cate Blanchett "Blue Jasmine" (2014)

This is not a happy movie everyone lets just get that out of the way, nut its packed with great performances lead by Cate Blanchett who is gives a tour DE force performance. Considered by many to be a take-off on "A streetcar named desire" Blanchett has the Blanche Dubois roll and plays it to perfection. Whether she's playing role as the high class, rich lady of Jasmine's past or the post nervous breakdown, muttering to herself Jasmine of later in the movie Blanchett makes you believe every second of it and shows why she's one of the top actresses in Hollywood today. You feel anger/disgust at Jasmine for the things she does and how it effects those around her but at the same time you pity her by the end when you see the ruin she becomes in the end. A hard switch to make but Blanchett pulls it off beautifully. Amazing performance

2. Natalie Portman "Black Swan"

We all knew Natalie Portman could act but i don't think anyone was expecting a performance like this. Portman play Nina, a ballerina and a member of the prestigious New York Ballet Company who is willing to give everything, including her sanity, in order to become "Prima Ballerina" and star in the company's newest production of "Swan Lake". She must prove to the company's new Director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassell) but also fend off a challenge from the young and sexy new member of the company Lily (Mila Kunis). Portman dives into Nina headfirst and simply disappears into it. Showing a girl who's hold on sanity slips further and further as the stress mounts closer to opening night in her quest for perfection. Portman puts on display the entire spectrum of emotions, from anger to joy, sadness to lust and does so flawlessly. We ourselves feel like we're losing our grip as things occur around Nina that are impossible and we're not sure we're seeing either. This is so much more then a movie about ballet, its a psychological thriller set in a ballet world and the way that "Swan Lake" is used as both the plot of the movie and the ballet to be performed in the movie is masterful. If you haven't seen "Black Swan" you're missing out on one of the great performances of all time. Go see it, Which brings us too.....

1. Julianne Moore "Still Alice" (2015)

My soul still hasn't recovered from this movie that's how effective it is. The story of a woman who is one of the top linguists in the world slowly falling prey to early onset Alzheimer's is going to stick with you long after you're done watching. Moore is transcendent as Alice, the mentioned linguist, who after having a few bouts of memory loss finds out she has irreversible Alzheimer's and the rest of the movie is us watching her fall prey to her disease. While initially confident she can manage the disease slowly but surely everything that makes her who she is is taken away from her, even her mind itself. She goes from a woman who is at the top of the academic world for languages to someone who can't more then grunt by the end. Words can't even describe how you feel watching this slow decline, it goes beyond sadness and crying and enters the souls crushing territory that lets you know you've had an experience. Seeing Moore not even being able to take her own life because she can't remember how is one of the most painful moments I've ever had watching a major motion picture. Tears just stop at a certain point as they no longer can express how you feel, simply magnificent. Julianne Moore gives one of the ALL-TIME great performances here and is easily the top performance by an Actress in the last 10 years.

Written by Jacob Maracle (https://twitter.com/TheDrizzle37)