The 2016 Academy Awards

The nominated movies of 2015 were a strange mix and pretty downbeat, so why shouldn’t the Oscars be weird? It’s fun when there’s a little mystery involved with the awards, there’s a mix, and we don’t have a whole sweep. That gets boring.

Chris Rock was an excellent host. He came right out and kicked #OscarsSoWhite right in the teeth. (Is that why he wore a white dinner jacket in February?)

“I’m here at the Oscars, otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards. If they nominated hosts, I wouldn’t even be here right now. Y’all would be watching Neil Patrick Harris.”

If it sounded loud, looked amazing and was put together in a great and weird way, it was one of six Oscars for Mad Max: Fury Road. That film was the only one that came close to a sweep.

Mark Rylance won a somewhat surprising Supporting Actor for Bridge of Spies after many expected a Sylvester Stallone win for Creed. Alicia Vikander won for Supporting Actress in The Danish Girl.

Brie Larson followed through the awards season with an expected Best Actress win for Room. Leonardo DiCaprio did the same, winning Best Actor for The Revenant after six previous nominations. He made an impassioned speech about the environment without becoming political.

Best Director went to Alejandro G. Iñárritu for The Revenant. It was his fourth win and his second in a row.

Best Picture went to Spotlight. (Yay, it was the one I was rooting for!)

In 2015 there were not exactly feel-good movies. Come on, Hollywood, laugh a little!

The Golden Globe Awards

Award season is improving already. The Golden Globes are a step above the People’s Choice Awards. Then we have the Screen Actors Guild, Grammys … all leading up to the Academy Awards. They’re the ones that count.

Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes. He had done a series of “be very afraid” commercials. He arrived at the podium with a glass of beer, saying “I’m going to do this monologue and then go into hiding, OK. Not even Sean Penn will find me … (sip) … snitch.” He reappeared occasionally, once with a great introduction for America Ferrera and Eva Longoria: “two people who your future president, Donald Trump, can’t wait to deport.”

Matt Damon won as Best Actor in a Comedy for Martian. Comedy? (Will this lead to an Oscar? It wasn’t an Oscar performance.)

Sylvester Stallone brought down the house when he won a Best Supporting Actor award for Creed, 40 years after Rocky was an unexpected Oscar winner. It even had some critical pans. Along with his family, Stallone thanked his imaginary friend, Rocky Balboa, for being the best friend he ever had.

Lady Gaga accepted an award for American Horror Story – Hotel on TV. She thanked everyone but her fiancé, Taylor Kinney. There’s no more Fashion Police, but Lady Gaga was the best dressed woman at the Golden Globes, wearing black velvet Versace and covering all her tattoos.

Denzel Washington won the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award, introduced with several film clips by Tom Hanks. He brought up his family and forgot his glasses, so his speech was short. Keep making movies, Denzel.

The Revenant, a movie that was hard to make and looks as if it’s hard to watch, won a Best Actor award for Leonardo DiCaprio and Best Director for Alejandro G. Inarritu (who’s also the writer and producer), as well as Best motion picture drama.

Brie Larson won Best Actress for The Room, also not a walk in the park.

Jennifer Lawrence won Best Actress in a motion picture comedy for Joy.

Then The Martian won for best comedy. Again, comedy?

Taraji P. Henson won Best Actress in a TV drama series. When she reached the stage she growled, “Get off my train.” When music started to play her off she said “I’ve waited 20 years for this!” Maybe playing Cookie on Empire isn’t too much of a stretch?

Here’s a list of the nominees and winners. More awards and award shows to come. I have to go to the movies.