Universal

Over the last decade, the Oscars have become more unpredictable than ever before.

There are no more “Titanic”-like sweeps. The Best Picture and Best Director prizes are getting split between two movies more and more. Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are reading the wrong winners onstage. And even when they are still getting it right every once in a while (that “Moonlight” surprise win), they still, in their classic way, continue to get it so wrong (in retrospect, “Boyhood” was a much more deserved winner than “Birdman”).

Because of this chaos, I will decline to predict for you who will win. Instead I will share who would be on my ballot, if I were a Hollywood insider who got free screeners and voting privileges:

Best Picture: Get Out

“Get Out” is the kind of horror movie that is going to inspire a generation of new filmmakers. Its peek at racism beyond the white hoods of the KKK feels completely different from anything I’ve seen in movies before. And while horror is normally overlooked by the Academy, consider this: “The Silence of the Lambs,” a February release, would go on to win Best Picture. “Get Out,” another genre-altering horror movie, was also released in February. If the Academy wants to show they’re ready to do the right thing and get with the times, they know which movie they should pick.

Best Director: Jordan Peele (Get Out) and Greta Gerwig (Ladybird)

Ties have not happened many times in Oscar history. But if anything, it should happen in this incredibly stacked category, which includes Christopher Nolan’s first ever Best Director nomination, and Guillermo del Toro for making you root for fish monster sex. 

But really, Joran Peele and Greta Gerwig deserve it for very different reasons. With “Lady Bird,” Gerwig shows that directing doesn’t have to be flashy to be amazing. It can just feel like the artist translating their memories onto the screen. And with “Get Out,”  Jordan Peele also got personal, and translated the African American experience into pure horror. If any two unrelated people deserve to share the stage, it’s them.

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread)

It’s almost unfair at this point to wish three time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis would win another Oscar, but the brilliant method actor’s take on toxic genius belongs at the top of the actor’s already crowded pantheon. Only he could make the act of ordering food into something equal parts funny and mesmerizing. Day-Lewis says that he plans to retire from acting after this. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Best Actress: Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)

Frances McDormand elevated the astonishingly mediocre “Three Billboards.” Sally Hawkins is ravishing in “The Shape of Water” without saying a word. And Saiorse Ronan, my second favorite in this category, gave every kid who grew up during 9/11 and the Iraq War the hero they deserved with “Lady Bird.” I’m going to have to go with Margot Robbie, the Australian actress who’s proving she can effortlessly put on so many different American faces and accents (her Bay Ridge accent in “The Wolf of Wall Street” is unforgettable). As Tonya Harding, she gives you a woman who is just as vulnerable and misunderstood as she is untrustworthy. The movie’s attempt to reexamine pop culture history would not have worked without Robbie in the lead.

Best Supporting Actor: Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project)

Willem Dafoe has a habit of seeming like a menace even when he’s playing a good guy. That’s not the case “The Florida Project,” where he plays a motel manager-turned-father figure to several of the motel’s young tenants. A scene where Dafoe addresses a group of storks by saying “hey fellas” is well worth the price of admission.

Best Supporting Actress: Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)

Allison Janney is the likely winner for “I, Tonya.” Her performance is over-the-top and flashy, exactly what the Oscars always go for. And while Janney is fantastic, as always, Laurie Metcalf’s performance as Lady Bird’s mother is subtle yet greater. It might be harder to notice, but Metcalf lands some of the movie’s most devastating emotional blows.

Best Original Screenplay: The Big Sick

Unfortunately, this is the only category where the best movie of 2017 showed up. Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon’s story is as funny, moving, and personal as it gets. It actually made me feel more than okay with yet another movie about a struggling standup comedian.

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Disaster Artist

“Call Me by Your Name” was beautiful and touching in every way imaginable, and “Logan” deserves credit for giving awards-level legitimacy to superheroes. But the “Room” fanatic in me will not yield. Even if “The Disaster Artist” couldn’t use every little detail from the revelatory book (like Tommy Wiseau’s obsession with ordering hot water at restaurants), Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter’s screenplay really gets to the heart of why “The Room” is more than just a so-bad-it’s-good movie. It’s a way of life.

Amazon Studios/Lionsgate

I never thought I’d see the day but the Oscars did a solid job this year.

It is a testament to the (extremely) slow progress of the Academy to see movies like “Get Out” and “Ladybird” landing major nominations. Seeing Jordan Peele, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Greta Gerwig’s names in the directing category, I want to root for all of them. And still, there’s room for Academy favorites like Meryl Streep and Steven Spielberg, and the kind of historical biopics (“The Darkest Hour”) that I will probably watch three days before the ceremony.

But as always, a few favorites were left in the dark. Here are the years most egregious Oscar snubs:

Holly Hunter & Ray Romano

“The Big Sick” was the best movie of 2017 (there, I said it). A Best Picture nomination would have been nice, but seeing Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon’s names in the Best Original Screenplay category felt good enough. What really felt like a punch in the gut was seeing neither Holly Hunter nor Ray Romano’s names pop up. As Emily’s parents, they bring wisdom and warmth in the most unexpected ways to what could have just been another “this is the life of a comedian” movie. They’re the movie couple of the year, no competition.

Okja

This wonderful, globe-spanning fantasy that’s equal parts satire and tragedy, was this year’s answer to “E.T.” In a better world, there could have been nominations for Jake Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton’s bizarro performances as well as Bong Joon-ho and Jon Ronson’s touching and clever screenplay. Mostly, it’s a real shame that “Okja,” which brought a lovable giant pig-hippo creature to life, was completely shut out of the technical categories.

The Florida Project

Sean Baker’s realistic look at the other side of the city that hosts Disney World deservedly landed Willem Dafoe a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. But the movie itself got overlooked, especially its incredible young star Brooklynn Prince, who I can only assume has years of amazing performances to come.

Michael Stuhlbarg

In a year in which Michael Stuhlbarg starred in not one but three Best Picture nominees, it seems like he’d be able to finally sneak in a nod of his own. You’d be shocked to find out he wasn’t nominated for his star-making turn in “A Serious Man” in 2009 and even more shocked to find out he wasn’t nominated for his performance as Elio’s father in Call Me by Your Name.” It only took him one short, tear-inducing monologue for him to completely own this movie.

Vicky Krieps

It’s not easy going head-to-head with Daniel Day-Lewis, but Krieps, as Reynolds’ love interest Alma, proves herself more than up for the challenge. 

Paul Thomas Anderson

Yes, he was nominated for Best Director for “Phantom Thread.” But he also pulled double duty here as the movie’s cinematographer. The 70 mm (if you’re lucky enough to see it in this format) is stunning, as is all the scenery, from the dresses to the English countryside.

Disney/Lucasfilm

WARNING: This review contains MAJOR SPOILERS for “The Last Jedi.” Please direct all angry emails to my attorney.

“The Force Awakens” was good, but “The Last Jedi” actually makes it better.

The biggest criticism lobbed at “The Force Awakens” was that it was simply a remake of “A New Hope,” touching on all the classic’s major story beats. This is true, and yet “The Last Jedi” showed that this non-risky gamble paid off. Taking it safe the first time around was a way to ensure old fans that their favorites were safe, while sneakily bringing in new characters to introduce “Star Wars” to a new generation.

And now, with “The Last Jedi,” we have the best and boldest “Star Wars” movie since the original trilogy.

Has there ever been a funnier “Star Wars” movie?

All “Star Wars” movies have comic relief, as they should, even if people on the internet are arguing about whether or not the humor belongs. “The Last Jedi” realized that General Hux (Domnhall Gleeson) is better played as an incompetent schmuck than some sinister baddie. Outside of comedies, few movies show that some villains are better portrayed as absurd rather than frightening. It feels like a “Star Wars” movie made by “Spaceballs” fans.

New worlds! New creatures!

Porgs > Ewoks > Jar Jar Binks. Disney/Lucasfilm

Sure, “The Force Awakens” introduced new places, but they all (intentionally) looked like places we have seen in the “Star Wars” universe before. It’s no coincidence that Jakku looks a lot like Tatooine. There was even ANOTHER Death Star.

This time around, we got a Monte Carlo-like casino planet that was covering up the galaxy’s ugly class warfare. We also got Porgs, which were both adorable and less distracting than Ewoks, and gorgeous-looking foxes made of delicate glass. It not only looked like things we never saw in “Star Wars” movie, but things you wouldn’t see in any movie. And that’s why you see “Star Wars.”

Luke’s Send-Off

Mark Hamill gives a career-best performance in “The Last Jedi.” Disney/Lucasfilm

“The Force Awakens” saw the end of Han Solo. His death, at the hands of his son Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), was tragic. But also, after it happened, it was barely mentioned again. Solo fell down an endless pit, and the movie just moved on.

Luke, meanwhile, got the ending he deserved in “The Last Jedi.” Hamill is marvelous here, showing how the bright-eyed Luke of the first trilogy is now a hardened old man who has seen some shit.

Luke ceases to exist after using a Jedi trick to save the Resistance from being crushed by the First Order. His last look at the galaxy is of a binary sunset, drawing us back to “A New Hope.” The moment is transcendent, and will bring even the most casual “Star Wars” fan to tears.

There are some flaws

Each “Star Wars” movie is too big to be absolutely perfectly. I’d be suspicious if any of them were flawless.

That said, “The Last Jedi” sometimes pushes it with its running time. Most of the new characters from this trilogy are fantastic, but there are sometimes too many to create a perfect balance of subplots. Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) was really allowed to shine here. And Adam Driver brings the kinds of nuance you rarely see in a blockbuster villain.

But at the same time, it feels like there’s just too little of Poe (Oscar Isaac). And once again, Captain Phasma feels like a character who never reaches her full potential, like all of her best possible moments were given to other characters instead.

Rian Johnson proves that franchise movies can still be interesting

My Large Emo Son. Disney/Lucasfilm

“Star Wars” seemed in trouble earlier this year.

Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were abruptly fired from the upcoming Han Solo spinoff and replaced with Ron Howard. Colin Trevorrow left Episode IX* and replaced with J.J. Abrams. Howard and Abrams are both fine directors (the former an even better narrator) with massive and deserved accomplishments, but it felt like a sign that Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy was looking to keep things safe.

“The Last Jedi” is the last thing from that.

Johnson took bold risks onscreen with his 2012 sci-fi masterpiece, “Looper.” He also directed two of the best episodes in “Breaking Bad” history (“Bug,” “Ozymandias”) that proved he could handle a sacred property and make it feel both new and different. “The Last Jedi” feels like it has a sense of cinematic influence that goes beyond just this franchise (think about that shot of Rey’s endless reflection, or Snoke’s jaw-dropping death).

At the same time, he feels more than willing to stomp on some sacred ground.

Luke receives his lightsaber, and then tosses it over a cliff. After two years of speculation about the identity of Rey’s parents, the conclusion is just, “eh, they were junk collectors.” At another point, the sacred Jedi texts are burned to the ground. The former decision has especially infuriated people. While a lack of conclusion like that can be frustrating, this also demonstrates a refreshing “screw your fan theories” mentality. And really, would you have felt any better if Rey was Luke’s daughter? How interesting would that really be?

Abrams will be back for Episode IX. Again, Abrams can make a damn entertaining movie. But as “The Force Awakens” showed, he prefers to tell a traditional tale as opposed to breaking new ground. In a way, I wish “The Last Jedi” was the final “Star Wars” movie ever. I’m not sure we’ll ever get one this good again.

*Trevorrow’s dismissal was for other reasons. But you wonder why they didn’t at least try to find somebody more interesting (or maybe, you know, a woman) to replace him. PS “Jurassic World” is good.

-Drink whenever somebody mentions Donald Trump

The End

Paramount Pictures

Predicting how this crazy world works in becoming harder than ever, and that perhaps makes tonight’s Academy Awards even more exciting. And yet, “La La Land” will probably still clean up.

So instead of predicting things that might prove to be untrue, I will instead present to you everything that I think should win at this year’s Oscars:

Best Picture – “Manchester by the Sea”

Likely winner “La La Land” is exactly the kind of movie that Oscar voters have loved since the awards were first handed out. “Lion” is a universally life-affirming story that happens to have Harvey Weinstein, who will stop at noting for Oscar gold, behind it. “Hacksaw Ridge” snuck in there thanks to Mel Gibson’s manufactured “comeback.” And “Moonlight” is simply marvelous. But it is “Manchester by the Sea” that I keep going back to in my mind. What can I say? I have a soft spot for people shouting “it’s not a shahk!” in a Boston accent.

Best Director – Damien Chazelle (“La La Land”)

The dance numbers in “La La Land” are bright, elaborate, and bubbly. The vision of L.A. feels like a fantasy, but with the reality that you have to network for every job you get. I don’t know how Damien Chazelle did to be this talented at just age 32.

Best Actor – Denzel Washington (“Fences”)

I always forget just how extraordinary Denzel Washington is until his next movie comes out. You’re never exactly supposed to like his character in “Fences,” but the whole time, it feels exactly like the role he’s been training for his whole life.

Best Actress – Natalie Portman (“Jackie”)

“Jackie” would be nothing without Jackie Kennedy, or, really, the woman who plays her in the movie. Natalie Portman brings life and depth to a woman that many people know simply through footage shot by Abraham Zapruder.

Best Supporting Actor – Jeff Bridges (“Hell or High Water”)

As a life-long “Lebowski” fan, I have a soft spot for Bridges, but he is particularly great as a Texas sheriff on the edge of retirement in “Hell or High Water.” Bridges already won his “Sorry We Didn’t Do This Earlier” award for “Crazy Heart.” It should’ve been for this performance.

Best Supporting Actress – Viola Davis (“Fences”)

Nicole Kidman and Michelle Williams both had particular scenes that struck a deeply emotional chord in me. Viola Davis has a scene like that in “Fences,” and it’s that moment you just want to know, “why doesn’t she already have an Oscar yet?”

Best Original Screenplay – “Manchester by the Sea”

“Manchester by the Sea” subtlety pulls off the most tragic movie twist in years. The fact that it dangles in front of your face unnoticed for a majority of the movie is a screenwriting miracle.

Best Adapted Screenplay – “Moonlight”

There’s been confusion as to whether “Moonlight” is adapted or not, but that barely matters. The deeply personal “Moonlight” is going to be remembered for ages, long after the Oscars ceremony ends. Here is a story that doesn’t try to be universal, and yet will touch just about any soul.

Best Animated Feature – “Moana”

No matter what happens in this category, Disney will come out the winner, but the odds seem to be in favor of “Zootopia.” As good as “Zootopia” may be, I don’t think it holds a candle to “Moana,” a quietly revolutionary Disney princess tale that has some killer original songs. And, had this not been the year of “La La Land,” then Lin-Manuel Miranda would have walked away tonight as an EGOT.

Best Documentary – “O.J.: Made in America”

Given that our current president is a former reality show star, the line between politics and entertainment no longer exists. That is why it is especially surprising to see that “Weiner” was snubbed. However, this category is not light on heavy hitters. “13th” could completely change your worldview. Meanwhile, “O.J.: Made in America,” is just plain masterful.

The multi-part series dove deeper than you could ever imagine into well-worn territory. “Made in America” dives deep into the racial and social implications of America’s most famous murder trial. While the likely Best Picture winner won’t be political in any way, the documentary pick will be. “Made in America” shows that pop culture and politics have always been intertwined.

Roadside Attractions/Amazon Studios

If you ever needed a moment to escape from the feeling that the world was falling apart, Hollywood was there to help. They weren’t always ready to cheer you up, but there were some great movies out this year.

Just from looking through my list, the idea that everything put out nowadays is simply not true. This year had a surprisingly good offering of musicals, tales of rural America, and neo-Nazis getting their butts kicked.

Without further adieu, here’s my list of the 10 best movies of 2016:

1. Manchester by the Sea

What can I say? “Manchester by the Sea” just feels right at number one.

“Manchester” is a big epic hidden within the confines of a small indie. This is a tragedy that reveals itself slowly and shockingly in the year’s most ingeniously put together screenplay. There are surprisingly funny and human moments along the way to a tragic twist. The performances from Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams are revelations, and the characters never feel two dimensional. 

It’s a testament to this film’s success that no matter how sad things got, I felt like I could stay in the world even longer. By the end, you will love and feel for everyone in the movie. As one of the residents of Manchester, Massachusetts might say, that is wicked cool.

2. Hell or High Water

“Hell or High Water” proves that westerns never died, they just went into hibernation, and occasionally pop back up in masterful turns. “Hell or High Water” is a perfect slice of West Texas life, with everyone from Chris Pine, to Jeff Bridges, to an incredibly bossy waitress, giving the best performances of their lives.

3. Green Room

Jeremy Saulnier’s thriller about a punk band facing off against skinheads in a neo-Nazi bar turned out to be the year’s most fun horror movie. It has a hilarious stinger of a closing line and what would tragically be the last performance of Anton Yelchin, a fine young actor who died this summer.

4. Silence

You’d think at this point that Martin Scorsese would be able to make whatever movie he pleased. And yet, it still took him around 30 years to bring “Silence” to the big screen. It’s the best kind of labor of love: overlong but not bloated; epic but not dull. While I like Scorsese best when he’s depicting hot heads from Brooklyn and Queens, when he makes something like “Silence,” it feels like you’re staring directly into his soul.

5. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

This mockumentary about a pop star’s rise and fall and rise is another in a long line of feature length films from The Lonely Island gang (following “Hot Rod” and “MacGruber”) that failed at the box office but is destined for cult status. It contains a multitude of jokes that go on too long and are funny for reasons that are impossible to explain. Sure, you can call it a modern “Spinal Tap,” but that barely taps the surface. 

6. Moonlight

This portrait of a young, gay black man’s journey from childhood to adulthood is a beautiful, moving, and much-needed study in empathy. Picking award winners is never easy, but do not be surprised if this runs off with Best Picture at the Oscars.

7. La La land

At this rate, director Damien Chazelle (“Whiplash”) will make an entire career out of movies where people wonder whether or not jazz is dead. “La La Land” is simply a wonderful and charming musical. And while Hollywood loves to reward movies that are about movies, “La La Land” has a degree of awareness you might not have found in something like “The Artist.” It’s the rare work of nostalgia that feels reflective rather than pandering. 

8. Weiner

How the hell did the directors of “Weiner” get such unprecedented access to disgraced Congressman Anthony Weiner’s disastrous mayoral campaign? Whatever the reason, we were afforded one of the great political documentaries of our time. The camera feels so free here, lingering on people and letting us see so much as they say so little. Thanks to current events, “Weiner” became more and more relevant by the day, wavering constantly between comedy and tragedy. Years from now, we might be able to look back at “Weiner” and laugh. For now, I just want to cry.

9. 10 Cloverfield Lane

Anthology series have always been successful on television, but they’re rarely done in movies. This “Cloverfield” is even better than the last. “10 Cloverfield Lane” is 105 minutes of just three people in a bunker, waiting out a possible apocalypse. The ending will either blow you away, or infuriate you, but either way, you won’t be able to get it out of your head. 

10. Moana

Unlike the rest of us, Disney had a very good 2016, and it was “Moana,” not “Star Wars” or “Zootopia,” that I adored most. Besides having some of the best tunes in any Disney musical in recent years (take that, “Frozen”), it also feels like a new direction for them, all while sticking with the usual formula. It’s a Disney Princess story that doesn’t rely on a prince, and one in which the princess gets to choose between either being chief of her island, or exploring the world. It’s a small dash of hope that maybe Hollywood will be able to hold off the major cultural changes that Trump’s America will bring.

Honorable Mentions: “The Witch,” “Jackie,” “Captain America: Civil War,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Sing Street,” “Everybody Wants Some!!”

Most Underrated: “Hello, My Name Is Doris”

Best Movie Involving Sloths Working At The DMV: “Zootopia”

Best Male Performance: John Goodman, “10 Cloverfield Lane”

Best Female Performance: Natalie Portman, “Jackie”

Worst Batman Movie: “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice”

Second Worst Batman Movie: “Suicide Squad”

From Brexit to Trump, 2016 was a weird and ultimately terrible year for politics.

This year was also a test for comedians. Would they cozy up to Trump? (Jimmy Fallon failed) Would they stand up to him in creative, original, and angry ways? (Seth Meyers succeeded) Ultimately, it was the year we discovered that posting John Oliver clips had absolutely no effect.

In that light, it’s time to look at comedy less as something that can change the world, but more something that will help us laugh at the absurdity of the coming years, as a “Dr. Strangelove” moment looks more and more likely to come true.

After watching Trump shockingly beat Hillary Clinton, I believe that nobody knows anything anymore. But I’ll at least do the best I can to let these funny moments speak for themselves:

“Triumph the Insult Comic Dog Stalks Ted Cruz”

One of the most unexpected staples of the election cycle became Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, the cigar-chomping, leg-humping puppet who made a name for himself on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” Early this year, creator Robert Smigel released a special covering the Democratic and Republican primaries.

During the first special, Triumph stalks Ted Cruz on the primary trail for a glorious seven minutes. There is no larger message here, but at one moment during the segment, Cruz appears to have spotted Triumph in the crowd while he’s giving a speech. The look on Cruz’s face is a sad, sad confusion. Triumph had finally revealed the Texas senator in his natural state.

Samantha Bee on Paul LePage

If there’s been one reason floating around as to why Democrats lost the election, it’s because they focused on the grand prize of the White House and not enough on local politics. That goes for politicians, voters, and talking heads alike. But don’t tell Samantha Bee that, who realized early on that political horrors are happening well beyond Trump and the issues that liberals care most about play out most at the local level.

One of Bee’s funniest and most blistering segments is on Maine governor Paul LePage, who she makes a convincing case for as the proto-Trump Besides the great points she makes, she deserves even more credit for her subtle burns, such as calling LePage both Strom Thurmond and Marine La Pen, basically under her breath.

Seth Meyers After the Election

If you watched Seth Meyers during his years as Weekend Update anchor on “Saturday Night Live,” then his ascendence as the new Jon Stewart shouldn’t shock you. What should shock you is how long it took you to notice.

His “A Closer Look” segments have been both sharp and hilarious. But Seth’s greatest moment came the day after the election, with the world still in shock at Donald Trump’s unexpected win. Instead of being angry, Meyers was sad, earnest, and uncomfortably funny. He talks about how wrong he was about Trump (one of the first to admit it), and the joy of having an eight-month-old son who has no idea what is going on in the world.

This segment proved the true role of a late night host. You don’t have to eviscerate or destroy. Instead, you can just convey what your audience is feeling and provide a source of comfort. Nothing is more cathartic than a laugh over the possibility that we’re all doomed.

“Kellyanne’s Day Off”

The cycle went like this: Donald Trump said something awful at a rally, everyone freaked out, and then his campaign manager Kellyanne Conway went on CNN to smooth it out. The “SNL” sketch took this concept and elevated it to ridiculous heights. What really brings it to life is Kate McKinnon, proving a master of impressions you never knew could be done.

The sketch floated around the idea that maybe Kellyanne Conway didn’t want to be working with Trump at all. That hypothesis seems less true post-election, but the fact that the real Conway got a kick out of this sketch and it’s message is telling. 

Super Deluxe/Vic Berger IV

Along with David Bowie, Prince, and Leonard Cohen, one of the many tragic losses of 2016 was Vine. The death of Vine silenced a great corner of comedy on the internet. Berger’s Vines, part of Super Deluxe, recut the words, speeches, and angry rants of politicians, in surreal and brilliant ways. Sometimes, that’ll take the form of a music video. Other times, it will be a closeup of Jeb Bush’s sad, sad face in addition to Ted Cruz’s sad sad face.

“Voters For Trump Ad” 

As “Saturday Night Live” continues on its long redemption path after letting Donald Trump host back when nobody thought he would even win the GOP nomination, they cooked up this much talked about fake commercial. It’s

Billy On the Street – Immigrant or Real American?

The premise is simple. Jeffrey Dahmer? Real American. Natalie Portman? Immigrant. Charles Manson? Real American. Salma Hayek? Immigrant. I don’t normally go to “Billy on the Street” for political commentary (just for Eichner’s opinions about “Ratatouille”), but this bit says so much so perfectly.

Disney

Warning: This post contains some major spoilers for “Zootopia,” and possibly “10 Cloverfield Lane.”

“Zootopia” might just be Disney’s best movie in a long time. Take that, “Frozen.”

Anyway, it was great. I am always happy to see animals onscreen acting like people. However, “Zootopia” takes it anthropomorphic to the next level, suggesting that these civilized animals aren’t far off from reverting to their predatory instincts. 

When I write about a movie, I try not to resort to nitpicking. However, I have a nit to pick with “Zootopia,” and it feels a little more like an itch that I just can’t scratch.

The film makes use of a repeated plot device that almost becomes a MacGuffin. Judy (Ginnifer Goodwin) possesses a carrot-shaped pen (she’s a rabbit, you see) that also doubles as a recorder. It is an odd possession that gets her and her fox companion Nick (Jason Bateman) out of trouble many times over. In such a brilliantly-realized animated world, this little thing is causing me so much trouble.

You see, this is not the first time a recorder has been used as a plot device in a movie, but I really hope that it is the last. 

This trope goes back a long time.

It’s first use can’t be recorded. Some say it’s first use was in an early version of “The Odyssey,” when Odysseus uses a recording to bring Polyphemus down. Sure, you can say I made that up, but it sounds like a lot of modern Hollywood storytelling.

Protagonists tend to bring down the bad guys by surreptitiously recording them, then playing that recording in a public place just in time for the villain to be arrested. “Zootopia” uses it as well. First, Judy cleverly uses the carrot pen to blackmail Nick into helping her crack a case. Later, the same pen records a conversation that gets the mayor (Jenny Slate) thrown in jail.

I am not picking on “Zootopia” alone, as it is a cog in a much bigger machine. But screenwriters need to stop leaning on the recording device. It is an easy way to escape from writing more interesting and difficult consequences for characters.

I can think of a wide-range of movies that have done it. “Monster’s Inc.” ends with a convenient recording. The evil real estate developer in “Dirty Work” is brought down by Norm MacDonald, who conveniently records all his thoughts. So does “The Room,” but that is the least of that movies problems. 

Noticed I used the word “convenient” when describing some of the movies above. That’s what this trope really is: an easy way out. It is simple to just lean on technology as a crutch but doing so undermines your characters. As small animals, Judy and Nick are great at outfoxing (sorry) most of the bigger mammals that inhabit Zootopia. They fight with their wits to the end, but the recording just feels unnecessary. 

It is possible to write a great movie, and a great thriller, without technology. However, that is increasingly harder in today’s world where technology is literally impossible to escape. This is why I am thankful for something like “10 Cloverfield Lane.” In the first few minutes, the main character can’t find a single bar of service. This results is one of the greatest escape scenes in recent cinematic history.

“Zootopia” is a wonderful movie. I have been thinking about the DMV scene in my head over and over again and giggling to myself any chance I get. This is a truly great animated movie, but it feels almost like a betrayal of its smart nature to let the characters cheat their way out of trouble that easily in the end. Anyway, I’m not mad at “Zootopia”: I’m mad at technology that allows movies to always take the easy way out. I guess my message is that screenwriters should try harder and also you should go home and destroy your iPhone.

20th Century Fox

“Deadpool” is the biggest movie in America right now, and it’s not even a fair fight.

It now holds the record for highest opening for an R-rated movie of all time. Oh, “Deadpool” is rated R? “Deadpool” is a superhero movie? You don’t say. “Deadpool” is one of the most hyped movies of the year that happened to come out during February, where movies tend to go to die.

Hey, it turns out this one isn’t so bad. But, is it great?

For the past few days a lot of people have asked me if they should see “Deadpool.” When answering the daunting question of “how was it?” my answer has been, “it’s fun enough.” “Deadpool” does just enough to be a good movie. It tries really hard, and I appreciate that. As somebody who tries really hard but doesn’t always get the best results, I respect and appreciate effort. Hell, give “Deadpool” the Superhero Movie Participation Ribbon it deserves!

One thing you can’t call “Deadpool” is empty. There is a surprising amount to unpack here. There is bad, and there is good.

This is a funny superhero movie where a lot of the jokes don’t land.

All superhero movies should be funny. Yes, I take them seriously, but they should have the decency to laugh at the fact that they seriously follow around men (or women) fighting crime in tights. Some of the jokes work, and it helps that Ryan Reynolds is funnier and more charismatic than anyone gives him credit for. 

However, “Deadpool” was aimed at 15-year-old boys, so a lot of the jokes are aimed in that direction. I have no problem with dirty jokes. One of my favorite jokes of all time is in an episode of “Louie” and the punchline is a literal fart. In “Deadpool,” after hearing about masturbating for the tenth time, I just wanted to groan. It felt like it was using naughty words because it could. That’s what 15-year-old boys love. But how about a few jokes for the cool parents who bought tickets for their kids? Or the 23-year-old bloggers who went to see this so they could write about it?

Let’s give it a pass for pop culture references.

The problem with excessive pop culture references is that they can age a movie quickly. The interesting thing about “Deadpool” is that a majority of the references feel a few years old. Limp Bizkit? Bernadette Peters? As a character, Deadpool seems like a parent who is trying too hard to be cool. There’s something charming about it. It’s actually a lot like this great moment from “30 Rock”:

They break the fourth wall. A lot.

I have been informed that Derdpool talks to the audience a lot in the comics so naturally, this was adapted for his onscreen debut. Like excessive pop culture references, you’re walking a fine line with breaking the fourth wall. As somebody who grew up on “Goodfellas” (hell, I still think about “Goodfellas” every day), I am a fan of the meta and the breaking of the fourth wall. 

“Deadpool” feels like Breaking the Fourth Wall Jr. The gag is fun sometimes, and it works during a fantastic opening credits sequence, which lists every cliche the film is going to present to you before it even starts. It’s a great way to start it off by saying, “yes, we know that we are serving you the same old crap.” But it almost gets to the edge of being annoying. But again, this film was made with 15-year-olds in mind, so restraint is automatically thrown out the window.

A tie-in to a larger superhero universe that actually works? Sweet!

Nobody can fault the Marvel Cinematic Universe for not being ambitious. My biggest problem with it is that tying such a large thing together ultimately waters down each individual film. Each smaller vision serves a larger one, which is why directors like Edgar Wright probably got scared away.

“Deadpool” includes a tie-in to the X-Men universe. Throughout the film, Colossus repeatedly calls on Derdpool to give up his “evil” ways and join the X-Men. You know what? This tie-in works. It doesn’t add too many characters or extra storylines to the film. It also represents Deadpool’s overall moral conflict, in which he has a chance to join the light but that’s just not in the cards for him.

However, every story has a “refusal of the call” in its first act. This could all be act one for a larger Deadpool story and we haven’t even gotten to the really good stuff yet. Given they opportunities for further synergy, I have a feeling that Deadpool can’t avoid the mutant academy for the rest of his life. 

Overall…

Yes, this movie is “fun enough,” but that’s not a bad thing. “Deadpool” never takes itself too seriously, but what would have made it better is if it didn’t act like the first R-rated movie based on a comic book. There have been plenty of those, and there have been plenty of movies where a character addresses the camera. 

However, this is not just “enough.” There is more than enough here, thanks in large part to Ryan Reynolds’ commitment and charisma, to make me excited for a sequel. Just please don’t let Deadpool host SNL.

Let’s get to it, shall we? If I had the qualifications to be an Oscar voter (which I don’t, given that I am under 75-years-old), here’s who I would pick to win all the awards this year:

Best Picture: “Room”

Oscars sometimes lean towards the dark and the melodramatic. The miracle of “Room” is that it takes the darkest story possible (a woman and her son are held hostage in a predator’s shed), and it doesn’t necessarily make light of it, but it does make it life-affirming. I have never seen a film quite like this one, and have rarely felt this way about a film before. I am getting all cliche now but when you see a film as good as “Room,” it can turn you into a sappy goof.

Best Director: Lenny Abrahamson (“Room”) 

Part of the inspired outlook on life of “Room” has to do with Lenny Abrahamson’s outstanding direction. During much of the film, we are seeing the world through Jack’s (Jacob Tremblay) eyes for the first time. Therefore, a dog looks like the most magical creature alive (I mean, they already are). Meanwhile, a staircase looks absolutely terrifying. Abrahamson takes the mundane and makes it look fresh. The kind of directors who win Oscars are the ones who are in-your-face about their visuals. Abrahamson is too subtle to win, yet too talented to ever be forgotten.

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender (“Steve Jobs”)

Maybe Christian Bale would have looked more like Steve Jobs, but Michael Fassbender really nailed the soul of this man, which is what this role really required. The film itself walks the line between messy and underrated, but Fassbender brings a dose of humanity to this larger-than-life figure. But you know what, give the Oscar to Leo. His performance as Hugo Glass in “The Revenant” is far from his best performance (he should have won for “The Wolf of Wall Street”), given that it mainly involved a lot of moaning and grunting, but I just want him to win already so he stops hurting himself.

Best Actress: Brie Larson (“Room”)

2016 is the year that America finally paid attention to Brie Larson. She started off as an Avril Lavigne-like pop star and now she’s destined to win her first Oscar. As Joy, she plays a young mother held hostage with her son. She is given the tough task of both having to act years beyond her age and absolutely clueless. It’s an unimaginable situation, but thanks to her, the screen is dripping with empathy and humanity.

Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”)

It is a total shame that Michael B. Jordan and Tessa Thompson were left out of this race. For now, Stallone is the only one supporting my favorite movie of the year at the Oscars. And he deserves this nomination, and what will likely be his first win. Stallone’s authenticity truly shines here, as only somebody who has played this character for 40 years should. With a lot of terrible choices, it is easy to turn Stallone into a punchline. “Creed” is a reminder that this guy truly is an artist.

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh (“The Hateful Eight”)

The latest Quentin Tarantino joint was wrongfully overlooked, both by audiences and Oscar voters. As outlaw Daisy Domergue, the sometimes bad guy of “The Hateful Eight,” Leigh plays every character, every plot twist, like a fiddle. That’s ironic, because she’s not too bad at playing the guitar.

Best Original Screenplay: Ex Machina

“Ex Machina” is a quiet and esoteric little sci-fi film about human nature and artificial intelligence. I expected it to be smart and thoughtful, but I didn’t expect it to be this entertaining, thrilling, or funny. “Ex Machina” doesn’t waste a minute of its screen time; it jumps right into the central plot within the first few minutes. Its one of the few times where lack of build-up actually works to a film’s invention. We can also thank Alex Garland for writing the most interesting mad scientist in a while, who’s a drunk oppressor masquerading as a genius. In a better world, I would also be writing about why Oscar Isaac would be taking home his first Oscar this year.

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Big Short

When I walked into “The Big Short,” I had no idea what a subprime mortgage was. When I left, I had a vague idea. That is the brilliance of Adam McKay and Charles Randolph’s screenplay: it does a lot of hand-holding, but never treats the audience like its dumb. Its smart enough both to assume that you’ll catch up with the rapid pace plot, and that also Wall Street is way more interesting when explained by Margot Robbie in a bath tub. “The Big Short” is the satire we both deserve and need right now.