Dan’s 2016 Movie Awards

I haven’t seen many of the Oscar nominated films this year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hand out awards for specific achievements.

Best Random Nudity: Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
Here’s a great movie about family and modern society and then WHAM, there’s Viggo sipping his morning coffee with his ding-dong on display. It’s a funny moment. And Viggo deserves the Oscar nomination this year for his modern-society-hating character. It’s also not the first time I’ve seen Viggo’s ding-dong — he showed it off during a tense fight scene in Eastern Promises, another film which earned Viggo an Oscar nomination. Seems like whenever Viggo let’s the little guy breath, he gets nominated for an award. That’s enough to boost any man’s ego.

Best “Wow” Moment: The airport fight, Captain America: Civil War
I never would have thought that of all the Marvel characters, the best movies would focus on Captain America, but with Civil War and Winter Soldier, it’s clear that the Cap movies are Marvel’s strongest. Part of the reason these movies worked so well is the writing — characters who feel real facing decisions with huge consequences. The other reason these movies work is that Ant-Man becomes Giant Man and it I lost my mind. Civil War isn’t just a great comic book movie, it’s a great action movie …that just happens to feature super heroes.

Most Average Movie: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
There are great things about this movie and there are bad things about this movie. The end result is a so-so movie, most of which I’ve already forgotten. I wanted to love it, but then the finale was just a bunch of people flipping switches. It looked pretty, though.

Best Movie With Shocking Depth: Zootopia
Was this a Disney movie or a lost George Orwell novel? You could, and should, write a college thesis on every scene of this movie.

Movie Everyone But Me Hates: Hail, Caesar
I’m a sucker for a Coen Brothers movie and Hail, Caesar is one of their best comedies. Read the online reviews and you may think it’s the worst movie to ever exist, and I’m not sure why people hate it so much. It’s a little quirky and goofy, but what’s wrong with that? Not everything needs to be Sully.

Movie That Could Have Been Better: Ghostbusters
There’s not much to say. I fully support an all-female Ghostbusters team, but I want them in a movie worthy of their talents. This movie feels like the director said, “Just improvise something?” and let the camera roll. And for all the controversy and hate, Leslie Jones is, by far, the best character in the movie.

Movie I Thought I Wasn’t Going to Like, But Then Liked A Lot: The Jungle Book
I was never a fan of the original Disney animated movie, but the live-action remake is an impressive and exciting movie. If director Jon Favreau can do this with a subpar Disney property, think what he can do if they let him direct a live-action Aladdin.

Movie That Wasn’t The Next Citizen Kane: Deadpool
I loved Deadpool…up until the last act when it became a standard, and boring, super hero movie. The film received gallons of praise for its fourth-wall-breaking narrative, and rightfully so. Deadpool is at its best when the satire is sharp and raunchy. But all the quips and tricks fade away when the movie ends in standard Hollywood style. It’s like setting up the best joke in the world, and ending with, “I forgot how it ends. Wait…how does it go?” I wanted more.

Best Movie I Already Reviewed: Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Why haven’t you watched it yet?

Best Subtle Superpower Movie: Midnight Special
A special little kid with superpowers is on the run from religious fanatics in this somewhat quiet movie that contains more tension and drama in a minute than Batman v. Superman contained in all of its 4 hours.

Best Movie Your Parents Will Also Like: Hidden Figures
Sure, it’s a typical feel-good Hollywood movie. But what’s wrong with that? There’s a wonderful attention to detail in this story that somehow our history books forget to mention. It also makes you realize just how difficult math was before computers.