My Verdict for Films in Oscars 2016

An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There's Max, a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa, a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland. 

Exhilarating, Stunning, Breathtaking.
An innovative screenplay with stunning and one of a kind visual effects. 

My Verdict: 5/5 

When astronauts blast off from the planet Mars, they leave behind Mark Watney (Matt Damon), presumed dead after a fierce storm. With only a meager amount of supplies, the stranded visitor must utilize his wits and spirit to find a way to survive on the hostile planet. Meanwhile, back on Earth, members of NASA and a team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring him home, while his crew mates hatch their own plan for a daring rescue mission.

The Martian is a brilliant, thrilling, and entertaining quality space movie. Truly spectacular, visually stunning film that made for big screen.

My Verdict: 5/5 

 In the cold war, a lawyer, James B. Donovan recruited by the CIA and involved in an intense negotiation mission to release and exchange a CIA U-2 spy-plane pilot, Francis G. Powers that was arrested alive after his plane was shot down by the Soviet Union during a mission- with a KGB intelligence officer, Rudolf Abel who was arrested for espionage in the US. 

A cinematic masterpiece that looks effortless, with great casting, writing cinematography and outstanding performance by Tom Hanks.

My Verdict: 4/5

 Set in America in the 1820s, a frontiersman, Hugh Glass (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), is attacked and badly mauled by a bear. He is left for dead by his comrades. Meanwhile a group of Indians are after him. Thus starts his fight for survival and revenge.

The most gripping film of 2015. Brutal but beautiful with stunning nature imagery and Leonardo DiCaprio fully committed and powerful performance.

 My Verdict: 5/5

 Based on a novel by Colm Tóibín, Eilis Lacey leaves small town Ireland for a better life in New York, arranged by an Irish priest in Brooklyn. Working in a shop she takes a bookeeping course and participates in the Irish community. There she meets an Italian, and falls in love. They marry but she wants to see her mother after the death of her sister in Ireland. Returning home she falls into the life of the small town, meets a local guy, but also a nasty neighbour who knows she was married in the US. 

Stellar and emotionally empowering. Simple yet touching story. Uncomplicated narrative with Saoirse Ronan at its finest.

My Verdict: 5/5 

 Room tells the extraordinary story of Jack, a spirited 5-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted mother. Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe, nurturing him with warmth and love and doing typical things like playing games and telling stories. Their life, however, is anything but typical--they are trapped--confined to a windowless, 10-by-10-foot space that Ma has euphemistically named Room. Ma has created a whole universe for Jack within Room, and she will stop at nothing to ensure that, even in this treacherous environment, Jack is able to live a complete and fulfilling life. But as Jack's curiosity about their situation grows, and Ma's resilience reaches its breaking point, they enact a risky plan to escape, ultimately bringing them face-to-face with what may turn out to be the scariest thing yet: the real world.

Room's wonderful performances and good direction are backed by a screenplay that's filled with subtlety, intelligence, and heart. The performances are quite good and it's hard to deny the power of certain moments .

 My Verdict: 4/5

Based on the book by Michael Lewis (writer of Moneyball, Liar's Poker and Flash Boys, among others), the true story of a handful of investors who bet against the US mortgage market in 2006-7. Through their own research they discovered that the US mortgage backed securities market was a bubble about to burst, and they invested accordingly. What they didn't initially know was how structurally flawed the MBS system was, the level of corruption in the market...and the impact on the average person when the bubble burst. 

A good ensemble that works reasonably well. Inventive, informative, comedic, and dramatic, this movie hits all of the elements necessary for a good ensemble piece. I love its meta-documentary style that tackles real moment in recent American history.

My Verdict: 4.5/5

When the Boston Globe's tenacious "Spotlight" team of reporters delves into allegations of abuse in the Catholic Church, their year-long investigation uncovers a decades-long cover-up at the highest levels of Boston's religious, legal, and government establishment, touching off a wave of revelations around the world.

Relatively simple at its core and very well done. Reasonably good in most aspects and truly driven by quality film-making.

My Verdict: 4/5

Earlier, before the launching of the "iMac", The former CEO of Apple Inc, Steve Jobs must battle his own ego to solve his inner problems, including the internal conflict inside his company that cracked his relationship with his own confidant, Steve Wozniak, the continuance of his own family, and his passion to innovate- that affected his own health. 

A phenomenal piece of cinema with absolutely incredible script.
Well acted and honest, Steve Jobs works to deliver a much more honest and humanizing view of the tech giant, and it gathers an ensemble cast to brag.

My Verdict: 5/5

Joy is the story of the title character, who rose to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty. 

Got entertained with the film as it shows how amazing Jennifer Lawrence actually as an actress.

My Verdict: 3.5/5

Copenhagen, 1926. Danish artist, Gerda Wegener, painted her own husband, Einar Wegener, as a lady in her painting. When the painting gained popularity, Einar started to change his appearance into a female appearance and named himself Lili Elbe. With his feminism passion and Gerda's support, Einar - or Elbe - attempted one of the first male-to-female sex reassignment surgery, a decision that turned into a massive change for their marriage, that Gerda realized her own husband is no longer a man or the person she married before. A childhood friend of Einar, art-dealer Hans Axgil (, shows up and starts a complex love triangle with the couple.

I love Redmayne's nuanced affecting performance that is full of empathy.

My Verdict: 3.5/5

During a christmas season in 1950s, Therese Belivet, a shopgirl with photography hobby works at a Department Store in Manhattan named Frankenberg's, the place she met Carol Aird, a semi-divorced woman. Carol's loveless relationship with her former husband, Harge Aird took both Therese and Carol into an unexpected relationship. While Therese had to stop her relationship with her boyfriend, Richard, Carol has to face new problem- the morality clause from her own husband. This relationship can be unstable, and their own reliance to make the continuity of their relationship are tested. 

A work of art with great story, beautiful production and remarkable performance by Cate Blanchett.

My Verdict: 3.5/5 

In 1947, Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood's top screenwriter until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs. TRUMBO (directed by Jay Roach) recounts how Dalton used words and wit to win two Academy Awards and expose the absurdity and injustice under the blacklist, which entangled everyone from gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) to John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger.

Top-notch cast and compelling story. Bryan Cranston is just such a very good actor.

My Verdict: 4/5

Adonis Johnson is the son of the famous boxing champion Apollo Creed, who died in a boxing match in Rocky IV (1985). Adonis wasn't born until after his father's death and wants to follow his fathers footsteps in boxing. He seeks a mentor who is the former heavyweight boxing champion and former friend of Apollo Creed, the retired Rocky Balboa. Rocky eventually agrees to mentor Adonis. With Rocky's help they hope to get a title job to face even deadlier opponents than his father. But whether he is a true fighter remains to be seen.

My Verdict: 3.5/5

Follows the journey of a young boy, Agu, who is forced to join a group of soldiers in a fictional West African country. While Agu fears his commander and many of the men around him, his fledgling childhood has been brutally shattered by the war raging through his country, and he is at first torn between conflicting revulsion and fascination Depicts the mechanics of war and does not shy away from explicit, visceral detail, and paints a complex, difficult picture of Agu as a child soldier.

My Verdict: 4/5

My Ranking for the Best Picture

                             1. Brooklyn

                             2. The Martian

                             3. The Revenant

                             4. The Big Short

                             5. Room

                             6. Spotlight

                             7. The Bridge of Spies

                             8. Mad Max: Fury Road

                              

 

Best Picture: Brooklyn

Best Director: Adam McKay -The Big Short

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant

Best Actress: Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor: Tom Hardy - The Revenant

Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs

Best Cinematography: The Revenant

Best Production Design: Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Costume Design: Carol

Best Film Editing: The Big Short

Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay: Brooklyn

Best Writing - Original Screenplay: Bridge of Spies