My Mission:

Following the announcement of the 2016 Oscar nominations in mid January, I set out to see each of the best picture nominated films. In order of release, the eight films are: “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Martian,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Room,” “Brooklyn,” “Spotlight,” “The Big Short,” and “The Revenant.” With piles of copious notes crumpled beneath my towering shelves of Blu-Rays, I can conclusively say which film I believe to be the best picture of 2015. Below I’ve organized thoughts based on which films I find least worthy to most worthy of the golden trophy. Keep in mind, I think award shows are a lot of political BS so this is a list of what I want to win, not what I think necessarily will win.

The Throwaways:

Interestingly, my list starts off with the movie that most people actually saw according to box office numbers: “The Martian.” I actually really enjoyed “The Martian,” but it isn’t nominated for most enjoyable movie of the year. It’s nominated for best movie of the year. Upon a second viewing, I’ve taken back the praise I initially gave to director Ridley Scott. I think a lot of the success of the movie is due to acclaimed screenwriter, Drew Goddard and the leading man himself, Matt Damon. I feel that Scott could have been swapped with any competent director for the same result. While an enjoyable popcorn flick, it doesn’t have the unique style I’d expect of a best picture winner.

Next up is a film that might just not be for me: “Brooklyn.” While masquerading as a sophisticated period-piece drama, “Brooklyn” is really just a predictable love story with an old-timey filter on it. It’s really nothing new, although it is well – crafted. I think the commendation here is really credited to Saoirse Ronan and the set designers and costume directors who brought the world of 1950s Brooklyn to life. It’s a good date movie, but it really shouldn’t be nominated for an Oscar.

I know some hardcore action fans will be at my throat for this one, but eliminating “Mad Max: Fury Road” is pretty easy. I consider it to be more of a visual and technological achievement than one from a story perspective. While “Mad Max: Fury Road” has mind bogglingly exhilarating action sequences that make adrenaline pump through my veins, it really doesn’t have much of a story or character development of Max, the lead of the film. Unfortunately, the enthralling action can’t make up for that. I feel that the Academy only nominated it so they wouldn’t receive the kind of backlash they got in 2008 when they didn’t nominate “The Dark Knight.”

The Middle of the Road:

If I had been asked if I would have been interested in a movie about the collapse of the American housing market and the political maneuvering that made some rich and others devastatingly poor beforehand, I would have definitely said no. That’s why “The Big Short” came as a huge surprise to me. Witty writing of a generally mundane topic and standout performances from almost all of the leads made the film surprisingly enjoyable. With a movie like this though, it’s hard to maintain that wit and humor the whole time so I found myself a bit bored at points. If the pacing had been a little tighter, maybe “The Big Short” would have been higher on my list.

The movie that just barely fell short for me was “Room.” I honestly just find the concept extremely intriguing: the film explores a small boy’s perspective of the world after he escapes from a kidnapper who has kept him and his mother in a single room for his whole life. I honestly can’t find much of anything wrong with “Room” other than a minor pacing issue. I hope Brie Larson wins the Oscar for Best Actress, but I can’t see the movie winning Best Picture.

This year, director Steven Spielberg brought us one of his best works since the early 2000s: “Bridge of Spies.” A blend of well – written character based elements and exquisite directing on the part of Spielberg makes “Bridge of Spies” a truly cinematic experience. It doesn’t feel like a movie from the modern day but a callback to classic cinema. I wouldn’t be disappointed if it won best picture, but there are two films I simply feel are more worthy.

The Big Winner:

So what’s left? “Spotlight” and “The Revenant.” Both of which are stellar films with a lot to like. “Spotlight” tells the story of a team of journalists who uncover a molestation scandal in the Catholic Church in Boston. It’s truly one of the most well – written, paced and acted films of the year. The direction of Tom McCarthy is snappy to match the emotional current of the film, but he delivers some gorgeous wides and long tracking shots to add a creative flair.

“The Revenant,” on the other hand, has a more straightforward story, but is a visual masterpiece. The cinematography of “The Revenant” is honestly some of the best I’ve ever seen on film. The perfect use of natural lighting and camerawork deliver a punch that rocked me to my core. The film is a must see for any cinephile or aspiring filmmaker.

So it comes down to this: Do I choose the smart one or the pretty one? Luckily, I’m not that shallow. “Spotlight” is the best film of the year. While “The Revenant” has more to look at, it lacks the originality and clever storytelling of its competitor. After “Spotlight” finished, I sat in the theater for a solid three minutes unable to move or speak. It hit me like a ton of bricks and resonated with me more than any other film last year. I can guarantee that on the night of the Oscars when the envelope is being peeled open and the crowd is dead silent, I’ll be sitting at home with my fingers crossed, rooting for “Spotlight.”