Oscars 2016

Best Picture: The Danish Girl

themetropolist.com

Description: You probably know it by now, but just in case you need a recap, this film is based on the biography of Lili Elbe, the famous painter who would eventually become the world's first transgender woman to undergo a sex change surgery in the late 19th century. The movie chronicles Lili's personal struggles and that of her wife, Gerda Wegener. 

Best Parts: Redmayne, who plays the title character. Redmayne is absolutely captivating, transforming himself completely into a woman struggling with her own identity in a world determined to be against her. An absolute must-see for anyone interested in historical movies, trans issues, or just incredible acting.

Best Adaptation: Brooklyn

theculturemom.com

Description: Brooklyn is a whirlwind of colors, accents, clothes and strange yet oddly relatable relationships between women and men. The strained interactions between people from different worlds show the hardships of immigration: the pulls from home and the exhilaration of finding something new.

Best Parts: Little nods to the book. I thought the movie was entertaining and fun, but in all honestly, the original novel has a little more...bite. What made the film though, was seeing all the little secret references to the novel throughout the film that only readers could catch. My advice: check out the book first, it will add a lot more richness to the storyline. 

Best Bad-Ass Bitch -  Mad Max: Fury Road

screenrant.com

Description: Not the type of movie I would normally see, I just had to rent it after hearing an interview with director, George Miller, who spoke about the strong feminist undertones of the movie. Thinking this was just going to be a typically violent and gratuitously gruesome action film, I had pretty low expectations going in, but was really surprised with how serious and thoughtful the themes of the movie are. Set in a post-apolocalyptic world, the story is really all about survival for the few who remain. Different factions fight one another for power over both the people, and most importantly, the world's limited fuel supply.

Best part: Charlize Theron, who plays strong-headed Imperator Furiosa (the name sounds cooler in the movie). Furiosa is a female soldier who kidnaps the five wives of her warlord and attempts to save them from a life of sex-slavery. And the wives themselves, while made to seem like pretty delicate creatures (they're extremely dainty and their outfits are a verryyy little) are pretty badass too. 

Best Short Film: Day One

awardscircuit.com

Description: Her first day on the job, an American interpreter in Afghanistan is forced to stretch herself further than she ever thought possible. Your heart will break and palms will sweat in this 25-minute film where boundaries and crossed and barriers are tested. 

Best Part: How beautifully this film is portrayed, and the gentle, caring women thrust into the horrors of war and forced to show unimaginable courage. 

What are your top films this year?