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My Ballot for the 2018 Academy Awards

After months of waiting, the 2018 Academy Awards are upon us. Since it seems that my official ballot from the Academy has gotten lost in the mail, I’ll just share my votes here. This isn’t a prediction post — there’s already a lot of that online. This is just my personal opinion on the deserving recipients for the awards for their respective categories.

Take note: I already predict I will get most of these winners wrong! Don’t look to this post as guidance for your betting pools.

Best Picture

Get Out

2017 has been a crazy good year for movies. For the 9 nominees in this category, I can easily fit in at least 10 more that would be as deserving. In fact, intead of choosing between 2 favorites for the year, I'm having trouble choosing between 4-5! In the end, I am choosing what is the movie that represents the year best. They say that art is a byproduct of its time; certain movies will not get made in any other time period and no other movie of 2017 perfectly encapsulates the tension, humor, humanity and anxieties of 2017, especially in the context of the USA, as Get Out did. This movie captured the zeitgeist for good reason. One thing this movie also has going for it is its insane replayability. Each watch will reveal different details you've never noticed before. I feel confident in saying Get Out is the most rewarding second viewing of any film that I can remember, and that's thanks to the expertly crafted script and excellently nuanced performances by the cast.

Coming close to winning in my heart is The Shape of Water. It is a masterfully crafted fairy tale made for adults and I never expected to be enchanted the way I did all throughout the duration of the movie.

Runner-Up: The Shape of Water

Best Director

Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water

So I am rewarding The Shape of Water as having the strongest direction instead of Get Out, because this is the movie that I felt had the strongest holistic vision. Each component of the film felt carefully curated, deliberate and purposeful. Another directorial achievement is how Guillermo del Toro managed to elicit the incredible performances from the whole acting ensemble. Every character was fully realized not just thanks to the great script serving as the foundation, but from the memorable and thoughtful performances by all the actors.

Runner-up: Jordan Peele, Get Out

Best Actor

Timothee Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

This truly was the hardest category for me to choose. Generally, in acting categories, I always choose which performance sticks with me even after watching the movie. It means that you empathized and connected to their character, and in my eyes that means the actor did a successful job. Don't get me wrong, my second choice, Gary Oldman, as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour is a performance for the ages. It is comparable to Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln; definitive and undeniable. It was something only a master of his craft can deliver. However, there is something in Timothee's extremely naturalistic acting that is so impactful. You are captivated and you empathize with every emotion his character goes through -- every joy, sorrow, guilt, heartbreak, excitement, desire.

Runner-up: Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour

Best Actress

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

Sally Hawkins as a mute woman in The Shape of Water is technically the most difficult role of the year. The way she expresses all the emotions her character goes through without saying a single word and communicating everything through her eyes, her face and her body is simply amazing. With all that the movie has going for it -- strong script, visuals, costumes, effects, music and atmosphere -- her performance is the one that is most memorable.

Runner-up: Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best Supporting Actor

Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

It takes a special kind of talent for an actor to play a truly heinous, unredeemable, villainous role and still come off somewhat likable and questionably redeemable. Sam Rockwell manages this delicate balance effortlessly. The movie may have been hit left and right with controversy regarding its alleged whitewashing of police brutality and racism, but you can't deny Sam Rockwell's ability to pull of a very multi-faceted performance as the role required.

Runner-up: Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project

Best Supporting Actress

Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird

Lady Bird works because of the dynamic between the lead, played by Saoirse Ronan, and her parents, specifically her complicated relationship with her mother, played by Laurie Metcalf. What I appreciated the most out of her performance is how she manages to make it feel so very authentic. We watch her performance in Lady Bird and we are greeted familiarity -- we remember a person from our own life growing up, whether it be our own mother or someone else's. I fully understand why the Academy awarded Greta Gerwig with a Best Director nomination. This authenticity of this dynamic would have been so hard to pull off, and she wouldn't have been able to achieve this without the stellar performance of her main cast.

Runner-up: Allison Janney, I, Tonya

Best Original Screenplay

Get Out, Jordan Peele

No other screenplay this year even comes close to the brilliant originality and cleverness of Get Out. Jordan Peele's directorial ability for his debut film is being recognized and rightly so, but so much of this movie's success is due to the very strong and fresh script. The way he manages to manipulate the audience's expectations at every turn is nothing short of masterful. I even think that Get Out's dialogue is so impactful, it may have even infiltrated modern pop culture's lexicon. I mean, who can forget choice quotes such as "I would have voted for Obama for a third term" or even "Now... you're in the sunken place."

Runner-up: Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig

Best Adapted Screenplay

Call Me By Your Name, James Ivory, based on the novel by André Aciman

Disclaimer: I hadn't read the novel where the movie is based on so I couldn't comment on the faithfulness of its adaptation, but aside from the performances and cinematography, the movie's highlight is the screenplay. It is an extremely personal and emotionally resonant story with believable characters and no detail is spared from the character's experiences.

I have to give special mention to one of my favorites from 2017, though. Building on top of the mess that is the almost 20 years old continuity of the current X-men movies, as well as taking inspiration from the multitude of terrific Wolverine and X-men comics, James Mangold and co. managed to craft a beautiful and moving character-driven story that is the best out of all the X-men movies that came before.

Runner-up:  Logan, Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green, based on characters from the X-Men comic books and theatrical motion pictures

Best Animated Feature Film

Coco

Coco ranks high as one of Pixar's greats. I am glad that a very original, respectful and thoughtful take on a large part of Mexican culture is being rewarded tremendously. I had watched this movie in a theatre and there was no dry eye when that movie ended. All its accolades are deserved. If the Best Original Screenplay category weren't so stacked this year, this would have been an assured nomination. It's that good.

Runner-up: I wasn't able to watch any of the others :/

Best Cinematography

Blade Runner 2049, Roger Deakins

Every time Roger Deakins gets nominated, he would be a deserving winner, but it's even more undeniable for his work in Blade Runner 2049. Let me preface by saying that BR2049 is one of my favorite movies of 2017. Had he not shot the movie, I don't think I would like it so much. "Every Frame a Painting" is a phrase often overused for beautifully-shot movies, but it truly is applicable in this instance.

Runner-up: Mudbound, Rachel Morrison

Best Film Editing

Baby Driver, Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos

As an action heist film, Baby Driver needed to maintain a very high-energy between scenes and it delivered it in spades. That's not even mentioning how all of those scenes were edited to the beat of the soundtrack, which was a narrative requirement. I can't even imagine how intricate the Adobe Premiere editing timeline must have looked like when they finished the final cut. Sometimes, the Oscars reward Best Editing to the movie with the most amount of edits, and sometimes that's not really fair, but in this instance, Baby Driver really does deserve it.

Runner-Up: Dunkirk, Lee Smith

Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing

Baby Driver, Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin and Mary H. Ellis

Similarly to Best Film Editing, the sound of Baby Driver is essential to the movie's goal. As a movie that was edited to the beat of the soundtrack, the sound mixtures had to ensure that every beat and sound level was pitch perfect and in sync. In conjunction, the sound editors were able to create great audio and sound effects to the beat of the soundtrack. It was an extremely exciting and pleasant auditory experience.

Runner-Up: Dunkirk

Best Original Score

Phantom Thread, Jonny Greenwood

As with Blade Runner 2049 and its visuals, what enhanced my fondness for Phantom Thread is its omnipresent piano score. Set in the high fashion industry of 1950s London, this movie was already very fancy based on the sets and costumes alone, but what truly breathed life into the atmosphere is the very classy score. So much so that I wouldn't mind having this score as the soundtrack of my life.

Runner-Up: The Shape of Water, Alexandre Desplat

Best Costume Design

Phantom Thread, Mark Bridges

This is an easy vote, because one of the main draws of the movie are its costumes. The amount of beautiful and exquisite tailoring in the custom-made dresses is amazing. It also features closeup shots of the clothes they wear and you can really see no thread is out of place. It's just super high-quality costuming all around.

Runner-Up: Beauty and the Beast, Jacqueline Durran

Best Production Design

Blade Runner 2049, Dennis Gassner and Alessandra Querzola

Full disclaimer: I haven't seen the original Blade Runner movie, so I'm not sure how much of the set designs here are lifted from that, but this movie is absolutely the best looking of the year. A large part of that is due to the excellent cinematography, but a major part is also contributed by the design of the sets. This is a movie set in a dystopian future but they still managed to make everything look so good. The interactive billboard scene near the end of the movie will surely go down as one of the most iconic shots in cinema.

Runner-Up: The Shape of Water, Paul Denham Austerberry, Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin

Best Visual Effects

Blade Runner 2049, John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert and Richard R. Hoover

I know the Apes franchise has never gotten a win yet for this category, and that is a great injustice, but unfortunately for them, the competition really is tough every year they are nominated. I've already mentioned multiple times how Blade Runner 2049 is the most visually-pleasing film of the year, due to the cinematography and production design, but all of the scenes are also enhanced by the seamless visual effects. My jaw dropped at how amazing the scenes looked in the climactic casino stage fight. It was a very innovative use of visual effects, and when combined with the gorgeous cinematography and production design, it made for an unforgettable climax to a consistently beautiful movie.

Runner-Up: War for the Planet of the Apes, Joe Letteri, Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon and Joel Whist

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Darkest Hour, Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski and Lucy Sibbick

A huge part of Gary Oldman’s believability in playing Winston Churchill was his total physical transformation. It was the combination of the prosthetics and the bodysuit that really immersed him into his role. His performance, and actually the film itself, wouldn’t have worked if the makeup and hair artists didn’t do their job well. This is an obvious and deserved winner.

Runner-up: I wasn't able to watch any of the others :/

Best Original Song

"Remember Me", Coco, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

So my criteria for this category is not just if the actual song is good, but how important is the song to the movie and how it’s placement in the movie is integral to the narrative. Remember Me works as a very good pop song for radio, however, it's placement in the movie in the most climactic and heart-wrenching moment has seared it into my brain. It's one of the most powerful moments of the year in cinema.

Runner-up: "This Is Me", The Greatest Showman, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

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2017 Best Nine: Movies

In alphabetical order, here are my 9 favorite movies of 2017, just in time for a weekend movie marathon! Head on over to mriow.tumblr.com (link in bio) for a writeup on each one. All of these movies have resonated with me and really made an impression for one reason or another, so I can definitely recommend each one as a must-watch! 2017 is one of the best years in movies ever, and I had a really tough time choosing my favorites. Just missing the top 9 are The Beguiled, Coco, Lost City of Z, Mudbound, Spider-man: Homecoming, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, War for the Planet of the Apes and Wonder Woman for my top 17 of 2017. And that’s not even counting the other amazing movies such as Baby Driver, The Big Sick, The Florida Project, Thor: Ragnarok and the list goes on and on. 2017 will go down as one of the greats, I’m sure of it. #2017BestNine

Blade Runner 2049

This is the best looking movie of 2017, hands down. From Roger Deakins's masterfully beautiful cinematography, to the breathtaking costuming, art direction, production design and VFX, this is one of those movies where every shot can be framed and put up into the wall. That's not to say that the visuals are all it has going for it. Director Denis Villeneuve has mastered the art of creating beautiful atmosphere, and he keeps the mysterious, enchanting vibe all throughout the movie.

Call Me by Your Name

Teen films are killing it this year! Even if you can't directly relate to the characters in this film, what you can relate to is the experience of that one moment in your adolescence, just in the cusp of adulthood, that was a turning point that would change the rest of your life. This movie shows it in such an intimate and personal way that you cant help but feel transported to its setting of Northern Italy in the summer of 1983. Watching this movie made me feel very warm and content.

Dunkirk

As someone who thought Interstellar was such a waste because of Nolan's overindulgence in his own creativity, Dunkirk is an excellent return to form. It shows his technical mastery with both narrative and visuals, and I'm ultimately grateful for Nolan because he's one of the only directors (along with James Cameron and probably Steven Spielberg) both willing and able to pull off massive, daring and ambitious epic films like this.

Get Out

If you ever needed a reference of what a Best Original Screenplay award-winning movie is like, this movie is the definition of Original Screenplay, offering up fresh and new story ideas while honoring and homaging the classic thrillers that came before. Also, this is one of the rare movies that get better with a re-watch as you'll notice brilliant little details that you didn't upon first viewing.

Logan

This is a superhero movie so strong and impactful that I actually thought it would have been a much better movie if it weren't a restricted by its genre. As the announced final movie with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, watching this movie brings a sense of catharsis as both he and Patrick Stewart's Charles Xvaier give their best performances after playing these roles for almost 20 years.

I, Tonya

Mockumentary / Fake Documentary style films are usually pretty funny and engaging, but this one might be my most favorite. The concept is that multiple characters are giving contradictory stories and their own versions of the truth, but the script and direction still manages to craft a coherent and engaging narrative. I remember women's figure skating was a big deal back in the early 90s and this movie perfectly recapped the reasons why it was so. What sets this apart from other biopics is really the brilliant, funny and sympathetic performances by Margot Robbie, Alison Janney and Sebastian Stan.

Lady Bird

I'm a sucker for teen films and this might probably be the best, most objectively well-written movie with this subject matter in such a long time. You can feel the care and attention put into each and every character created by writer/director Greta Gerwig. The movie ends with each and every character not being where they were at the beginning of the movie. This type of attention to characterization, even to background characters, is so refreshing. Movies don't need to be a masterpiece of plotting to be considered great and this is a perfect example.

mother!

The best way I could describe mother! is that it is both a movie about everything and a movie about nothing. I fully understand why this movie is so divisive with both critics and fans but I appreciate it for opening my eyes to the fact that cinema is not just supposed to be made in one way. Stories can be told in totally obscure ways and I applaud writer and director Darren Aronofsky for making what should be an esoteric movie relatively accessible -- and damn entertaining too. If there's any doubt to Jennifer Lawrence's screen presence and star power, her performance in this movie should clear all that.

The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water is the most magical film of the year, and the movie that touched me most deeply. Everything worked, from the technical mastery of the visuals and sounds to the captivating performances of everyone in the ensemble, there is absolutely no weak link. I was enthralled from beginning to end and I truly cared about the characters and the world created by the visionary writer/director Guillermo del Toro.

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Thanks to Asus and Nvidia for this product.

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My Ballot for the 2017 Academy Awards

After months of waiting, the 2017 Academy Awards are upon us. Since it seems that my official ballot from the Academy has gotten lost in the mail, I’ll just share my votes here. This isn’t a prediction post — there’s already a lot of that online. This is just my personal opinion on the deserving recipients for the awards for their respective categories.

Take note: I already predict I will get most of these winners wrong! Don’t look to this post as guidance for your betting pools.

Best Picture, Best Director

Moonlight, Barry Jenkins

I have never been so torn in choosing the top two prizes for this year's Oscars. In my opinion, the top four movies of the year (Arrival, Moonlight, Manchester by the Sea and La La Land) are so strong that in any other year they would be worthy winners. Ultimately, I am choosing Moonlight for a few reasons. The first is that it is so simple its beauty. On first glance, the plot is super straightforward and easy to follow. The movie chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood along with all the struggles living in a rough neighborhood in Miami brings. However, the phrase "reading between the lines" was created for this movie and makes it the most human movie out of all the nominees. We often take things at face value and base all our judgments off of them but we all know that shouldn't be the case. Our lives are full of nuances and ambiguities and every person's life experiences are different. Seeing the effect of society's pressures and judgments on a disadvantaged child maturing into an adult is so heartbreaking and eye-opening. Anyone who has ever thought they didn't fit in or had trouble connecting to people can instantly relate to the protagonist's story. For being a movie that accurately represents the human experience so well, I will not hesitate to call it a modern masterpiece and a true work of art.

As for my directing pick, you would understand if you watch the movie. Basically, it’s because the movie is split into three periods of the character’s life and what impressed me the most is how director Barry Jenkins managed to keep the same tone, vibe and consistency all throughout three parts. His greatest achievement in the movie was how he pulled off such consistent performances from the three actors playing the same character; even though they don’t look the same, you really believed they were playing the same character in different periods of his life.

Runner-up: La La Land, Damien Chazelle

Best Actor

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Generally, in acting categories, I always choose which performance sticks with me even after watching the movie. It means that you related, empathized and connected to their character, and in my eyes that means the actor did a successful job. Out of all the nominees in this category, I think Casey Affleck is the most deserving of the award. It is a subtle performance and Casey doesn't put all of his emotions on display, but what I think he did most successfully is represent that there is something brewing underneath the surface, and as the film masterfully reveals details at its own pace, you understand why.

Runner-up: Denzel Washington, Fences

Best Actress

Emma Stone, La La Land

You can talk about the music, the songs, the costumes, the fantastical sets and the inspiring story, but really, the best part about La La Land is Emma Stone’s character. You connect with her, you root for her, you feel sad when she encounters setbacks and you feel elated when she succeeds. That’s the true sign that you succeeded as an actor -- when you think of this movie, you remember her above all else.

Runner-up: Ruth Negga, Loving

Best Supporting Actor

Dev Patel, Lion

I feel bad for choosing Dev Patel in this category because he really should be billed in the lead category, so he already has an advantage compared to the other nominees. In any case, Lion was the single Oscar movie this year that brought me to tears and it was mostly due to Dev's masterful turn as an Australian orphan wanting to reunite with his original family in India. I would have totally voted for Mahershala Ali in Moonlight if Dev were placed in the appropriate lead category. Although his appearance in Moonlight was very brief, his presence was still felt all throughout the movie even when he wasn't on screen. That's when you know you gave a successful supporting turn.

Runner-up: Mahershala Ali, Moonlight

Best Supporting Actress

Viola Davis, Fences

As with Dev Patel in Best Supporting Actor, this one is also a case of category fraud. As someone who is on screen for at least 40% of the movie, how can the other nominees even compete with such a meaty role? To be fair, every time Viola was on screen, she did bring the acting with a capital A... and then some. What I like best about this performance is that the role really did felt like it was written for her, playing to her strengths as an actress, even though this wasn't the case since the play this movie is based on was written in the 80s! Michelle Williams must have been upset when she learned Viola was campaigning in this category, because she would have been a shoo-in to win otherwise. She had very little screentime in Manchester by the Sea but her pivotal scene in it was so satisfying and brought the very emotional arc of the movie to a cathartic close.

Runner-up: Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea

Best Original Screenplay

Manchester by the Sea, Kenneth Lonergan

In most instances, whenever there is a movie based on a script written specifically for a movie, you always feel that the script is very tight and compressed to fit in to the relatively short running time of most commercial films. However, the screenplay of Manchester by the Sea is so packed and dense that you wonder if the writer really wrote a novel instead. What I mean by this is that you feel that the world and characters are fully realized. Every character, even if they had only one or two scenes had their own traits and had their own character arcs and no line of dialogue or scene is ever wasted since each and everyone of them built up to something. Every character in the movie served a purpose in the narrative and this was really what wowed me about this screenplay.

Runner-up: La La Land, Damien Chazelle

Best Adapted Screenplay

Arrival, Eric Heisserer from "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang

This is another category I am so torn with. Moonlight's screenplay is so beautiful in its simplicity and its trust of the audience to pick up its cues. However, I am choosing Arrival due to the category name, Best Adapted Screenplay. I read the source material, "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, and thought to myself, there is no way they can make a movie out of this. Not only did the movie stay so faithful to the source, it even improved upon what was already a gripping piece of storytelling. Due to the difficulty of creating a previously thought to be unfilmable story, I feel very comfortable in choosing Arrival.

Runner-up:  Moonlight, Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney from "In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue" by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Best Animated Feature Film

Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo is a beautiful, handcrafted stop-motion movie that felt like it had the most heart out of all the nominees in this category. Zootopia may have the social and political relevance to current times but I feel as if the whole movie felt very by-the-numbers, as is typical of Disney movies, even fellow nominee, Moana. Combine that with the Japanese-inspired visuals and music, surprisingly humorous voice acting by an A-list cast and fluid and artisanal stop-motion animation, and I think it’s high time that the Academy reward its first stop-motion animated feature film!

Runner-up: Moana

Best Cinematography

La La Land

All the movies in this category are beautiful and shot so purposefully that I also had a hard time choosing. In the end, it is La La Land’s cinematography that really elevated what should be a fairly common-looking Los Angeles setting into something so stylized and idealized. This is how we imagine LA in our dreams.

Runner-up: Moonlight

Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing

La La Land

I chose to lump these two categories together as they form the foundation of La La Land, being a musical and all. The musical score and how it is layered together with the dialogue and the sound effects are the most important aspects of a musical, and La La Land’s wasn’t just good; it was terrific. This is a soundtrack that will be remembered for years. Shoutout to the sound mixing for my runner-up, Arrival. As a movie that had a lot of silence to allow the audience to breathe, the sound levels of the whisper dialogue, soft sound effects and the loud noises were so evenly balanced with the score that I’m sure when you’re watching this at home you will never need to adjust the volume levels on your remote.

Best Original Score Runner-up: Moonlight

Best Sound Mixing Runner-Up: Arrival

Best Sound Editing, Film Editing

Arrival

I choose Arrival for the two editing awards for the following reasons:

First, the sound editing. Sound editing entails the design and creation of new sounds, sound effects to enhance a movie. Arrival succeeds in this category mainly because creating audible language for the aliens that require audiences to take them seriously is a really hard task and the sound effects the team created were neither menacing or ridiculous. It really fit the theme of the story.

Second, for film editing. The screenplay for Arrival is non-linear. There are flashbacks and flash-forwards and editing clips and scenes effectively together is extremely crucial. Even though the editors juggled scenes in multiple time periods, you never get lost and you still understand the narrative. It all ties in perfectly in the ending and when you get it, you instantly yearn for a rewatch to catch cues you didn’t in the first viewing. To me, that is very effective film editing.

Best Sound Editing Runner-up: Hacksaw Ridge

Best Film Editing Runner-up: Moonlight

Best Costume Design, Best Production Design

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

To be honest, this seems like a weak year for these two categories. That’s not taking away from Fantastic Beasts, but it just seems like past years had more competitive nominees. In fact, just the trailers for this movie alone really impressed me with its production value. Fantastic Beasts surpasses the other nominees in both categories because of its setting. It is both a period piece AND a fantasy piece and it excels in representing both genres in terms of the set designs and the costumes. From the fantastic looking 1920′s New York City, to the covert settings of the Wizarding World, all the costumes and sets are not only beautiful but instantly memorable. I feel like they just didn’t throw all the budget in the admittedly weak-looking visual effects / CGI, but they put equal importance into the physical settings we see on screen.

As for the runner-up, while I can say the same things for La La Land (beautiful sets and costumes and instantly memorable), as a film in a contemporary setting, I feel like achieving all of those are a tad bit easier than what they had to do for Fantastic Beasts. Although, you can’t deny, Emma Stone’s yellow tap-dancing dress will be a modern pop culture icon that will be remembered for decades and that has to count for something.

Runner-Up: La La Land

Best Visual Effects

Doctor Strange

So I know that everyone is picking Jungle Book and I agree that the CGI work in that movie is incredibly photorealistic and you totally buy into the real animals talking and acting the way they do. However, I am choosing Doctor Strange just for the fact that they had to design all these worlds and all these effects by themselves. Jungle Book’s CGI design is easy -- just reference real world animals! Doctor Strange’s team had a more difficult task: to create different magical dimensions, mirrors of our own world, bending time and space all while looking aesthetically pleasing and cool as hell. Even more impressive is how they not only took inspiration from the visuals in the comics it is based on, they improved upon it and put in their own take on it that I prefer the movie’s visuals over how it is represented in the comics. Usually it is the reverse!

Runner-up: The Jungle Book

Best Original Song

Audition (The Fools Who Dream), La La Land

So my criteria for this category is not just if the actual song is good, but how important is the song to the movie and how it’s placement in the movie is integral to the narrative. While I agree that “City of Stars” or “How Far I’ll Go” are much better songs in general, Audition is THE crucial moment in La La Land. It is what the movie builds up to and is really Emma Stone’s primary reason for winning that Oscar. If you remember Les Miserables back in 2012 and how Anne Hathaway steamrolled her way into her Best Supporting Actress win, you would know that it was really because of her scene singing “I Dreamed a Dream.” Had that song been an original composition, it would have been nominated and won in this category, no question. That is how big and important Audition is, both as a song and as a scene.

Runner-up: How Far I’ll Go, Moana

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2016 Best Nine: Movies

In alphabetical order, here are my 9 favorite movies of 2016. All of these movies have resonated with me and really made an impression for one reason or another, so I can definitely recommend each one as a must-watch! Just missing the top 9 are Deadpool, Hidden Figures, Finding Dory, Sully, The Jungle Book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Sausage Party.

Arrival 

This is the most intelligently demanding movie in this list when it comes to making the audience think. Most movies these days dumb down their message and storytelling to reach the lowest common denominator, but Arrival demands you to think about its themes and what messages it is trying to convey. How fitting that it is all about language and communication and how it shapes our society. Aside from its technical mastery in sound effects, sound mixing, cinematography, editing, visual effects, Amy Adams gives one of the best performance of her career.

Captain America: Civil War

In contrast with Arrival, this Avengers movie is as straightforward as they come, but what it manages to accomplish is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Cramming more than 12 Avengers into one single movie and letting each one have a memorable moment is such a big triumph. The climactic scene in the airport will be remembered as one of the iconic fight scenes in action movie history.

The Conjuring 2

2016 has been an amazing year for horror with movies such as The Witch, Lights Out, Don’t Breathe and 10 Clovefield Lane, but The Conjuring 2 rises above the pack to bring some of the scariest scenes in 2016. The character design of the antagonist was so effective that there is even a planned spin-off being produced, entitled The Nun. Although it loses a bit of the original’s impact due to being a sequel (the first one was such a triumph), the old school horror combined with modern filmmaking sensibilities and very high level production was enough for me to put it in this list.

Hell or High Water

Sharing the same writer as Sicario, one of my favorites from last year, this heist thriller western gives us complex characters, excellent performances and steady pacing that really picks up towards the end. Usual heartthrob leading man Chris Pine plays against type and surprised me in his role as a down and dirty bank robber. This movie had one of my most favorite screenplays of the year.

Kubo and the Two Strings

Animated movies really did well in 2016, and none did more so than Kubo. I was so impressed by the seamless and beautiful stop-motion animation whose charm and atmosphere cannot truly be replaced by 3d animated models. The Japanese inspired aesthetic blew me away in both visuals and sound. Combine that with wonderful voice performances and you have one of the most touching and resonant movies of the year.

La La Land

What La La Land is most successful of is how much it makes you care about its characters and you become invested in what happens to them. You are happy when they’re happy, distressed when they’re tense and anxious when they’re unsure. The ability of the director to control our emotions so skillfully and effortlessly is amazing. The movie also includes the best music and soundtrack of the year. It is a movie truly deserving of all the awards that it is receiving.

Moonlight

Moonlight is the most atmospheric movie of the year. There is a feeling of yearning that permeates throughout the movie and you can’t help but feel swept up by it. Mostly this is enabled by the wonderful performances from the whole ensemble and the most beautiful cinematography of what really is a mundane setting. Also impressive is how it subverts our expectations at every turn, from avoiding every storytelling cliche, to how it completely goes against every stereotype about the Black American way of life.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Never mind the needlessly silly title, but Rogue One is just pure blockbuster fun. From the beautiful tropical setting and imagery, to the best-looking sci-fi visual effects of the year, my favorite thing about the movie is that it breaks new storytelling and aesthetic ground for the franchise, unlike last year’s The Force Awakens which seemed more like a retread of familiar Star Wars themes. It is a worthy addition to the legendary franchise.

Your Name.

This is the movie I am most surprised about its inclusion in my favorites list. 2D animation is on the decline but I am so happy that this movie proved that there is still some beautiful life left in the medium. It is gorgeous in its handling of realism in a fantastical setting and the instantly relatable adolescent leads carry the film to such beautiful heights that you’ll be rooting for them the whole way. They are that likable.

Inspired by #2016BestNine

[mriow]

2016 Best Nine: Video Games

I’ll be laying down my year-end list for video games a bit differently. I am what you would call a “patient gamer.” I wait 3-4 years before playing big name releases because I usually pick up those games used or when the prices have gone down. That means this won’t be another one of those Best of 2016 list. Rather, this is my ranking of the games I finished in the year 2016 in order of preference. With that stipulation in mind, fighting, racing, simulation, etc games that have no main game or story are not included in this list. The only 2016 release that I played was Fire Emblem Fates, and that’s just because I am a big fan of that series. No runner-ups as these 9 games are the only ones I finished this year. 

Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze - 13 Hr 20 Min

(Wii U, 2014)

This is the hardest game that I finished and I played it with so many frustrations and so much cursing. As such, finishing it was complete bliss and it gave me the biggest sense of satisfaction. If there was an award for Best Direction in a game, this would win it.

Dragon Age Inquisition - 111 Hr 33 Min

(PS3, 2014)

I truly enjoyed this massive, open-world RPG. I enjoyed it enough to dedicate more than 100 hours to finish the story as it had engaging characters, an epic plot and the world-building was so top-notch. Plus, you get to slay these massive intimidating dragons in battles that take 30 minutes at the least. Needless to say, it is also a very satisfying win.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Dual Destinies - 26 Hr 56 Min

(3DS, 2013)

I’ve been a big fan of this series since the DS days and to be honest, there really isn’t much gameplay per se in the series. What you really get is clever dialogue, very likable characters and you get to test your logic and deductive reasoning skills as you solve cases to get your presumably innocent clients acquitted of their charges.

Fire Emblem Fates Birthright, Fire Emblem Fates Conquest, Fire Emblem Fates Revelations - 107 Hr 40 Min

(3DS, 2016)

These are really three separate games, but I’m lumping it into one entry. Nintendo’s infamously hard strategy/RPG series gets even more grand and epic. It was even one of the rare games I did the “Day 1 / instant purchase.” Amidst the epic scope, at its core this is really a family drama where you are caught between two warring kingdoms, forcing you to choose a side between your adoptive or your biological family, hence the multiple games representing your choice. It’s an interesting premise and it pays off when you get to see the consequences of your choices.

Super Mario 3D World - 14 Hr 14 Min

(Wii U, 2013)

One word: gorgeous. It doesn’t have the best ultra realistic graphics, or the eye popping detail, but this game and a few others are a testament to how much art direction is important in creating classic and memorable visuals that will stand the test of time. And the orchestral jazz music is super charming.

Tomb Raider - 13 Hr

(Steam, 2013)

As far as action games go, you can’t go wrong with this reboot of the iconic series. With superb level design, excellent character animations and an engaging story and performances, this game hooked me from the start and never loosened its grip on me.

Batman: Arkham Origins - 15 Hr

(Steam, 2013)

Among fans of the series, Origins is always regarded as the low point. I think that is an unfair judgment as I think it really is a great game even when compared against its predecessors. It has the best boss fights and the best story so I’m not sure why it is maligned as much as it is.

New Super Mario Bros. U - 15 Hr 59 Min

(Wii U, 2012)

New Super Mario Bros. 2 - 9 Hr 50 Min

(3DS, 2012)

I’m grouping these two together as they are very similar games. These are fine 2d platforming games, and you really can’t go wrong with Super Mario games. But as time passes and more and more of these games are released from this series, I feel like the graphics, the gameplay, the music, the sounds get taken for granted because its becoming a bit stale. I think this series is in need of an exciting shakeup soon.

Inspired by #2016bestnine

[mriow]

2016 Best Nine: Music

Not necessarily my most favorite, or what I think are the best of 2016, but here are my top nine most played American Pop tracks on Spotify for 2016. Just missing the top 9 are songs from Desiigner, Jeremih, Nick Jonas, The Chainsmokers, Rihanna, Calvin Harris and Avicii to round off the top 16 (for 2016).

The Sound - The 1975

Coming from one of the best albums of 2016, I really didn’t expect the lead single to be my most played song of the year. It could be because I’m a sucker for synth-rock music but I’m pretty sure it’s because of that awesome guitar solo in the bridge.

Work From Home - Fifth Harmony, Ty Dolla $ign

It’s not even the best pop group music to come out this year (KPOP has got American Pop beat in this regard) but Fifth Harmony is on a roll. Although I doubt they can ever top last year’s infectious Worth It, Work from Home comes close, lazy songwriting in the chorus aside.

Hands to Myself - Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez has really improved over the years but I attribute my fondness of this song solely to Max Martin’s excellent production. The minimalist instrumental and Selena’s signature whisper vocals are cool, but what really gets me is this bit of lyrical genius in the bridge: Can't keep my hands to myself / I mean, I could but why would I want to? That single line invalidates the whole song and I love how they snuck it in there just to be cheeky about it.

Cheap Thrills - Sia, Sean Paul

I prefer the version sans Sean Paul, but either is fine. I love how the concept of this album is that it is made up of songs rejected by the original artists they were offered to so this song becoming one of the biggest hits of the year must give them such sweet vindication.

Middle - DJ Snake, Bipolar Sunshine

I think I can safely say DJ Snake is my favorite EDM DJ right now and nothing can really beat his previous hit, Lean On, but this song really grew into one of my favorites of the year. The apologetic lyrics paint a melancholic picture of a broken relationship and really gives off an uncertain and tense mood over slick tropical EDM beats.

Into You - Ariana Grande

And here goes another Max Martin production... But aside from that, Ariana Grande really has come into her own with her new album this year, and this expertly produced and performed song is the real highlight. I won’t hesitate to say this club banger might even be my favorite pop song of 2016!

Cake by the Ocean - DNCE

On hindsight, I don’t really think I like this song much but it is super fun. The perks of being an early 2016 release might be the reason for so many plays. Good for Joe Jonas that he has found a successful music career after the Jonas brothers.

I Took a Pill in Ibiza (SeeB Remix) - Mike Posner, SeeB

The original acoustic version was already a very well-written song but I think the SeeB remix really put it in the map. The anti-drugs and alcohol message juxtaposed with the EDM production, which is ironically closely associated with the party-going druggy lifestyle, makes for a really interesting contrast and makes the poignant and introspective lyrics stand out much more.

One Dance - Drake, Wizkid, Kyla

2016 was Drake’s year but the true star of his most successful song this year is Kyla, who he samples in this song with her original track “Do You Mind”. In my mind, this song is the quintessential tropical dancehall that has been trending for the past three years.

Inspired by #2016bestnine

[mriow]

My 2016 #HongKong trip cop: these #SaintLaurent metallic hightop #BREDs (at Saint Laurent Hongkong)

[mriow]

20160930-20161003

Bohol, an island in the Visayas region in the Philippines, is an amazing destination to visit. In this travel video, you can catch a glimpse of some of the exciting activities in the nature and adventure parks of Danao and Panglao island, as well as our very comfortable stay in the beautiful Bluewater Hotel.

[mriow]

20161031

Danao Adventure Park Bohol Presents: Plunge

Where they hang you above a valley cliff and drop you all the way down to swing across to the other side of the valley and they pull you back up once you stop swinging.

For a 700 peso price tag, this is definitely an economic alternative to other bungee jumping activites!

[mriow]

Hi I was wondering what your height is? Just for reference😉

What for? I am 170cm

[mriow]

Pixel #TREX shirt designed by @caloy_ aka @pixelyprod. Check out more of his pixely designs at http://shirt.ly/pixelartshirts -- stuff like Pokemon Go, Anime, Video Games, Comics and pop culture in general

[mriow]

Nintendo x Vans Unboxing

“VANS AUTHENTIC SUPER MARIO BROS TIE-DYE”

[mriow]

The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse as featured on Xmen Apocalypse. @alexandrashipppp as Storm, @benjhardy1 as Archangel, @michaelfassy as Magneto and @oliviamunn as Psylocke

[mriow]

My Ballot for the 2016 Academy Awards

After months of waiting, the 2016 Academy Awards are upon us. Since it seems that my official ballot from the Academy has gotten lost in the mail, I’ll just share my votes here. This isn’t a prediction post — there’s already a lot of that online. This is just my personal opinion on the deserving recipients for the awards for their respective categories.

Take note: I already predict I will get most of these winners wrong! Don’t look to this post as guidance for your betting pools.

BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR (George Miller)

Mad Max: Fury Road is my most favorite movie of 2015, and to see it recognized as a nominee for Best Picture is pleasing validation of my opinion. From the beautiful landscape cinematography, to the subtly brilliant acting performances led by Charlize Theron (who should have been nominated for Best Actress, Jennifer Lawrence be damned). The main reason why this movie is so wonderful is because of the brilliant directing. Once George Miller committed to the concept, the focus was super sharp and each scene just built on top of each other so beautifully and so intensely.

Runner Up: The Big Short, Adam McKay (Director)

BEST ACTOR (Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs)

Ok, so Leonardo Dicaprio was good. He held The Revenant together very well and made us invested in his character’s survival. But it doesn’t compare to Michael Fassbender’s turn as Steve Jobs where he had to play the titular character in three different scenes set in the various product launches Apple Computer Inc. has had over the years. He displays extreme consistency and zeal every time he is on the screen, and even successfully mimicked the impossibly charismatic aura the real Steve Jobs had.

Runner Up: The Revenant, Leonardo Dicaprio

BEST ACTRESS (Brie Larson, Room)

This one is an almost universal consensus. Brie Larson has this in the bag. Saoirse Ronan in Brookyln makes a very close and worthy runner-up.

Runner Up: Brooklyn, Saoirse Ronan

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (Rooney Mara, Carol)

Kate Winslet went toe to toe with the mesmerizing Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs and held her own and that is no easy feat. Meanwhile, Rooney Mara held her own against the consistently great Cate Blanchett all while portraying a very reserved and inhibited character. I am a big fan of subtle performances because they are the ones that stick with you in the long run.

Runner Up: Steve Jobs, Kate Winslet

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies)

Speaking of subtle performance, Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies is easily the best part of an otherwise just-okay movie. In my opinion, the best supporting actors are the ones that make the movie their own, even if their parts are super small. With his very limited screentime, he was still the most memorable part of that movie for me.

Runner Up: The Revenant, Tom Hardy

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY, BEST ANIMATED FILM (Inside Out)

The animated film category is no contest. Inside Out brought us to an imaginative and creative world and the execution did not falter. This is a very mature and fully realized animated movie. I’m also going with it in original screenplay, as it truly is an original piece of work brought about by some wildly creative writers. Bridge of Spies, Straight Outta Compton and Spotlight don’t really seem to count as those are based on true events and literature.

Runner Up: When Marnie Was There (Best Animated Film), Ex Machina (Best Original Screenplay)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY (The Big Short)

I’m mainly voting for The Big Short because of how engaging and sharp the script is, especially going by the fact that it is based on a book that doesn’t seem like it would translate well on screen. Another amazing feat is that it managed to both be funny and serious at the same time. You might be wondering why a movie about the 2008 financial crisis where people lost their jobs and their homes is billed as a comedy, but when you watch it, it totally works.

Runner Up: The Martian

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (Sicario)

The droning beats and tense score of Sicario stuck with me even after I watched the movie. The soundtrack enhanced the already tense atmosphere even further. I will never forget how anxious I got during the border-crossing scene -- and that was all due to how the music built it up.

To give credit to where it’s due, I would have voted for Mad Max’s score if it got nominated, but among the pool of nominees, I am fully on board with Sicario.

Runner Up: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST FILM EDITING

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

BEST SOUND EDITING

BEST SOUND MIXING

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIR

(Mad Max: Fury Road)

To illustrate further how much I truly loved Mad Max: Fury Road, I am voting for it across the board! It’s a sweep! My vote for Mad Max in all these categories is due to: the fully realized post-apocalyptic world and the epic set design, the minimal use of CGI, the fantastic sound in the action sequences, and even the totally believable costumes, hair and makeup.

Runner Up: Probably Star Wars: The Force Awakens in most of the visual and sound categories, Carol in Costume Design and Sicario in Cinematography

BEST ORIGINAL SONG (Fifty Shades of Grey, Earned It - The Weeknd)

This should have gone to Ellie Goulding’s Love Me Like You Do, but Earned It by autocorrect’s worst enemy, The Weeknd, is also a good song in its own right. Too bad it is attached to a so-so movie. Who would have thought that the Fifty Shades series will now be billed as “Oscar Nominee.”

Runner Up: The Hunting Ground, Til It Happens to You - Lady Gaga