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ExploreThis Sunday, the Academy Awards will bestow Oscars on the best performances and movies of the past year. It’s great to see some “geek” movies making it beyond just technical awards (Mad Max, The Martian). But still too many movies and performances are ignored because they are found in pop culture oriented movies. Well, I thought I’d bestow some Geek Oscars to my favorite performances and films of the past year.
Best Supporting Actress
The first category was the toughest for me. There are lots of strong female performances in geek films, but I couldn’t find too many strong supporting roles. Could I give it collectively to The Wives in Mad Max? Or Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlett Witch in Avengers: Age of Ultron? I was this close to giving it to Carrier Fisher for The Force Awakens. But as much as she lit up the screen, I think it has to go to the character who darkened the screen: Sadness from Inside Out. Phyllis Smith’s Debbie Downer of an emotion deserves the Geek Oscar for making us smile while depressing us.
Best Supporting Actor
For Best Supporting Actor in a geeky movie, I had some tough choices. Though I enjoyed Poe Dameron in The Force Awakens, Oscar Isaac didn’t have a chance to wow me. Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner in The Avengers: Age of Ultron was great, but really nothing new from the first film. And it was very tough not to give the award to Michael Pena’s screen-stealing performance in Ant-Man (really tough). But I’m sure you’ll all agree that it has to go to Nicholas Hoult for his performance as Nux in Mad Max:Fury Road.
Best Actress
For best Geek Actress, I was “this” close to giving it to Daisy Ridley for The Force Awakens, but I think the best is yet to come from her (I don’t have anything against the ladies of Star Wars, honest). I’m instead opting to give it to Jennifer Lawrence for her Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 2. What?!?! But she has a real Oscar? And those last two movies were overblown and boring. But they were still watchable. I credit Jennifer Lawrence for that. Yeah, maybe I’m giving it to her for all four of them, but she deserves it. Though, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow is another strong female performance, I find she’s been even stronger in the Captain America films. And it looks like Civil War may make her a shoe-in for next year. Though we’ll also have Jennifer Lawrence’s Raven/Mystique in X-Men: Age of Apocalypse. Hmm…
Best Actor
Honestly, I would give it to Matt Damon for The Martian. It don’t get any geekier than a scientist trapped on Mars. But since he got a real nomination, it’s only fair to give it to somebody the academy overlooked. The cast of Avenger: Age of Ultron were all good, but there were no real stand out performances. Tom Hardy? Not quite an award-worthy performance (but still fun). The performance that stood out to me most this year was John Boyega in The Force Awakens. His Finn not only had multiple emotional arcs in the movie, he exhibited a great sense of humor, and some moments of pure giddiness. Well if I didn’t give it my Geek Oscar to him, then I’d give it to Harrison Ford.
Best Script
I’m going to award the Geek Oscar for best script to Joss Whedon Avengers: Age of Ultron. This may seem odd for two reasons. First, many of you didn’t think it lived up to the previous film. I agree, but I think Joss Whedon had to please too many people, including those “Disney overlords.” So I give it on the faith that underneath it all was a stellar Joss Whedon script. The Force Awakens was a close second. It did a great job bringing in the new while honoring the old of the Star Wars series. But, as many of you would agree, it had a template from the first Star Wars movie. Granted, Joss had one too, but I believe it was more of a challenge to make the stories from the comics match the ones in the movies.
Best Director
Did you think it wouldn’t be J.J. Abrams?
Best Film
Who deserves the award for geekiest film of 2015? Ant-Man? Nah. Jurassic World? I can’t even ask that with a straight face? Mad Max? It may have gotten the Academy not, and it had lots of great things, but overall, not the best. Avengers: Age of Ultron? Not bad, but not as good as its predecessor. The Martian? It was close. But it’s got to be The Force Awakens. I know, it sounds like a cop out. But looking at it from the geek perspective, it was the most anticipated and the least to disappoint. And in some cases it even surprised me. So The Force Awaken gets my Geek Oscar.
Disagree? That’s great! Tell us what your winners would be in the comments below.
