Oscars 2016: 88th Academy Awards

The time has come again, the award season is here! The 88th Annual Academy Awards takes place in Hollywood on 28th February 2016. The question is who will win this year? Is it finally Leonardo DiCaprio's time to shine? Only time will tell!

Last year I made my predictions on best film, best leading actor, best leading actress, best actor in a supporting role and best actress in a supporting role. This year I had to do it again as it is so much fun! Hopefully I can do just as well as I did last year. Please make sure to leave a comment (if you want to) about who you predict to win the Oscars this year!

Here we go, my prediction for best actress in a supporting role is.....*drum rolls*

Kate Winslet who played Joanna Hoffman in 'Steve Jobs'

My prediction for best actor in a supporting role goes to....

Mark Rylance who played Rudolf Abel in 'Bridge of Spies

My prediction for best actress in a leading role goes to....

Brie Larson who played Joy "Ma" Newsome in 'Room'

Now my prediction for best actor in a leading role is..... *drum rolls*

Leonardo DiCaprio who played Hugh Glass in 'The Revenant'

(Yes! I finally think he'll win it this year! He's deserved it a few times!)

And finally my prediction for best film goes to..........

The Revenant!

And that's it for my predictions this year I hope enjoyed seeing who I picked! Counting down the days till I can sit and watch the Oscars 2016 (with some popcorn of course!)

Want to give any feedback or predictions on the Oscars or my blog? Please comment below on this page, via twitter or via my Facebook page!

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Thank you very much for reading, till next time!

Shannon

Jurassic World

Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D'Onofrio, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins and Omar Sy.

Director: Colin Trevorrow

Just over two decades since the disaster at Jurassic Park there is now Jurassic World- a dinosaur theme park which has the same ideas and visions as the original Jurassic Park which was owned by John Hammond.
With Jurassic World opened and running for 10 years the visitor rates have began to decline. To help boost tourist visits number cruncher Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) creates a new attraction with genetically modified dinosaurs including the Indominus Rex. But this turns out to backfire badly. With the help of Velociraptor trainer Owen (Chris Pratt) and the rest of the Jurassic World staff they try to save as many people as possible from the escaped dinosaurs.

Jurassic World is an atmospheric movie that allows you to escape the real world for a couple of hours and relive the nostalgia of the previous movies. It has good balance of humour and light-hearted moments as well as serious parts. The graphics and CGI of the theme park and dinosaurs are very impressive and gets the audience more immersed in the story. A couple of negatives to the movie were that I didn't feel I could connect with the main characters as well as I would have liked. The actors did well in their roles but I don't think there was enough character development in the script, I understand the attention may have focused on the dinosaurs instead. Although the film is obviously unrealistic having the main female character running away from dinosaurs in high heels through forests and the theme park takes away the seriousness and the element of the danger the characters are going through.

Overall I really did enjoy the movie and will probably watch again. If you loved the original this movie is a good sequel and is definitely worth watching. It wasn't the perfect sequel but it did the original movie justice. If you fantasy, action and a hint of romance, this movie is for you.

Favourite Male Performance: Chris Pratt- Owen

Favourite Female Performance: Bryce Dallas Howard- Claire

Positive: Graphics and nostalgia

Negative: Lack of character development

Overall Rating: 8/10

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The Wedding Ringer

Starring: Kevin Hart, Josh Gad, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Jorge Garcia, Affion Crockett, Cloris Leachman and Ken Howard.

With his wedding day being only two weeks away socially awkward Doug Harris (Josh Gad) is marrying the woman of his dreams Gretchen Palmer (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting). Unfortunately he has been living a lie and has told his bride to be that he has seven groomsmen when he actually has none. Desperate and without much time Doug asks Jimmy Callahan (Kevin Hart) for his help. Jimmy Callahan is the owner of a company that provides a best man service for grooms without friends. As Doug, Jimmy and another six random groomsmen try to pull off the 'Golden Tux' unexpected friendships are made and a bromance is formed between Doug and Jimmy.

Before watching this movie I did not really have much high expectations but it surprised me by how many laugh out loud moments there was. Kevin Hart is the stand-out actor who glues this movie together and plays his role of Jimmy Callahan very well. Josh Gad's acting is also great as socially awkward Doug. The relationship between both characters is very believable and you learn to really like them both despite the con they are trying to pull off.

The negatives of this movie in my opinion were that the film was slow in places and it felt like scenes were put in just to add time. I feel that some jokes were hit and miss but the hits were hilarious to watch. The story is tired and overused but I feel the critics were a bit too harsh in their reviews and the movie provides added twists to the norm wedding films. Overall I think this is a fun movie to watch.

Favourite Male Performance: Kevin Hart: Jimmy Callahan

Favourite Female Performance: Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting: Gretchen Palmer

Positive: Relationship between Doug and Jimmy. Some jokes really hit.

Negative: Film was a slow in places, some jokes missed the mark.

Overall Rating: 6/10

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Fast and Furious 7

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster and Tyrese Gibson

Fast and Furious 7 begins with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew/family in Los Angeles, after leaving behind their lives as international law-breakers. However, Letty’s (Michelle Rodriguez) fractured memory makes it difficult for her and Dom to continue their old life together. Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) is also struggling to settle into his new settled life with Mia (Jordana Brewster) and their child. These issues are quickly placed on the back-burner when Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) enters the equation and starts to wreak havoc on Dom and his family for what they did to his younger brother, Owen.

Fast and Furious fans will love this new installment of the series, it is also great for those who are not as familiar with the movie franchise. This movie is action packed and is increasingly unrealistic but it something that fans have grown to love about the series. This movie was also tinged with sadness as one of the main actors of the Fast and Furious franchise Paul Walker unfortunately died when the movie was still being filmed. The movie had to use computer-generated Imagery and his two younger brothers to finish the final scenes.

Overall this is a great action thriller with emotional moments especially the Paul Walker tribute ending that will leave movie goers in tears. I believe the movie does Paul Walker justice for the parts he is missing in.

Favourite Actor: Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges- Tej

Favourite Actress: Michelle Rodriguez- Letty

Positive: Good tribute to Paul Walker, action packed.

Negative: Some action scenes are too unrealistic

Overall Rating: 8/10

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Hairspray

Starring: John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron, Brittany Snow, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, James Marsden and Nikki Blonsky

Director: Adam Shankman

Hairspray is set in Baltimore in the 1960s, dance-loving teen Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) auditions for a place on "The Corny Collins Show" and wins much to Velma Von Tussle's (Michelle Pfeiffer) dismay. With this spot on the show she becomes an celebrity overnight, a trendsetter in dance and fashion and appearance. Her new status as a teen sensation allows her to become more of an influence on the racial integration of the show but it is it also enough for her to win beauty queen crown on "The Corny Collins Show"?

With Hairspray already being a Broadway/West End show and a movie released in the eighties it had a lot of expectations and this movie certainly met them. The songs are catchy, fun and sung very well by all cast members. Although the movie is fun-filled there are some serious moments too and an underlying message to that everyone should be treated equally. John Travolta's role as Edna Turnblad in particular adds humour to the movie and he really pulls off his role as Tracey's mother. Nikki Blonsky does a wonderful performance in this, especially for it being her Hollywood movie debut. There are no obvious negatives to this movie in my opinion but maybe there could have been more focus on racial integration rather than Tracey winning her spot on the television show. Overall this movie is for you if you are looking for an upbeat, fun-packed movie with great songs and singing from all cast members.

Favourite Male Performance: James Marsden- Corny Collins

Favourite Female Performance: Nikki Blonsky- Tracey Turnblad

Favourite Song(s)- You Can't Stop the Beat, Good Morning Baltimore, Run and Tell That

Positive: Brilliant songs and singing from all cast members, great sets.

Negative: Perhaps people would like the movie to have more focus on the racial integration rather than Tracey winning a place on the show.

Overall Rating: 9/10

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Still Alice

Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish and Shane McRae

Directed by: Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland

Still Alice is a movie depicting the devastating illness of Alzheimer's disease. It is a very moving and hard hitting film that touches your inner most being. Alice is a linguistics professor who begins to have random memory loss. Alice suffers more frequent episodes and by this time she knows that there is something seriously wrong. After her diagnosis she sits all her family down and tells them the awful news that she has a rare hereditary form of Alzheimer's disease and there is a chance she could have it passed on to her children.

Alec Baldwin's performance of playing Alice's husband John is brilliant, he really captures the elements of day to day life, looking after Alice, running the household and holding down his job superbly.
Julianne Moore's portrayal of Alice is spell bounding, she reels you in from the offset and her best performance yet and it is no surprise that she scooped Best Actress at the 87th Academy Awards 2015.

The movie is pretty much faultless but a negative would be that the children were not involved as much as I would have liked (excluding Kristen Stewart- Lydia).
Overall a film worth visiting the cinema, it leaves you thinking of your own mortality, harrowing at times but delivers great awareness and insight of this horrible disease.

Favourite Male Performance: Alec Baldwin- John Howland

Favourite Female Performance: Julianne Moore- Alice Howland

Positive: Acting from cast, raised awareness

Negative: The lack of involvement of the children

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

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The Theory of Everything

Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, David Thewlis and Simon McBurney

Director: James Marsh 

The Theory of Everything is a biographical romantic drama film adapted by Anthony McCarten from the memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Wilde Hawking. This book deals with her relationship with her ex-husband, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, his diagnosis of motor neuron disease (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), and his success in physics.

Set in the 1960s, Cambridge University student and future physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with fellow college student Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones). At the age of 21,  Stephen Hawking learns that he is suffering from motor neuron disease (ALS) . Despite the diagnosis and being told he only had two years to live by his doctor, he and Jane battle to defy the odds whilst still studying at University. He and Jane make new discoveries within the fields of medicine and science and achieve more than either could have ever anticipated.

The relationship between Stephen and Jane is very moving. The love, commitment and respect from Jane shines right through the film. Both leading roles are acted beautifully and their Academy Awards nominations were very much deserved. Eddie Redmayne receiving his Oscar was no surprise, a truly merited winner who portrayed Stephen Hawking's deterioration very authentically. 

Favourite Male Performance: Eddie Redmayne- Stephen Hawking

Favourite Female Performance: Felicity Jones- Jane Wilde

Positive: Acting from leading roles, the love story

Negative: Not a lot- though still unsure of Stephen Hawking's profession

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

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