How Last Night's Oscars Could Have Played Out If The Academy Gave A Damn About Superhero Movies
Last night's Academy Awards gave sci-fi movies like The Shape of Water and Blade Runner 2049 some well-deserved attention but how might the show have played out if superhero movies weren't snubbed again?
Nearly every year, a superhero movie comes out that is so good, fans think that the Academy Awards will finally recognise the genre as opposed to focusing almost entirely on movies which aren't mainstream and sometimes don't even earn the same level of praise from critics and moviegoers. This year, it was Wonder Woman and next year it will probably be Black Panther that gets unjustly snubbed.
However, what would have happened had the Oscars finally given comic book movies their due? I'm not saying any of last night's winners weren't deserving or that the releases listed below would have actually walked away with a golden statue had they been nominated but hopefully, you'll agree that these movies should have received some attention in the categories I've chosen to single out here.
So, click the buttons below to see how the Academy Awards could have played out (I think you'll agree with where Justice League fits into things) and then let us know your thoughts in the usual place.
Best Picture - Logan
Logan wasn't my favourite comic book movie of 2017 but it had all the makings of an Oscar-winner and definitely deserved some attention last night. Were Call Me By Your Name and Dunkirk really better than this beautifully shot, groundbreaking piece of superhero cinema? James Mangold shook the genre up in a huge way and like Deadpool before it, this movie delivered something new and truly original.
Best Director - Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman)
Wonder Woman wasn't perfect but Patty Jenkins' work here kicked down the door for female-led superhero movies and the way female filmmakers are perceived in Hollywood (hence why she was able to score such a significant pay rise for the upcoming sequel). That No Man's Land sequence was out of this world and it's hard to imagine another director being able to do that justice in the same way.
Best Actor - Hugh Jackman (Logan)
We got a lot of great performances in last year's superhero movies but no one quite managed to top Hugh Jackman in Logan. His final movie as Wolverine, the actor gave it his all and delivered a memorable, touching take on the character, while also bringing his journey to an end in a way which will resonate with viewers for a long time to come. The fact he wasn't even nominated is a travesty.
Best Actress - Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman)
I'm not saying that Gal Gadot's performance was up there with Jackman's but looking over the female leads in Marvel and DC's superhero movies from the past year, there's no denying that the work she did in Wonder Woman was truly great. She took the character we met in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, fleshed her out and thenmade Diana Prince a role model for youngsters across the globe.
Best Supporting Actor - Michael Keaton (Spider-Man: Homecoming)
This was a tough one to settle on after the likes of Jeff Goldblum, Chris Pine, and Kurt Russell delivered such strong performances but Michael Keaton's Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming definitely stands out from the crowd. The Oscar-winning actor was terrifying as the comic book villain and that scene between him and Tom Holland's Peter Parker on the way to the Homecoming dance was spectacular.
Best Supporting Actress - Dafne Keen (Logan)
An argument could definitely be made that Dafne Keen should be in the Best Actress category but because it was ultimately Hugh Jackman's movie, this one fits a little better. The youngster stole the show as Laura/X-23 in Logan and was so good that she left moviegoers clamouring for more, no easy feat when they were struggling to get over Wolverine's demise. Her future is looking very, very bright.
Best Adapted Screenplay - Thor: Ragnarok (Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, Christopher Yost)
Thor: Ragnarok boasted a very strong screenplay and not just because it was so damn hilarious. In a little over two hours, the story being told here managed to take the God of Thunder from one place and leave him somewhere totally different, a rarity for this genre and many of Marvel's movies. Thor has been changed forever now and this script definitely deserved some praise for being so good.
Best Visual Effects - Thor: Ragnarok
While I was tempted to give this one to Justice League for Superman's amazing CGI mouth (just kidding), Thor: Ragnarok definitely stole the show last year. The visuals in the Taika Waititi helmed release were downright beautiful, while The Hulk continues to stand out as one of the greatest VFX creations of our time. It's not easy for blockbusters to remain visually distinctive but this one nailed it.
Best Score - Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2
A soundtrack isn't technically a score but c'mon, it really didn't get better than what Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 delivered last year! The Awesome Mix Vol. 2 aside, Tyler Bates' work here was excellent and nicely set the tone for the group's adventures and ensured new characters like Ego and Nebula made an impact here. A highlight was, of course, was the music playing when Yondu sacrificed himself.
Best Animated Feature - Justice League
Between the rushed CGI to bring the cartoonish Steppenwolf to life and Henry Cavill's goofy looking jaw, this animated superhero movie definitely delivered plenty of unique visuals and, ahem, memorable special effects. Wait, it was actually live-action? In that case, I suppose Justice League isn't eligible for this category (and The LEGO Batman Movie doesn't deserve it). Coco, however, did.