OPENING FILM: The Awful Truth (1937): Director Leo McCarey won the award for his work on this film that was also nominated for Best Picture, Screenplay, Film Editing, Actress and Supporting Actress. It was a rare classic comedy that I enjoyed and it also made me realize that I had misunderstood the term 'Screwball Comedy' all along!
Braveheart (1995): Perhaps the biggest winner on this list, I did not really enjoy the movie. Well, it is one of those movies which a film-buff must have watched, so I checked that. But otherwise, its performance at the Oscars makes me feel that this entire list of mine is futile! It won five awards: Best Picture, Director, Cinematography, Sound Effects Editing and Make-Up and was nominated in five other categories: Costume, Sound, Score, Film Editing and Original Screenplay.
Moonlight (2016): Watching the latest top-winner in an Indian movie theater completely ruined it for me. I need to watch it again, with all the scenes intact and subtitles to help me comprehend the dialogues better. The movie won three Oscars: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actor and had five more nominations: Director, Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Film Editing and Score.
Hacksaw Ridge (2016): The winner of Film Editing and Sound Mixing, it was also nominated for Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Sound Editing. I really loved the movie and was surprised that it was nominated for its writing.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016): This was where my festival actually started going somewhere. What a beautiful film! It did not win any Oscars but was nominated for two, Best Animated Feature and Visual Effects.
Hidden Figures (2016): I wish we could tell more true stories in India than we do. Quite a powerful, entertaining film, nominated for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actress although it didn't win any.
Silence (2016): It remains a mystery to me why 'Silence' did not get nominated for Best Picture. It had only one nomination, for its stunning Cinematography, and ended up without any win. It was a difficult watch, yes, but what a brilliant movie!
Manchester by the Sea (2016): Watching this movie gave me a moment of epiphany where I was forced to consider the kind of stories I am telling or should be telling. If I work on it, this movie might be one of those which shaped my life. It won two very well-deserving Oscars for Best Actor and Original Screenplay while it was nominated for four more: Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress.
Lion (2016): I do not remember which other movie has made me cry so much in recent years. I pity the intellectuals and cynics who fail to be moved by this beautiful human story. It did not win any Oscar despite being nominated in six categories: Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Cinematography, and Score, but it was a highlight of my festival.
Jackie (2016): Nominated for Best Actress, Costume and Score, it was a Hollywood film only because of its casting and the spoken language. In every other sense, it was world cinema, difficult to watch but I am sure it will definitely improve in the second watch, and also if I do some reading about its characters.
Fences (2016): It won the award for Best Supporting Actress and was also nominated for Best Picture, Actor and Adapted Screenplay. To be honest it was too 'play-like' for my taste but it worked because of its universal subject matter, parenthood and love within a family, and the brilliant performances.
Arrival (2016): I re-watched it on big screen after my first watch last year. Winning the Oscar for Best Sound Editing, it was also nominated in seven other categories: Best Picture, Directing, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Mixing, Cinematography and Production Design. It should also have won two more nominations - Best Actress and Original Score.
Black Narcissus (1947): I never knew this film was set entirely in India. Was definitely a stunning watch and won the well-deserved Oscars for its Cinematography and Art Direction. However, I did not enjoy it too much. Will not revisit this film unless absolutely necessary.
The Quiet Man (1952): Easily the worst film on this list, although very acclaimed. I somehow endured it. Will never recommend this to anyone. And I really don't care that it won two Oscars - for Best Director and Cinematography (Color) and was nominated for five more: Best Picture, Screenplay, Supporting Actor, Sound Recording and Art Direction (Color).
Road to Perdition (2002): I loved this! It won the award for its stunning cinematography while it was nominated in five more categories: Art Direction, Sound, Sound Editing, Score and Supporting Actor for Paul Newman in his last movie appearance.
Misery (1990): A thriller-horror like this is essential to make a festival complete. But such movies hardly ever get nominated for the Academy Awards. This one was, in one category, and it won that - Best Actress for Kathy Bates. I'm glad I watched this movie and then realized there are so many acclaimed movies made on Stephen King's works.
CLOSING FILM: Toni Erdmann (2016) I really liked 'The Salesman' but in my opinion the Foreign-Language Oscar should have gone to this German film. How outrageous and unforgettable! It was nominated in only one category and obviously did not win any, but for its sheer originality, brilliant performances, and being so sad and so funny at the same time, I recommend it as a must-watch-before-you-die (#49).
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