To wrap up my Passion Blog postings, I decided that instead of watching a new movie, I would look back on the highs and lows of this semester’s viewing experience, and divy up some awards. 

Best Acting Performance: Prisoners

This award goes to the first movie of the semester, Prisoners. Admittedly, the film has a leg up as it displayed the most disturbing and intense scenes, giving the actors full range to show their skills. At the end of the day, however, Jake Gyllenhaal and High Jackman deliver leading performances everyone will remember. 

Best Plot Intrigue: Barbarian

Barbarian takes home this award, for its creative play-off a saturated genre. The movie kept me enthralled and guessing until the very final scene. Barbarian also deployed one of the most effective uses of 3 Act plot points, keeping up the pace and unanswered questions. 

Best Ending: Shutter Island

Perhaps the most obvious award, Shutter Island’s precise reveal ending left me ready to hit rewind and watch all over again. Not only was there a show-stealing, large reveal of Teddy’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) true identity, but audiences are also treated to a more subtle, but no less impactful realization of the guilt he continues to carry, ultimately leading to his downfall. 

Best Director Decisions: Prisoners

I know I’ve bestowed two awards on the same movie but it had to be done; Prisoners was the only movie from the semester that got a perfect score in this category. I think I’ll forever be thinking about the climatic car racing scene, which was filmed to perfection. 

Best Characters: Nightcrawler

If I call a movie a character study in my review, it’s going to be taking home Best Characters. Nightcrawler was so admirably ambitious as it examined not only the deluded mind of its protagonist, Lou Bloom, but also the universal characters that make American media run.