Ahead of last night's Oscars, the question on Hollywood’s lips was whether La La Land could break Titanic and The Return Of The King’s record for the most-ever Oscar wins.
After the Academy’s unacceptably poor diversity record in recent years, it was also heartening to see such admiration for the magnificent Moonlight, Hidden Figures, and Fences, among others. Still, what about our other favourite movies of the year? Here are WIRED’s alternative takes on the year’s best – and worst – movies.
Winner: Peter Cushing, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
A close call here: Robert Downey Jr’s younger self in Captain America: Civil War came close, but ultimately the winner has to be CGI Peter Cushing as Gran Moff Tarkin in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Sure, it occasionally verges on uncanny valley – but the likeness is indeed uncanny, a revolution in CGI. How long before we genuinely can’t discern the difference?
Read more: WIRED's cover story with Star Wars legend, producer Kathleen Kennedy.
**Winner:**Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
This is always a hotly contested category in recent years, but surely has to go to Rogue One, which - although full of, ‘hey, remember this?’ moments – even goes so far as to actually use 70s footage from the original Star Wars.
Winner: Arrival
You know a sci-fi movie is good when it competes for the Oscars’ Best Film category. But Denis Villeneuve’s masterpiece Arrival also contains the most interesting explanations of the (controversial) Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Who knew two hours of handwriting analysis could be so damn engaging?
Read more: The science of Arrival - what the film got right (and wrong).
Winner: Suicide Squad
“So that’s it, huh? We’re some kind of… Suicide Squad?”
**Winner:**Assassin’s Creed
When your alternatives are The Angry Birds movie, Warcraft and an animated version of Ratchet & Clank, this isn’t a huge achievement, but Assassin's Creed sure looked great.
Read more: how Assassin's Creed took the 'leap of faith' from game to screen.
Winner: Lego Batman
The funniest, most faithful, and entertaining Batman in years. Sorry, Affleck.
Read more: Lego Batman Movie kits put to the test, from Mr Freeze Ice Attack to Clayface Attack.
Winner: The Legend Of TarzanI know what you were thinking: Independence Day: Resurgence was robbed.
Winner: Leslie Jones, Ghostbusters
2016 was a year that alt-right dudes really, really must have hated going to the cinema. From Moonlight to Rogue One to Hidden Figures, we finally saw a progress in diversity on camera (if not behind it. I mean, Gal Gadot even stole the show in Batman vs Superman. But there was only going to be one winner: you go, Leslie Jones.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
