By John H. Foote

At the end of the night, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, incident free, gave Best Picture to the beautiful science fiction fantasy love story, The Shape of Water. I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the awarding of Best Picture was free of an event, unlike the year before.

Looking back, 2017 was a solid year at the movies and made for an exciting year at the Oscars.

Taking a glance back at last year, remembering hindsight is always 20/20, here is how last year has fared after a year.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – ALISON JANNEY IN I, TONYA

Tough to argue, she was terrific as the mother from hell. The only real competition was Laurie Metcalf in Lady Bird. Janney was a deserving winner. After years as CJ Craig on TVs The West Wing, it is refreshing to see this massive talent in movies at last.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – SAM ROCKWELL IN THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

Brilliant performance and right from TIFF it was the frontrunner. Rockwell was superb and might find himself in the race again as former President George W. Bush in Vice. No argument, he was great as the conflicted deputy coming to terms with the consequences to his mortal soul if he continues in his arrogant, racist ways. The arc of his character was astonishing.

BEST ACTRESS – FRANCES McDORMAND IN THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI

A fine, fearsome performance, classic McDormand. Personally, I was rooting for Sally Hawkins luminous work in The Shape of Water, she was brilliant. But hovering was Margot Robbie, magnificent as Tonya Harding in I, Tonya. The actress was gone, only Harding remained.

BEST ACTOR – GARY OLDMAN IN DARKEST HOUR

The evening’s worst award. Yet from the debut of the film at TIFF, Oldman was going to win. He was owed, they wrote, he was due. What does that even mean? And further, why should it matter? The members of the Academy suddenly feel guilty for snubbing an actor and decide to make up for it?

James Franco gave the best performance I saw by an actor last year in The Disaster Artist, as infamous director Tommy Wiseau. Both pathetic and heartbreaking, it is an uncanny performance whereas Oldman had the makeup working for him. Christian Bale deserved to be in the mix for his stoic, seething work in Hostiles.

BEST DIRECTOR – GUILLERMO DEL TORO FOR THE SHAPE OF WATER

His stunning fantasy was a bold film, beautifully directed by this Mexican Master. Del Toro became third Mexican Director to win the Oscar. His monster movie love story is in its way a superhero film, but you have to look to see it. The director takes bold risks other directors would not dare, and they work, brilliantly. From the haunting score, the stunning underwater sequences, the song, and dance number to the shocking perfect end, Del Toro gave us what an Oscar winner should be…a film for the ages.

BEST PICTURE – THE SHAPE OF WATER

Perfect. Breathtaking film.

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