The Revenant

"I'll be right here."

This was my second most anticipated movie of the year - behind Star Wars. It did not disappoint in the slightest.

This "survival/revenge thriller", brought to you by the dream team director and cinematographer behind Birdman, is the best looking movie I've seen all year. It was shot using all natural light, and every single frame - from the crisp icy water to the ominous torch-filled night - is absolutely stunning.

It's wonderful that scenes that are so hard to watch are so beautiful to look at.

DiCaprio's character, a frontiersman named Hugh Glass, goes through hell and back in this movie. It's absolutely brutal. The pragmatic violence and visceral story left me physically and emotionally drained. The themes of trust, loss, life, death, and the relationship between father and son pour out of the natural scenery - DiCaprio accurately describes director Alejandro Iñárritu as "a master painter painting a landscape".

The movie has an evocative heartbeat: a fluently vivid pacing that lies in perfect harmony with both the movie's score and DiCaprio's pained breath.

Tom Hardy continues to amaze me with his ability to seamlessly become the character he is tasked with portraying, delivering a gut-wrenchingly provoking performance - worthy of a supporting actor nod for sure.

Leonardo DiCaprio. Nominated for four Oscars. Winner of none. He's got this one in the bag.

His ability to realistically and convincingly portray the pain Hugh Glass endures - both physical and emotional - is nothing short of incredible.

He may have some competition - notably Fassbender for Steve Jobs and Redmayne for The Danish Girl - but Leo deserves this. He's going to win it.

My dad really put it in perspective - pointing out the point of movies. To stir up deep emotion - to change your way of thinking about the world around you and the feelings within you.

The Revenant thoroughly succeeds in that regard. Go see it on the big screen.