Creed

I can say with all seriousness that Sylvester Stallone deserves his Oscar, and I didn't believe that the original and rather obvious "Rocky" deserved Best Picture Oscar, so I'm not some fan blind to the weaknesses of the series . He was excellent in that film. While some can argue that the Oscar would be a reward for the entirety of the Rocky franchise, I think that Stallone's performance in Creed stands on its own and is wholly deserving of any accolades he receives. His performance of an aging Rocky Balboa coming to terms with his own mortality (and the mortality of his loved ones, like Pauly and Adrian) and dealing with the effects of aging and the realization that he cannot partake in the rigorous boxing world anymore is very heartbreaking and compelling. Without providing any spoilers, the scene in which Adonis Creed and Rocky return to the famous steps from the first Rocky is a very poignant scene.