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And make no mistake about it: just as audiences respond almost entirely to the story a movie tells when evaluating the worth of a picture, the Academy, as I’ve repeatedly lamented, does so as well. Every movie to win Best Picture in the last 10 years has also won a writing Oscar, other than The Artist, for obvious reasons. And it is only Titanic and The Sound of Music that have won the top prize without a nomination in that category in modern Oscars history. Simply put, people perceive a good story to be a good movie.

There is an irony in the column I am writing. I’ve always been one to defend a technical achievement even if it does not have the greatest story ever told. Avatar and Titanic come to mind. But in my view, it is Steve Jobs that has the better “story” than The Martian, whereas The Martian is strongest in craft (effects, sound, cinematography). Under my traditional defense of movies that are technical pieces over interesting stories, then, you would expect I would go to bat for The Martian at the Oscars over Steve Jobs. Yet, here I am, about to defend Steve Jobs.

There is nothing wrong, of course, with seeking out movies as entertainment or even escapism. Problems abound in our society. Terrorism, the shrinking middle class, a presidential election, etc. Why does one need to pay and spent two hours to be depressed or required to think too much? And I have nothing against The Martian, a movie I enjoyed from start to finish, unabashedly and thoroughly.

But I must rise to the defense of what I believe is nothing short of a masterpiece, the much maligned Steve Jobs. Before I even get to the story, consider the out-of-this-world performances by every player. Jeff Daniels does not miss a beat in the tense, back-and-forth arguments with Fassbender, who adjusts his tone and demeanor brilliantly. Kate Winslet’s performance, particularly that Oscar-bait scene in the third act where she begs Jobs to patch things up with his daughter, is one of the best of her career. Even Seth Rogen proves that he can act. And Michael Fassbender is, simply put, spectacular.

Consider next the tense but exacting soundtrack, which appears at the right moments and accelerates as needed. And what can one say about the brilliant editing, which keeps viewers glued to the screen, particularly in the two crucial Daniels/Fassbender arguments in the second and third acts. Flashbacks work spectacularly. Despite Danny Boyle’s somewhat overwrought directorial touch, the movie is nearly flawless.

But it is without a doubt Aaron Sorkin and his flawless, brilliant, intelligent, witty, sophisticated script that deserves the most accolades. His script drips with sarcasm and humor and efficiently conveys the key elements of the technical aspects of the products that are about to be launched. Perhaps a bit overly cute with the repeated “Aaron, which one joke?”, every single interaction and exchange is meticulous and conveys a pointed idea. It is a far cry from Matt Damon talking to himself foolishly.

I understand the complaints that Jobs was not a good person (although since I never followed his life closely, I feel indifferent about him) and that the script does not touch upon a piece of technology that so many of us enjoy. But, with due respect, those seem to be personal problems with the movie, not a problem with the movie itself. The movie was not about the iPhone. And, do all of our protagonists have to be flawless heroes like Matt Damon, or somewhat exaggerated to the point of unrealism, like, say, Hannibal Lecter? We do not have to like the guy, we do not have to look up to him or think he is a genius. Regardless of Jobs’ many moral failings, the story that Sorkin tells is compelling and interesting.

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