The Oscars!

[madformac]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

So you thought Crash deserved the Oscar over Brokeback Mountain?

I've not seen either yet so I can't comment properly.

I would say if I had to put my money on the academy awarding the best picture award to either a movie that deals with racism or homosexuality then the racism wins every time. Hollywood has only recently acknowledged performances by African-American actors because it can't keep it's head stuck in the sand any longer. I think to be honest it will take Hollywood a little longer to deal with homosexuality. Tom Hanks put in an incredible performance in Philadelphia and it was seen as a breakthough in the industry at the time but I guess they have slipped back into conformity.

[DavidMn]

Well, I predicted Crash yesterday afternoon.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by madformac

I've not seen either yet so I can't comment properly.

I would say if I had to put my money on the academy awarding the best picture award to either a movie that deals with racism or homosexuality then the racism wins every time. Hollywood has only recently acknowledged performances by African-American actors because it can't keep it's head stuck in the sand any longer. I think to be honest it will take Hollywood a little longer to deal with homosexuality. Tom Hanks put in an incredible performance in Philadelphia and it was seen as a breakthough in the industry at the time but I guess they have slipped back into conformity.

and what kills me is in an attempt to overcompensate for that racism, they tossed Halle Barry and Denzel bones for clearly inferior performances. In other words, the mere fact that they were black got them that Award because the performance sure as hell did not. Flash forward to this year and the BBM male performaces were worthy of the award as was the film. That being said, PSH clearly was as well and he also was playing a wildly gay character. So, clearly there can be no hint of prejudice there.

In the end, Crash is a good film, but not in the same class as any of its fellow nominees.

Finally, I often wonder how valid the Academy conspiracy voting theories are. I mean they do not have a meeting and say "do not vote for this one" - etc. Maybe they do it through amount spent on the trade ads

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

and what kills me is in an attempt to overcompensate for that racism, they tossed Halle Barry and Denzel bones for clearly inferior performances. In other words, the mere fact that they were black got them that Award because the performance sure as hell did not. Flash forward to this year and the BBM male performaces were worthy of the award as was the film. That being said, PSH clearly was as well and he also was playing a wildly gay character. So, clearly there can be no hint of prejudice there.

In the end, Crash is a good film, but not in the same class as any of its fellow nominees.

Finally, I often wonder how valid the Academy conspiracy voting theories are. I mean they do not have a meeting and say "do not vote for this one" - etc. Maybe they do it through amount spent on the trade ads

I remember Denzel well, that Russell Crowe shouldve won. I think he lost it becasue of the "Asshole" factor associated with him. Who do you think shouldve won instead of Halle?

[trackaghost]

Originally Posted by madformac

I've not seen either yet so I can't comment properly.

I would say if I had to put my money on the academy awarding the best picture award to either a movie that deals with racism or homosexuality then the racism wins every time. Hollywood has only recently acknowledged performances by African-American actors because it can't keep it's head stuck in the sand any longer. I think to be honest it will take Hollywood a little longer to deal with homosexuality. Tom Hanks put in an incredible performance in Philadelphia and it was seen as a breakthough in the industry at the time but I guess they have slipped back into conformity.

Well I agree. Again I think the Oscar was given to Crash for its message (one that Hollywood can easily get behind, especially given its history, that racism is wrong) not because it's a better movie than Brokeback Mountain.
I think the other movies are more controversial on the whole - Munich (terrorism, wrongful shootings etc), Good Night And Good Luck (political pressure, freedom of the press - still particularly relevant in America at this time), Brokeback Mountain (homosexuality). Crash in many ways had the least controversial message IMO (that is hammered home in the movie), in the liberal-minded Hollywood of today anyway.

[madformac]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Also you don't think the Academy may be well aware of its history and wanted to make a statement with awarding the Oscar to Crash?
Roll your eyes all you want. Giving it to Crash was giving the Oscar for the message not the art of movie making IMO

I was rolling my eyes at the pathetic amount of time it has taken for the racist mentality of the Academy to fall. I guess many of the older, possibly white supremisist, members have now shuffled off the mortal coil and the Academy has a lot more younger open minded individuals. I'd like to think that anyway. But on the other hand it could have been a PR stunt by the senior members to portray the Academy as more open and understanding towards a more cultural society.

[madformac]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

I remember Denzel well, that Russell Crowe shouldve won. I think he lost it becasue of the "Asshole" factor associated with him. Who do you think shouldve won instead of Halle?

Russell would win Best Asshole in a Leading Role for sure.

I like Halle Berry ( ) but I sometimes doubt she has, or has been given the chance to show true gravity in a role. I've not seen her push herself in a role to the point I forget it's Halle and believe it's the character and that, for me, is the deciding factor in an award winning performance.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

I remember Denzel well, that Russell Crowe shouldve won. I think he lost it becasue of the "Asshole" factor associated with him. Who do you think shouldve won instead of Halle?

Like him as a person or not, RC was robnbed that year. I mean the following won in a movie he carried:

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Jennifer Connelly

[and mind you she beat out serious competition with Helen Mirren, Gosford Park - Maggie Smith, Gosford Park - Marisa Tomei, In the Bedroom - Kate Winslet, Iris ]

Best Director

Ron Howard

Best Picture
Brian Grazer
Ron Howard

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Akiva Goldsman

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268978/awards

So, I think the odds were just a little stacked that year

As for Halle - here is a list of the nominees:

Actress in a Leading Role

Halle Berry, Monster's Ball

Judi Dench, Iris
Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge
Sissy Spacek, In the Bedroom
Renée Zellweger, Bridget Jones's Diary
__________________________________________________

IMO - Sissy Spacek deserved it and I could have seen Nicole getting it. Judi was pretty fab. in Iris as well.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by madformac

. . . I guess many of the older, possibly white supremisist . . . .

in a town historically run by Jews

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Like him as a person or not, RC was robnbed that year. I mean the following won in a movie he carried:

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Jennifer Connelly

[and mind you she beat out serious competition with Helen Mirren, Gosford Park - Maggie Smith, Gosford Park - Marisa Tomei, In the Bedroom - Kate Winslet, Iris ]

Best Director

Ron Howard

Best Picture
Brian Grazer
Ron Howard

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Akiva Goldsman

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268978/awards

So, I think the odds were just a little stacked that year

As for Halle - here is a list of the nominees:

Actress in a Leading Role

Halle Berry, Monster's Ball

Judi Dench, Iris
Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge
Sissy Spacek, In the Bedroom
Renée Zellweger, Bridget Jones's Diary
__________________________________________________

IMO - Sissy Spacek deserved it and I could have seen Nicole getting it. Judi was pretty fab. in Iris as well.

Now that you mention it, I remember thinking Nicole Kidman was going to win that award.

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by chiliD

HOW difficult (and a stretch of the imagination) is it to play a real life person?

Have you seen Capote? I'm not sure how you can ask this question if you have.

[DavidMn]

Maybe I'm totally off base here, but I was looking at the nominations the other day, and it struck me how in almost all of the major categories, the nominees were ALL contenders with solid performances. I mean usually there's at least one nominee that has no chance to win at all. Maybe that's why the awards were so split up thisa year. And on that note, isnt it rare for Director and Picture to split?

[estranged4life]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Actress in a Leading Role
Halle Berry, Monster's Ball
Judi Dench, Iris
Nicole Kidman, Moulin Rouge
Sissy Spacek, In the Bedroom
Renée Zellweger, Bridget Jones's Diary

Halle Berry winning it for a lame movie when she should have won for a possible better performance in another movie seems like "a gimme" award (An award show equivelant of a "Mulligan")...

Very similar to Jethro Tull winning a Grummie (Y'all call 'em Grammies) for "Best Metal" over Metallica, To only see Metallica win the award the next year because "the powers that be" realized they screwed up and need to rectify their mistake.

Call it racism ("How can the world have racism when there is only the human race on the planet...What is there, another race of beings here that we dont know of?"-George Carlin), or whatever, but I feel someone should win on merit/skill, not skin color...Was the Academy wrong by not nominating Blacks in the past? Sure...But handing out a "gimme" wont rectify that problem

Brian "Oh, I'm such a racist...guess it must be the Cherokee in me moreso than the Irish" j.

Afterthought-Halle Berry's best performance EVER was in the CBS mini-series of Alex Haley & David Stephens epic "Queen"

[cliffdweller]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Well I agree. Again I think the Oscar was given to Crash for its message

Yes, it's safe, "well duh" message. Don't get me wrong, Crash had a good message, but, it's not really edgy. The particular themes it dealt with have been presented time and again in other films, so what's so groundbreaking and urgent about this movie? I'd say nothing. And the performances were pretty weak and unmoving imo, they, like the movie itself, were totally forgettable.

BBM on the other hand is a movie that stays with you long after you leave the theater. It should've won best picture. Damn the academy!

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by cliffdweller

Yes, it's safe, "well duh" message. Don't get me wrong, Crash had a good message, but, it's not really edgy. The particular themes it dealt with have been presented time and again in other films, so what's so groundbreaking and urgent about this movie? I'd say nothing. And the performances were pretty weak and unmoving imo, they, like the movie itself, were totally forgettable.

BBM on the other hand is a movie that stays with you long after you leave the theater. It should've won best picture. Damn the academy!

See, I think WTL could have won as well and it certainly was not an edgy film when compared to the others. Then again, I am not all about edgy films - this coming from the one who was elated with Titantic won becuase I loved it