The Annual Academy Awards - General Discussion

[thuganomics85]

Damn, it just occurred to me that poor Lady Bird got shutout.  It seems like being the frontrunner early one can end up being a bad thing.

[anniebird]

1 minute ago, Superpole2000 said:

It's a well crafted movie that has everything going for it except for one important thing...the story is nonsense.

It's a fantasy - I guess you could say all fantasies are "nonsense."

[topanga]

7 minutes ago, jjj said:

FFS, Overlord Monkeys, you wasted a friggin' hour, let the Best Picture speakers SPEAK for their allotted time.  SHEEEEESH.  

Exactly. 

[Chas411]

1 minute ago, Amethyst said:

 I feel bad for the guy who didn’t get to speak.

What was the deal with that? Did Jimmy kind of get impatient there?

[ebk57]

3 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

Does he get to keep Helen, too?

Only if he's the luckiest guy in the world.

[thejuicer]

So rude to cut off the second person who wanted to speak after Guillermo del Toro!

[ebk57]

Thanks for another fun evening!  On to the Tonys!!

[CherryMalotte]

23 minutes ago, Racj82 said:

All of that is true but it has nothing to do with how unnecessary it is to do something like that when it's all of the nominees big moment. They are all just doing their job. The system has slighted many over the years but that doesn't mean that the nominees deserve any kind of shade. I'm a black male but I wouldn't champion a four nominees and Jordan Peele comment either. There have been plenty of struggles there as well.

I can totally appreciate this.

[galaxygirl76]

1 minute ago, ebk57 said:

Only if he's the luckiest guy in the world.

I'm sure her husband has a thing or two to say about that haha

[blackwing]

Such a boring show.  Predictably political and not funny.  I thought Jimmy Kimmel was awful and generally not funny.  The bit with going across to the movie theater to see the "regular people".  Wasn't funny last year with the tour bus, wasn't funny this year.  What a colossal waste of time.  Maybe the show wouldn't have run nearly an hour over time if bits like this had been cut out.

I saw Jane Fonda and Helen Mirren doing Best Actor.  Why didn't Emma Stone do it?  Not "strong woman" enough?  She did another category, I wonder if she felt gypped of her traditional role.

Kobe Bryant won for being Kobe Bryant.  That Pixar film "Lou" was so deserving.

Please please please can Tiffany Haddish be the host next year?  The woman is absolutely irreverently hysterical.

[sweetcookieface]

7 minutes ago, pivot said:

I thought Jennifer was the best part of American Hustle and should have won for Joy. I think she truly is the actress of her generation a la Streep. 

This is interesting because I just rewatched American Hustle a couple of days ago and was again reminded of how overrated I found her performance in that film. I thought a number of her co-stars blew her out of the water.

[basiltherat]

Sooooo. . .. .  the remake of "The Incredible Mister Limpet" wins an Oscar!  (That's the Don Knotts classic where he dreams of being a fish, falls into the ocean, and turns into a cartoon fish.)  Five years from now, Fishy will be a super stumper trivia answer.

[Misslindsey]

Quote

I know a lot of people who complain about this win, but have you actually seen the movie?  It's beautiful

I agree it was a beautiful movie. I do not think the previews or clips really do it justice. I can see why it is not everyone's cup of tea since it is a fantasy film.

I was rooting for Shape of Water, Call me by Your Name, or Get Out to win, but I thought Shape of Water had the best chance of beating Three Billboards.

[Silver Raven]

When I saw Coco, I said, "That's the Best Song Oscar winner." And then I saw Call Me By Your Name, and I said, "No, that one is." And then I saw "The Greatest Showman" and said, "No, that one is." So I'm not disappointed with that. The only surprise to me was for Best Original Screenplay. Though I would have liked to have seen Bladerunner 2049 get more wins.

[Chas411]

26 minutes ago, Racj82 said:

All of that is true but it has nothing to do with how unnecessary it is to do something like that when it's all of the nominees big moment. They are all just doing their job. The system has slighted many over the years but that doesn't mean that the nominees deserve any kind of shade. I'm a black male but I wouldn't champion a four nominees and Jordan Peele comment either. There have been plenty of struggles there as well.

This this this! Throwing shade at the nominees doesn't come off as empowering. It comes off as passive aggressive and rude. 

[blackwing]

4 minutes ago, double-elvis said:

Have to disagree with you there. There are only a few I would put in the same sentence as Streep. Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis to name 2 but not J-Law. Saoirse is one of the young ones I would by okay with as well. 

Agreed.  Viola Davis and Cate Blanchett are two of the best actresses working today.  I would watch Viola Davis read a dictionary.  To me, Jennifer Lawrence is the most overrated actress.  She gives the same performance in every movie.  She plays Katniss Everdeen as Mystique in the X-Men movies, she plays Katniss Everdeen in Passengers, etc

[Silver Raven]

1 minute ago, basiltherat said:

Sooooo. . .. .  the remake of "The Incredible Mister Limpet" wins an Oscar!  (That's the Don Knotts classic where he dreams of being a fish, falls into the ocean, and turns into a cartoon fish.)  Five years from now, Fishy will be a super stumper trivia answer.

That is nothing at all like what The beautiful, mystical, inspiring, heartbreaking The Shape of Water is about.

[vb68]

I did not expect to be so moved by Frances' speech. She has always seemed odd to me, but she is indeed very genuine.   

Denzel made me laugh. He was not having Jodie's and Jennifer's schtick at Meryl's expense. 

I think everyone breathed a sigh of relief that there were no hiccups with Warren and Faye even though of course it was fine. No way they let anything happen two years in a row. I did see Guillermo check the envelope just to be sure though.

Edited March 5, 2018 by vb68

[scarynikki12]

Shape of Water is a stunning movie that cannot be sold via trailers or descriptions.  There's honestly no way to sell this based on how the story unfolds.  All I've told people is: "It's very Del Toro and you need to see it".  It's a fantastic movie.  If it were from another director I may not have even seen it but I went because I love his work and I know how he approaches storytelling.  This is right behind Pan's Labyrinth in terms of quality.

[Vermicious Knid]

I believe this marks the first Best Picture win for a science fiction/fantasy movie since ROTK.

[Silver Raven]

1 minute ago, Vermicious Knid said:

I believe this marks the first Best Picture win for a science fiction/fantasy movie since ROTK.

Does Birdman count?

[jjj]

3 minutes ago, Vermicious Knid said:

I believe this marks the first Best Picture win for a science fiction/fantasy movie since ROTK.

Sorry, what is this?  

[mojoween]

Return of the King.

My issue with Jennifer Garner’s dress is just how massive her shoulders look in everything she wears.  Not her fault, but I can’t unsee it.

[DisneyBoy]

Unpopular opinion here....but I find it a bit tiresome how everyone is sermonizing at the AA now. I really loved the Mexican musical number (not so much Gael's singing, though) and felt that was a beautiful and classy way to say FU to Drumpf while honoring film and Mexican culture. People shouting out to Mexico because they have a huge audience watching? Maybe less so. Ditto with K Seattle's OTT singing about being happy with yourself. And don't get me started on red carpet interview questions about why Ashley Judd "finally spoke out" about Pervy Harvey (spoiler: she never kept it a secret!!).

I get it - we are WOKE. And yes, I am glad to see more representation and scumbags outed as scumbags and songs about loving yourself for who you are.

 

...but instead of it being a classy awards show with subtle statements being made in a dignified way, it's sort of turned into something of a self-actualization carnival, where everybody is eager to sob and talk about their deep scars and stand on a soapbox and stand and clap and cheer  like they're in church listening to an amazing minister rile the crowd up...when we all know they're really there because their career is getting a big boost. I understand that the eyes of the world are upon them and artists are passionate people, but I kind of just want everyone to shut up and remember that the event is not the focal point of the entire universe but rather an exercise in self-congratulation on the part of the film industry.

It feels really gross to see so many latch onto the social cause du jour to try and earn the greatest applause from the audience, who is of course made up of the same self-serving narcissistic maniacs who often perpetuate these very problems.

 

I shudder to think of what this award show will look like in 10 years given what we already see happening now. Ski-Doos being handed out for the people with the shortest acceptance speeches? Audiences mustering up tears or looks of solemn appreciation because someone is standing up on the stage talking about poverty or sexism or rape or whatever? Cripes!

 

Show your support in a simple calm way and speak out against the bad stuff the way Julie Andrews might. This is a film event and at the end of the day the only thing we should really be discussing is whether or not any of these films were any good to begin with. I feel like the whole show is turning into some weird Oprah episode, which you'd think I'd get a kick out of but it actually turns me off.

 

Rant over!

[Mystery]

2 minutes ago, mojoween said:

My issue with Jennifer Garner’s dress is just how massive her shoulders look in everything she wears.  Not her fault, but I can’t unsee it.

Funny, when I saw On the Waterfront years ago, I couldn't get over Eva Marie Saint's huge forearms, and every time I see her, that's all I can see. I was relieved that she had long sleeves on tonight. 

[Amethyst]

That was fun, y’all.  Until next year!

[Lilac2000]

I know it was Miramax and one of the most unpopular Best Picture wins but they didn't even include Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love in the best actress montage--it's not her fault. And was Gladiator Miramax too because I don't think Russell Crowe was in the best actor one either? And no Kevin Spacey but that wasn't a surprise of course. 

Edited to add: Google tells me Gladiator was DreamWorks

Edited March 5, 2018 by Lilac2000

[Darian]

Pretty good show with some wonderful, inspiring moments. I think Frances McDormand and others know polite protest doesn't work precisely because it doesn't make people uncomfortable. And whatever you do will always be in the wrong place or wrong time or wrong way. Do it anyway, imo, and they did. I loved seeing Jordan Peele leave the stage with pure joy on his face. So glad I stuck it out and watched. 

[Vermicious Knid]

Well, we're left with the question in Birdman of whether it's fantasy or psychosis.

Can we stop it with the Walmart delivery box now?

[Silver Raven]

2 minutes ago, Lilac2000 said:

I know it was Miramax and one of the most unpopular Best Picture wins but they didn't even include Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love in the best actress montage--it's not her fault. And was Gladiator Miramax too because I don't think Russell Crowe was in the best actor one either? And no Kevin Spacey but that wasn't a surprise of course. 

The thing that hurts Shakespeare in Love the most is that it isn't Saving Private Ryan.

[scarynikki12]

3 minutes ago, Lilac2000 said:

I know it was Miramax and one of the most unpopular Best Picture wins but they didn't even include Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love in the best actress montage--it's not her fault. And was Gladiator Miramax too because I don't think Russell Crowe was in the best actor one either? And no Kevin Spacey but that wasn't a surprise of course. 

I can't speak to Gwyneth but Russell was in the Actor montage.

[sweetcookieface]

19 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

(I know this was @sweetcookieface's quote.)

Until there is actually diversity and inclusion, I'm curious how you think the point could better be made. 

That's a fair question. I guess I'd offer Kumail Nanjani's comments about representation as one example of being critical in a way that's compelling without being passive aggressive. And, I actually liked Frances McDormand asking all the female nominees to stand up and be acknowledged - it was a way of recognizing achievement in the face of adversity, without making other nominees feel shitty.

[Milburn Stone]

36 minutes ago, thejuicer said:

So rude to cut off the second person who wanted to speak after Guillermo del Toro!

I know why they cut him off, and it wasn't for time. It's that Del Toro had made a beautifully structured speech with a beginning, middle, and exhilarating end, and the speech that followed his was destined to be a complete downer anti-climax. It was a show-biz, end-the-broadcast-on-a-high decision.

That said, that guy was the friggin' producer of the Best Picture. He had a right to expect a moment in the sun, and he was justifiably pissed that he didn't get it.

Edited March 5, 2018 by Milburn Stone

[galaxygirl76]

I don't know if it got mentioned in all the excitement but Jordan's win for best original screenplay is the first for a black writer.

[KAOS Agent]

I generally don't think a good way to make a point for better representation is to piss on people's big moment because those people don't fall into a particular category. If you want more diverse representation, then discuss/show how great their work is. You can then discuss how sad it is that there isn't more of it out there due to systemic bias or whatever. In other words, elevate and celebrate diversity instead of tearing others down.

[GoldenGirl90]

Thank you @GHScorpiosRule for letting me know that this thread exists lmao. 

[Irlandesa]

1 hour ago, Chas411 said:

I'm getting a bit exhausted by the shade being thrown at the other nominees just because they're men.

I don't see it as shade at the nominees but rather the nominators.  I get why people don't like it.  I'm amused by it.  And I'll be mean and say I don't care if it causes them a second or two of discomfort.  Most of those guys benefit from directing-while-male in terms of financing or projects they're offered/allowed to get off the ground and in how much more "serious" their work is perceived*.  So they may have had a .5 second amount of shade thrown their way (although, like I said, I saw it more as a dig at the people who do the nominating)?  Meh.   

1 hour ago, basiltherat said:

McDormand has a really loony tunes laugh.  What is she on, or is she just normally cray-cray?

She's normally a bit not-part-of-this-world in the best way.  Like she appreciates accolades and what benefit they can have for a film but she really isn't into awards campaigns or being fancy and she lives that truth and if you give her an award, she's going to make you live that truth with her.

[methodwriter85]

1 hour ago, Silver Raven said:

It isn't.

Yeah, it's not. I did like it. I liked 3 Billboards better, but I can accept this as the Oscar winner.

I really liked 2017 as a film year. A lot better than 2015 or 2016 was.

[jjj]

I wasn't going to watch the Oscars (so much work to do!), but then I remembered THIS THREAD, and there was no question that work would just have to happen in the middle of the night.  Thanks to everyone here for making it such a party!  

[HunterHunted]

55 minutes ago, Minneapple said:

The fish sex movie wins, I guess. I'm underwhelmed. I just can't get over the fish sex.

I really loved her in American Hustle. She and Amy Adams were both great in that movie.

 

53 minutes ago, double-elvis said:

Have to disagree with you there. There are only a few I would put in the same sentence as Streep. Cate Blanchett, Viola Davis to name 2 but not J-Law. Saoirse is one of the young ones I would by okay with as well. 

Lawrence gets worse as David O Russell continues to miscast her--most often too young.

48 minutes ago, sweetcookieface said:

This is interesting because I just rewatched American Hustle a couple of days ago and was again reminded of how overrated I found her performance in that film. I thought a number of her co-stars blew her out of the water.

Amy Adams was so very good and sexy and dangerous in the film. The latter two being adjectives I never associate with Adams.

46 minutes ago, blackwing said:

Agreed.  Viola Davis and Cate Blanchett are two of the best actresses working today.  I would watch Viola Davis read a dictionary.  To me, Jennifer Lawrence is the most overrated actress.  She gives the same performance in every movie.  She plays Katniss Everdeen as Mystique in the X-Men movies, she plays Katniss Everdeen in Passengers, etc

I thought it was pretty acknowledged sentiment that Jennifer Lawrence was woefully miscast in American Hustle, out of her depth, and deeply undeserving of her nomination for the movie. And this line from the Slate review "What Lawrence does as Rosalyn is what Lawrence does as Lawrence: She shows up so game, so spunky, with such a willingness to do her job she’s undeniable. She’s winning in the role not because she is so very good in it, but because she is trying so very hard in it."

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2014/01/american_hustle_is_the_worst_best_picture_nominee_of_the_year.html

http://variety.com/2013/film/awards/how-american-hustle-conned-the-critics-1200963635/

[blackwing]

Who was the guy who was the last of a trio that won one of the minor awards?  He rattled off this long list of lackeys that work for him and ended with something like "thank you for getting this for me!"  Egotistical much?  Not sure if he acknowledged his co-winners but what a way to remind all those lackeys that he's the boss and they all toil and slave so he can win an Oscar.  I get that this is how things work in most of the working world, all the peons put in effort to make the boss look good, but it was still a bit off as far as I viewed it.

[methodwriter85]

28 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Lawrence gets worse as David O Russell continues to miscast her--most often too young.

I think Joy is going to be her last collaboration with him for a long, long time. And DOR took a really hard hit with Joy that he hasn't really recovered from. He has a t.v. series on the horizon but he doesn't seem to have any movies going on.

[HunterHunted]

57 minutes ago, KAOS Agent said:

I generally don't think a good way to make a point for better representation is to piss on people's big moment because those people don't fall into a particular category. If you want more diverse representation, then discuss/show how great their work is. You can then discuss how sad it is that there isn't more of it out there due to systemic bias or whatever. In other words, elevate and celebrate diversity instead of tearing others down.

33 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

I don't see it as shade at the nominees but rather the nominators.  I get why people don't like it.  I'm amused by it.  And I'll be mean and say I don't care if it causes them a second or two of discomfort.  Most of those guys benefit from directing-while-male in terms of financing or projects they're offered/allowed to get off the ground and in how much more "serious" their work is perceived*.  So they may have had a .5 second amount of shade thrown their way (although, like I said, I saw it more as a dig at the people who do the nominating)?  Meh.   

 

It's not shade, but a commentary on how certain films are never financed or never nominated. There was some discussion about why Straight Outta Compton wasn't nominated. I remember one white British Oscar voter explicitly saying he didn't want to nominate that kind of film glorifying gangsters or rappers. A lot of voters said that their screenings didn't have academy voters over 40 because older voters didn't seem to consider rap "worth it." It's not shade. It's the truth.

http://ew.com/article/2016/01/18/oscars-straight-outta-compton-snub/

[Poohbear617]

2 hours ago, anniebird said:

I looked Gary Oldman up on IMDB - the wife he thanked is wife #5.

Yes , and I you look again you would see wife #2 was the Lesley Manville who was in the supporting actress category for Phantom Thread.  It said they share a child, I wonder if he/she? Had to choose who to sit with...Awkward!  Would have been more weird if wife #3 Uma was there.  

My favorite will always be the year Katherine Bigelow and ex-husband James Cameron in the SAME CATEGORY and she beat him !!!!

[Steph J]

10 minutes ago, Poohbear617 said:

It said they share a child, I wonder if he/she? Had to choose who to sit with...Awkward!  Would have been more weird if wife #3 Uma was there. 

From what I understand, Oldman left Manville when their son was a few months old in order to be with Uma Thurman and didn't have much of a relationship with the son until he was grown, so if I was the son, it wouldn't be a hard choice about who to sit with at all (though I don't believe that the son was actually in attendance. Never mind, apparently he was in fact her date).

Edited March 5, 2018 by Steph J

[Poohbear617]

1 hour ago, scarynikki12 said:

I know it was Miramax and one of the most unpopular Best Picture wins but they didn't even include Gwyneth Paltrow in Shakespeare in Love in the best actress montage--it's not her fault. And was Gladiator Miramax too because I don't think Russell Crowe was in the best actor one either? And no Kevin Spacey but that wasn't a surprise of course. 

Now that I read this I did not see Spacey in either lead OR supporting montage. Not to diminish or insult any of the movements..Spacey's Keysor SoUSA  (sorry spelling) remains one of the best and most memorable  characters and performances...strange to not see it even be quickly flashed.

[Pallida]

3 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

Unpopular opinion here....but I find it a bit tiresome how everyone is sermonizing at the AA now. I really loved the Mexican musical number (not so much Gael's singing, though) and felt that was a beautiful and classy way to say FU to Drumpf while honoring film and Mexican culture. People shouting out to Mexico because they have a huge audience watching? Maybe less so.

It was a long night, so please correct me if I'm wrong, but other than Guillermo Del Toro referencing growing up in Mexico, I believe the only shoutouts to Mexico were directly associated with Coco winning. Considering Coco is about Mexican culture and traditions, I found the Viva la Mexico comments to simply highlight - and perhaps remind people - about the cultural origins. I could sermonize about Disney trying to trademark "Dia de los Muertos" because of the movie, but that's an aside :) 

[mojoween]

Until it was nominated for something that was shown on the broadcast, I completely forgot the existence of The Disaster Artist and the subsequent scrubbing of Daniel Franco from our existence.  

Yet Ryan Seacrest did his job...

I actually don’t have enough information about either of those cases to say what should or should not happen, but I do find the (lack of) consistency interesting.

[Robert Lynch]

Now that's how you age naturally. Eva Marie Saint, Helen Mirren, and Rita Moreno still got it. Faye, stop it with the damn plastic surgery. You are entering Joan Rivers' territory.

[Spartan Girl]

Honestly, I was only happy with Coco and Get Out winning their awards. Everything else -- meh. Sorry but I wasn't a fan of Shape of Water.