Undeserving Oscars

[Pervert]

This is one that folk should have an opinion on:



In my opinion, there's way too many crap films that won the Oscar and are now forgotten. Braveheart was quite a spectacle and was pretty much a pom-bashing session (nowt wrong with that!), but there were less worthy winners.

Ordinary People (dull)
Chariots Of Fire (worthy but workmanlike)
Rocky (hackneyed)
The English Patient and Out Of Africa (dull chick flicks)
Forrest Gump (basically an idiot's guide on how to succeed---as used by George Dubya Bush)

[nachovx]

All of the films you list were drival.

[The Last Word]

The oscars?

Sadly a mere show parade for the studios' idea of quality cinema these days, films that fit the remit for what they think an oscar nominee should be. You know the sort of thing - serious issues, sensitive, mature etc. This leads to rank confections like A Beautiful Mind, American Beauty, and this year's winner (so I hear) the grossly overrated Million Dollar Baby (either make an afternoon tv movie about euthenasia or a rotten, faux-art boxing flick, Clint, but don't clumsily bolt them together, eh). Anyway, they all get released a short time before oscar season begins, and all get heavily promoted in a slightly patronising, hoodwinking 'this is proper cinema' fashion. The actual awards are usually all internal studio politics, of no interest to the public at all. They do, however, create a handsomely profitable market for this sort of film, and that's really what it's all about.

I know a lot of people moan when the academy concede and give all the gongs to 'unworthy' populist winners (LOTR, say) but in an odd way they're doing the right thing as it gives out a much better and honest message about cinema as a whole - that there is as much an 'art' to the likes of Titanic as there is to the likes of L'Atalante. Cinema is much too broad a spectrum to allow such a narrow view as to what proper cinema amounts too, but it's a narrow view the Academy promote and profit from, and that's the real problem.

[Pervert]

Good points, well made, TLW.

The Acadmey is made up of people who don't have the time or inclination to watch challenging, intelligent films, so the acting awards go to either this year's best disability performance (Hanks twice, deserved neither) or drooling ham (yes, Hopkins, I do mean you). An actor who writes or directs also has a good chance at recognition (Damon and Afleck; Redford, Eastwood, Gibson). But mostly it's the crowd-pleasers that get the recognition.

For what it's worth, I reckon it'll be Scorsese's year, with Foxx and Bening getting the acting awards. But what do I know---I don't live in LA, still have my original face (sadly), and occasionally watch a movie

[Deuce Bigolo]

While its easy to blame the academy & all the politics that go along with it

The real culprit as per usual is MONEY & the gullible public

The fact that award winning films = Profit Bonanza/Public -I got to see that
isn't lost on those nominated.Just look at the expense they go to via parties they throw to try and sway the hundreds of academy members

Blatant bribery but then thats what you'd expect when theres big money to be had at the end of the rainbow

This five page article says so much in the very first page for me



Kevin Costner best director 1990...yeah right!!!! credibilty = 0

cheers
B....OZ

[Pervert]

I'd forgotten they gave that to Costner. Shudder!

[Pervert]

Thanks for that link, Buttsie---I suspect the writer has said it much better than I ever could.

And the point they make about going though the motions of showing yourself acting just about sums it up.

[Deuce Bigolo]

Even if the voting if (anonymous?) i'm betting very few actually believe this

You don't bite the hand that feeds you

This paragraph said it all for me

There?s no point in second-guessing the thinking of Academy voters. These are the people who made it possible for Kevin Costner to call himself the best director of 1990. Their instincts are scary and their word is not law. Only rarely do they stumble into honoring the year?s best work.

Far too true

But they can spot something more fundamental. Call it the snowball that starts the avalanche; call it Hollywood?s tipping point; call it critical mass. It?s the combination of timing, material, history, cachet, and talent that sends the right person up to the Oscar podium and off into the stratosphere.

What absolute Bollocks when you consider all the TALENT in GREAT Films(not necessarily Popular) that have never won let alone been nominated.

and this little gem

Academy voters don?t always take kindly to films that make them play dizzying mind games.

What is the average IQ of the Academy I wonder?

cheers
B....OZ

[Pervert]

Best film of the last year for me was Eternal Sunshine, a real mindfucker of a movie---and therefore not a nominee for anything beyond screenplay and Kate's acting.