2016 Oscars

Article:

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni59414772?ref=tsm_1_fb_s_IMDb_Marketing&linkId=20601944

Why the Academy is giving into the tantrum Will Smith's wife is throwing is beyond me. There have been loads of nominations for black actors and actresses over the passed decade. Just because, for two years in a row, black actors haven't been nominated, it doesn't mean the academy, the studios and whoever else is being accused is racist. It means, for two years in a row, that black actors haven't excelled as well as white actors have. It means that Will Smith, like Brad Pitt, just wasn't as good two years in a row. We don't see Brad Pitt kicking up a storm because his performances in By The Sea and Fury weren't recognised for two whole years in a row. Further, we don't see Angelina Jolie doing what Will Smith's wife is doing - and she has more of a reason to, given her creative input into By The Sea*.

Charlotte Rampling and Michael Caine have been right in their comments. The Fresh Prince's aunt is dead on, also. The Arquette sibling is probably right in her comments too, but I won't get into that one.  

*I haven't seen it yet, though I heard it got slammed, but you get the point.

Is there a reason to truly care about the Oscars anyway?

It's good to remember that they have honored many terrible films with the "Best Movie" category.
They also never honored Hitchcock and only honored Kubrick with a visual effects Oscar.

If they truly failed to honor some black actors and directors for their work, that is par for the course. The Academy hasn't had its finger on the cultural pulse for a long time now. Just go over the recent winners in the major categories to confirm how true that is.

I guess I care because it's the industry I'm breaking into.

You're absolutely right in saying the Academy is out of touch.. Sometimes they got it right, but mostly so wrong.

FieldsMan wrote:

Article:

http://www.imdb.com/news/ni59414772?ref=tsm_1_fb_s_IMDb_Marketing&linkId=20601944

Why the Academy is giving into the tantrum Will Smith's wife is throwing is beyond me. There have been loads of nominations for black actors and actresses over the passed decade. Just because, for two years in a row, black actors haven't been nominated, it doesn't mean the academy, the studios and whoever else is being accused is racist. It means, for two years in a row, that black actors haven't excelled as well as white actors have. It means that Will Smith, like Brad Pitt, just wasn't as good two years in a row. We don't see Brad Pitt kicking up a storm because his performances in By The Sea and Fury weren't recognised for two whole years in a row. Further, we don't see Angelina Jolie doing what Will Smith's wife is doing - and she has more of a reason to, given her creative input into By The Sea*.

Charlotte Rampling and Michael Caine have been right in their comments. The Fresh Prince's aunt is dead on, also. The Arquette sibling is probably right in her comments too, but I won't get into that one.  

*I haven't seen it yet, though I heard it got slammed, but you get the point.

Angelina, Brad, Charlotte and Michael all benefit from WHITE PRIVILEGE, so they have nothing to say on the issue.

How many white actors are nominated for Nigeria's film awards this year?

Ha exactly! ;)

The problem is more generally one of the Oscars being out of touch with audiences as a whole rather than the race issue it has currently been misrepresented by.... in the scheme of things, both in the industry itself and of the world as a whole the attitude does strike me as rather less than worthy, like complaining about a Christmas present someone gave you etc.

The attitude toward awards and the inferred perception of what they mean, amid what is often just a passing fad or suiting a tiny subset of cinema goers, is grossly disproportionate and in effect disrespectful to a great many lesser films/performers that never had a hope of getting a look in. Sometimes the very best script is obliterated by an awful production and conversely the very best performance is in the worse and most generic of films...but look to the spread of films that hog both main and lesser categories and this is clearly not fairly appreciated.

Unfortunately the response so far to this crisis seems to elevate the political aspect of the awards at the expense of real and genuine artistic recognition.

lachesis wrote:

Unfortunately the response so far to this crisis seems to elevate the political aspect of the awards at the expense of real and genuine artistic recognition.

Spot on. When the 'minorities' and women get to vote on the nominations (which I don't have an issue with), it will be interesting to see if they vote based on actual merit anyway, or politics.

2016 Oscar Noms and my predictions:

Best Picture
The Big Short
Spotlight
The Revenant - Though I don't know whether it should. I think The Big Short or Spotlight are more worthy of it…
Mad Max: Fury Road
Room
Bridge Of Spies
The Martian
Brooklyn

Best Director
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
Adam McKay, The Big Short
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight
Lenny Abrahamson, Room

Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Matt Damon, The Martian
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl He'll get it because of the subject matter, or maybe Leo because of all the hype, but I want Fassbender to win it.

Best Actress
Brie Larson, Room Only because of the hype surrounding her performance (haven't seen the film yet. I'd like Blanchett to win it because Carol wasn't nominated for Best Pic, or even Charlotte Rampling so she could get… Don't believe she has won before?
Saorise Ronan, Brooklyn
Cate Blanchett, Carol
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Best Supporting Actor
Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Christian Bale, The Big Short He was brilliant!
Mark Rylance, Bridge Of Spies
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Tom Hardy, The Revenant

Best Supporting Actress
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl Though I'd prefer Winslet to win… I've seen Alicia in a few things and don't find her particular captivating or interesting.
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Rooney Mara, Carol
Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight

Best Original Screenplay
Spotlight
Bridge of Spies
Straight Outta Compton
Ex Machina
Inside Out

Best Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short (Though I'd be happy with Carol or Brooklyn as well!).
Room
The Martian
Brooklyn
Carol

I think Revenant will pick up the cinematography award, Mad Max will get the other technical awards and possibly editing (though The Big Short might snag that one). Not sure about music… I imagine WOTW will get best theme though, to show that the Oscars aren't homophobic… Just racist, maybe.

Must admit I'm loving Fury Road's noms for Best Picture and Director, even though I don't think it stands a chance. Outside of the technical and score categories, the Academy's not really in the habit of rewarding action movies.

Salomé wrote:

Is there a reason to truly care about the Oscars anyway?

It's good to remember that they have honored many terrible films with the "Best Movie" category.
They also never honored Hitchcock and only honored Kubrick with a visual effects Oscar.

If they truly failed to honor some black actors and directors for their work, that is par for the course. The Academy hasn't had its finger on the cultural pulse for a long time now. Just go over the recent winners in the major categories to confirm how true that is.

Second all of this.

I never cared for award shows. I haven't seen half the films on this list. But I sincerely hope DiCaprio loses again this year.

Why? I don't know. I am not a huge fan, but I don't dislike him at all. It really just comes down to the fact that he has been whoring himself out like crazy to get this Oscar this year. From the film he did to all the appearances on national and even low level news/media shows. Something he typically doesn't do. He's been on all fours and all lubed up for the Academy the past year.

After winning every other award and whoring himself out, I would love to see his face when they announce someone else's name.

Haha yeah. I don't dislike him either, but I'm also not a big fan. Don't think he's great (or great in that film). He wants it, regardless of what he says. He's dying for it.