Clueless
From the wise and reputable Lewis Beale, via CNN.com: “Oscar has proven, once again, that it just doesn’t get it. By ‘it’ I mean that the Academy voters seem to be stuck in some sort of time warp where solid, dependable, well-crafted, but utterly non-innovative films like The King’s Speech get a bushel of nominations –12 in all, leading the pack — while a cutting edge, brilliantly directed and written, this-is-what-life-is-about-today film like The Social Network is relegated to third place, behind True Grit, in the nominations total.
“By relegating The Social Network to also-ran status, the Academy is sending a very strong message: ‘We like traditional filmmaking. We don’t want to think too hard. We want our lead characters to be sympathetic or, at the very least, colorful. This year contemporary issue films aren’t necessarily our cup of tea.’
“They’re also saying, last but not least, ‘What century is this, anyway?’”
Disclaimer: I haven’t seen the King’s Speech, but you know? You can say that about any and almost every non-documentary movie based on a “historical person” or event. Give the movie some slack. If it’s as rousing and heartfelt as people say, then it should be in the running. And how does everybody know that the OLDSTERS in the academy voted for this movie. Maybe the youngsters — Yes, I’m talking about James Franco, Tom Cruise, etc. – voted for the King’s Speech. Do you actually believe that every single voter over the age of 50 voted for the King’s Speech?
Is anyone REALLY this upset about this? These are the freakin’ Oscars–their history is rich with this shit. Are the voting members of the Academy stuck in some some of time wrap?
Yes.
Hello?
On the other hand, Go True Grit!
On the other hand — Go True Grit!
Other than Garfield, what else could THE SOCIAL NETWORK have been nominated for that it wasn’t? When did the number of total nominations really mean much at the end of the day? Historically, does the most nominations mean that a film wins the most awards or most prestigious awards?
THE SOCIAL NETWORK is traditional filmmaking from start to finish, albeit with the latest technology. I think that it is a ten times better and more relevent movie than THE KING’S SPEECH, but it is still traditional filmmaking.
Ok, Jeff, Howard Stringer just put 100,000 of these in your safe deposit box in Geneva. Can we move on now?
http://www.oneshare.com/stock.aspx?stock=sony
Social Network is cutting edge? What life is about today?
Please…
This article is really class-A bullshit. Really, people are angry about the number of nominations each picture received and the Academy is some sort of doddering has-been old fogey club as a result? Newflash: each branch chooses its own nominees. So Beale really should blame the art directors and costume design branches for their snubs. Of course, I haven’t heard anyone go out of their way to laud the contemporary costumes of The Social Network, nor its incredible set decoration. So perhaps nominations shouldn’t have been expected in those two categories.
Oh, we shouldn’t ignore the actors, of course, for picking Geoffrey Rush and ignoring Justin Timberlake. Shame on them. The old hacks in the actors branch are really past their prime and should hang it up. They aren’t bringing sexy back.
Did anyone ever imagine that Social Network would get a bigger nomination tally with Speech dominating craft categories like costumes and art direction? What’s changed? Social still hit all the major nominations it takes to be a contender, screenplay, editing, etc. Ask Benjamin Button how much a nomination tally buys you.
Now if Speech wins the DGA, then it’s time to panic.
are members of this “academy” publicly disclosed? any membership list we can review? any age/race stats?
“And how does everybody know that the OLDSTERS in the academy voted for this movie. Maybe the youngsters — Yes, I’m talking about James Franco, Tom Cruise, etc. – voted for the King’s Speech.”
Well, based on Franco video embedded a few threads down, I think we can be pretty sure he didn’t vote for TKS.
Actually, I think we can be pretty sure he voted for 127 Hours in just about every eligible category (including Best Actor, of course).
If the Academy were hip it would nominate Chloe Moretz for her great work in Kick Ass and Let Me In. She was not even considered by them.
“…solid, dependable, well-crafted, but utterly non-innovative films…”
Yep, that pretty much sums up THE SOCIAL NETWORK.
I have yet to read one freaking word about TSN that points out some sort of “cutting-edge” component of this film. Yes, Mark Zuckerberg (along with Larry Page & Sergey Brin, Jack Dorsey and Shawn Fanning) has shaped how the current culture relates to media and individually.
But that’s nowhere to be found in the film. Instead you get a very hoary tale about a young man that obtains the world while losing the one thing he valued most (which, it turns out, is total invention of the writer who failed to find a less conventional hook rooted in the actual facts).
If there’s any justice this year, WINTER’S BONE, INCEPTION or TOY STORY 3 will win and I can drink in the schadenfreude of watching the two front-runner’s camps bitch and moan.
Why is anyone upset if “solid, dependable, well-crafted” films get a bushel of nominations? Aren’t “solid” or “well-crafted” films expected to receive nominations? The King’s Speech has not won anything yet. It’s been nominated in multiple categories for being exactly what you acknowledge it is: well-crafted. (and FWIW, I agree that’s about the highest praise it deserves)
The difference in nods for TKS and TSN are in Acting, Art Direction, and Costume Design. TSN had no shot with three guys vying for one spot and no women to promote anywhere. Granted it would have been cool for it to get noticed for Art Dir./Costumes, but remember last week (or yesterday) when everyone was worrying if it would get noticed for its cinematography or score? And they did alright there.
People need to cool their jets today over nomination count and just be excited about what the Academy has honored – some pretty great (and in several cases “innovative”) films and artists.
FYI, Citizen, Mr. Mapother turns 49 this year. Not a youngster by even Academy senior citizen standards.
“Newflash: each branch chooses its own nominees.”
I admittedly had kinda forgotten this is how it worked. Jesus, what does this say about Nolan’s standing among his fellow filmmakers?
Still trying to figure out what happened there. If anyyyything, Inception is a “director’s movie” more than just about anything else up for an Oscar this year with the possible exception of Black Swan (if only because that’s crippled by a fairly pedestrian script).
That was all Chicago48 on the Cruise comment; I was just quoting him there.
JESUS. Lewis Beale is an ass… and you’re starting to sound just as bad, Wells.
If TSN wins most of its nominations — and TKS and TG don’t — can we all look back at this stupid, stupid article and laugh?
I LONG for the days when the Academy, you know, actually GAVE OUT THE OSCARS. Nowadays, it’s nothing but people bitching about the number of nominations each film got. Are you KIDDING ME? When these movies go to home video… what will it say on the TKS box if it wins Best Pic, but only 3 other Oscars? “NOMINATED FOR 12 OSCARS”, or “WINNER OF 4 OSCARS, INCLUDING BEST PICTURE”?
(And boy, I bet you wish TSN could have been nominated for, say, Best Visual Effects for the Winklevi; Best Supporting Actress for Mara; Best Costume Design for the great use of period hoodies; and so on — because if it had only been given *13* nominations to 12 for TKS, it would have “won”! People everywhere would realize it really was the “best” movie of the year! Because no one cares about who actually wins — they only care about the number of nominations!)
Man. I needed less coffee today, apparently…
am I the only one that found both Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon to be quite annoying in True Grit? the way the girl spoke was quite lame too. nice Indiana jones sequence also.
You know, I coldly respect The Social Network. It was in my top 10. But “cutting-edge?” It’s pretty classical, really. And “innovative?” It’s not like it’s 2001 or anything. Largely it’s not like something that we haven’t seen before.
I mean, this has really got to stop.
Seconding the “Chloe Moretz was snubbed” argument, even though there was never a chance of that.
With NO KUNIS in the running– my most-hoped-for nomination, then it’s TEAM STEINFELD all the way in Supporting Actress. Go Hailee!
hey lexg:
I stumbled upon a website that features pics of Mila Kunis’ feet…ever seen it? Seems like that would be right up your alley. Hell, it was right up my alley, too.
‘What century is this, anyway?’”
I would say the same thing to people who are obsessed about the Oscars.
Academy voters seem to be stuck in some sort of time warp where solid, dependable, well-crafted, but utterly non-innovative films like The King’s Speech get a bushel of nominations
I don’t seem to recall this many complaints when Clint Eastwood’s films received nominations.
I’ve seen both films 2X and admire both films. HOWEVER…..TSN is not “cutting edge” filmmaking a la Pulp Fiction deserving of opening up a new perspective on cinema, nor does it have the visceral pow that something like Goodfellas gave us, it is a traditional moral tale for our times that is supremely well made but NOT VERY MOVING. I think the problem is that Wells and others really really wants Fincher to have his day and want to set this movie up as The Film of Our Times. A Kings Speech however has so many truly moving and delicate moments and performances that highlights the best of the human nature and makes…shame on us….people feel good. Believe me, Zodiac was THE film for fincher and, in my humble, not TSN. GO KINGS SPEECH!!
The Academy Awards: we see 25 movies a year so we can nominate ten!
Poseidon72: Second the motion…if there was ever a well hidden breakout this year, it was young
Moretz….sadly, I’m betting she’ll most likely lose her quest for the plum “Hunger Games” role to
Steinfeld…but sooner or later, her time will come..
if you want cutting edge, try Enter the Void
I third the Chloe Moretz deserved a nom contingent. She’s awesome in Let Me In and Kick-Ass. And it’s a shame that Kunis didn’t get nominated. She legitimately deserved it.
Forget the mess with the best picture nominations (The King’s Speech was completely formulaic!). What about Best Actress? I saw the Academy screenings. Trust me: Denmark’s Paprika Steen was robbed by not getting the nod for Applause. That was hands down the best performance of the year (or maybe even the last few years). Really great. Do you really have to be in a big studio picture (with the big money for a political Oscar campaign) to get recognized for your work?
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