Westside Steve Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 OK gang as I write this it's a little over a week until the ceremony so call it hedging my bets or pre-emptive excuses I do like to try and get a feel of the buzz a couple days before the presentation. So assuming there's no big shift in momentum here goes. As usual I'm going to complain that none of the 8 really astounded me, and that's getting more and more common as years go by. Like the NFL there are always two or three favorite pictures that might or might not take gold and a bunch whose chances are very similar to my beloved Cleveland Browns winning the Superbowl. Here goes: Best Picture ROOM. I reviewed it this week and thought it was very innovative and intriguing it unfortunately has no chance to win best picture. BROOKLYN Sweet and gentle and more appealing to those of us with Irish blood. Still as plain as a bowl of potatoes. BRIDGE OF SPIES Excellent film, appeals to the folks who think the Cold War etc was just terribly terribly unfair. Starring everybody's favorite, Tom Hanks. Directed by my boys the Coen brothers and my favorite of the 8 films. Still it isn't going to win. THE MARTIAN I hated the book but love the movie which was surprisingly entertaining. Well almost loved, but it kept my attention and and and... Well the statue will not travel to the Red Planet. MAD MAS FURY ROAD Fun, action packed, exhilarating but still an updated version of the original so nothing particularly original. Oscar will not visit the Thunderdome. THE BIG SHORT Another ham-handed political passion play released in the election cycle to remind us all about evil rich people and income inequality. The Academy probably loves the message but it's not nearly as good as THE WOLF OF WALL STREET was. No Oscar profiteering here. SPOTLIGHT Sure it gets traction from those who don't like the Catholic Church, but it's very well done and well acted, capturing both the Boston accent and realistic newsroom action. It could win, but I'm betting it won't. THE REVENANT First I have no idea how anyone sat through this boring frozen turd or why it got the attention it has gotten. But buzz is buzz and this bandwagon appears to have snow tires. If I had to bet this is where I lay my cold hard cash. Best Supporting Actress Alicia Vikander for the Danish girl. Due to the subject matter the Academy really wants to give this film a hand up. Maybe it's the reflected blow from Eddie Redmayne. Best Supporting Actor I think Christian Bale was brilliant, as usual, in the big short but I also loved Sylvester Stallone reprising his role as and older and wiser Rocky Balboa in CREED. This is a tough division but I think Stallone takes home the gold. Best Actress Always a tough category because there are so few great roles for women still... I don't think Brie Larson nor Saoirse Ronan delivered spectacular performances but luck of the Irish notwithstanding I think Larson wins. It was a big role. Best Actor It's going to be either of these perennial favorites Leonardo DiCaprio or Eddie Redmayne. The transgender hook is going to garner a lot of sympathy but I think in the end DiCaprio wins for the most overrated performance of the season. Best Director Alejandro Gonzalez - inarritu will most likely ride the REVENANT train into the station. Again I didn't like the movie but unless there is a huge change in the weather this film will take an avalanche of awards. Place your bets. WSS ( so I wrote this last week and just got back from Pennsylvania so haven't had time to re evaluate anything.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 What last second black actors/movies/directors can they wedge in there? That's who will win best actor/picture/director. If not this year I guarantee next year is the blackest oscars ever Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cysko Kid Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Unless an even more simpering and un-subtle black pandering movie comes out I bet that that mediocre Jesse Owens movie the ambiguously named "Race" wins best picture in 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Seems like there is a race movie every year. Triumph of the noble and oppressed negro over the cartoonish redneck racists. Again I would ask Will Smith or any other black protester which of the white nominees should have been deleted from the nominations and which black should have taken their place. What the pandering was beyond ridiculous. Of course I'm mostly bummed out about my failings as a predictor. I figured Best Picture could maybe go either way just came down on the wrong side, but I was stunned by Mark Ryland edging out Sylvester Stallone. I figured the sentiment was way on the Rock side and while I really enjoyed bridge of spies I don't remember leaving with any kind of feeling the Ryland was Oscar worthy. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 A big factor in the nominations is of course the actors in work that year. How many black actors (or of any other race) were leading actors in relatively successful films this year? John Boyega, but his acting was better suited for pinochio IMO. Anyone else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 A big factor in the nominations is of course the actors in work that year. How many black actors (or of any other race) were leading actors in relatively successful films this year? John Boyega, but his acting was better suited for pinochio IMO. Anyone else? I'm not sure the relative success of the films has much to do with it. Room, Trumbo, Brooklyn none of which made any noise at the box office. Audiences as well as the Academy probably like to feel some sort of a kinship with actors and most of them are white. Also a huge amount of the Academy is homosexual or homosexual friendly so there is that agenda. I just don't see many great roles 4 or by black people. And it does get tiresome that most films with black actors in leading roles are required to be about being black. Italians, Irish or Hispanics can easily star in movies about other subjects. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Hey at least Great Britain is recognized! WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 I'm not sure the relative success of the films has much to do with it. Room, Trumbo, Brooklyn none of which made any noise at the box office. Audiences as well as the Academy probably like to feel some sort of a kinship with actors and most of them are white. Also a huge amount of the Academy is homosexual or homosexual friendly so there is that agenda. I just don't see many great roles 4 or by black people. And it does get tiresome that most films with black actors in leading roles are required to be about being black. Italians, Irish or Hispanics can easily star in movies about other subjects. WSS Call it 'well received by critics' rather than successful then. I don't remember the last time a film was 'well received by the critics' starring a black lead, that *wasn't* about black suffering? Maybe seven pounds and the pursuit of happiness? Maybe I'm just being forgetful. Hey at least Great Britain is recognized! WSS Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Well most movies aren't great movies to begin with, but they can be be fun and well done. Just not many big black stars and when you think about it not that many big white stars. Denzel Washington Forest Whitaker James Earl Jones Will Smith Jamie Foxx Wesley Snipes, though his star has faded, have starred in many films that have nothing to do with black suffering. I'm just saying that there are at least a few of those Afrocentric films every year. Whether it's the poor black athlete or the poor black school or the poor black cheerleaders vs evil white school and the evil white cheerleader or the other stereotype genre of black film the ghetto comedy. But isn't Eddie Redmayne one of yours? That's what I meant by Great Britain being represented. Also Room and Brooklyn are Irish Canadian entries. WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gftChris Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 Yes, Eddie Redmayne is one of ours. Not shocked that the trans film got nominated - I haven't seen it yet, I'll get around to it, but it certainly seems like the kind of things that's 'well received by the critics'. Not sure if 'Rams' was released in time for this year's awards, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it nominated (foreign film category of some kind). Icelandic, deadpan humour about a pair of sheep farming brothers who haven't spoken for 40 years, something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted February 29, 2016 Report Share Posted February 29, 2016 More oppression. BLM. (British Lives Matter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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