Oscar Night- Keeping it real

Post by **solicitr** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:15 am

With hindsight, the Seventies were the golden age of Oscar shows. It was fun when Marlon Brando had his award picked up by Sachem Littlefeather, Apache Indian and President of the National Native American Affirmative Image Committee, protesting about the treatment of Indians by Hollywood. It was even better when she turned out to be Maria Cruz, struggling actress and Miss American Vampire of 1970. It was touching, in 1977, when Debby Boone sang `You Light Up My Life' backed by a chorus of 11 children from the John Tracy Clinic for the Deaf interpreting the lyric in sign language. It was even more poignant when it subsequently emerged that they were just regular Equity kids pretending to be deaf and that the signing was complete gibberish. Ah, happy days. For next year's Oscars, I intend to turn the sound down and sign it myself.

http://www.steynonline.com/content/view/2984/30/

Post by **Lurker** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:33 am

Eventhough I volunteer for the Toronto International Film Festival annually, I don't watch the Oscars.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:01 am

Well, the rest of us will enjoy the show, solicitr. In fact, my family and I did. <shrug>

[edited for sarcasm]

Post by **halplm** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:27 am

indeed, it was hard to find a more radical film than avatar, but hurt locker fit the bill.

Nothing better than portraying American heroes as bloodthirsty radicals.

It's hard to imagine being more left wing than avatar, but Hollywood found its heroes.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:39 am

Haven't seen Hurt Locker, didn't know it was seditious. <shrug>

[edited for sarcasm]

Post by **halplm** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:15 am

Primula Baggins wrote:Haven't seen Hurt Locker, didn't know it was seditious. <shrug>

I guess war should be portrayed as fun? I should tell my cousin in Afghanistan, I'm not sure he's feeling it.

war is fun? Not sure who's saying that. On the other hand, portraying soldiers as heartless bastards preying on the innocent could well.. be seen as blatantly false.. Perhaps your cousin could weigh in on that aspect.

Post by **Frelga** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:26 am

Oh? I thought soli said Hurt Locker was a good war movie? Or at least the opposite of Avatar, which must be good.

I was mostly watching for the dresses. Nothing really shocking, alas, although J.Lo's looked like it was made from package padding foam. She could probably wear package padding foam and still look stunning.

I suppose the role of male attendants is simply to provide the dark background for the females.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 9:26 am

My cousin's a lawyer as well as a soldier, Hal, and therefore politically suspect.

Though this is his third tour, and thus I'd tend to give more weight to his view than to the views of people who are rigid patriotic hawks from the safety of thousands of miles behind the lines.

(I don't include you in this; you haven't taken that position.)

I liked the dresses, most of them, Frelga. Sandra Bullock's was Oscar To Die For, just iconic. And the rich deep blue that is apparently the new black is my favorite color.

There were some pretty handsome male attendants. George Clooney can be my arm candy any time.

Post by **solicitr** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:33 pm

I don't have any real problem with Hurt Locker, although it's not in my opinion 'Best Picture' material. My issue has nothing to do with its political content- it's essentially apolitical- but with its inaccuracies, especially its lead character being portrayed as a reckless cowboy who would never have gone anywhere in the real-life EOD community. On the other hand, it's no worse than the longstanding John Wayne tradition of absurdly reckless heroes. I just wish they'd stop hyping its supposed 'realism.'

And, no, I don't for one second think that war is 'fun.' But I would suggest, dear Prim, that you're employing a or false dichotomy; "war should be portrayed as fun" is not the sole logical alternative to "portraying American heroes as bloodthirsty radicals." For the record, I think the best portrayal of men at war to date is the decidedly un-fun Das Boot; perhaps the best effort involving Americans so far is Band of Brothers.

But to the main topic: I just dislike the Oscar broadcasts themselves and their self-important fatuity. Sure, a republic needs its pseudo-Versailles to fill what appears to be a universal, atavistic longing for royalty; but I find Hollywood culture (not necessarily its product) intensely distasteful.

Post by **sauronsfinger** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 1:36 pm

its only a movie
its only a movie
its only a movie.....

I agree 1000% with Prim when she says

Life is a little roomier when you don't see quite everything through a political minifying glass.

AMEN.

I find that the Oscars are as enjoyable as the investment I make in the pictures nominated that year. When I have a strong favorite, I tend to get into them. In other years, when I have no strong favorite, its just eye candy and something to watch which I may or may not. I enjoyed last nights show although I had no big favorites I was pulling for. I thought Sandra Bullock was the best moment of the show. Its nice to see her break out to a new level.

One of my favorite Sandra moments in film is from MISS CONGENIALITY at the end with Benjamin Bratt where she does that sing-song
"You think I'm gorgeous...you want to kiss me...you want to hug me...you want to love me...you want to smooch me...you want to hug me." routine. I just love that.

Post by **Elentári** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:51 pm

Re: Sandra Bullock, I love her 28 DAYS...for obvious reasons

That moment when Viggo carries her in after she's fallen out of the window drunk...and when he jumps her on the sofa!

Seriously, she gave a very strong performance in that hard-hitting film, and she thoroughly deserves her win for THE BLIND SIDE

Post by **Padme** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:30 pm

I like The Hurt Locker won. I like that the little films are making a bigger impact, i.e. the blockbusters aren't just steam rolling everything (even though I liked Avatar). I am happy that Monique won for Precious. And that Sandra won for Best Actress, but that's because she looks like my cousins.

As for the political stuff, well they are just movies after all. Speaking of which I just finished watching Band of Brothers where the actual vets are talking at the end...their generation had high taxes, sactions on gas, meat and steal as well as giving blood and life, yet they didn't think they were heros, I guess that's what separates them as the Greatest Generation. Stunning series btw, done by a bunch of Hollywood liberals. Can't wait for The Pacific series to start, of course I have ties to it.

And Sandra's dress was absolutely beautiful, she looked outstanding.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 3:45 pm

The dichotomy I mentioned wasn't in my own perception, soli; but I won't argue further, as I haven't seen the film in question.

I didn't have a particular film to pull for, either, sf; I've seen so few of them at this point. I was glad to see Up win a couple of awards, though. And I don't begrudge Avatar what it won, although I'm bemused a bit by the cinematography award when so many of the most spectacular scenes didn't involve a camera for more than shooting close-ups of the few humans involved. Or so I would have guessed, anyway.

Post by **solicitr** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:30 pm

Post by **Inanna** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:31 pm

I was quite sure that Avatar would win Best Picture - quite an upset.

I really enjoyed watching the Oscars - we hadn't seen most of the movies - but that's the usual for us. I never have seen them. Did you see Meryl Streep - what grace, Man. She was looking mind-blowing beautiful. And I was very happy for Sandra Bullock - I do enjoy her movies.

Post by **vison** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:33 pm

James Cameron is in part a target of the Tall Poppy Syndrome. In part.

I saw Avatar and I saw Up, both of which I enjoyed. It was nice to see Up get a bit of recognition.

Avatar was a "great movie" in that it was fun and interesting and Up was heart-warming up to a point. Both of them fell victim to the "if a little of X is good, then more of X is better" idea, though. I call it The Peter Jackson Problem.

Post by **solicitr** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:45 pm

Honestly, this was one of those years when one wishes the Best Picture Oscar just wasn't awarded. I don't actually think that "Best" is a precise synonym of "least mediocre." (Note: I haven't seen all ten, but if one of the also-rans was markedly better than the contenders I haven't heard about it).

There were some movies which rate "OK" or "pretty good.", but nothing "superb". Avatar had great eye-candy, but a mind-meltingly stupid plot. Hurt Locker was competent but unremarkable. Up- possibly the best thing from Pixar yet, but still doesn't have that It factor. Inglourious Basterds- Tarantino's best since Pulp Fiction, but it's, well, a Tarantino flick, a sort of cinema niche. The Blind Side- formulaic cliche, even if in this particular case real life roughly parallelled formulaic cliche.

Incidentally, this post probably racks up enough Curmudgeon Points to let me start dreaming of a Mencken Award.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:00 pm

No, I win. I was awfully crabby yesterday and didn't post fairly. The seven-day work weeks are getting a bit old. I apologize, solicitr (and everyone else).

Post by **River** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 5:20 pm

So I was in transit hell yesterday (it's easier and faster to get home from Ecuador than it is from St. Vincent

) and completely missed the Oscars. I missed them so thoroughly it's not even funny. In fact, I was on a sailboat all week last week and completely forgot the Academy Awards were even happening. So I clearly need to do some catching up/oogling the dresses. However, I'm glad Avatar wasn't Best Picture. It broke some awesome technological ground and sold lots of tickets, but it really wasn't that great of a movie.

Post by **solicitr** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 6:14 pm

I was on a sailboat all week last week and completely forgot the Academy Awards were even happening.

You definitely had a better time.