There are some films that greatly benefit from the support of bloggers and critics, and some films that don’t. The Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences is in the business of rewarding excellence in filmmaking but we really know it isn’t about excellence so much as is it about likability, lovability in most cases. Love is a funny emotion. It can’t always be manipulated.
Many publicists have the job of playing matchmaker. They take a movie they think members will be attracted to, they set up a party and they hope eyes meet from the across the room. They hope sparks fly. They hope a happy union will be formed that night — and one that will last at least the few weeks it takes to gather those votes. So what if you then had a chorus of people standing to one side and a chorus of people standing to the other who were all offering their two cents and voting on the beauty and charisma and quality of the “date”? As in, “she’s not smart enough, not thin enough, not funny enough, not ambitious enough, not edgy enough, not great enough – she won’t be faithful, she won’t last a lifetime, how can you be so stupid as to find THAT person attractive? What is wrong with you? If you pick her it will prove you have no taste — before the world, no taste! If you pick her you will be throwing away your reputation for all time. You will be ruining your reputation for your future children and grandchildren. See that other girl over there? Yeah, the one who isn’t perfect for you? The one you wouldn’t spend an afternoon with let alone a lifetime? She’s the one, yeah, she’s the one you SHOULD like because WE approve of her!”
That’s what it’s like this year for many of the Big Oscar Movies – they must be gotten to the Academy and escorted to the dance way before the group of judges moves in. In fact, the Academy works best when it appeals to people, when it is more the People’s Choice than the critics choice. Sometimes the two overlap, like with the King’s Speech last year. Because here’s the thing: they can’t really win. Pick the girl they like best and they have to go to party after party with her while the chorus silently or not so silently judges them. (I can’t believe he picked HER, what is wrong with him?) And if they go with the other one, the unpopular one who’s cool enough to win the praise of the chorus? Well then the people think, huh? Why did they pick her? Who the hell is she? I can’t really stand to look at her and I know I couldn’t marry her.
It’s hard to understand the Oscar mentality. All I know is that there are great films out there. Surely, somewhere between the two situations there is a happy medium. They do come along sometimes. It doesn’t have to be either/or. But I don’t think you can blame the studios completely, just as I don’t think you can blame the critics and bloggers completely for how it’s all turned out. All I know is that last year felt like a tipping point much the way the Crash/Brokeback upset was a tipping point.
The films in competition this year are heartfelt, sentimental, feelgood, cathartic experiences. Some of them are near perfect, well written, well acted, beautifully rendered – but they ain’t gonna be that girl at the dance. Someday, when all is said and done, the photos of that night will be brought out. We’ll look at the girl that was picked — and she’s a beauty, no doubt about it. We will know right then why she was chosen. But then we’ll look at the other girl, the ones the chorus chose and she’ll suddenly look more alluring and more attractive — time does that to movies, wine and memories. There will be other girls, too. Those who weren’t even in the conversation and they too will shimmer upon reflection. It’s funny, isn’t it. The Oscar race is funny.
So it isn’t breaking an embargo, I don’t think, to say that there is in fact a girl who is going to be brought to the party who really can challenge our frontrunner. She will be a girl that the chorus ain’t gonna like too much and will be easy to take potshots at. But she will be appealing to many. I also think there’s a third girl at the dance — she won’t be dressed like the other girls. She might be someone they barely let in the door. But she could also be hard to resist. In other words, I think we might have a real race on our hands at last.
I really enjoyed the article, and the analogy, part of which is stressing that there are lots of different tastes and perceptions, about which I totally agree. I accept that you and I have totally different perceptions about TSN but that’s OK, and that’s what makes films and life interesting. What I didn’t quite understand is what you meant by a “tipping point”, given that you noted two such occasions, do I take it that you are suggesting that such points are merely temporary, or do they, can they, have a more permanent impact? I actually think it’s interesting to go back over the past twenty years and look at what films “won”, and think about how warranted that seems in retrospect, but then, I am a lover of history – lol
Oh, ok. So EL&IC is The Artist’s big competition, and TGWTDT is snapping at their heels.
Having not actually seen TTSS, I’m just assuming Oldman is great because he pretty much always is. He doesn’t need to win, per se, but just a nomination is warranted because it just seems weird that Gary Freakin’ Oldman doesn’t even have a single nom to his credit.
Someone above mentioned that Oldman might lose out because there’s not a “chewy” moment for him.
I’d like to open that question up: are there performances that lost the Oscar because of a lack of a chewy moment?
And (as I’ve heard some writers say in previous years), are their performances that lost because the “chewy” moment came after the voters had given up on the movie and turned it off? (The example I remember being used was Julianne Moore’s crying scene in Boogie Nights–did the voters stay with the film long enough to see her moment?)
Alright @Apock, stole my thunder. I was going to post something about Young Adult. I do think Charlize is probably going to blow people away when they go see this film. All the top critics have given her raves– and you can see the Oscar nom in the bag during the third act. What she does there… well, let me just say– you will never question her range, talent, and pure ability to play evil (other than a serial killer of course…).
I was team Mara and slowly beginning to follow your praise until I went and saw YOUNG ADULT last night. WOW, just wow. Lets just say your girl won’t have a chance against a certain Mavis Gary. You want to talk a real race? Theron is working at level in YOUNG ADULT that none of the other top contenders do in their respective films.
Have you seen it Sasha? If not, drop everything and go see it. Diablo Cody (whom in the past I found probably more annoying than you did) TOTALLY redeems herself after the clusterfuck that was Jennifer’s Body (although the premise, I did enjoy– the film, not so much).
I think we have found our girl 🙂
Loved this piece. Hope I’ve gotten the analogies right.
The only reason why American critics favored ‘The Social Network’ over ‘The King’s Speech’ is because TSN is an ‘American’ film.
Oh, wow. Someone’s wrong on the internet. Critics (all over the world, actually) favored The Social Network because they thought it was the better movie. Because, unlike you, they have no issues with a protagonist who is an antihero. In fact, it stands to reason that they have a history of enjoying stories with that type of character.
…I’m sorry but I’m not getting who the third girl is…I can’t think of any yet unseen films which are that much different from the others.
Okay. Okay. I just have a problem (personal bias, I admit) with writers using forms of the verb “to get”. There are just so many other descriptive verbs to use when writing an op-ed piece. “delivered” “exposed” “shown” “enlightened” “impressed upon” But “gotten”? It’s not old English, Ryan. It’s just a bad word choice.
P.S. – I had an English teacher once who absolutely forbade us to use any form of that verb to encourage us to expand our vocabulary.
Sorry if I offended you, Sasha. I still love you (and your columns).
It’s not old English, Ryan. It’s just a bad word choice.
Chaucer used gotten (Middle English). So did Shakespeare (Elizabethan)
“Evil gotten riches will never prove long.” — 1519
“Soon gotten, soon spent; ill gotten, ill spent.” — John Heywood (1497 – 1580)
I meant that I understood the effect Sasha was going for — to convey being escorted to a Grand Ball — because I can easily hear Sasha’s voice in everything she writes.
Grammar be damned, it’s a conversational blog style. I’m glad we don’t have to read many posts that says things like “forbade us to use any form”
🙂
Let’s not quibble. I’ve already gotten over it.
” . . . they must be gotten to the Academy”.
Sasha, shame on you. Your grammar is atrocious.
Sasha, shame on you. Your grammar is atrocious.
[self-deleted expletive] your manners are atrocious. And p.s. that was a style choice. I like how it sounds. So sue me.
” . . . they must be gotten to the Academy”.
there’s nothing wrong with that construction
“they must be gotten rid of” etc
it has a formal Old English ring to it that nicely suits the ceremonious ritual aspect of the process.
“The only reason why American critics favored ‘The Social Network’ over ‘The King’s Speech’ is because TSN is an ‘American’ film.”
That’s one of the dumbest statements I’ve read here – and that’s saying a lot.
I cannot believe that you are actually comparing the situation of Crash to situation of The King’s Speech.
The King’s Speech had a lot of humanity to it, it was a beuatiful film with a heart, and evoked a lot of empathy (if you’re telling me that you didn’t feel sad for ‘Bertie’ even once, I don’t believe you).
The King’s Speech also brought forth attention to the issue of stammering/stuttering. Only a stammerer/stutter would know what he/she goes through every day while trying to speak out. And yes, the film DID give them THAT voice, which needs to be heard. Who says a stutterer/stammerer cannot be heard?
And not to mention, film itself, more specifically, the actors involved. In fact, if there was an Oscar for Best Casting, The King’s Speech would’ve won it hands down – Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Derek Jacobi, Timothy Spall, Jennifer Ehle, Claire Bloom, Michael Gambon, etc. in one film?? I would’ve done ANYTHING to have such a stellar, acting royalty cast under my banner.
Can ‘The Social Network’ boast of the above achievements? In fact, while I was watching ‘The Social Network’, I was rooting for Mark Zuckerburg to get his a** kicked some way or the other, which it did, during the events of Sean’s sorority party. And I’m very happy that they all got caught. I didn’t feel anything positive for Mark Zuckerburg. In fact, I was on Eduardo’s side the whole time.
Coming back to the subject at hand, tell me one good thing that came out of ‘Crash’.
The only reason why American critics favored ‘The Social Network’ over ‘The King’s Speech’ is because TSN is an ‘American’ film. And the HFPA blindly followed the choices of all the American critics circles. Little did they know what they were going up against.
The only reason why American critics favored ‘The Social Network’ over ‘The King’s Speech’ is because TSN is an ‘American’ film. And the HFPA blindly followed the choices of all the American critics circles. Little did they know what they were going up against.
Wrong. I can’t have this argument but suffice it to say, and you can tell by this year’s offerings, there was a tipping point last year. That’s all I’m going to argue. I spent the better part of last year arguing why The Social Network was the better film, the film of the year and 2010’s Best Picture. There is no need to go back and defend it all over again.
coool.
just ask that you fill in the blanks when you can for those of us who are hint impaired.
good analogy. one will win. maybe not the one we think is the best but we must admit that all the girls are good. some prettier than smart, some smarter than pretty. that’s the matter of taste!
Dragon Tattoo needs to be at that level of greatness that the Academy has no other choice but to award it. Like your flashback article Sasha about SoTL, with that subject matter, Mara better be Anthony Hopkins exceptional for them to love her and thus the movie. Extremely Loud has the sentimental vote with War Horse to contend with. The question is which Stephen/Steven will the Academy side with. ( after seeing new trailers for both, Extremely Loud was better – damn you Daldry!!) BTW, saw Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy yesterday and Gary Oldman seriously gives a masterclass lesson of subtlety in acting. Just his silent expressions alone should be awarded with a nomination. Its too bad he doesn’t have that one “chewy” moment that’ll get him that overdue Oscar.
Why doesn’t THE SKIN I LIVE IN have more buzz? Probably too out there for most academy members. They’ve only embraced Almodovar’s mildest efforts and have steered clear of his more off-the-wall projects (which is most of them).
So what exactly are you implying? That both EL&IC and TGWTDT are ready to challenge The Artist?? Or am I getting lost in your analogy..?
If both of the sight unseen contenders are ultimately strong contenders we really have an exciting race ahead of us, with The Descendants, War Horse and Hugo also in line (even though I doubt the longevity of WH in particular)
Why doesn’t THE SKIN I LIVE IN have more buzz? I just saw it the other day. And that shit was the bomb. lol I don’t know how else to say it. I might have to have a tie for my favorite this year. So far it’s HUGO, but I’m going to have to let things settle and rewatch some older favorites when they come out on DVD soon to make sure it’s not just that I’ve seen these last. I don’t want to punish older movies because there’s a new girl in town. 🙂
At least I’ll be able to see the chick you’re talking about in decent time. At least I think I will. She is going wide right away right?
I think it’s going to show up – I keep hearing how Academy members loved it. I just don’t know where or how.