Five Reasons Why Moneyball Should Win, Says Digital Spy
Moneyball is such a good, good movie. And it doesn’t really need an Oscar to prove it. But over at Digital Spy, they go through it anyway, why it should win – this is the best reason:
It doesn’t end how you’d expect…
Traditionally, sports movies climax in fist-pumping celebration with the unfancied underdogs triumphing against the odds. Not so in Moneyball. Although Beane’s methods prove effective on the field, the A’s don’t quite go the distance as they’re defeated in the first round of the post-season.Of course, this is all based on real life, but Miller could easily have ended the film after Hatteberg smashed his home run. Choosing to continue the story past that jubilant moment is a brave and refreshing move. Sports fans will be well aware that following a team is full of ups and downs, trials and tribulations and losing out on glory by small margins. Moneyball is a true reflection of what sport – and life – has to offer. Nobody can truly define themselves by one single triumph.
Billy Beane’s unsuccessful quest for victory will likely be paralleled on Oscar night come February 26, but even if Moneyball goes home empty-handed there’ll still be a special place in our heart for this movie gem.
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I liked Moneyball, I really did. It is my second favorite movie of the year of those I have seen.
But why I wouldn’t vote for it to win is because it dumbed down the playoff seasons of both years too much. By reducing it to an “elimination game” in the opening scenes and some other non-baseball phrase in the final scenes, it showed it had no respect for the audience.
Even though I did love the movie, it’s hard to respect it because it didn’t bother to respect me.
I am down with Moneyball winning Best Picture
But I think I’ll wait for pigs to fly instead …
@rufussondheim; sounds like you’re a baseball fan.
Out of any movie from 2011, I think Moneyball surprised me the most. I didn’t think I would like it so much as I did. I’m far from being a fan of baseball, know very little about it in fact, never watch any games etc. But this movie really gripped me for two reasons: the screenplay and Brad Pitt’s performance.
In such a tight Best Actor race, I would love to see Pitt almost as much as I’d love to see Oldman. Almost.
But the Adapted Screenplay should really be Moneyball’s to lose. Unfortunately the Descendants looks like it will take it (not a bad/script in itself)
Really liked Moneyball, I can’t wait to see it again.
Traditionally, sports movies climax in fist-pumping celebration with the unfancied underdogs triumphing against the odds
The king of all underdog movies, ROCKY, does not end with him winning. Real Steel doesn’t end with them winning either. Real Steel for Oscar!
Baseball fan or not , the film was good not great. In fact I felt Pitt was the let down . He was so much better in tree of life.
Sometimes it’s hard for viewers to focus solely on acting without being swayed by a brilliant script.
Sorkin’s stuff is so juicy and vibrant that it would be so enjoyable for an actor to portray.
15 mins shorter wouldve kept it just that little bit more engrossing (it dragged on in the second viewing).
Also out of interest , what would be the top 5 baseball movies of all time ? Are there even 5 to choose from ?
Happy Birthday, Sidney Poitier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCzTyxXPy1o
10 Great Baseball Movies off the top of my head:
The Pride of the Yankees
Bang the Drum Slowly
The Bad News Bears
The Natural
Bull Durham
Eight Men Out
Major League
Field of Dreams
A League of Their Own
Moneyball
That’s probably the ten best I can think of. It’s hard to think of a good baseball that’s not on that list, unless you’re twelve and want to include Angels in the Outfield.
Great film, would be very deserving, but of course, it’s never gonna happen. I hope it takes at least Actor or Screenplay, or heck, anything really.
It’s also a shame it only premiered here in Rio this week with only 4 or 5 screens- even with Brad Pitt on it. Baseball and American Football are the kiss of death for any movie released here in Brazil, I suppose- The Blind Side wasn’t a huge hit here as well.
You know what’s scary? The Disney remake of Angels in the Outfield is turning 18 this year. People who are twelve would have been a toddler when the Angels won the World Series for real.
Next to THE TREE OF LIFE, MONEYBALL is indeed the Best Picture among the final nominees. Unlike THE TREE OF LIFE (which trades in universal truths), MONEYBALL is totally a movie-of-the-moment. Not only is it about Billy Beane, it’s about the need to play with the numbers in order to be successful in modern business. It also happens to capture the Movie Star of the moment at his very best. THE TREE OF LIFE is the better movie, for reasons I won’t go into, but MONEYBALL is the most deserving winner of perhaps five of the awards it’s nominated for (I’d leave out Sound Mixing; it’s sad that Bennett Miller played so little a part in the Best Director conversation this year; same with Wally Pfister’s cinematography).
Halos talk on Awards Daily? Nice. Of course, for Angel fans Moneyball represented a very happy ending indeed.
But yeah, Moneyball was my favorite of the nominees and deserves credit for turning a very dry (though superb) book into stellar entertainment. I disagree with Feisty; Pitt brought his immense charisma into a part that needed it, and his interactions between Art Howe (Hoffman), his wife, Brand, and his daughter took him to subtle places that changed his demeanor slightly while retaining a core persona.
People who say Brad Pitt didn’t do anything in this movie have no clue. Just to state the obvious, when a performance looks so naturalistic as Pitt does in this film, it’s a great testament to their abilities.
And that goes for Jonah Hill too.
Sugar should be on any list of great baseball movies.