“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was brought to vibrant life at the AFI Film Fest in Ava DuVernay’s extraordinary new film, Selma, about the civil rights protest that ultimately led to the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Too many black men killed today; too many black men killed in 1965. Spike Lee wrestled with the opposing movements of the 1960s with “militant” Malcolm X and pacifist Martin Luther King, Jr. That conflict is also present in Selma, as it would have to be in an era that almost demanded violence be answered with more violence. But King had a dream. His dream was bigger than the small minds that bound it. His dream is alive today, a wavering flame always threatened by hot air from stupid people who have way too much airtime in 2014.
That dream was a dream for equality — that all men (and women) are created equal, with the same rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness regardless of the color of their skin. Many Americans probably don’t even know about the march on Selma. Indeed, when it was announced that DuVernay was making this film few even knew why it would be called Selma and what that represented in King’s legacy. The film dramatizes those very dramatic events as they unfolded. Like now, after Hurricane Katrina and Ferguson it took live TV cameras to show Americans what the racist authorities were doing to black citizens who were engaged in peaceful protests.
The irony of watching Selma last night was that it was featured preceding Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper the same evening. (more on that in a separate piece). In Eastwood’s film, insurgents were brutally murdering Iraqis who so much as spoke with Americans. In Selma, white protestors were beaten and murdered for standing alongside black citizens during the civil rights protests of the 1960s. The militant racist whites were as much terrorists as the insurgents and yet our government, our presidents, continued to look the other way until TV cameras brought it to America’s doorsteps.
In David Oyelowo, DuVernay has found the embodiment of her inspiration. His portrayal of King is not only one of the best performances of the year, but certainly the definitive portrait of the charismatic civil rights leader. Oyelowo said in the Q&A afterwards that he knew if he was going to play King he would have to “bang out a great speech,” and indeed, he delivers them ferociously. You can’t underplay what happened when King hit the mic — he isn’t considered one of the greatest orators in history for nothing. DuVernay and Oyelowo capture the man — the husband and father who found himself struggling with internal conflict of Christian pacifism and the growing fury at the obvious injustices unfolding daily in the South.
DuVernay, working from Paul Webb’s screenplay, gives us enough information about what was going on then, what was most important — the right to register to vote, which means the right to sit on juries, which means the rights to help legislate laws to help their own communities. Attempts to preventing the black vote was a huge problem in the 1960s, and led to many protests, beatings, murders — countless deaths and ongoing intimidation. Incredibly, shamefully, it is still a problem 50 years later.
Selma is an important film but more than that, it is a great film. DuVernay directs with confidence, not trying to emulate anyone but trusting her own instincts as a visual director who really invests in character and story. She takes her time and never gives any character the short shrift.
If you’ve seen Middle of Nowhere you are already familiar with how DuVernay directs — she captures electrifying expressions on faces, puts the camera in places you don’t expect. When King speaks her camera is not aimed downward from up on high the way Orson Welles filmed Charles Foster Kane – rather, King is shot eye level as a way of demystifying the historic icon to bring him down to earth. DuVernay’s sensuality is evident in the ways she films men, but also in how her characters are not robbed of their sexuality, the way so many are in today’s films. This is not a sanitized look at King’s life – DuVernay was after authenticity and she surely gets it.
Indeed, the house was alive with good cheer when DuVernay’s film screened. A standing ovation, prolonged applause and even fan cheers for DuVernay afterwards was a good sign that this was no ordinary director screening any ordinary film. This was an historic moment and everyone knew it, particularly since all we’ve been seeing an Oscar season brimming over with stories about white men doing important or unimportant things. Not only is Selma full of women but here is a woman who has made a film that does not shy away from the feminine in her directing and surprise, surprise, it never lapses into fantasy or imaginary fairy dust. It is a great story brilliantly told by a director who is just starting to hit her stride.
If you look at who King was, how he was brought up and who he became, and contrast that with the piece of shit who took his life you will see the irony of how Americans viewed black men back then and how they viewed white men. One was clearly a “wrong one” and a right one who couldn’t have been more white is the kind of story that haunts our American history again and again. King’s bravery in the face of death threats are addressed in Selma, as is his infidelity and internal conflicts with other civil rights leaders at the time. DuVernay was not interested in whitewashing his story or making him better than he was. His life needs no embellishment.
The right to vote, the right to be viewed as equal in cities where black citizens held the majority, was what Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for before his life was taken at the age of 39. We are woefully now without our Martin Luther Kings as the age of apathy has drowned us in our own excess. But Selma shows us a different time, when there was still hope for change, a belief that black children could grow up in a country that judged them “on their content of character and not the color of their skin.” That was King’s dream.
The right-wing propaganda machine that is Fox News, and even some of my liberal brethren are engaged in a long, slow high-tech lynching of our first black president, who has been obstructed, intimidated and treated with unforgivable disrespect, it is clear that King’s dream still requires a long hard fight, even if intolerant white supremacists in the deep south are a dying breed.
King in Selma is a player who leads the nation to a much bigger victory – voters rights. America has much to atone for, even today, with voter turnout a pathetic 36% in mid-term elections, the lowest since we were at war in WWII. Watching Selma might start to knock some cold hard sense into Americans that our democracy requires that we vote. Insidious powerful forces conspire to prevent us from doing just that – from apathy (“who cares, it doesn’t matter”) to illegal suppression, oppression and subversion.
The battle to uphold the Voting Rights Act continues to play out today. John Roberts’ Supreme Court recently undermined key provisions to immediate and devastating effect. Voter suppression continues unabated. Black citizens continue to be robbed of the right to have any power even when they are the majority of citizenry, as we’ve just seen play out in Ferguson, Missouri.
As a director, DuVernay has worked more intimately in the independent world. Middle of Nowhere won the Best Director prize at Sundance yet no amount of advocacy could earn DuVernay a screenplay nomination. But the publicity around Middle of Nowhere was enough to boost DuVernay’s profile — she’s now an Academy member. That was one of the reasons she was approached by Plan B to make Selma, a film on a much bigger scale than she had been accustomed or allowed.
Early word about test screenings on the internet was mixed. Someone on Facebook incorrectly told me the following, “Selma is not good in any way.” He later wrote: “Note, though, that the film has been re-edited, re-scored, color corrected, and had additional sound work since the version I saw.” After the first trailer appeared a week ago, the prevailing winds online shifted dramatically.
With a film like Selma, perspective is everything. That’s okay – whatever brings us to the trough is worthy grounds for debate. Still, trying to sell some viewers on a film like Selma is futile. It’s not wrong to say that some people have the disadvantage of being born into privilege. The film industry often revolves around and caters to their tastes. Perhaps they never felt the strong arm of oppression. They’ve never had a woman clutch her purse when they enter an elevator at the same time. They’ve never had to live down a legacy of being bought and sold like property. And they’ve never been unilaterally prevented from voting or registering to vote. They just choose not to. So forgive me if I mostly disregard the opinions of people like that.
The Oscar race is a silly game that purportedly honors the ‘highest achievements in film” but when critics and bloggers watch a film for consideration these days they are watching it with a quibbling eye, looking for any “flaws,” looking to be wowed out of their cynicism. That kind of criticism forgets that movies are made for audiences. Not critics. Not Oscar voters. That dismissive midset has led to bland Oscar watching that says no more than it says yes. Vanilla product inevitably emerges in the wake of it.
DuVernay is smart enough to know that she is coming up against the sort of groupthink that prefers, quite frankly, the white male narrative. As a one-woman film movement, DuVernay has started her own production company that promotes black filmmakers but she is also committed to bringing black audiences to the art house. DDuring the AFI Fest — and, frankly, every festival or screening I’ve been to in the Oscar race so far — white-centric viewership has been unified and dismally dominant. How refreshing to sit in the Egyptian amid so many black audience members. At the end, it was no surprise that the poker-faced mostly white media sat there while the rest leaped to their feet to cheer the film they had just seen.
I know what’s coming next. I hope I’m wrong. It’s a dirty game. The stakes are too low for anyone to care much but there’s a reason our political leaders today are so bland. When you become too critical of the little things you lose sight of the big things. Selma is a big thing for film in 2014. Maybe the biggest, or close to it. It is now up to film critics to establish its rightful place in the Oscar race. And if critics won’t, I bet Oscar voters will.
Every so often I’m so deeply moved by the courage some people have to tell stories when all odds are against them. You see, women do matter. We matter in life, in art, in film. When doors are opened to us, we walk through those doors with style, strength and grace. That DuVernay’s film was such a success at last night’s premiere turned me into a soggy mess and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I am woman therefore I cry. I am so proud to be alive to witness this moment of hers, alive to see a black woman auteur succeed — and I know I’m not the only one.
I have three favorite films this year. I’ve written plenty about my admiration for Boyhood and Gone Girl. Selma now joins them, one of the best films I’ve ever seen period, and one of the best film about civil rights ever made. You can’t watch Selma and not think about 2014. The drumbeat of change could once again be upon us. We have the tools because we have the vote. What we need are more leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. to help light the way. We lost Dr. King far too soon but his spirit is with us forever, as long as we have filmmakers like Ava DuVernay to bring him back to eternal, shimmering, unwavering life.
LC: TOTALLY!!!
I think most of the problems that people are having with Interstellar are addressed (and solved?) by the original script. There is less time on Earth yet somehow the world is better imagined–specifically when it comes to addressing how other countries come into play. I also like the sequence of events that leads Cooper to NASA better than what we get. The differences between what happens in space are SIGNIFICANT to say the least, but I think fair cases can be made in favor of either.
Benutty, in some ways I have to agree with that assessment. I thought Interstellar was an overall well made film as any Nolan film is, but I’m 40 pages into the script and the slight changes that Chris made are to the detriment of the film I’m afraid. The dialogue of the original script flows better and things are just less awkward and more efficiently built up and explained. Hmm, maybe he should leave the screenwriting to his brother more…
Sasha, any other possibilities for acting nods? The cast is packed with great talent (I’m a big fan of Lorraine Toussaint). Could someone else break out with a supporting nod?
“93% on RT and climbing”
And now dropping. Foxcatcher is currently at 87%.
Steven, ugh I’m rereading it and already the opening is more exciting than the entirety of the Interstellar we actually got.
Man among men! And I can read it at work if I’m bored. Thank you, good sir!
Steven, I think I found it. Google “2008 draft interstellar” and click the third result for “leonardlangfordlexicon”
Motherfracker…if it’s reasonable I might still pay. I’d like to see a different take on the script.
Steven, I read it on scribd.com last year, but that’s when it was free. Now you have to pay to see beyond page 4 or something.
Benutty, know a way I can see the original?
I saw Interstellar again last night for the 2nd time. Did anybody notice the symbolism when they were docking? I don’t see anybody really talking about it. The beat of the score (and a few others) uses the “tick tock” sound. When the station is spinning out of control, there is a shot that shows it from above and it looks like a clock spinning very fast. It’s symbolic that they are running out of time, especially since they are moving towards the blackhole which alters relativity.
Overall, I really liked that “time” seemed to be the antagonist of the movie. Eventually we all run out of time. Time will always win. Time will kill us all eventually. I thought Time was the antagonist of the movie.
Steven, get a hold of Jonathan’s original Spielberg script for it because it’s probably 400x better than what Chris changed it to. That being said, I still liked the script as depicted on film. I’m looking forward to a copy of the script becoming available so I can read it and judge it more closely.
Benutty, I think Interstellar will be kept in the race because it’s the technical behemoth we all thought it would be. The visuals, the sound, the cinematography ect. is all on par or succeeds those other nominees/winners. I loved Interstellar, warts and all. I believe it deserves to be nominated for best picture AND best director but then again I haven’t seen Boyhood, Foxcatcher, Selma, Birdman so I’m sure my opinion will change. My biggest gripe is with the script. If it was worked on a bit more by an outside source other than the Nolans than I’d say we might have something close to a winner on our hands.
Jonas, “degayed”? Seriously?
Stephen Holt, why would you be disappointed in Bennett Miller? Did you see Foxcatcher and just not like the way the story was told or are you basing your reaction off of critics?
re: “Foxcatcher has received a lot of very strong reviews so far.” and the like…
From festival-goers and critics. People that are more inclined to like moodier, darker, edgier films. I said it months ago and I’ll say it again: general audiences are going to kill this film and bad word of mouth is going to hurt its Oscar viability. It should have stayed in the hunt last year when it had enough initial buzz to make a dent.
re: Al’s “I think you’re right that suddenly, Interstellar could be out, and Selma could be in, but if the voters decide not to go for American Sniper and Unbroken, I think Interstellar could get back in.”
Selma definitely pushed something out, but I think it’s important to keep in mind what Selma’s competition was/is. Competition in the sense of: what film were the people who will be passionate about loving Selma originally passionate about? I don’t think the answer to that is Interstellar.
What will keep Interstellar in the BP race is the same thing that kept Avatar, Inception, Hugo, Life of Pi and Gravity in the race–they are the only films of their year that appeal to the voters who appreciate effects and visually marvelous films.
Personally, I think Selma’s biggest competition is Unbroken because of the female director narrative, but it’s also kind of in a league of its own in terms of fresh director on a film with a well-known, first of its kind, compelling and socially/politically conscious subject.
While it’s annoying to suggest that The Imitation Game, Mr. Turner and The Theory of Everything are competing against each other because they’re all British biopics, there is some truth to it because voters that like one of them will probably appreciate the other two for similar reasons, but when it comes to making their selections only one of them can be their priority pick.
So when we think about which film another film knocks out, I think we have to consider which films that film was directly competing with in the first place.
Sasha, this was such a great piece of writing I almost already knew it was in your top three with Boyhood and Gone Girl before you even said it. If this article was a movie I suspect it would have the audience engaged throughout act one and two, and then in act three there would be tears. Maybe a standing ovation at the end.
I’m tweeting and sharing the shit out of this. Bravo!
the more i read this the more i feel this might be sasha’s best review. which other film writer or critic brings passion in regards to progressive issues to their film analysis? maybe andrew o heir and wesley morris. but most critical analysis is the lay back and “objectively” analyse the film. sasha is actually calling out people here. thats brave and i expect her to be stigmatised because of it sorry to say. as we see here, people get very sensitive when you point out simple facts like white male perspectives dominate film culture.
i mean if selma was to win the oscar for best film that would be what. only the 2nd black film to win the nearly 90 year old award . and i bet you will see the usual accusations about political correctness. yeesh.
I have high hopes for Selma. It´s a shame the trailer is so generic and even has a hip-hop song at the end. I feel like I´ve seen the trailer before. It´s like that 42 one. Anyway I´ll trust in what Sasha says. I certainly hope she´s correct on this one.
As for Foxcathcer I heard it has been degayed. I just can´t get excited for it. All that Steve Carrel mugging. Still I will submit to it and hope it´s worthy of those 100s on metecritic.
So the critics groups skip Selma and it gets its Oscar campaign cred from guild noms?
Stephen Holt, 93% on RT and climbing. I’m pretty sure a lot of them are responding favorably to it.
Ha! Ryan beat me to the punch. Again!
“The distributors of “Foxcatcher” are nervous. Really nervous. Obviously. I try to explain the content of this film that could have been an incredibly dark look at an ultra-rich psychopath, from the DUPONT family for cripes’ sakes! And NO ONE. I repeat NO ONE responds favorably to this content. So disappointed in Bennett Miller.”
Maybe it’s just the way you’re explaining the content and not the content itself?
Foxcatcher has received a lot of very strong reviews so far. And didn’t Bennett Miller win Best Director at Cannes this year? That hardly supports a theory that NO ONE is responding favorably to the film.
But besides the good critics anyone sees it as the Oscar winner and I hope the same, because Boyhood is the best film of the year and deserves win.
The distributors of “Foxcatcher” are nervous. Really nervous. Obviously. I try to explain the content of this film that could have been an incredibly dark look at an ultra-rich psychopath, from the DUPONT family for cripes’ sakes! And NO ONE. I repeat NO ONE responds favorably to this content. So disappointed in Bennett Miller.
“NO ONE. I repeat NO ONE responds favorably to this content. So disappointed in Bennett Miller.”
1/3 of the Foxcatcher reviews have called it 100% “perfect” according to the scores of 100 for those reviews on metacritic.
Rather than waste my time being “disappointed in Bennett Miller” I’m more inclined to be disappointed in people who don’t “respond” to such an illustrious movie directed by such a distinguished filmmaker.
In fact, I’m not disappointed in those people. I’m just sick of hearing about them.
I have been corrected, and THANK GOODNESS!! Thank you Ben! I knew something didn’t seem right. 🙂
Too bad though, it’ll still only be playing at 1 theater near me until at least January. Uh…. I’ll have to make do. The things we do for the love of film.
Al Robinson-
It will be expanding to more cities in the coming weeks…
http://sonyclassics.com/foxcatcher/dates.html
OT: Sad news to report good readers of Awards Daily. For some stupid reason, someone decided that this weekend’s Foxcatcher release will only mean 6 theaters. According to Box Office Mojo’s schedule page anyway, and there is no indication of it having an expansion to more theaters.
Take a look for yourself: http://boxofficemojo.com/schedule/?view=&release=&date=2014-11-06&showweeks=4&p=.htm
I wonder what this means for it’s chances at Oscars.?
I had faith in this project all along. Unbroken is gonna have to open up the heavens at this point.
Sasha, you’ve made me excited about the race with this review. I was not very into it till now; I haven’t seen the majority of movies this year, yet, but I believe Selma is the kind of movie that will speak to me the most.
That being said, I’m waiting anxiously for Into The Woods. I don’t know, something tells me that it will be a great movie experience for some reason. Looking forward to it.
Great piece, Sasha! Breath-taking writing! No. Really. I can’t wait to see this film now. It has turned the Oscar race on its’ head, and the person who is NOT as locked as everyone thinks is Steve Carrell for the loathsome “Foxcatcher”, a gay film that has been de-gayed. That irritating voice, those obvious false teeth, the Jimmy Durante nose(and performance). I think he’s going to be this year’s Tom Hanks in “”Captain Phillips” as someone has already noticed above^. The Academy thinks what it wants to think and it doesn’t like to be told “Everything is locked up.” Be careful, Steve Carrell, be very, VERY careful. Can’t wait now to see “Selma”.
An African-American female director possibly nominated for Best Director! That alone is cause for rejoicing!
But no actresses mentioned, except Oprah(again). Aren’t there any worthy black actresses in this film?
And everybody’s forgotten about the beautiful GuGu Mbatha-Raw in the equally beautiful film “Belle” ALSO directed by a black woman director! The changes just keep coming! THIS is excting news!
I think if Best Lead Actor lines-up with Best Picture, I think the 5 will be these guys:
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch – The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton – Birdman
David Oyelowo – Selma
Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything
Main Alternate:
Ben Affleck – Gone Girl
Bryce, are you referring to the Ceremony in 1956 when Marty won, or 1957 when Around the World in 80 Days won?
Plus, please elaborate. I’m not too knowledgeable about that far back. 🙂
Des Brown, I agree. If 4 brits do get nominated Michael Keaton should be the clear winner. However, I dont think that’s happening. Following last nights revelations I think think the nominees will be:
1. Keaton
2. Oyelowo
3. Cumberbatch
4. Redmayne
5. Cooper
I have a feeling Carell will be snubbed Tom Hanks style in favor of one of the late bloomers (i.e., bradley cooper).
I think this will be 1956 all over again. Mark my words.
’56? year of Marty or year of Around the World in 80 Cameos?
It’s not the audience who decides the Oscar winners. It’s the industry. So saying that “movies are made for audiences, not critics” is pointless in this context. Academy members must keep the audience out of their equation. Otherwise they wouldn’t do their job. Film criticism is not social analysis.
I think people could be under-estimating the emotional punch that Interstellar packs and as we know the Academy has a history of voting with their hearts. I think it will all come down to whether or not they can look past the sci-fi elements and whether or not this distracts AMPAS members from being movied by the story that unfolds in this space EPIC
Ok, thank you RYAN. I suppose that makes sense given how there’s really only a handful of major film studios and with 9 or 10 nominees there’s bound to be multiple from a given a studio in the lineup. So good, Paramount can campaign for both Interstellar and Selma.
Steve, I think I believe you that only one of those two movies will be nominated for Best Picture, but I’m not sure. I think you’re right that suddenly, Interstellar could be out, and Selma could be in, but if the voters decide not to go for American Sniper and Unbroken, I think Interstellar could get back in. I suppose if they both do, it would be more Boyhood vs. Birdman vs. The Imitation Game for Best Picture anyway, leaving Interstellar and Selma to watch.
Does Selma’s reception and DuVernay now being a serious contender for Best Director hurt Angelina Jolie and Unbroken’s chances in the big categories? I suppose there’s room in Picture but it seems almost impossible that both get in for Director… right? This is assuming that Unbroken is any good…
This could well be 1983 all over again, when 4 Brits (Michael Caine, Albert Finney, Tom Courtneay and Tom Conti) contested the Best Actor category. This time it could well be Cumberbatch, Redmayne, Spall and Oyelowo (with either Bradley Cooper or Micheal Keaton as the lone American who will go on to win – as Robert Duvall did in 83)
Until Tuesday, ‘Selma’ didn’t really figure on the awards season radar – other than, possibly, as this year’s ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’. Judging by the initial reviews, it could well be this year’s ’12 Year A Slave’. I initially thought of ‘The Imitation Game’, ‘Interstellar’ and ‘Gone Girl’as the main contenders for Best Picture – I’ll now add ‘Selma’ to the top of that list.
Just out of curiosity, I did a word count in the comments: Interstellar appears 19 times, Selma about 13 times. That doesn’t count names like Nolan or big McC. This beautiful review is about Selma and DuVernay’s much-deserved breakthrough.
Al, don’t fret about Interstellar vs Selma. Only one of them will get it in, and it isn’t the one everybody thought until yesterday.
Now I’ll go back to chasing the neighbour’s cat away from my bird feeder. ;(
What I guess I’m asking is…have studios campaigned heavily for multiple films in the past and has a studio ever had multiple films make the Best Pic lineup?
have studios campaigned heavily for multiple films in the past and has a studio ever had multiple films make the Best Pic lineup?
happens quite a lot
2010, Weinstein had The Fighter and The King’s Speech; Searchlight has 127 Hours and Black Swan
2011, Searchlight had Tree of Life and Descendents; Deeamworks had The Help and War Horse
2012, Weinstein had Django and Silver Linings
2013, Columbia had Captain Phillips and American Hustle; Paramount had The Wolf of Wall Street and Nebraska; Warners had Gravity and Her
2002, Miramax had 3 of the 5 BP nominees (Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Hours)
1979, 20th Century Fox had 3 of the 5 BP nominees (Breaking Away, All That Jazz, Norma Rae)
1974, Paramount had 3 of the 5 BP nominees (The Godfather, The Conversation, Chinatown) (Boom! Boom!! Boom!!!)
AL, that would be pretty neat but could that happen with Paramount being behind both films?
Oh wow! How did I not see this coming. What if?…. (BTW, we DON’T need this 2 years in a row, but I’m just sayin’)
Gravity vs. 12 Years a Slave = Interstellar vs. Selma
Please AMPAS, don’t do this to us again.
Interstellar
I ammend my original thoughts and basically have the same to say about it that I did for Donnie Darko…
This singular vision of writer/director Christopher Nolan is one of the most original films I’ve ever seen. I guess you could say it shares some things with 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Right Stuff, Sunshine, etc but Interstellar is so very different in its presentation and the themes that it explores. It’s a very philosophical and thought provoking film, While there are sci-fi elements, they are more or less just plot devices and I think it’s best to not over-analyze the “science” presented in the film. I’m not even sure it makes sense and there might be plot holes so large you could send the entire Endurance through, but I don’t really think this matters too much. Even if there are gaping plot holes in the story, I would argue it does not really lessen the emotional, spiritual, or intellectual value of the film. It also does not lessen the career defining performance of Matthew McConaughey or the wonderful composition of the film overall.
CHRISTOPHE:
I think you watched the wrong film. Nolan’s films are never “mindless entertainment”, that’s Michael Bay…
LCBASEBALL22,
I had every intention to champion Interstellar in the race before it was released, but now I’ve seen it I enjoy it for what it is: mindless entertainment, not oscar material.
Jessica Chastain was great though, she would totally deserve a nom or even the win for this part. Murph was by far the best thing about this film and it would have been so much better if it had focused more on her instead of her deadbeat father.
A good read as usual Sasha, really admire your love for the movies and awards race. Couldn’t be more excited for Selma now. I called it on Bradford Young being the next big thing after watching “Mother of George”, wonderfully shot film and something I would recommend to everyone.
Oprah said she had no intention to get involved, let alone star in this film, but then she changed her mind when she was told by Ava DuVernay that her character was a huge fan of her show, watching it every day and eating tuna fish sandwiches, until her untimely death at age 100. She thought it would be a fitting tribute. This story is quite heartwarming, that woman would be so glad to know her favorite star is playing her.
Does Oprah stand any chance at a nomination or is her part too small even for supporting? She is long overdue.
I think many if not all of the slanderous articles are being written by those who feel that Interstellar is a threat to films they are backing. I’m pretty sure it already came out that the Jessica Chastain story about Nolan not letting her campaign for other films was put out by a rival studio.
LCBaseball, when I saw what Nolan said I completely agreed. His films are torn the hell apart by everybody and when there are haters, boy are there haters.
“Shocked at a few peeps’ tepid assessments of the prospects of AMERICAN SNIPER. Couldn’t disagree more. This puppy’s in it for the long haul.”
“Eastwood at 84 shows he is at top of his game in the riveting American Sniper. Bradley Cooper may be headed for 3rd straight oscar nom.”
“Jesus H… what a night… Clint’s best in years… Bradley’s never been better… happy Veterans’ Day.”
Probably should’ve posted this when Sasha reviews American Sniper. My point is American Sniper and Selma will both be players this year.
Nick Johnson
Let’s bear in mind that the guy who wrote two of those tweets is the same guy who told us last year that Gravity was winning Best Picture because nobody he talked to could sit through 12 Years a Slave.
That tweet about how riveting American Sniper is? The last time that guy called a movie “riveting” he was talking about People Like Us.
He also wrote: “”A timeless masterwork! One of this year’s can’t-miss movies, unlike any other war film you will ever see.”
… but that time he peed his pants he was talking about Jarhead
For a relative unknown or “a famous unknown”, Oyelowo sure has worked with a lot of high-profile people which is one of the reasons I think he could go all the way : looking at that list, industry support seems like a sure thing and if just a few of these ‘names’ throw him a party here and there OR write a well-timed open (love) letter, he will be in great shape to win…worth noting that he is in a highly acclaimed studio film so an expensive (=effective) campaign is a given especially if the film makes (butleresque) money, as well.
Kenneth Branagh (directed him in As You Like It)
Lee Daniels (directed him in The Paperboy and The Butler)
Steven Spielberg (directed him in Lincoln)
Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland and The Butler)
James Franco (Rise of the Planet of the Apes)
Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer (The Help)
Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike (Jack Reacher)
Oprah (The Butler and Selma)
Jessica Chastain (The Help and A Most Violent Year)
Matthew McConaughey (The Paperboy and Interstellar)
Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey (The Paperboy)
He had so many small roles in ‘big’ films alongside big stars, that this big break has been overdue for a while.
LCBASEBALL22
I know! I love his response. People really like to nitpick,and it is not like Interstellar was based on a true story. But you are right, I hope too WB makes a huge push for Interstellar.
And screw the haters; Nolan is absolutely right in his response to these people;
“My films are always held to a weirdly high standard for those issues that isn’t applied to everybody else’s films.”
I’m worried how Selma throws a wrench in to Interstellar’s awards chances, but hoping WB picks up the slack…
I will say that I saw the Selma trailer and I though it looked quite excellent so I’m not surprised that it went over well at the AFI screening. Looking forward to it, along with Unbroken and Into The Woods
“The right-wing propaganda machine that is Fox News, and even some of my liberal brethren are engaged in a long, slow high-tech lynching of our first black president, who has been obstructed, intimidated and treated with unforgivable disrespect, it is clear that King’s dream still requires a long hard fight, even if intolerant white supremacists in the deep south are a dying breed.”
“Early word about test screenings on the internet was mixed. Someone on Facebook incorrectly told me the following, “Selma is not good in any way.” This was a young white man talking. With a film like this, perspective is everything. That’s okay – whatever brings us to the trough is worthy grounds for debate. Still, selling some people on a film like Selma is futile. They are born into privilege.”
“…white-centric viewership has been unified and dismally dominant. How refreshing to sit in the Egyptian amid so many black audience members. At the end, it was no surprise that the poker-faced mostly white media sat there while the rest leaped to their feet to cheer the film they had just seen.”
COMMENT:
You are indulgent. Read those quotes. Absolutely, absolutely unnecessary. Just to let you know, the following quotes above do not make me view you in a positive light. “Wow, Sasha Stone really understands what it means to be disenfranchised! God, there are just some white people that aren’t going to get the film!” I get that some white people aren’t going to get it; it’s a given. I do not know who you are trying to sell this idea to. I have black skin, understand there is a “white establishment” in cinema, etc..
And what the hell is that quote about the high-tech lynching? Guess what: you can criticize Obama’s policies, be a liberal, and not be engaged in this proverbially lynching. You love to toss those words around with the belief you sound liberal and progressive. But you’re not a social commentator; you are a film critic.
And you’re fine – you’re writing on the movie was decent enough – but you sound – i hate to use such a coarse word – a bit annoying in this review. There are white people that are going to get this film – I promise.
So please, don’t delete my comment. I do not do this in a mean spirit. I simply think you can talk about race that isn’t compensatory. White and black are social fictions, not inherent realities. Start acting like it.
Of course you can, and congratulations if you’re a sane Obama critic. But that doesn’t mean every Obama hater is as sane and non-virtuallycyberlynch-minded as you. You can be proud that you’re not part of the virtual lynching and still be aware of the millions of others who are.
Guess what: since Sasha is white and she loves this movie, she probably does not need you to tell her that “all white people are not alike.”
yeesh, if you think any difference between black reality and white reality in America is a “fiction,” then you really are very lucky, aren’t you?
glad you’re ok with that coarse word because “annoying” is the way I feel about much of your criticism. How’s that for equality?
I admit it’s not my favorite but I watched it again and it’s more than deserving of nominations across the board, including Nolan and McC
LCBASEBALL22, McConaughey is in my top five best actor prediction list. I was just afraid to show my admiration about his performance on this site because I figure Interstellar has some haters up in here.
I know Matthew McConaughey just won last year but his Interstellar performance is the best of his career; don’t see how he could be left out of that list RA S…
Ok so, Michael Keaton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne, Steve Carrell, and the final piece of the puzzle, David Oyelowo? Come Oscar nominations announcement there will be a lot of SNUB comments.
Yes Bradford Young is one of the biggest rising talents in cinematography at the moment. I haven’t seen Ain’t Them Bodies Saints yet but I loved what he did with Pariah.
@ TJ
“i think Paromount is about to drop Interstellar.”
But isn’t WB co-distributor? Would they put their clout behind Interstellar if American Sniper fails to make a splash? I mean WB has had a horse in the running for like the last decade haven’t they?
ugh, Marc. SAME! Young’s work on Pariah and Ain’t Them Bodies Saints is top. notch.
Passionate, perceptive stuff, Sasha. Looking forward to seeing it. Bradford Young is my man right now btw. He is one of the best DPs out here right now.
I don’t think Sasha will disregard our opinion if we don’t like Selma because we are white, or white males, or white males born into privilege. I think she disregarded that one commenter saying it wasn’t good in any way possible because it may have been snarky and a premature comment to make, maybe the person didn’t even see it. In my mind every race, ethnicity, background, religious affiliation have been oppressed at some point or another. Nobody is immune to a beat down, even the white privileged males of the world. Our opinions are our own. As long as we don’t say something like, “This story doesn’t deserve to be told” I don’t think Sasha will (hopefully not) jump down our throats for not liking Selma. I expect to be head over heals for it. I remember seeing Middle of Nowhere at Sundance and the entire crowd (white, black, purple) cheered. DuVernay was nothing but a class act and a very humble person. She was just so happy, and reserved, to be there at all. Here’s hoping to a huge contender!
I was enjoying reading the review until it ran into the buzzsaw of theoretical Oscar voters. It shall be interesting to see if it can rise above the other high-profile bio-pics. Oyelowo has found his breakout moment.
Here in Alabama the black kids know this stuff cold. They, or many of them, can recite the speeches and sing the songs. I don’t know but a handful of whites here about whom I could say the same, but a lot of them (not the racist majority) will go see this film if it gets critical praise and awards attention, and that would be great.
But, greater still, this film’s true life will be in church basements and in the living rooms of African American homes for decades to come.
Do you think Carmen Ejogo will receive a Best Supporting Actress nomination? You didn’t even mention her.
Sasha, this was outstanding writing and exceptional analysis! Stating that Ava DuVernay (a female director) has found a muse with David Oyelowo (a male actor) feels like earth-shattering, cinematic progress to me. Movie Bloggers, Critics Groups, and Academy Voters, take note!
Let the games begin…the early Best Actor quintet is already in trouble : we had Redmayne, Cumberbatch, Keaton, Carrell, Spall…it now looks like Oyelowo (IMO the frontrunner right now), Redmayne, Cumberbatch, Keaton and Carrell…one of the latter two could face a RedfordHanks if the Academy decides to nominate Cooper for the third consecutive year…and actually both could be out if Unbroken is a hit and suddenly voters will be reminded that Jack O’Connell has not one, or two, but THREE highly acclaimed lead performance this year (Starred Up, “71)…and those are just the most high-profile contenders, a surprise (Miles Teller, Bill Murray, Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale etc.) is still/always a strong possibility.
great review sasha. really makes me want to see it now after being skeptical, not by the subject matter, but by biopic arthritis. i just dont think there is much that can be done in that framework. but by the sounds of it, this film transcends that. also glad to hear that it looks like a great film, and not just a film about a great man that we are forced to take like medicine.
and the love for ava is deserved man. the fact that she started her own company that puts out work by up and coming black filmakers is incredible/
Once I see this, I hope my opinions on this film aren’t disregarded simply because I’m a white male. Seems a little unfair to disregard any review based on a background opposite to the one of the story or storyteller. A great piece, Sasha, but that one little bit is off-putting.
Despite my background, I expect to love Selma because I love the components of it: Oyelowo, DuVernay and Bradford Young have all produced great work prior to Selma.
Glad to know it is not a bust like The Butler. May it win as many awards as it deserves.
I gotta give it to you, this is a good piece of writing. And, ok, I admit it, you almost put a chill down my spine with that penultimate paragraph.
I just hope Selma delivers for me too, being one of the privileged, white males bred on cynicism and irony, you don’t regard too highly…;)
So glad to finally read a proper review. Last night’s hyperbole delight did nothing for me. I’ve been quietly looking forward to this one since -thanks to Ryan- I was able to watch MIDDLE OF NOWHERE a couple months ago and was mighty impressed by that feature. Then the trailer came and solidified it. I compared the craft exhibited in the brief preview to that one in Z (1968), and I’m glad to confirm I wasn’t at all off the mark. Ava DuVernay joins Linklater and Gonzalez Inarritu with a credible case for a Best Director nomination. The other two slots are still up for grabs.
And from what I’ve been reading, AMERICAN SNIPER is no contender, maybe nominations in the sound categories at most.
This movie is getting flat out Raves. Already has 3 100s on metacritic. i think Paromount is about to drop Interstellar.