- Theatrical Feature: The Artist
- Animated Feature: The Adventures of Tintin
- TV Drama: Boardwalk Empire
- TV Longform: Downton Abbey
- TV Comedy: Modern Family
- TV News: 60 Minutes
- TV Sports: ESPN’s 30 for 30
- TV Variety: The Colbert Report
- TV Documentary: American Masters
- TV Reality: The Amazing Race
- Web Series: 30 Rock Presents
- Documentary Feature: Beats, Rhymes and Life: the Travels of a Tribe Called Quest
Nick: kids don’t like Rango because they don’t understand it and don’t know why it’s supposed to be funny. I did understand it and don’t know why it’s supposed to be funny. Plus it’s too long.
Ryan
I apologise if I offended anyone. I am just getting sick of people using their Harvey-hate as justification to mercilessly bash The Artist. Of course people can have varying opinions on what movie is the best of 2011. The Artist did not even crack my top 5. However, to reduce its success with critics across the globe to a vicious campaign by the monstrous Harvey is a disservice to the talented filmmakers and actors of The Artist.I rest my case.
Deena,
s’ok, we all get frustrated. Would be nice this year if we can all try to focus criticism on movies and not make it personal. Fine to write anything we feel about films and filmmakers. That’s already sensitive and touchy enough. Would rather not see remarks about anyone’s individual maturity, intelligence or taste.
*Except feel free to say anything you want about Newt Gingrich, that hypocritical douche nozzle.
Zooey
Very well said. We get some sense on this thread, finally.
Zooey
I can agree with that…mostly.
@Craig S. well at least it wasn’t a bad year for sequels
@ phantom,
of course the Weinsteins’ tactics are disgusting. Everybody’s tactics are disgusting. Do you think that everybody else plays a fair game?! Come on! I’m tired of the whole let’s-blame-it-all-on-harvey thing. I remember an interview with Matt Damon about his first time as an Oscar nominee and how he was told about how dirty the whole thing is. It is dirty and we can’t do anything about it. These people wanna win. At least this year we can’t feel really bad about a good movie winning. And actually it’s gonna be the first time a French film wins best picture! :)))
That’s Zooey. Some play dirtier than others but for the most part, you’re right. Last year’s tactics were way worse than this year. He hardly has to do anything and the Artist keeps winning.
Oh, and Deena, the way you phrased your ‘opinion’ was offensive, rude and condescending, or at least I don’t recall writing anything that deserved attributes like “pathetically naive”. Just deal with the solid fact that every now and then, people DISAGREE…happens, no biggie…not until you make the kind of big fuss about it you just did.
Finding fault with a film as magnificent as THE ARTIST….well I won’t go there.
I positively adore the film.
Deena
You didn’t answer my simple YESorNO question, and as I have already said it in a previous comment, Cannes-sensations are rarely considered in the Oscar-race for a reason…they are too early and without a name director or serious star power, they tend to fade. Hell, The Tree of Life won Palme d’Or – over The Artist, I might add – HAS star power AND a name director, and it still doesn’t have much traction when it comes to the Oscar-race, so taking all that into account, the infamous Weinstein-push was clearly crucial in this case, where the film IS a Cannes-sensation from a relatively unknown director, starring relatively unknown foreign actors. If you can’t admit that, and think that The Artist would be the strong contender it is regardless of the distributor just because it was a strong Cannes-player, you’re dellusional.
I am not digusted by Weinstein, no need to exaggarate, he backed a lot of films I LOVED, simply his campaigning tactics annoy me – the DOG at the Golden Globes…THE DOG, really ? cheesy/manipulative much ? – but then again, it is HIS job to campaign the fuck out of his films and he is clearly extremely good at it, better than anybody else in the business. But it doesn’t mean I have to like it that it will be probably the third year that a Weinstein-crowdpleaser beats a modern masterpiece (Saving Private Ryan, The Social Network, Hugo). And frankly, I am just as entitled to my opinion as you are, the difference that I am not going after you just because you dare to disagree with me, I don’t have a problem with that, you clearly do…and then you call me a child…oh, the irony!
And for a quick recap, here is my comment and the simple question you conveniently skipped :
So you are honestly saying that ‘The Artist’ – an early Cannes-fave from a relatively unknown foreign director with NO star-power – would be the frontrunner now, IF Harvey wouldn’t have acquired it ?
YES or NO
I really liked the performances – Dujardin could/should win – I liked the ballsy concept (black-and-white silent film in the 21st century), I think the directing was great BUT because I didn’t consider the script great, I can’t consider the film THE best, either. That’s all.
Oh boy. What a dull a predictable season it’s turned out to be. And what an overall lousy year for the movies; there just weren’t any truly GREAT films this year that could at least step up and make a serious run.
@OCO300 I know what you mean, some critics, fans and general audiences have expressed disappointment of the fact that the franchise has not gained any Oscar awards for its efforts, and that’s 100% true.
Sure maybe it’s doesn’t have George Clooney directing, have actors who won an Oscar, maybe it’s not an American film, low budgets, etc. But the movie wasn’t only popular in America and the UK, it was popular all over the nation; it made box office and DVD/Blue Ray records all across the world, and had unversal critical acclaim: having possibly more reviews/votes/and higher grades than film this year on RottenTomatoes, MetaCritic, IMDB, and BFCA; and what did it get for it…sure a few public awards but what respect and recognition the movie got at all those state/city critic award shows….only visual effect stuff awards…for all the hard work it did…even for 10 years hard work and what?
Does everyone including critics think Harry Potter 7.2 should be nominated for Best Picture Oscar? Also for Outstanding British Film at this year’s BAFTA awards.
Even Slumdog and The King’s Speech made the vast majority of their money leading up to the Oscar race. Not after.
The Artist has 4 weeks till that time and it’s expansions are not performing well. It has made the same amount of money as My Week with Marilyn has in the same amount of time in less theaters. Not to mention less buzz and worse WOM.
The Artist just isn’t catching on. It’s greatest hope now would be to catch up to Hugo (even that may not happen).
Like I said, I don’t think this affects the Oscar race (Hurt Locker proved the Academy would vote for a film that didn’t make much money), but to call The Artist a cultural phenomenon is false. It has and likely will end up being seen by fewer people in the U.S. than any other best picture contender this year.
The Descendants is expanding next weekend to 900 theaters. It will probably outgross The Artist that weekend as well despite having fewer nominations from the Academy (a very likely scenario). The Artist will not end up being the box office success story everyone thought it would be.
@PaulH the anouncement of the Razzie-nominees has been delayed to February 25th…. with the actual show taking place on April 1st…..
razzies.com/history/32nd-Schedule-Announcement-1.asp
Best picture of the year The Artist nooo please GOD PLEASE ACADEMY NOO NOO 😀
Also where is The Help??
The Artist is not very good. Where is Hugo where is War Horse? hopeless and interesting.
Oh, and Rango is a really cool film that I truly liked but as a fan of Hergé and as someone that has the entire collection of Tintin’s comic books, all I can say is FUCK YEAH!! 😀
You still deserve a spank for War Horse, Stevie boy 🙁
I put apostrophes into two words wherein they had not purpose. Excuse me while i go and slit my wrists in shame…
The Artist is not a bomb.
It’s international performance has been excellent.
It’s limited performance was excellent.
It will likely do better after Oscar nominations are announced.
Its performance this weekend looks to be very disappointing indeed, but it’s one small thorn in the side of what remains our clear frontrunner.
The State of the Race: Ooops! I Did it Again *insert Photoshopped pic of Britney Spears with Weinstein’s face*
__
So, another dull Oscar race I won’t care for. Wake me up only if The Artist doesn’t win the DGA and SAG, please.
*claps for Tintin* Well deserved. Best time I’ve had in a theater all year. The entire audience enjoyed it, and there were a few set pieces that left me breathless. Far better than War Horse.
The Artist is not a bomb yet. It will have very good holds in the coming weeks, just like The King’s Speech. It probably won’t make over $100 million, but it’ll do fine.
The Descendants gets another major expansion next weekend, so it will do well, too.
Ben, The Artist hasn’t even started it’s real box office run. It’s going wide after the Oscar nominations are announced.
Just barely getting started
“After it’s 2.4 mill weekend (where it is behind The Descendants which is playing in less theaters and has been in release for much longer), I think it’s time to admit it.”
But… but The Artist will easily make 70-80M worldwide. I’m expecting over 100 million. So, why call it a bomb?