Other than Martin Scorsese’s win for Best Director and The Descendants win for Best Picture Drama, the Golden Globes were dominated by Weinstein backed films — it’s beginning to look a lot like last year.
Picture/Comedy – The Artist – Weinstein Co.
Actor/Comedy – Jean DuJardin – Weinstein Co.
Actress/Comedy – Michelle Williams – Weinstein Co.
Best Actress/Drama – Meryl Streep – Weinstein Co.
Best Song – Madonna – Weinstein Co.
Score – The Artist – Weinstein Co.
Best Screenplay – Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris, Sony Pics Classics
Best Director – Martin Scorsese/Paramount
Best Picture/Drama – The Descendants – Fox Searchlight
Best Actor/Drama – George Clooney – Fox Searchlight
Supporting Actor – Christopher Plummer, Beginners – Focus
Supporting Actress – Octavia Spencer, The Help, Dreamworks
Animation – TinTin – Dreamworks
From here, it’s hard to imagine any film having the momentum to beat The Artist. The only two films that are close are The Descendants and Hugo – Hugo has Scorsese winning for Director. The Descendants has George Clooney as the strong leading actor contender, with Alexander Payne, a beloved unrewarded American director. Both Paramount and Fox Searchlight are going to push their films hard. But no one is a better Oscar/Globe whisperer than Harvey Weinstein and the Team Weinstein co. They are great at finding films that can win awards because they’re great at knowing what kinds of films DO win awards.
When Weinstein Co. picked up The Artist in Cannes they knew they had something really special — it was the kind of movie you can sit almost anyone down in front of it and they will like it/get it/love it. It’s the only one, in fact, that doesn’t have any haters. The only haters the movie has are people who are bored by it winning everything. It has a built-in Oscar story: silent black and white French movie winning Best Picture? And it’s one that charms the pants off of everyone.
The Artist will always be that movie that makes people smile when they think about it. Is that enough to drive a sweep? Absolutely. Does that make it the best film of 2011? That will be a matter of opinion. In my opinion it isn’t the best film of the year. But when you’re talking about award wins, you’re talking about the common denominator. This is why the Best Picture winners are almost always the most vanilla of the bunch. That is also why it’s dangerous to take the film awards race seriously when it comes to deciding what is good and what isn’t, what will last and what won’t. When 6,000 Oscar voters vote and pick a movie to win you can’t really expect that individual choices are going to be honored. The consensus wins the day.
As expected, Meryl Streep’s 5th win for Actress at the Globes even made Streep feel uncomfortable. When she said, “Viola, you’re my girl,” it was obvious her own support was with Davis. They love her at the HFPA. No doubt she gave a wonderful performance as Margaret Thatcher. Davis’ performance is the best of her career. A role like that for a black actress doesn’t come around very often. Streep herself made the plea to Hollywood to come up with a great script for Davis. They did just that. It must feel strange to Streep, then, that her main competition is Davis. Except for the fact that Streep is almost always in the hunt now. She is offered the best parts because she’s Meryl Streep. Davis might get offered better parts as the result of this year, but she will really soar if she wins.
The Best Actress race will likely be decided by the Screen Actors Guild. When Halle Berry was up for the award, she lost the Globe but then won the SAG and then won the Oscar. She was the last black actress to win the Globe and the first and only to win the lead Best Actress Oscar. It is unacceptable that only one black actress has won in that category. Anyone who can sleep at night with that stat, more power to you. It is easier in 2012 to win the Presidential election if you’re black than to win the Best Actress Oscar.
Bringing up race and racism is a double edged sword. You will say, well look at the performances. That’s all that matters. Meryl Streep gave the better performance so she should win the Oscar. Viola Davis’ role could be considered supporting by some so she shouldn’t win the Oscar. You can look at it that matter-of-factly. When I look at it, I see how rare of a situation this is. It’s nearly impossible for a film about black characters to be a strong best picture contender. Nearly impossible to get the films made at all.
When Meryl Streep started naming other actresses in contention that weren’t in the hunt for Best Actress it was her way of saying how great everyone is and that we shouldn’t have to pick a winner. But we DO have to pick a winner, Blanch, WE DO. And 99% of the time, that winner is a white actress. You have to start talking about why it’s so hard to fund, produce, promote films about black characters. Sure, Precious did extremely well when it was in the running. The DGA nominated its first ever black director with Lee Daniels. Geoffrey Fletcher became the first black screenwriter to ever win the Oscar. Was Precious better than Up in the Air? You’re damned right it was. It was just a given that Up in the Air would win. That’s how the awards race rolls. That’s how Hollywood rolls. There are patterns that are deeply ingrained and it takes some effort and some awareness to change things.
The Globes actually have a better record than the Oscars, as Whoopi Goldberg and Angela Bassett both won before losing the Oscar ultimately to white actresses (of course). So why should Meryl Streep have to pay the price for 84 years of racism in Hollywood? She shouldn’t. And indeed, if voters feel that they must reward Streep her third Oscar and deny Davis her first, so be it. But there is no reason to shut up about it. As we learned from last year, it doesn’t matter how much we try to convince voters to vote for a film — in the end they’re still going to listen to Harvey Weinstein — er, I mean, vote with their hearts.
I don’t understand how an movie awards website can say who is the best actress or who gave the best performance with so property. And the person doesn’t agree with them is accused about racism, that isn’t right and arbitrary. Really I don’t comprehend the editors of this page.
And always talk about racism when an African-American not win a prize is demagogic, reductionist, and not objective.
Meryl Streep is not racism and her fans either so, Why do keep always with the same? The personal prefer can not dominate an editor.
The cover photo of Meryl & Viola illustrates that Viola would be better suited to follow the footsteps of her Doubt co-star.
Meryl: nominated Supporting for The Deer Hunter, win/Supporting for Kramer vs. Kramer…nominated Lead for The French Lt’s Woman…win/Lead for watershead Spohie’s Choice—13 nominations around the corner.
Viola: nominated Supporting for Doubt…should be nominated for Supporting and should win Supporting for The Help…nominated lead for something…win/Lead for pinnacle role in something…
Is it the producers for The Help and/or Viola who jockey for Lead? I know that voting members have the brains to vote each performance in the catergory that they deem fit. I think Meryl’s career would’ve been different if the KvsK producers (or is it she herself) that would’ve optioned for a Lead nomination for her in this film. Knowing that there was no way that they’d topple the Sally Field/Norma Rae performance, Meryl’s Supporting win upped her for better roles.
So it is a lack of a clear winner in the Lead Actress field this year, the strategy to not divide votes for Viola/Octavia in Supporting or…’historical factors’ that jumps this performance into the lead?
I’d much happier seeing Ms. Davis win in the right category. Winning Lead so earlier will only place in her Meryl’s second career phase. She’ll continue to be nominated…for greater performances and roles…but the voters will think ‘Oh, she already has one for The Help…though she gives a powerhouse performance in ( )…she’s up against Glenn Close/Anette Bening/Julianne Moore/Joan Allen/Sigourey…fill in the blank who’s turn it is for recognition for a weaker role, but ‘it’s their turn and we’ll remember Viola 28 years from now for this displacement.’
Thanks, Ryan! IMHO, I actually do recognize where you’re coming from on the unnecessary flinging around of “racist.” I do agree with other comments that “racist” doesn’t hold the same power or history as “n****r,” “f****t,” or other hateful words. However, people CAN attempt to barb another with that word INTENDING it to have the same power as infamous words of hate.
When it comes to issues like Bigelow winning for Best Director or non-whites winning Oscars in any category, it’s never about “race” or “discrimination” for me. It’s always about the amazing feat of a fickle, flippant voting community demonstrating why the Academy is indelible to history and so relevant to our present — the act of transcending human barriers to acknowledge and fete greatness in film.
n*gger ≠ f*ggot
f*ggot ≠ r*cist
r*cist ≠ n*gger
Never said these words were equivalent. Never said they have the same power and history.
I said to me one sounds as hateful and inflammatory as the other. Warned that anybody using those words to attack someone else in the comments is risking a ban.
House Rules about n*gger & f*ggot were clear.
I wanted to make our position on racist clear too.
Never did I say racists don’t exist. Only saying that anybody who calls me, Sasha or another reader a racist is outta here.
If u say meryl is overdue, that’s the same as saying a black actress is overdue
Last correction: Let me spell that highfalutin’ term correctly. “Annus mirabilis.”
Correction: 2011 was actually the annus mirabilus for Blacks in film. 2012? Let’s cross our fingers 😉
Fixed, Jeff N.
and by the way:
BravoBravissimo.Gotta say that I really do agree with Sasha’s POV on the Davis vs. Streep battle royale. For the record, I believe that ANY award that Meryl wins is highly deserved. She’s arguably our best living actress, and if Oscar voters deem now the time to reward her with Statuette #3, so be it. I’ll be happy 🙂 But I personally believe 2012 NOT to be Streep’s time. Her performance was perfect, yawn, brilliant, yawn, amazing. Yawn meaning “unsurprising.” TIL as a film, however? GOD-Awful. Almost War Horse bad 😉
If Meryl is truly serious about seizing another Oscar, she has to return to her cinematic career’s roots: working with the best directors around on creating the best films. Period. Meryl doing her thing in a stunning film, brilliantly directed by Aranofskyn/Ramsay/Bigelow/Spielberg/Campion/McQueen/Scorsese/insert-great-director-here? UN-MOTHER-EFFIN-STOPPABLE.
Davis doesn’t just make good on a rare stab at a fully-fleshed Black character this year. She resoundingly capitalizes on it. Her work in this film is as technically flawless as Streep. Yet Davis one-ups Meryl in the depth of vulnerability and window-to-the-soul transparency of heart with which she imbues Abilene. Sasha is correct, just as EVERY awards nominating committee has been this year, in locating Viola’s work in the LEAD category. It ain’t no fraud, people. It’s recognition of a personage’s power. They did it for Brando, and they can do it for Davis.
My take on the whole race thing? YES, it is a HUGELY IMPORTANT DEAL that Oscar has the opportunity this year to celebrate an amazingly talented actress who, because of Hollywood’s denigration of her race, will not likely offer her a Streep-sized bounty of opportunities to similarly delve into a role. 2011 was something of an Annus mirabilis for Blacks in film. Davis, Spencer, Oduye, McQueen and so forth. Many whites out there will not be able to understand just how brilliant this is for a minority community.
I am a member of this minority community. Let it be known that we do NOT view an Oscar for Viola as an unmerited charity handout. We would perceive it as an overdue recognition that awards-worthy artistic excellence takes place in every guise of humanity — not just white folk, but black folk too. Opportunities to reiterate and celebrate this human truth do come more frequently than Haley’s comet. Yet nevertheless, these opportunities, like that comet, are blazes of artful majesty that deserve a look skyward.
Many will disagree with this POV. Many will disagree with Sasha Stone. For the record: I don’t care. I’ll continue to pray for the event that will silence the haters and let it be known that, in a world of a Black president, the world’s stronghold for excellence in film (society’s most potent art form) — the Academy — excellence knows no color: Viola Davis scooping up that Oscar. Let it come to pass.
Meryl Streep does a better performance than Viola, Rooney, Glenn, Michelle, Elizabeth Olsen and many others. Streep for me is the best more than sensibility but for the power, for the conviction, for her attitude, for everything because all Viola can to do Meryl does better.
Robert A.: nice, thanks.
Meryl Streep is going to win SAG. Probability 76%.
I’m not going to call anyone a racist in this thread, but I will say that white people defensively reacting to being called a racist and comparing it to any racial slur is stunningly tone-deaf to the reality of what racism is and how it plays out in America. Being called a racist is in no way comparable to being called a racial slur.
The experience of someone misinterpreting your words and calling you a racist and being targeted for vitriol and abuse because of the color of your skin are so completely different. It is frankly insulting to those people who have been the victims of racism to compare as such.
No racist has ever been dragged screaming down a city street by a truck because of their racism.
Also, racism is NOT simply Klan-members burning crosses. It’s a system of privilege that most white people in this country are blind to. The reduction that many in the white community have had that racist = Klan is so counterproductive to stopping racism in this country. Most white people have some racist attitudes or behaviors, even if they can’t see them themselves. As a white person myself, I am positive of this.
Also, sorry, white people — minorities are actually much better equipped to know when something racist is being said or done, just like women are better at being able to suss out sexism.
With that said, I’m not calling anyone a racist, so don’t fucking ban me or anything.
brendon, point taken. however:
Unless you think Sasha and I have exhibited any such attitudes or behavior then you’re wanking around the point I’m making; namely: don’t call us racist.
then listen up. I’m telling you in no uncertain terms. I feel the same way being called a racist as I would feel being called a fag. It’s a word; it’s not a lynching. But it’s hateful, it’s hurtful and it’s Not Allowed by the very same standards, ok?
We were being “targeted for vitrol and abuse” — sneering verbal vitriol and abuse — which is absolutely consistent with how people feel if they’re called n*gger or fag. I’m telling you. I felt it.
Thank you for the response, Sasha. A very respectable argument. I agree with you that it’s not Streep’s greatest performance. I think one could, however argue top five. Maybe top six or seven for me. But I don’ think it has to be Sophie’s Choice to be considered. I also agree that “impersonation” does not guarantee a great performance. But a great impersonation with emotion and complexity (as did Williams this year) certainly can be. Matching someone’s speech and mannerisms is difficult and it IS part of acting when playing someone who has lived. I could just as easily argue that it’s easier to play someone who has never really existed, because for all we know, that’s how the actor may truly be! At least with Iron Lady or My Week with Marilyn we have a reference. Is that the only way to give the best performance? Of course not. But this year, it may well be the case.
I think it’s hard to give Margaret Thatcher much soul :). I think Viola Davis will probably win the Oscar, but not because of the reasons you mentioned. I think she will win because of the emotional vote. I guess it’s because I personally didnt think The Help was a very good movie, and it is getting so much love from all the Guilds and awards so far, that it’s kind of surprising to see Viola Davis reaping the reward. I thought Michelle would emerge the favorite this year. Maybe it’s just me. I think Meryl Streep is amazing in the Iron Lady, and Viola Davis is Amazing in The Help…But crazy me, I thought The Tree of Life was the best film of the year.
In my case, I do not want Davis to win because she is black and because she is not good. She is a great actress but this is not her best (she deserved it more for “Doubt” than for “The Help”). For me, Jamie Foxx was a deserving winner, and I yelled when Denzel Washington won and I had preferred to see Whoopie Goldberg winning for “The Color Purple”. It is just that, for me, this year there are other actresses much more convincing than her. I have to accept that although I would like to see Meryl Streep winning a second Oscar, her movie is not very good. This year is difficult in the best actress race but I rather see Swinton, Williams, Close or Rooney taking the Oscar.
Sasha,
By the way, my last comment was for you. I didn’t put your name on it. And I want to be clear that I am not picking on you, or saying you are wrong. I’m just curious how you can justify the whole emotional thing? I love Viola Davis in the help, too. I also love Meryl Streep in Iron Lady. It is possible to say that whoever wins it might be a personal preference and not a dig at someone else’s acting ability.
Doesn’t it seem that you are making the same argument you fought against last year with The King’s Speech? You said it was the emotional vote that won people over. Isn’t that what you’re doing with Viola Davis? Maybe you underestimated the power of emotion? I agree that The Social Network was a better film, it was better on a technical level. However, I felt more during the King’s speech. Ask anyone who studies the craft of acting, what Meryl Streep did in The Iron Lady is light years away from impersonation, yet I felt more for Viola Davis too. I felt more for the dog in the Artist, does that mean it was a better performance? Just think you should think about the whole emotional voting thing.
I’m sorry Patrick but I don’t agree. Sloppy and all over the place versus near perfect. No, performance-wise, Davis is more akin to Social Network. It’s hard not to be in awe of Meryl Streep. But this time through, perhaps because the movie nor the actress choose a political stance, it looked more like all skill and no soul. The same cannot be said of Social Network, though many tried to say that. Davis is anything but emotional only – if anything, it’s when she holds back, the slow burn, where her true power in this performance lies.She has two key scenes where the emotion bursts through but much of it is her rendering of a woman who must live two lives – one as herself and one as the shadowy maid figure. I don’t know how anyone would not choose Davis on both the performance and on the emotional truth there. It baffles me that anyone would write Davis off. And so many people are – it’s the most bizarre thing.
Unfortunately an obvious cop out, Sasha. Because Meryl Streep happens to be my favorite actress does not mean I’m witless and incapable of objectivity. If you deigned to read anything on my blog you’d realize that I don’t automatically think her work is always superior like so many sheep-like “Streepers.” I would’ve voted over Meryl for Oscar in 2009, 2007, 2000, 1999 for example. Doesn’t mean i can’t still thoroughly enjoy her body of work.
It’s disappointing that your comment was the best response you chose to offer. Me having a blog as a hobby about Streep doesn’t make what I wrote in my first post any less true. I have zero problem with someone disagreeing with me. I do take issue with opinions being dismissed. Such a response doesn’t make ME seem unwilling to be objective.
@Jeff, then let’s use your objectivity now. Is this Meryl Streep’s best performance? No. Is it even in the top five? No. Is it the best female performance of 2011? No. Tilda Swinton, Olivia Coleman and yes, Viola Davis are all better. Most of us don’t yet have the context to appreciate a performance like Davis’ because we are too stuck in the patterns of what defines great acting. Doing an impersonation, however complex and interesting, does not necessarily a great performance make. Streep’s Thatcher was all over the place. I felt nothing for her. I can admire the skill involved in pulling something like that off – but missing was the soul she brought to Julia Child, or hell, even the woman she played in It’s Complicated. What you and the Streep brigade don’t realize about me is that I have been a lifelong Meryl Streep FANATIC. When I wanted to be an actress, Streep was the reason why. Those years are long gone. I was genuinely more moved by Viola’s performance than Streep’s. Or Williams’. The only one who comes close for me is Swinton. So there.
I Think that always talk ’bout racism when an african-american actress not win an award is silly. Because the art is subjective and some ones liked Viola Davis performance but many others prefer Meryl Streep performance, so is better try only about art and critics from the performance than other things isn’t relevant for enjoy an acting…Must I feel as a racism to prefer Meryl Streep work?
Talking about racism right now is little right because predisposes to the public and the jury of Academy to vote for the character who generates less social questions.
Poor Streep, she shall lose again because it’s necessary pay one debt and not voting for which is the best performance or that people believes which is the best performance.
[Sorry Tom, editing your post – no need to start with silly attacks]
Really, Sasha? Your boo-hooing for Viola Davis is a bit much. It would be one thing to chastise Weinstein’s Globes puppeteering if Davis’s performance were out of this world. It’s not. It’s a very good supporting role for that film, in much the way Spencer’s and Chastain’s are. Williams and Streep without question give superior performances.
I’m about as left as one can get and am a proponent of affirmative action, but for movie awards? Movies awards? Certainly for educational and employment opportunities, but I’m not convinced of its need for implementation in Hollywood. Next you’ll want to start a charity to save the rich. I would LOVE if we saw more strong lead roles for African American women. But enough with the category fraud. Not this year. All this said, I’d be shocked if Davis doesn’t win the Oscar.
@Jeff, hard to take anyone seriously who runs the website wordonthestreep.com – nice try. But um, yeah.
ur not the only one, and the includes OCO300
Am I the only one still hoping that somehow, Harry Potter gets a BP nod next Tuesday?
Nothing gets fouler than people trying to mix oscar with the color agenda just to support his or her favor. When you are desperate for someone to win, you become the kind of person you hate to see. I’ll be happy to see either one of the two to win. The loser i guess is the one that is trapped in this frenzy (every year).
@the Dude
Your list is appalling in its brevity but I do appreciate the retort.
“actually the whole movie is the invention of Woolf’s mind and may be watched as that.
whoa, let’s not get carried away.
Virginia Woolf, sci-fi author. She “invented” cell phones, TV, and somehow created AIDS?
(thanks a lot, Virginia Woolf. I’m officially afraid of you now.)”
Well, not literally “Woolf’s mind” but it’s quite obvious (isn’t it?) that “The Hours” of Cunningham is the re-writing (to use postmodern term) of “Mrs. Dalloway”.
But whatever. Still Davis in “The Help” is less “leading” than Kidman in “The Hours”.
All this brittleness of Meryl vs. Viola vs. Michelle just makes me hope for a Tilda Swinton upset, and in my dreamworld she runs onstage and tells everyone to suck it, losers.
And it wouldn’t be a bad win in the slightest since I consider her to give the most riveting screen performance of the year. We Need to Talk About Kevin has been sorely overlooked in other categories outside of Best Actress (picture, director, supporting actor, adapted screenplay, score, and editing, if I’m being honest). Maybe Tilda can win BAFTA?
“What I saw last night was parity, parity, parity. How often has the globes given screenplay, director, and the two picture awards to FOUR different films? I think maybe never?”
Actually, this is not as uncommon as people think. Going back only as far as the 2000 movie year, it’s happened at least four other times.
2000: BP Drama: Gladiator. BP Comedy/Musical: Almost Famous. Best Director: Ang Lee, CTHD. Best Screenplay: Traffic.
2002: BP Drama: The Hours. BP Comedy/Musical: Chicago. Best Director: Martin Scorcese, Gangs of NY. Best Screenplay: About Schmidt.
2006: BP Drama: Babel. BP Comedy/Musical: Dreamgirls. Best Director: Martin Scorcese, The Departed. Best Screenplay: The Queen.
2007: BP Drama: Atonement. BP Comedy/Musical: Sweeney Todd. Best Director: Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Best Screenplay, No Country for Old Men.
Ryan,
You are right: My comment went too far. I apologize to Sasha for conflating her with overt racism. Ryan, since you are her friend I can understand why you would find such an invective extremely offensive. My choice of words were inappropriate. Now, let me attenuate this backlash by articulating the following: What I meant when I expressed my disdain to Sasha’s commentary was simply that by people continuously bringing up racism, I feel we are only inadvertantly further encouraging and exacerbating such actions. I detest racism, and I get tired of liberals constantly bringing up the issue. While there is no question that people like Sasha are well intentioned, I just think there are more constructive ways to heal racial tensions. Talking about this issue too much only contributes to the problem, because it does not allow blacks to move on and be treated like equals. I am not saying we should ignore racism. Racism is a real problem, indeed. Rather, I feel that we only make it worse when we bring it up so often. But again, I want to formally apologize to Sasha. I was WAY out of line with what I articulated, and she deserves better. I have been a loyal reader of this Web site for five years, and I do respect her.
Daniel,
Thanks very much.
We don’t agree, but that’s ok.
It’s not your opinion that made me bristle, it was only that inflammatory word.
If I had been paying closer attention last night I could’ve made my feelings about that word clear sooner and saved you all that wrath. I came down pretty hard, I know, and tonight regret some of my own wording too.
I really appreciate that you took time to rephrase. I’ve gone back to rephrase some of the harsher parts of what I wrote earlier.
Tom you might try reading the rest of the thread. You might try reading a textbook on how to read, actually. (If English isn’t your first language, I apologize.)
The Dude: an abide-worthy point. However, you may not realize you’ve made my larger point for me. Japan’s film industry culture, much like many of its industries, is extremely master-apprentice-oriented. Young women have virtually zero chance to break through, and even young men are highly unlikely to get to apprentice status without the right social standing. Absolutely, Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, and Ozu are geniuses. Who knows how many more would have reached their heights without Japan’s highly patriarchal, class-stratified society.
“I was annoyed by her (Meryl’s) speech at the Globes.”
Ditto.
Another thing worthy of mention is that Davis will be nominated alongside several of her fellow cast members. Streep will probably be the only nominee for The Iron Lady. Because of this, Streep has a distinct advantage because she will not be overshadowed by other parts (i.e. actors) of her film.
I admire Meryl Streep and her brilliant work and she has never disappointed. But I was annoyed by her speech at the Globes. It was apologetic and why should it have been? I understand the bigger question of race and opportunity and standing in Hollywood, but her performance is staggeringly good and deserves reward. Dulled by constant attention I can see she wants to shift or share the focus, but any performance is a sum of its parts – the director and the writer sit with their work for years before it gets anywhere near shooting for starters. She mentioned them, yes, but all too briefly and this “I felt it should have gone to Viola” guilt schtick undervalued her own work and the work of many other people on The Iron Lady. I know it wasn’t her intention, but it bordered on condescending to me. Viola Davis’s work stands on its own, win or lose. As does Meryl’s. Both are brilliant and the actresses should own it as such without apology.
Does every time an African- american actrees not win an award will say racism? That is not objective. Nicole Kidman deserved the Oscar more than Halle Berry, and Cate Blanchett o Rinko Kikuchi more than Jennifer Hudson, and Tom Wilkinson more than Denzel Washington, and Meryl Streep more than Viola Davis. Both are wonderful performers but an objective person might separate the life of character and how the actress develops and Streep does better than Davis, Mara, Williams, Close, Wiig, Theron, Olsen, Dunst. Just Tilda Swinton and Olivia Colman could be the best work of 2011…But who think about them? Surely because they don’t part of a minority, but think award just for debt is more racism still, and racism also for white people.
Interesting question, perhaps? As this Viola Davis vs. Meryl Streep conversation turns more contentious in the weeks ahead, who benefits from the split vote?
“Was Precious better than Up in the Air? You’re damned right it was.”
Yikes. I don’t think so. (Not siding with Daniel, even though he thinks the same thing.)
Up in the Air was much better than Precious in my opinion, or, if it wasn’t, it was AT LEAST very close. I’m not sure where the “you’re damned right it was” is coming from.
Sorry Sasha, i respect you and your site, but i do think that this article is a misfire.
Can someone please explain to me what overdue means? Streep gives the same performance every year but in different variations. I don’t think any actress in Hollywood is overdue if the academy thinks someone gave a better performance than you will so be it, this is why they have the nominations so they can honor the actors they think gave the best performances if that’s the case what’s the point of nominations when they can just announce the winners. I think Streep gave a great performance this year but I also think every actress this year gave a great performance. Some years I think she shouldn’t be nominated but her name alone gives her a nomination. Come Oscar time Davis will accept her Oscar and then will thank Streep
“She (Viola Davis) may never get a chance like this again in her career…”
Really? Whether she wins for this role or not, many directors will be coming to her and begging her to star in their films. As long as this happens, she might be considered overdue and COULD win for something later in her career. Hell, she end up winning for something that is legitimately a lead actress performance (w/o any of this category fraud nonsense) instead of for The Help.
“.
Here’s my question to the watch list: who is a cinematic genius? I mean, does anyone get that title? Spielberg, maybe? Clint Eastwood? Scorsese? Now, has any non-white-male ever earned that title?”
Huh…Akira Kurosawa, anyone? Yasujiro Ozu? Kenji Mizoguchi?
If it was up to me Ms. Swinton would take home the trophy… her performance in We Should Talk About Kevin is much, much better than Streep’s and Davis’ combined. But that’s just me.
It still baffles me how a small black and white silent movie from France can be the frontrunner. Its not just Weinstein’s marketing tho, he knows how to pick good films and give them a leg up. He did that with The Piano, for example, and that was most deserving. It may not have won what it did without him, and that would have been a travesty.
RLS, thats the same argument that has denied Streep her third Oscar time and after time. IMO, unlike her last few nominations, Streep actually gives the best performance of the year. She deserves the Oscar. This time.
Make no mistake, Harvey Weinstein is a juggernaut with power and influence that simply can not be ignored. I can acknowledge that.
I also understand that part of the role of an Oscar blogger is to identify trends and frame the race with a ‘narrative’ of sorts as things progress and unfold. Sasha, of course, does this better than anyone, which is largely the reason that AwardsDaily is one of my ‘most-visited’ sites!
Despite all of this…I think that 4 out of 6 of the awards won last evening by ‘Weinstein Co.’ were deserving…and would have (should have!) won regardless of which studio was backing them. Madonna and Streep DEFINITELY benefited from Harvey’s push….no doubt about it! Yes…I understand that if “The Artist” had a lesser studio behind it, we perhaps wouldn’t have heard as much about it. I can concede that, but “The Artist” has been huge since Cannes in May–not sure that the Golden Globe victories over films like “Midnight in Paris” (Picture) or “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (score) had much to do with Weinstein.
If anything, I think the narrative that comes out of last night is that there still seem to be three films at the top (The Descendants, Hugo, The Artist) and even the critics group that drops their awards with the most pomp can not come to anything resembling a consensus regarding which is to be crowned ‘Best’! It’s a testament to the kind of year we’ve had in film…I think. There are many worthy winners.
It may be harder to win my Oscar pool so convincingly this year, but I’m enjoying the uncertainty.
I guess only time will tell if Weinstein weasels his way to another Best Pic Oscar.
“Can someone please remember when an Aboriginal person (“American Indian”) was even close to being in contention for an Oscar”
Adam Beach came withi a whisker for Flags of our Fathers, and Chief Dan George (Little Big Man) was nominated, but inexplicably beaten by John Mills (Ryan’s Daughter) in 1970. And Graham Greene for Dances with Wolves had a nom, as well.
I think the Meryl vs. Viola thing comes down to this: we all KNOW there will be another opportunity to award Meryl. We all KNOW she gets the best scripts for women of her age and that she will continue to do award worthy work for probably the next 20 years.
Do we know this of Viola? Do we know when the next award worthy role in an award worthy movie is going to come for Viola Davis, a black actress in her 50’s?
I’m not a huge fan of The Help. It’s filled to the brim with superb performances but is at its essence a toothless and Disneyfied version of race relations in the 60’s south that misses every single opportunity to say anything that we haven’t heard before.
That said, Viola is magnificent. Magnificent. I wished the character had a bit more bite, but she was still superb. She may never get a chance like this again in her career so I damn sure want her to win on Oscar night.
As far as Meryl, we ALL know she is great, but Iron Lady seems reductive and after seeing Mamma Mia and reading some of the IL reviews I’m fairly certain that Phyllida Lloyd is the hackiest of hacks, and Meryl deserves to win her long overdue 3rd Oscar for a stronger film.
Asians are certainly low on the food chain, but not at the bottom. Can someone please remember when an Aboriginal person (“American Indian”) was even close to being in contention for an Oscar, forget being nominated (maybe Q’orinka Kilcher for The New World. Maybe).
The irony is that some of the most angry people here haven’t seen all the performances.
For the sake of harmony, cool down, take a quiet moment.
Then, when the films arrives at a cinema near you, watch all the nominated performances, savor their craft, savor the wealth of diversity. Find the positive in all of them. No matter who wins, celebrate.
That’s enjoying film, and enjoying film awards season.
“Viola Davis is supporting in THE HELP
Uh……nope. She narrates the film – it’s told from first person – it begins and ends with her. She is lead. But even if you want to take that argument – Marlon Brando in The Godfather, Nicole Kidman in The Hours. And I rest my case. Oh but they were white so maybe that doesn’t count?”
Bad examples. Brando was a title character so he was lead. Kidman was the inventor of the movie’s world (she wrote “Mrs. Dalloway” which was read by Moore [and made her change her live] and Streep lived the life of Dalloway [as we all who read THE HOURS and MRS DALLOWAY know) because she WAS Dalloway of her time). Davis is the narrator of the movie – that’s true – but that’s not important at all. She is not the participant of the parts of the movie that happens (for example) in Chastain’s mansion or in Emma Stone’s private life. It is not true that we watch the whole movie from Davis’ point of view. Differently is with THE HOURS – actually the whole movie is the invention of Woolf’s mind and may be watched as that. Davis is supporting – plain and simple.
actually the whole movie is the invention of Woolf’s mind and may be watched as that.
whoa, let’s not get carried away.
Virginia Woolf, sci-fi author. She “invented” cell phones, TV, and somehow created AIDS?
(thanks a lot, Virginia Woolf. I’m officially afraid of you now.)
Brandz,
Because I usually agree with you on “everything Streep” … you might want to see the latest blog I entered on the film experience blog… would like to know whether you agree or not.
Ugh as someone who didn’t like The Help and hated Iron Lady and much preferred Meek’s Cutoff to Marilyn, I rather agree with julian the emperor. Tilda Swinton is probably most deserving.
Though Viola Davis’s win shouldn’t be based on the fact that she’s black, it saddens me to think she isn’t not likely to have other Oscar chances any time soon (if not ever) as good as this year. I think it’s more at the industry level that this much-fewer-good-roles-go-to-black-actors/actresses situation should be solved than in the awards race.
As much as I don’t think Davis should win solely because she’s black, I call the Streep-is-overdue sentiment bullshit.
And to some of you Meryl fans who call Sasha a racist you guys really owe her an apology, even though I don’t entirely agree with her article.
Also, whoever said poor Asians, FTW. An Asian myself, god there’s almost no Asian presence in Hollywood. Speaking of which, please someone give Sandra Oh a great lead role.
I would like to address one comment made by Ryan Adams:
Bottom line: There are never 5 comedies or musicals worth nominating.
Come on, really? I can think of so many great comedies from each year that actually don’t get nominated and are completely overlooked. I agree that the Globes are, shall we say, confused in their category placements each year, but just because movies like The Trip, The Guard, Win Win and Cedar Rapids didn’t get recognized doesn’t mean that there weren’t 5 worth nominating. Add those in with Bridesmaids, Midnight In Paris, The Artist, 50/50 and Young Adult and you’ve got 9 from last year right there to choose from.
Go back to 2010, and you’ve got these:
The Kids Are All Right
Please Give
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Four Lions
Cyrus
Get Low
Easy A
2009:
Adventureland
In The Loop
Black Dynamite
The Brothers Bloom
Funny People
(500) Days Of Summer
The Hangover
Julie & Julia
Whatever Works
Zombieland
Big Fan
2008:
In Bruges
Pineapple Express
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Tropic Thunder
Hamlet 2
The Foot Fist Way
Role Models
Step Brothers
The Wackness
And on and on and on.
There isn’t really much more to say that hasn’t been said already, but I think Midnight in Paris is close to a lock to win the original screenplay award. Hopefully Woody will show up THEN.
I also watched Moneyball again a couple of days ago and I’m appalled that Bennett Miller isn’t gaining any traction for his amazing directing. Does anyone agree?
Best Actress is still Williams vs. Davis vs. Streep.
Best Actor will probably be Clooney.
Surprise contender will probably be the dog from The Artist.
“From here, it’s hard to imagine any film having the momentum to beat The Artist. The only two films that are close are The Descendants and Hugo – Hugo has Scorsese winning for Director. The Descendants has George Clooney as the strong leading actor contender, with Alexander Payne, a beloved unrewarded American director.”
I pretty much agree here, Sasha. I suppose the Academy could go for The Artist for best pic and Payne for best director. It will be interesting to see how the DGA and PGA vote.
We go through this every year and I just dont understand it. BFCA’s and Golden Globes are critics groups and have no real bearing on Oscars since the groups have no cross-over. One group is critics, one group is artists.
Whatever happened at Critics Choice and Golden Globes doesnt mean much…wait for the Guilds.
Meanwhile, it looks to me to that five films have a good shot at Best Picture: The Help, Hugo, The Descendants, The Artist and Midnight in Paris.
I wonder if the five people on Ryan’s “watch list” would argue that the six people left in the Republican race for the White House (ok five, Huntsman dropped out today) are, by definition (they’re still there, aren’t they?), the six best possible Republican presidential candidates? I mean, if I sat here and pointed out that the first two to drop out were a woman and a black man, leaving only six white guys, am I some kind of reverse racist? Or is it possible, just possible, that in a democracy where you’ve got lots of choices, the most money will gravitate to white men somehow? That even a marginal figure like Santorum may get more cash than, say, Bachmann, perhaps partly because the Fortune 500 is almost all white men and they would rather give to someone more like themselves? Or maybe I’m just the r-word for pointing that out.
And maybe I’m likewise crazy to compare that to the Oscar race. If I said that maybe Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese and Alexander Payne have had opportunities that Lee Daniels and Tyler Perry and Miranda July will never get, and maybe that has something to do with the boardroom makeup of the corporations that run Hollywood (or the 10-to-1 male-to-female ratio in any room of TV writers)…maybe I’m the one with the problem.
Here’s my question to the watch list: who is a cinematic genius? I mean, does anyone get that title? Spielberg, maybe? Clint Eastwood? Scorsese? Now, has any non-white-male ever earned that title? Is that purely because we’re judging purely on merit, in this same color-blind world of yours where only white men are left to get the GOP nomination? Or could it be that there were other geniuses (I dunno, Basquiat? Ida Lupino?) but somehow they didn’t quite get the chances of your geniuses?
Sasha is doing no more than recognizing that. Recognizing that Davis getting this far in our society is remarkable. Recognizing that Halle Berry wasn’t crazy when she spoke about a door opening that had been closed. Recognizing that pushing on that door a little more, right now, might SOME DAY get us to the color-blind society you think we’re already in.
@ Julian the emperor
One thing it is absolutely certain in that The Artist is no Slumdog Millionare. It`s not dominant in this year`s season as Slumdog was. Just saying this because many people have made this comparison between both films in the past weeks. Slumdog was probably the biggest phenomenon in the history of awards season along with Schindler`s List. Swept everything, every guild, the Globes, a critics`fave…
What we don`t know if if The Artist is becoming The Aviator… which won the Globes but the director loss was a sign that things were starting to shake-up in the race. Or if it`s a No Country For Old Man, that won only Bardem and the screenplay but still swept the guilds and took the Oscars.
One thing that I think really could change things in this year`s race is the number of nominations If Hugo manages to get the most nominations, it can win Best Picture because The Artist is no unanimous choice as Slumdog and Hugo is a critics`darling, which Benjamin Button wasn`t.
I don`t see The Descendants beating those 2. As many said before in this space, it`s a too screenplay film. If it fails to get an editing nod (and I think It will), it`s over. It`s virtually impossible for a film to win BP without a single tech nod.
Poor Asians. We are at the bottom of the Oscar food chain.
I agree Ryan – except that Colin Firth is clearly racist. And he just punched another blind kitten.
I think, if anything, The Artist is a weaker frontrunner after GG last night than before…it lost two crucial awards, screenplay and director, which means that the competition isn’t that far behind…
“Well, Sandra Bullock won last year because she brought green to Hollywood. Viola Davis did the same.”
No, no, no, no. The only comparable things to The Blind Side and The Help are that they are two overly hyped, overtly sentimental films that made a lot of money. That’s it.
Viola Davis does not equal Sandra Bullock. The quality of Davis’s performance is infinitely more complex, and frankly, better than Bullock’s performance, but Bullock put butts in the seat, not Davis. Every woman 35+ who had read The Help flocked to see the movie because it was a massively popular, best-selling book that everyone loved. I didn’t hear a single person go, “Oh, I’m going to see that new Viola Davis movie.” NO. The financial success of the film does not rest on the lap of Davis–it’s due to Kathryn Stockett’s successful source material. I don’t see how this is debatable.
People went to see The Blind Side & The Proposal BECAUSE of Sandra Bullock. She’s a massive movie star who has been around for 20 years. The successes of both her films from 2009 are largely due to her and her star power. So yes, SHE did bring in the “green” for Hollywood.
Why is the Artist “unstoppable” after yesterday’s wins? It didn’t win best drama (obviously), comedies rarely win, and yet actually won less Golden Globes than it was expected to.
Not to mention these days winning the Golden Globe for best picture is the kiss of death…
I think it is only fair if some people are annoyed by the “white guilt” associations that come up every time Viola Davis vs. Meryl Streep is discussed. I don’t think that – per se – should keep Sasha from referring to her own opinions on the matter – BUT to tell users who are offended by the “white guilt” problematic to, basically, fuck off…? That’s harsh. And unnecessary.
Viola Davis is a very strong actress in my opinion, but I would much rather see her win for a better, bigger role in a much better movie. For the same reason I’m not thrilled about a Meryl or a Michelle win either, because, frankly, quality-wise, only Tilda can meet my criteria for being awarded this year.
“As expected, Meryl Streep’s 5th win for Actress at the Globes even made Streep feel uncomfortable. When she said, “Viola, you’re my girl,” it was obvious her own support was with Davis. “
Again, if Viola REALLY wanted to win this, she would have gone supporting. She opted for giving a boost for her career and I think she got pretty much right.
Regarding the racism issue, I unfortunately don`t think any black actress ever deserved to win a Lead Actress Oscar simply because Hollywood hardly ever gives the best roles to black actress. Halle Berry did a great job and I was pretty happy because of her win, but in terms of performances, I prefered Nicole Kidman to have won that year and then Julianne Moore in the next one for Far From Heaven.
I`m Brazilian and in our telenovelas it is pretty much the same. It took decades until we had a black actress taking the central role in a telenovela (the latin-kind of soap opera) from our main channel 8 years ago. For the same reasons in Hollywood that Sasha listed.
In Viola`s case, I have yet to see The Iron Lady, but I`m sure Meryl is great. She always is. And I think she is a better actress than Bergman, Hepburn and probably even Bette Davis. Everyone thinks nomination is her reward and every year she has a shot, the Academy think they could wait to award her next year to award someone they don`t know if is gonna be up for an Oscar again. She was the presumed runner-up for the last 4 times she was nominated.
@Sasha
“When Weinstein Co. picked up The Artist in Cannes they knew they had something really special — it was the kind of movie you can sit almost anyone down in front of it and they will like it/get it/love it. It’s the only one, in fact, that doesn’t have any haters. The only haters the movie has are people who are bored by it winning everything.”
Oh Sasha, you sure know how to stir the pot, dontcha? 🙂
What about the contingency (myself included) that think it’s a fine enough film but in no way deserves the awards attention its gotten? I never have a problem with a film that sweeps, I don’t care about the boredom factor like some people do. I love a good race and it certainly makes it more fun when things are at least slightly unpredictable but it’s not my main concern. The Artist, to me, is a cute but very slight film. It never transcends the genre it’s copying (and really, it’s nothing more than a total copy) and that’s my problem with it.