AFI jury is very small – about 20 in all, which hardly reflects a broad consensus. But what it does reflect is generally what people out there will go for. They picked some great ones and they picked some terrible ones. Critics only barely mattered this year. This is essentially what the Oscar picture kind of looks like from the Scott Feinberg/Dave Karger/Kris Tapley world of Oscar punditry. If you want to do well on your office pools, you should follow them. Me, my heart gets involved and I have a hard time with what should get in versus what will get in. But, on the upside of that? Being raised from a girl to a woman in America means I’ve got lots of training in laying there and pretending to enjoy it. This year, my tastes reside somewhere between the critics and the Oscar-y people.
This is the list of judges – probably the smallest list of compiled voters we’ll see all season.
AFI JURY FOR MOTION PICTURES
Tom Pollock
Chair, AFI Jury for Motion Pictures
Producer
AFI Board of Trustees
Jeanine Basinger
Wesleyan University
AFI Board of Trustees
Bob Gazzale
American Film Institute
Mark Harris
Historian
Marshall Herskovitz
Producer/Director/Screenwriter
AFI Board of Trustees
Patty Jenkins
Director/Screenwriter
Lisa Kennedy
Denver Post
Kasi Lemmons
Director/Actor
Matthew Libatique
Cinematographer
Akira Mizuta Lippit
University of Southern California
Leonard Maltin
Historian
Claudia Puig
USA Today
Peter Travers
Rolling Stone Magazine
Lisa 675, that is because some people get their kicks by making everything about their cause celebre
Why do i feel a naming and shaming vibe
Gone Girl was alright to a point. Fincher is a skilled director and I’m happy to see more big-name screenplays written by women, but during the second viewing it just didn’t grab me the way it did the first time. Would I recommend it to someone? Sure, it’s entertaining enough. Would I say it deserves awards? Not really. It’s a well-crafted popcorn thriller with some deeper-than-usual undercurrents, but hardly the years best.
The film jury remains mostly unchanged year-to-year. The last 3 juries have only differed by 3 out of 13 members–spots usually occupied by a new actor, director, etc. within the industry… much like with Cannes. Four years ago we had 4 differences, likely just a vacancy being filled between the years.
Personally, I like small juries deciding the winners.
@ LCBASEBALL22
I disagree. This year we’ll see a lot more love for Wes Anderson. TGBH will be nominated for O. Screenplay, Production Design, and Picture, and will likely win the tech.
I don’t understand what being a woman has to do with not liking a particular end-of-the-year list, however. Sure, I have qualms with these awards bodies and their decisions, but that’s life. No one said it’d be fun, right?
I’m so happy Gone Girl wasn’t picked by AFI. Smart decision.
As for American Sniper and Into the Woods, they should’ve been replaced by Grand Budapest and A Most Violent Year or Inherent Vice.
Yawn. Everyone has lusts they don’t like. We’ve all got to “take” what these so-called critics and purveyors of good taste give us, even if it’s a lot of whining and finger pointing at the others because they didn’t put your favorite toy along with the rest of them.
@ DANNY
I didn’t read it as a rape analogy, but rather alluding to the all too common “fake orgasm” among our women who for whatever reason can’t enjoy sex with their partner or find it to become a bore not long after things are underway. Something like that anyways…
For the same reason Budapest will miss out on the Oscars; Wes Anderson’s only nominations have been twice for screenplay and once for animated feature for Fantastic Mr. Fox, never anything else. While perhaps having some charm in their script/story it would seem Anderson’s films are otherwise too quirky and never a complete work or quality to be recognized for anything more…
I just don’t understand how The Grand Budapest Hotel missed out. 🙁
Yikes, Sasha. The absence of a Gone Girl nom garners a scathing (if eloquent) rape analogy?
KBacon – That is exactly what I suggested yesterday.
About Into the Woods. Yes, it may look strange on an AFI list. And its not likely to be some cinematic masterpiece. But by most accounts Ive read, looks to be a good time. A good time that doesnt stink. There’s a difference.
As for Unbroken. No clue. Gotta see it first. Reactions are so all over the map.
And American Sniper. Gosh. I just have no desire.
Yes, yes, yes. What KBacon said 🙂
The Awards Daily Online Commenters Awards – I would like to see that
I see the article has been edited now but if I read correctly the two main individuals are associated with Universal and Disney, that seems a bit suspect considering the Unbroken and Into the Woods picks, no? Granted I’m looking forward to seeing both films…
Claudia Puig is In USA since 2001.