Crazy Rich Asians is a film that, if I put on the contender tracker in previous years, most would never consider for an Oscar. Romantic comedies aren’t generally considered awards-worthy as such, without some other component to them. The discussion on Twitter about this was around My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which earned a screenplay nom in 2003. Could it, Tomris Laffly asked, have gotten in with an even ten nominees? And the answer to that is no. It could not have. In addition to the preferential ballot requiring roughly 200 to put it as their number one film of the year, there were other films pushing for placement, including Adaptation, Road to Perdition, Catch Me if You Can, Talk to Her, and even Far From Heaven and Unfaithful. Actors rule the Academy and even if Greek Wedding got a SAG ensemble nod, there wasn’t any performance driving it in the acting categories, as most Best Picture contenders need. The Blind Side has Sandra Bullock, for instance. Adaptation has Meryl Streep.
But My Big Fat Greek Wedding would have absolutely been a major contender for the Best Popular Film Award, or whatever they decide they will call it. It captured a kind of zeitgeist, and brought out audiences no one could have predicted. That didn’t make it a film that would have gotten a Best Picture nomination; even back then there had to be gravitas along with popularity. But it was worthy of some kind of attention and a category to honor films like that is not entirely a bad idea. But thinking it through a little further, the film I think that would have won the Popular Film category that year might have been The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and in fact, Fellowship the year before.
The Lord of the Rings movies were very popular back then — you might have had to actually live through some of these Oscar years and reported on them as intensely as I did to remember just how popular they were. I remember going to a meeting back during Fellowship and everyone at the table said “Oh, that’s going to win Best Picture, right?” And I had to answer to them that, no, it wasn’t going to win because A Beautiful Mind was going to win. It was going to win because Apollo 13 lost, and because Ron Howard was a guy Hollywood wanted to at last reward. You would know that if you had your face buried in the Oscar race. But if you existed outside that bubble you would not have necessarily known. The same thing happened during Avatar and The Hurt Locker… though predicting Best Picture under the preferential ballot is a little bit different than it was before that.
So that brings us back to Crazy Rich Asians which took the top spot at the box office this weekend, exceeding expectations by bringing in $34 million, and is clearly beloved across the board. It’s an “important” movie because it proves that representation and inclusion can also also be profitable. It could become a situation where you have Crazy Rich Asians vs. Black Panther vs. Mission Impossible vs. Infinity War. And you know where I stand on this. I do not think it’s a bad thing to honor films that the public pays to see.
And in case people on Twitter want to make a fuss about it potentially being just Crazy Rich Asians vs. Black Panther, it’s not like the actual Best Picture race won’t also be inclusive, with Black Panther potentially crossing over, and BlacKkKlansman, Widows, Beale Street, etc. But we do have to be on Shitstorm Alert all the same.
Either way, onto the Contender Tracker Crazy Rich Asians goes. And because it’s there, that might open it up to other categories, like writing, or production design.
Current front runners on a personal level
For this category:
Black panther
Crazy rich Asians
The incredibles 2
Mission: impossible fallout
Ready player one
I wish that the ‘breakthrough’ movie for Asian Americans wasn’t such a cliched Cinderella story with gobs of wealth porn to bury further into artifice.
The central couple deserved better than the script and direction give them. I know it borders on ‘exoticism’, but the Singapore location does give it a bit of interest. Certainly, more so than if the whole thing had played out in New York City.
I guess it’s comforting to know that Crazy Rich Asians can be just as shallow and worshipping of money as Crazy Rich Gweilo.
P.S. I know such a lite-weight movie doesn’t really earn the right to nit-picks….but…a
college professor is that blind to her beau’s background? And, one of THE most eligible bachelors in the world is living in tabloid central NYC and NOBODY notices who’s he’s dating for months and months? I know, I know. It’s a “fairy tale”…………
I didn’t even know it was based on Cinderella. I had a good time. A smile on my face and a tear in my eye. Really enjoyed this movie.
It is a possibility, but we are effectively talking about a Love, Simon or Ali’s Wedding level film here. It would need really strong legs from here to still be relevant come Oscars.
It is about time that the US has pursued this sort of representation, which is pathetically overdue compared to most over western nations, something many Oscar followers have been bemoaning for many years.
Well, Love, Simon only made about $40 million in its entire run, which is about what CRA has already made in its first five days, so it is a more popular movie than that. You are however probably right that it remains to be determined how excited people still are about it after the media moves on and it’s not the entertainment story of the week.
Sasha writes: “It’s an “important” movie because it proves that representation and inclusion can also also be profitable.”
This is absolutely true. I’m all for diversity in Hollywood. Having said that, in my opinion, I think the script for this particular film is fairly average with simplistic dialogue and, it did not dig deep into all of its thorny topical issues, at hand. It really should have if it wanted to warrant the hyperbolic reviews that it has received.
And don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie as a glitzy, glamoury romp with attractive actors, competent acting and great visuals. I’d probably give it a 7 out of 10 or B rating.
I’m happy for its success and am definitely telling people to see it. I’m just kinda perplexed by the strength of the reviews … reviews that I’m SURE wouldn’t have been as great if this was a cast full of Caucasian actors who we’ve all seen time & time again.
I am so happy to SEE movie with a full Asian cast (and what a cast!) and, I’m glad that this movie opens the door for many more – and better ones – to come!
I agree with you 100%.
Off-topic: the trailer for Outlaw King, the new David Mackenzie film (Hell or High Water, Starred Up):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-G1BME8FKw
Will there be a theater release? I love Chris Pine.
I’m in. Hope Pine is good and gets some recognition. I agree that he’s probably the best “actor” of the Chris’. And I think the other Chris’ are pretty great at what they do.
Whatever helps keep the Disney count in that category to 2 or less.
How about a category called films on film. This video shot crap is unwatchable. Thank God for Tarantino, P.T. Anderson and Damien Chazelle. Fortunately, IMDB tips me off and I don’t have to waste my money.
I admit to have gone to see Crazy Rich Asians merely to support diversity in Hollywood. But boy, I was super entertained. What a fun surprise.
I’m going tomorrow to see if. I want to support “diversity”.
I too enjoyed this movie.
According to racist scum, the only reason it was made because of social justice warriors. Number one this week North American box office. I plan to see it in the next few weeks. I will wear my social justice warrior uniform.
The irony being is that those incel losers do watch a lot of Asian movies, just not the kind that show in theaters
Could ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ also score noms for Production Design, Costume Design and/or Music/Song? I haven’t seen the film yet, but judging by the still pictures, I would say it shows potential.
https://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cra-04040-1524158355.jpg?w=780
I love the vase!
Damn where is my comment ?
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No worries.
So assuming the new category will be for commercially successful AND critically well-received studio genre films, the category is kind a full already :
CURRENT FRONTRUNNERS
Black Panther
Crazy Rich Asians
A Quiet Place
Mission Impossible : Fallout
The Incredibles 2
(The numbers (both critical scores and BO) speak for themselves.)
CURRENT ALTERNATES
Mamma Mia : Here We Go Again (is it well-received enough at 79 RT ?)
Game Night (is it “popular” enough with 69M US total (117M WW) ?)
Blockers (is it “popular” enough with 60M US total (94M WW) ?)
Love, Simon (is it “popular” enough with 41M US total (66M WW) ?)
Paddington 2 (is it “popular” enough with 41M US total (227M WW) ?)
(For the record, all 4 alternates with questionable BO results, delivered more than at least 3 times their production budget so while the totals may not look much, they were still more than enough to turn profit.)
UPCOMING (on paper biggest potential) :
A Star Is Born, The Bohemian Rhapsody, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Instant Family, Mary Poppins Returns, Aquaman, Welcome to Marwen
POTENTIAL SHOCKERS
Peppermint, A Simple Favor, Life Itself, Bad Times at the El Royale, The Hate U Give, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, Creed 2, Bumblebee
P.S. The 10 I would love to see in this category, hoping that the unseen ones (last 4) turn out great :
THE 3 GAME CHANGERS : Black Panther, Crazy Rich Asians, Love Simon
THE 3 GENRE SMASHES : A Quiet Place, Mission Impossible : Fallout, The Incredibles 2
THE 4 PROMISING UNSEENS : A Star is Born, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Welcome to Marwen, The Hate U Give
I was actually impressed by the trailer of Fantastic Beasts 2 so I’ll definitely consider it even if I’m still in denial if this new popular film category will push through come 2019 ceremony.
I could be off but I think It would have to get a darkknightian critical response to register with voters, being a second of five films and all. Could happen but I’m not counting on it. I mean we are talking about the same Academy that barely acknowledged this franchise as it is, highest grossing movie series record or rave reviews be damned.
lol at not even mentioning Infinity War.
I don’t think there is a chance for two superhero pics to make a dent here and if there is only one can make it, it will be Black Panther. As far as I’m concerned Infinity War is half a movie atm, waiting to be completed by the release of its second half next year.
Worth pointing out that SOLO: A Star Wars Story, is still in the top 10 grossing films of the year. It would be hilarious if enough Academy voters bloc voted that film into the MTV People’s Choice Oscar nominations.
If this category is to exist … a list of those 5 frontrunners or others like it (with great reviews) would be more than acceptable.
Bryce I read if Beale street could talk too. Unfilmable novel but I think Barry Jenkins can pull off this Harlem love story. I also think aquaman has a long shot chance to be in the popular film category since it’s coming out so close to the usual awards season.
One of the key films of the year and along with Game Night and Eight Grade the only other film so far that I would nominate in a “Best Comedy Picture” category; with this one as frontrunner for the win.
This weekend I read If Beale Street Could Talk and it’s one of those “unfilmables,” I reckon. Although I’m not sure what people mean by that, but I think it’s books like this one. I couldn’t be anymore hyped now for the adaptation. Also another novel called A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara which I wholeheartedly recommend and Clint Eastwood and Catherine Breillat should have a child that will direct the adaptation. Happy rest of the weekend.
I think A Little Life will be adapted by the end of the 2020s. Jude is the sort of part that could win a Best Actor Oscar. Hirokazu Kore-eda would be an interesting fit, it he ever tackled an English-language film. Todd Haynes maybe.
Kore-eda is actually prepairing his first English/French language film called The Truth right now with Hawke, Binoche and Deneuve probably in the leads
“But thinking it through a little further, the film I think that would have won the Popular Film category that year might have been The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and in fact, Fellowship the year before.”
But then the dark side of that is that the next year the Academy may well have decided that the three movies winning “Best Popular Film” would have been reward enough and wouldn’t have rallied around ROTK to be a genuine Best Picture winner.
Of course ‘The Two Towers’ got beat by another popular movie, so who’s to say it wouldn’t have competed against the same film in either category?
Very true, Chicago is a good example of these $170 million dollar grossing “Oscar Movies” that supposedly never connect with the public.
Two Towers missed a script and directing nomination, I suspect it BARELY made the top 5 for Best Picture.
So just thinking about it if I was to put together a list: Black Panther, Quiet Place, Crazy Rich Asians (I haven’t seen it but I’m going to assume the hype is correct), Incredibles 2, mission impossible fallout (which I also haven’t seen) then with a lot of the year still to come we already have an excellent list of nominees and waiting on the stands we still have infinity war or ant man or Deadpool 2 or mama mia or Ready Player one (sure some of them aren’t entirely deserving but they are all at least good films)… And that’s without the full offering being out yet: we still have many more to come! So I really don’t think it’ll be a disaster this year and it is kind of exciting to have something new to predict (I still understand the skepticism but I’m in a space of “well I guess they are doing this so I’mma be optimistic”). By the way I was working off the list of films that made $100 million in the US here (adding crazy rich Asians in thinking I guess it probably will earn that or be close to it with current numbers being as they are).
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Thanks for so spotting this Ryan! I thought I had forgot to press post!
Production and Costume design ? Absolutely. Maybe even adapted screenplay.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding would probably have gotten in with a straight 10 at the Oscars, I’d argue. Yes, that was the year with Road to Perdition, Adaptation., Talk to Her and Far From Heaven and those very strongly seem like films that would have gotten in more easily. But what about after that? And after all, taking away the notion that it’s a romantic comedy, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a film that got nominated for PGA, SAG ensemble, WGA and ACE. I don’t think that a film like that deserves to be outright dismissed when it comes to getting a best picture nomination with an expanded ballot
Also, of course this movie isn’t slated for anything even near a release around here as apparently the local distributors seem to think that only films about white people interest audiences.
It was number one for the North American box office.
As was for example 42, which never got a theatrical release here (there are several other examples but they weren’t nearly as well recieved mostly) and as no place really sells DVDs here, a DVD release doesn’t really get people to see a movie anymore. This also applies to Oscar nominees that did well in the States financially like Selma and Fences.
It won’t get nominated.
Here’s what will be nominated:
Aquaman
Black panther
Fantastic beasts 2
Jurassic world: fallen kingdom
Mary poppins returns
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How rich is ‘Crazy Rich’?
Jeff Bezos Rich >>>> Crazy Rich >>>> Trump Rich
LOL! Trump is pretty crazy though, but I’m not sure he can be trusted with numbers.
Also, I never quite understood the need to accumulate billions. I’m pretty sure I could easily make do with a single billion.
I feel the same way, but I would rather have 20 million than a billion. I could at least wrap my mind around 20 million. I could not even contemplate a billion because it would be so hard to figure out what charity/charities I would create or support. I teach seventh grade—I will never have to worry about it. 🙂