The Oscars

[kellycummings]

Since the Oscars are coming up this weekend I thought I might vent about it. I'm sure it's all been said before but, damnit, I wanna bitch.


I am a huge film buff, I love the movies. I grew up never missing an Oscar telecast. I always had my favorites that I wanted to win and really sorta cared about it even though it never made much difference in my life.
The last few years though I've found myself so totally jaded by the whole Hollywood thing that I just can't bring myself to care. I'll still watch but I won't care who wins (unless Bill Murray does simply because I like him).
I'm tired of the these self-congratulating, egotistical, shallow jerks who think they are important simply because they are in front of a camera. The whole fashion thing makes me sick. I hope Joan Rivers and her daughter choke on their microphones. I don't care what people are wearing! It's supposed to be about movies. If I want to watch a fashion show then I'll strip myself of all morals and decency and go watch underfed models slink around in underwear.
I don't care who's fucking who or what their opinions are on politics. I don't care about their jewelry or their hair. One of those necklaces that the self-absorbed bitches wears would feed my family for a couple years.
I love movies and really believe that they are an art form. They should be treated as such.
Am I wrong?

 

[destinie21]

Since the Oscars are coming up this weekend I thought I might vent about it. I'm sure it's all been said before but, damnit, I wanna bitch.


I am a huge film buff, I love the movies. I grew up never missing an Oscar telecast. I always had my favorites that I wanted to win and really sorta cared about it even though it never made much difference in my life.
The last few years though I've found myself so totally jaded by the whole Hollywood thing that I just can't bring myself to care. I'll still watch but I won't care who wins (unless Bill Murray does simply because I like him).
I'm tired of the these self-congratulating, egotistical, shallow jerks who think they are important simply because they are in front of a camera. The whole fashion thing makes me sick. I hope Joan Rivers and her daughter choke on their microphones. I don't care what people are wearing! It's supposed to be about movies. If I want to watch a fashion show then I'll strip myself of all morals and decency and go watch underfed models slink around in underwear.
I don't care who's fucking who or what their opinions are on politics. I don't care about their jewelry or their hair. One of those necklaces that the self-absorbed bitches wears would feed my family for a couple years.
I love movies and really believe that they are an art form. They should be treated as such.
Am I wrong?

I'd suggest you stop watching the oscars, hollywood has always been about fashion and upstaging one another. Celebs are exhibitionist by nature so of course they're going to fuck about in their finery and pretend to be important. After all the general public is forever telling them that they are above and beyond. As americas "Royalty" why shouldn't they?

 

[Guest]

Kelly, having read you on the WTF thread, I think you need to relax a bit. I agree with you about Oscar and Hollywood life, but they're not worth vehement emotions. I watch 'the oscars' show for fun only, not because I think it's relevant or meaningful in any way re. the art of film, acting or writing. If art comes out of Hollywood it's ususally unintentional .

Perdita

 

[kellycummings]

Kelly, having read you on the WTF thread, I think you need to relax a bit. I agree with you about Oscar and Hollywood life, but they're not worth vehement emotions. I watch 'the oscars' show for fun only, not because I think it's relevant or meaningful in any way re. the art of film, acting or writing. If art comes out of Hollywood it's ususally unintentional .

Perdita

Obviously I'm having a stressful day. LOL
You're right, I need to relax.

 

[Guest]

Kelly, I'm glad you took that well. Never mind the oscars and ms. america. Go insult a stupid person, or have some chocolate.

Perdita

 

[destinie21]

I watch all awards shows for the clothes.
I don't care for joan and melissa but I do dig the threads. (sometimes)

 

[kellycummings]

I've tried insulting stupid people but they are too dumb to get that I'm insulting them and it takes all the fun out of it.
Now chocolate.....mmmmmmmmmmm

 

[kellycummings]

I watch all awards shows for the clothes.
I don't care for joan and melissa but I do dig the threads. (sometimes)

Ya know, I have to admit that the clothes many times are very nice (except for Cher, she needs to put some on). I just remember a time when it wasn't about that. There was a time long ago when the awards were about the movies. I guess I just miss that.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

A Swedish film, "Ondskan" (="The Evil"), has been nominated for an Oscar, but the author of the book will not be able to attend the Oscar ceremony, because there were only so many seats at the reception, and the director of the film prefers to bring his wife.

That director will never make another film in Sweden.

 

[kellycummings]

A Swedish film, "Ondskan" (="The Evil"), has been nominated for an Oscar, but the author of the book will not be able to attend the Oscar ceremony, because there were only so many seats at the reception, and the director of the film prefers to bring his wife.

That director will never make another film in Sweden.

Now see, it's things like that. While I can certainly understand the director wanting to take his wife, the awards are supposed to be about the films and so the people responsible should all be able to attend.
In the end, it's not all that important. None of this has any impact on our lives but it still irks me.
Oh well, back to my chocolate.

 

[Guest]

 

[Liar]

A Swedish film, "Ondskan" (="The Evil"), has been nominated for an Oscar, but the author of the book will not be able to attend the Oscar ceremony, because there were only so many seats at the reception, and the director of the film prefers to bring his wife.

That director will never make another film in Sweden.

I thought Guillo (the author) couldn't get a tourist visa? Him being a former communist spy or whatever.

I hope it doesn't win. The script was pretty damn dull, and the acting so-so.

#L

 

[CharleyH]

Quick history lesson for this thread. The Academy's were started in the studio era of Am. cinema, intended to appreicate those who worked in films. If you can believe, there was actually a time when no one knew the names of the actors in a film . . .

Anyhow, its also a fan thing. People want to see it, and you can imagine how much it costs to take out a 15 second ad, anyhow, The awards have evolved, from a pov of achievement, to now, where nominee's buy exceedingly expensive ads to lobby Academy members to vote for them. The result, especially if they win? More films, and much, much more money to buy haute couture.

Now, as for fashion, well, can't say I don't like a well dressed woman, but shit, did you see that freaking CK ad in Vanity Fair. Masturbation material for at least five minutes!

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I thought Guillo (the author) couldn't get a tourist visa? Him being a former communist spy or whatever.

I hope it doesn't win. The script was pretty damn dull, and the acting so-so.

#L

I think you're confusing him with his book character, Coq Rouge.

 

[Dirt Man]

Personally, I don't really care about the Oscar Awards other than which picture got voted the best. And they hardly ever pick the best picture anyway. If everybody that came to the awards dressed like Lil Abner, and Daisy Mae it couldn't be any more laughable. True, the fans get to Ooooooo, Ooohh, and Ahhhhhh basically fawning about their favorite actors, and actresses, but these people all have to squat to shit just like everyone else. True, they do take pride in their art form, but hell, they chose to become actors because they knew if they succeeded they'd be filthy rich, and adored by millions of people. And, they basically do the same thing porn stars do without the penetration. (Maybe) But truthfully, what I like best about actors, and acrtresses is, that I can shut them off with the press of a button. And what I love about the Oscar Awards is that it is only on one channel, so the rest of the channels on my TV aren't infected.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt man

 

[Guest]

... these people all have to squat to shit just like everyone else.

Dirt, you reminded me of something. Things have changed, but in my youth I really believed they never did such things. I took the screen for real life and there were never any W.C.s in sight. No one ever barfed, and they rarely had breakfast.

Perdita

 

[Dirt Man]

Dirt, you reminded me of something. Things have changed, but in my youth I really believed they never did such things. I took the screen for real life and there were never any W.C.s in sight. No one ever barfed, and they rarely had breakfast.

Perdita

Yes, things have certainly changed, haven't they.

 

[Seattle Zack]

The current Oscar line (for those gambling fools):

Odds to win the Actor in a Leading Role in the 76th Annual Academy Awards
Johnny Deep - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl +300
Ben Kingsley - House of Sand and Frog +1500
Jude Law - Cold Mountain +2500
Bill Murray - Lost in Translation +160
Sean Penn - Mystic River -130

Odds to win the Best Actor in a Supporting Role in the 76th Annual Academy Awards
Alec Baldwin - The Cooler +300
Benicio Del Toro - 21 Grams +500
Djimon Houssou - In America +1000
Tim Robbins - Mystic River -600
Ken Watanabe - The Last Samurai +800

Odds to win the best Actress in a Leading Role in the 76th Annual Academy Awards
Keisha Castle-Hughes - Whale Rider +800
Diane Keaton - Something's Gotta Give +500
Samantha Morton - In America +2500
Charlize Theron - Monster -1700
Naomi Watts - 21 Grams +800

Odds to win the best Actress in a Supporting Role in the 76th Annual Academy Awards
Shohreh Aghdashloo - House of Sand and Frog +400
Patricia Clarkson - Pieces of April +650
Marcia Gay Harden - Mystic River +1000
Holly Hunter - Thirteen +1200
Renée Zellweger- Cold Mountain -900

I've placed $100 on Bill Murray, $100 on Alec Baldwin, and $100 on Holly Hunter (I love longshots). No line posted for best pic, because LOR is such a runaway faovrite ... have to bet $2000 to win $100, I would guess.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Weeee!!! I haven't seen ANY of those films!

 

[oggbashan]

Antidote

If you want an antidote for the Oscars try the Eurovision Song Contest.

Last year the UK equalled Norway's record trend by getting NO votes; nil points; nul.

The song? The singers? I've forgotten. They weren't bad enough to be memorable unlike Norway's wonderful pile of ****.

Terry Wogan's commentary makes the event. He is rude about everything and everybody and takes the piss out of the contest. Even he was briefly at a loss for words to describe the dire UK entry.

This weekend the UK gets the chance to choose our entry. If it is like last year the choice is between bad, worse and dreadful.

I had an LP of "Eurovision Hits" - surely a misnomer. I threw it out after too many plays of Pearl Carr and Teddy Johnson "Singing High, High, High; Singing Low, Low, Low; Wondering Why, Why, Why Did He Go, Go, Go." The answer is of course because they started singing.

One of the interesting things about the contest is that someone thought these songs and singers would actually win anything. Some of them would be thrown out of a pub if they tried Karoake.

Og

 

[Colleen Thomas]

i don't watch the oscars, haven't in a very long time. I came to realize something long ago, if the critics hate a movie I'll probably like it, if they love it I don't even bother watching.

Acting and filmaking are arts, but they are art forms that are inaccesible to me. I can't tell good acting from bad or a good movie from a bad one (at least if you use the awards winners as an indication).

I found out some time ago that anyone or any movie I like never wins. It kinda takes the fun out of watching an awards show. Sort of like being a chicago cubs fan last year. They were actually in games, and winning when it counted. I had to pay attention to the games and that took all the fun out of being a Cubs fan

-Colly

 

[SnoopDog]

I'm a huge movie geek, so I absolutely love movies, going to the theatres, etc.
And I like the Oscars, I like the glamour, I like seeing my 'Idols' on the red carpet. It's being aired on tv over here in germany from 1:00 am to 6:00 am and I'm gonna stay up and watch.
But I most definitely think that the Academy Awards themselves are pretty worthless 'cause there is only jury to judge the quality of a movie.....that's the fans and movie-goers.
Hands down.
Snoopy, screen testing for a 200 billion 'Peanuts'- Trilogy featurette.
P.S.: If 'Lord Of The Rings - The Return Of The King' doesn't win at least Best Song, Best Score and Best Direction, I might never watch the Oscars again.

 

[Guest]

I love it when Brits win and you know the Americans are so resentful.

Perdita

 

[kellycummings]

Originally posted by SnoopDog
But I most definitely think that the Academy Awards themselves are pretty worthless 'cause there is only jury to judge the quality of a movie.....that's the fans and movie-goers.
[/B]

The problem is the when fans pick their faves it's usually garbage. While many movie fans do have good taste there are way too many that don't. Otherwise how can you explain Jackass: The Movie; Armaggedon; any Adam Sandler movie (other than Punch Drunk Love), and many, many others.
Fans are notoriously stupid sometimes.
I will agree though that Return of the King should win but I have doubts about whether it will or not. Jackson should most certainly get best director though.

 

[kellycummings]

I love it when Brits win and you know the Americans are so resentful.

Perdita

Brits have made some of my all time favorites.
Bridge on the River Kwai
Lawrence of Arabia
anything Hitchcock (although the movies themselves were American)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Many others.