25 replies to this topic

[Melchoire]

The majority of the movies that win best picture are the movies that people have hardly even heard of. I mean this time around I saw had 3 candidates that had mass appeal: District 9, Avatar, and Up. And the Oscar goes to...."The Hurt Locker". I heard about this movie 2 days ago. It's some war movie about some bomb squad. I bet most people never even watched it. "Precious" got a lot of nominations. I read the summary and right away I got the impression of a tear jerker. Its the kind of movie that tries to shock you in a vein attempt to appear "artistic".

Anyways, I always heard people saying the only movies that win are the ones that the academy likes - the so called "artistic" ones with no mass appeal. I always thought it wasn't entirely true but this round confirms it.

Btw, does anyone remember "No Country for Old Men"? Did anyone else really hate that movie?

[Noitidart]

I've never watched the Oscars in my life. Or the Emmy's. Or the golden globes/

[Melchoire]

I've never watched the Oscars in my life. Or the Emmy's. Or the golden globes/

I used to make an effort to watch the oscars and grammys but they're both washed. The last ones I watched were around 3 year ago and 5 for grammys.


Btw, I think we're the only ones posting on the forums right now.

[Jake2]

I don't even know what an oscar represents so not me.

[Elindoril]

Why sit through and watch all of them when I can just go to an article the next day and get everything at once?

Then again, I lost interest in watching other people receive awards.

[artificial]

Hurt Locker is a great movie - surprised you haven't heard of it. Marketing department hasn't done a very good job. It isn't too artistic at all. It's a war movie, though it does draw on current issues in regards to the Iraq war. Watch it, and I bet you'll like it.

You seem to be inferring the Oscar should go to the movie with the biggest budget, as they will sink most in to marketing and hence widely popular. That isn't the point of these award ceremonies.

[jcrdude]

Big circle-jerk IMO.

I'd rather watch the movies than watch the people drone on about who they would like to thank for making the movies possible

[Drakonid]

I wrote a completely extensive comment about how I didn't expect El Secreto de Sus Ojos to win the foreign language film oscar, but I accidentally closed the window.Anyway, it's a great movie and I really recommend it.

[Joanna]

Sometimes I watch if my favorite actor is up for nomination or if my favorite movie for the year was. In this case- neither happened and I was soooooo pissed when Hanks said "The Hurt Locker" Likeee WTF?

[luvsmyncis]

Sometimes I watch if my favorite actor is up for nomination or if my favorite movie for the year was. In this case- neither happened and I was soooooo pissed when Hanks said "The Hurt Locker" Likeee WTF?

I loved it. I loved that Avatar lost Director and Film. Nice jab to the King of the World's pride there.
I personally think really awful movies get nominated for awards, but whatever. I watched to judge celebrities by what they were wearing and when they messed up reading from the teleprompter. As a bonus, there was a small tribute to Horror movies. It wasn't awesome, I actually felt insulted they showed a clip from Twilight, but I guess you can't have everything.

[Melchoire]

Hurt Locker is a great movie - surprised you haven't heard of it. Marketing department hasn't done a very good job. It isn't too artistic at all. It's a war movie, though it does draw on current issues in regards to the Iraq war. Watch it, and I bet you'll like it.

You seem to be inferring the Oscar should go to the movie with the biggest budget, as they will sink most in to marketing and hence widely popular. That isn't the point of these award ceremonies.

I'm not implying that big-budget movies should win. I'm implying that the movies, that have so little mass appeal that seem to be only popular with the "New York" crowd(sorry about the cliche) should not win so often.

Hollywood ain't shit but two dead flies smashed.

Do you just not care about making sense anymore? =P

[sircomflix]

I think it's perfectly fine that small independent movies win Best Picture. The Hurt Locker was a phenomenal film and it deserved the win. The Academy Awards are to celebrate film as an art and to award films as such (although sometimes it feels more along the lines of satisfying the politics and bureaucracy behind what "should" win).

And No Country For Old Men was a great film, not one of the Coen brother's finest but definitely up there. It's one of those hate-it-or-love-it types, and those on the hate end of the spectrum mainly either misinterpreted the movie or watched it expecting something else.

[Reddevil]

as sayd above, no country for old men is a true MASTERPIECE.

but about oscars, long ago it was the shit.

[Unseen]

Ehh, I liked No Country for Old Men but Avatar was pretty epic.

[Warriors]

Oscars are horrible..mostly about politics in the movie business than actual good movies...District 9 was good and yet nothing...Hurt Locker was a decent movie but not the best. I'm just glad Avatar didnt win.

[Unseen]

Oscars are horrible..mostly about politics in the movie business than actual good movies...District 9 was good and yet nothing...Hurt Locker was a decent movie but not the best. I'm just glad Avatar didnt win.

I know the storyline was epically overkill but why so much Avatar hate.

[Warriors]

I know the storyline was epically overkill but why so much Avatar hate.

Avatar was good..the special effects were great..but the storyline and script were bad..Not that great. Just a remake of old stories.

[sircomflix]

Avatar was good..the special effects were great..but the storyline and script were bad..Not that great. Just a remake of old stories.

The story is original, it's the plot that is derivative and script that is formulaic (Star Wars Ep 4 would be a good comparison). It was expected though, considering Avatar was made to test the waters for his newly developed 3D system to make sure Battle Angel Alita fully benefits from it or if the mainstream is ready.

People forget sometimes that the Oscars are a business and like any other business, they need to make money. No one is going to watch if all they do is give awards to small independent movies (which a lot of times I feel are more worthy) and so they do things to increase viewership ie bumping Best Picture nominations to 10, including popular movies which aren't worthy, and awarding fan favorites.

It's fun to watch, bet on and talk about, but no way is it a TRUE means of awarding for art. It's the closest thing that is available and I'd say that they do a good job at awarding to those who are deserving, most of the time.

[Warriors]

The story is original, it's the plot that is derivative and script that is formulaic (Star Wars Ep 4 would be a good comparison). It was expected though, considering Avatar was made to test the waters for his newly developed 3D system to make sure Battle Angel Alita fully benefits from it or if the mainstream is ready.

People forget sometimes that the Oscars are a business and like any other business, they need to make money. No one is going to watch if all they do is give awards to small independent movies (which a lot of times I feel are more worthy) and so they do things to increase viewership ie bumping Best Picture nominations to 10, including popular movies which aren't worthy, and awarding fan favorites.

It's fun to watch, bet on and talk about, but no way is it a TRUE means of awarding for art. It's the closest thing that is available and I'd say that they do a good job at awarding to those who are deserving, most of the time.

Omg... B.A.A. Will be epic with his 3d I just hope it does well enough for Cameron to do his trilogy...I think the first movie will be vol 1-5. That's true but for me films are much more great I mean oldboy/vengeance trilogies....moviemaking is an art form that should be appreciated not reduced to lobbyists

[kbbbb]

It's broadcast it primetime on a commercial network, while the local awards show is put on the crumby government owned network. (See how much Australians like their own culture?)

John Stewart asked why they still give out an award for best foreign film...considering the people accepting it (this year) couldn't speak english, and it's a US awards show.

My friend asked me if I did as if most people do...I said no.

[Conor]

I never watch any of that shit

[kbbbb]

I read the summary and right away I got the impression of a tear jerker. Its the kind of movie that tries to shock you in a vein attempt to appear "artistic".

Anyways, I always heard people saying the only movies that win are the ones that the academy likes - the so called "artistic" ones with no mass appeal. I always thought it wasn't entirely true but this round confirms it.

The reason for award ceremonies is to acknowledge excellence within the industry that's not necessarily recognised by the mainstream cinema goer.

Perhaps the fault with the lack of PR for the mentioned film lies with the distributor, or the media, for not highlighting it more. Mass-media doesn't necessarily mean that something has merrit.

A certain artists (who I can't remember whose name) was not recognised within his lifetime, couldn't sell his art within his lifetime, and is now regarded as one of the greatest artists in history.

[luvsmyncis]

A certain artists (who I can't remember whose name) was not recognised within his lifetime, couldn't sell his art within his lifetime, and is now regarded as one of the greatest artists in history.

Vincent Van Gogh

Also: he cut off his ear.

[jcrdude]

Vincent Van Gogh

I thought all proper artists don't get appreciated in their time.....

IN FACT... I thought that was the primary criteria for becoming an artistic great.

[sircomflix]

Hahah I actually have Starry Night on my bedroom wall. Couldn't find a self portrait of Van Gogh though, shit's impossible to find without ordering online.