As many of you probably know, I love politics. However, I don't like it when politics show up at places where it doesn't belong.
I went home Saturday night to hang out with my family. It has been a family tradition that we watch the Academy Awards together and we have been doing it for the last 10 years. This year's show was, by far, the worst. There are a number of reasons for why I feel this way:
1. Kate Winslet should have won Best Actress, I'm not arguing that. However, her acting performance in "Revolutionary Road" was far superior to her role in "The Reader".
2. Hugh Jackman was a terrible choice for host. The Academy should have given it to Jon Stewart.
3. The amount of singing made me want to shove wooden spoons in my ears to numb myself from the pain.
4. Beyonce. I know that many people love her, but I, personally, can't stand her.
5. The person holding the camera during the "In Memoriam" portion of the show couldn't hold the camera still for more than 2 seconds. It was like watching "Cloverfield" while having a seizure in the middle of a San Francisco earthquake.
6. The James Franco/Seth Rogan skit from "Pineapple Express" and Ben Stiller imitating Joaquin Phoenix were the only funny moments of the entire show.
7. New rule for future award ceremonies: No member from any of the "High School Musical" movies shall be granted access. The site of Zac Efron makes me want to kick a kitten. (this is a metaphor, people...not to be taken seriously...but I really, really do dislike Zac Efron)
8. The Academy is and always has been scared of giving awards to movies with questionable content. (CASE AND POINT BELOW)
9. They should have voting remotes at each seat at the Academy Awards to see how many people agree/disagree with the Academy's decision.
10. This was my biggest quarrel: Sean Penn winning Best Actor over Mickey Rourke. Look, I actually watched both "Milk" and "The Wrestler" (in fact, I've actually watched every movie that was nominated this year...minus animation, foreign, and short) and I honestly felt that Mickey Rourke did a much better job. Still don't agree with me? I'll break it down for you:
-"Milk" without Sean Penn still would have been a great movie
-"The Wrestler" wouldn't exist without Mickey Rourke
-The Academy gave the Oscar to the actor that made people feel good. This is nothing new and has become a trend at the Academy Awards.
Sean Penn beating out Mickey Rourke was as disappointing as when "Dances With Wolves" beat out "Goodfellas" in 1990, "Forest Gump" beating out BOTH "Pulp Fiction" and "Shawshank Redemption" in 1994, and when "Rocky" beat out "Taxi Driver" for best movie in 1976. Now, there are noticeable differences between the winners and the movies that got beat out. In each of these 3 examples, none of the winning films were rated "R". Each of the movies that were beat out had "questionable" content in them. The Academy is afraid of giving an Oscar to a movie that will have people asking questions. However, the situation with Sean Penn and Mickey Rourke is different.
Sean Penn, in my opinion, won the Academy Award for Best Actor simply because it was a political decision. They gave it to Penn because of the passing of Proposition 8 in California. They may have also done so because of the pressure that they received after giving Best Film to "Crash" over Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" in 2005. For those of you who don't remember, this was a HUGE upset and led to massive complaints to the Academy (many from gay rights activists, etc). Imagine what would happen if Sean Penn would have LOST this year especially after the passing of Proposition 8. I might also add that the Academy's President Sid Ganis is stepping down this year. What better than to go out with as little controversy and protest as possible. Sean Penn did a great job in "Milk", but it was Mickey Rourke's role as Randy "The Ram" Robinson that shined more brightly than any of the nominated actors.
1 comment:
Dearest Son:
You are just pissed that you lost a buck to your baby brother on the best actor category! I'm kidding.
I do understand and agree with you about "why" some films and actors win, when everyone with half a brain knows that they didn't deserve it. Let's talk about the Oscars the year after 9/11. Remember that one?
I walked out of watching the show. I was already pissed that Julia Roberts had won the year before (talent???? I don't think so!) and she comes out and blathers on about now wanting to live in a world where Denzel Washington doesn't have an Oscar wasn't worth living in. All I could think was that I could easily live in one without either of them!
You and Phil both know that while I think that Denzel is attractive enough, he cannot act his way out of a paper bag. Just watch "THE BONE COLLECTOR" and tell me that he even attempted to appear to be quadriplegic. Lousy, lousy, lousy acting. I purposely avoid his movies because he didn't deserve his Oscar. Any more than Halle Berry did that same year. That was the year of the "PC Oscars." She, like Nicole Kidman, have done nothing but CRAP since they won their Oscars.
You cannot say that about Sean Penn. He is truly a gifted actor and I am amazed sometimes at the way that he can disappear into a role. The man can act.
So, yeah, I get what you're saying about the feel good, doing the right thing for the right time awards. But, I have seen old Mickey Rourke movies, and he has always hit me as slimy. That was long before he dressed like a pimp and purposely looked like he hadn't bathed in a month. I can just about guarantee that I will never see "THE WRESTLER" because I cannot abide him. He has not one ounce of class in him, to hell with his come back story, he is proudly low life and either brain damaged or just purposely appearing ignorant.
Exactly how can he use those "qualities" in any other kind of movie? What chance does he have to being versatile? We've all talked before about how some actors play the same exact role in every movie they're in (like Harrison Ford and his 2 expressions).
While I have a desire to see "Milk" I know that I will never watch "The Wrestler." I have had enough reality in my life in the last six or seven years that I don't need to pay money to watch it.
So, basically, I agree with your reasoning, and you have a definite point about the whole PC thing, as long as it does not involve a pimp, no matter how hard out there it is for him.
HA!
Post a Comment