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Tash Jayasinghe
CibbuanoIt's Oscar Season!
January 19th 2007 07:57
The Academy Awards are, to me, what the Grand Final is to Rugby League-heads. I love the Oscars. I can't get enough of 'em. I own a couple of books on them, I study various websites detailing stats of past winners and losers, I'm on a mission to watch every film that ever won a significant Oscar (ie. Best Film, Director, or any of the acting awards. Maybe the writing awards too). Simply put, I'm a fanatic.
That's why it's kind of sad that I don't get to watch as many new movies as I used to. I'm not as much of a bum as I used to be, I just don't get the time to hang loose and catch up on all the latest flicks. The total number of new films I've watched this year at the movies is three... 'Over The Hedge', 'Borat' and 'The Departed'. Sad, sad, sad!
Anyway, the Golden Globes happened recently. I don't watch the Globes, they don't really interest me. It's often said that the Globes are a good indicator or who will win Academy Awards... I wouldn't say this is completely untrue, but the Oscars are governed by no real laws or trends, so it's impossible to predict them completely accurately. Sometimes a real left-field film or actor will get a nomination, sometimes an absolute underdog will shine and win the coveted award, sometimes a better performance will be overlooked in favour of a more popular actor who has been deemed by his peers as being 'ready' for his Oscar. Sometimes it's very clear who will win - no one really disputed that Charlize Theron would not win the Best Actress award for her breakout performance in Monster, and everyone knew Schindler's List would get Spielberg a Best Director award. But then again, it isn't always like this.
As I haven't kept up with the latest films this year it's hard for me to make any predictions. Usually you can tell which films and performances will get nominated though without even having seen them... these films have a certain look, a certain kind of promotional angle, the media highlights who has the 'Oscar buzz' around them. Most tellingly, almost all of these films are released around 'Oscar time', between January and February the cinemas are chock-full of 'Oscar-worthy films'. It's become quite cliched, and in some cases quite manufactured. Are these films' sole purpose for existence the fact that they're Oscar-worthy? Why only release them around this time of year? What's with all the freaking biopics lately? Just because two or three actors win for playing a real life person it doesn't mean we have to have twenty-fucking-million films about every two-bit singer, writer, politician and prostitute who ever made a name for themself. Do these filmmakers have any credibility? Why not just make a film for the sake of making a decent film? Why can't it be released earlier in the year? Why do you have to be mindful of what the Academy will or will not recognise? Does it really matter?
Sorry, that paragraph could go on forever without saying anything else. My point is that - as much as I love the Academy Awards - Hollywood has become a little too aware of them. It's like almost every Academy Award-nominated film or performance was specifically crafted as bait for an Oscar... which sort of misses the point of awarding excellence and originality.
In the next few weeks I'll probably be talking about the Oscars a bit... the history, some interesting statistics and all that sort of jazz. Hope you don't mind!
That's why it's kind of sad that I don't get to watch as many new movies as I used to. I'm not as much of a bum as I used to be, I just don't get the time to hang loose and catch up on all the latest flicks. The total number of new films I've watched this year at the movies is three... 'Over The Hedge', 'Borat' and 'The Departed'. Sad, sad, sad!
Anyway, the Golden Globes happened recently. I don't watch the Globes, they don't really interest me. It's often said that the Globes are a good indicator or who will win Academy Awards... I wouldn't say this is completely untrue, but the Oscars are governed by no real laws or trends, so it's impossible to predict them completely accurately. Sometimes a real left-field film or actor will get a nomination, sometimes an absolute underdog will shine and win the coveted award, sometimes a better performance will be overlooked in favour of a more popular actor who has been deemed by his peers as being 'ready' for his Oscar. Sometimes it's very clear who will win - no one really disputed that Charlize Theron would not win the Best Actress award for her breakout performance in Monster, and everyone knew Schindler's List would get Spielberg a Best Director award. But then again, it isn't always like this.
As I haven't kept up with the latest films this year it's hard for me to make any predictions. Usually you can tell which films and performances will get nominated though without even having seen them... these films have a certain look, a certain kind of promotional angle, the media highlights who has the 'Oscar buzz' around them. Most tellingly, almost all of these films are released around 'Oscar time', between January and February the cinemas are chock-full of 'Oscar-worthy films'. It's become quite cliched, and in some cases quite manufactured. Are these films' sole purpose for existence the fact that they're Oscar-worthy? Why only release them around this time of year? What's with all the freaking biopics lately? Just because two or three actors win for playing a real life person it doesn't mean we have to have twenty-fucking-million films about every two-bit singer, writer, politician and prostitute who ever made a name for themself. Do these filmmakers have any credibility? Why not just make a film for the sake of making a decent film? Why can't it be released earlier in the year? Why do you have to be mindful of what the Academy will or will not recognise? Does it really matter?
Sorry, that paragraph could go on forever without saying anything else. My point is that - as much as I love the Academy Awards - Hollywood has become a little too aware of them. It's like almost every Academy Award-nominated film or performance was specifically crafted as bait for an Oscar... which sort of misses the point of awarding excellence and originality.
In the next few weeks I'll probably be talking about the Oscars a bit... the history, some interesting statistics and all that sort of jazz. Hope you don't mind!
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Im always surprised by the oscars each year, me and my fim buddies use it as an excuse to yell at the TV and be absolutely gob smacked at how out of touch the academy is.
I was addicted to them as a kid and love many films that won pre 1980 odd.......but now it has become a farce since Forrest Gump beat out Pulp Fiction, Julia Roberts won for Brokovich and Tom Hanks became a multi award winner...infact I cant remember the last time they had a clue about best picture or actor/actress...its seems the worst in the bunch always walk away winners, the most mundane contrived film or dull star suddenly becoming handicapped or white trash.......on a positive note I am always fascinated by the best screenplay, cinematography, costumes etc, they tend to be a little closer to the mark.......Sundance and Canne, now they have films that are original and dare to challenge the cinematic boundaries..
I think this calls for a rant on my blog at some stage in the next few weeks, I will wait and see what PC dribble they nominate for best picture first though..........