Oscar Talk
Out of the 30 nominations I'd predicted, I got 23 right.Wow! Definitely an improvement over last year where I might've gotten around 16-17 right.
There were a few surprises - I'd expected Syriana to get nod for best picture ahead of Crash although both were really equally hard-hitting, edgy movies. The reason, I suspect, has to do with the dense, complex structure of Syriana's screenplay which had so much to say and may not have, in hindsight, successfully brought the point across to the audiences. A case of less would've been better.
Kiera Knightley getting the nod for her performance in Pride & Prejudice ; a movie which I haven't watched but I'm glad she was nominated cos she's really one of my favorite actresses and really, she needed it after her disastrous Domino debacle ( I seriously considered a refund till she bared her boobs and that was worth the price of admission). Dame Judi Dench gets a nod courtesy the "Wildcard" spot which is usually reserved for Over-the-hill actresses partaking in risque', independent productions or some non-American actress. This year it was a fight between Judi Dench and Zhang Ziyi for Memoirs of a Geisha. Mostly the two nominees - the default British actress (which in this case would be Kiera, unfortunately) and the wild card serve as necassary decorations while the remaining 3, usually American actresses, fight it out for the top award.
William Hurt for best supporting actor?!? Why? I've watched History of Violence and let me assure you that his 5 minute role in the movie does not justify his nomination. And it would seem even more unfair when compared with Matt Damon for Syriana, or Don Cheadle for Crash. Often the Academy feel they have to inject some kind of controversial nominee or decision to stir a debate and tounge wagging.
An interesting tussle for the Best Original Screenplay between Crash, Syriana and Woody Allen's Matchpoint. Now that would be the category I'll be watching closely. Three sublime screenplays but which are so vastly different from one other in tone and presentation - Crash-so provocative, relentless and dramatic, Syriana -Intelligent, subtly conveying a sense of helplessness and desperation, masterfully juggling several protagonists and tales like puppets, and Matchpoint - a departure from regular Woody Allen stories yet maintaining the brilliant wit, honesty and an ever sharp eye for everyday truths and reality which is present in all his screenplays. Few can match Allen's lucidity in dialogue.
The others categories are more or less predictable and this year there is NO one movie which I'm rooting for except perhaps Munich, which is shockingly only nominated in 3 categories and excluded in the Best Cinematography category. Unlike last year when I wished Aviator would sweep in all categories, this year I nurse no such dreams.
Johnny Depp, probably provided his most outstanding, dramatic, outrageous perfomance in the Libertine, a movie which, unfortunately, did not garner enough support and publicity which in the end may have been the reasons why he was not nominated. If he'd been nominated it would be an interesting head-to head with Philip Seymour Hoffman for the best Actor award, which it would seem at the moment Hoffman has all but delivered his acceptance speech.
And I'll conclude the Oscar talk with some humor. The day after the nominations were announced, several leading Indian newspapers splashed in the headlines - "Paheli Out", "Paheli does not get the nod at the Oscars" and so on and so forth. HAHA. keep dreaming suckers! Let's face it, Paheli was not India's best effort. Infact there was a collective groan from several leading critics when it was chosen to be sent to the Oscars. And for those who'll immediately attack people like me with statements like "We should not start aping Hollywood movies just so we win the Oscars" and " We should start our own Awards". Such statements are depressing and hypocritical. Indian directors have no issues with directly copying popular hollywood movies and regurgitating them on screen (like American Pie, Unfaithful) but don't have what it takes to deal with the tough, gritty movies which Hollywood ALSO produces. Munich, Brokeback Mountain, Anyone?
And why is it that when it comes to sending Indian movies across to be selected for Best Foreign Movie category that the selection panel (whoever this mysterious group maybe) look only towards bollywood movies? Are there no suitable Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam movies? Or anyother regional language? I'm quite certain they are! And infinitely better than Paheli.
-Nav
There were a few surprises - I'd expected Syriana to get nod for best picture ahead of Crash although both were really equally hard-hitting, edgy movies. The reason, I suspect, has to do with the dense, complex structure of Syriana's screenplay which had so much to say and may not have, in hindsight, successfully brought the point across to the audiences. A case of less would've been better.
Kiera Knightley getting the nod for her performance in Pride & Prejudice ; a movie which I haven't watched but I'm glad she was nominated cos she's really one of my favorite actresses and really, she needed it after her disastrous Domino debacle ( I seriously considered a refund till she bared her boobs and that was worth the price of admission). Dame Judi Dench gets a nod courtesy the "Wildcard" spot which is usually reserved for Over-the-hill actresses partaking in risque', independent productions or some non-American actress. This year it was a fight between Judi Dench and Zhang Ziyi for Memoirs of a Geisha. Mostly the two nominees - the default British actress (which in this case would be Kiera, unfortunately) and the wild card serve as necassary decorations while the remaining 3, usually American actresses, fight it out for the top award.
William Hurt for best supporting actor?!? Why? I've watched History of Violence and let me assure you that his 5 minute role in the movie does not justify his nomination. And it would seem even more unfair when compared with Matt Damon for Syriana, or Don Cheadle for Crash. Often the Academy feel they have to inject some kind of controversial nominee or decision to stir a debate and tounge wagging.
An interesting tussle for the Best Original Screenplay between Crash, Syriana and Woody Allen's Matchpoint. Now that would be the category I'll be watching closely. Three sublime screenplays but which are so vastly different from one other in tone and presentation - Crash-so provocative, relentless and dramatic, Syriana -Intelligent, subtly conveying a sense of helplessness and desperation, masterfully juggling several protagonists and tales like puppets, and Matchpoint - a departure from regular Woody Allen stories yet maintaining the brilliant wit, honesty and an ever sharp eye for everyday truths and reality which is present in all his screenplays. Few can match Allen's lucidity in dialogue.
The others categories are more or less predictable and this year there is NO one movie which I'm rooting for except perhaps Munich, which is shockingly only nominated in 3 categories and excluded in the Best Cinematography category. Unlike last year when I wished Aviator would sweep in all categories, this year I nurse no such dreams.
Johnny Depp, probably provided his most outstanding, dramatic, outrageous perfomance in the Libertine, a movie which, unfortunately, did not garner enough support and publicity which in the end may have been the reasons why he was not nominated. If he'd been nominated it would be an interesting head-to head with Philip Seymour Hoffman for the best Actor award, which it would seem at the moment Hoffman has all but delivered his acceptance speech.
And I'll conclude the Oscar talk with some humor. The day after the nominations were announced, several leading Indian newspapers splashed in the headlines - "Paheli Out", "Paheli does not get the nod at the Oscars" and so on and so forth. HAHA. keep dreaming suckers! Let's face it, Paheli was not India's best effort. Infact there was a collective groan from several leading critics when it was chosen to be sent to the Oscars. And for those who'll immediately attack people like me with statements like "We should not start aping Hollywood movies just so we win the Oscars" and " We should start our own Awards". Such statements are depressing and hypocritical. Indian directors have no issues with directly copying popular hollywood movies and regurgitating them on screen (like American Pie, Unfaithful) but don't have what it takes to deal with the tough, gritty movies which Hollywood ALSO produces. Munich, Brokeback Mountain, Anyone?
And why is it that when it comes to sending Indian movies across to be selected for Best Foreign Movie category that the selection panel (whoever this mysterious group maybe) look only towards bollywood movies? Are there no suitable Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam movies? Or anyother regional language? I'm quite certain they are! And infinitely better than Paheli.
-Nav
posted by Nav at 6:20 PM
3 Comments:
That was some interesting dissection of the Oscar nominations. I totally agree with your point about Indian movies too!
Keep penning...err...hitting the keys!
Ha ha the Indian Oscar committee or whatever...select movies with their EYES closed. Or they select movies based on the wads of money they get from the movie's distributor....I cant think of any other reasoning behind sending Paheli..WHY?...WHY?
cheers!
Megha
True, true..
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