Oscars 2011

[MacGuffin]

I just discovered some early Oscar reports: Godard and Francis Ford Coppola to be honored at the Academy Awards this year. Here (http://theenvelope.latimes.com/la-et-academy-honors-coppola,0,2207695.story) is the link to the article.

[soitgoes...]

Oscars 2011

[MacGuffin]

Oscars 2011

D'oh!

[MacGuffin]

Prediction: the Academy will only recognize Godard's 60s output and thus it will be as embarrassing as their recent memorial slideshows.

[soitgoes...]

D'oh! It's in January?February or March, I dunno. I just know Oscar 2010 has already happened.

[MacGuffin]

February or March, I dunno. I just know Oscar 2010 has already happened.

I guess it's late February. My bad. I always get confused, partially because I don't really care about the Oscars.

[soitgoes...]

I guess it's late February. My bad. I always get confused, partially because I don't really care about the Oscars.
Sorry to hijack your thread right off the bat.

Anyways, I sure the Academy will muck it up. They tend to do that.

[MacGuffin]

Sorry to hijack your thread right off the bat.

No worries. I just figured it'd be easier to start a new thread rather than having people post the same thing multiple times in the film discussion thread.

[Ezee E]

WEll, it should be a good montage of clips for Godard regardless. I wonder if he'll even show.

[baby doll]

I'll go further and predict that they only talk about À bout de souffle as the crowning achievement of the Nouvelle Vague and its influence on subsequent Hollywood features.

[Ezee E]

I'll go further and predict that they only talk about À bout de souffle as the crowning achievement of the Nouvelle Vague and its influence on subsequent Hollywood features.
Fairly sure they'll talk about Band of Outsiders, and show that its Tarantino's logo for his production company. Then he'll throw his two cents in and probably have some good things to say.

[MadMan]

I like that Wallach is also being honored, as he's really a terrific actor. Of course Godard and Coppola getting noticed is also cool, although I must confess I didn't know that Godard was still directing movies.

[baby doll]

although I must confess I didn't know that Godard was still directing movies.According to Roger Ebert and Todd McCarthy, they're not even movies anymore because you can't easily follow them as stories, and they have a very limited commercial appeal. If that's what mainstream reviewers are saying, and keep in mind that as newspaper reviewers they write for a relatively sophisticated readership (it takes more sophistication to read one of Manohla Dargis' reviews in the New York Times than it does to understand most of the films she writes about), the chances of you hearing about a film like Éloge de l'amour or Notre musique (to say nothing of his video work (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h70BW5flKJ4)) is pretty slim.

And with the Oscars, where the product is the audience and the consumers are advertisers, and the audience is not expected to be very sophisticated (a few years ago, there was a minor controversy because films like No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood were considered too esoteric, and consequently ratings that year were a record low), the chances of there being anything but the faintest gloss on Godard's career (a massive, highly varied body work spanning fifty years that's unrivaled in the history of cinema) would be like having an extended poetry reading as part of the Super Bowl halftime show.

[Spinal]

I didn't think Sandra Bullock deserved to win, but her dress was fantastic and her speech was refreshingly humble.

Oh, all right. I'll change the thread title.

[soitgoes...]

Oh, all right. I'll change the thread title.
Great. Way to render the bulk of my posts in this thread as obsolete.

[balmakboor]

I've been thumbing through the Fall Movie Preview in EW and there are some movies coming up in the next four months that I hope are great and that I hope are on that long list of ten. Like Black Swan in particular.

[NickGlass]

WEll, it should be a good montage of clips for Godard regardless. I wonder if he'll even show.

Everyone does realize that the Academy no longer distributes these awards at the ceremony in February, right? They give them out at the Governor's Ball. If I recall correctly, the winners last year simply got name-checked at the "big show," stood up from their seats, and waved from the audience.

The Oscars have really lost touch of, you know, film history. Well, what's cinema to them anymore, really, other than a chance to recognize whoever the media and PR agents tell them to?

[MacGuffin]

WEll, it should be a good montage of clips for Godard regardless. I wonder if he'll even show.

He won't.

[Pop Trash]

Prediction: the Academy will only recognize Godard's 60s output.

As they should. I tried watching Week-End again recently, and found it insufferable. I seem to remember thinking it was really 'cool' when I was younger and stupider.

[MacGuffin]

As they should. I tried watching Week-End again recently, and found it insufferable. I seem to remember thinking it was really 'cool' when I was younger and stupider.

Weekend is a sixties film.

[Derek]

Weekend is a sixties film.

Beat me to it. It's also brilliant and hilarious.

[MacGuffin]

Beat me to it. It's also brilliant and hilarious.

Yep. :cool:

[Watashi]

The Social Network will sweep.

[Boner M]

I predict the Academy only acknowledge his 70's Dziga-Vertov group period, and some up-and-coming starlet from a new dance movie will do the honors of introducing the montage, which will last longer than the obits montage. And then Godard will show up and give a long-winded speech about the importance of 'movie magic', before exiting the stage and hi-fiving Spielberg on the way out.

[Pop Trash]

Weekend is a sixties film.

I know. It used to be my Godard cut-off film until recently. Now it might be Pierrot Le Fou or Masculine Feminine (whichever came out last).

[baby doll]

I know. It used to be my Godard cut-off film until recently. Now it might be Pierrot Le Fou or Masculine Feminine (whichever came out last).I'm just curious: How many of his post-'68 films have you seen? And more broadly, do you think all movies have to tell stories?

[Ezee E]

The Social Network will sweep.
Victim of too much hype will kill it. Sorkin grins with the adapted Screenplay though.

[Spinal]

I'm going to need some convincing to believe that Inception isn't the current favorite.

[Watashi]

I'm going to need some convincing to believe that Inception isn't the current favorite.
As of right now, yes, but there are still 4 months left.

[Watashi]

Though looking at the preview of possible Oscar contenders this Fall, outside of Coens and Aronofsky, nothing is jumping out at me.

[MacGuffin]

I forgot about the Coens; good call. I wouldn't mind seeing them win again, if only because they're doubly worthy with The Big Lebowski and Fargo.

[Ezee E]

Well, if Malick's movie does get a release.....

I like Eastwood's premise, and I expect big things out of The Fighter.

[Dukefrukem]

I'm going to need some convincing to believe that Inception isn't the current favorite.

It totally is. And we still have 4 months to go. It's already a lock.

[Dukefrukem]

I expect big things out of The Fighter.

Really? Based on what? The true story isn't even that great. I don't know what they're gonna do in the movie that's so great.

[number8]

What's a good contender to take down Toy Story 3 from Best Animated?

[Dukefrukem]

What's a good contender to take down Toy Story 3 from Best Animated?

What will be up against it? A Town Called Painic? How to Train your Dragon?

[Ezee E]

What's a good contender to take down Toy Story 3 from Best Animated?
Something that doesn't exist.

[Spinal]

How to Train Your Dragon is sooooo much better, but yes, Toy Story 3 will win.

[Qrazy]

I really don't see Inception winning the Oscars. It's sci fi. It's action. And it's too complex for a lot of voters.

[Dukefrukem]

I really don't see Inception winning the Oscars. It's sci fi. It's action. And it's too complex for a lot of voters.

I see it taking home the top 3 awards.

[number8]

I just realized what a milestone it was for Return of the King to win.

[Qrazy]

I see it taking home the top 3 awards.

What do you want to bet?

[Wryan]

I'll go further and predict that they only talk about À bout de souffle as the crowning achievement of the Nouvelle Vague and its influence on subsequent Hollywood features.

I was playing World of Warcraft and someone was going on about Haute Tension being a terrific example of French New Wave.

[Wryan]

I just realized what a milestone it was for Return of the King to win.

Yeah, even though it was expected and assumed, still kinda shocking.

[Dukefrukem]

What do you want to bet?

10 bucks via Paypal?

[Qrazy]

10 bucks via Paypal?

Deal.

So just to be clear you are betting that Inception will take home the Oscar for screenplay, director and best picture. And I am betting that it will not. Correct?

[MacGuffin]

I have a hard time believing Inception will sweep, my own biases aside.

[soitgoes...]

Bad bet Duke, but it's only $10 so I guess it isn't too bad.

[Ezee E]

If it wins Best Pic, that's not a bad bet.

[number8]

Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay? That is impossible.

[baby doll]

Well, if Malick's movie does get a release.....Here's what Todd McCarthy wrote on his blog:

"The gorilla in the room was Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life. As late as early May, the reclusive auteur’s incipient effort was still awaited as a possible last-minute entry at Cannes. After its non-appearance there, it was considered a sure thing for the Venice-Toronto-New York circuit. We got excited when we learned it wouldn’t make those first two fall-season festivals but would almost certainly be ready for us in New York, which allowed us to dare to dream of the most brilliant closing night attraction ever.

All through our recent two weeks in the dark, we received periodic updates and tentative promises about the imminent arrival of the film for us to view; even well into the second week we were still being thus tantalized. Finally, of course, came word that Malick was still not done and it now seems clear the picture will not be opening this year. I can’t prove it, of course, and he’s supposedly set to start shooting a new film in Oklahoma in October, but I’m convinced we won’t be seeing The Tree of Life until, at the earliest, the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Or perhaps it could turn up at the New York Film Festival a year from now."

[Spinal]

I don't think it's all that unlikely that Inception gets all three of those. But I wouldn't place a late August bet on one film vs. the field for three awards unless I was getting decent odds.

[Mysterious Dude]

No science fiction movie has ever won best picture. Not 2001. Not A Clockwork Orange. Not Star Wars. Not E.T. Not Avatar. This trend will not be broken by Inception.

[soitgoes...]

If it wins Best Pic, that's not a bad bet.
This is why it's a bad bet. Qrazy just needs anything else to win one award. Who knows what happens between now and the end of the year?

I don't think it's all that unlikely that Inception gets all three of those. But I wouldn't place a late August bet on one film vs. the field for three awards unless I was getting decent odds.

[Dukefrukem]

Deal.

So just to be clear you are betting that Inception will take home the Oscar for screenplay, director and best picture. And I am betting that it will not. Correct?

Those were the three I was referring to, but can we go 2 out of 3? (Any 2)

[DavidSeven]

I'd have to consider Inception the early favorite as well. Sure, it's Sci-Fi, but I don't think it's fantastical enough to alienate older viewers. It's really not in the same mold as LOTR, Star Wars, Pan's Labrynth, or even a 2001. It's not as if these voters have an automatic trigger in their head that keeps them from voting for anything that could generally be considered Sci-Fi; it's that those films tend to appeal to a younger demographic, which the Academy is not. I don't think Inception has that problem, but I could be wrong.

I guess the heavy use of action set-pieces could hurt it, but that didn't stop Gladiator and Braveheart from winning top awards.

[Spinal]

I think Inception has broad appeal because of the impact of the central love story. It has so many ways that it can reach people. It will been widely seen and discussed. It is memorable. It is ambitious, yet accessible. I think it will win.

[Sycophant]

I think it's a definite contender. Made tons of money, reviewed well, excellent word of mouth, the elites and the non-elites seem to love it in equal measure for any number of reasons.

Still. Don't allow a modification to that bet, Qrazy.

[Qrazy]

Those were the three I was referring to, but can we go 2 out of 3? (Any 2)

Sure.

Deal.

Sycophant is my witness.

[Dukefrukem]

Sure.

Deal.

Sycophant is my witness.

Deal.

[number8]

I actually think Best Picture is not far-fetched. I don't think it's likely, but certainly plausible.

I just don't see it winning Screenplay and Director.

[Bosco B Thug]

I can see a Picture and Screenplay double-win happening. It's both popular enough and innovative enough. Director, no way, it'll go to someone whose picture people aren't interested in seeing win Best Picture. Duke's got a compelling chance, I think.

[endingcredits]

As they should. I tried watching Week-End again recently, and found it insufferable. I seem to remember thinking it was really 'cool' when I was younger and stupider.

Insufferable how? Was it the lack of narrative you found intolerable or its political sway? I am curious.

[Boner M]

http://cms7.blogia.com/blogs/l/la/lac/lacopadeeuropa/upload/20060424094333-hermes-godard.jpg

[Qrazy]

Insufferable how? Was it the lack of narrative you found intolerable or its political sway? I am curious.

Obviously the latter or why would he have liked it when he was younger?

[balmakboor]

I think all of these could strike gold if they work. The ones with an * are especially likely in my mind. (Keep in mind that I'm trying to think like an Oscar voter here rather than a guy who thought Blue Velvet and The Fountain should've cleaned up.) The ones with ** are ones I'm most looking forward to. Ones with *** make both lists.

Black Swan***
The Fighter***
Blue Valentine***
Country Strong
Somewhere**
Another Year***
Miral**
True Grit***
How Do You Know***
The King's Speech*
127 Hours***
Love and Other Drugs*
The Tempest*
Nowhere Boy**
Conviction**
Secretariat
Hereafter*
The Company Men**
Let Me In**
The Social Network***
Buried**
Never Let Me Go
The Town

I have a sneaking feeling that at least one of the movies on this list that didn't get any asterisks will be a surprise hit and Best Picture Oscar nominee.

I'm really looking forward to Conviction because I've become a total Sam Rockwell groupie after watching Moon four times.

I shouldn't be excited about Let Me In because I love the original and generally dislike American remakes. But the trailer made it look well crafted, Cloverfield proved Matt Reeves to be a heck of a director, and Chloe Grace Moretz is one of the most appealing things to happen to the movies in years.

[MacGuffin]

The Tempest is a good call. The Academy loves their costume dramas.

[endingcredits]

Obviously the latter or why would he have liked it when he was younger?
Obviously because he was (self admittedly) stupider.

[Derek]

Obviously because he was (self admittedly) stupider.

But the wiser one is, the more they like Week End...

[endingcredits]

But the wiser one is, the more they like Week End...

Looks like we have a genuine contradiction on our hands. Hmm..

[Qrazy]

Obviously because he was (self admittedly) stupider.

That aside I just don't see why people keep asking him if the lack of narrative is a problem for him given that he liked it when he was younger. The lack of a narrative is an issue people who don't appreciate film as art or haven't seen many films have. You don't like non-narrative films when you're younger and then suddenly start disliking them.

Personally I don't like the film much either and it's because of it's politics and in my opinion superficial approach towards critique. The film approaches criticism of 'the bourgeoisie' with the same close mindedness it accuses the bourgeoisie of having. The film isn't criticizing a real movement or individuals, it's criticizing a fabrication, soulless drones of it's own creation. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty to critique about the 'bourgeois' mentality, I just don't like the way Weekend goes about it.

[Derek]

Looks like we have a genuine contradiction on our hands. Hmm..

I posit that Pop Trash has become less intelligent and is confusing his newfound distaste for Week End with some sort of intellectual awakening.

Just messing with ya, PT. :)

[balmakboor]

Meet me in St. Louis - C+
Gimme Shelter - B


These two movies have played such an enormous role in my love of movies over the years. I own and watch both quite often. These low grades seem pretty silly to me. Especially that C+.

[Qrazy]

These two movies have played such an enormous role in my love of movies over the years. I own and watch both quite often. These low grades seem pretty silly to me. Especially that C+.

A 'B' is a high grade for me but yeah I could probably bump that up to a B+. I liked Gimme Shelter a lot. Meet me in St. Louis I liked in parts but as it progressed I grew less and less enchanted and by the end enough minor annoyances had built up to the point where I was quite irritated by the whole affair.

[endingcredits]

The film approaches criticism of 'the bourgeoisie' with the same close mindedness it accuses the bourgeoisie of having. The film isn't criticizing a real movement or individuals, it's criticizing a fabrication, soulless drones of it's own creation. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty to critique about the 'bourgeois' mentality, I just don't like the way Weekend goes about it.

The bourgeois, as fabricated and criticized in the film is in extreme limit, I agree. This weakens the efficacy of the critique, but makes for a good film otherwise. or, maybe I just like extremes.

[Qrazy]

The bourgeois, as fabricated and criticized in the film is in extreme limit, I agree. This weakens the efficacy of the critique, but makes for a good film otherwise. or, maybe I just like extremes.

That's fair, it has it's moments of formal bravura (traffic jam) and hilarity (screen posted above). I don't write the film off entirely, I just don't embrace if fully either.

[Derek]

The bourgeois, as fabricated and criticized in the film is in extreme limit, I agree. This weakens the efficacy of the critique, but makes for a good film otherwise. or, maybe I just like extremes.

Yeah, it's purposefully extreme. It peels back the bourgeois' veneer of superficial pleasures and wealth accumulation to reveal the barbaric and murderous instincts that lie beneath. The representation of the bourgeois is not meant to be realistic in the sense that they would literally exhibit such violent and base behavior, but as a metaphorical representation of the attitudes, morals, norms and values they hold along with base, survivalist instincts they hide beneath expensive clothes and shiny cars.

It's not criticising a fabrication. It's creating a fabrication for the purpose of criticism.

[monolith94]

No science fiction movie has ever won best picture. Not 2001. Not A Clockwork Orange. Not Star Wars. Not E.T. Not Avatar. This trend will not be broken by Inception.

I recommend you read this book:


http://encefalus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/black_swan.jpg

[monolith94]

These two movies have played such an enormous role in my love of movies over the years. I own and watch both quite often. These low grades seem pretty silly to me. Especially that C+.
I'd give it a C-

[Qrazy]

Yeah, it's purposefully extreme. It peels back the bourgeois' veneer of superficial pleasures and wealth accumulation to reveal the barbaric and murderous instincts that lie beneath. The representation of the bourgeois is not meant to be realistic in the sense that they would literally exhibit such violent and base behavior, but as a metaphorical representation of the attitudes, morals, norms and values they hold along with base, survivalist instincts they hide beneath expensive clothes and shiny cars.

It's not criticising a fabrication. It's creating a fabrication for the purpose of criticism.

Of course it's not meant to be realistic in that regard, but these fabrications are not realistic even as cyphers of bourgeois individuals. Basically the film treats a certain sect of human beings as cardboard cutouts worthy of contempt. Versus say examining and critiquing such people on their own terms ala Antonioni, Cassavetes or even Bunuel. Godard's attitude seems to be why think about why these people are the way they are, I'd much rather mock and spit on them. Not only does he not care why these characters are superficial, but he insists on a degree of superficiality that I am not entirely convinced actually exists. If you ask the right questions and talk to someone long enough there's usually something more going on... they aren't actually as shallow or materialistically selfish as they may seem. Or perhaps I just don't swim in the shallow end and haven't met those people yet, but until I do, I find Godard too dismissive.

Also, the base, survivalist instincts that Godard lumps on the bourgeois are true of almost every human. In fact if the film was a more generalized critique of humanity I'm sure I would have found it less obnoxious. But instead Godard reserves all his disdain for the upper middle class while exalting his particular brand of socialism.

[baby doll]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Godard doesn't like the cannibal hippies at the end much more than his bourgeois heroes (La Chinoise, made the same year, is pretty hard on the Maoists--or at least it seems that way to me, although it's been read as pro-radical left or politically neutral by others). I don't think he became a Maoist himself until about a year later.

[MacGuffin]

Monsieur Godard evades the Academy. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100826/film_nm/us_godard)

[Spinal]

Monsieur Godard evades the Academy. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100826/film_nm/us_godard)

Yeah, I saw this one coming.

[Qrazy]

I don't think he became a Maoist himself until about a year later.

Horse backing fail.

[baby doll]

Monsieur Godard evades the Academy. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100826/film_nm/us_godard)Awesome.

[soitgoes...]

Monsieur Godard evades the Academy. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100826/film_nm/us_godard)

Cool that Kevin Brownlow's getting recognized.

[MacGuffin]

To all those who were hoping to see Godard share the stage with Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise, the cast of Twilight and other great Hollywood stars... sorry. (http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/09/jean-luc-godard-not-attending-honorary.html)

[MacGuffin]

Some (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68702720100908) articles are reporting he may show up after all, but as he notes, he won't make an actual appearance because there's no time for the honorary awards during the actual ceremony. I would guess that's because they're probably too busy choreographing dance numbers for non-musicals.