Oscars 2017

[Watashi]

This is a good read: http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/02/...-casual-racism

I immediately cringed at these two jokes.

[transmogrifier]

I always thought Megan Fox was an inspiration. Surprised it was Seth Rogen she inspired though.

[number8]

This is a good read: http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/02/...-casual-racism

I immediately cringed at these two jokes.

Here's a good Code Switch episode about this, offering different perspectives on it.

[Ezee E]

Yeah, the mini-tributes that led into the presenters was really cool.

Doing something like that, and some mixing of what people thought was special about movies from this year would be cool.

What better way to get people to see Elle then have someone like Emma Stone talk about how much she liked her in it? *Assuming she did, if not, skip to say, Brie Larson, etc*

Majority of the movies were hardly blockbusters, so any further exposure would've been cool.

This year was just very "message-y" as predicted, but hardly anything that would change an opinion.

[Sycophant]

The good parts: When they did the "who inspired me segments" (all two of them), and they had that person present with the actor that inspired them. That was special. I wish they left room for more of those instead of the "Kimmel Show" stuff.

Also, the segment where they had people in non-English languages talking about why they love movies. I thought that was incredible, and nicely subtle, and I wish they had kept that up too. It was a strong reminder, to me, about what's great about the form and why people go to the theater and keep going.

Yeah, I liked both of these segments a lot. More of this kind of hooray for movies type stuff about how movies connect with people than the usual boring, self-aggrandizing montages, please.

[Sycophant]

Sarah Silverman would be great.

It might be too much for such an Oscars fanboy, but I'd love to see Billy Eichner get a crack at it. And/or Julie Klausner, come to think of it.

[baby doll]

2015 - Spotlight - 57
2014 - Birdman - 55
2013 - 12 Years a Slave - 62
2012 - Argo - 68
2011 - The Artist - na
2010 - The King's Speech - na
2009 - The Hurt Locker - 66
2008 - Slumdog Millionaire - 58
2007 - No Country for Old Men - 65
2006 - The Departed - 78

So I had to go back 10 years to find a Best Picture winner I unreservedly like.

Spotlight: haven't seen it and don't feel particularly deprived
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance): entertaining but probably wouldn't watch it again; I prefer Amores perros (or at least I remember liking it fifteen years ago)
12 Years a Slave: gripping but probably wouldn't watch it again; I prefer Hunger
Argo: haven't seen it and don't feel particularly deprived, even though I'm a big fan of Gone Baby Gone
The Artist: mediocre
The King's Speech: mediocre
The Hurt Locker: gripping and entertaining but I can't say I've ever been very curious to see it again
Slumdog Millionaire: conceivably Danny Boyle's worst movie; I prefer Trainspotting, notwithstanding the lame ending
No Country for Old Men: a respectable best picture winner (I've seen it twice and it holds up pretty well), notwithstanding the pretentious jive which I blame on McCarthy more than the Coens
The Departed: a bloated mess that collapses into self-parody; an all-around embarrassment; just thinking about it makes me wish Jack Nicholson would stay retired

[amberlita]

Agreed that the best segment of the evening was the montage of non-English speakers talking about their favorite films. If you're going to connect real people to Hollywood that's a hell of a lot better than trotting out a group of them to be snickered at. Plus it had the best cue of the entire evening (Young Frankenstein). They expanded the number of BP nominees supposedly to allow for better reflection of the movies people actually go to see but allowing time in the broadcast to actually let real people talk about movies is a much better tact; though I slightly dread anything that encourages Hollywood to be even more self-important than it already is.

[Peng]

Surprised to see no one mentions Steve Martin yet; he is my favorite for sure. Also surprised to see dislike of Whoopi Goldberg since I found her pretty fun (never see anything else by her outsides them though except the first Sister Act).

Like many, the last time Best Pic synched up with my favorite film of the year is The Departed, although 12 Years a Slave came awfully close.

[Morris Schæffer]

The Damon thing was funny, but they leaned on it too hard. I did like that the announcer said "Ben Affleck and guest" and that the orchestra tried to play off Damon when he was presenting. That was funny as hell. Likewise when Damon tried to trip Kimmel coming down the aisle. The rest of it, I coulda done without.

Yep, I liked Kimmel although I never understand why hosts should be so scrutinized. Do they write the material they say? Because then I would understand.

By the way, what did you think of the "We Bought a Zoo" joke? I thought it was funny also.

[number8]

It might be too much for such an Oscars fanboy, but I'd love to see Billy Eichner get a crack at it. And/or Julie Klausner, come to think of it.

Ohhh man, the Oscars won't fucking do it, but I can see an Eichner/Klausner combo doing Golden Globes. That would be incredible.

[number8]

Yep, I liked Kimmel although I never understand why hosts should be so scrutinized. Do they write the material they say? Because then I would understand.

Yes.

[number8]

More details about the Best Picture mixup last night.

Even more details. This makes it seem more embarrassing than it appeared on TV.

[Spinal]

Even more details. This makes it seem more embarrassing than it appeared on TV.

Hindsight is 20/20 and all, but it's mind-boggling to me that they use 2 sets of envelopes. I imagine there's a reason for it, like, there's last minute changes to the flow of presenters, etc. (The article does hint at that.) But it just seems like asking for trouble.

[number8]

I disagree, I think having a backup copy of everything is always good when you're running an event. It's not like the category isn't labeled on the envelopes. The trick is to employ a person who actually pays attention to literally his only job that night.

[Dukefrukem]

I still feel Beatty and Dunaway were dumbasses and should have known AND saved the event. Read the fucking front of the card you simpletons.

[Winston*]

I think it was hilarious and I'm glad it happened.

[Spinal]

I still feel Beatty and Dunaway were dumbasses and should have known AND saved the event. Read the fucking front of the card you simpletons.

They're in their late 70s. I'm gonna give them a pass on this one.

[number8]

Rewatching the clip is fascinating. Beatty saw that it was the wrong card immediately and then searched the envelope again twice to see if the right card is in it. He didn't want to read it, and was clearly showing the card to Dunaway to tell her that they got the wrong card because she was telling him to hurry up and read it, but Dunaway just saw "La La Land" written on it and blurted it out. You can hear in the broadcast that under the cheers, Beatty immediately said, "No, it says Emma Stone!" and Dunaway replied, "What?"

[Spinal]

I think it was hilarious and I'm glad it happened.

They're really lucky it didn't happen in reverse.

[Winston*]

They're really lucky it didn't happen in reverse.

That would have been bad for numerous reasons. This way it's like a happy twist ending.

[Idioteque Stalker]

If actor had followed actress then I guess Manchester by the Sea would've won for a minute, and everybody would've been like... wtf?

[Henry Gale]

If actor had followed actress then I guess Manchester by the Sea would've won for a minute, and everybody would've been like... wtf?

Another really good point made was that if anyone else other than Stone had happened to win Best Actress, then none of Jackie, Elle, Loving and Florence Foster Jenkins were even nominated for Best Picture to have things play out similarly at all.

[transmogrifier]

Well, they had a good chance of getting away with it if the pre-awards odds had played out. I bet for those first couple of speeches Beatty thought he was in the clear....

[Ezee E]

Haha. I watched it like Beatty was like, "I'm not going to be the dumbass, I'll put it on Faye."

Then he probably felt bad and decided to come forward.

Has Faye been talked to afterwards? She was nowhere to be seen.