|
Post by chonies on Jan 17, 2016 10:38:04 GMT -4
I offered to see Brooklyn with my mother but she declined.
|
|
|
Post by Binky on Jan 17, 2016 23:23:37 GMT -4
I saw the Big Short, which was good. I think Carrell deserved the supporting nomination over Bale. Apparently the story omitted a woman who also predicted the crises; shame that an actress did get a chance for that role.
|
|
baileydash
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 316
Dec 12, 2009 17:21:35 GMT -4
|
Post by baileydash on Jan 19, 2016 12:22:54 GMT -4
The biggest reason for the lack of diversity in Oscar nominations, is that Oscar taste-makers like Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein, are only interested in making stories about white people. They aren't bigoted, but they are socially and artistically myopic with very limited interests.
So practically all of the "Oscarbait" movies have casts that look like members of an Mississippi Country Club circa 1957.
Heck, Hollywood movies have become so white that even America's white actors aren't white enough to play white characters any longer. Hollywood has to import Brits, Irish and Aussies to do the job.
|
|
|
Post by Neurochick on Jan 19, 2016 13:54:26 GMT -4
The biggest reason for the lack of diversity in Oscar nominations, is that Oscar taste-makers like Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein, are only interested in making stories about white people. They aren't bigoted, but they are socially and artistically myopic with very limited interests. So practically all of the "Oscarbait" movies have casts that look like members of an Mississippi Country Club circa 1957. Heck, Hollywood movies have become so white that even America's white actors aren't white enough to play white characters any longer. Hollywood has to import Brits, Irish and Aussies to do the job. I think they are bigoted, it's not like black people just came to America a year ago. They just need to open their eyes and step away from the coke.
|
|
thneed
Landed Gentry
Posts: 816
Jun 19, 2006 0:42:40 GMT -4
|
Post by thneed on Jan 19, 2016 15:56:09 GMT -4
The biggest reason for the lack of diversity in Oscar nominations, is that Oscar taste-makers like Scott Rudin and Harvey Weinstein, are only interested in making stories about white people. They aren't bigoted, but they are socially and artistically myopic with very limited interests. I mostly agree with this, except last year, "Selma" WAS Oscar-bait. It was the most Oscar-baity movie ever. It was a biopic about an American icon. No, it was a biopic about THE American icon. AND it was somehow the first theatrical MLK movie ever. The one historical figure virtually everyone admires. The lead actor even had to gain weight for the role and learn a new accent, something he did flawlessly. It would have been Oscar-bait even if it sucked, which it didn't. In fact everyone agreed it was very good, far better than most Oscar-bait movies about historical figures that have an unfortunate "Eat your vegetables" quality. It was directed by a fresh new director who already won a prestigious award. So when THAT didn't get nominated, everyone was wondering what the hell. But the issue is more complicated because most years, there isn't a "Selma". The usual Oscar-winning movies are biopics about admired historical figures. Those will mostly be white. Because Hollywood only sees movies like that with predominantly black casts when they're about slavery or the Civil Rights movement. And since you can only have so many movies about slavery or the Civil Rights movement, black characters, and black people, are ignored the rest of the time when it comes to movies like this. Or else adaptations of historical novels. Those will also mostly be white, because either they were written 200 years ago or publishing has the same problem, where they only see black people as tragic figures suffering from slavery and discrimination, with no other stories worth telling. But where's the black "Brooklyn"? The black "Wild"? The black Gone Girl"? THAT'S the issue. And it's also why I think everyone is missing the point. Amid calls for a boycott, all Hollywood is hearing is "Ugh, fine. Pick one black actor out of 20 every year so we can avoid this shit." So there will be one black nominee, and the movie he's in won't be that good or that popular, because it will be like the lead actress nominees where 4/5 of the movies are definitely not Oscar-y, because Hollywood doesn't MAKE Oscar-y with women, so some guy, probably Denzel, will be the new Meryl Streep and get nominated for crap every year, and nothing changes. The lack of black nominated actors isn't the issue. It's where are the non-white screenwriters, directors, producers, studio heads?
|
|
|
Post by Neurochick on Jan 20, 2016 9:49:47 GMT -4
Yes, this is the issue. And it will continue to be the issue until white Hollywood folks, step away from the coke, which will never happen; so that's why you need POC behind the scenes, telling their and our stories.
|
|
thneed
Landed Gentry
Posts: 816
Jun 19, 2006 0:42:40 GMT -4
|
Post by thneed on Jan 20, 2016 11:29:32 GMT -4
To be fair, Hollywood does sometimes do Oscary biopics about black people unrelated to slavery or Civil Rights. Rarely. Ray Charles, the Supremes, and this year, "Concussion". I'm sure everyone thought the latter would get Will Smith an Oscar nomination. But as long as Oscar movies are biopics, they will mostly feature white people. They're the majority in the US and Western Europe and the further back in history you go the more true that is. That's why the solution is to get out of the stupid idea that if a movie is about an admirable person it's automatically a good movie and start telling stories again. Most of these movies (about people of any color) are turgid messes. Alan Turing and Jackie Robinson are interesting, admirable people. "The Imitation Game" and "42" were not good movies.
20 years ago the Best Picture nominees were "Forrest Gump" "Quiz Show" "Pulp Fiction" "Shawshank" "Four Weddings". All either did, or could have, featured black characters in prominent roles. Same with the next year "Braveheart" could be about an African no one's heard of instead of a Scot no one's heard of. Or "Leaving Las Vegas" "Casino" or "12 Monkeys". There's an upcoming movie that's essentially "Before Sunrise" but about the Obamas on their first date. And even though I think real-person fic is kind of gross, good. How often do you see a movie like "Before Sunrise" about black people. As though black people never walk and talk about life and fall in love. I'm, like, 90% sure black people do those things. Still created by a white guy, but it's something.
I don't get why progressives' solution to everything is to create a hashtag and call for a boycott. That doesn't work and it essentially depends on the same studio execs we're criticizing to be the great white saviors. And even worse, it allows people to frame the issue as diversity vs quality. Or diversity vs artistic freedom. Do that and diversity will lose every single time. The only solution is more minorities behind the camera.
|
|
|
Post by Atreides on Jan 20, 2016 21:03:47 GMT -4
I thought Chris Rock's movie Top Five co-starring Rosario Dawson was a variation on the Before Sunrise-type of movie. I thought it was really good too. Of course, it was ignored by the Academy.
|
|
Greeneyesis
Guest
Sept 23, 2024 21:28:05 GMT -4
|
Post by Greeneyesis on Jan 21, 2016 1:28:13 GMT -4
The problem is much bigger than just a lack of black actors as nominees. Actors just happen to be more high profile.
And it's not just black actors but all people of color who are under-represented. And we are under-represented in all areas of the film making industry be it studio leadership, producing, directing, writing or editing.
I also feel that we as black folks too frequently view our disenfranchisement in isolation instead of seeking alliances with others who are also face cinematic erasure.
|
|
|
Post by americanchai on Jan 21, 2016 13:21:47 GMT -4
|
|