The Syndicate

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:07 pm**

6/12 guessed right, although I can't really complain about most of my fantasy picks proving right either.

Denzel had some tears showing there, which is quite rare to see. To my living memory, only Bill Murray looked miffed about not getting it (for Lost in Translation) and I remember Joaquin Phoenix having once had a "who even cares man, I'm not going to take it" .gif moment. But to be honest, I still wouldn't have picked him.

Should've seen that screenplay nod flying towards Manchester, oh well. Should've definitely seen that Best Picture and Adapted sync would happen, as it often does.

The only award I find a travesty out of this entire business is the Original Score. Seconded probably by Best Actress. Again, I did not mind Stone's input in Bla Bla Bland, but when you reflect on it, it came nowhere close to Portman's work on her character and Huppert's sheer flair.

Lastly, quite a stunt there at the end. Quite a stunt. Moonlight getting it would have rubbed it in anyway, but I guess they decided to spice up the moment, for once.

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:33 pm**

I'm glad La La Land didn't win mostly because it would reinforce the (mostly true) notion that Hollywood is so full of themselves that they can't help but give awards to films about Hollywood/LA/the movie industry/acting in general.

It was a disgraceful mistake at the end. I feel bad for Beatty and Dunaway because they must feel like idiots for simply doing their job. Then again, why the heck didn't Beatty ask for clarification? If he thought it would make him look foolish, then the joke is on him. I feel bad for all the La La Land folk who got up on stage and then had to turn tail and sneak away. That's awkward and hard to live down. Finally, I feel terrible for the Moonlight people. It's bad enough that few people (especially few Americans) will ever watch that film, but just about everyone will always remember 'that movie that won the year the Oscars screwed up Best Picture.' That is a horrible footnote to be relegated to.

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:58 pm**

I have the impression that, with a bit more presence of mind, Beatty could have perhaps set things right - albeit still adding a few more seconds to an awkward interruption of an otherwise standard award call. He literally hesitated a lot there, but I think he then reached out to Faye, she must have interpreted as being let to announce it and went "LA LA LAND", lol. Murky stuff to disseminate, anyway.

Of course one can feel bad about the winners and losers involved during that minute, but a stunt is still a stunt, even if they weren't part of it. If anything, this has dispelled a bit my belief that these wins are well known in advance, by the winners.

I don't think Best Picture movies in the collective memory of the common moviegoers is a much relevant topic - especially given how much more campaigning through the process of nominations and awards weighs in. Is Spotlight from last year remembered, even though it was awarded "properly"? [/i]If the former were true, the real winner of the night would then be Suicide Squad, lol. Piece of utter crap, was seen by millions of people, now has an Oscar. Moonlight surely did its fair share of lobbying to push ahead during the last stretch, plus as far as interested cinephiles are concerned, it has toured and maybe still will tour many festivals.

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:25 pm**

Ricochet wrote:I don't think Best Picture movies in the collective memory of the common moviegoers is a much relevant topic

This is a very valid point. Ask the average American to name a Best Picture winner and (depending on their age) the most likely two answers will be The Godfather and Titanic. A lot of Best Picture winners lack staying power, in my opinion. As diverse as viewing tastes and habits have become, it's hard for a Best Picture winner to enter the cultural consciousness for simply winning the award. Sometimes the awards chase after films that seem to be entering cultural consciousness though. It seems like it's easier to remember what didn't win (aka what some perceive as getting robbed).

Case in point- what was the last Best Picture winner to have both lasting popularity and impact on film?

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:47 pm**

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King? Unless you want to question the "impact on film" part.

One could argue even Gladiator or American Beauty - and they both happened in successive years.

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:56 pm**

They should have let Steve Harvey announce the winner.

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:07 pm**

Ricochet wrote:The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?

Here's every Best Picture winner thus far:

Spoiler: show

I have seen 61 of the films on that list (still working on the rest- the wife and I took a break two years ago and will get back on track this summer). Very few of them pack that one-two punch of being liked and impacting filmmaking. Only a few of the recent ones had a shelf life of more than a few years.

I don't know if I can agree with you on Gladiator. Sometimes the Academy just falls in love with a spectacle (didn't hurt to appease the masses either). What did it do for film? It didn't bring back sword and sandals flicks and CGI was already on the rise. Is it the notion that popular entertainment can also be artistically executed?

As for American Beauty, I was not a fan early on. It's amusing more so than ground-breaking for me. It owes a lot of it's hip, sarcastic, and self-deprecating stylings to Quentin Tarantino and the early 90s indie film renaissance. In some ways, it's like Pulp Fiction's intentionally hip construct meets suburbia.

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:18 pm**

I take back my interpretation of Beatty. Saw this video (Facebook only?) and it appears he was a bit of a douche, after all, lol.

Posted: **Mon Feb 27, 2017 2:21 pm**

G-Man wrote:
I don't know if I can agree with you on Gladiator. Sometimes the Academy just falls in love with a spectacle (didn't hurt to appease the masses either). What did it do for film? It didn't bring back sword and sandals flicks and CGI was already on the rise. Is it the notion that popular entertainment can also be artistically executed?

As for American Beauty, I was not a fan early on. It's amusing more so than ground-breaking for me. It owes a lot of it's hip, sarcastic, and self-deprecating stylings to Quentin Tarantino and the early 90s indie film renaissance. In some ways, it's like Pulp Fiction's intentionally hip construct meets suburbia.

If anything, your arguments do tend to prove there is a crevasse between popularity and film impact, because I weighed more on the former when bringing these two up. I'm more of an AmBeaut fan that you, it seems. I recall its execution (say pace and screenplay) of its dry, comical, "pulpy" as you say essence being noteworthy.

Posted: **Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:20 pm**

How did Shakespeare in Love win best picture? Must have been a slow year.

Posted: **Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:43 pm**

thellama73 wrote:How did Shakespeare in Love win best picture? Must have been a slow year.

Of course it wasn't. There was Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line in the BP nominees alone.

There was American History X, The Big Lebowski, Aronofsky's Pi, Rushmore, The Truman Show, Velvet Goldmine, Mulan.

There was Kusturica's Black Cat, White Cat, Vinterberg's Festen, Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Last Vegas, Tykwer's Run Lola Run, The Red Violin, the original Ringu, Taxi

A Best Picture statuette is not a unit measure for worth.

Posted: **Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:59 pm**

Ricochet wrote:
thellama73 wrote:How did Shakespeare in Love win best picture? Must have been a slow year.
Of course it wasn't. There was Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line in the BP nominees alone.

There was American History X, The Big Lebowski, Aronofsky's Pi, Rushmore, The Truman Show, Velvet Goldmine, Mulan.

There was Kusturica's Black Cat, White Cat, Vinterberg's Festen, Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Last Vegas, Tykwer's Run Lola Run, The Red Violin, the original Ringu, Taxi

A Best Picture statuette is not a unit measure for worth.

I don't know why exactly but I am in love with the movie The Red Violin. I'm glad to see someone else has at least heard of it as it is not a widely known movie.

Hard to believe Saving Private Ryan didn't win that year as it is the kind of movie it seems like the Academy usually goes for.

Posted: **Sun Mar 04, 2018 8:57 pm**

Ok Sandra Bullock looks like she is made of latex.

Posted: **Sun Mar 04, 2018 9:22 pm**

Quick knee-jerk predictions/hopes/snubs:

Best Picture

What I'd Like to Win: Call Me By Your Name
What's Probably Gonna Win: The Shape Of Water
What Shoulda Been Nominated: The Florida Project

Best Actor

Like to Win: Daniel Kaluuya
Gonna Win: Daniel Day-Lewis (screw Oldman)
Shoulda Been Nominated: Robert Pattinson, Good Time

Best Actress

Like to Win: Saorise Ronan
Gonna Win: Frances McDormand
Shoulda Been Nominated: J-Law, mother! Vicky Krieps, Phantom Thread

Best Supporting Actor

Like to Win: Willem Dafoe
Gonna Win: Sam Rockwell
Shoulda Been Nominated: Barry Keoghan, The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Best Supporting Actress

Like to Win: Lesley Manville
Gonna Win: Laurie Metcalf
Shoulda Been Nominated: Tilda Swinton, Okja Bria Vinaite, The Florida Project

Best Director

Like to Win: Jordan Peele
Gonna Win: Guillermo Del Toro
Shoulda Been Nominated: Luca Guadagnino, Call Me By Your Name. Denis Villenueve, Blade Runner 2049

Best Original Screenplay

Like to Win: Lady Bird
Gonna Win: Three Billboards
Shoulda Been Nominated: A Ghost Story, Phantom Thread

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Like to Win: Call Me By Your Name
Gonna Win: Call Me By Your Name
Shoulda Been Nominated: Blade Runner 2049, The Death of Stalin

and that's all the awards I care about

Posted: **Tue Mar 06, 2018 7:27 am**

I've watched an alarming few of those yet. I tend to avoid really hyped movies till later so that expectations aren't disappointed.

also, I find it hilarious that Logan was released last year??? Feels like it was 3 years ago at least.

The Syndicate

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