• Facebook on the film’s eight-nomination haul: “We’re over it, thanks. Trying to build the future here.” [Hollywood Reporter]
• A.J. Schnack attempts to unravel the myths behind the “Waiting for Superman” snub. [All These Wonderful Things]
• Patrick Goldstein notes the (anticipated) lack of color in this year’s acting categories. [The Big Picture]
• Legal drama looms over Oscar-nominated “Exit Through the Gift Shop.” [Reuters]
• The “but it didn’t happen that way” tear-down moves from “The Social Network” to “The King’s Speech.” [Slate]
• Meanwhile, Lewis Beale pulls out “AMPAs just doesn’t get it” card (which is B.S. in and of itself) that has served the former’s devoted for long enough. [CNN]
• Five Oscar-nominated roles of 2011 and their Oscar-winning forebears [Movieline]
• Psst. Wanna see “Dogtooth?” [Netflix]
[Photo: Paramount Pictures]
Comments
21 responses to “1/26 OSCARWEB ROUND-UP: Facebook is over it, ‘Superman’ snub “myths,” an all-white acting class”
The King’s Speech veracity thing stinks of last year’s Hurt Locker scandals. Every year we get to the point where it just gets nasty. I guess we’re there now. I’m a supporter of TSN full stop, but really?
Kris, FYI the very last link appears to be incorrect as it links to the place as the one above it (for me anyway).
I dont understand all this craziness about having no non-white nominees…Who could have got nominated? One of those ladies in For Colored Girls???? They were mostly OK, but then look at the Best Supporting Actress line up? they were not in the same league as those five actresses who got well-deserved nominations.
Who else? Halle Berry for that crappy movie and performance? Again look at the ladies in Best Actress category. Halle’s performance nowhere close to their performances!
Who else? Denzel Washington for un stoppable??? Yeah, in a year where Ryan Gosling couldnt make to top five, nominating Denzel would be a crime!
So, the problem is not with the Oscars. It is with the overall system where ther are not many worthy performances and movies! Maybe Tylor Perry should spend his time and money to make movies like Precious than those dumb movies that only handful Black people want to see!
Sertan, part of the problem is that mainstream American movies did not have good roles for minorities.
Of course, Kim Hye-Ja and so many others never had a chance because their movies are in funny languages.
they were not in the same league as those five actresses who got well-deserved nominations
I love three of those nominees, and I’d still take Kimberly Elise over the lot of ’em.
Maxim: Fixed it, thanks.
Sertan, that is a woefully wrong take on things. Someone like Perry should not be expected to be a source for roles of such a large percent of the population. And the fact that you doing it points at two much larger problems, that forcing people into categories and the fact that people of color have a relatively few quality outlets or outlets period. The responsibility, at least partially, probably rests on both sides but there’s no denying the lack of level playing field.
In retospect it seems amazing how much bigger this gap is between movies and television.
Maxim,
Thos non-white actors always complain about lack of roles for them. But then, there is Tylor Perry with resources. He could choose projects with better stories, better actors, etc. But he chooses to go with the easier road and do those movies. They are not too bad. They are fun, touching, financially not failures. But quality wise they are not the best!
My point was that they are pointing at the “White” Hollywood for not having great roles for non-whites. But then even “non-white” directors/producers do not offer them those roles!
And, of course the bigger problem is the profile and tastes of mainstream American audiences!
Guy,
She was not bad at all. I also like Kerry Washington in Mother and Child as well. However, none of them got any critical praise even before Oscars! No critics awards or even nominations, except Halle’s out of nowhere GG nomination!
Lets face it: When they give good performances, even black actors get their nominations and even wins (I think we can say this now more than decades ago). LAst eyar, who could have questioned Monique’s win or Gabby’s nomination! They were well deserved! I only hope that Viola Davis will get better roles and some day she will win her Oscar!
However, most of those people complain about lack of color only complain about lack of “black” color. They dont complain about the fact that there are no major Chinese actors get praise or nominations!
The article concerning the lack of minority nominees doesn’t say anything new about Hollywood or the Academy. Although, I love the performances in For Colored Girls, and it would’ve been nice to see any of these women make it through – I can’t work myself up in angry about their absence.
It would have been nice to have seen more diversity with the academy nominees, but I don’t think it was any really choice the academy members were making, and Bardem’s surprise nom added some diversity to the nominees.
Plus I was a little annoyed at how the article suggested that Toy Story 3 like most Pixar movies is devoid of minorities- granted TS3 only had minority characters in minor roles, but many Pixar films star non-human characters who lack any traditional race. And the two Pixar films centered around human characters (Incredibles and Up) have an African-American as significant supporting character and an Asian boy as a co-lead.
Not sure if this was posted here before, but Exit Through the Gift Shop is free on Hulu.
I saw Dogtooth through Netflix and I’m not sure what to make of it. I have a hard time buying it as an allegory on parenting, but surely it must have been about something. . . Either way, it was truly an original movie that didn’t bore me too much. And it sure seems like a great movie to show people!
How Goldstein managed to mention Perry in his article and not For Colored Girls baffles me somewhat.
For the minority article, I don’t blame it entirely on Hollywood though as the article mentions many filmmakers have passion projects that appeal to them and often times there isn’t room for minorities in larger roles. There’s also box office, when you have films centered on minorities not doing as well at the box office you’re not going to have studios willing to risk making more of those projects.
I think it’s up to the minority directors to try and make a difference and prove that films which feature predominately minorities can make money and do well at awards such as Precious last year.
Going further into this, I’m surprised that the minority actors that have made it big in Hollywood such as Jennifer Lopez or Will Smith haven’t used their connections or money to produce their own quality films. There are plenty of acclaimed novels written by minorities and featuring minorities which these actors could get adapted and made into films. I don’t know why they haven’t tried; Hayek tried it in 2002 and she succeeded in getting her film a few Oscar noms including one for her self.
I agree that the issue is the absence of roles not the Oscars and I would challenge directors who constantly make Oscar-worthy films to feature black actors in more prominent roles. I loved True Grit but when I saw the only black people in it were both indentured servants it TURNED MY STOMACH. Look at all of Spike Lee movies “Do The Right Thing(Danny Aiello, John Torturro);”25th Hour” (All-white cast); Inside Man (Clive Owen;Jodie Foster); Clockers (HArvey Keitel; John Torturro); Jungle Fever (Annabella Sciorra, John & Nick Torturro), Summer of Sam( John Leguizamo,Adrien Brody, Bebe Neuwirth) etc. etc. etc. Compare that to any of the modern directors who movies are perenially nominated it can compare not even a little bit. And Spike is always called racist.
I’m wondering if Lewis Beale can explain to me how rich Harvard students suing each other is relevant to me. I mean, I like TSN, but I really don’t see how the film is more important to my life that TG or TKS, two movies that I liked better.
I agree, Denzel should have played Mark Zuckerberg…or King Geroge…maybe Micky Ward? I got it, Rooster Coughburn. Aron Ralston? Everybody’s favorite toy Woody….Buzz?!
In response to the Goldstein “Lack of Color” article. I just watched “Night Catches Us”, and It would have been great if someone could have made a case for Anthony Mackie to get a Best Actor nomination. He has this strange charm to him that doesn’t hit you instantly like so many other actors, it instead slowly creeps up on you. I’m still baffled nobody came to his aid last year backed by a strong performance in a Best Picture winner (I thought he was the best thing about “The Hurt Locker”). I get the feeling he’s poised for a breakout in the next few years or so.
***I loved True Grit but when I saw the only black people in it were both indentured servants it TURNED MY STOMACH.***
WHEN does the film take place? Exactly. I rather have accuracy than randomly shoving major minority roles into movies where they don’t fit.
“Psst. Wanna see ‘Dogtooth?’”
OH MY GOD, YES! Definitely have to make time for this film tomorrow.